I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 359  Amael's Warning

"Enough, Lazarus."

Our gazes were drawn to the newcomer.

The tension in the room intensified as another Demigod appeared. Despite his age, he looked as youthful as Lazarus Raven. His long dark hair flowed behind him, and his crimson eyes bore a stern look directed at Lazarus.

"Duncan…" Lazarus' lips twisted into a smirk.

Claudia let out a sigh of relief upon seeing her husband. The situation had been escalating because of me, and it was clear she was annoyed by my continued confrontation.

"Would you leave my son-in-law in peace for a moment? He has just lost his mother and learned that his father is alive. As grown men, it's our duty to comfort them, not mock them," Duncan said.

"Your son-in-law? Oh yes, you engaged your youngest granddaughter to him. You wouldn't have done that if you didn't know he was the last heir of the Olphean House. A very shrewd plan," Lazarus chuckled.

Duncan didn't respond.

Not that I was upset about it. I knew very well the reasons behind it. He was still a grandfather and wanted the best for his granddaughter.

"Your son-in-law talks too much and has caused enough damage to my House, Lord Duncan," Tanya Teraquin suddenly interjected, accusing me.

She was probably referring to the incident where I had crippled her younger son, Allen Teraquin.

"He has gone through a lot; you can understand that, especially you, Tanya," Duncan said, but his words only earned a glare from Tanya.

"Sorry, but I have to ask something nonetheless," I said with a laugh.

"Stop it, brat," Alector warned, but I ignored him.

"The Headmistress, Melfina, has been heavily injured, and my mother has been kidnapped. So how is it that none of you seem to have sustained any serious injuries? Did you really fight, or did you just let Melfina and Myrcella handle everything?" I scoffed, my eyes scanning the room.

Myrcella had bandages over her arms and head and looked utterly exhausted, while Celeste's grandmother had been completely defeated. Yet these people seemed unscathed.

"What? Did you expect us to come in a broken state?" Karl Dolphis asked.

"Exactly," I smiled, nodding in a way that clearly annoyed all of them.

"But now I know you don't give a damn about my mother. And remember my words," I said, narrowing my eyes. "I am a very resentful person."

Silence fell as they all looked at me with mixed expressions, none of them good.

"I am not my father. I'm not my brother, I'm not my mother, nor my sister. I am way worse than all of them. You will beg me to help you when the time comes, Heads of Sancta Vedelia," I declared, my tone dripping with contempt.

With a sneer on my lips, I turned around and left.

***

There was a heavy silence among the Heads after Amael's bold declaration.

They couldn't believe what they had just heard.

Duncan sighed, but inwardly, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of happiness. 'I think I've chosen a diamond for you, Elizabeth.'

For a long time, he had been searching for a suitable husband for Elizabeth. Someone capable of containing her, restraining her emotions, making her happy, supporting her, being stronger than her, and as bold and fearless as she was.

Of course, he doubted Amael was strong enough to beat Elizabeth, at least not when she stopped restraining herself. He wasn't sure either if Amael could restrain and control Elizabeth's emotions, but from what he had seen so far, Amael was able to support her. He seemed as bold as Elizabeth had been in her prime years ago.

At first, Connor seemed to tick all these requirements since Elizabeth appeared truly at ease around him. It had taken time, as Connor had insisted for years to get Elizabeth to talk to him, but just when he succeeded, he lost his life, and his daughter closed herself off again. Surprisingly, she didn't rampage as Duncan had feared. The only one who could help her then was his adopted son, Earth Tepes. He had grown up with his two granddaughters, and Elizabeth considered him a sibling. So, when Claudia proposed the engagement between them, Duncan thought it might work.

Unfortunately for Earth, during his time away at Edenis Raphiel for special training, Amael had appeared.

Until now, Duncan had no bad opinions of Amael, except that he was perhaps too reckless. More so than Connor Olphean, who was extremely smart and knew how to dodge danger and deal with everyone with mere words.

Amael, however, seemed like a different breed. He wasn't relying on intelligence but on his lively tongue, a talent he had certainly inherited from his mother.

Amael, unfortunately, wasn't yet as strong as his older brother.

'Without Alea around, I should look after him a bit. Elizabeth seems to harbor at least some care for him.'

Duncan knew his daughter didn't have any romantic feelings for Amael. He wondered if Elizabeth could ever truly love someone. At best, she would hold familial love, like she did for her twin sister and her family, and briefly for Connor. But if Elizabeth could at least feel familial love for Amael, their future life together would be more harmonious. They didn't need to love each other deeply, just enough to fulfill their duties.

In any case, Duncan knew he should keep an eye on Amael, just in case. Despite the looming war and their limited time, it couldn't be helped. Amael was his son-in-law now.

Shifting his gaze toward the man who could be considered his longtime rival, Duncan spoke up. "I hope you don't have any dangerous thoughts about him, Lazarus. He is part of my family now as well."

Lazarus, who had looked frighteningly cold until now, smiled before chuckling a little. "I wanted to kill him at first, but I changed my mind. He intrigues me quite a lot," he said simply and vanished from the place.

Karl Dolphis grimaced. "He is worse than his mother," he said, stepping into another portal toward the Olphean Kingdom.

"How is she?" Tanya asked, approaching a peculiar place where a very young woman with silver hair was lying unconscious on a bed. It was Namys Elaryon, the current Queen of the Elaryon Kingdom.

She wasn't injured but was completely drained of all her mana in an attempt to help the others fight Kleines Falkrona.

"The Queen just needs some rest. I have called for her children; they will be here soon to take her," the healer said.

Tanya nodded before leaving for her own Kingdom.

"Claudia, come with me. We need to talk," Alector said, raising his hand to create a portal to another place.

Claudia immediately sensed their destination: the Holy Tree of Eden.

"Yes," she replied, giving a nod to Duncan before following Alector through the portal.

In the end, only two people remained: Duncan Tepes and Jefer Moonfang, the youngest Head.

A deep silence settled as Jefer's calm gaze rested on Namys.

"It's been a while, boy," Duncan muttered.

"I'm a Head just like you now, Lord Duncan," Jefer responded, though he didn't seem upset.

Duncan chuckled. "We are entering a new era, boy. A new era for Sancta Vedelia."

"I agree," Jefer said as he stood up to leave.

"Jefer."

"Lord Duncan."

Duncan looked at Jefer with a serious expression. "Kleines might be alive, but he is clearly not the same person you once knew."

Jefer's expression was unreadable as he stepped into the portal to the Moonfang country.

"I know."