Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 186: Chapter 185- MessSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC186: Chapter 185- Mess
Richard frowned hearing the sender's name before he asked, "Can I look?"
Bellarine instantly nodded, "Of course, I have
nothing to hide from you."
Richard smiled fondly at her before advancing towards her, as the lady tore open the envelope.
Richard leaned over her shoulder as he read the letter,
[To Her Grace, Scarlette Bellarine,
Greetings. This is the chief advisor of the royal court, stating the necessity of your presence in the upcoming emergency meeting. The venue is the main palace, Eldoria, and the gathering will be held the day after tomorrow.
Since it holds importance relating to an approaching danger, it would be appreciated if the Lady appeared to participate in it.]
Richard frowned upon reading the letter relating to this sudden meeting. But when he thought about it, considering the incidents that have transpired recently he could understand the reason behind this meeting.
What bothered him was the part of incoming danger. What could it be? A warning from the church regarding the war? Possibly.
"Mom…do you know what danger is mentioned here?" Richard asked, believing his mother's judgment to be best in this situation.
The older Scarlette shared a frown as she slowly said," There had been some sightings of unnatural portals that spat out Ambrobates these days."
Richard was unsure if he was hearing it right so he asked again, "You mean…portals like teleportation portals?"
Bellarine nodded as she glanced at her baby in confusion.
"And…they throw out Bates?" Richard asked again and the lady nodded again, but this time she got up and asked in concern,
"Is there something worrisome, baby?"
Richard took a deep breath before he stated, "Mom…I can be wrong but there is a possibility that these monsters are being thrown at us from different universes."
Bellarine turned silent hearing that, her delicate brows drawing closer as she thought carefully back on the information her informants provided.
Strange portals. Something visible on the other side. Bates is weaker than the ones present on Clion.
"...now that you say it, it's really strange that the Bates being thrown at us contains a different energy."
"What kind of energy?" Suddenly a third person entered the conversation, and Bellarine was startled since she was so immersed in the conversation that she never noticed Bella walking in.
Bellarine pressed her hand against her heaving chest, as she scolded her, "Don't just come in without warning."
Bella ignored her mother and focused on her Brother, "Brother, I might be able to help since I have lived on earth for a long time. I have seen how the zombies began to evolve, and so did humans."
Bellarine and Richard had heard from her how one day everything changed when a strange Star appeared in the sky, and everyone suddenly started gaining powers which they considered fictional until then.
Richard knew it was the Dark Star which appeared on Earth as well. However, he never heard anything from Zulcriz about it, nor was he provided the opportunity to ask anything.
Haah…
Bellarine told her daughter whatever she knew about this energy, "It was said that the strange magic energy was thinner in comparison—something which might not be able to support any spell beyond four circles. And it didn't have a distinctive color."
Richard asked, "And all the Bates contained the same type of energy?"
The oldest one nodded.
Bella frowned, "Although it would be premature to say it with conviction, I think its mana flowing through them."
Bellarine asked, "Mana? Do they call ether, mana back there?"
Bella nodded, "I always thought that my mana was different from theirs, given I was able to use five and even six-circle spells back then. And I climbed the ladder of hierarchy in no time—however, I was so desperate to see Brother that I never pondered over my abnormal growth."
Richard felt sad even by imagining how lonely it must be for the little girl to be left behind.
However, he decided to talk about it later and asked her, "And what about the monsters? Did they all possess the same kind of energy as others?"
Bella nodded, "Yes…and killing those monsters allowed the hunters to absorb their mana."
"---!!"
Bellarine and Richard's eyes widened in shock as they turned to look at each other.
"Mom…"
"...yeah. Those are the traits of Ambrobates."
Ambrobates have the ability to kill and devour their hunt's magical essence. The humans back on earth possessed not only the same energy as the Bates but had a similar absorbing ability as well.
Bellarine gravely asked her son, "Baby…do you think one of the residents from the Dark Star has taken over Earth?"
Richard grimly nodded, "All the facts are indicating that, indeed, a whole planet is under the control of Aembr."
Bella curiously asked, "But…isn't it a good thing, Brother? We are on the side of the Darkness, right?"
Bellarine heaved a sigh before explaining to her daughter, "Although the side of Darkness shares the same origin, the personalities of the Generals are quite different."
Bella frowned, "...do you mean they can betray?"
Richard softly smiled as he rested his hand on her head and told her, "Unlike the apostles who can easily get brainwashed and manipulated in listening to the words of the deities, the Generals aren't Apostles, but parts of the Darkness. They contain their will and intelligence and look at things from a different perspective."
Bella was…unaware. Truly.
From her perspective, the Generals were the servants of the God of Death and would follow their command at every cost.
Richard crossed his arms and thought for a moment. The situation of these portals was complicated…it would be a mess if the people from Clion or the citizens from Earth crossed the portals.
And it was still uncertain if only Earth or was there any other world under the same circumstances from which the Bates were being thrown into this world.
There was the matter with the Emberclad Empire. Then there were those Apostles and Ethan. And now this new situation has arisen.
Richard looked at his mother before telling her, "Mom, I will leave for Emberclad with Lilia and Bella tomorrow. You go to the Capital and attend this meeting. I will send Jasmine with you."
Bellarine whined, "But can't you wait? Let's all go together?"
Richard calmly explained, "It would be best to hammer the iron when it is hot. The situation of Emberclad betraying us is still fresh so I should act as soon as I can. And it's still uncertain how long your meeting will go, so first finish that and then later, join me."
Albeit reluctant, the older Scarlette agreed to what her son said.
While resting his back against the wall, Richard looked at nothing particular as a thought crossed his mind,
'It's time for homecoming.'
—------**--------
A/N:- Thanks for reading. It means a lot.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 187: Chapter 186- HometownSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC187: Chapter 186- Hometown
When Richard returned to the room he found Amelia was already asleep.
He slowed down his pace and very cautiously entered the bed, before slipping inside the covers.
His discussion with his sister and mother went on for a longer duration than he initially intended.
He had already planned everything for the next month, and if everything went to plan, then Richard could get himself a whole Empire's worth of allies.
"Ah...you are back..." Despite his caution, Amelia woke up as she turned to look at him lazily.
Her drowsy, half-closed eyes made her look as adorable as a small, fluffy animal.
Richard leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "Sorry to disturb you."
Amelia slowly shook her head as she rested her head on his arm and her arm on his chest as she whispered, "I wanted to wait for you...but don't know when I fell asleep."
Richard caressed her cheek fondly as he whispered, "You are tired, Amelia so it's understandable."
Amelia closed her eyes, enjoying the gentle caress of her lover as she asked in a husky tone, "What happened with Lady Bellarine? Was something concerning?"
Richard didn't tell her anything about the matter he was about to discuss so she naturally was curious.
Richard heaved a sigh, "I don't know if it can be called concerning but yeah, I have to go to the Emberclad Empire to sort some of the things out."
Amelia blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering elegantly, as she asked,
"Is this something related to those traitors who sided with the apostles?" She asked, her tone shifting ever so slightly.
Richard cupped her cheek before asking, "Can you not worry about it anymore? Seeing you like this makes me worried."
Amelia closed her eyes again and whispered, "How can I not feel angered at someone who tried to hurt my husband?"
Richard smiled, "Husband? This is the first time I have heard it."
Amelia confidently muttered, "Get accustomed to it. After returning home, I will urge my father to arrange a formal engagement, and once we turn sixteen, let's get married."
Richard was startled to hear such thorough planning but from Amelia's perspective, it seemed Richard was hesitant, so she asked,
"Are you not prepared? Do I need to use the same tactics as Eleanor?"
Richard couldn't stop himself from chuckling this time, "Are you gonna drug me as well? I doubt it."
Amelia huffed before turning around, not willing to face him at all.
Richard brought the sulking girl closer to him and assured her, "Although I was surprised, I never said that I wouldn't make Amelia Hawkbridge my bride."
She tried quite well to fight it, but her cheeks couldn't resist adopting the sudden redness his words brought.
She looked over her shoulder and asked, "Promise."
"I swear."
Amelia, with a happy smile, turned back to him, her face pressed against his warm chest.
Richard grinned feeling the adorable girl back in his arms as he heard her asking,
"Can I come with you? To the Emberclad?"
Richard thought for a moment before shaking his head, "No, you need to return home. I have already received three letters from your parents, and I know your father must be on his way to fetch you."
Amelia sighed, "Well, I haven't seen my family for months now."
Richard hummed, "I don't want to get hated by my in-laws for snatching away their precious. And once I return from the Emberclad, I will come to introduce myself to your family."
Amelia was grinning ear to ear, "Mom will love you. She has a fondness toward well-mannered people."
Richard raised his left brow as his hand squeezed her spongy butt, "Do you think I am well-mannered?"
