I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 874: Rubina Remembers

”Has she seen my face?” Edward asked.

[I believe Master kept the door open a little longer than necessary to stare at her, so yes. She most likely saw enough of your face.]

Edward’s face turned darker at Brain’s answer.

He had not been staring at her. At least, that was not what he had meant to do. The moment the door had opened, he had simply been caught off guard. Her face had seemed strangely familiar, and before he could stop himself, he had looked at her longer than he should have, trying to place where he might have seen her before.

Unfortunately, that did not make the situation look any better.

”Have you seen her naked?”

Samara’s voice came from directly in front of him.

She was staring at him with an expression that was far too serious for someone who had only entered the cabin a few moments earlier.

”No,” Edward replied with a groan, rubbing a hand over his face. ”She was in her underwear.”

The words left his mouth, and he immediately regretted them.

He cursed inwardly at his own carelessness. There had been no reason for him to open that door without knocking. No reason to stand there so long. No reason for this entire ridiculous situation to exist in the first place.

”How long are we going to stay like this?” Samara asked softly.

The changing cabin was not particularly small, but with Edward standing so close, it felt far more confined than it truly was. Samara’s back was nearly against the wall, and his presence seemed to fill the whole space around her. She could feel the warmth of him even through the layers of clothing between them.

Her heart was beating far too loudly.

She hoped he could not hear it.

”Until she calms down,” Edward answered, turning his head slightly toward the door.

Barbara’s voice was still echoing through the corridor outside.

”Find him! He has silver hair! That shameless pervert is somewhere around here!”

Edward’s expression became even worse.

He truly did not need this today.

He had come here to spend time with his family. A quiet trip, a simple day outside the mansion, nothing more. Yet somehow, within barely any time at all, he had managed to become the subject of a public search led by an enraged woman who now wanted the entire staff to hunt him down.

He reached toward his head.

As expected, his hat had slipped off while he had been lying across the bench. It was probably still somewhere near the entrance to the cabin.

With no better option available, Edward removed his white coat and folded it over one arm. Beneath it, he wore darker clothing that made him appear slightly less conspicuous. Then he pulled a plain black cap low over his silver hair.

It was not an ideal disguise.

But it was better than nothing.

At the very least, Barbara would be less likely to recognize him immediately if she saw him from a distance.

”Maybe you should tell her that it was a misunderstanding, Nyr,” Samara suggested quietly.

Edward looked toward the door again.

”She looks too angry for that.”

Barbara’s voice rose from somewhere farther down the hallway, sharp enough to carry through the entire floor.

”And with how loudly she is shouting,” Edward added dryly, ”I doubt she is the type to meekly accept an explanation.”

[Master also ran away as if you were guilty.]

(Master is unfortunately guilty. He saw her in her underwear and looked for far too long.)

Edward’s eye twitched.

As usual, his useless systems were proving to be utterly useless.

They offered no solution, no useful advice, and certainly no support. Their only purpose seemed to be making sure he suffered through every embarrassing moment with an audience.

”Just continue trying them on,” Edward said to Samara. ”Do not mind me.”

”Okay...” Samara replied.

Her voice was soft, almost timid.

Edward looked at her and smiled faintly.

Then he reached out, gently brushing his fingers against her cheek.

Samara shivered at the touch.

”Do not be so hesitant,” he told her. ”You will look beautiful in anything.”

The blush on Samara’s face deepened immediately.

Before she could find an answer, Edward withdrew his hand and turned toward the door. He opened it only enough to look outside first, carefully checking both ends of the corridor.

No Barbara.

No furious staff members.

For the moment, it seemed safe.

Edward stepped out of the cabin and closed the door behind him with quiet care. Then he began walking away at a casual pace, his black cap lowered over his silver hair.

Thankfully, Barbara appeared to have gone downstairs in search of him.

She was persistent, he had to admit that much.

Still, there was no reason to let the matter ruin the rest of the day. He would check on the others first, make sure Tihana and Orlin were fine, then return to Layla before another unnecessary disaster could find him.

”Edward, you are here!”

Lunishia’s voice called out before he could make it very far.

