I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 827: Ceatha’s Concern

The royal ship that had departed from the New Celesta Empire slowly glided toward its designated berth.

Its enormous hull cut through the calm waters with quite elegance before gradually coming to a halt alongside one of the Platforms, reserved exclusively for royal families and the highest-ranking dignitaries.

Below, the Knights of Edenis Raphiel, better known throughout the world as the White Knights, were already lined up in perfect formation, patiently waiting to receive the arriving passengers.

Unfortunately for them, the passengers themselves were in no particular hurry.

On the highest observation deck overlooking the vast transfer platform stood a young woman.

Her long, silky pink hair was tied neatly behind her, though several loose strands danced freely in the gentle sea breeze. They framed a beautiful face, accentuated by a pair of bright pink eyes that seemed to shine naturally beneath the morning light.

She wore a simple white summer outfit.

A long flowing skirt reached her ankles, while a light shoulder-strap blouse left her shoulders exposed to the warm air.

There was nothing extravagant about her clothing.

Yet somehow, its simplicity only made her unreal beauty stand out even more.

It couldn’t be helped.

Summer had fully settled across the world, and even Edenis Raphiel was experiencing one of its warmest seasons.

The morning sun was already blazing high enough to bathe the entire harbor in golden light.

Most people sought shade whenever possible.

The young woman, however, seemed completely unbothered.

The refreshing breeze coming from the open sea softened the heat as it gently brushed against her skin, carrying the faint scent of salt through the air.

She rested both forearms against the railing, quietly observing the bustling harbor below.

Ships continued arriving one after another.

Knights directed passengers.

Officials inspected documents.

Porters hurried across the platforms transporting luggage.

It was a surprisingly lively sight.

Eventually, curiosity led her to raise her gaze.

Far above.

High into the brilliant blue sky.

There, she could finally see it.

Edenis Raphiel.

From this distance, the legendary floating archipelago appeared much smaller than she had imagined.

A silhouette suspended among the clouds.

Almost unreal.

The sunlight reflecting around it made it difficult to keep looking upward for very long.

She narrowed her eyes before eventually lowering her gaze once again.

As she did, her eyes met those of two White Knights standing near the docking area.

The two men immediately noticed .

Both raised their hands enthusiastically, broad smiles visible even beneath their helmets.

The young woman blinked for a moment before smiling warmly herself.

She returned the gesture with a graceful wave.

“…Milleia.”

Her hand stopped midway through the motion.

Turning around, she saw a familiar figure approaching her.

A beautiful young girl around her mid-teens.

Shoulder-length white hair swayed gently as she walked across the deck, while a pair of bright blue eyes looked toward Milleia.

“Ceatha.”

Milleia smiled softly.

“You’re awake.”

Ceatha stopped beside her.

“You woke up early.”

“I have.”

She looked back toward the distant outline of Edenis Raphiel.

“I couldn’t really sleep.”

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

“I was too excited.”

Ceatha followed her gaze.

“You’ve never been to Edenis Raphiel before.”

It wasn’t really a question.

Since the day Milleia had found her, Ceatha had spent every day by her side. She knew nearly everything about Milleia’s life after that moment.

As for the years before…

There wasn’t much to tell.

Back then, Milleia had simply been an ordinary village girl.

Someone like that could never have dreamed of setting foot upon the sacred floating archipelago.

Milleia gently shook her head.

“I haven’t.”

Her smile grew just a little brighter.

“Which is exactly why I’m so excited.”

Ceatha looked at her knowingly.

“…Even though you’ve been invited before.”

It was true.

Ever since the Holy Church and Celesta had officially recognized Milleia as the Daughter of Raphiel, invitations from Edenis Raphiel had arrived regularly.

The floating archipelago founded by the Goddess herself naturally wished to welcome someone carrying such a title.

Every invitation, however had been politely declined.

Milleia had always responded with gratitude, explaining that she wished to continue living and studying within Celesta for the time being and that she would one day visit Edenis Raphiel when the time felt right.

That had been the official answer.

The polite answer.

Reality was a little more complicated.

The New Celesta Empire had quietly advised Milleia not to accept those invitations immediately.

Relations between Celesta and Edenis Raphiel were peaceful.

Respectful.

But ultimately neutral.

