“Hm~ Hm~”

A soft, melodious hum echoed throughout the pristine room—airy and elegant, like the first note of a winter lullaby.

The voice belonged to a woman of breathtaking beauty.

Liyana, with her snow-white hair cascading in loose waves down her back, stood in front of a tall antique mirror framed with gold and vines of frosted ivy.

Her ruby-red eyes sparkled like gemstones beneath the morning light spilling through the frost-touched windowpanes.

A gentle, wide smile curved her lips as she lifted and twirled one dress after another in front of her, examining the reflections with thoughtful delight.

Winter had arrived earlier than expected this year.

The world beyond the window was already blanketed in white, the trees crystalized with shimmering frost.

Normally, Liyana would choose a dress both refined and a little daring—soft silks, deep cuts, flowing edges that accentuated her otherworldly form.

But today, she reached for something different—something more modest, warmer.

Baggier, even.

“Which one should I pick, Lily?” she asked sweetly, turning her head toward the young maid standing nearby.

Lily, ever composed and attentive, stood with a hand thoughtfully touching her chin.

Her eyes traced over each outfit carefully, though it was hard to say anything truly critical about Liyana—every piece of fabric seemed to submit itself completely to her beauty.

“I think… they all look wonderful on you, Lady Liyana,” Lily replied politely.

“Fufu~ That’s only a given. But which one will surprise my darling more?”

“If it’s something to entice Young Master Riley,” Lily said slowly, choosing her words with care, “then perhaps… something in a color you don’t usually wear might catch his eye. How about the sky-blue dress, milady?”

“Hmm~” Liyana tapped a finger to her lips, humming again as her eyes dropped to the dress in question.

She picked it up with both hands, unfolding it to admire the pale, sky-toned fabric lined with delicate white and gold embroidery.

It wasn’t her usual palette—Liyana often favored stark black or pure white to match her albinistic charm—but this… this had a subtle warmth.

A softness.

She often doesn’t show Riley…..

She turned back to the mirror and held the dress in front of herself, imagining it draped across her body. It didn’t scream seduction or command awe.

No—this one whispered to the eyes. Gentle, yet impossible to ignore. Calming, yet utterly enchanting.

Her red eyes glimmered, catching the light as she tilted her head.

“Not bad,” she murmured. “This will make his heart flutter just the right amount… A gentle surprise. Something new…”

“Alright then,” Liyana said, turning with a satisfied hum. “Let’s go with this one today. Prepare the jewelry and fix my hair, will you? I want to look just a bit… sweeter today. Just a bit.”

“As you wish, Lady Liyana.”

“And also, Lily, could you do me a favor and prepare the carriage after this,” Liyana said without looking away from her mirror, still admiring the way the soft blue dress hugged her form.

“Of course, my lady,” Lily bowed her head respectfully. “I’ll tell the coachman to prepare for departure to the Hell State—”

“No,” Liyana interrupted with a light but decisive tone. “Make preparations to head to the Mage Association’s main building instead.”

She turned; her expression delicate yet unwavering.

“I’ll be meeting my darling directly once he lands~”

The moment the words left her lips, her crimson eyes shimmered, shifting subtly.

Her pupils elongated, becoming narrow slits—reptilian, draconic.

A soft gleam of dark red began to pulse within them like embers fanned by a sudden breeze.

Within their reflection, a golden-haired young man stepped off a floating ship, unknowingly observed from afar.

Next to him, the silhouette of a familiar girl—her sister, Reina.

Liyana’s smile widened, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

It had been a very, very long time since she had seen him this clearly—her one and only.

Her darling.

Far too many variables, too many eyes, too many bindings had forced her to remain still.

To observe from a distance. But now? Now the chains had loosened.

The timing was finally just right.

She rose to her feet with slow elegance, the hem of her dress whispering across the polished floor as she stepped toward the window, gazing out at the snow-filled sky where the floating ship descended like a divine chariot.

It was time to remind a certain someone of his place.

‘You’ve had your fun, darling~’

Watching him from afar had been amusing in its own twisted way.

Riley—brilliant, mysterious—moving through the academy like a thread pulled by fate itself.

Solving mysteries. Making waves. Drawing in people and things alike, all without even trying.

As if he were destined for something greater.

But all the while… he had been hers.

‘You were always mine darling….’

Her one and only toy.

Her treasured fiancé.

And yet—others had touched him. Reached for him. Claimed pieces of him without her permission. Girls. Familiars. Nobles. Saints. Witches.

