Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 242  [Festival Of Love] [End]

'...What a lovely fucking day it was.'

I grumbled, stretching my back on the chair I sat on, a cracking sound echoing in the room making my body relax.

Echo's new song was playing in the headphones that I wore while I picked up my phone lying on the table beside me.

"Midnight, and she's still out." I whispered softly as I played with my phone.

I looked around the dimly lit hotel room we rented for tonight.

"Where is she?" I grumbled, opening my phone and closing it.

It's been more than an hour since Christina left me here and went somewhere with Olivia.

'Why is Olivia so close to her?'

I rubbed my temples as my gaze landed back on the girl sleeping peacefully on the bed.

"..."

Leaning forward, I brushed a strand of silver hair from her face to look at her clearly.

She wore her black bridal dress, her hands on her chest, which gently rose with each breath.

"...."

I silently pinched her cheek, stretching it to my heart's content.

Fuck, I really hate this girl.

[...I'm confused right now; what happened?]

'Nothing.' I replied as I leaned back on the chair with a tired sigh.

[At least tell me what happened with Taishareth?]

I leave her cheek with one long stretch as I looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought.

'She showed us what happened on the day I was kidnapped.' I replied tiredly, looking up, 'and I got to know something new.'

[...What?]

'My mother knew about my kidnapping but still did nothing; maybe she even instigated all of it.'

[...]

...Sypha.

She was manipulating my every move from behind.

From saving Shyamal and Arianell's lives to Shane's death.

She could have stopped everything from happening, but she didn't.

I remember how bad my head hurt after sharing my life source with Ashlyn and Arianell.

I also remember hearing Sypha's voice, but I always thought it was an illusion.

...But it wasn't.

She took advantage of my trust in her.

She knew I would never doubt her.

And if that wasn't enough, she gaslighted me into believing I could have saved Shane but didn't.

[You don't seem that angry.] n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

'There's no point in being angry.'

....It's better if I think of ways to torture her for what she did to me.

[I see.]

'...El.'

[Yeah.]

'...Taishareth called me Anastasia's last hope,' I replied, leaning further back in the chair, '...What does that mean?'

[...]

'Come to think of it, do you know anything about her?' I asked, feeling my curiosity grow.

[About her?]

'Yeah, apart from the things I know from legends, I have no idea what she's actually like.'

[..I don't know.]

'...Liar.'

I grumbled as I sighed, listening to Echo's song.

I know some things from the game, but it was mostly about her Avatar.

Not much was revealed about her; she helped the bad guys just for the sake of it.

But now...

...Is that really the case?

Was she truly the villain in all those events in the game?

And...

'...Her Avatar, huh?'

I wonder if I'll ever get to see that bitch in this world.

I hope not.

I hate her as much as I hate Sabaoth's Avatar.

[Stop randomly hating someone.]

'It's not random; I hate all the Avatars, except maybe Elijah.'

[What's so special about him?]

'...Well, he's just nice.'

Or maybe I'm just biased because he's my cousin.

[...Wait, what?]

'It's complicated.'

I replied, rubbing my temples to alleviate my sleepiness.

Fuck, my overly complicated family.

I honestly don't want to see any of them, maybe Avril, but not the rest.

They're all going to die anyway, so what's the point of having a good relationship with them?

[...Your thoughts are getting darker every day.]

'...You're imagining things.'

I grumbled as I tiredly took out my phone, replaying the same song I was listening to previously.

[You listen to her song like an addict.]

'I don't.' I scoffed, looking at Shyamal as I noticed her twitching.

"Hey." I whispered as she gasped for air, looking around the place, "It's fine."

I moved closer, sitting on the bed beside her as I helped her to lean against it.

Her breathing slowly calmed as I kept rubbing her back.

"...Haah."

She finally exhaled softly before her crimson eyes shifted toward me.

Sadness and shock filled her eyes.

Stretching her arms, she softly asked, "...Please, can I?"

I shifted my body quietly as I opened my arms; she slowly leaned forward, her hands wrapping around me.

