Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 238  [Festival Of Love] [6] [Destiny]

'...Choose one, huh?'

I thought as I looked at all four of them.

It's quite weird for me to see them together.

...Now that I think about it, it's the first time I've seen them all standing together like this.

"...Sir Azariah," Layna called, making me turn to look at her. "...Please choose one."

I nodded and took a deep breath.

It's kind of ironic that I had to choose any three of them before, and now I'm supposed to choose only one.

...But.

Why choose any of them?

I don't know how I should feel about this, but none of my relationships with them have been natural.

Maybe it was with Christina, but I don't know.

It might have been another one of my mother's 'grand schemes' to bring us together.

...So, even though I'm not sure, I still think choosing her wouldn't be right.

No, choosing any of them wouldn't be the right thing to do.

'...Let's just break everything for once.'

...Just for once, let me break every relationship I have with them.

And rebuild everything from scratch again.

"Azariah." My blank gaze shifted toward Christina, who whispered with a faint smile, "...You're taking a lot of time."

'Well, someone seems pissed.'

"...Sigh."

I sighed in exhaustion as I prepared myself for the backlash I was about to face.

"Choose them all!"

I turned my head to look at the group of students as one of them shouted.

"Who said that!?"

"Which bastard!"

"I'll kill him!"

Before I could reply, the students drowned him in curses.

"Shut up, you mongrels!" Aimar yelled, showing his middle finger from the back seat, "....He's not like you losers—!"

Crack! Boom!

But his words abruptly halted as a bolt of lightning rushed past him, burning the ground beside him.

"Choose sister-in-law," he said quietly, shrinking back in his seat.

...Well, at least he's enjoying my misfortune.

...I will remember this, you fucker.

"Sir Azariah."

I nodded at Layna's words as I looked at them again.

"...I'll be honest." Drawing in a deep breath, I said, my voice echoing as everyone turned silent, "...I cared for every single one of you."

They picked up on my words, and I could clearly see Ashlyn's face tensing up.

"But I'm not sure if I really love any of you." I replied, closing my eyes and slightly lowering my head. "...I'm sorry, but I choose none."

A complete silence lingered.

No one said a single word, and it continued like this for a long while.

"...But—"

My words halted abruptly as Christina started to walk toward me.

'...Slap incoming.'

I sighed, readying myself, but to my surprise, she didn't stop and instead walked past me.

"Let me finish first, Christina," I said, grabbing her wrist, making her halt.

"....."

She turned around to look at me, a gentle smile on her face ruined by the tears falling from her eyes.

She forcefully removed my hand from her wrist and stepped away.

SWISH!!

My instincts kicked in as I sidestepped a little, just as a scythe rushed past where I stood.

'Yeah, always ready to get physical.'

I sighed as I turned to look at Shyamal, who glared at me, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe.

Without saying anything, she walked off the stage.

I couldn't even take a breather as Arianell walked toward me.

Standing in front of me, she raised the bouquet of flowers she held and slapped it across my face.

...Twice.

"..How could you?" she whispered, her voice low as if she would cry any second.

"...Why are you being dramatic?" I asked, rubbing my cheek.

"Oh, I always wanted to do that." Her voice turned normal as she smiled, "...Though, thanks for rejecting me. Now I have one less regret in my life."

"What if I had chosen you?" I asked as she turned around. "...What were you going to do then, abandon everything?"

"No," she replied without looking back, "...Maybe in our next life, Az."

"..."

I looked at her departing figure as she walked away.

Now, only Ashlyn stood in front of me, frozen.

...She's probably the one most affected.

"...Sigh."

I sighed as I turned around and walked down the stage.

And, of course, every boy glared at me like I'd committed the worst crime in history.

...Yeah, fuck you guys.

'Hmm?'

My gaze halted on a boy with brown hair who looked at me coldly, unblinking.

And I ignored him.

'El.'

[Yeah?]

'What do you think, can I beat Ethan?'

[...If you go all out?]

'Yes.'

[..Easily.]

'I see.'

I sighed as I stood in front of Aimar, who stared at me pitifully.

"What?" I asked, annoyed by the look he was giving me.

"Never thought you'd fuck it up this bad." He replied, clicking his tongue continuously.

