I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 725: [Final Event] [Blood Moon Festival] [7] Alicia’s Return

Alicia came back.

After two long weeks of silence, of not a single message or clue, Alicia finally came back.

She just walked through the front door of her home in Central Vedelia as if nothing had happened—no fanfare, no warning, just the sound of the latch clicking and her soft footsteps on the marble floor.

Inside the living room, her parents were sitting together on the sofa. Her mother, Leora, looked drained—eyes swollen from too many sleepless nights, a cup of untouched tea cooling on the table. Her father, James, had his arm around her shoulders, doing his best to keep her from breaking down again.

When Alicia stepped inside and saw them like that, she froze mid-step, her lips parting slightly. It was such a strange sight—her parents sitting close, comforting each other. She hadn’t seen them like this in years.

Leora looked up first. For a second, her expression was blank—like her mind refused to believe what her eyes saw. Then it hit her. The cup fell from her hand, shattering against the floor.

”A–Alicia?” She gasped.

The next moment, she was on her feet, rushing toward her daughter and throwing her arms around her. James joined in right after, enveloping them both in a trembling, desperate embrace.

For a while, there were only tears. The sound of them crying—relief, disbelief, grief all tangled together—filled the house. It was warm, messy, and achingly human.

When Leora finally caught her breath, her relief quickly turned into anger. She pulled back slightly, holding Alicia by the shoulders and demanding to know where she had been, what had happened, why she had disappeared without a word.

Alicia could only shake her head. ”I got caught up in something with Senior Amael,” she said quietly, her eyes darting away.

That was all she offered. Amael had told her she could tell them if she wanted, but how could she? How was she supposed to explain that she had been literally transported into the past? Even if she told them the truth, would they believe her?

They already seemed convinced she and Amael had run off on some kind of secret honeymoon.

Naturally, both her parents scolded her for leaving without warning, for making them worry sick for two weeks. Alicia could only bow her head and take it. She did feel guilty—of course she did—but a part of her was still too dazed to properly process everything.

And something else tugged at her attention: her parents. They seemed... different. Closer. Maybe her disappearance had drawn them together again after all those years of quiet distance. Watching her father’s tired but genuine smile, Alicia felt a strange, bittersweet warmth in her chest. She had missed them—both of them—more than she’d realized.

Leora’s scolding eventually faded into background noise when Alicia noticed someone standing behind them.

Levina.

The girl had been living with them ever since the end of the Utopian War—Amael had placed her under Alicia’s family’s care, and Leora had quickly grown fond of her. Levina was polite, quiet, a little too mature for her age—but now, she stood there stiffly, looking unsure whether to approach or retreat.

Without thinking, Alicia stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.

”I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice trembling. ”For leaving you alone, Levina. For all this time.”

Levina’s eyes widened. She had been trying so hard to keep her composure, to act indifferent, but the moment she felt Alicia’s arms around her, the dam broke. Her body began to shake, and her hands clutched the back of Alicia’s shirt.

Warm tears soaked through the fabric.

Alicia held her tighter, running a gentle hand through her hair.

”It’s okay,” she said. ”I’m here now.”

Levina let out a quiet, broken sob. ”I–I thought... you’d never come back,” she whispered.

”I’m sorry,” Alicia said again, voice full of tenderness and guilt.

Leora stood there, watching them, speechless. There was something different about the way the two looked at each other—something deeper, something she couldn’t quite place. Levina wasn’t acting like the composed young girl she’d known these past weeks, and Alicia’s expression, she had never seen such an expression on her daughter.

”M–Mom... hey...” Levina’s voice cracked through her tears suddenly, panic lacing her tone as Alicia suddenly went limp, collapsing into her arms.

”Alicia!” Leora cried out, rushing forward.

Her heart nearly stopped until she saw Alicia still breathing—just pale, exhausted, and utterly drained. Relief washed through her. It wasn’t an injury, just fatigue—deep, bone-heavy exhaustion.

Together, Leora and Levina managed to carry Alicia upstairs to her room. The rest of the evening blurred into hurried footsteps, whispers, and messages being sent across the capital. News spread quickly among the noble Houses—it was impossible to hide something like this. Alicia had returned after two mysterious weeks of disappearance. And if Alicia was back... that meant Amael was too.

That revelation alone sent waves throughout Sancta Vedelia. A Princess of Sancta Vedelia disappearing wasn’t some easy matter.

But for Leora, none of that mattered. She stayed by her daughter’s bedside the entire night, Levina refusing to leave as well. The two sat quietly—one in silent worry, the other occasionally dozing off against the wall—until the first light of morning slipped through the curtains.

When Alicia finally stirred, blinking groggily, Leora’s weary face instantly lit up with relief.

”You’re awake...” She breathed, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair from her daughter’s forehead.

Alicia’s throat felt dry, her body heavy. ”Yeah... I’m okay, Mother. Just... tired.”

But rest didn’t spare her from what came next—questions.

Where had she gone? What happened? Was she with Amael the whole time?