A quiet, low laugh escaped her throat. She licked her lips slowly, savoring the thought like honey on her tongue.

‘You’ve been far too naughty, my darling…’

Memories danced at the edge of her mind—fragmented, forbidden, cryptic scenes of a realm even she could not access fully.

Echoes of places Riley had been.

Emotions he had felt.

Connections he had formed.

Most of them blurred, protected by something ancient and stubborn… but she had seen enough.

Someone had taken something from him.

Something that should’ve belonged to her.

And for that, there had to be punishment.

Liayana was already aware something changed within Riley ever since he returned on that winter day.

Even on his summer vacation he rarely expressed his love for her only focusing on her training with her father…

And she had ignored it till now.

But with all the things she had heard and seen done by Riley now…

She can’t ever let him go….

That feeling.

That beat she once heard from him… a part of her wondered how to recreate it.

‘Which one of them would bring more reaction from him?’

…

My second Winter break finally came…

“Big bro, hurry up!”

“Relax. The ship’s not leaving any time soon,” I replied, lazily adjusting the strap on my bag.

“It’s almost full already! How can you say that with a straight face?!” Reina huffed, shooting me a glare before rushing ahead. “Anyway, just hurry up!”

“Yeah, yeah…”

I let out a quiet chuckle as I watched her dash off into the crowd, weaving through passengers in search of our seats.

Reina had always been fiery, but today she seemed unusually energetic—almost childishly so.

Her golden blonde hair fluttered slightly with each step, and the scarf around her neck bounced as she moved.

I guess it made sense.

For all the chaos and excitement, the academy offered, she still missed home more than she let on.

She wasn’t exactly the type to wear her emotions on her sleeve, so seeing her acting like this—so openly excited—was honestly kind of cute.

Mom and Dad are going to be shocked.

Even I could tell how much she had changed in such a short time.

Not just in strength—but in demeanor, confidence, spirit.

She had always been sharp and strong-willed, but this level of growth? It wasn’t normal by this world’s standards.

She had already awakened sword aura, before even fully hitting her stride as a student.

For someone her age, that was unheard of outside of elite bloodlines or freakish geniuses.

So, she’s basically up the ladder now in terms of Prodigal value that is…

-VOOOOMMMMM!!!

The deep, rumbling boom of the floating ship’s magical engine echoed through the air, rattling the platform slightly beneath my feet.

No matter how many times I’d seen it, the ship always felt bigger than I remembered.

From the ground, it looked like a regular transport cruiser—elegant, a bit old-fashioned, held aloft by large mana conduits and ancient floating runes.

But the moment you stepped inside, it was like entering a completely different world.

The interior always felt far more vast than the exterior should allow, as though space bent and expanded to accommodate more than it should. Enchantment at its finest.

Around us, families and students bustled with excitement and chatter, the winter wind dancing between long coats and swirling scarves.

“Riley!” Reina called from the entrance, waving me over with an impatient look. “They’re gonna start boarding!”

“Alright, alright,”

Students and civilians alike filled the boarding platform, the air buzzing with chatter and the hum of magical engines.

People were heading back to their hometowns to spend the winter with family, and the floating ship had become something of a seasonal tradition—a grand vessel that crossed over territories, carrying hundreds at once.

The crowd was colorful, in more ways than one.

Most were humans, but mixed among them were a few other races—elves with their graceful features and elegant robes, their expressions serene yet mildly curious.

It was odd seeing them here, considering this ship wasn’t heading toward the Elven Kingdom. Maybe they were just here for a vacation.

Form what I can recall there were some places in the Heavens Duchy well-known for its hot springs and untouched mountain ranges.

Even elves deserved a break, I guess.

A few dwarves stood nearby, gruff and broad, their beards thick and well-kept, chatting loudly in their native tongue.

Their stout bodies contrasted with the sleek armor they wore—probably enchanted for comfort more than battle.

And then there were the beastkin: wolf-eared warriors, fox-tailed scholars, and—

Bunny girls.

I blinked.

“Master,” Lavine’s voice whispered dryly as she floated beside me in her tiny form, resting lazily on my shoulder. “You might want to stop staring at those bunny girls. Their senses are… rather sensitive.”

“I wasn’t really—”

“Yes~ Yes, excuses, excuses~ Anyway, this whole metallic contraption can carry this much weight? I suppose people of this era have made more progress than I expected.”

“Didn’t you spend most of your time watching humanity’s development while you were lounging in your realm?”

“Well~ only the interesting parts. Usually involving certain people~”

“So, you were just slacking off. Got it.”

