I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 729: [Final Event] [Blood Moon Festival] [11] Talk With Jefer Moonfang

”I can’t believe it. Instead of just killing that trash —” Alea’s voice cut through the silence as she stormed out of the tower, her heels striking the marble steps with quiet anger. The other heads followed in silence overhearing her mutters. ”That bastard Lazarus Raven is still breathing.”

”Alea...” Namys looked concerned at Alea. She reached out as though to touch Alea’s shoulder, but hesitated halfway. ”You know it’s not that easy.”

Alea stopped short and turned on her. ”Not that easy?” She repeated. ”He attacked my sister, Namys. He should be rotting in the dirt by now—no, dying a hundred times over for what he did.” Her voice cracked slightly, though her anger masked it. ”If it was Aerinwyn who was attacked, wouldn’t you feel the same?” She glanced toward Aerinwyn, who walked beside Namys.

”T–That’s...” Namys faltered, exchanging a quick, uneasy look with Aerinwyn before nodding reluctantly. ”Yes. I would.”

”Exactly,” Alea scoffed. ”Being this lenient with criminals like him only proves what everyone outside already whispers about Sancta Vedelia—that we’ve grown weak.”

A quiet scoff broke through the group. ”You mean as lenient as we’ve been with your son?” Reiner’s voice echoed off the courtyard walls.

Alea froze. Then she turned, eyes narrowing dangerously. ”Are you comparing my son to that monster?”

”What your son did wasn’t any better,” he shot back. ”Because of him, we lost something priceless.”

Her voice rose. ”And you’ve already banished him for that. Wasn’t that punishment enough?!”

Reiner’s expression hardened. ”No. Under normal circumstances, Alea, your son would have been executed.”

”Reiner...” James nearly slapped his face hearing that.

”What... did you just say?” Alea asked quietly, her hand twitching with mana.

”Now, now,” Karl Dolphis intervened, stepping between them with a faint smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. ”Please, Queen Alea, this isn’t the time to turn on each other.”

”Yes, Alea, please,” Namys added. She glanced around, silently asking the others to help defuse the situation.

Tanya, however, was staring absently at the horizon, clearly uninterested, while Jefer stood with arms crossed, observing them.

It was Melfina who finally sighed and stepped forward. ”Alea,” she called gently. ”Speaking of your son... Alicia’s returned safely. James confirmed it himself. So if she’s back, your son should be as well, shouldn’t he?” Her eyes softened. ”Maybe you should go find him.”

Alea bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She said nothing, simply turned on her heel and walked away and disappeared.

Namys watched her go, her heart heavy. ”Is Alea really okay?” She asked, worry lining her face. She had known Alea for decades, and never before had she seen her so tense—so brittle. It was as if she was holding something deep inside, something none of them could see.

”Must be because of Amael’s banishment,” Melfina replied, folding her arms with a sigh. To everyone else, that explanation was enough.

But the truth—whatever it was—lay buried within Alea. Something others couldn’t actually imagine.

Reiner grunted. ”That son of hers deserved it. For Eden’s sake, he’s nothing like Connor or Christina. Maybe strong, sure, but in every other way? He’s a failure.”

James, who had been quiet until then, turned his gaze sharply toward Reiner. ”If I remember correctly, your son’s been harassing my daughter for months. Did he learn that from you, perhaps?”

Reiner’s eyes blazed. ”What did you say, James?!”

James didn’t bother answering. He simply turned and walked away.

Namys sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. ”Everyone is always fighting...”

Melfina chuckled softly. ”Don’t worry,” she said, half-smiling. ”Eventually, they’ll come around.”

”I don’t see what King Reiner said wrong, however... Mother.”

Aerinwyn’s voice broke the uneasy silence that lingered after Alea’s departure. Every head turned toward her; she had been silent the entire time, standing a step behind Namys as she was the younger one here surrounded by Heads but she couldn’t help but give her opinion of course after Alea left.

Namys blinked. ”A—Aerin?”

The others followed her gaze. Aerinwyn’s expression was calm.