Alicia lowered her head and, after a long pause, gave them the story she had prepared in her mind. ”I went to Utopia with Amael,” she said softly. ”After Elizabeth’s death... he needed time to clear his head, and he asked me to come along. I guess I needed it too. Everything here just... reminded me of Percy, of the engagement....”

Her voice wavered a little when she mentioned Percy, and that was enough to soften both her parents.

Leora’s expression melted into sympathy, and even James—awkwardly standing by the door—looked down guiltily. He didn’t dare defend the engagement now. One sharp glare from Leora told him not to even try.

Sensing an opportunity to steer the conversation elsewhere, Alicia cleared her throat and asked, ”So... what happened while I was gone?”

It was a casual attempt to change the subject—but the answer she got hit her like a punch to the gut.

Her grandfather... a murderer.

A rapist.

The woman he violated—Thelma Olphean.

And Victor, the person Alicia had thought was her half-brother all her life—was actually her uncle.

For a long moment, she couldn’t even speak.

Her mind reeled. Shock didn’t begin to cover it. Yes, she’d known her family had secrets—whispers of shady dealings, discreet cover-ups—but this? This was a level of corruption and cruelty she hadn’t imagined even from her grandfather.

She turned to her father slowly. ”So... Victor wasn’t... yours?” She asked in disbelief.

James sighed heavily, running a tired hand through his hair. ”No. I... I didn’t know the truth back then. My father—he had his ’habits.’ I just thought Victor was the child of a maid he’d been seeing. When she died, I decided to take the boy in as my own. I thought I was doing the right thing—” His voice cracked a little. ”I thought your mother would eventually understand.”

It was for the Raven House’s reputation but also for Victor. He knew how his father would treat Victor so he chose to lie and take Victor as his own...

Leora let out a sharp scoff. ”Understand? You lied to me, James. You took in a child without telling me the truth. You didn’t even question where he came from. You were too busy cleaning up your father’s messes to realize what kind of monster he was.”

Her words weren’t loud, but they cut deep.

Alicia’s chest tightened. For years, she’d been cold toward her father—distant, resentful, even cruel at times. And yet... hearing all this, she couldn’t help but feel a sting of guilt. He had been naive, yes. Foolish, absolutely. But not malicious. He had just wanted to protect his family, in his own misguided way.

She swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to her lap. ”I... I didn’t know,” she whispered. ”I thought you were just... covering up your own mistakes.”

James gave a weak smile, the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ”I can’t blame you for that.”

Leora crossed her arms, shaking her head with a sigh. ”You’re still an idiot, James,” she muttered. ”But at least now, we finally know the truth.”

Her tone wasn’t as harsh as it once would have been. Maybe time, grief, and worry had softened the edges of her anger. Or maybe, seeing her daughter safe again had reminded her what truly mattered. Or perhaps deep down she had held doubts about it since the beginning and just wanted to hear from James’ mouth until now...

Leora was never the kind of woman who could stomach lies—especially not from the man who once promised her honesty above all else. Every word James had kept from her, every half-truth he had told to ’protect the family’, only deepened the crack between them.

To her, it wasn’t just about betrayal—it was about priorities. James had chosen his father’s reputation, the prestige of the Raven House, over her and their daughter. She knew he cared, yes, but that didn’t excuse it. Love without respect or truth meant nothing to her.

If she could have severed every tie to that cursed House, she would’ve done it without hesitation. And she wanted the same freedom for Alicia.

Alicia, sitting between them on the sofa, tried to process everything still swirling in her head. ”So... Victor is my uncle, then?” She mumbled, as if saying it aloud might somehow make it less absurd.

James rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. ”Well, don’t get too worked up over that. I raised you both as siblings, and Victor’s never seen you as anything else. You’re brother and sister in everything that matters.”

Leora shot him a sharp look. ”I don’t remember you doing much of the raising, though.”

That jab hit its mark. James frowned, straightening up. ”And how would you know? You weren’t even there most of the time.”

Leora stood too. ”Whose fault is that, I wonder?”

Alicia sighed softly, watching them trade words like they used to when she was a child. A part of her wanted to intervene, to tell them both to stop—but another part just... watched. Maybe this was their way of reconnecting after all those years apart. Maybe anger was the only language they still shared.

She decided not to interfere and turned instead toward Levina, who stood a little apart from the family drama, an uncertain smile on her lips.

When their eyes met, Levina flushed slightly, her composure slipping. There was an awkward, almost shy air about her now—so strange, considering everything Alicia knew. Maybe it was easier when Alicia hadn’t remembered their bond from five hundred years ago.

”It’s strange...” Alicia said softly, a small smile curving her lips. ”You’re my daughter, but you’re older than me now, aren’t you?”

Levina nodded, brushing a strand of blond hair behind her ear. ”I am. I’m an Enigma Beast—we age differently. I grow slowly and live for a very long time... and I tend to sleep a lot. When Aunty Viessa was still here, I spent most of my time by her side. But sometimes... I’d sleep for years, just because...”

Her voice trailed off.

Without Viessa, her world had grown unbearably quiet.