"Shut up." I grumbled, looking around.

...Where is Olivia?

"Why not Christina?" he asked as I looked back at him.

"Wish me luck," I replied, fixing my suit.

"Why?"

"I'm going to fix what I screwed up," I replied with a smile.

"Are you going to—?"

"Propose to Christina." I completed his words as I walked toward the exit.

.....

.....

.....

The Akasha shone brightly, gently illuminating the thin forest with its light.

Its silence was disturbed by a girl walking along the pathway.

Tears streamed down her face as she wiped them continuously, her crimson eyes bloodshot.

"...Why?"

She choked out the word, looking down.

"...Why?" she asked herself again, limping forward.

It took every ounce of courage she had to go on that stage.

She was afraid, terrified of rejection, but she still did it.

Just because of the slight hope she had that maybe...

...Azariah would choose her.

"How foolish." Nôv(el)B\\jnn

She whimpered silently, gazing up with blurry eyes.

A familiar building came into view.

She remembered this place—how could she not?

This was where she'd spent the happiest time of her life.

With Shane and...Azariah.

She slowly walked toward the old building that was once her kindergarten.

For some reason, the old gate was already open as she walked in.

The building remained the same, but it looked more fragile than before.

A firecracker exploded in the sky, illuminating the place as Shyamal looked up.

"...Are they starting it now?" She wondered aloud, remembering the festival's objective.

To celebrate the banishment of the fallen ones by the three [Primordial Gods].

She sighed, rubbing her blurry eyes as she looked around.

The place looked worn out with signs of recent fighting, but she ignored them all.

She slowly walked toward an old swing, sitting on it without caring about her dress.

The creaking sound of the old swing echoed as she moved, blankly looking at the ground.

Her mind recalled all the good times she'd had with Azariah in this very place.

...She tried.

She tried her best to be with him.

"..Haha."

A hollow chuckle escaped her as she remembered the times she'd threatened to kill him just to gain his attention.

How she'd done everything to break free from the influence of Taishareth, who kept pushing her to kill him.

Her chuckle slowly turned into soft whimpers, tears once again streaming down her cheeks.

"...Why me?" she asked herself, "...Why is it always me who loses?"

Her body bent down as she clutched her stomach, which twisted uncomfortably.

"...Why didn't he choose me?" she grumbled, crying over her miserable life. "...Even after all I did."

"You poor, poor soul."

A voice echoed in her head, making her scalp tingle with fear.

For the first time since her awakening failed, she heard that voice again.

....Taishareth's voice.

"You think you're the one who made the sacrifice?"

The mocking voice echoed as a cluster of darkness began to emerge from her body.

"...What?"

Shyamal asked, slowly getting lured into the trap.

"What does your pain amount compared to what that boy has gone through?"

Taishareth's voice echoed in her head, making her even more confused.

A painful headache gripped Shyamal, making it hard for her to breathe.

"Would you like to know what happened when you first awakened?"

The voice echoed again, and the world around Shyamal flickered to life.

The night turned into day, and the old, broken building returned to its previous glory.

The confused Shyamal stood up from the swing and slowly looked around.

The laughter of children drew her closer as she looked behind the tree.

"....."

She blankly observed her child self playing with Azariah, their laughter echoing throughout.

"Shyamal."

A deep voice echoed, making her turn around.

She forgot to breathe as she saw the handsome boy with crimson eyes and silver hair.

"...Brother?"

She whispered softly as he walked toward her 'child' self.

"Brother!"

Her child self ran toward him with a bright smile, hugging him.

"Did you talk with her?" Shane asked, looking at the girl sitting by the tree.

Shyamal recognized the girl.

...Ashlyn.

"No," her child self replied, shaking her head, while little Azariah walked toward Ashlyn. "I don't like her."

"...Hmm, are you okay?" Shane asked with concern. "Your head isn't hurting, right?"

"No," 'she' replied, "but I feel sleepy now."

"It's fine, you can sleep," Shane replied with a smile, patting her head.

The world flickered once again.

And Shyamal's smile vanished.

Her second awakening resumed again...

...But this time, Taishareth intended to fulfill Shyamal's destiny.