I Became the Villainess, But My Beast Husbands Can Hear My Mind?!

”Back then... she and my father would go down the mountain just so they could bring me sweet potatoes from the forest at the foot of the mountain.”

Roxanna fell silent for a moment because she had no idea that both of Aelin’s parents had passed away. It wasn’t that she hadn’t been paying attention back at the Golden Mountain, but her mind had been pulled in too many directions.

She had wondered, briefly, why Aelin’s brother, Elior, had become the leader instead of their father. Still, she never asked, and she hadn’t tried to find out more about it.

After all, the only reason Roxanna had come to their place was to find a doctor for Calen, not to look for gossip.

”What happened to them?” Roxanna asked softly. She patted the back of Aelin’s hand a few times to soothe her. ”But if it’s too painful,” she added, her voice even softer, ”you don’t have to tell me.”

Aelin let out a light laugh, though her eyes were still wet. She quickly wiped her tears with her other hand. ”No, it’s alright,” she said. Her tone was calm, almost too calm. ”They died after being struck by falling rocks during a snowstorm.”

Roxanna blinked several times and didn’t say anything for a moment. Aelin had just revealed something so traumatic, yet she could still smile as bright as a sunflower.

She was even able to stop crying so quickly, something Roxanna herself still found difficult to do.

”I’m sorry,” Roxanna said at last. She tried to speak as gently as possible because she didn’t want to upset Aelin. ”It must have been a very hard time for you and your brother.”

Still smiling, Aelin said, ”It was hard indeed, but... we still managed to get through it well.” Her eyes drifted to the side for a split second. ”I mean, Elior managed to get through it well.”

Roxanna was about to say something, but Aelin suddenly pulled her hand away and clapped her hands once. ”Alright,” Aelin said, her voice brighter now. ”My energy is finally back, thanks to your delicious meal. Let’s talk about your husband.”

The moment Aelin said that, Roxanna immediately straightened her back, and so did her other husbands. All of them looked directly at Aelin, acting like a group of eagles watching their prey on the ground.

”Yes... please,” Roxanna said, holding her breath. ”What happened to Calen?”

Aelin took another deep breath, probably trying to clear away the remaining sadness in her heart.

After a moment, she finally said, ”As you guessed before... there is something wrong with his shifted form.” She paused briefly, choosing her words with care. ”His body... it’s reacting like a vessel, like something inside him is trying to come out... and his body is fighting to keep it trapped.”

Roxanna frowned, feeling truly confused. ”And what is that?” she asked. ”He’s never had any trouble shifting into his dog form.”

Even Zeir and Luan both confirmed that there had been nothing wrong with Calen when he shifted into his beast form.

”It’s not his dog form.” Aelin lowered her voice, which now sounded more serious. ”There is something else within him, and I think it tried to come out after he made contact with something. Most likely with the Demon Fenrir.”

Roxanna glanced at her other husbands, her eyes searching their faces. She didn’t say anything, but the question was clear: Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

His name was Calen Fenrirsson. A name that now felt less like a coincidence. It sounded like something out of an old legend, the kind where a mythological God named his son after himself, as if passing down more than just a name.

Aelin watched the shift in Roxanna’s expression. She didn’t interrupt because she seemed to understand exactly where Roxanna’s thoughts were heading.

”You’re thinking about his name,” Aelin said gently.

It wasn’t a question.

Roxanna’s lips parted, but no words came out. The room felt strangely still, as though even the air was listening.

”Have you heard about mystical beasts?” Aelin suddenly asked.

Roxanna thought about it for a while, even trying to search the meaning of it through the evil Roxanna’s memories.

But before she could say anything, Zeir spoke. ”Yes,” he said calmly.

All eyes shifted toward him, but none of them said anything.

”They’re not ordinary beasts,” Zeir continued. ”They’re born with ancient power. Some people believe they’re closer to spirits... or even to gods.”

He paused briefly. ”But they’re extremely rare. It’s hard to truly believe in something like that when you’ve never seen one yourself.”

