Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 130  Inder Sephtis[4].

A gentle breeze passed through, leaves rustling softly.

The setting sun's gentle evening light was dampened by moving clouds.

The place remained silent, with only a few people standing, a sense of calmness masking the inner turmoil they felt.

The breeze moved again, fluttering the hair of a purple-haired boy sitting under a tree, his face lowered into his hands.

He lifted his face, blue eyes wandering over the rows of graves that spread throughout the field.

Some were old enough to have weeds growing around them, while the newer graves had soil still settling.

But his gaze froze on a girl sitting beside a grave—newer than any other.

She wore a simple black dress, her blue hair messed up and falling down her shoulders.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and hollow, having no tears left to shed, grief clear on her beautiful yet shrunken face, hand clasping a white lily.

Since the day her brother died, no words had come out of her mouth, and she hadn't eaten anything. Her father, grief-stricken as well, was in no state to help his daughter.

Three more boys stood around the grave, away from Azariah.

The tranquility remained for a while until the boy with brown hair sighed and walked closer to her.

"We should go now, senior." Taking off his coat, he whispered softly, trying to cover her trembling body.

"What are you doing?" But before he could, a boy with black hair grabbed his hand, blocking his path.

"Her father asked me to take care of her," Ethan replied firmly. "Move aside."

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Aimar snapped, grabbing his collar.

"Move your hand while I'm asking nicely." Ethan warned, grabbing his hand.

"Or what are you going to do!?" Aimar spat, not backing down.

"Both of you, shut up!!" Before they could continue, Oliver interjected, parting them.

"Are you really going to let him be!?" Aimar shouted, jerking his hand away. "The moment he got support from the Duke, this fucker became cocky!!"

"Enough, Aimar!!" Oliver yelled, turning to face him. "It was David's decision; we don't have any say in it."

"Fine!! But what about him sticking close to Christina??" Aimar asked, glaring at Ethan. "Now he isn't even trying to hide—."

"Then what do you want for her?" Oliver interjected, grabbing his collar. "Marry a fucking bastard who just left her brother alone to die?"

Aimar's lips trembled.

He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but no words came out.

Azariah glanced toward them but didn't deny Oliver's words, he could have denied or at least give some excuse.

But....

....He did nothing, taking all of their hatred without trying to defend himself.

"...What are you looking at!!" Oliver snapped, walking toward him. "Why the fuck did you even bother to come here?"

"....."

Azariah remained silent, still sitting with his back against the trunk.

"Why did you do that, Azariah?" Oliver crouched down in front of him, asking, "...Why did you just leave him?"

"...We both would have died if I stayed with him." Azariah replied, his voice devoid of remorse, "..All I did was save my own life."

Oliver's hand curled into a fist, his face contorted with anger, barely controlling himself from punching Azariah.

He got up, shaking his head as he looked back only to find Christina moving.

"C-Christina." His voice trembled as he looked at the girl standing up, stumbling as she walked.

Ethan tried to help her, but she signaled him to stop.

Limping, she arrived right in front of Azariah, her blue eyes meeting his as she looked down.

They both just looked at each other until her lips parted. She asked in a cracked voice, "W-why?"

"..."

Azariah remained silent, unable to reply.

"W-why, Azariah." She asked again, her voice brittle.

"....."

"You could have at least tried—."

"I didn't care enough about him to do that." Azariah interjected sharply, his voice flat.

A tear trickled down her cheek, eyes dry from crying for days couldn't help but tear up again at his harsh words.

She stumbled once again, falling to her knees.

"...I was an idiot." She whispered softly, looking down, her hands grabbing her clothes.

"...For the last five years, I was just waiting for that day to come....that one day that I thought will come....when everything will be alright...you will return to be the boy that I loved...how much of an idiot I was."

Drop by drop, tears once again fell from her eyes, soaking her dress. "..I thought one day I will fix everything... Truly...I am an idiot."

She lifted her head up, making Azariah's heart freeze....That face...That broken face...he had to see it once again.

Her voice became shrill, laced with sadness and grief. "...Alright, Azariah...Just as you wanted..I will leave you alone...I will not come back into your life...from now on, only you will try to find me."

She gently lifted herself up, limping away, her hands repeatedly moving to wipe away her tears.

Ethan and Aimar also left soon after, leaving only Azariah and Oliver in the place.

"What happened to you, Azariah?" Oliver asked. "...Why have you become like this?"

"...I was always like this, Oliver." Azariah replied gently, "...You were the one who never noticed."

Oliver remained silent, wanting to say many things but unable to bring himself to talk anymore.

He also left, leaving Azariah alone in the dark night in the graveyard.

As soon as he found himself alone, a tear slid down his cheek, which he quickly wiped away.

[<...Qais?>]

A voice echoed in his mind, a soft, gentle voice of a woman, carrying sympathy but no pity.

"...Was I wrong, Inna?" Azariah asked quietly. "I did try to save him...I am not a monster to leave a child alone."

[<...It wasn't your fault, he was already dead.>]

"...B-but—." Nôv(el)B\\jnn

[<...You wanted to save yourself, and that's what you did>]

"Is it wrong?" He asked again. "...I am doing this so I can live the rest of my life peacefully; I don't have much—."

[<Don't say that.>]

A tired sigh escaped his mouth as he looked down again. "...I thought after killing the Oracle, that woman would truly leave me alone...how wrong I was."

[<I was against it from the start, you are the one who didn't listen.>]

"...Yeah." He mumbled softly, without denying.

[<...Now what?>]

Azariah didn't reply, closing his eyes before gently opening them.

The blue hue of his eyes turned pitch black, including the whites, as he looked at his hand.

Thin threads of gold came out of his body, attached to something beyond his sight.

Ignoring all of them, he looked at the one connected to his heart.

"Her fate with me got thinner." He mumbled, looking at the golden thread that connected him with Christina.

[<Qais!! Don't use it!!>]

In his head, Inna shouted, snapping him out as his eyes returned to normal.

[<How many times do I have to tell you not to use that power?>]

"... Come on, it's too good to be left alone." Azariah grumbled, standing up. "Not everyone can see the fates of themselves and others."

[<... You can't be so sure; these types of things make it easy to control someone.>]

"Aside from Esmeray, who else wants to control me?" He asked, walking closer to Alan's grave.

[<...You forget what I told you about your soul?>]

Azariah thought for a moment before replying, ".... One-third of my soul is corrupted by some God and seeing fate is his ability."

[<...Yes.>]

"...And you are not going to tell me who?" Azariah asked, already knowing the answer.

[<..You are not ready for that.>]

"Come on, I lost my bloodline to form a contract with you." Azariah grumbled, taking a flower bouquet.

[<And in return, you are getting all I have; if you want, you can become the next me.>]

"Who wants to become a petty goddess?" Azariah rebuked, placing the bouquet down.

[<...I am not petty.>]

"Are you pouting right now?" He asked, feeling the displeasure in her voice.

[<...No.>]

"You definitely are." He replied, nodding his head.

She kept her mouth shut as Azariah looked down at the grave.

He felt a mix of emotions, but all of them were not as prominent as guilt.

...Guilt for not being able to save him.

"...I am sorry, Alan." He apologized, his voice sincere. "...Had I tried hard enough...if I wasn't a selfish person...you might have been alive."

He took a deep breath, calming his nerves as he whispered, "...At least your sister will be safe now."

He turned around slowly, giving his parting words, "...I promise she will be safe."

He slowly walked out of the graveyard, looking up—the greenish moon high in the sky emitting light.

He then looked around, finding no one. "...I am alone again."

[<You have me, don't you?>]

He lowered his head, whispering, "It would have been better if you weren't...I don't have much to live anyway."

[<Qais.>]

"Yeah."

[<If I cannot save you, I might as well accompany you.>]