I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 333  [Event] [Dolphian Kingdom Under Ruins] [19] Some Relief

A profound stillness settled upon the borderlands of the Kingdom of Celesta, the air heavy with tension and uncertainty.

Lisandra's incredulous voice shattered the silence. "What? Your eyes... back? Are you injured somewhere?"

Amael's response came with a light chuckle as he regarded Lisandra. "Not at all."

Alphonse's cold gaze cut through the atmosphere. "Then you should depart."

Amael stood firm. "I will not leave until my demands are met."

Lisandra's abrupt disappearance and reappearance before Amael indicated her skepticism. Her eyes, one a different hue from the other, scrutinized him closely. "There's something familiar about those silver strands of hair... Wasn't there a noble house by the name of Falkrona?"

Amael's smile confirmed her suspicions. "Indeed. I am the head of House Falkrona."

The revelation sent shockwaves through the onlookers, rendering them speechless once more.

Alphonse's voice broke the silence, laced with skepticism. "Do you truly expect us to believe such a claim?"

Though Amael appeared no older than twenty, it was indeed a stretch to imagine him as the head of such a prestigious house.

"I shall offer proof," Amael declared calmly.

An audible gasp escaped as Amael extended his hand, only to have Lisandra recoil and thrust her rapier forward.

A collective gasp echoed as Amael's palm met the tip of Lisandra's weapon, drawing blood.

"Are you out of your mind?" Lisandra exclaimed, shock evident in her voice.

Amael's smile remained as he firmly grasped Lisandra's rapier. "Wings of Horus. Tempest."

A resounding boom echoed as Lisandra's body was propelled forcefully backward by a tempestuous gust, carrying her knights along with her in a chaotic whirlwind. The sheer force of the wind was a formidable spectacle, striking fear into the hearts of all who witnessed it.

Alphonse watched in astonishment as Lisandra was hurled more than a hundred meters away, too stunned to react before Amael was upon her.

With a silver glow emanating from his hand, Amael unleashed a surge of mana, forming a foreboding mana circle.

Quick to respond, Alphonse brandished her golden scepter, swirling it to create a protective barrier of lightning. The scepter gleamed with a golden light, repelling Amael's punch and inflicting a grievous injury to his wrist in the process.

Retreating slightly, Amael eyed the scepter with interest. "A Hallow of Eden..."

Lisandra's enraged voice thundered as she thrust her rapier, enveloped in a dark blue aura.

Amael acted swiftly, summoning another mana circle beneath Lisandra, sending a wave of silver energy to immobilize her mid-air.

Gritting her teeth, Lisandra fought against the restraint, her rapier glowing ominously once more.

"A Hallow of Nemes now... intriguing," Amael remarked with a smile.

As Lisandra launched another attack, Amael dodged skillfully, seizing her arm in a firm grip.

"Can we talk?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her.

"Why should I?" Lisandra retorted, her glare softened slightly by a hint of embarrassment.

"Because... I wish to," Amael replied earnestly, his expression serious.

Lisandra hesitated, caught off guard by his sincerity. Before she could respond, Amael turned his attention to Alphonse. "I also wish to speak with you, Alphonse Celesta."

"Why do you want to speak with her—him?!" Lisandra's glare bore into Alphonse.

Ignoring the hostility, Alphonse shook her head. "I have no intention to—"

"I will force both of you then."

"H-Hey!!"

Lisandra's disbelief was visible as Amael effortlessly hoisted her onto his shoulder.

In an instant, Amael materialized before Alphonse, seizing her arm and propelling them skyward with a silver glow, disappearing into the distance.

The knights from both factions could only watch in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the whirlwind of events unfolding before them.

***

-Thud

A sudden sound jolted me awake, causing me to open my eyes and sit up in surprise.

I found myself in a healing room, having been brought here to rest. Before I had realized it, sleep had overtaken me. Glancing around, I soon spotted a familiar figure.

"Elizabeth?"

"Sorry..." Elizabeth's apologetic smile accompanied her as she retrieved a fallen glass from the shelf.

"Is that for me?" I asked, noticing the bouquet of flowers in her hand.

"Oh, yes..." Elizabeth nodded, gesturing to the shelf where two other bouquets, signed by Victor and Sirius, rested.

"As your fiancée and friend, I thought I should follow suit," she explained, her smile warm.

"I see. Well, thank you," I expressed gratitude for her thoughtful gesture.

Though unexpected, it wasn't entirely surprising that Victor and Sirius had also sent flowers. However, I noted the absence of any message from John.

"You caused quite a stir by defeating Adrian. It was impressive," Elizabeth remarked.

I shrugged. "Is the second round over?"

"Not yet. There may still be a few matches before it concludes," she replied.

