I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 610 610: Before The Infiltration

The salty breeze of the sea brushed past my face as I stood on the docks of Teraquin Kingdomʼs harbor, staring at the vessel in front of me. It wasnʼt just any boat—it was a beauty. Sleek, elegant, clearly well-crafted, and anchored there like a scene out of a romantic painting. Honestly, it looked more like a royal gift than a boat for a casual trip.

”You really didnʼt need to go all out like this, Bryelle,” I said, though I couldnʼt hide the smile on my lips. I was impressed—and, truth be told, a little touched.

Behind me, Bryelle giggled softly, her hands resting lightly on the arms of her wheelchair. Her face was lit up with a proud, bright smile. ”If I didnʼt go all out, Elder Sister would be sad. And I want her to be happy, so Iʼm happy to help you.”

”Canʼt really imagine her being sad about anything… well, anything except maybe you,” I said with a chuckle.

”She was sad when you left, though,” said another voice—one I recognized immediately.

I turned to see Allen approaching, his expression amused. I blinked at the sight of him. He looked different. More polished, maybe? His hair was neatly combed for once, and his usually half-hearted wardrobe had been upgraded to something that looked almost princely.

”Allen…didnʼt you go through a whole transformation arc?” I said, raising a brow.

He scratched his cheek, clearly a little self-conscious. ”Had to. Mother officially named me Heir after… well, after Kendel.”

Ah. Right. After Kendelʼs betrayal and subsequent imprisonment, it made sense the family needed a new face to stand for the future.

”And Alvara?” I asked, shifting the topic.

Allen nodded, his tone a bit softer. ”She really was sad after you left, Brother-in-law.”

Bryelle giggled again, clearly delighted. ”I know when Elder Sisterʼs sad, and she definitely was. Even if she didnʼt look like it, I could tell.”

”Now that,” I smiled, ”is something I wouldʼve liked to see. Alvara with a sad face… sheʼd probably still look annoyingly adorable.”

But I doubted sheʼd ever let me see her like that.

Not willingly.

Allen turned back toward the boat, gesturing to it with a bit of pride. ”I hope the boat pleases you, Brother-in-law?”

Okay. That was the second time theyʼd called me that today.

Why were they both acting like Iʼd already proposed to Alvara? I mean, sure, things were… something between us. But we werenʼt officially anything yet. Right?

Whatever.

”Itʼs a great boat,” I said, ”but you really didnʼt have to go this far. Itʼs just a short trip.”

”A trip?” Allenʼs brows lifted as he glanced over my shoulder. His eyes landed on Roda, who had been silently standing a few steps behind me.

Then came the inevitable question.

”Is she your new wife, Brother-in-law?”

I groaned, grimacing. ”Not at all. And for the love of everything, donʼt say anything to Alvara.”

Seriously, why did this happen every time I was seen with a woman?

I just hoped neither of them would breathe a word of this to Alvara. Because if she found out I came all the way to her kingdom just to take another woman on a ʼtripʼ—even if it was entirely innocent—well… Iʼd never hear the end of it.

And knowing Alvara, ʼannoyedʼ would be putting it lightly.

Allen gave me a smile—one of those subtle, knowing ones that made me feel like he was seeing something I wasnʼt saying.

”Certainly,” he said.

Yeah, I was pretty sure this guy was completely misunderstanding me.

I turned to Roda, giving her a silent nod to board. But instead of responding, she just stood there, frozen.

No, ʼfrozenʼ didnʼt even cover it. Shock radiated from her like sheʼd been struck by lightning. And the moment I replayed the conversation in my head, I understood why.

Alvaraʼs name.

Of course.

There was no hiding it now. Not from her.

I gently nudged her forward, ignoring the stunned look in her eyes, and stepped in behind her.

”Um, Amael…” Bryelleʼs soft voice stopped me just as I reached the threshold.

I turned back. ”Yeah?”

She shifted awkwardly in her seat, eyes dropping for a moment. ”Mother… she wants to know the reason behind your trip. Once youʼre back.”

Her words were careful, nervous.

