The stillness in the Crimson family's chambers was almost more overwhelming than the chaos of the throne room. The royal physician had bandaged my wounds, washed the poisoned cuts from Elizabeth's blade with potent antidotes, and confirmed that, miraculously, nothing was fatal. The pain, however, was a constant, throbbing reminder of how close we had come to disaster.
Rossette, sitting beside me on a velvet sofa, declined a second cup of tea with an elegance that seemed untouched by the dust on her dress and the small scratch on her cheek. Our parents stood before the fireplace, the initial tension giving way to heavy contemplation.
It was Duke Crimson who broke the silence. He turned, and his gaze was no longer that of the cold politician before the king, but that of a deeply moved father.
"Arthur, for too long, Leonor and I saw only your... obsession with that commoner. It blinded our perception of you. Of the strength that was always there."
A loving father who is capable of forgiving and still seeing his son in a good light.
"We saw your pain, your distance, and we attributed it to a youthful tantrum. We did not see the man you were becoming in spite of us."
Leonor approached me and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"Forgive us."
It was a direct hit to my heart, not Arthur's. The need for love and recognition I had craved all my life, being given by mistake, was bittersweet and overwhelming. I nodded, unable to find words that wouldn't be a betrayal of my true self.
Duke Moriarte cleared his throat.
"Rossette, I always knew you had your mother's strength. Today... today you exceeded even my expectations."
"You don't have to talk about me as if I were dead. Our daughter grew up, and we should have realized that a long time ago. And you, young man—" Marisol looked at me. "—you protected my daughter when I could not. House Moriarte does not forget a debt like that."
Rossette inclined her head slightly. "It wasn't a debt,Mother. He said he would always protect me, as he is my fiancé and future husband."
Her hand found mine among the folds of her dress and squeezed it briefly. A small gesture, but loaded with a meaning that made me hold my breath.
It's been a long time since I felt something like this. Although I don't think I've fallen in love with Rossette, I feel a strong connection to her. I feel that she and I are kindred spirits.
At that moment, the system appeared before me. [Residence time exceeded. You will be sent back to your world in a few moments.]
It was in that moment of silent connection that I felt it. A familiar wave of dizziness, a pull in my stomach as if the world were spinning at full speed around me. The room, the concerned faces of my "parents," the warm pressure of Rossette's hand... everything began to blur, to become translucent.
No. Not now. Give me at least time to say goodbye, NO!
I tried to hold on, to squeeze Rossette's hand, but my fingers passed through hers as if they were smoke. I opened my mouth to scream, to warn them, but no sound came out. Rossette's expression changed from relief to confusion, then to an alarming clarity, as if she could suddenly see through me, seeing something no one else in the room could see.
Rossette leaned close to me and whispered. "William?"
That was the last thing I heard, my name on her lips, laden with heartbreaking understanding and an instant farewell.
"I hope to see you again," I whispered back.
And then, darkness.
∆∆∆
The sensation of hitting the thin, hard mattress of my apartment was as abrupt as it was painful. I gasped, air punching my lungs. The smell of dampness and dust replaced the scent of polished lemon and velvet from Crimson Manor. The grayish light of dawn filtered through my dirty window.
I was back. Alone. In my body. William Sanders's body. Where there had been bandages, only faint bruises from my first mission in another world remained, and an agonizing void where Rossette's hand had been seconds before.
"Rossette."
The name left my lips like a lament. The system blinked coldly in my vision, indifferent to my pain.
[Mission: Change the Villainess's Ending – COMPLETED]
[Rewards granted: 3000 SP, 5 Stat Points, Unique Item: Formal Attire] [Time Elapsed: 6 hours, 14 minutes]
I look at the rewards, and what catches my attention is the formal attire. When I touch it, the same suit I wore to the party with her appears. "At least I can have this to remember her by."
I put it back into the system's inventory.
"System."
[ Name:William Sanders
Age:19
Race:Human
Titles:[Neanderthal Killer]
-----------------------------------
Strength:10+3
Agility:7+3
Endurance:8
Intelligence:9
Luck:4
Perception:9
Willpower:10
UP:5
-----------------------------------
[Skills]
[Calm Mind][Running (Lv:3)] [Stealth (Lv:2)] [Boxing (Lv:3)] [Aura (Lv:2)] [Basic Fencing (Lv:3)]
-----------------------------------
[Missions]
[Store]
SP:3100
]
Now I have all these points without even knowing what they do. I touch the icon that says 'Store'.
[Store [Weapons] [Armor][Skills] [Items] [System] ]
While looking at the store, I notice there's a 'System' section. Can I buy things for this damn thing, like changing its color and stuff?
I tap the 'System' option.
[System Would you like to ask the system a question? Cost:100 SP [Buy] ]
I stand up quickly. "I can ask the system a question?"
I give the 'Buy' button a tap.
[-100 SP]
[ASK YOUR QUESTION]
"What will become of the world I just returned from?"
[The original Arthur Crimson will be reintegrated, implanted with the memories and experiences of William during his stay there. For all intents and purposes, Arthur Crimson *will be* the William who lived these events. The disconnection will be permanent. Portal reopenings to this dimension will not be permitted. Simply put, it will be as if William Sanders never arrived in that world, and all decisions made by the occupant will be considered Arthur's decisions.]
I sit down with my hands on my head. Although it depresses me a little, I'm glad to know that Rossette will be able to live a life with someone who loves her. She will never even feel sad knowing I'm gone because, to her, Arthur and William are the same person.
I got up, staggering, and went to the window, looking out at the impersonal city. My family here would still despise me, and by this point, they might not even have noticed I was gone.
But I was no longer the same William who had left. I had learned, however briefly, what true familial love was, and I had met someone who saw me for who I was.
Seeing the unassigned points in the system, I decide to put 2 points into Endurance, 1 into Intelligence, 1 into Perception, and the last one into Agility.
"I'm going to sleep. Maybe, just maybe, when I'm rested, I can go to work tomorrow with more peace of mind."