Amelia shyly lowered her eyes before whispering, "I am not my mother; you can be a little mischievous."
It took another hour before they finally decided to sleep.
--------**-------
The next morning, Richard woke up early since he had to travel a long distance.
Lilia has already prepared everything they would need for the journey, with the help of Violet.
Teleporting across continents is prohibited unless one gets the approval from both sides first. However, Richard knew, under these circumstances the management would never allow Richard to land his foot in Emberclad. And since Richard wanted to keep his arrival a secret from them, he decided to use a ship to cross the lands.
Richard, fresh out of the bath, was getting helped by Lilia in drying his hair as he looked at the documents his mother gave regarding the reports she prepared last night.
She will be leaving for the capital in a few hours as well. As of now, she was in deep slumber, and Richard asked Lilia not to wake her up.
Elizabeth and Nora were also asleep, and it would take them a few days for Aembr to completely assimilate with them.
Initially, Richard was about to ask Jasmine to accompany his mother for security reasons, but now he told her to remain here and look after the two ladies. Jasmine naturally agreed to his orders, but in exchange, she asked for a reward.
Richard, with a sigh, told her not to tell anyone about it, and the woman readily agreed, saying things like, 'A secret between us~.'
"Young Master, have you decided from which port we would leave?"
Richard smiled before telling her, "It's a very familiar place for both of us."
Lilia froze, then looked up at him with a smile as a name came up, "Awsperg."
------------**---------
"I am going there and no one can stop me." Ethan brushed off the man's hand which was holding him.
Theodore sighed as he tried to stop him again, only to be asked by Eleanor, "What happened?"
Seeing the violette, Ethan's mood worsened as Theodore told her,
"Sir Ethan is being stubborn. He wants to go to his hometown all of a sudden."
It was well known that Ethan hadn't integrated into the side of Light and was still undecided on which side he stood on. So letting him wander around was risky.
However, "Let him go, I and some other will accompany him."
Theodore frowned but before he could have said something, Eleanor coldly stated, "I don't find it entertaining to repeat myself."
The weight of her words, made Theodore stiffen before he removed his hand from Ethan.
Eleanor heaved a sigh before telling the girl beside her, "Call Ruby and Grace, we all will be leaving in an hour."
--------**-------
A/N:- Thanks for reading.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 188: Chapter 187- ShacklesSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC188: Chapter 187- Shackles
There was no direct teleportation portal that led to Awsperg so Richard and others decided to take the carriage from the nearest town to Awsperg.
Emily was invited by Richard since there wouldn't be anyone back in the mansion. Given Violet was told to accompany Bellarine and Jasmine was just watching over two sleeping beings, Richard asked Emily to tag along.
Naturally, she didn't show reluctance since Emily had no one to answer to.
When Richard asked, 'Don't you need to inform your parents about your late return?', she just smiled and shook her head
The relationship between her family members and Emily has turned ugly. Emily's father was aware of the fact that his daughter had turned into Ambrobate, and as a dignified citizen and ruler, he immediately broke off all his relationship with her.
Emily was unaware if her mother and her siblings knew the reason behind her exclusion from the family. However, it is a fact now that Emily was an orphan.
"Emily?" Suddenly a hand rested on hers, startling the girl before she looked at the brown-haired woman looking back at her.
"Is everything fine?" Lilia asked as the two of them remained seated side by side.
Bella and Richard were involved in a conversation that the other two didn't quite understand, so probably they didn't notice when Lilia asked her.
Emily slowly nodded before responding, "Just…a little sleepy." Since it was still too early in the morning, she went with the lie.
However, Lilia looked unconvinced. She could see that the blond teenager was disturbed about something and she often spaced out.
However, she decided not to pry any further and just suggested, "If you want you can talk to me. Although we haven't known each other for long, I can be a good listener if you feel like it."
Emily smiled, quite surprised that the ever-stoic maid could be so compassionate at times, as she nodded.
Richard, who was talking to Bella about movies and their childhood, heard the conversation between them.
However, he didn't call out to Emily or try to ask what was wrong.
The fact of the matter is that he doesn't know if he should maintain the distance between them or try to reach out to her.
It was rare for Richard to be so indecisive; however, in Emily's case, he just couldn't make up his mind.
****
"We are here." Lilia smiled as she saw the entrance of the town and the familiar smell arriving from a distance.
There was nothing special about Awsperg, and no tourists came to visit this place unless they had to board a ship or deal with fishermen.
However, for Lilia, this was her home and a place where she grew up. Every street, every alley is familiar to her. Although she has never been talkative since childhood, almost every old store owner knows her as the daughter of the Hero.
"It's a nice place…" Emily's eyes shone as she looked around. The last time she came here with Eleanor, her attention was converged on Ethan, so she didn't pay much attention to the town.
Bella also looked quite intrigued by these kinds of markets which were absent on Earth.
On both sides, the stores were lined up, people selling many different kinds of things. Children were running around, a very friendly and warm atmosphere could be seen.
Various people glanced at the carriage since it belonged to a noble house.
Richard asked, "Lilia, your mother won't mind right? That we are arriving without any prior notice?"
The brunette smiled in amusement, "Of course, not."
Richard doubted. Lilia's mother doesn't like him much, because of his past. Lilia was the one who informed her about his past self, and Cristina repeatedly told her to leave the job. And now, even after he has changed and his relationship with Lilia has undoubtedly improved, Cristina still holds the same opinion of him.
The carriage soon came to a halt before the grandest villa in the town, where the renowned hero lives.
Richard jumped out and helped the other three to climb down. There wasn't much luggage since Richard didn't know how long he had to stay in Emberclad.
Naturally, the soldiers stationed at the entrance didn't stop them; after all, all of them were sent here by the Duchess, so they naturally were aware of his identity.
As they entered the house, the first thing Richard saw was greatly astonishing,
"Wao…" He whistled as the whole reception area looked nothing less than a training ground.
No resting sofas or antiques decorated here anymore. Training dolls, aiming boards, and weapon shelves now filled up the reception area.
Lilia heaved a sigh; the last time she visited things were not like this.
"Mom?" She called out, and out of nowhere, a dagger flew at Lilia—which the latter easily caught between her fingers and threw back at the person.
**SWOOOSH**
Emily's lips were parted, unsure if it was normal to greet each other like this.
Lilia slowly made her way towards the place where the dagger was stabbed. It was nothing but a plain wall in sight, however, no one can be a hundred percent sure.
However, just as she stood before the dagger, she felt a sharp cold sensation on her neck,
"Caught you~"
Lilia heaved a weary sigh as she turned toward her mother and asked, "Is this a way to greet your daughter, Mom?"
The short raven-haired lady laughed, her hands resting on her waist, as she said, "Why go with the norm and be all dramatic?"
Her eyes then went towards the other three as she asked, "Why are you standing? Sit down."
Lilia raised her brows, "But where, Mom? Why did you move everything away?"
Cristina sighed, and while rubbing her head, she answered, "Actually, recently I began to teach kids, and the backyard was already too occupied, so yeah, making use of the free space."
She then gestured to follow her, as she said, "Come, let's sit inside."
Emily followed the duo while Bella silently whispered, "Is she insane?"
Richard reprimanded her, "Don't say such things about your elders." With a sad sigh escaping his lips, he added, "After her husband's death, she mostly remains alone. That's why to keep herself distracted, I could see how many things she is trying recently."
Richard still feels that during the Headless ambush, he could have done better if only he had utilized the system better and grasped his origin a little earlier.
Bella didn't say anything after that and just held her brother's hand softly to console him.
The five of them entered the room which once belonged to Lilia.
Lilia went to bring water for others, accompanied by Emily. Richard and Bella were seated together with their hands connected, and Cristina sat across them.
"She is…"
"My sister. Bella."
Cristina raised her brows, "She does look like Lady Scarlette. Ah, how is she?"
Richard smiled faintly, "Just busy with work. Many concerning matters are rising day after day that require her presence in the capital all the time."
Cristina slowly shook her head as she said, "The dangers this world is getting introduced to…someone like Scarlette Bellarine should be on the front lines rather than being occupied by boring meetings."
Richard smiled, "Mom would have surely agreed to that."
Cristina's lips also extended in a soft smile and the room soon engulfed in comfortable silence.
—----**-----
In the kitchen, Lilia was preparing tea for everyone. Thanks to the fact that her mother hasn't switched things in the kitchen that allowed the brunette to find things easily.
Emily was idly standing nearby, looking around, when suddenly her eyes landed on a picture frame in which a man with brown hair was standing beside Lilia; a little younger.
"You loved your father, right?" She could see the faint smile in the photo which Lilia adorned. It was amusing and adorable how the little girl wasn't the one clinging to her father but rather the other way around.
The edges of her lips stretched as she nodded, "Yeah…he was my hero. The strongest person I knew."
Although from a common perspective, Henry was the weakest one in the family, being unawakened after all. However, from Lilia's perception, he is the man who made her feel protected until she met Richard.
Emily's smile slowly faded as she said, "Sorry for not being able to do anything that day…even though I was in Awsperg at that time."
Lilia patted the girl on her shoulder before softly scolding her, "Don't you blame yourself for something that was impossible for you to change."
Emily looked up at the other one with complicated emotions swirling in her eyes.
Lilia released a sigh before telling her, "Listen, Emily, don't let your regrets of the past become a shackle. If something bothers you…makes you feel suffocated, then just try to do something about it. You have only one chance to live so don't let your past drag you down, okay?"
Both Emily and Lilia knew that the latter was saying all this in the context of something entirely different.
Emily's eyes were blurred behind the tears as she slowly nodded, "I will try."
—-------**--------
A/N:- Thanks for reading.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 189: Chapter 188- Ghost(1)STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC189: Chapter 188- Ghost(1)
Bellarine reached the capital by afternoon through the teleportation portal.
She was reluctant to separate from her son, however, things were too messed up around them to remain together for the time being.
For a peaceful future, Bellarine has to work hard now.
"You look stressed, my lady." The head maid, Maria, asked as she rested the cup of tea before Bellarine.
The red-haired Duchess heaved a sigh before picking up the cup, "Indeed, I am. Meetings have never been my thing. They talk a lot and argue a lot."
The blond maid chuckled, "You always believe that it all takes a simple duel to land on a definite conclusion."
Bellarine nodded in agreement, "Indeed; just put forward your opinion and fight. The one who wins gets their opinion accepted."
Maria smilingly added, "If such a rule gets introduced my lady, then Eldoria would be moving solely based on your decisions."
Bellarine narrowed her eyes and glared at the maid, "Flattering your mistress? Want some bonus or something?"
The blond maid shook her hands in denial, as she said, "No, no. Why would I need to praise you for some reward? I am already receiving a lot while serving my lady."
Bellarine sighed as she blew over the tea, letting the steam wash over her face before she elegantly took a sip.
"Hmm~perfectly balanced herbs and sugar."
The maid smiled in satisfaction; happy that she was able to fulfill her duty perfectly once again.
One of the main reasons…or to say, the only reason why Maria was selected to serve the Duchess was because of her exceptional brewing skills.
While enjoying the flavorful beverage, Bellarine asked, "Tell me Maria, how is Violet's situation back home?" Maria, being the head maid of the Scarlette house, knows about every servant's background and their life when they are not working.
Maria's expression turned a little sad as she informed, "Her parents…being indebted to my lady, always keep reminding her how she should be loyal to her work and Young Master Richard. The girl has been brought, not as a child but as a servant since childhood so she could serve the Young Master to the best of her capabilities."
It wasn't like Bellarine was not aware of the situation but she paid attention to it now after she heard that her baby adores that girl.
With her gaze fixed on nothing particular the Duchess asked, "Do you think I am to be blamed for her situation?"
Maria panicked, "No, not at all! You helped her parents without any selfish desire to have their child as a loyal servant. It was them…who thought that the best way to repay your kindness is to rob their daughter of her happiness and force her into servitude."
Bellarine lowered her gaze and didn't say anything to that. She wasn't particularly feeling guilty since she knew it wasn't her fault. Rather, she was experiencing pity for Violet.
Glancing at her maid, she said, "Why don't you express a piece of advice from me to her parents?"
Maria's eyes narrowed just for a moment before she nodded, "Understood, my lady."
Bellarine didn't stay in the mansion for long and after having a light lunch, she left for the palace.
A long and tiresome meeting awaited her.
—-------**--------
"What? Ghost?" Emily exclaimed upon hearing what Cristina told them.
The oldest one nodded and said, "Yeah, ghost. Awsperg is currently being haunted by a mysterious ghost who arrives at the darkest phase of the night."
Everyone in the room except for Emily, retained their composure since the blind girl was quite petrified of ghosts.
While sipping on the black coffee, Richard asked, "And what does this ghost do?"
Cristina, with disdain, responded, "They capture young girls and…keep them for a night before returning them."
None of them failed to discern what she meant by that, which urged Bella to add, "Then why call them a ghost? This is simply the work of a criminal…possibly some bastard who believes himself the king of the world."
Richard frowned; Bella's voice suggested that she had faced such a person in the past.
He held her hand and looked at her questioningly.
Bella glanced at her brother nervously before looking away.
Richard surely would ask her later but now, "How often has this been happening?"
Cristina poured some more tea for herself as she responded, "It has become frequent recently. I tried to track them but to no avail. It was a fruitless venture. I continued to move in a loop until dawn."
Taking a pause, she said, "From what I have heard, these people use some kind of tool to blind others temporarily and then use some kind of drug to incapacitate their target."
There was a severe frown on Lilia's face. She has never heard of such a planned crime happening in Awsperg before and the security of the town is of no use if even her mother couldn't find them.
After a brief pause, she asked, "Have you complained to the Baron?" Awsperg comes under the jurisdiction of Baron Countwell, as such, it's his responsibility to look after such a severe case.
Cristina nodded, "I did and Baron Countwell sent several soldiers to investigate the matter. But still…there is no clue."
Richard thought of the best person for investigation and only Jasmine's name came up. She is really good at blending and interrogation. However, she is already occupied with Elizabeth and Nora.
The silence was soon broken by Cristina as she suggested, "Don't worry about it! Sooner or later, they will be caught and I will personally bestow the punishment. For now, take some rest, you all."
….
Cristina and Lilia were sleeping in the same room. Naturally, both of them had several things to talk about.
Emily and Bella were given a separate room, and Richard was all alone. However, Bella immediately said that she would sleep with her brother, which made Cristina surprised. However, she didn't say anything about it
"See you in the morning." Richard gave a soft kiss on Lilia's forehead.
Lilia smiled shyly, "Good night, young master."
Once Lilia went inside her room, Richard also returned to the room he was provided with.
Bella went to take a bath so he decided to polish his beloved staff.
Summoning Ruyi Bang he sat down on the bed. He hasn't gone to have a spar against the Monkey King for a while now.
'I am not sleepy at all…' Richard was thinking of getting a quick spar before sleeping when suddenly someone knocked.
*Knock*
Richard knew who it was, so he didn't think twice to open the door using Telekinesis.
"What happened?" On the other side stood the blond girl while holding a pillow close to her.
"....ghost." Emily slowly muttered with her gaze downcast.
Richard raised his brows, "In your room?"
Emily shook her head, "The shadows frighten me. Can I sleep here…on the floor?" She hurriedly added.
Richard heaved a sigh before telling her, "Come here."
Emily's cheeks adopted a healthy blush as she slowly moved toward the bed and stood near Richard.
"Sleep on the bed. There won't be shadows here."
Emily's blush deepened, as she slowly moved around the bed and rested her body softly on the bed.
Looking at him cleaning his bo staff, Emily found all the drowsiness now exhausted.
The silence between the two didn't remain for long as Richard said, "It's pretty embarrassing being stared at, y'know."
Emily hurriedly moved her gaze away…but she couldn't resist looking at him for long.
Richard stopped polishing the staff and looked at her, "Tell me, what's wrong?"
The only part of her face which was not hidden by the pillow was her eyes. Those red eyes contained several emotions that she was feeling at the moment.
And being asked by him suddenly, she wasn't able to make any excuse, "You….I don't know why but it feels so calm while I look at you…"
Richard tilted his head, "My eyes make people feel uncomfortable, I have heard."
Emily shook her head, "You have the most warm eyes I have ever seen. Just being in your presence allows, not only me but many others to feel that nothing could go wrong."
Richard turned silent upon hearing that. The current version of Emily was extruding a charm that reminded him of a time that he didn't want to think about.
The conflict in his heart regarding his first love remained and Richard didn't want either side to win, so he hurriedly got up from the bed.
"I should check on Bella."
Emily smiled sadly, seeing Richard avoiding her, but she didn't say anything.
Richard walked towards the bathroom and knocked, "Come out now, it's not good to bathe for long."
Even after waiting for a few seconds, there was no response.
"Bella?" Richard knocked again, this time with a frown.
Another pause, and still no reply.
Emily, with her brows drawing closer, got up as Richard slowly turned the doorknob and peeked inside.
"Bella–!!" The scene awaiting inside made his eyes widen.
The window of the bathroom was open and Bella was nowhere to be seen in the bathroom.
She was kidnapped.
—------**--------
A/N:- Thanks for reading.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 190: Chapter 189- Ghost(2)STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC190: Chapter 189- Ghost(2)
"She's so damn strong!" The cat mask-wearing man grumbled as he held Bella over his shoulders and ran toward the east side.
The man beside him growled, "Keep your temper in control! A single moment of mistake and she will slaughter each one of us!" The bear-masked one replied in a stern tone.