“Hey! Monitoring the world isn’t exactly my job, you know. It’s more of a casual hobby to pass the time. Even I need to sleep now and then—sleep is sacred! It’s my only form of relaxation,” she huffed, crossing her arms while still floating.

“Is that so?” I smirked, amused.

Lavine grumbled under her breath and floated a bit higher, inspecting the massive floating ship with intrigued purplish eyes.

She seemed fascinated by its size and design, even though earlier versions of these ships definitely existed in her time.

Still, it was clear that the quality, size, and enchantments of modern vessels far surpassed what she remembered.

The ship before us glistened in the morning light.

Mana-infused runes ran along its sides, glowing softly, while crystal thrusters pulsed at its base, keeping it aloft.

Rows of enchanted compartments and layers of anti-collapse barriers were visible to those with sharp magical perception. It was practically a flying fortress in its own right.

“You can study the ship all you want once we’re inside,” I said, walking toward the entrance ramp. “Let’s not hold up the line.”

“Fine, fine,” she sighed, floating along lazily behind me like a drifting wisp.

Inside, the interior was just as grand—polished floors, cushioned seats with floating armrest glyphs, and soft ambient lighting coming from enchanted gems in the walls. It looked more like a luxury airliner than a transport ship.

After a quick check with the conductor, I found our assigned seats.

Reina was already sitting at the window, chin resting in her hand, eyes staring out at the floating skyway that stretched into the horizon.

I sat down beside her, and she glanced at me briefly.

“You finally made it,” she said flatly.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I replied, stretching a bit as I sat.

As the ship began to move my thoughts drifted to what was coming ahead…

I’m really coming back home now…

The realization settled in my chest like a slow, steady weight.

The distant clouds, the hum of the floating ship beneath my feet,

And Liyana… she was waiting for me.

I sighed quietly, my fingers curling slightly against the armrest. A part of me was ready—mentally prepared for the inevitable reunion.

But another part… wasn’t.

There was still hesitation.

Still uncertainty and doubt.

I didn’t know just how much she knew—how much she’d pieced together about the things I’d done, the things she’s probably seen, the people I’d gotten close to, or the paths I’d taken that weren’t meant for me to begin with.

But whatever she did know, her reaction when we met would reveal everything.

Only then would I decide what to do with her.

Because, no matter how I tried to dress it up… she was the villain.

The final boss meant to devour the world whole.

The monster at the end of the road—the one fated to consume me completely.

I’d seen it. I remembered it. All the different paths, the fractured timelines, the flickering echoes of other futures—where I screamed, suffered, and fell.

All because of her.

She was death wrapped in beauty.

And yet…

In another world, another time—she was something else entirely.

My wife.

My beloved.

My family.

I didn’t just see her as a villain anymore.

Not entirely.

My future selves—those fragmented, shattered versions of me—had shown me glimpses of her through different lenses.

Different lives.

And those memories… they refused to fade.

Some of them showed her smiling. Laughing. Some showed her crying in my arms.

My feelings for Liyana were complicated.

A twisted, spiraling mess of contradiction.

Part of me wanted to hate her, to fight her, to end her if it came to that.

But another part of me—deeper, quieter—wanted to reach her.

To understand what made her the way she was.

What choices chained her to this fate.

What pain turned her into the villain the world branded her as.

I already knew some of the answers.

Maybe not all, but enough to sense where this would all lead.

And if things played out just like the epilogue chapters—the final sequence of her tale—then…

No. I wasn’t going to let that happen.

I refused to let her story end that way. Even if the world called it a tragedy. Even if fate already had its script in hand.

Because…

Even villains.

Even monsters.

Even her.

‘Deserves a happy ending’

…

“Kukuku~ you know, Master,” came the lazy, almost singsong voice from the floating shadow by her shoulder, “sneaking up on Riley like this isn’t exactly moral, you know? You are lovers now. You could’ve just said you wanted to tag along~ This is clearly stalking. Kukuku~”

Just a few aisles away from where Riley sat, a certain pink-haired girl hunched over in her seat, buried beneath layers of oversized robes.

Only the soft glint of her golden eyes peeked out from beneath her hood, peering across the rows at the familiar silhouette of the boy she loved.

Alice flinched slightly, pulling her hood tighter as she hissed in response, cheeks faintly red.

“W-What are you talking about, Cheshire?! I’m not stalking Riley or anything like that! That’s ridiculous!”

Her whisper turned into a nervous ramble as her eyes darted toward Riley, then quickly away as if she might be caught.