There remained an unspoken concern.

If Milleia, the Daughter of Raphiel, spent too much time in Edenis Raphiel…

Would they eventually lose her?

Would the floating archipelago come to claim her as one of its own?

Celesta had no desire to take such a risk.

Still…

That wasn’t the only reason Milleia had refused.

She had wanted to remain in Celesta.

She had built a life there.

Friends.

People she cherished.

Leaving everything behind so suddenly never felt right to her.

Nor did she wish to create unnecessary political tension by appearing to favor Edenis Raphiel over the nation in which she was born.

She had chosen patience.

She had always believed the proper time would eventually come.

And now…

Standing before the legendary floating archipelago…

That time had finally arrived.

Milleia smiled brightly before extending her hand toward Ceatha.

“Come.”

Ceatha looked at the offered hand for only a brief moment before smiling back.

“…Mm.”

She gently intertwined her fingers with Milleia’s.

Together…

The two girls turned toward the grand staircase leading down to the lower decks, where the rest of their companions would soon gather before taking their very first steps into the legendary land of Edenis Raphiel.

“It seems you’re the only one who’s actually excited about this.”

Ceatha said, looking around the deck.

Despite the ship having already docked, very few people were rushing to disembark. Most of the nobles were still calmly preparing themselves inside their cabins, while servants carried luggage through the corridors.

There was excitement aboard the ship, certainly…

But nothing compared to the sparkle in Milleia’s eyes.

Milleia giggled.

“Aren’t you excited too?”

She gently squeezed Ceatha’s hand.

“I know you are.”

She smiled knowingly.

“You just don’t show it.”

The bond between them had long surpassed that of an ordinary contractor and familiar.

They had lived together for years.

There were few people in the world who understood Milleia better than Ceatha and likewise, there was no one who understood Ceatha more than Milleia.

Ceatha merely shrugged.

“I’ve heard so many stories about Edenis Raphiel over the years.”

She glanced toward the distant floating archipelago.

“So…I’m a little curious.”

Milleia’s smile widened.

“You should be.”

She looked upward again, admiration filling her eyes.

“This is the place Goddess Raphiel founded herself.”

To Milleia, Raphiel was far more than a goddess.

She was someone she deeply admired, she loved.

Someone she wished to honor.

Ceatha quietly watched the joy on Milleia’s face before speaking again.

“…Should I stay in my human form the whole time?”

The question immediately caused Milleia’s smile to soften.

She nodded.

“I’d rather you did.”

Speaking familiars were already extraordinarily rare.

Most magical beasts could communicate only through emotions or their bond with their contractor.

Those capable of true speech…

Belonged to the highest classes of mana beasts.

Or…

“I don’t know how people would react with an Enigma Beast wandering around—”

“Shh.”

Milleia quickly placed a finger over Ceatha’s lips while instinctively glancing around the deck.

“Keep your voice down.”

She lowered her hand after making sure no one had overheard them.

“I’d like to keep your true nature secret for as long as possible.”

Ceatha remained calm.

“I think some of your friends have already guessed.”

“They’re my friends.”

Milleia answered without hesitation.

“They won’t tell anyone.”

Ceatha tilted her head slightly.

“Are you afraid something will happen if people learn I’m an Enigma Beast?”

Milleia was silent for a brief moment.

“…Not exactly.”

She gently shook her head.

“I don’t think you’d immediately be in danger.”

She looked into Ceatha’s blue eyes.

“But people would become curious. Too curious and curiosity attracts attention.”

Her expression became noticeably more serious.

“The wrong kind of attention.”

Enigma Beasts were unimaginably rare.

Many scholars spent their entire lives researching them without ever encountering one.

And Ceatha was still incredibly young.

She had yet to reach full maturity.

Her value was impossible to measure.

Across the world, illegal trafficking of magical beasts remained an unfortunate reality.

Powerful nobles sought rare companions.

Wealthy collectors coveted creatures no one else possessed.

There were even organizations willing to pay fortunes simply to obtain an Enigma Beast.

Edenis Raphiel might have been the holiest place in the world…

But holiness had never prevented greed from existing.

There were dangerous people everywhere.

Milleia simply wanted to eliminate every unnecessary risk.

Ceatha looked away toward the ocean.

