I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 878: Samara’s Desire

When Edward arrived at Lioren Skyport, he immediately noticed another vessel waiting on the neighboring platform.

The moment Edward’s airship settled into place, the soldiers standing beside the second vessel moved forward. They wore the formal armor of Tarmias House Knights.

Their first attention went to Layla.

”Lady Tarmias.”

They bowed respectfully.

Then Edward stepped down from behind her.

The knights saw him, and their expressions changed. Every one of them placed a hand over his chest and lowered his head.

”My Lord.”

”He is a King,” Layla reminded them lightly. ”Do not forget that.”

The knights stiffened.

”Your Majesty,” they corrected immediately.

Edward gave them only a brief glance before looking toward Layla.

”It would have taken too long for us to return to Clover with you and then leave again,” Layla explained. ”So I asked my brother to send an airship for us.”

Edward looked at the Tarmias vessel.

”You are quite prepared.”

He said, appreciating the gesture.

He did not particularly mind traveling back to Clover. Still, having Layla and the others take the Tarmias airship would save him a great deal of unnecessary time.

He could leave directly for Levina and Alicia while Layla returned safely with the children.

Layla and the others would use the borrowed vessel to head back to Clover.

Edward, meanwhile, would continue aboard the Utopian airship.

”Shouldn’t we come with you, Dad?”

Tihana hurried toward him with small, quick steps.

”Are you going alone?”

Edward reached down and gently rested his hand on her hair.

”I am only going to bring Levina back,” he said. ”You should wait there and welcome her properly.”

Tihana’s expression brightened immediately.

”I will!”

She smiled widely before hurrying back toward Orlin and the others.

Edward watched them board the Tarmias airship.

Then he called out before the group could leave.

”Samara.”

Samara turned around.

Her blue eyes met his.

”Come with me,” Edward said.

For a moment, Samara blinked in surprise.

Then her lips parted slightly, and a small, pleased smile appeared on her face as she began walking toward him.

”Eh?!”

Lunishia turned so quickly that her red hair swung behind her.

”If Samara is going too, then I will also—Hpfhhh!”

Olga immediately covered Lunishia’s mouth before she could finish.

At the same time, Tihana caught Lunishia by the arm, preventing her from running after Edward.

Lunishia struggled uselessly between them, her muffled complaints becoming louder as tears began gathering in her eyes. She could only watch helplessly while Edward and Samara moved toward the Utopian airship together.

Edward ignored the scene.

He stepped onto the boarding platform.

(Master!!)

Jarvis rushed toward him, clearly intending to jump up and follow him aboard.

Edward raised one foot and stopped the golden robot before it could reach him.

Then he looked toward Brain.

”Accompany them.”

Brain’s screen blinked once.

Edward, Brain, and Jarvis Jr were all connected through his body, and both robots existed as extensions of the same network. Yet Edward wanted Brain’s physical body to remain with Layla, Tihana, Orlin, and the others.

That way, he could maintain a more direct connection with them.

Through the shared screens of Brain and Jarvis, he could still see them, speak with them, and remain aware of anything happening around them even while he was away.

[Yes, Master]

Brain nodded obediently, then floated toward Layla’s group.

(Hmph. I knew Master would choose me in the end.)

Jarvis displayed an emoji sticking out its tongue at Brain’s retreating figure.

Samara watched the exchange with a faint smile.

”Why are you competing with Brain?” She asked. ”You are both part of the same system.”

(Master overestimates Brain and underestimates me. That is why.)

Jarvis’s screen shifted into a determined expression.

(I must show Master who the real deal is between us.)

”Get the airship moving first,” Edward said.

(Yes, Master!)

Jarvis nodded quickly and flew toward the front of the deck, joining the two Falkrona Knights who had remained with Edward.

Edward had sent the rest of the Falkrona Knights back with Layla and the children.

Two were more than enough for a short trip to retrieve Levina, especially considering that Edward himself was present.

Once the airship began preparing for departure, Edward walked farther onto the deck. Near the center of the lounge was a long, remarkably comfortable couch.

Edward sat down and leaned back against it.

Then he tapped the empty space beside him.

”Come.”

Samara walked over and sat beside him.

She kept her hands folded neatly over her lap, though her eyes remained on him with quiet curiosity.

”Why did you bring me with you?” She asked.

Edward looked at her.

”Do you not like it?”

”I do,” Samara answered honestly. ”But I will not be useful where you are going.”

”You will not.”

Edward replied.

Samara blinked.

Then he added nothing else.

He was only going to retrieve Levina. There was no battle planned, no negotiation, and no task that required Samara’s abilities.

He had simply wanted her beside him.

Samara turned her head toward him, trying to understand what he meant.

Before she could ask again, Edward placed both hands on her shoulders and gently guided her down.

Samara’s eyes widened slightly.

Then she understood.

Her face warmed with embarrassment as she carefully laid her head across his lap.

Usually, it was the other way around.

Edward was the one who enjoyed resting on the laps of the women he loved, allowing them to run their fingers through his hair or simply stay near him while he rested.

This was different.

But Samara did not dislike it.

Not at all.