”He betrayed us,” she said. ”That’s a fact. And not just betrayal... the worst kind imaginable.”

”Have you finished whining yet?”

The gathered heads froze.

Their gazes turned toward the stone bench beneath the shade of an ancient oak.

Standing on it, hands tucked in his pockets was Amael.

***

”Have you finished whining yet?” I asked.

I’d been hiding there for a while—long enough to listen to every self-righteous word spilling from their mouths. I waited until Alea was gone before stepping in.

”Just move on,” I said, fighting to keep the irritation out of my voice.

Reiner’s glare snapped toward me, his face twisting in disbelief. ”Y–You...”

Namys’s eyes widened. ”You’re... Amael.”

I’d seen her once or twice before, but we’d never exchanged a single word. Not that I was interested in small talk.

I turned my gaze away from her and fixed it on Jefer Moonfang, who stood silently near the back. ”Jefer Moonfang,” I called out.

”...”

He met my eyes without a word.

The man was as calm as ever.

”I have something to discuss with you,” I said. ”In private. It would be better that way for you especially.”

”What are you doing here? Who even allowed you inside this hall?” Reiner barked, stepping forward.

I ignored him completely.

You have a very noisy father-in-law, John.

Must be exhausting.

I kept my focus on Jefer.

”Very well,” Jefer said after a pause, nodding once before walking toward me.

I jumped down from the bench, and glanced briefly toward James. ”How’s Alicia?”

”She’s recovering,” he replied quietly.

I gave a small nod. ”Good.”

Then my eyes shifted to Tanya. ”Queen Tanya.”

She inclined her head slightly, acknowledging me without a word. Even her stoic composure faltered for a second—just a flicker of curiosity behind her eyes.

Turning on my heel, I started to leave with Jefer, but Melfina’s voice stopped me mid-step.

”Wait, Amael. Your mother’s been looking for you,” she said.

”Yes, that’s right—” Namys began.

”Not interested,” I interrupted without turning around.

I took a few more steps, then paused and looked over my shoulder at Melfina. ”Tell me something,” I said. ”Did you acknowledge the marriage between Celes and Cyril?”

Melfina’s expression softened, tinged with regret. ”Amael... you know that’s impossible.”

I know what she was speaking about but that wasn’t my question.

I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. ”Out of all people, you really thought Cyril was the best choice? Don’t take it personally, Professor.” My eyes flicked toward James as I said it.

Then I turned and walked away with Jefer.

...

...

”What did you want to discuss?” Jefer asked quietly.

We walked side by side through the courtyard.

Since we were still nearby the tower, eyes followed us.

My face was far too well-known now—perhaps infamous. I could feel their stares clinging to my back, curious, judgmental, fearful.

Was this what celebrities on Earth had to deal with every day? Constant eyes, endless gossip, people you didn’t even know pretending to know you. Must’ve been hell.

Anyway.

”You were the one who partnered with Connor,” I started, ”in his investigation into Sara Oceania’s murder. And the disappearance of Thelma. Along with the supposed death of Kleines Falkrona.”

Connor had been reckless—diving into matters that stank of corruption and danger. He knew powerful names were involved, that crossing them would probably cost him his life. Yet, he went ahead anyway. And the fact that he had chosen Jefer Moonfang as his partner... meant he had trusted him deeply.

”I was,” Jefer finally said, nodding once.

I continued. ”Dereck Zestella’s body was found next to Connor’s,” I said quietly. ”From what I can tell, Connor tried to force Dereck to talk—to tell him the truth about Sara Oceania’s death. Dereck didn’t cooperate. Things turned ugly. You helped Connor kill him... but then, for some reason, you stabbed Connor in the back.”

I turned my eyes toward him.

Jefer said nothing for a few seconds. Then, ”You’re right.”

I stopped walking.

”I don’t think you’re a bad man,” I said after a pause. ”You don’t strike me as ambitious—or corrupt, like Lazarus. I don’t think you are involved in these events. So... why?” My eyes met his. ”Why did you kill Connor?”

A faint, almost weary smile tugged at his lips. ”I expected anger,” he said. ”Maybe even violence. But you’re... calm. You’re questioning me instead.”

”I have few memories of Connor,” I replied, lowering my gaze. ”Fragments, really.”

Memories that didn’t belong entirely to me. They belonged to him—to the true Amael.

And I was Connor’s brother. Maybe that’s why I could keep my composure now. Or maybe... I’d already made my peace with what I needed to do about Alea and Christina.

Jefer nodded slowly, as though he understood something I hadn’t said aloud.

”When I was your age,” he mumbled, looking toward the sky, ”I admired your father.”

”I’m sorry for you,” I said dryly.

He smiled faintly.

”As you grow older,” he continued after a long pause, ”your view of the world changes. The truths you once believed in start to crumble. You begin to see cracks in everything—the people you trusted, the ideals you swore by.” His tone grew softer, more reflective. ”You start wishing you could go back. To when things were simpler, when the world made sense.”

The wind stirred his hair as he exhaled.

”Some people never escape that regret,” he said. ”They spend their lives trapped in it. But others... they accept it. They let the pain shape them, and they forge themselves anew—with a different kind of truth. One that doesn’t need to be pure to be real.”

I said nothing, letting him continue.

”Dereck Zestella was an ambitious man,” Jefer said. ”He was already in contact with Lazarus Raven long before the incident. I believe he knew about Thelma’s abduction as well perhaps even approved of it. But he didn’t care. Lazarus must have promised him something... a future where both of them could stand atop Sancta Vedelia, reshaping it as they saw fit.”

His expression darkened as he continued, his gaze fixed somewhere far away. ”Regardless of my doubts, I accepted Connor’s request. Sara and Thelma were good people. They didn’t deserve what happened to them.”

He paused for a breath. ”I needed proof and I obtained it, through Dereck Zestella.”

I raised a brow. ”Everything seemed to be going well for you two. So why did you kill Connor, then? Or am I wrong, and you are really just a scumbag after all?”

Jefer didn’t respond right away.

”The Seed of A-Nox.”

My eyes widened slightly. ”A-Nox?”

He nodded. ”The companion of one of Eden’s three Holy Guardians—the one who betrayed Eden and chose Lucifer’s side.”

I frowned. ”Wait. What does A-Nox have to do with Connor?”

”Connor was special,” he said. ”From birth, he was... extraordinary. A once-in-a-millennium talent. As a child, he surpassed every expectation. He was already being considered as the next Apostle of Nihil and the future Guardian of the Holy Tree of Eden itself.”

I stayed silent, listening.

”His Olphean Bloodline was unlike anything ever recorded in his family’s history,” Jefer continued. ”Even Eden’s blessing upon him was a sign that he might one day ascend beyond mortal limits. A Demigod... perhaps even capable of reaching Godhood.” He gave a faint, tired smile. ”But such brilliance doesn’t go unnoticed. It draws attention—from both sides.”

”A-Nox,” I said softly.

He nodded. ”Exactly. Evil Gods often plant something in mortals they deem promising something we call a Seed. It’s very similar to a Legacy, but far darker in nature. Once the Seed takes root inside a person, it begins to corrupt them. Slowly, quietly... it rewrites who they are, until the person they once were becomes unrecognizable.”

That... sounded familiar.

It reminded me of what happened to Annabelle at first. Was possession actually the work of a Seed?

Had Baphomet used that same technique on her?

And Joshua...

He’d always been frail, but the story I remembered — the one from the game — mentioned Brandon Delavoic manipulating him to use him against jayden. If he planted a Seed in Joshua through Belphegor, then Joshua’s health decline made sense.

Jefer’s voice pulled me back.

”Connor was already infected,” he said quietly. ”By the time I realized it, the corruption had sunk deep. A Seed from a being like A-Nox cannot be removed once it’s fully anchored. Unless it’s caught early, the person is lost forever.”

He looked down, his hand clenching faintly. ”Maybe Connor sensed it, maybe some part of him knew what was happening. But even with all his gifts, even with Eden’s blessing... he couldn’t fight it. The darkness was already in control.”

Jefer’s voice softened to a near whisper. ”I saw it happen with my own eyes. I saw him change—little by little. What began as righteous anger turned into obsession, vengeance... something else wearing his face. That’s how a Seed works. It doesn’t consume the body, it devours the soul.”

”I see,” I said quietly. ”So you killed him before it was too late.”

Jefer nodded once. ”He was too talented to be left alive with a Seed of A-Nox inside him.”

”That makes sense,” I replied. ”But tell me how you were aware of it? From what I understand, not even Alea knew her son was being corrupted.”

I narrowed my gaze. This man... Don’t tell me—

”I was informed,” Jefer said, confirming my suspicion. ”By someone. Killing Connor wasn’t easy, so I hesitated. I tried to cooperate with Connor to see if he could still be saved but in the end, I saw it myself—the Seed had already devoured too much of him. It had been growing for years, and when the signs appeared, it was already far too late.”

I tilted my head slightly. ”You still haven’t answered my question. Who told you? Was it... Nihil?”

Jefer’s mouth curved into a faint smile. ”You’re full of surprises. I expected curiosity, not accuracy.” He shook his head. ”But I can’t answer that.”

I folded my arms. ”Then tell me one thing, at least—whose side are you on?”

That earned a low chuckle from him. ”My side,” he said simply. ”The side of what I believe is right. You and I are not that different. You fought in the Utopian War knowing exactly what consequences awaited you. You made your choice and accepted the cost. I... can respect that.”

I gave a dry laugh. ”I’m not sure whether to take that as a compliment, considering you also admired Kleines Falkrona.”

”Kleines did what he thought best for his family. I may understand him one day if I ever have children of my own. But I still condemn his methods. What about you?”

I shrugged lightly. ”Maybe I can see why he did it. But that doesn’t mean I accept it.”

He nodded. ”That’s exactly what I mean. Understanding someone doesn’t mean excusing them. Pretending otherwise would be hypocrisy.”

A small smile formed on my lips. ”Methods, huh... I can relate. Sometimes you convince yourself you’re doing what’s necessary—that your way is justified. But in the end, it’s still selfish.”

”It depends,” Jefer said, his voice thoughtful. ”But... yes. Often it is.”

Then his tone hardened. ”Your hatred toward the Heads, and toward their decisions I understand it. And I’ll admit it openly: I voted for your banishment. For the sake of Sancta Vedelia.”

I arched an eyebrow.

He continued without flinching. ”Your presence here would have only deepened the divide. You know that as well as I do. On the other hand... you’ve become an influential figure in Utopia. Whether that’s a blessing or a disaster, only time will tell.”

Only time huh.

If I was still alive that long at least.

”Are you going to tell Alea about this?” He asked, sounding clearly indifferent.

”No.” I shook my head. ”She doesn’t need to know. She wouldn’t take it the way I did—you know that. To her, it was her son. Logic won’t reach her. She’d probably kill you before you could explain yourself and perhaps regret right after.”

When I’d first returned to Sancta Vedelia, I had wanted vengeance. I wanted to dig up every secret, tear down every mask, and make those responsible pay for what happened to Connor, Kleines, and Thelma.

But now...

Thelma was alive.

Connor was dead—for a reason.

And Kleines... whatever happened to him didn’t matter anymore.

I’d come this far mostly to see Jefer maybe out of curiosity, maybe because I wanted to put an end to the ghosts lingering in my mind before my banishment took effect in two days.

”Well,” I said finally, turning to leave, ”if you still plan to tell her, that’s your choice. But it would be a shame for one of the few intelligent men left in Sancta Vedelia to die needlessly.”

I took a few steps away, glancing over my shoulder once. I could understand now why Jefer Moonfang had surpassed his older brother, why he had become a Head, and even a Monarch, at such a young age.

Anyway...

My eyes lifted toward the horizon, where the Holy Tree of Eden rose in radiant stillness.

For a moment, I just stood there, staring.

And then the images from the end of the Second Game began flashing in my mind again, one after another.

The end of the Second Game was close.