Aelin nodded slightly. ”That’s right.” She added, ”And sometimes, they don’t fully awaken at birth, or in some cases, they are deliberately hidden.”

Azul frowned. ”Wait... are mystical beasts actually real?”

Aelin smiled faintly. ”That depends on what you choose to believe, but my family has studied them for generations.”

Her gaze softened slightly. ”Some of my ancestors even encountered them. And there’s a chance that a mystical beast once served as a bridge between my tribe and the god who protects the Golden Mountain.”

[I know Aelin wouldn’t bring up mystical beasts without a reason,] Roxanna thought. [This must be connected to Calen.]

Around her, her husbands wore the same tense expressions. They didn’t need to speak because she could sense that they were thinking the exact same thing.

[Still... it’s hard to believe Calen has anything to do with a mystical beast,] Roxanna sighed inwardly. [In my mind, he’s always just been...]

Her thoughts softened despite the fear. [...a cute puppy.]

”What are you really trying to say about my husband, Aelin?” Roxanna finally asked directly. ”I’ve been desperate to know what happened to him, so please... please give me an explanation and tell me how to wake him up.”

Aelin deepened her gaze on Roxanna. ”It might be hard to believe, but after examining him again and again, I’m now completely sure that his blood is nothing like that of an ordinary beast. Well, I mean, his blood is still red like ours, but it carries something powerful.”

She turned her eyes toward the window, looking at the black crystals hanging in front of it to repel the weaker demon beasts.

”His blood carries the same kind of aura as the Demon Fenrir’s. But whatever exists within Calen is pure, so he is nothing like the Demon Fenrir,” she explained.

”That sounds ridiculous,” Luan said suddenly. ”He’s just a stupid dog, so—”

”Luan, be quiet.” Roxanna cut him off, not even giving him time to continue. Her eyes remained fixed on Aelin. ”What can I do to wake him up?”

Aelin’s eyes widened slightly because Roxanna hadn’t asked further about Calen’s deepest secret, something he himself might not even know.

[Who cares about mystical beasts or ancient power? Damn it, I don’t care what he is. I just want to know what I can do to wake him up!]

Roxanna’s thoughts were firm. [I just want him to wake up. I just want to save Calen. That’s all.]

”Tell me, Aelin. What can I do to wake him up?” Roxanna repeated her question.

At last, Aelin replied, ”Calen’s condition is rather unique. He cannot be awakened by your blood or by the strongest medicine I could create.”

”The reason he has not woken up is because his consciousness is trapped inside a maze created by his own body to prevent the dangerous creature within him from finding a way out.”

Unfortunately, as a result, Calen himself became trapped. And escaping was nearly impossible. The maze created by his mind was far too complex, and there was also a serious risk.

”He needs guidance,” Aelin said quietly. ”We may be able to use something known as a Calling Ritual. My tribe usually performs this ritual to guide lost souls trapped between worlds.”

Cyrus chimed in. ”You mean... a ritual where you guide a soul with a lantern?” he asked slowly. ”We usually perform something like that to lead wandering souls, those who died tragically in the wilderness or in hidden places.”

”So how...” His voice began to fade.

How could such a ritual be used on someone who was still alive?

Aelin understood his hesitation. ”The principle is the same,” she explained gently. ”A light is used as an anchor... a guide for consciousness.” She glanced toward the inner room where Calen lay. ”But Calen’s body is alive. It is his mind that is lost.”

Cyrus held his breath before speaking. ”So... we have to enter his mind as well.”

Aelin nodded slowly. ”Yes.” She added, ”But only one person can go, and it has to be someone Calen will not reject, someone his consciousness recognizes as his haven.”

[Ah... he probably wouldn’t like it if my other husbands entered his mind,] Roxanna thought.

Of course, he wouldn’t like it.

After all, to enter that maze, they would inevitably see everything inside his head, whether his past memories, his deepest desires, or even his secrets.

”He will trust Roxanna,” Zeir said. ”She is the only one he would allow to enter.”