I smiled, not at all surprised. Tanya had always been the cautious one, and it wouldnʼt have made sense if she wasnʼt suspicious. She passed that same sharpness to Alvara.

”Iʼll tell her. Donʼt worry,” I said, stepping inside the cabin.

If I come back alive, I added silently.

I barely had time to find my footing before Roda exploded.

”Y–You!” She shouted, slamming her palm hard against the wall—right beside my face.

I blinked. ”What is it?”

As the boat began to pull away from the dock, I motioned silently to the driver to set off.

”What is it?” She repeated, staring at me in disbelief. ”You seriously have the gall to ask that? Alvara is still alive?!”

”Yeah, she is,” I said simply. ”And donʼt worry. Sheʼs… different now.”

”Different?!” Rodaʼs voice spiked. Her eyes scanned my face like I was some kind of traitor. ”I donʼt believe that. I canʼt believe that. And from the looks of it…” She trailed off, horror dawning in her expression. ”You and her…”

I turned my gaze away, not answering.

”No. No way…” She whispered, stumbling back a step, her voice cracking as if all strength had been drained from her.

”Like I said—sheʼs different. And you donʼt need to worry about her skewering anyone or setting them on fire… well, unless they provoke her. Then, maybe.”

”Youʼre not helping,” Roda muttered, glaring daggers at me.

”I mean, Iʼm just being honest.”

She shook her head, clearly overwhelmed. ”I canʼt believe this. And youʼre a Human—no, a Half High Human?! How is that possible…?”

The more she tried to make sense of it, the more lost she looked.

”She should be hating everything except herself,” she added under her breath.

”She does still hate everything except a very few exceptions,” I said with a small laugh. ”But I helped her. Some things happened. Thatʼs all.”

She looked at me like Iʼd just revealed I was a dragon in disguise.

Truth was… I was just the rare exception.

I wasnʼt even sure Alvara saw me as Human anymore.

To be honest, she still had her prejudices—her racism toward other races hadnʼt just magically vanished. I was pretty damn sure about that. Some old habits die slow, if ever.

Rodaʼs eyes locked onto mine with a look I couldnʼt quite decipher—part disbelief, part concern, maybe even a bit of confusion. ”You helped her?” She asked like she wasnʼt sure whether to be annoyed or impressed.

”Yeah,” I said with a shrug. ”Like I mentioned, I already knew what the future held. I just stepped in before she could spiral out and lose herself completely. You donʼt need to worry about her. Not anymore.”

Roda didnʼt look convinced. She frowned. ”Fine… but wait, are you telling me she really loves you?”

I grimaced. That question landed like a punch to the gut. ”Is that… really that shocking?” I asked, half-laughing, half-grimacing. The whole situation was starting to feel like someone was jabbing a knife into my side, twisting it slowly.

”I—I didnʼt mean it like that,” Roda stuttered, clearly realizing her slip-up. ”Itʼs just… ugh, never mind.” She sighed heavily, turned on her heel, and walked away without another word.

Yeah. That reaction pretty much confirmed it—whatever happened between her and Alvara in her timeline had clearly left some deep scars. Traumas like that donʼt just vanish. I couldnʼt blame her, really.

I let out a quiet sigh and turned my attention toward the deck. There, leaning against the railings with the sea breeze brushing through her hair, was Vina. Her blond hair fluttered with the wind, and for the first time, it shifted just enough to reveal something new—just below her ear and along her neck was a blue symbol, like a trident inked into her skin. It wasnʼt large, but it was sharp, distinct.

A mark.

I blinked, squinting at it. Wait, was that really a trident? It looked… different. Almost like it had too many layers to be just a simple symbol.

”Whatʼs that?” I asked as I stepped up beside her, pointing toward her neck.

At the sound of my voice, Vinaʼs entire expression changed—subtle, but noticeable. She reached up almost instinctively and let her hair fall over the mark again, hiding it. ”Itʼs nothing,” she said quickly.

”I didnʼt take you for the tattoo type, Vina,” I said, half-teasingly.

”Iʼm not,” she replied just as fast almost defensive. ”And itʼs not a tattoo.”

”Alright, alright,” I smiled. I didnʼt want to push her if she wasnʼt ready to talk about it.