Edward looked up.

Lunishia was hurrying toward him, one hand resting protectively on Tihana’s shoulder as she guided the girl along with her. Tihana looked concerned, though curiosity still showed clearly in her eyes.

”We need to be careful,” Lunishia said once she reached him. ”A woman said there is a pervert wandering around here.”

Edward grimaced beneath the shadow of his cap.

”Yes, Dad!” Tihana added immediately. ”She said he opened the cabin while she was changing and openly stared at her!”

Edward’s eyes darkened.

For one brief moment, he wanted to curse Barbara for not locking her cabin properly. If she had locked the door, none of this would have happened to begin with!

But then he saw the disgusted look on Tihana’s face.

The words died before they could leave his mouth.

He could explain the truth. He could tell them that it had been an accident, that he had mistaken the cabin, that he had not intended to see anything.

Yet he could already imagine Tihana looking at him with even greater disbelief.

No.

That was a conversation he would avoid.

And he certainly didn’t want to see that kind of expression on his precious daughter.

”Nothing will happen,” Edward said calmly. ”Do not worry. He already ran away.”

”Really?” Lunishia asked, still uncertain.

”Yeah.”

Edward placed a reassuring hand on Tihana’s head, then looked between the two of them.

”And I will not let anyone touch either of you,” he said. ”Gather Olga and Orlin, then stay together until I come back.”

Lunishia nodded.

Tihana nodded as well, appearing calmer after hearing him say it.

Neither of them noticed the faint strain in Edward’s expression as he watched them go.

”Are you the one that woman was looking for, my King?”

Edward turned at the sound of the familiar voice.

Tessara stood a short distance away, watching him with open curiosity. Her expression was gentle, though there was a faint trace of amusement in her eyes. She had clearly heard enough of the commotion in the store to understand that something had happened.

”Yeah,” Edward replied. ”It was an accident.”

He did not bother lying to her.

Tessara tilted her head slightly.

”If my King wishes it,” she said softly, ”I would gladly show myself to you.”

”Tessara,” Edward said, grimacing, ”it was an accident.”

”I know.”

A warm smile curled her lips.

She stepped closer, then rose onto the tips of her toes to reach him. Her fingers gently touched his cheeks, her gaze lingering on his face with quiet affection.

”I would be the happiest woman in the world if my King ever caught me naked,” she whispered.

”I did not catch her naked.”

Edward took Tessara’s hands before she could continue speaking and lowered them gently from his face.

Tessara only smiled wider, unbothered by his response.

”Then would my King choose a dress for me as well?” She asked.

Edward looked around the floor.

Without another word, he began walking through the nearby displays.

Tessara followed him happily.

After a few minutes, Edward selected three dresses that seemed suitable for her. One was a soft, pale-blue dress with delicate silver details at the sleeves. The second was darker, a deep red shade that would contrast beautifully with her hair and complexion. The last was a simple but elegant black dress, less extravagant than the others yet refined enough to suit her graceful presence.

Tessara accepted them with both hands.

She held the dresses against her chest as though Edward had handed her something far more valuable than clothing. Her expression brightened with a happiness so pure that Edward could only look away slightly.

”Join the others,” he told her. ”And be careful.”

”Yes, my King,” Tessara answered obediently.

She gave him a small, delighted bow before walking away, still hugging the dresses close as she headed toward the others.

Edward watched her for a moment.

Then he turned and continued through the shopping area.

He had barely gone a few steps when a loud, furious voice reached him from the front of the store.

”Aren’t you ashamed of yourselves? I am one of your customers. Someone opened my cabin while I was changing and watched me, yet all you can do is stand here and argue!”

Barbara.

Edward stopped immediately.

Of course she was still here.

Her voice was impossible to miss. She was speaking loudly enough for half the floor to hear her, her anger directed at a nervous-looking member of the store staff who seemed entirely unprepared to deal with the situation.

Edward quietly turned on his heel.

Going back toward the VIP rooms and joining Layla seemed like the safest choice. Eventually, Barbara would leave. She could complain to the staff, make a scene, and demand whatever apology she wanted, but she would not remain inside the store forever.