Alicia watched as tears welled in her daughter’s eyes, and before Levina could hide them, one slipped free.

”I–I’m sorry...” Levina stuttered, wiping her cheeks hastily. ”Mother—I mean...”

Alicia smiled gently and pulled her into her arms. ”You can call me whatever you want, Levina,” she whispered, pressing a comforting hand to the back of her head.

That was all it took.

Levina broke down completely, her body trembling as she buried her face against Alicia’s shoulder. The tears came silently, years of longing and restraint finally finding release. Her red, swollen eyes told a story words couldn’t. She had been holding back for so long—trying to stay composed, trying not to show how much she’d missed them both.

Now, she didn’t have to pretend anymore.

Alicia just held her tighter.

When Levina’s crying began to quiet, she sniffled softly and whispered, ”Where’s... Papa? Um, I mean—Father.” Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment as she corrected herself.

Alicia chuckled softly at that. ”He said he’d follow later,” she said, remembering the quiet moment two days ago when Amael had seen her off, his eyes calm but something seemed off.

She’d brushed it off at the time. He must be tired, she had thought. They all were, after everything that had happened.

Still, there was little time to dwell on it. Amael had asked her for something important before parting: to find Elizabeth.

If there was anyone who could locate her, it was Alicia. Their connection wasn’t simply friendship or sisterly one—it was something deeper, something older.

So once she recovered her strength, that would be her task.

Outside, the mansion Leora stood by the doorway, her arms folded as James prepared to leave. Their argument from earlier had finally fizzled out, replaced by a small silence that always followed their clashes.

James adjusted his cloak, avoiding her gaze. He was heading back to Ravenia for the Festival—and to check on Cyril. He wondered if he was really doing alright since he was pretty close to his grandfather.

”James,” Leora called suddenly.

He paused, turning to face her. ”Hm?”

Leora’s expression hardened. ”About Sirius... was his mother among them?”

The question froze him. For a moment, he didn’t answer—then he lowered his gaze and shook his head slowly.

”No. I asked around. None of the women’s children survived except Thelma’s. Whatever my father was doing down there... none of us truly knew. He kept them locked away, experimenting, trying to force them to bear his children. Out of them all, only Victor and Sirius lived.”

Leora let out a bitter breath, her lips tightening. ”So his mother is likely dead then—buried somewhere by Lazarus himself.”

The disgust in her voice was quite clear.

To the world, Victor and Sirius had always been considered her sons. The façade had been perfect—painfully so. Only Cyril and Alicia were truly hers by blood, but Sirius’s situation had been carefully hidden, so well that even most of the House had never suspected the truth.

Leora had known, though. She had always known.

For years, she had held her tongue, endured the shame, and pretended for the sake of the family. But it didn’t last long.

She had already smelled the rot spreading through that family—the lies, the corruption, the arrogance of men who thought they could play gods. The Raven House had been decaying from the inside, and she refused to let it swallow her and Alicia whole.

So she left.

She still remembered the look on young Victor’s face when she did—confused, afraid, and guilty. The poor boy had thought he was the reason she walked away. He’d stayed away from her after that, convinced she hated him.

Sirius, on the other hand, had often visited her. Gentle, respectful, protective of Alicia. The kind of son she had hoped Cyril would be.

”Another poor woman desecrated by your despicable father,” Leora said at last.

”Please... don’t say anything to Sirius. He doesn’t need to know.”

Leora crossed her arms and sighed, her anger cooling just slightly. ”Why would I? Sirius will always be my son in every way that matters.” She hesitated before adding with a hint of bitterness, ”I just wish Cyril had turned out like him.”

Her voice softened, weighted with disappointment. ”He was such a bright child once... but Lazarus ruined him. Poisoned his mind with his twisted ideals.”

James nodded quietly, guilt flickering across his face. He didn’t need to hear more—he already knew it was true.

”I should have taken him,” Leora said, half to herself, eyes distant. ”When I left, I should have taken Cyril too. But he was the heir, and you never would’ve allowed it.”

James didn’t argue. The Head of the House was the one holding the power over the house members even more in the case of Cyril who was the first Prince and the only legitimate one actually.

He cleared his throat after a moment, forcing a faint smile. ”Let’s not dwell on the past. It’s the Blood Moon Festival—Ravenia will be alive again tonight. Once Alicia’s strong enough, you should come with her. It might do both of you some good.”

Leora arched a brow, a wry smile curving her lips. ”Are you trying to rebuild our broken marriage, James?”

He grimaced, looking away. ”Do whatever you want. I have work to do.”

She chuckled softly, turning toward the doorway. But before she could step inside, she called after him one last time.

”What about Amael?”

James paused mid-step. ”What about him?”

Leora gave him a knowing look. ”Alicia seems to care for him a lot.”

James frowned. ”She’s still engaged to Percy.”

Leora smirked, her voice dripping with amusement. ”Then I hope you’re ready to be hated forever by your daughter. Congratulations, James.”

And with that, she turned and walked back inside, leaving him standing there with a twisted expression.

If his daughter started hating him again just when he thought things had finally settled now...it would definitely break him.