“…Even in my familiar form, I attract attention.”

She sighed quietly.

“And staying in a human body for too long dulls my senses.”

Milleia couldn’t help smiling.

She reached forward and gently pinched Ceatha’s nose.

“You don’t have to worry.”

She laughed softly.

“I’ll protect my adorable Ceatha.”

Ceatha blinked.

“…And who protects you?”

Her voice was completely serious.

“That’s supposed to be my job.”

Milleia chuckled.

“There aren’t any assigned roles.”

She affectionately squeezed Ceatha’s hand again.

“Your only job is staying beside me.”

She smiled warmly.

“And besides…I don’t need protecting, especially not in Edenis Raphiel.”

Ceatha looked at her for a long moment.

“…Because the Apostle of Lumen is here to protect you.”

Milleia immediately froze.

“C-Ceatha…”

A faint blush began spreading across her cheeks.

“…Or…”

Ceatha continued with the same calm expression.

“…because the Crown Prince of Celesta is here?”

“W-What are you talking about?”

Milleia quickly looked away, her cheeks growing noticeably rosier.

Ceatha quietly observed her reaction.

“If you like one of them…you should just tell them.”

There wasn’t even the slightest tease in her voice.

She simply sounded sincere.

Then, she looked away herself.

Milleia noticed immediately.

“…Why are you pouting now?”

She smiled gently.

Ceatha remained silent.

Her gaze stayed fixed on the sea on the other side.

Milleia let out a quiet sigh.

“I know…you don’t really like either of them.”

She spoke softly.

“But they’re both good people. Kind people.They’ve helped me so much, Ceatha. You above everyone should know it.”

A complicated warmth appeared in her eyes.

The last years had not been easy.

Far from it.

There had been days when the expectations placed upon her as the Daughter of Raphiel had nearly crushed her.

Days when she questioned herself.

Days when she smiled only because everyone expected her to.

During those difficult moments…

Two people had almost always been there.

Jayden.

And Alfred.

They had encouraged her.

Made her laugh.

Listened when she needed someone to talk to.

Never asking for anything in return.

No woman could remain completely unaffected after receiving that much kindness and genuine support.

At first…

She had simply treasured them as dear friends.

But as the years passed…

Her feelings had slowly become more complicated.

Even so…

She had never acted upon them.

Jayden already had a lot of wives.

And Alfred…

Alfred hardly had any free time anymore.

After his grandfather had returned and temporarily assumed control over Celesta,

Alfred had been thrown into relentless political training.

The old ruler intended to prepare him thoroughly before eventually passing everything back to him.

Whenever they met, Alfred always complained about the endless mountain of work yet he would always laugh afterward.

He once told her with complete sincerity…

“Working this hard isn’t so bad if I get to spend my breaks with you.”

And he meant it.

Whenever Alfred managed to carve out even a few precious hours of freedom he sought Milleia.

Sometimes they walked through the palace gardens.

Sometimes they drank tea.

Sometimes they spoke about politics.

Other times about nothing at all.

Seeing how exhausted he often looked, Milleia had quietly begun arranging her own schedule around his rare moments of free time.

If Alfred was sacrificing so much, then she wanted to be someone who could at least make those few hours feel worthwhile.

The only real complication, if she could even call it that was Alfred himself.

Unlike many nobles who hid their feelings behind etiquette and carefully chosen words, Alfred had never once concealed his.

He loved her.

He had made that perfectly clear countless times.

And just as openly, he had told her that he wanted her to become his Queen.

Unfortunately, not everyone within the New Celesta Empire shared that enthusiasm.

Many influential nobles voiced their objections, albeit politely.

In their eyes, Milleia simply wasn’t fit to become the ruling Queen of Celesta.

No matter how much she had learned.

No matter how refined she had become.

No matter how beloved she was by the people.

She had still been born a commoner.

To many of the old noble houses, that fact alone outweighed everything else.

A noblewoman raised from birth among the highest circles would always be preferable.

Such women had been educated since childhood.

Politics.

Diplomacy.

Court etiquette.

Administration.

Leadership.

Everything expected of a future queen had been ingrained into them from the very beginning.

Especially among the daughters of the great ducal and marquis houses.

Those were the candidates many nobles wished to see standing beside Alfred.

As for Milleia…if she ever accepted Alfred’s feelings, many believed she should become his second wife.

Or perhaps even his third.

A compromise.

One that acknowledged her importance without granting her the position of ruling Queen.

Ironically, Milleia herself wasn’t particularly opposed to such an arrangement.

Not because she lacked confidence.

But because she understood her position.

Ever since being recognized as the Daughter of Raphiel, marriage proposals had arrived from nearly every direction imaginable.

The great noble houses of Celesta.

Foreign kingdoms.

Everyone wished to establish ties with her.

Most interpreted her continued silence not as rejection but as openness.

As though she were simply waiting for the right proposal.

Milleia understood what her title represented.

She understood the responsibilities that came with it.

As the Daughter of Raphiel, she wished to bring people together.

To create bonds instead of divisions.

If a marriage could unite nations, strengthen alliances…or bring peace where conflict once existed…

Then perhaps such a union could become one of the holiest acts she could offer.

And if, one day, she truly had to marry, there were only two men she could honestly picture standing beside her.

Alfred.

Or Jayden.

The thought alone didn’t make her unhappy.

Far from it.

What troubled her was making such a decision too quickly.

She wanted time.

Time to understand herself.

Time to understand her own heart.

She had already made that mistake once.

By the time she had fully understood the depth of her feelings, the man she had feeling for had died before her eyes.

Even now, that memory still lingered painfully within her heart.

Not only because of his death…

But because of everything he had done beforehand.

The truth she had learned had shaken many of the beliefs she once held so dearly.

She never wanted to experience that regret again. And more importantly she never wanted to experience what she had went through following his death.

A death which had traumatized her and she only recovered thanks to Jayden and Alfred’s continuous support.

This time, she wanted to move forward slowly and carefully.

Thankfully, fate seemed to be giving her exactly that opportunity.

Once they entered the Holy Academy together, she would spend much more time alongside both Alfred and Jayden.

There would be no need to rush.

No need to force an answer.

Ceatha quietly observed Milleia’s thoughtful expression.

She wisely chose not to interrupt.

Although, she still wasn’t particularly fond of either of the two men occupying Milleia’s thoughts.

If she absolutely had to choose one, then Alfred would win without hesitation.

Not because she particularly liked him.

But because she disliked him less.

She genuinely believed Alfred loved Milleia.

No one could question that.

Sometimes, almost too much which was precisely the problem.

Whenever Alfred was around Milleia, his intelligence seemed to disappear, his judgment became clouded, his composure vanished.

It often felt less like a healthy relationship, and more like Milleia was unconsciously taking care of him.

As though she were constantly guiding him.

Supporting him.

Keeping him straight whenever his emotions threatened to overwhelm him.

To Ceatha, that kind of dependence wasn’t healthy.

Love shouldn’t make someone incapable of thinking straight.

As for Jayden…

That was an entirely different matter.

Ceatha honestly wondered whether he had become the Apostle of some God of Lust rather than the Apostle of Lumen.

The most frustrating part was that Jayden genuinely seemed unaware of how ridiculous his situation had become.

He acted as though everything were perfectly normal.

As though marrying woman after woman was simply another ordinary part of life.

His number of wives had already reached sixty-seven.

Sixty-seven.

And Ceatha had little doubt that number would continue growing once they arrived at Edenis Raphiel.

Despite all of that, he still pursued Milleia with sincerity.

Milleia, obviously didn’t seem bothered by it.

She knew Jayden truly cared about her.

She never doubted the honesty of his feelings.

But Ceatha simply found the man unbearable.

Hopelessly dense.

Hopelessly oblivious.

Almost painfully insensitive at times.

Unfortunately, Milleia always saw the best in people.

She overlooked Jayden’s countless flaws because she focused on the qualities that mattered most to her.

His kindness.

His willingness to help others.

The way he never hesitated to throw himself into danger if it meant saving someone else.

Those were precisely the traits Milleia admired the most.

The kind of qualities that naturally drew her toward someone.

“…Oh.”

A familiar voice suddenly called out.

“Milleia.”

Ceatha slowly turned her head.

“…Speaking of the devil.”

Stepping onto the deck with his usual bright smile, Jayden had finally woken up.