At least, that was what Edward hoped.

Maybe he wouldn’t have cared if it was any other women but she had to be the Headmistress of the Holy Academy, she could make complicated his life there and he wanted to avoid that.

He began walking faster.

But before he could reach the private corridor, he collided with someone, their shoulders colliding.

”Hey!”

A woman’s voice rose sharply.

”Where do you think you are going?!”

Edward ignored her.

He simply stepped around her and kept walking.

”I am talking to you, you little...!”

To his annoyance, the woman did not let him leave.

It seemed there was another Barbara-kind woman in this place who wouldn’t let go things like that easily and confront immediately.

She reached out and seized his arm, gripping it tightly enough to force him to stop.

Edward’s patience, already thin from the chaos surrounding Barbara, finally began to disappear.

Before she could tighten her hold, he caught her wrist with ease and raised her hand away from his arm.

”What do you want?” He asked coldly.

”Huh...”

The woman froze.

Her eyes widened as she finally looked directly at him.

Edward’s annoyed expression slowly changed as well.

Scarlet-red hair.

Soft curls falling around her shoulders.

Red eyes.

And a face he had not seen in a long time.

She appeared older now, more mature than the girl he remembered. Yet there was no mistaking her.

Was it really her?

”You....E-Edward?” She whispered.

That confirmed it.

Rubina Scarlett.

Edward’s irritation rose again almost immediately.

How many people from Celesta were in this store?

Was there some special event happening today? A festival, perhaps? Half-price in this store just for today?

He let go of Rubina’s wrist and turned away again.

”Wait!” Rubina called, quickly following after him. ”You are Edward, right?”

”No.”

”You are Edward,” she insisted. ”I know you are.”

”I am not the person you are looking for,” Edward replied without stopping.

He assumed she was simply making the same mistake as the others.

She remembered Amael.

The Edward Falkrona she had known during her childhood.

That person was not him.

”You are the one!” Rubina said, moving in front of him before he could leave. ”You freed me from that demon!”

Edward stopped and he turned fully toward her.

Rubina’s red eyes were fixed on him, carrying a mixture of anger, shock, and something far more fragile beneath it.

”You are him,” she said, stronger with a glare as if daring to deny her.

Edward stared her silently.

Then his gaze sharpened.

”What do you remember?”He asked.

Rubina hesitated.

”I saw you,” she said at last. ”I saw you and that... thing.”

Her voice faltered on the last word.

Edward noticed the slight trembling in her shoulders.

So she remembered.

She had seen him confronting Baphomet.

That alone was unusual. Most people who had witnessed something like that would either remember nothing clearly or convince themselves it had been a nightmare. Yet Rubina’s fear did not seem vague. It was real. It had remained with her. She was then aware that she wasn’t touched by some sickness.

”What else did you see?” Edward asked, stepping closer.

Rubina crossed her arms.

”I saw a woman with green hair,” she said. ”She was speaking to that demon.”

The woman especially was someone, she could never forget as she had never seen someone that divinely beautiful before.

Edward’s eyes narrowed.

Cleenah.

There was no doubt about it.

”What were they talking about?” Edward asked.

Had it happened after he was taken from Baphomet’s space?

Did Cleenah remain behind to speak with the demon? And if she had, what could possibly have been important enough for her to discuss with something like Baphomet?

Edward remembered very little from that moment.

He remembered her threatening Baphomet. Then, soon after, he had been pulled away.

Everything after that was unclear though Cleenah was upset.

Before Rubina could answer him, another voice called out from behind her.

”Ruby! I have been looking for you everywhere...”

A young man hurried toward them through the shopping area.

It was Eric.

His expression held clear relief when he first saw Rubina, though he slowed as he approached, likely noticing that she was speaking with someone unfamiliar. His eyes shifted toward Edward with caution.

Then Edward turned his gaze toward him.

Eric stopped.

His entire body froze.

For several seconds, he simply stared.

The relief on his face vanished, replaced by disbelief so complete that he seemed unable to move.

”Y-You...” Eric stammered.

His eyes widened further as recognition struck him.

”Edward?”