"But why are we targeting a relative of the next Duke? Ain't this too dangerous?" The dog mask asked, showing his awareness of Bella's identity.
"First, she is hot. Second, we will get a ransom this time. And third, she is hot." Important things are said twice, the fourth one added.
They have been partaking in the kidnapping for the past two months in this backward town where there weren't many strong warriors to be wary of.
Naturally, they heard about Richard's arrival, and when their eyes landed on the two beauties beside him, they knew their new target.
"But why did the Boss ask to bring her to the base? It has been a while since Boss got involved in this." The cat-masked asked as he leaped over a building and landed softly on his feet.
They were stopping at nothing, their destination set in their minds.
The other one frowned from behind his bear mask as he responded, "I feel this isn't just our regular hunt. The boss has something in mind that's why he immediately assigned the best of us for this."
They have divided their bases and these four don't work in Awsperg regularly. However, for this task, their leader is his best
These four were core members of the gang and consisted of quite good coordination. Investigation, infiltration, submission, and then conclusion. They carry each mission with precision.
The bear-masked looked at the raven-haired slung over his comrade's shoulder, a sense of recognition flashing in his eyes but he soon dismissed his thoughts and continued his venture.
—-------**--------
Richard clenched his fist upon realizing that his sister was abducted from under his nose and he didn't sense anything at all.
"It's their method of work…they suppress their ether and their targets before jumping into action." Cristina tried to soothe his frustration, however, Richard couldn't be rest assured until he didn't find her.
"Young master, I and Emily are going to the west. Mom, you move to the north, and young master, you should search the eastern area." Lilia assigned everyone's role which urged Emily to ask,
"What about the south?"
"I left my familiar in that direction when we were entering the town. If any suspicious movement is tracked, I will be informed."
Richard wordlessly turned and switching to his elemental form, he ascended to the sky.
Seeing the flaming form, Cristina couldn't help but shiver a little.
'He has grown so much in so little time.'
—-----**-------
Late at night, Ethan could be seen advancing towards the graveyard.
The reason why he insisted on coming back here was because today was his mother's birthday so he wanted to spend a few hours with her.
However, naturally, the apostles couldn't have left Ethan to go alone and Ethan blatantly rejected Eleanor's company. So Ruby was given the task.
They were moving to the graveyard on foot and were silent until Ethan suddenly asked,
"You were an apostle all along?"
The raven-haired was startled to hear his voice but soon she shook her head, "No, I joined last year."
Ethan raised his brows, "And were you aware of the ambush of the Ambrobates?"
Ruby hesitated before informing him, "None of the apostles knew that-"
Discover hidden content at m,v l'e-NovelBin
"Yeah, a bunch of crap. I know that it was all a well-planned strategy to remind me of the horror of sharing the same planet as Bates." Ethan scoffed at the girl.
Silence descended between the duo after that before Ethan glanced at her and said, "Sir Richard admired you, you know."
His words made her surprised, as she heard him continuing,
"I could see in his eyes that he wanted to become an ideal student like you and Rose. He respected how you both were recognized by several professors, including the Headmaster."
With a mocking smile, the silver head asked, "And you both betrayed him."
Ruby bit her lower lip hearing that. She knew she would get reminded of the fact that she became the cause of so many deaths, but it still hurt. A lot.
Ethan interlaced his fingers behind his head and casually uttered, "It's strange that we call ourselves the preservers of light, but every being around me is the perfect blend of both."
Ruby, this time, spoke, "I get that the Apostles have their flaws, but they still have a kindness that the Bates just don't."
Ethan laughed, "Yeah, yeah. From what I remember, the one who was trying to destroy countless lives back then was an Apostle…you dear friend Rose and the one who was trying to save them was an evil worshiper."
Ruby was rendered speechless since arguing here could have only been possible if there had been anything wrong in what he said.
They soon reached the graveyard, which was built near the east tip of the town.
There were no guards since there wasn't anything to steal from this place.
Ethan and Ruby walked side by side inside the graveyard until they reached a certain tombstone.
However, just as Ethan was about to kneel before the grave and greet his mother, he spotted movements in the distance.
He narrowed his eyes and focused on the individuals currently walking toward the walls of the yard. And the most astonishing part was the woman they were carrying.
"....why do I feel I have seen her?"
Following Ethan's gaze Ruby also noticed the men in black who wore comical masks on their faces.
Ethan advanced toward them, his aura engulfing his form, and making him weightless.
His figure blurred just like Ruby's as they stopped just behind a tree, since, one of the four stopped from hopping over the wall and turned towards them.
Ethan peeked slightly and found the man was still standing there…and then he suddenly took something from his coat and threw it on the ground.
**HISSSSSSSS**
Ethan's eyes widened as he saw huge black smoke erupting from the small thing, covering the man completely and blocking his vision.
"Shit!" Ethan lunged toward the place where the man stood, his fist cocked.
**DHAK**
However, his fist was met by the thick wall—forming a small crack where the punch landed.
Ruby called out, "Ethan?!"
Ethan raised his hand, his hand glowing with an ethereal glow as he said, "I am going after them."
"Wait, Ethan–" Her warning was not heard before she saw the illuminated figure ascending and then disappearing behind the wall.
….
"Is he coming after us?" The cat-masked asked in apprehension. They sensed the pursuers the moment they entered the graveyard. But they didn't think that rather than walking away, they would start chasing after the gang.
The bear-faced snarled before commanding, "Kuro! Handle him!" Hearing that command, the dog-faced steps slowly came to a halt.
The other three continued to dash further and further away while the man awaited the silver streak advancing toward him.
Sensing the person had entered the zone, Kuro raised the small steel capsule on the ground, and instantly, golden energy radiated from the capsule.
"Huh?" Ethan exclaimed as the ether from his body suddenly got suppressed, and the radiance his body was radiating disappeared.
Coming to a skidding pause, Ethan looked at the masked entity, before asking, "The fuck you did?"
"Just suppressed your magic. It's pretty easy to suppress ether with Aembr, y'know."
Ruby also arrived beside Ethan and upon noticing the lack of ether within the strange dome, she frowned.
"Aha~what a pretty girl~why didn't we spot you before?" The man uttered, and without looking at his face, Ruby knew there was a disgusting grin on his face.
"Ruby, you go forward and stop them." Ethan urged; his urgency increased after he realized the identity of the person who was kidnapped.
It was Richard's sister!
However, he didn't tell that to Ruby knowing that she might not risk herself to save an evil-worshiper.
Ruby wanted to say that her role was to protect Ethan…however, she decided to heed his words.
….reason was that she also noticed who was getting kidnapped.
Ruby backed off and took a detour to escape the ether-suppressing prison before advancing towards the others.
The cat-masked chuckled as he took out crowbars and warned Ethan, "Back off now, and I will take that girl as compensation."
Ethan snarled, "Is your brain between your legs? Stop yapping like a loser and fight me like a warrior."
He was unaware of why Richard's sister was present here or why they were kidnapping her but as a human being and someone who sees Richard as his elder brother, Ethan would surely save Bella!
—-------**---------
A/N:- Thanks for reading. Should I put more lemons in between the chapters? I can write 'em regularly but don't know if the reader would like it.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 191: Chapter 190- Ghost(3)STRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC191: Chapter 190- Ghost(3)
The fight had been raging for what felt like an eternity. The moonlight barely cut through the fog that had settled over the battlefield, casting long shadows across the cracked cobblestones.
Ethan's breath came in ragged gasps, his body bruised and bloodied from the relentless exchanges with the man in the dog mask.
Ethan's hand shook as it reached for the dagger at his side—his last weapon, his last chance. The crowbars had done their damage, and the blood soaking his clothes was enough to slow him down, but he wasn't out yet.
The dog-masked man smirked, clearly amused at Ethan's feeble attempt to fight back. "Still want to play?" he mocked, stepping closer with a slow, deliberate pace.
With a growl, Ethan gripped the dagger tighter, forcing himself to his feet. The pain in his legs and ribs was unbearable, but he refused to give in. He staggered forward, the dagger raised in a shaky hand.
The other one groaned, "Man...you are annoying." Suddenly the masked being threw away his left crowbar and inserted his hand inside his coat.
Suddenly he pulled a Glock and pointed it to Ethan.
The silver head frowned...somehow this strange kind of weapon made him feel that it would be devastating to remain standing there.
"I am kinda tired and want to grab a bite before sleep."
The man put his finger on the trigger and before Ethan could react, the man shot at him.
Ethan's pupil dilated as the small thing was released from the gun and advanced at him at an undodgeable pace.
**DHAK**
The bullet struck into a body...but it didn't belong to Ethan.
The masked man frowned as he slowly raised his face and gazed at the pair of burning golden eyes that looked at him with nothing but burning agitation.
"Y-You....!!" The masked man was aware of the man's identity, however, before he could have said anything further, a hand pierced into his chest.
In a blink of an eye, Richard was standing before him with his hand stabbed inside the other one's chest; wrapping around his heart.
"Tell me where they have taken her, and I promise I will let you go." Richard gave him a chance, providing him with the Aembr to not lose consciousness even though blood continued to flow down.
The masked individual looked at Richard with utter fear before slowly whispering, "The island in the North-east...under two palm trees is a cave...".
Richard smiled before he tightened his grip around his heart and bid his farewell, "Good doggy."
**SQUELCH**
The man crumbled at Richard's feet and the scene made Ethan both frightened and relieved.
Breathing heavily Ethan pointed towards the front before saying, "Ruby...she went after them."
Richard nodded before he shot a fireball at the artifact that created this ether-restricting dome and handed Ethan a potion.
Turning into his elemental form, he launched toward the direction where Ethan pointed.
----------**---------
Ruby didn't inform Eleanor about the kidnapping or she would have intervened and restricted her from going after those people. And Ruby didn't want that.
Not as an apostle but as a human being she wanted to save Bella if possible. As such, she continued to march toward the group, which was running at a pace that clearly defined that they were superhumans.
Thankfully, her skill allowed her to manipulate gravity to a decent extent, which allowed her to increase her speed while running.
'But why Richard's sister? Ransom?' This was the most probable hunch she could land upon.
Ruby was using an artifact to blend in her background to remain invisible to the group. She didn't know how strong they were and if she could defeat them. That's why she was assessing their skills as of now.
They were advancing towards a port about which she was completely unaware; she came here for the first time after all.
Suddenly one of the three men turned around and came to a halt.
Ruby frowned and while assuming that she was still not visible to them, she decided to cross the man that paused and follow the other two.
However, "Ehe~" A chilly grin extended the man's lips from behind the mask.
The monkey-masked individual suddenly summoned a pair of small hammers in his hand and threw one of them in Ruby's direction.
Her eyes trembled as she tilted her head just in the nick of time for the hammer to graze past her neck, leaving a blackish mark behind.
"Ah shoot~ I didn't think it would miss." The masked individual mocked as Ruby's figure finally became visible.
She soon winced; the small graze on her neck was burning furiously, urging her to take out a vial of potion and drop the liquid on the mark.
It must be his ability—she discerned.
He twirled two small hammers, their heads glowing with a sickly green hue.
"You can't outrun decay," he said, his voice muffled behind the mask. Without waiting, he lunged forward, hammers swinging in wide arcs.
Ruby's feet shifted subtly, and a pulse of energy radiated from her. The ground beneath the man's feet felt heavier, pulling him down mid-swing. His attack slowed, but he twisted sharply, slamming a hammer into the ground to launch himself sideways. The cursed energy hissed as it rotted the stone where it struck.
Ruby stepped forward, her hand cutting through the air. The gravity around the masked man shifted violently, yanking him toward her. He stumbled, but with impressive agility, spun his hammers to deflect her attempt.
"Too slow!" he shouted, the cursed glow intensifying. He hurled one of the hammers directly at her.
Ruby's eyes narrowed, and she focused. The hammer curved unnaturally, caught in an invisible force. It spiraled around her before crashing harmlessly to the ground.
The masked man closed the gap, his remaining hammer swinging at her ribs. Ruby leaned back just enough to avoid it, then kicked upward. The air itself seemed to assist her strike, propelling her leg faster. Her heel slammed into his wrist, sending the hammer flying.
But he didn't back down. His free hand shot out, grabbing her ankle. Ruby felt a burning sensation—his curse trying to take hold.
She gritted her teeth and snapped her fingers. The gravity around her shifted, and the man was yanked into the air, his grip breaking as he was flung upward.
'He is an Ambrobate!' She realized that this kind of skill could only be awakened by a Bate.
He twisted midair, somehow landing on his feet with cat-like grace. "You're annoying," he growled, summoning his second hammer back to his hand with a flick of cursed energy.
Ruby smirked, her fingers twitching. "Likewise."
The ground around her rippled as she slammed her foot down. Chunks of stone shot into the air, orbiting her like a shield. The man darted forward, trying to break through. His hammer came down, shattering one of the stones, but Ruby used the distraction.
She stepped in close, palm extended toward his chest. With a sharp pulse, gravity crushed down on him like an invisible hand, forcing him to his knees.
His mask tilted upward, his glowing hammers swinging wildly even from his kneeling position. One nearly grazed her, the cursed energy sizzling through the air.
Ruby leaned away just in time, her movements smooth and calculated. "Stay down," she hissed, her other hand drawing a circle in the air. The gravitational field around him intensified, pinning him to the ground.
The masked individual did his best to break free but to no avail. Ruby has a strong grip over the man.
She was about to step forward and lift his mask when suddenly, the other one shot his spit onto the same wound where Ruby was the held by him before.
"Aghhhh!!" She groaned in pain, and her hold on her ability shifted, allowing the masked individual to gain freedom.
He lunged into the air, his hand holding a sharp knife, aiming for Ruby's neck...however, he couldn't land the blow as suddenly a bone-breaking weight landed on him.
**BOOOOOM**
A large crater was formed as Ruby lost control over her skill and plunged the masked man twenty feet beneath the ground...and possibly, killed him.
"Oh my~did I kill him?" Ruby tilted her head and looked into the cave, wondering if she could do something about him.
"There is nothing you can do about him now." Richard suddenly landed beside her; startling Ruby.
She turned toward him and said, "Why are you stopping here? You should go after the others!"
Richard came to look after him because Ethan requested him. But now, it doesn't seem he needed to.
"Ethan is injured, go take care of him."
Ruby's eyes widened as she instantly nodded.
Richard's body was soon engulfed in flame and he ascended to the skies.
Whoever these guys were, they clearly were not from this world. However, that doesn't change the fact that Richard would slaughter each one of them.
—-----**-------
A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 192: Chapter 191- AscendedSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC192: Chapter 191- Ascended
Bella was restrained and her ether was suppressed—she knew.
Something caused her consciousness to fade away in those initial moments; however, soon, she regained consciousness and continuously watched whatever was happening around her.
However, the most irritating part was her body, which refused to listen to her commands. It was like she was paralyzed, and except for her eyes, she could not move a single muscle in her body.
She even tried to open her mouth and bite the life of the man who dared touch her. However, to no avail.
She was under some kind of drug that suppressed her movements and magic.
However, thankfully, she could record where she was taken so that once she regained control over her body, she could return to her brother as soon as she could.
"Hupp! Ho!" Her body finally rested on a chair once they reached a closed room with very dim light, offering a minimal vision of her surroundings.
She turned her eyes toward the front from where another masked man walked towards them.
The lion-masked being signaled towards the bear-masked man before he stepped forward and injected something in Bella's neck.
She winced, not much of a fan of syringes; however, her priority lay in her liberty, and thanks to that injection, she somehow could move her mouth.
"Regardless of the reason for bringing me here, I promise you, the result of all of you will be death."
There were several beings in the room who held weapons that shouldn't belong to this world. And here Bella was all powerless and paralyzed, yet she possessed the confidence that could make anyone falter.
The lion-masked one stepped forward and said, "I am aware that my luck could only bring me to this point...however, in exchange for what I desire, I am ready to accept even death."
Bella frowned as the man slowly removed his mask and revealed his face—making Bella's eyes widen.
"You....!"
---------*--------
Richard was surfing through the air in his elemental form. He knew he had made a mistake by not making Bella one of his subordinates through ritual, or he would have known her location instantly.
However, there was no point in wailing over the spilled milk.
**BOOOOOM**
The night sky lit up with a fiery streak as Richard, a figure engulfed in living flames, hurled a fireball. The blazing projectile streaked downward like a guided missile, obliterating the guards stationed at the island's edge.
Their screams were swallowed by the roar of the explosion, the flames turning the sandy shore into molten glass. More masked men poured from the dense forest, their dark silhouettes illuminated by the lingering firelight.
They wielded curved blades and enchanted weapons that shimmered faintly against the starry backdrop. Unfazed, Richard advanced, his burning form casting flickering shadows across the beach.
One of the men raised his hand, summoning a barrier of shimmering blue energy that rippled like water. Another fired arrows tipped with glowing runes, their trails carving arcs of light in the darkness. Richard swerved, the projectiles grazing his fiery form, before melting into sparks.
With a guttural yell, one masked figure lunged at Richard, his blade slashing through the air. It connected—but instead of cutting flesh, it tore through fire. The wound briefly created a slash beneath the inferno, but within seconds, the flames surged back, sealing the gash like it was never there.
Richard retaliated, summoning a swirling vortex of fire around himself. With a swift motion, he unleashed it, the flames spreading like a wave. Several attackers screamed as the fire engulfed them, their masks melting into their skin.
Lunging at the nearest vigilante who was shooting an arrow, Richard held the man by his ankle and hair before using the strength that only a superhuman could muster and tore the man from the middle.
"Ahhhh!!!" The loud cry of the man died once his body was snapped in two and thrown away like rags.
The remaining ones took a few steps back as they heard Richard's emotionless voice,
"Where is she?"
The response came violently. From the treeline, another group emerged, chanting incantations. Magic circles flared to life at their feet, launching streams of water that hissed violently as they collided with Richard's flames. The clash of elements created a veil of steam that enveloped the battlefield. Richard stepped through it, his molten eyes glowing brighter than ever.
He raised both hands, conjuring a massive inferno above him. With a snap of his fingers, it split into dozens of smaller fireballs, each locking onto a target like homing missiles. The guards scattered, but the fireballs curved midair, chasing them relentlessly. One by one, the explosions lit up the night, shaking the island.
The battered and melting bodies of the assailants littered around the island like a few dozen had used the spot for a picnic and left garbage behind.
The guards retaliated swiftly, hurling spears laced with glowing runes. The weapons whistled through the air, approached him, but the flames of Richard's body devoured the projectiles mid-flight. Those that struck him only melted against his blazing form.
Richard grinned a feral, predatory smile. With a guttural growl, he slammed his fist into the ground, sending a shockwave of fire rippling outward. It ignited everything in its path, forcing the masked warriors to scatter or be consumed.
Some were quick enough to launch counterattacks. Blades forged with ice magic slashed through the night, sending freezing winds to combat his flames.
Richard snarled and caught the weapon with his bare hand, overwhelming the spell with the intense flames.
"You think water and ice are the best against flames?" Richard asked, to no one specific.
"Enough playing," Richard growled, his voice rumbling like distant thunder as he levitated in the air. His arms shot out, and two massive flame circles materialized above and below the battlefield. The upper one burned like a miniature sun, its edges crackling with unstable energy, while the lower one shimmered ominously, heating the ground until it glowed red.
"Infernal Descent." The words were guttural and sharp, dripping with finality.
The flame circles roared to life, unleashing torrents of liquid fire from the heavens while erupting geysers of flame from below. The guards were caught in the crossfire, their screams drowned out by the deafening roar of the dual assault. The upper flames rained down like hellish comets, each strike vaporizing multiple men, while the lower eruptions flung others into the air, their bodies disintegrating before they hit the ground.
The entire section of the island became a swirling inferno, the sand melting into pools of glass, the jungle at the edge of the battlefield igniting a chain reaction. Tens of guards were incinerated in mere moments, their bodies reduced to ashes carried by the violent winds.
Once the bustling island was reduced to only one person who stood in the middle of the battleground.
The true might of the being who has taken absolute command over an element. This was Richard at his best.
---------**--------
It took him a few minutes but Richard found the entrance of the cave. It wasn't much difficult to break the entrance and it helped that the guards stationed inside didn't try to fight him at all.
Richard dashed inside, stopping not even once as he finally landed inside the base of the hideout.
His eyes finally landed on the person whom he desired to see the most in these few minutes.
"Bella..." It seems huge boulders were lifted off his shoulders as Richard returned to his human state. He slowly advanced towards Bella who also looked back at him with a soft expression on her face.
"Brother..."
Richard reached his sister and knelt before her. Cupping her cheeks, he asked, "Are you fine? Did they do anything to you?"
Bella shook her head, "No, they just brought me here and we have been talking ever since." After a brief pause, she asked, "Brother....did you just obliterate more than a hundred guards because you were worried for me?"
She heard from the guards inside the base that those hundred guards would keep Richar busy for the time being...however, not even five minutes passed and her brother was in front of her.
Richard sighed, "What do you expect from me? I failed to keep my sister safe so the frustration and fear of losing you again took over me."
He has reunited with his sister after so long...and because of his negligence, he lost her again today.
Bella was grinning ear to ear, but soon he realized that she wasn't moving at all....more like other than her head, nothing else was moving.
Richard spotted the injection resting nearby, making him clench his teeth before he got up on his feet and turned around to slaughter those who tortured his sister.
However, the person he saw upon turning around exhausted his frustration and shock took over,
"Carl?! What are you doing here?"
The brother of his childhood friend...was standing there.
---------**--------
A/N:- I know, you know, we know. Drop a comment.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 193: Chapter 192- An old friendSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC193: Chapter 192- An old friend
In his previous life, there weren't many people whom Richard could call his friends. And especially, female friends.
He didn't know why but women always remained away from him, and given Richard was always surrounded by Bella, not many people approached him
He didn't mind tho, considering he didn't need many friends when he had Bella by his side and…his childhood friend, Rena.
Rena lived in the house next to theirs with her family. She was the same age as Richard, and she had a good relationship with Bella as well—something that greatly surprised him.
Rena used to visit his house on random occasions, and their families were close enough to spend festivals together.
Rena was more like Richard's male friend, given she loved to play baseball. Her hobby was comics and games; spending most of her pocket money on arcades and comics. And just like Richard she also wore pants until she turned thirteen and was forced to wear skirts.
When Richard turned fifteen, they moved away and they had contact over the phone. They didn't usually comtact each other, however, when they chatted, the calls went on for hours.
Rena was the only being with whom Richard was able to share his burden, his grief; someone in front of whom Richard had cried. After his parent's demise, Bella needed support, so Richard adopted a strong front. However, in front of that tomboy, he wasn't able to maintain his facade.
After hell broke loose, and zombies were everything they could worry about, Richard lost his connection with Rena.
He did try to reach out to her, went to her house, and tried asking her relatives whom he found along the way. However, despite his efforts, he couldn't locate her or any other of her family members.
Richard assumed that they might have died back then during the first wave since their house was in ruins. However, now, standing in front of Rena's younger brother, Richard felt that his prediction might be wrong.
"Carl?!" His eyes were parted wide as he saw the shaved-headed man standing there with his brows drawing closer.
"Brother…Ray?" Carl asked as he sensed the familiarity in the voice and the way he called Carl.
Richard, who once was called Ray, stepped toward him and asked, "How did you end up here? And…why did you kidnap Bella?"
Carl considered Bella as his big sister, and given Bella was looking completely unharmed, Richard discerned that this guy had brought her here to talk about something.
Carl facepalmed himself as he said, "If I knew she was staying with Brother Ray I would have rather come to you to talk."
Taking a pause, Carl added, "You look quite dashing compared to before, brother Ray."
Richard softly smiled and Bella rebuked, "Brother looked handsome before as well."
Carl raised his hands in defeat, "Got it."
Bella was now able to move her limbs so she got up and offered Richard the seat. Richard shook his head and gestured for her to sit back down before he asked,
"Carl…why did you bring Bella here?"
Carl's expression stiffened before he lowered his head and apologized, "I am ashamed of what I did, brother, but I couldn't think of any other option."
Bella frowned, "What option? What is this all about?"
Richard was curious as well, so he rested his displeasure aside for a moment and waited for the boy to explain himself.
Carl raised his head before he began, "When I heard about a Crimson Midnight witch who has conquered Vegas and was strong enough to go against a whole horde of S-rank monsters…I was shocked. And my shock elevated when her name I heard,"
He looked at Bella and Richard discerned what he was talking about.
Carl's shoulders slumped as he added, "However before I could have reached her to ask for help…sister Bella disappeared."
It was said that she was summoned to another world, and some say that she ended her life because of depression.
Richard frowned, "Help…for what?"
Carl's fist clenched as he revealed the whole story, "When everyone was receiving usual powers like elemental control and others…Rena received a cursed skill."
With his eyes turned dead cold, the other one added, "Regeneration."
Richard wasn't able to celebrate the fact that Rena was alive since the way Carl looked, it was obvious that something bad had happened.
"Big sis possessed a huge amount of mana that allowed her tissues and muscles to regenerate in a blink. She had no other ability than regeneration and an endless supply of mana."
Bella's eyes widened as she realized the implication of having such an awakening.
Her fears were proven to be warranted as Carl said, "Although I tried to keep her hidden from others…after a few years, a big gang from the east found her."
Richard clenched his fist, "Is she alive?"
Carl nodded, "She has to be…since they made Rena their major source of monster breeding."
Experience more content on m v|l e'-NovelBin.net
With a huge lump stuck in his throat, Carl said, "They started with her blood…feeding it to monsters allowed them to become berserk. And those gang members used those berserk monsters to take down their enemies."
"But they weren't satisfied…they even started feeding other hunters with her blood, and the results were the same. Although the hunters lost their sanity, they became unhinged and a powerful force for the gang."
"Then their greed elevated, and they started tearing her flesh and feeding it to the monsters ... and unfortunately, the results were more destructive than they thought."
With tears trailing down his eyes and his jaw tightly clenched, Carl added, "The monsters began to transform and evolve….fueling their greed for power and supremacy."
His whole body was trembling and the boy looked in pain and grief. He dropped to his knees and began wailing uncontrollably.
It could be seen from his reaction how much Carl regretted letting his sister be found out by those bastards.
Richard, on the other end, took a few moments to register what he just heard.
There are people in this world as well, who possess an intense amount of Ether, like Rose and his mother. But not even once people of this world ever thought of resorting to such inhumane practices.
'Has humanity stooped so low…' Richard couldn't believe that they were now resorting to using a human to feed their greed for power and authority.
Richard stepped forward and softly patted the guy on his back.
While sobbing Carl added, "They kept me hostage for a long time, until I ran away last year and collected these few men to retaliate. However, I knew it wasn't enough so I sought sister Bella's help."
"How did you arrive in this world?" Bella asked, her voice sounding unusually heavy, given she must have received a heavy shock upon hearing about Rena.
Carl slowly responded, "We knew we could not defeat those people all alone and we had some information in our hand with which we could have used to gain the trust of the residents of this world."
Richard frowned, "What information?"
Carl took a long breath to calm his nerves before informing him, "They are making a bridge to send hunters into this world and kidnap the warriors of this world so they could make them their magic suppliers as well."
Taking a pause he added, "The magic of this world is treated as treasure. Given the purity and quality, they want a few dozen magic-users of Clion."
Richard was already aware of the fact that the magic of Earth is far worse in comparison to ether and Aembr in this world for some reason.
But there was still something uncertain, "How did they receive knowledge about ether?"
"It was a man…teenager at best whom I once spotted with the gang leader. He was extruding a very profound presence and exhibited numerous skills which could easily overpower the mages back on earth."
Richard glanced at Bellarine, but the latter had no idea.
A name came up in his mind who could have done this…taking the risk of crossing the world, however, Richard didn't instantly land on a conclusion and asked Carl,
"Can you tell me his description? How did he look?"
"Ah, yes he was a teenage boy with sil-"
"Richard!" Suddenly two people landed in the shelter and Carl's eyes widened.
Richard turned to face Ethan and Rose who stood there with panic written over their faces.
Carl suddenly got up, his eyes still widened as he pointed his finger at Ethan and said,
"It was him! He was the one who gave them the idea!"
Every eye turned towards Ethan and the other masked beings in the room raised their weapons against Ethan.
Bella also looked at the teenagers with wary eyes while the person in question was beyond baffled.
The only person in the room who understood the whole situation, slowly rose to his feet and uttered,
'I now understand the whole thing…'
—-----**------
A/N:- Thanks for reading the chapter. Drop PS, reviews and comments. It helps.n
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 194: Chapter 193- PeekSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC194: Chapter 193- Peek
"Clone?" Carl couldn't believe that the being in front of him wasn't the same person he saw with the gang leader back on Earth.
Richard slowly nodded, "Yes, the clone I am talking about was created by Ethan's DNA and magic essence. That's why he looks like him and contains magic which even surpasses ether in comparison."
"Brother?" This time Bella was surprised to hear that, "Better than Ether?"
Her eyes darted toward Ethan, making the latter a little awkward as he shifted in his seat. He glanced at Richard and thankfully, the silver head was saved from explaining to her.
Richard heaved a sigh and told them, "Ether is the force which we received from the Goddesses, through no source. An ether user produces their ether through their ether core and channels them through ether routes."
"Aembr, on the other hand, is present everywhere and an Aembr user can absorb it through nature directly to fuel their body."
Richard frowned before turning toward Carl, "What about you? Can you absorb mana from the surroundings?"
"To an extent, yes; however, once my mana pool is filled, I need to stop," Carl explained.
"And does this mana pool extend or develop any further?" Bella asked curiously. When she was back on earth her conversation with others remained limited, so she never got to know things about mana and everything around it.
"No, sister. The size of the mana pool gets decided at the time when we awaken. No development there."
Richard hummed, "That's why the earthlings are weaker than the residents of Clion." Discover exclusive tales on m,v l'e-NovelBin.net
Carl raised his brows, "I don't get it."
This time Ethan added, "We can develop our storage. And it's mutual in both, ether and Aembr users."
Carl was surprised and so were the men around them who were listening to them.
The bear masked being who was among those who went to kidnap Bella, asked, "So...every being here has limitless potential?"
Richard narrowed his eye at the masked man, making the latter flinch, before the redhead asked, "Were you the one who carried Bella?"
The bear-masked instantly shook his head, "Sero…it was him. He was guarding the island. You already killed him."
Richard nodded before he answered the previous query, "Yes, every being here has limitless potential, but naturally, given the difficult criteria to level up, not many desire to climb the table."
That was something that created a huge gap between the two worlds. However, it was understandable, given that Clion was the first world where the gift of magic was bestowed and also the land where several Godly beings once resided. Of course, the magical energy of this world would be more potent.
"Returning to the topic, the magical energy Ethan possesses is different from others."
Glancing at Ruby, Richard wordlessly urged her to speak.
Every eye turned towards the raven-haired teenager before Ruby explained, "Unlike Ether and Aembr that derive from two sources, Divine Essence is bestowed upon an individual directly from the Deities who have blessed this world with life. In short, Sir Ethan possesses divinity within him."
Carl's eyes widened as he asked, "A demi-god?"
Richard nodded, "In a way, yes. It's just he wasn't a demi-god by birth but by his blessings."
Ruby added, "After all, Sir Ethan was blessed by every deity, and he is the apostle of the strongest one: the Goddess of Life."
Now every eye was on Ethan, making the boy shy as he looked away, and then back to Richard, begging for help.
Richard smiled in amusement as he said, "So yes, having such an essence allowed some freak scientist to run a few experiments, and create that anomaly called Clone. I have fought it before, but every time, it slipped away because of its body-cloning abilities."
Richard stated, his smile fading and a scowl taking its place.
Time after time, that damn thing has made things difficult for him, and nearly caused Violet's life. He could never forgive that being even if Zulcriz asks him to.
"It explains how, despite being in this world at that time, the clone appeared back on Earth," Bella muttered, given at the time she came to this world, the Clone was here and on Earth as well.
It was already a known fact that the timezones of Clion and Earth run differently.
Ruby was not completely aware of what they were talking about; however, from what she could discern, these masked beings came from a different world, about which Richard was aware somehow. And there, the clone of Ethan has been running havoc for some time now.
"Ethan," Richard called out, "You can pry inside their heads right?"
Richard remembered that Ethan could share the perception of those beings who were created by his cells.
Their minds were connected to a hive, and Ethan was someone who could peek inside that hive.
Ethan nodded, "I can...but I am not sure if it will work across realms."
"And it has risks. What if the clone peeks back?" Ruby adds.
Richard heaved a sigh, "There is no risk in trying, and as about retaliation," Richard got up and tore his sleeve before wrapping it around Ethan's head and blinding him,
"Now, go for it."
Ruby was still unconvinced, however, Ethan didn't pay attention to her apprehension and went for it.
Tightly shutting off his eyes, he tried to connect with the clones. Although he could sense that there were numerous of them spread around the world, he reached out for the farthest one.
His head was drumming violently, showing clear signs of how he still couldn't do this fluently, as he finally reached that clone about which they were talking.
"Ah..." A soft exclaim left his lips, as Ethan saw...a woman hanging by the chains.
"S-Short brown...hair...a mole...under her lower lip...."Ethan slowly muttered, and Carl immediately said,
"That's my sister!" Richard stopped him before Carl could approach Ethan and possibly break the connection.
Richard stepped toward Ethan and very quietly asked, "What can you see?"
"...she is suffering....barely alive ....dead eyes....torn skin...no will to resist....her...her..." Ethan sobbed, "Her eyes are getting...agh!"
Suddenly, Ethan felt bile welling up his throat as he removed the blindfold and vomited on the ground.
There were tears in his eyes and the boy looked pale seeing that treatment through which the girl was going through.
Carl paled in fear as he saw his reaction as he slumped back in his seat
Richard looked worried, as he patted Ethan's back and allowed him to calm down.
Ruby offered him some water, which Ethan rejected and looked at Richard,
"....she is suffering...being treated far worse than any criminal. I have seen her organs being taken out while keeping her conscious...and the girl...s-she didn't even flinch..."
Tears welled up in his eyes again, as Ethan began to cry aloud. He has never seen such a gruesome sight before. It was utterly brutal.
Richard patted his shoulder, and calmly said, "You did well, Ethan. Thank you."
Richard then got up and turned around.
Silence engulfed the closed space as Richard continued to move back and forth, no readable emotion on his face.
Bella, who was quite shaken up, couldn't help but feel guilty that she couldn't help Rena when she was back on Earth.
