Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 255  [Summit Of Unity] [End] [Goodbye]

He placed his hands on the table, looking at Quinton.

"Give me Azariah. Dead or alive."

Quinton quietly looked at Daiswod.

He could clearly see something in his eyes that didn't seem to suit a ruler.

...Fear.

"I can't do that," Quinton shook his head. "The Aljanah family isn't someone that we can—"

"I don't care!" Daiswod slammed his hand on the table.

"My entire empire's destruction is at stake; I won't take the risk of letting the Exiled Prince live freely—"

"He isn't the Exiled Prince," Irisveil cut in, looking at him. "Don't assume things on your own, Daiswod."

"...Fine, if you don't want to kill him then hand him over." Daiswod took a deep breath, glaring at her, "I am ready to marry him to my first daughter."

"You can't force him to marry anyone," Quinton scoffed, shaking his head. "And he seems happy with his current fiancée."

"Give me Azariah or I am calling off my involvement in this," Daiswod said seriously, taking a step back from the table.

"You are too stuck up with the rumors, Daiswod," King Thalor said quietly.

"...There is no way the future husband of Anastasia's Avatar will become the Exiled Prince—"

"Shut up, Thalor." Daiswod glared at him, his voice venomous.

"Have you not noticed how destruction always follows him?

How nobles of your kingdom were massacred when he visited?

How all my concubines died and my empire's economy declined?"

Thalor was rendered speechless, his mouth moved to argue but he couldn't say a word.

"He is nothing but a bane of destruction," Daiswod said through his clenched jaw. "...All I am doing is trying to save everyone from him."

A silence lingered within the three rulers; no one said a word, lost deep in thought.

Quinton sighed as he looked at Daiswod. "I am not agreeing with what you want."

Daiswod's anger flared as his glare intensified.

Before he could rebuke, Quinton continued, "But I will turn a blind eye if he goes missing someday without any reason."

Daiswod's anger flared as his glare intensified.

Before he could rebuke, Quinton continued, "But I will turn a blind eye if he goes missing someday without any reason."

A smile appeared as he lined up his hand to pat Quinton, but a sharp glare stopped him.

"I will make sure you won't be involved in all this," Daiswod said, grinning as he sat down.

Irisveil, who was silent all this time, quietly looked at Vulas.

"Something bothering you?" he asked without looking at her.

"Are you not going to stop them?" she asked, her voice concerned. "Azariah is—"

"We are here to overlook everything, not to interfere in it," he replied solemnly without a change in his expression.

"And if he really is the [Exiled Prince], then I will kill him myself."

Irisveil sighed, suppressing her disappointment and anger.

King Thalor stood up from his seat as he looked at everyone and announced, "I shall make my request short."

Everyone nodded in response as he took a deep breath.

"The Ekari Kingdom is the weakest of the three and will remain like this if nothing is changed," he explained, a cheerless look on his face. "...And we need power."

A few of them caught up to his words rather quickly.

"How?" Daiswod asked, looking at him curiously. "Do you need our army's support?"

Thalor shook his head in response. "...I would like a marriage alliance between my kingdom and Pargoina Empire."

Quinton looked at Irisveil as if asking something with his expression.

"It's his choice," she replied as if understanding. "The Church won't interfere in it."

"So an arranged marriage between Ethan and your oldest daughter?" Quinton asked, unblinking.

"No." But much to his surprise, Thalor shook his head. "Not the oldest, but my youngest daughter, Inës."

"Why her?" Daiswod frowned.

"You all should know about her being the Oracle and how she is in a constant state of danger," Thalor replied, his expression bleak.

"I want someone who can protect her, and I don't see a better choice than an Avatar."

"..."

Irisveil looked at him pitifully, but she kept herself out of this.

"I accept," Quinton nodded in agreement after a long pause, looking at him.

Thalor extended his hand, saying, smiling, "I hope this alliance brings happiness to both our people."

Quinton shook his hand as he sat down once again.

The first of the three rounds was completed as Quinton stood up once again.

"I will go next—"

His words halted abruptly as a letter materialized above the table.

A simple letter.

"How!?" Quinton immediately panicked as he looked around the place.

They all became alert as something like this shouldn't be possible.

It was the most secure place within the empire; it shouldn't be possible for a letter to arrive here.

"..."

Vulas quietly picked up the letter. He opened and read it.

His expression darkened as he burned the letter.

"Send all your army to protect Moshel's Tomb first thing in the morning," Vulas ordered solemnly, looking at the three leaders.

"The announcement for the summit to the general public will be done tomorrow morning without exception."

"What happened?" Irisveil asked, her concern clear in her voice.

"Principalities," Vulas replied as he stood up, a suffocating aura slowly emerging from his body.

"They challenged us to stop them from opening the gates of hell."

****

****

"...Can we talk?" Arianell asked, smiling faintly. "One last time."

"...No." I replied as I turned back. "Go talk with someone else."

"Well, that's the problem," she grumbled, chuckling, slowly walking closer and sitting beside me. "I don't have anyone else to talk with."

"..."

I didn't reply but just drank the wine from the bottle.

"You know, I am quite selfish," she whispered softly, gazing up at the sky. "...Look at me now, trying to act friendly with you after leaving you at your worst."