As I contemplated a sense of unease settled within me. Tomorrow marked the final round, and afterward, the looming threat of Behemoth's assault to claim the Third Horn of Behemoth hung ominously over us.

Should I consider skipping the last round as a precautionary measure? The idea crossed my mind, but even then, I couldn't guarantee safety from Behemoth's attack. Perhaps it would be wiser to remain under the protection of the professors, although I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease gnawing at me.

However, foregoing the last round meant risking exhaustion before facing Behemoth. It was a delicate balance between safeguarding the Horn's security and conserving my strength for the battle.

Ultimately, my course of action would depend on the group I was pitted against in the final round. If confronted with strong opponents, I would likely hold back, prioritizing the safety of the Horn above all else.

A sudden grimace crossed my face as the itching sensation on my neck returned, prompting me to confront Elizabeth once and for all.

"Elizabeth," I called out, seizing her arm to halt her from escaping.

"Hm?" Elizabeth's confusion was evident as she turned to face me.

"That incident... when you bit me. Since then, I've been experiencing this persistent itching. Do you have any idea what it could mean?" I asked.

"Oh..." Elizabeth's reaction was subdued as she rose from her seat. "May I see it?"

"Yeah," I replied, loosening my shirt slightly to reveal the affected area.

As Elizabeth leaned closer to inspect the bite mark, her hair cascaded softly around me, and her proximity sent a shiver down my spine.

Elizabeth touched the bite mark with furrowed brows, her expression shifting as if she had a sudden realization. "T-That's... nothing."

"Really? Do you know when it will be over?" I asked, hoping for a solution to the persistent discomfort.

"...I can offer some relief," Elizabeth replied hesitantly.

"Oh, that would be great. Can you do it quickly?" I requested eagerly.

With a sigh, Elizabeth pricked her finger, drawing blood. She looked at me awkwardly, and realization dawned upon me.

I'd be foolish not to understand what was expected of me.

"Fine..." I conceded, taking her wrist and allowing the blood to slowly trickle into my mouth.

The moment the blood touched my tongue, a wave of intense sensation washed over me, sending shivers of pleasure coursing through my body.

In a sudden surge of desire, I pulled Elizabeth closer, greedily sucking more blood from her finger.

"W-Wait!" Elizabeth protested, struggling against my grasp, but I swiftly subdued her, laying her down on the bed and pressing my lips against hers.

For a moment, my emotions overwhelmed me as I delved deeper, our tongues intertwining in a passionate dance.

"Umm~" Elizabeth's soft moan escaped her lips as I nibbled on them, but in a fleeting moment of clarity, I pulled away, leaving her lying on the bed, cheeks flushed and breathless.

"D-Damn... I'm sorry..." I muttered, my mind clouded with confusion as I hastily exited the room.

This was really getting out of the hand even I did felt less itchy on my neck.

Rubbing my temples, I paced down the corridor with quick strides, my mind swirling with a multitude of thoughts.

Dialing John's number on my phone in a desperate attempt to reach him, I was met with a stroke of luck as he appeared from the opposite direction.

Quickly pocketing my phone, I offered a forced smile. "No flowers for me?"

John's response was less than enthusiastic. "What are you talking about?"

"Never mind. About tomorrow—" n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"I won't engage in unnecessary fights. Selene should suffice," John interrupted, echoing my sentiment of conserving energy.

"I'm thinking the same. Alicia seems to have recovered, so I'll leave it to her," I agreed, already formulating an excuse based on my recent bout with Adrian which had left me exhausted. It wasn't entirely untrue, after all.

"What's going on with your hair?" John's sudden question caught me off guard.

"Ah, that," I ran a hand through my hair, noting the increasingly prevalent streaks of white. "I'm awakening the Olphean Bloodline."

"Soon, your true identity won't be so easy to conceal," John said seriously.

He had a point. My appearance was beginning to resemble that of my siblings more closely.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "And you? Hecate awakened your Bloodline, right?"

"In progress, just like you. I can feel it," John confirmed.

I couldn't deny the growing sense of power emanating from him.

This guy was certainly becoming increasingly stronger.

"By the way, not bad with that first kiss with Amelia," I teased, unable to resist a smirk.

John's response was a groan of annoyance.

"Too bad I couldn't capture the moment," I lamented, recalling the chaotic circumstances that had prevented me from snapping a photo. "But Layla will be proud of you," I added, attempting to lighten the mood.

"You seem to have enjoyed a good kiss too, with Elizabeth, I guess?" John snorted, catching me off guard with his unexpected insight.

How did he know?

[<Your mouth.>]

Damn it.

Feeling a flush of embarrassment, I hastily wiped my mouth, hoping to conceal any evidence of my indiscretion.

"Layla won't be singing your praises, that's for sure," John said with a sneer.

I shot him a glare. "Fuck off."