Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

"...My vision always ends with him telling me the same thing again and again."

"..."

She drew in a deep breath, her lips trembling.

"...And that is?" I asked, my curiosity taking over my reluctance.

Her eyes met mine, her lips parted. "It starts with you, and it will end with you."

"...."

I quietly nodded my head in response as I leaned on the railing beside her.

The starry night came into view, and oddly enough, my gaze found a star.

An eight-pointed star shining brightly.

"Do you have any idea what that means?" My head turned to the side as I heard her voice.

"...No," I replied, returning my gaze to the star, "I have no idea."

A purple crown, huh?

Whose crown was it before I inherited it?

And where the hell is the rest of the crown?

Who was strong enough to break an unbreakable crown into two halves?

And most importantly...

'Where was this crown in the game?'

There wasn't anything about a purple crown in the game.

How could this crown not choose all those beings from the game with monstrous potential?

'Any idea which era's visions those are, El?'

[...I don't know.]

'...More like you do know but don't want to tell me, right?'

[If you are interested, why don't you see those visions yourself.]

'Huh, what?'

Confused, I abruptly stood straight, frightening Inës, who was trying to say something.

[...It's the ability of the Guardian. They can share visions, given the Oracle accepts the offer wholeheartedly.]

'.....'

...I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested.

'Wait, how come I can do that?'

[You inherit everything from me, Az, including my title as 'Guardian of Oracle.']

That makes sense.

He did make me his successor when El blessed me.

'...How will it affect Inës?' I asked, squinting at the girl.

[...She will have less burden on her mind.]

'...Last question: what are the consequences?'

[There are no consequences, but you can't share the vision from the [Oracle of Future]...unless—]

'Let it be.' I cut in, turning towards Inës, '...I don't want to see that girl anyway.'

"What happened?" she asked, frowning while glancing at me strangely. "...Why are you getting serious all of a sudden?"

"...I want to share your burden." I replied as I stepped closer, my voice firm.

"H-huh?" She stumbled back, her body trembling. "...W-what d-do you mean?"

"...Just give me your hand," I said, and she obliged, meekly extending her hand.

I drew in a deep breath as I looked at her, "...I want to share what you see, feel, and sense, Inës. Please say yes."

"W-wait, why are you like this all of a sudden?" Her expression turned bashful, her face flushing red.

"Just say yes."

"Y-yes."

She replied, and in the next instant, her eyes turned pure white before returning to normal.

'...Hmm?'

Now, I could feel a strange sense of connection between us.

"Okay, thanks," I mumbled, stepping back and letting go of her hand.

"That's it?" she asked, disappointment clear in her voice.

I tilted my head in confusion. "...What else do you want me to do?"

"N-nothing."

She stammered, kicking my foot before running away.

"...Idiot princess," I grumbled as I turned around, looking at the scenery.

"....."

And even in calmness, I felt unrest.

All three royal families should already have arrived at the main hall.

'...They will most probably start the speech now.'

...Should I skip it?

It's not important anyway; they will just glorify the church for no reason.

...And officially announce Ethan as Avatar.

...Hmm.

'...Maybe I should go drink some more wine.'

I mused as I turned around, but my body froze the next moment.

...A beautiful lady stood in front of me.

With light crimson eyes and midnight blue hair cascading down her back.

...She looked at me with a myriad of emotions on her face.

"Can I help you?" I asked, confused by her sudden appearance.

She shook her head and took a step forward, her body blurring, and before I knew it, she stood in front of me.

"Huh?"

I tried to move back, but she was faster.

Her hands wrapped around me, pulling me into her gentle embrace.

"Wait—."

And before I could react, she was gone.

"..."

And I stood there, dumbfounded.

I looked around, finding no trace of her.

'Was I hallucinating?'

***

***

"Attention!"

A thunderous voice echoed within the main hall, grabbing everyone's interest.

A man in shining white armor smashed the base of his spear repeatedly.