She settled more comfortably against him, her eyes lowering as Edward’s hand rested lightly against her hair.

”You met them,” Samara said quietly.

There was no need for her to explain whom she meant.

”Yeah.”

”Do you like any of them?”

”Not really,” Edward replied.

Samara rested more comfortably against his lap, though her eyes remained fixed on him.

”They are both princesses of Celesta,” she said. ”Do you think Sylvia might be one of them?”

Sylvia.

Or rather, Sylvia Alphonse Celesta.

One of the two women Edward had loved in the Lost Past.

She had died soon after his awakening, as though her part in the story had already been fulfilled. Before she disappeared, she had returned his silver eye, the eye that had originally belonged to him.

A prophecy had spoken to the two girls.

It had said that he would be there for them, that he would remain by their side, and that eventually they would find happiness.

If that prophecy still held meaning, then Sylvia and Lisandra would likely appear in his life again.

But Edward had no idea how.

The most likely possibility was that both women existed as dormant memories, waiting to awaken inside their rightful vessels. If that had not happened already, then Sylvia and Lisandra’s deaths gave even more reason to believe that such an awakening was near.

Perhaps one day, Sylvia would return through one of the Celesta princesses.

The royal bloodline made it an obvious possibility.

Yet Edward could not be certain.

He did not want to force an answer simply because he wanted one. He had no proof, no clear method to find them, and no right to disrupt lives that might not belong to the women he remembered.

All he could do was wait.

”She told me to wait,” Edward said quietly.

His silver eyes lowered.

He had expected Sylvia to tell him something different.

Perhaps to leave this world. To abandon the path that had brought him pain over and over again. To stop chasing people and memories that could never truly be restored.

But Sylvia had understood him.

She had known that last and real version of Edward had no intention of running away.

So instead, she had told him what she wanted.

A real life.

The life she and Lisandra had never been able to have in the Lost Past with him.

”And she told me not to look for her,” Edward added.

His expression twitched faintly.

”They all say the same thing. Even Cleenah.”

Samara looked up at him.

”For now, you should focus on what you have, Nyr.”

Edward’s gaze moved down toward her.

”That is what I am doing right now.”

Samara’s face immediately became warm.

She looked away, unable to hold his eyes.

Edward watched her reaction for a moment.

Then his expression became more serious.

”I wished you would take the freedom I gave you.”

Samara turned back toward him.

”You have a new body,” Edward continued. ”Flesh and blood. A life that belongs to you.”

His fingers moved slowly through her hair.

”You could have aimed for something greater than staying beside me, Samara.”

”There is nothing better than being with you,” Samara replied.

Then she hesitated.

Her eyes lowered again.

”Does that mean you do not want me by your side?”

”No.”

Edward’s answer came immediately.

”That was a lie.”

Samara looked up at him.

Edward brushed his fingertips against her pale cheek.

”I want you beside me.”

”I want to stay with you,” Samara said.

She slowly rose from his lap and turned toward him fully, her eyes carrying a fragile but determined light.

”There is no greater happiness for me.”

”I see.”

”I am not Mary,” Samara continued. ”And I am not Annabelle.”

A quiet sadness crossed her face, but she did not look away.

”And I promised Anna that I would remain by your side.”

She reached for Edward’s hand.

Then she gently pressed it against her chest, allowing him to feel the steady rhythm of her heart beneath his palm.

”I am alive, Nyrel,” she whispered.

Edward looked at her.

”You are.”

Samara’s eyes trembled faintly.

”I am happy like this,” she said. ”I truly am.”

Her fingers curled more tightly around his hand.

”But I want to be even closer to you.”

She swallowed.

”That is only my selfish desire.”

”Are you afraid I would refuse you?” Edward asked.

Samara hesitated.

”I...”

Her voice became softer.

”You know what I am. You know why I was cursed. You know how I brought death to the people around me.”

”It hardly matters.”

Edward replied.

”That was in the past.”

He lifted his hand from her chest and placed it against her cheek instead.

”You are different now.”

His silver eyes remained fixed on hers.

”And if death ever comes for you again, I will be there to stop it.”

Samara stared at him.

Her eyes began to shine.

”Then do not say things like you wish me away,” she said.

There was hurt in her voice now.

Edward did not answer immediately.

Instead, he leaned closer.

His hand remained against her cheek as his face moved toward hers.

Samara’s eyes closed.

The moment his lips touched hers, her breath caught.

His kiss was gentle at first, but it did not remain that way for long. Edward’s arm wrapped around her back, drawing her closer as he kissed her with a warmth that made Samara’s thoughts disappear.

Her dark lashes fluttered.

Her face became red.

She tried to return the kiss, awkward at first, but Edward did not pull away. He held her close, guiding her patiently.

A quiet sound escaped her lips.

”Hnn...”

When Edward finally pulled back, Samara remained close to him.

Her lips were faintly glistening.

Her cheeks were flushed deeply.

She looked at him as though she could no longer find the right words.

”I will make you mine tonight,” Edward said quietly, ”if that is what you want.”

Samara’s heart skipped.

Then she nodded.

A little too quickly.

But there was no hesitation in her answer.

She was afraid he would change his mind immediately.