Carl was looking completely listless, staring at a particular point with no emotion left in his eyes.
If he had done a better job in hiding her or had been strong enough to protect her…she wouldn't have to go through such a hideous experience.
The silence was growing heavy, which ushered Ruby to ask, "What are you going to do?"
Richard didn't respond to her; rather, he turned toward Bella and asked, "You have your connection back on Earth, right?"
Bella nodded, "Yeah..." Her voice was hoarse, as she added, "I know a few people."
Turning toward the bear-masked one, he asked, "You can guide us, right?"
The masked being nodded, "I know everything about them since once I used to work for those sick bastards."
Richard slowly nodded as he made a decision, " Bella, we are returning home."
Bella's eyes widened as she realized what he was saying, as she said, "Mom won't agree to this."
" I am not going to tell her. If things go as I plan, then in two days, we will be back."
Ethan was about to say something when suddenly Carl rose from his seat and under everyone's gaze he walked toward Richard.
His eyes regained vitality as tears blurred them. Large droplet of tears flowed down as the boy fell to his knees.
Holding Richard's pants, the boy sobbed,
"P-Please…save…her…save her…please.."
Richard rested his hand on the younger one's head as he said,
"I will."
—------**-------
A/N:- God, I had to make so many changes in this chapter to save you from the gore. Anyway, I hope you are enjoying the progression.
Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
Show menu NOVEL BIN5Novel Struggling as a Villain Chapter 195: Chapter 194- CaughtSTRUGGLING AS A VILLAINC195: Chapter 194- Caught
Inside the conference room, only a few people were present, which greatly surprised Bellarine. She was used to facing at least twelve people inside the meeting rooms given their importance in the ministry.
However, Duke Aeromore was not present and the first Prince was absent as well.
Bellarine was only on good terms with Hawkbridge as of now, so she exchanged greetings and sat down on her designated seat.
This was the first time for her to appear before the central ministry after that incident back in the Duchy. There were still rumors circulating but as usual, the Crimson Witch cared about none.
"Amelia returned home if you don't know," Bellarine informed him, since Hawkbridge had been recently moving around mostly and had no time to show his face back home.
Gideon heaved a long sigh, a blend of exasperation and weariness being expressed in that single breath, as he responded,
"I miss my home and my daughter. Your son has bound her by a spell or somethin' that she doesn't like to spend her time anywhere away from him."
Bellarine grinned, proud of her son she looked, as she said, "Can't help~Richie is just too charismatic."
Gideon scoffed, "He is still a brat in my eyes."
"I don't think you can say that after hearing his achievements, Lord Hawkbridge. Especially during the Academy invasion where he fought gallantly and saved his schoolmates." The chief advisor, Harold, expressed his views on the matter.
Bellarine nodded in assent as she crossed her arms under her bust.
Seeing some of the other members peeking at her inappropriately, Bellarine narrowed her eyes, making them instantly look away.
"Haah~okay, I admit Richard has turned into a great man. However, it's still unfair for him to get my daughter's whole time and attention."
With his shoulders slumping, Gideon asked, "But what's the point in complaining? Now that she has finally returned, I can't go home…"
Harold feels bad for the man since, unlike Bellarine, who often ignores the Emperor's orders to join these kinds of meetings, Gideon always responds to the summon on time.
"It pains to say this but, Gideon, at the moment, the nation requires you more than ever." Suddenly, a person entered the room whom everyone knew.
Bellarine's eyes turned sharp for a moment but she hid her frustration well.
She hasn't forgotten about the fact that her son was among the potential experiment subjects, conducted by the Emperor.
Although Lucius said he wasn't aware of the ex-Prime Minister's plans, Bellarine still holds a grudge against him.
"Please sit down, people." Lucius was aware of Bellarine's gaze but he chose to ignore her for the moment and gestured everyone to sit back down.
Lucius began the meeting without beating around this time, fortunately,
"As you all must have been informed, for a few weeks now, strange portals have been appearing all over the world, spewing Bates and making it impossible to maintain peace and order within the affected regions."
The Emperor then gestured towards his most trusted man, ushering Harold to get up and continue,
"Seventy-four occurrences in Eldoria in the past seven days, and each one of them is sending an average of seventy Bates through each portal. There has been recorded no trustable pattern to predict these portals, nor anyone was captured who can be held accountable for this mayhem."
Gideon's dark brows were knitted, as he asked, "And we still haven't sent anyone to the other side to explore where they are coming from?"
Harold looked nervous under his intense gaze, as he responded, "Although we have evidence that all these Bates are arriving from a single place, we still need a way to be a hundred percent sure that those who cross the portal can return home safely."
This time it was Knight Commander Bennet who interrupted, "I apologize for the interruption but I can take that role."
Bennet is hailed the strongest and most fearless warrior in the army and one could see that those titles aren't just for show.
"Until we don't get evident proof that there is a world of living on the other side, we won't send anyone." Lucius added, "What if the portal opens to the Dark Star?"
"I doubt such weak Bates would come out from the Dark Star," Bellarine scoffed. Dark Star is the home to Bates, and where those creatures receive nourishment directly from the source.
The room was engulfed in silence after that, everyone thinking of what possible way there was to get rid of this situation.
It was then, when suddenly a soldier entered the conference room, urging Bennet to stand up with a frown on his face,
"Who gave you the permission to walk inside?" His tone and the heavy aura made the soldier freeze at his spot with sweat accumulating on his face.
However then, he said something that immediately changed Bennet's expression,
"An intruder is caught, sir! From the other side of the portal."
Bellarine frowned and got up before saying, "Where is he?"
The soldier instantly reported, "Kept in the underground prison!"
Bellarine glanced at the Emperor and after receiving a nod, everyone marched out of the room.
….
In the underground prison, everyone stood outside the cell where a man was hanging by the chain, his dark brown hair obstructing his face and blood dripping down his mouth.
The soldier who had beaten him up said, "He will talk now."
The chief advisor stepped forward and asked, "Can you tell us your name?"
There was a long pause before the man answered, "Adam…Brussel."
"And where did you come from?"
"Earth…" When that word escaped his lips, Bellarine drew a sharp breath.
Her baby was right, these Bates were coming here from their previous world.
"Is that the orb where you live?" Gideon asked, but since the prisoner didn't respond, everyone thought he possibly affirmed.
The Emperor finally asked, "Are you among the ones who are sending the Ambrobates into our world?"
Everyone held their breath since based on his answer, further action would be taken,
.net
It took him a few moments and a shake from the soldier nearby for the prisoner to respond,
"Yes…"
Bennet narrowed his eyes, "What is it that you are planning?"
This time the answer came a bit faster,
"To invade major empires by having hunters infiltrate them, hidden among monsters."
"---!!"
That caused everyone to widen their eyes in shock.
Bellarine knew that the human race in the far future was quite wicked, but still, this was absurd.
Meanwhile, the others who have no idea what kind of being resides on Earth and how strong they are were apprehensive upon receiving the information.
They still don't have any way to block these portals and rather than Bates, what if strong warriors began to launch attacks on small towns and kill innocent people?
Naturally, help cannot be provided to every corner of this world instantly.
A deep silence ensued after that for a few minutes before Gideon asked, "How do you conjure these portals?"
"...there are technologies built to create a small gap between dimensions that allows us to reach Clion."
Bellarine frowned, "How was this technology built? Did someone awaken space-time magic?"
Her question might sound absurd but the very logic behind crossing dimensions was ridiculous.
Unless there is a magician who fuels these artifacts with Space Magic, it won't be possible for the Earthlings to open those portals.
And the very thought of someone possessing space-time magic sent a chill down Bellarine's spine.
The man showed no changes of emotion through his voice as he answered, "Magically experimented beings…boosted abilities, and created hybrids …"
Bellarine clenched her fist with her eyes narrowing. Meanwhile, Harold looked on the verge of crying upon hearing what hideous acts they were practicing.
Lucius frowned before he asked, "Is there any way of breaking this connection between the two worlds?"
Harold exclaimed, "Are we not going to stop them?" There were a few others who agreed with what he suggested.
However, "It's not our problem what they are doing. We just need to get rid of this connection so our world no longer gets disturbed by those creatures. Ever again."
Lucius knew he must be looking like a heartless man at the moment but he couldn't send his men to another world to resolve their situation.
He has no idea what kind of danger resides on the other side, what kind of government is ruling that orb and nauseating things they have in their arsenal.
Not to talk about, there is the threat roaming over Clion already and Lucius cannot afford to solve others' mess.
Stepping forward he asked again, "Is there any way through which we can sever this connection?"
Although no one sensed any change from the man, a very thin smile extended the prisoner's lips as he uttered,
"Yes…there is a way."
—--------**---------
A/N:- Thanks for reading. Drop comments, power stones, and reviews if you have enjoyed the story so far.
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS