I Am The Game's Villain

396  Discussion With Melfina

”I heard it. Youʼve destroyed my city again,” Melfina grumbled, her voice laced with both fatigue.

She was lying on a bed, still recovering from the fight against my father at Edenis Raphiel. Her normally vibrant presence was dulled by exhaustion, and the dim light in the room only emphasized her frailty. I was sitting in her room, watching over her as the darkness outside deepened into the inky blackness of night.

”It wasnʼt intentional, and there were no casualties,” I replied, trying to sound reassuring as I sat in a chair beside her, arms crossed.

”No casualties, perhaps, but youʼll still have to ask your dear sister to cover the damages,” she scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

I grimaced at the thought. Christina was going to scold me again, and I wasnʼt looking forward to it.

Melfinaʼs sharp gaze pierced through the silence. ”What are you doing here?” she finally asked, her voice soft but probing.

”I came to see how you were faring,” I answered, though the words felt hollow.

Melfinaʼs eyes narrowed slightly. ”Boy, Iʼm old enough to detect lies.”

I sighed heavily. ”I just... I felt a bit off,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

The truth was, I couldnʼt bring myself to face Celeste after clinging to her like a frightened child for what felt like hours. The memory of that embarrassing moment still made my skin crawl. I needed time to recover some kind of calmness.

”I heard from Celeste that you were looking for a weapon from Randor,” Melfina said, changing the subject with an air of nonchalance.

”Yeah,” I replied, nodding slightly. ”By the way, you should keep him here for a while, under strict security. You never know when those bastards might come after him again.”

I had a hard time believing the Iris Project would simply give up on getting their hands on Randor, and the uncertainty gnawed at me.

Melfina chuckled softly, a sound that was both weary and amused. ”I should thank you for saving him—and my daughter—again.”

”Thereʼs no need for that…” I muttered, looking away.

In truth, it was Celeste who had saved me.

”How was he?” I asked after a moment of silence, my voice tentative.

Melfina turned to look at me, her expression unreadable. She knew exactly what I was asking, and for a long moment, she just studied me, as if weighing her response. Then, she looked away, her gaze distant.

”As lively as ever,” she finally said, her voice tinged with something I couldnʼt quite place.

I hesitated before speaking again, my hands balling into fists. ”Is he truly… I mean, is he really my father?” I asked.

Melfinaʼs expression softened slightly. ”I canʼt answer you for certain. Maybe your mother can, but from the short time Iʼve seen him and fought him… yes. I think itʼs truly Kleines,” she said.

”I see,” I murmured, my fists clenching tighter.

I didnʼt understand. I didnʼt understand at all what was happening around me. The more I tried to grasp it, the more it slipped through my fingers like sand.

”Iʼm sorry about Alea. We did all we could, but we were unable to bring her back…” Melfinaʼs voice was tinged with genuine regret.

”Understandable, considering you and Myrcella were the only ones fighting,” I replied with a snort.

Was that really how much they valued my mother? She had been one of the Great Heads of Sancta Vedelia, a Queen. Even if it was out of selfishness, they should have tried harder. She was crucial to the upcoming war, after all.

The anger within me simmered, rising to a boiling point. It was astonishing that I was still able to maintain any semblance of calm despite the rage that threatened to consume me.

”I asked some people to search for her, but itʼs proving difficult. The Iris Project has multiple quarters, and searching each one individually could take years. Besides, thereʼs no guarantee Alea is even in one of them,” Melfina said.

She was right. Those people had several strongholds, and it would be nearly impossible to pinpoint the correct one without more precise information. If it were that easy to find her, I would have done it from the start.

Thatʼs why I devised a plan to use my knowledge of Randorʼs kidnapping to capture and interrogate the leader, hoping to extract the answers I needed.

”You donʼt have to worry about my mother. I know where she is,” I replied.

Melfinaʼs eyes widened in surprise. ”Really?”

”Yeah,” I confirmed with a nod.

”How?”

How did I come by that information? The question hung in the air, and for a moment, the memory of Ruglisʼs terrified screams echoed in my mind. I could still see him being devoured alive, the scene playing out in vivid, horrific detail. The strangest part was that I didnʼt recall actually doing it, yet the memories were as clear as day, as if they belonged to me.

The vile exhilaration I felt in those memories made my stomach churn with nausea. ”I got it from the man who attacked us,” I answered ambiguously, avoiding the details that would only bring more questions.

Judging by her reaction, it was clear that Melfina wasnʼt aware of what had happened to me. Celeste hadnʼt told her anything, which was a relief. How could I even begin to explain what had transpired? My third Legacy had done something to me—something that had left me shaken to my core. She kept calling me Samael, and every time she did, it sparked a seething anger and irritation within me. It wasnʼt just the name; it was the way she influenced my emotions, twisting them until they were barely recognizable.

It had been nearly two years since she had first made her presence known, and in all that time, she had never once truly helped me. Instead, she hid within me, emerging only to manipulate my emotions with words. And yet, I couldnʼt bring myself to fully hate her. As twisted as her actions were, there was a strange, unsettling sense of care behind them—a care so warped that it sent shivers down my spine.

Cleenah knew something about it, of that I was certain. But she had no intention of telling me anything, and I knew better than to force her. One day, though, I would get my answers.

”Where is she, then? Do you need help to get her back?” Melfina asked concerned.

I couldnʼt help but smile a little.

Despite how exasperated she was of my mother, she clearly cared for her.

”No, Iʼll handle it myself,” I replied, shaking my head.

The truth was, involving too many people would complicate the rescue. The more hands in the mix, the higher the risk of failure. Alone, I had a better chance of slipping in and rescuing my mother without drawing unwanted attention.

Still, I hadnʼt expected her to be in such a place. Elyen Kiora.

Elyen Kiora was the last place Iʼd imagined finding her. Reaching that place, let alone surviving there, was nearly impossible for someone like me. It wasnʼt just a hidden corner of the world—it was the Capital City of the High Elves of Utopia, a place steeped in ancient power and guarded by defenses erected sine centuries by their ancestors.

It seemed my father had taken her there, though I couldnʼt understand his reasons. But whatever the reason, it now presented a unique opportunity. The ongoing war could serve as the perfect distraction, allowing me to slip in unnoticed and rescue her. It sounded simple enough when put into words, but deep down, I knew it would be anything but easy. The obstacles would be immense, the risks high, but I had no other choice.

”If youʼre that confident, then I should be reassured,” Melfina said with a chuckle, though it was interrupted by a faint cough.

I glanced at her, concern flashing across my face. I wanted to bring up the subject of Dereck—my brother—and his mysterious ally, but now wasnʼt the right time. She needed to regain her strength first, and there was no need to burden her with more worries.

”So, without you, itʼll be Professor Harvey leading Zestel into war? Good luck with that,” I said with a sigh.

”Youʼve got some nerve saying that,” Melfina glared at me, though there was a hint of amusement in her eyes.

I shrugged leaning casually against the back of my chair.

”You should be careful about Celeste,” I said, my tone turning more serious. ”Sheʼs undoubtedly one of Utopiaʼs targets. Iʼd suggest keeping her out of the war, but thereʼs no way sheʼd agree to that, is there?”

”What do you think? You know her quite well by now,” Melfina laughed softly.

She was right. I couldnʼt see Celeste hiding in the castle while the world burned around her. In the game, her father had tried to force her to stay behind, safe within the castle walls, but she had defied him, escaping to join the battle on the front lines. A move so typical of Celes—brave, stubborn, and determined.

And in the end, she had been right. Her presence on the battlefield was crucial, a key factor in winning the war. From what I had seen when she saved me, I knew she could hold her own. I could let her fight in the war without worrying too much about her safety. She was strong, more than capable, and she understood the stakes better than anyone.

Zestel would have powerful allies, and they wouldnʼt need my help. Victor, too, seemed stronger than before, his sudden closeness with Selene pushing him to new heights.

I could focus entirely on rescuing my mother now. I donʼt give a damn about the war.

I will save my mother.

No one will die anymore from my family.