"I tried to force myself on you," I mumbled, feeling a sense of disgust for myself.

"...You would have a few screws loose if you stayed with me after that."

"You did that to save me?" she replied, her voice soft.

"That doesn't change anything," I rebuked quietly.

"...Remember how you always tried to coax me when we were children?" she whispered, bringing her knees closer to her face. "...I miss those days."

"Crybaby," I commented, making her chuckle.

"I couldn't help it," she replied, pushing me lightly. "...I was... broken; it's hard to be normal after knowing when you're going to die."

"..."

I quietly nodded in agreement.

I was the same as her after knowing I didn't have much time to live.

But unlike her, there wasn't anyone around to support me.

[...You sacrificed your life source even after knowing she would die later on?]

'...Yep.'

I don't remember much about that time when I saved her.

But...

...I do remember not wanting to see her die in front of me.

[...]

"When are you leaving?" I asked after a moment of silence between us.

"Half an hour, maybe," she replied, looking at me.

"...Moshel's Tomb will open soon for one week, and I will have to protect it from 'that being's' influence without dying; the rest is easy."

"...The rest is living in solitude until you die," I scoffed, looking at her. "It's anything but easy."

"...Maybe," she mumbled, uncertainty clear in her voice. "At least it's not something that I haven't experienced."

"...I see," I mumbled, gulping down the wine.

"...Are you not going to wish me?" she asked, making me glance at her.

"For what?"

"You don't remember as well, huh?" she mumbled, smiling softly. "...Well, it's my birthday."

...Ah, right.

I forgot about it with all the things happening around. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

".....Does it matter?" I asked, looking away. "You are going to die anyway."

"How rude," she grumbled, slapping my arm. "Is that how you talk with a birthday girl?"

"Yes," I replied, not hiding my annoyance.

"Whatever," she puffed her cheeks, looking up at the starry night sky.

"..."

My stomach twisted in agony as I looked at her, quietly sitting beside me.

'...I am still the same little boy, huh?'

I was sure nothing would affect me after Oliver's death, but that doesn't seem true.

But knowing that she will be standing against me soon doesn't sit well.

'A tragedy.....'

I grimaced as I remembered Helena's words.

In a way, she isn't wrong.

Isn't it tragic for her to protect something that I wish to destroy?

She will protect Moshel's Tomb with her life, and I will destroy it to bring Oliver back.

...Even if it means I have to go against the one whom I saved with my own life.

'A tragedy indeed.'

"Azariah." I turned to look at her as she called me. "...Remember the dream I told you about?"

"...About having four, five kids?" I asked, making her groan in embarrassment.

"...Yeah, that." She mumbled, nodding her head. "...About having a family, living away from all trouble."

"I do," I mumbled as I looked at her.

"Well, I left one part out," she replied, turning to look at me. "An important part, a very important part."

"...That is?" I asked, looking at her curiously.

"...You were there with me," she replied, smiling softly. "...You were always there, taking care of our kids."

"...."

I blankly looked at her without saying a word.

She did the same, with no word coming out of our mouths.

I slowly turned around, looking at the sky once again.

"I should go now," she mumbled as she stood up, and I did the same, slowly getting up.

"..."

She didn't move but kept on looking at me.

"...I have to go, Azariah," she mumbled, a sad smile lingering on her face.

"...I know," I replied with a tired smile.

"...Will you miss me?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes.

I shook my head in response, whispering, "...Not even once."

"Am I not getting a goodbye hug?" she asked hesitantly, opening her arms.

I clicked my tongue, shaking my head. "...I would rather hug your cold corpse instead of feeling your warmth."

"That's rude," she replied with a chuckle, looking into my eyes.

I stared back at her.

Our eyes said goodbye when we couldn't say the words.

And I knew it was time to let her go.

There were tears in her eyes, but I stood still, not trying to wipe them.

"Maybe in the next life," she mumbled with a bright smile as she turned around.

I turned around as well, as I slowly lowered myself onto the surface, laying down on it.

"...Sigh."

I sighed as I looked at the eight-pointed star shining brightly.

****

****

Arianell wiped her tears as she arrived inside the palace.

Her gaze moved back towards Azariah once again before she took a deep breath.

"...Time to go," she mumbled, determination returning to her eyes.

But just as she moved, someone grabbed her wrist.

She turned around, her brows knitted together as she looked at the girl. "...Christina?"

"Come with me," Christina replied as she started dragging her away.

"Wait, where are we going?" Arianell asked, confused by her sudden appearance.

But Christina didn't reply; instead, she brought her in front of a room.

Click!

She clicked the door open before pushing Arianell inside.

"Huh?" A startled voice escaped Arianell's mouth as she noticed the presence of others.

She confusedly looked at Ashlyn and Shyamal sitting quietly.

At last, her gaze landed on the girl with hair a mix of light green and blue.

"You can start now, Inës," Christina whispered coldly before closing the door.

"What is going on?" Ashlyn asked, glaring at Christina.

Christina didn't even glance at her but looked at Inës.

"...Hello," Inës whispered softly, looking at everyone.

"...Would you like to know what Azariah has been through?"