We stood there in silence for a moment, side by side, gazing out over the endless, glittering expanse of Sancta Vedeliaʼs seas. The ocean was vast, the kind of vast that made you feel small—and maybe a little more honest with yourself. The ship was cutting through the waves with impressive speed, leaving a trail of white foam in its wake.

”Thanks again, Vina,” I said. ”For helping me out. For always helping me out.”

She gave a small nod, not saying anything, but I felt the meaning in it.

”I mean it,” I continued, turning slightly to face her. ”If you ever want anything—just say it. Iʼll make sure you get it.”

She didnʼt respond right away, just kept looking ahead, the wind pulling gently at her hair again. But I could tell something was stirring beneath her calm exterior.

Sheʼd been so selfless—always going along with my requests, never asking for anything in return. And now, after hearing what Alicia said… the guilt was gnawing at me even more.

”I… Iʼll tell you what I wish for later,” Vina said softly after a long pause.

”Oh?” I blinked, genuinely surprised. ”So you actually have a wish.”

That caught me off guard, honestly. Sheʼd always been so… selfless, like she didnʼt even think about herself in that way and that made my guilt crawl just a bit deeper under my skin.

The rest of the trip passed without incident. Within two hours, we reached our destination.

Now, this wasnʼt your average island you could just spot on a map. The whole thing was cloaked in a dense Mana Circle—so thick and complex that even seasoned navigators wouldʼve just sailed right past it, none the wiser. Luckily for us, Roda knew exactly where to look. Her knowledge was the only reason we werenʼt currently circling the ocean like headless chickens.

Eventually, at Rodaʼs signal, the boat slowed to a halt. From all appearances, we were smack dab in the middle of the ocean—no land in sight. Just open water stretching in every direction.

”Here,” she said with certainty.

I raised a brow but didnʼt question it.

We both got ready to disembark. Since weʼd need to swim, we changed out of our usual clothes and into something more practical. I threw on a pair of dark swim shorts and a light button-up shirt I left mostly unbuttoned. Roda emerged soon after in a similar get-up—sporting shorts and a loose shirt that fluttered slightly in the sea breeze.

She hesitated a bit, glancing down at her legs and then at me, clearly a little self-conscious.

”What?” She asked, narrowing her eyes when she caught me looking.

Whatʼs that gaze?

[]

What rightfully?!

”Nothing,” I snorted at Roda. ”Just a little disappointed youʼre wearing a shirt.”

Her brain took a second to process that. Then, as the meaning sank in, her cheeks flared a bright shade of crimson.

”You—!” She started, raising her fist to punch me square in the shoulder.

But I was ready.

Before her punch could land, I smoothly tilted my head out of the way, caught her wrist, and spun her toward the edge of the boat.

”Wait, wait—!”

Too late.

With a quick pull and a flick of my wrist, I launched her off the deck and into the water.

”S-Seriously!?” She yelped mid-air before landing with a resounding splash.

I laughed, then jumped in right after her, feeling the cool rush of seawater envelop me as I hit the surface.

”A little chilly,” I muttered as I surfaced, running a hand through my soaked hair. ”But not bad.”

Just as the words left my mouth, a sudden splash of water smacked me in the face.

I blinked and wiped the water from my eyes, only to find Roda glaring at me, hands already cupped to deliver another splash attack.

I sighed. ”Itʼs not time to play, Roda.”

”You started it!” She snapped, crossing her arms with a huff before glancing around. ”Wait… whereʼs Levina?”

”She should be here any moment now,” I said with a smile, my eyes scanning the depths. ”She was just waiting for the boat to leave. She canʼt risk being seen—not with how she looks.”

And then… the water shifted.

Something massive moved just beneath the surface, the sunlight reflecting off its skin in dazzling flashes of blue and red. Rodaʼs breath hitched.

From the depths, a sleek, serpentine form emerged—its body gliding easily through the water. Ten meters long, easily, maybe more. Its glistening blue scales shimmered with the color of the sea, while beautiful red markings spiraled along its body in natural patterns.

”This…!” Rodaʼs mouth hung open.