I Am The Game's Villain

"I don't know," she admitted. "No one does. But forcing the blood of the Vampire Witch into two unborn children… That's not something any good person—any sane grandfather—would do to his own granddaughters. There were bound to be permanent scars left on both of them."

"Elizabeth…" I clenched my fists.

All this time, I thought I understood her. But the way she acted, the strange urges she fought against…

She must have been struggling to keep herself sane long before Connor ever intervened. And when he did, he probably helped stabilize her further. But then he died. And after she tasted my blood—

Something inside her snapped.

Selene's blood… it must have reacted.

I gritted my teeth.

Duncan Tepes.

Not a single one of these so-called 'Heads' was redeemable.

Leora continued, her tone bitter. "It was Duncan who spread the information that Selene was the Vessel. At the time, Elizabeth showed too many similarities to the previous Vampire Witch—her raw talent, her ruthless nature, the very essence of her blood, even her beauty. Everything about her reminded them of the legend. So Duncan shifted the attention onto his other granddaughter.

"Selene was more… controlled. More composed. She had a stronger, more resilient body. It was easier to make people believe she was the true Vessel of the Vampire Witch's blood. And it worked. Everyone believes Selene is the one carrying that cursed legacy.

"But the truth?" Leora's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "Elizabeth, even as a fetus, absorbed most of the Vampire Witch's essence. It's inside her. Always has been."

"How can I stabilize her?" I asked.

Leora let out a dry chuckle. "Stabilize the Vampire Witch?" She leaned back, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Well, there might be a tiny possibility since she isn't really the Vampire Witch, only a version of her… but only if you're willing to meet all her needs. To become a real man for her. And honestly?" She tilted her head, giving me a knowing look. "I don't think you're capable of that."

I scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're hesitating about Elizabeth when you shouldn't be. Instead of taking responsibility, you'd rather let someone else deal with the mess that is Elizabeth, wouldn't you?"

"N–No!" I shot up from my seat. "I want to help her! But I don't fucking know how!"

"Well, don't we have quite the guest here?"

A voice suddenly rang out.

I spun around, my eyes widening.

Cyril Magnus Raven.

He was standing there leaning against the entrance door, his lips curled up.

"Cyril… what are you doing here?" Leora asked, rising from her seat.

"That's cold, Mother. Can't a son come visit his dear mother without an agenda?"

Leora scoffed. "You rarely visit unless you need something."

Cyril let out a dramatic sigh, then stepped forward, walking right past me as if I didn't even exist.

"Where's Alicia?" He asked.

"What do you want with her?"

Cyril stopped in his tracks.

Then, he turned to face me, his crimson eyes locking onto mine. Slits appeared within his irises.

"Huh?"

A twisted part of me had decided not to interfere with Alicia's situation anymore. But now? Now, after everything I'd just learned about Elizabeth… after seeing how deep this rot ran…

Claudia had to know about this, yet she did nothing? And the others? How many of them were complicit in this madness?

I was done with these people—these so-called 'nobles'—treating their children like disposable pawns.

And Cyril… Cyril and his piece-of-shit grandfather were planning something with Alicia.

I wasn't about to let that happen.

I took a step forward, my voice turning cold as ice. "How about, for once in your pathetic life, you act like a decent big brother and disappear from Alicia's life for her sake?"

Cyril blinked, then chuckled, an amused laugh that sent a wave of irritation down my spine. He stepped closer, stopping just inches from me.

"What I'm doing for Alicia is something she should be forever grateful for." His voice was calm, almost lazy. "No big brother would go this far for his little sister, isn't that right… Alicia?"

At the mention of her name, I noticed Alicia standing nearby, frozen in place.

Cyril turned to her, his crimson eyes glinting with something dark.

Alicia shivered under his gaze.

"She doesn't belong to you," I said.

Cyril turned his piercing crimson gaze toward me, amused. "Oh? Then does she belong to you?"

I clenched my fists. "She belongs to no one."

Cyril scoffed. "Wrong. She belongs to my family. And soon enough… to Percy Moonfang."

"Cyril," Leora called out, her tone ice-cold.

But Cyril ignored her. "Am I wrong?" He continued, a smirk tugging at his lips. "She will become his obedient little wife, doing whatever he pleases. That's just how things are, isn't it?"

"You—!"

I grabbed his collar, my glare burning into him.

This bastard.

He was different from the others. There wasn't even a sliver of empathy in his eyes—no sympathy, no love for his sister, no loyalty to anyone but himself. Just pure, self-serving bastard.

Cyril chuckled, glancing past me toward Alicia. "Oh, look, Alicia, he's angry for you."

Then, leaning in, he whispered into my ear, his breath tinged with mockery. "What is it? You want to fuck my sister?"

I froze.

His smirk widened. "She is rather hot, don't you think? I could always ask Percy to share her with you—"

"...!"

Anger exploded inside me.

Without thinking, I tightened my grip, my fingers shifting from his collar to his throat, pressing dangerously. My eyes narrowed, my voice coming out low and venomous.

"You're just trash."

Cyril's amusement faded.

For the first time, he seemed genuinely unimpressed. He sighed slowly and reached for my wrist, his fingers closing around it.

I frowned.

A sharp pain shot through my hand as his grip tightened, crushing my fist like a vice.

"What are you going to do about it?" He asked, sneering.

I gritted my teeth. "What?"

Cyril leaned in slightly. "You're nothing but a traitor. A piece of trash, just like how Sancta Vedelia sees you. If you even think about going against my house, the other Heads will take it as a direct threat."

His monstrous strength forced my hand down, his smirk returning.

"You're nothing." His voice was cold, emotionless. "Beating Durathiel doesn't make you something. And Alicia? She isn't some princess waiting to be saved. She will obey me. Obey my family. Because that is what she was born to do."

His crimson eyes darkened with contempt. "And you? You won't do a damn thing about it."

Then, his lips curled into something even crueler. "You and Connor disgust me. Worry about yourself before worrying about others. Your brother died a pathetic death because of his self-righteousness."

"..." I continued to glare at him.

"You can follow his path if you want but try to get in my way again… and I'll send you to him myself."

"Cyril!" Leora shouted louder angrily.

Cyril smirked before letting go my reddened fist.

"I had to warn him mother. And I really hate that pathetic mentallity of Connor. Looks like his brother has the same one," he laughed.

"I won't let you," I spoke up.

"Hm?" Cyril glanced at me.

"Whatever you and Lazarus are planning, I won't let you," I said coldly.

"Oh? I am quite looking forward to see how you will do it but if you want to really do something, I'd advise you to drop Connor's miserable mentality of handling things. That is too boring and it would end too soon," he said before turning toward Alicia. "You better come back home, little sister." He added before turning around to leave but he stopped in his tracks after a moment.

He looked at me.

"I heard you and Celes it's over?" He said.

I clenched my fists looking at him.

"Well, I shall take her to myself," he said.

"If you touch her," I narrowed my eyes and all emotions vanished from my face and tone.

"That's it." Cyril's smirk widened. "Don't hide them. If you survive Fangoria, I will be waiting for you, Edward Falkrona." He said and left.

Silence filled the room.

I glanced down at my bruised fist, flexing my fingers before releasing a slow breath, forcing my emotions back under control.

"Your son is the worst piece of trash in Sancta Vedelia," I muttered.

Leora's expression twisted into something conflicted. "Lazarus raised him from birth," she said. "He never let me or James near him—not until he was ten. But by then… it was too late. I tried so many times but Lazarus had already ingrained in his head his own mentality."

Well, both of them were indeed speaking alike.

I turned toward where Alicia had stood moments ago, but she was gone.

Of course, she left.

What sister could stay and listen while her own brother spoke about her like that?

"Sirius and Victor are much better than him," I couldn't help but say.

Cyril wasn't just cruel—he was beyond redemption. There was an immeasurable gap between him and the two others.

Leora let out a bitter chuckle. "And neither of them are my sons."

"Huh?"

I frowned, my gaze snapping to her.

I had always known Victor wasn't her biological son, but Sirius?

Leora's expression darkened as she looked away. "First Victor… then Sirius. Both of them, behind my back. That was the final straw."

I knew what she meant.

Her separation from James.

I had always assumed it was because of Victor's existence alone—but now…?

I swallowed, hesitating before speaking. "About Victor… you should know—"

"I know." Leora cut me off, her voice flat. "He isn't James' son."

I froze.

"Wait… what?" I stared at her in shock. "But you—"

Leora let out a hollow chuckle, void of any amusement. "Victor and Sirius. Neither of them are his or mine. I had learnt it a few years ago."

My breath caught in my throat. "What…?"

I was utterly shocked at this point.

Sirius wasn't her son either?

"Both were born of women violated."

My eyes widened as realization dawned on me.

"Don't tell me it was…"

Leora's face contorted with hatred as she spat out the name.

"Lazarus Raven."