"The Holy Lady has arrived!"

He announced, and immediately every noble within the hall knelt down.

The steps of people walking in echoed, cutting through the silence.

On either side walked a group of knights protecting them.

Irisveil took the lead, wearing a silver dress with her eyes covered by a blindfold.

Her silver hair fluttered with her every movement.

Behind her walked a girl with her face covered by a veil that blurred everything except her smile.

She wore a simple white gown loosely clinging to her body.

And...

At the very end walked a girl no older than sixteen.

With her pale amber hair cascading down her back and pure golden eyes.

She wore a white gown that covered her entire body.

...A bar of chocolate in her hand.

...Lucretia Cressida.

The Saintess of the church.

Irisveil walked towards the second floor before she 'looked' down on everyone.

Her commanding words echoed. "Raise."

Everyone raised simultaneously while Helena and Lucretia took their seats alongside the royal families.

Her gaze moved back as she nodded once towards the three rulers of the human domain.

They nodded back before her gaze landed on her disciple.

...She was grinning like an idiot while looking somewhere.

She followed her gaze. A handsome boy with white hair came into her view.

'...Azariah.' She thought, her heart clenching as she looked at the boy drinking.

But she quickly suppressed those feelings.

"...It's been some time since I was physically present at a ceremony, so pardon my clumsiness."

Her voice echoed within the main hall, easing the tension.

"...So, after years of disagreement, war, and infighting, the human domain is coming together." She said, smiling, her voice echoing in the silence.

""Clap! Clap!""

A round of applause echoed, which she didn't interrupt until it calmed down.

"...Humans are fragile beings." Her words echoed once again.

"...We are not the strongest race, not the fastest. Neither do we have multiple arms or eyes that hypnotize."

A silence lingered in the main hall as people attentively listened to her every word.

"...But we still survived. With a rich history that goes back countless years."

Her words pricked the nobles' minds, giving them a sense of pride. "...We could do all that because 'They' were always with us."

She let her words sink in before her 'gaze' swept across the place once more.

"...The three [Primordial Gods] who looked after us, never gave up on us."

She whispered softly, her words convincing the masses, "...They are the ones who blessed us, guided us to where we are now."

Perhaps it was her way of speaking or maybe her position.

Her words filled most nobles with a sense of gratitude.

"And how blessed we are, for a part of them is standing together with us."

She concluded her words while taking a step back.

Everyone's gaze turned towards one boy.

A brown-haired boy stood among them, wearing a calm facade.

"Clap!"

A clapping sound brought their attention back to the second floor.

Helena took Irisveil's place with the same smile on her face.

"I'll get straight to the point." She said, her melodic voice echoing, "Because unlike you all, we have work to do."

People laughed at her words, thinking she was joking.

But Irisveil's calm expression twitched because she knew it wasn't a joke.

"Without any further ado," she said, looking at everyone, "...I announce the Avatar of the Primordial God Elohim—Ethan Varon."

"Clap! Clap!"

A thunderous sound echoed within the main hall as everyone welcomed the Avatar.

Ethan walked towards the second floor while basking in the glory.

People congratulated him as he moved, which he accepted with a slight nod.

A bright smile on his face as he arrived on the second floor, looking down on everyone.

"Now, I would like to announce something else." Helena's voice echoed once again, quieting everyone.

"Well, the Pope forbade me from speaking about this, but whatever."

Irisveil's gaze crucified her disciple, but Helena ignored it.

She wasn't going to let go of the upcoming drama.

"I would like to welcome another person." She grinned widely as her gaze turned towards someone,

"...The Avatar of the Goddess Anastasia—Christina Shea Mendonca."

A chilling silence lingered within the main hall.

Everyone looked at each other without saying anything.

And within the silent nobles, a girl walked towards the second floor.

But Helena's gaze remained fixed on the white-haired boy who stood, frozen.

Even from afar, she could clearly see...

...The horror in his eyes.