Her head snuggled close to my chest as I felt her shallow breathing.

"...Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle like never before.

"...I'm fine." I replied, while rubbing her back.

Her soft body turned limp, her entire weight resting on me.

Her breaths turned ragged as she quietly asked, "...How long?"

"....What?" I asked, tilting my head.

"How long are you going to live?" she asked, slowly pulling back.

"..."

I stayed silent as she looked at me with her bloodshot crimson eyes.

She tried so hard not to cry, but tears began streaming down with a single blink.

"Five," I replied honestly, without trying to hide this time.

And just as I expected, she broke down.

She lowered her head, body trembling, her grieving voice echoing, "I... am sorry, I... am such a bad– I killed Shane– and you—"

"It's fine," I whispered with a smile as I wiped her tears, "...It wasn't your fault."

"But—"

"Whatever happened was my own decision." I replied, and I could clearly see the disagreement in her eyes, "...You did nothing wrong."

Her crimson eyes looked at me painfully, tears trickling down from them.

"Can't you take my life?" she asked, her voice a little expectant, as she showed me her hand, "...I can give as much as you want."

"Shya—"

"I'm fine," she cut in, desperation filling her voice, "...Ten years, twenty, take fifty years of my life, just please don't die."

"That's not how it works." I replied, gently patting her head, "...I'm not a vampire who can suck life energy from your body."

"....."

She looked at me with her bloodshot eyes, her lips trembling in fear.

"...Stop crying." I replied with a smile as I wiped her tears again.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, leaning towards me again, "....I can't do anything... for you."

"It's fine," I murmured, gently running my fingers through her hair.

Her hands wrapped around me once more as she hugged me tightly.

I hugged her back while gently patting her back.

Click!

The door swung open, making me abruptly turn my head in that direction.

"...."

Christina stood at the door, wearing the same white gown and carrying Olivia with her.

'...Ah, fuck.'

I grumbled, separating from Shyamal as I noticed Christina's cold gaze on us.

She slowly walked toward us, and two different clusters started to appear around me.

They soon materialized into two different children.

"Papa!" Iffa jumped at me cheerfully, while Willis rushed toward Christina.

"Daughter."

"Mama, ice cream," he said with a smile, looking at her expectantly.

Christina smiled back at him as she took out a bag full of ice creams, "Don't eat too much."

Willis nodded vigorously, taking the pack while Christina placed Olivia down.

Olivia slowly walked toward the bed, her crimson eyes on Shyamal as she whispered softly, "I don't like you."

"Me too!" Iffa chimed in, "She's a crybaby."

"Your papa's the same." Willis commented, making me glare at him.

"What?" he asked.

"No, I'm just thinking of going to buy some milk." I replied, squinting my eyes.

He shrugged, focusing on his ice cream while Christina walked toward Shyamal.

"How are you?" she asked, her voice cold.

"Fine." Shyamal replied quietly.

"Go back to sleep," Christina ordered.

"I can't—"

Crack!

Christina touched her, a spark of lightning passing through Shyamal's body, making her unconscious instantly.

'...She's pissed.'

"Stay here, kids," Christina ordered as she grabbed my hand, pulling me.

"Bye, Mama!"

"Bye, Christy!"

"Remember your promise, Christina." I turned to look at Olivia, who cryptically spoke.

Christina paused to look back at her, "I will keep my promise."

The door swung open as we walked out.

[I'll look after the kids.]

'Huh?'

I turned back as El materialized in the real world, and the door closed between us.

Christina dragged me away from the room before I could understand how or why El appeared.

"Give me your phone." She demanded, and I handed it to her.

She scrolled through, and her grip on my hand tightened, "...Why did you save my name like this?"

"What?"

"Why my full name!?" she yelled, glaring at me, "Can't you save it with some cute name?"

...Why is she randomly getting angry?

"Is there a problem?" I asked, which abruptly made her stop.

"...We need to talk." She coldly whispered, looking at me.

"Okay?" I replied, tilting my head, "...I booked this entire floor so—"

She didn't let me finish as she randomly opened a room's door, pulling me inside.