“I’m just… curious! That’s all! Curious about where he’s going, what he’s doing, nothing more! I mean—he did say it would be a bit troublesome if I and the others suddenly showed up without warning, considering our… um, complicated relationship… and besides, our hometown isn’t that far from his! So really—it’s all just a coincidence!”

Her voice cracked slightly at the end, and she shot a sharp glare at the floating cat-like familiar, who floated lazily around her head, grinning ear to ear.

“If anything, they’re the stalkers!” Alice jabbed a finger toward the girls seated nearby, her expression flustered as her gaze landed first on a pristine figure with silken snow-white hair.

“Oh my~” Snow replied softly, as though amused more than anything else.

She gently tucked a loose strand of her hair behind one ear, the shimmer of her deep blue eyes half-lidded as she smiled with practiced grace.

“I’m only here for official business. I have a meeting with Duke Heavens. Purely diplomatic.”

Her words were smooth, the kind that sounded entirely truthful—and yet vague enough to hide whatever she didn’t want to say.

She sat with a kind of noble composure that Alice always found frustratingly difficult to read.

“I’m just here to meet the Duke as well,” Rose added plainly from the seat beside her, not even lifting her eyes from the book open in her lap. Her golden eyes moved methodically across the pages, her voice flat and indifferent. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Kukuku~ Aren’t you three just here to officially meet Riley’s parents?” Cheshire purred, her tone deceptively playful as she floated in lazy circles above Alice’s head.

The moment the words left her mouth, a noticeable jolt ran through the trio.

Though they tried to play it cool, Snow, Rose, and Alice all flinched slightly at the comment. It wasn’t wrong—technically.

Riley had told them that bringing them along wasn’t ideal. Too many complicated reasons, too many moving parts.

He needed time—time to explain things at home, to set things straight with his family before they got involved.

And yet… they came anyway.

Because patience wasn’t so easy when it came to matters of the heart.

“S-Since it’s Riley… I’m sure he’ll understand,” Alice muttered, her voice soft but firm with a tinge of guilt clinging to her words.

Cheshire twirled midair, tail swaying mischievously. “You’re not hiding it anymore, Master~ How bold~”

Alice let out a squeak and quickly pulled the hood of her robe further over her flushed face, hiding her expression behind a wall of cloth and shame.

But Cheshire wasn’t done.

“Nyu~ But you know, my lovely ladies… meeting Riley’s parents isn’t exactly the only thing you need to worry about once we reach our destination~” she drawled, his smile widening. “After all, the three of you are… Mistresses. In a technical sense, of course. But~ the official fiancée is already back there, waiting ever so patiently for him. I’m sure you’re all aware of that, right?”

The words hung in the air like a quiet challenge.

Snow’s expression didn’t waver.

Calm, refined, composed.

But the slightest narrowing of her eyes gave her away.

She knew.

Of course she did.

Rose didn’t blink, didn’t flinch, but her hand paused briefly on her book. A single page, caught between two fingers, stayed unturned for a second too long.

Alice, on the other hand, froze entirely—her blush deepening, her lips slightly parted. She lowered her hand, just a bit, revealing the faintest glimpse of worry in her golden eyes.

None of them responded aloud.

They didn’t need to.

Because despite their silence, the thoughts racing through their heads were surprisingly aligned—each of them fully aware of what lay ahead.

They weren’t just going to see Riley’s home.

They were walking directly into the lion’s den—toward the woman who, by every formal and social expectation, already had a claim to Riley.

Snow, dignified and poised, had her own reasons.

She wasn’t just here for the ride.

She intended to secure Riley’s status, to define roles, and to mend whatever fractures existed between him and the Duke.

And beyond that… she wished to finally meet her cousin—Riley’s official fiancée—and understand the future she might one day share with her.

Rose, ever quiet, ever composed, sought clarity.

She wanted to see the woman Riley once claimed to love—his first love.

She wasn’t here out of jealousy, but out of a need to understand.

To see what kind of person had touched his heart before any of them had.

And perhaps, deep down, to determine what it meant for her own place beside him.

Alice, pure-hearted and impulsive, wasn’t thinking quite so strategically. Her reasons were simple.

She just wanted to be by Riley’s side—always.

She didn’t care about political positions or titles.

Meeting his parents, facing his fiancée, dealing with the other girls—those were all just hurdles along the way.

Bonus stages, really.

As long as she could stay close to him, she’d take on whatever came.

Three girls.

Different thoughts.

Slightly different goals.

But all walking the same path—toward the same boy.

Toward the same future.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep