I Am The Game's Villain

"Another important matter is of course Ante-Eden."

The atmosphere turned serious at Charles' words. 

If there was an enemy, the Celesta Kingdom was fearing, it would be without doubts Ante-Eden. Only the high-ranking nobles knew about them and they knew enough to deem them as the most dangerous threat for them—because their goal was nothing other than the Garden of Eden which emplacement was only known by Charles Celesta. The emplacement was known and given by Kings to their heir for several generations.

"This is a matter of utmost importance." Charles' tone turned serious and regal. "Brandon Delavoic must not even approach the proximity of my capital, let alone the Holy Garden of Eden."

Charles' words entered Thomen's ears but his mind was elsewhere. The day his wife had been snatched away from his life kept flashing in his eyes like a broken record. 

"Thomen."

When Charles called out to him, Thomen shifted his cold eyes to Charles.

"Thomen, I know that you have talked and know a lot about Brandon Delavoic and Matthew Leroy who betrayed us." Charles said while reading some papers. On one of them were three people smiling together. Thomen was one of them. Another man had messy brown hair and blue eyes while the other had black hair and dark eyes covered by his bangs. "They were you friend-"

"No." Thomen shook his head. "They are the enemies of the Kingdom and mine as well."

"Hm." Charles seemed pleased but then something picked his curiosity. "Did you tell your step-son about his father?"

"No, Your Majesty. I don't have any intentions to do so either." Thomen said shortly.

"You revealed to none of them?" Charles inquired further but Thomen's silence was enough of an answer. "Alright. I want all of you to strengthen your borders. I already reinforced the capital's security but I don't need to tell you that Ante-Eden will not be stopped with a mere barrier. Be careful." Charles asked them to which they nodded.

"Lastly."

"I thought they were only two matters, Charles?" Draven raised a brow.

Charles smiled at Draven. "Yes but this one doesn't concern urgent affairs of the Kingdom." He said and stood up. "I'm inviting all of you to the birthday of my son, Alfred and my daughter Aurora in a month from now. I would like to have all your children as part of that as well. I already invited the Saintesses Candidates and the Royals of the Arvatra Empire. I want a spectacular party for them."

…..

…..

…..

"Where was the Pope? I told you to call him, Peter?" In one of the numerous corridors of the royal palace, Charles Celesta was walking with Peter Greenvern and Davis Seaven. The meeting ended after they discussed it again for an hour. 

"Pope Francis apologized for his absence as he had been busy for a week now. He promised to meet Your Majesty next week." Peter replied.

"Hmmm." Charles nodded but he didn't seem convinced. "No. I needed him with the others, now it's useless. Tell him to take care of his 'busy' affairs." 

"As you wish," Peter nodded.

"Davis." Next, he called Davis.

"Your Majesty?" Davis took a step forward.

"I asked you to look for Edward's newfound Legacy. Did you find something?" Charles asked.

"I did look, Your Majesty…" Davis nodded but…" Unfortunately I didn't receive any relevant answers for his sudden ability to use that fire. It's like he obtained it suddenly."

Since the day Edward fought against Ronald, countless nobles became curious about Edward's fire. They had no doubts about it. Edward had a Legacy which had nothing to do with his Falkrona Bloodline.

Charles Celesta watched that match again and again because Edward's radical change in a few months was something never in his wildest dreams, he would have believed.

That child…

Charles could still remember the smart child he had talked to a few times before when he visited his palace with the other children to play together. Edward caught immediately his gaze because of his peculiar birth and parents but also his maturity for his young age. 

'I thought he would decline after Oryanna's death and he did but…now here he is, stronger than before with that fire…'

"Your Majesty…" Peter brought Charles out of his thoughts.

"Hm?"

Peter hesitated before speaking. "It's about Edward's fire…I think we all have heard about the legends of the Rhedorah Empire-"

"I know Peter." Charles nodded.

The Rhedorah Empire was the Empire built on the corpses of killed dragons by the First Emperor centuries ago after he defeated the rebellious and terrific dragons who slaughtered humanity ruthlessly.

"The most famous tale about the First Emperor speaks about the Emperor fighting for ten days…" Charles muttered and looked through the windows at the blue sky. "A dragon breathing a purple fire."

"The Renegade Dragon…" Davis said, remembering about what he had read before.

"Vysindra was his name." Charles said. "Is the Emperor of Rhedorah aware of that?"

"If he is, he still didn't act upon that news, Your Majesty." Peter responded.

Charles chuckled suddenly. "That child is attracting all the troubles…just like his father and mother in the past."

Charles couldn't help but feel nostalgic thinking about the past.

"Thomen did nothing to prevent any potential threats?" He asked curiously.

"He did, Your Majesty. There are more than hundreds of knights of the Falkrona Duchy keeping an eye on him and the surroundings of the Academy." Davis said. "He shouldn't be able to leave their eyes."

"I hope you are right…" Charles smiled while thinking about the consequences resulting from the disparition or death of Edward Falkrona.

'I already have enough problems to deal with like that.'

After dismissing Peter and Davis, Charles muttered something under his breath and disappeared in a flash of light. When he reappeared, he was in front of a golden door with several runes drawn on it. He put his right hand on it and the runes glowed gold before the door opened.

"It's me Edith," He said walking ahead.

"Dear…" A woman greeted him with a smile. She was a beautiful woman who didn't seem to be the mother of four children. She seemed too young for that. She had long flowing platinum-blond hair and sapphire eyes.

"Has his state improved?" Charles asked while walking toward a giant bed on which was laying a young white haired man. He had similar features as Edith who was the Queen of the Celesta Kingdom. 

Edith smiled sadly and shook her head before patting the white-haired teenager. "Still not but someday he will. I am praying to Eden every days for that."

"Oh," Charles noticed a young girl with platinum-blond hair sitting on a chair but sleeping with her head down on the same bed. "She is here again…" Charles' expression relaxed as he stroked his second daughter's head.

"U-Um…" The girl slowly raised her head while rubbing her eyes. When she opened her mesmerizing emerald green eyes, she met her father and panicked. "F-Father!" She stood up and straightened herself.

"It's okay, Sylvia," Charles laughed. "We are just in family."

The girl Sylvia nodded with a bright smile.

Sylvia Kiara Celesta was the youngest child of Charles and Edith. She shared the beautiful platinum-hair of her mother and the emerald green eyes of her father. Despite being younger than her elder sister, Aurora, by two years, her beauty rivaled her sister's. Though the elder sister had more charm because of her mature figure but there was no doubt that in two or three years, Sylvia will become a breathtaking girl.

"Did you finish your classes?" Charles asked in a serious yet joking tone.

"Yes, father. I just finished the dance lessons." Sylvia nodded with a triumphant smile.

"I'm blessed with such genius daughters!" 

Charles didn't have time to finish that the golden door opened, revealing-

"Sister!" Sylvia disappeared into a flash of light and jumped into Aurora's embrace.

Aurora smiled and caught her younger sister. "How are you Syl?" 

"Very good!" Sylvia nodded her head and pouted. "You are always busy, sister…"

"Ah…I'm sorry…" Aurora apologized awkwardly before walking toward her parents. Then she glanced at the young man, her younger brother. "How is h-"

"Still the same, Avia." Edith replied.

"I see…" Aurora sighed in powerlessness. 

Sylvia also seemed sad seeing her twin brother in that state.

"Then Charles? What did you speak with your old friends?" Edith shifted the topic and crossed her arms. "I hope you didn't bring up the topic of marrying Sylvia off to Jarett's son."

Charles started to sweat when his wife glared at him. She hit the bullseye.

"Dear…you are the one who wanted Layla as your daughter-in-law…" Charles said and glanced at Sylvia. "John will be a good match for her. Believe me. He is talented-"

"I know about that Charles." Edith rolled her eyes at her husband's excuses. "Sylvia is just….too young for that!" 

"Fourteen years old is the age most women are married, Edith."

"Oh, enough!"

Aurora and Sylvia giggled at their parents' usual bickering.

But Aurora noticed her sister's body shivering. Since little she always had been afraid of John because of his cold expression.

'I wish it would have been me…'

Aurora sighed inwardly.

But as a first princess, her status was higher than Sylvia's so her father wanted to form a great alliance with her. 

Then someone's face flashed in her mind.

It was the face belonging to the person her father wanted her to marry absolutely to earn the alliance with one of the greatest powers of the world.

'Edward would have been good but…'

Aurora shook her head vehemently.

But then another face flashed in her mind. It was so sudden and so out of context that Aurora's face flushed slightly red.

'W-Why him?'

It was a man she had met a month ago. 

He was wearing a white blindfold and had white hair. He was going by the name of Amael. Recently she got close to him because of Elona Falkrona. The latter asked her to help payback Amael. As for how she was paying back Amael, it was with his two Familiars that she had chosen for him. She was helping him to wake them and take care of them every day. Her mother who was expert in that domain taught her a lot of things that enabled her to get extremely close to her familiar Ruma in a few days.

In a month, they could be considered as friends even though Aurora felt like Amael was avoiding any contact with her as if he was afraid of something. But instead of feeling upset, Aurora was amused by Amael's weird behavior with her. He wasn't speaking formally to her as if her status was nothing amazing for him and he even acted casually with her despite knowing that she was a Royal Princess. The weird mix of all those traits was making a funny yet interesting man for her.

'Oh! I am already late to meet him!'