Reincarnated as the Final Villain's Vessel

Chapter 209: I’ve Returned

The moment I felt Alicia’s overwhelming presence appear in the room, I deactivated my ability as I responded to Leona’s words.

”If you don’t believe me, you can ask her.”

Izel raised an eyebrow. ”Do you think we’re a bunch of idiots... She’s not even here anyway.”

I smiled and gestured behind them with my head. ”No, she’s here.”

”Oh...”

Their expressions froze before Izel and the others turned their heads to find Alicia standing there, calm and silent, her crimson eyes staring directly at me... probably because I had just pointed at her.

Izel displayed an unusual amount of tact as she quickly recovered.

”Hello, Vice Principal.”

Alicia’s gaze shifted toward her without answering. Instead, she walked over to the other single-seat sofa before sitting down.

Her crimson eyes swept across everyone with a calm and indifferent look... If I didn’t know her a little, I would’ve said she was trying to intimidate them.

Well, I wouldn’t be surprised by that. We had obviously been talking about her, and no one would like that.

Silence filled the room while the others remained frozen in tension as though they were undergoing a silent interrogation.

But Alicia soon broke it, ignoring what had happened earlier.

”I have good news for all of you.”

The moment she said that, everyone knew what the news was.

”Can we go home?” Elliot asked excitedly.

Alicia nodded calmly. ”Tomorrow.”

”Wow... That’s much faster than I expected,” I muttered.

Happy expressions appeared on everyone’s faces, even Kyle, who had been tense the entire time.

But unlike the others, Ellen wasn’t. She looked nervous and even afraid.

Before anyone could start jumping around or saying anything, Alicia interrupted them.

”But there are things you must follow.”

Well, that was obvious, so everyone paid attention to what she was about to say.

”First, you are to conceal the truth of what was written in those ruins and not speak of it... I will decide who knows and who doesn’t.”

She looked at me as she continued. ”Second, you appeared near the Axis because of the Relic it possesses, which caused the gate to throw you here instead of into someone’s room.”

”Third, keep the details of what happened to yourselves, especially how you disappeared and how you returned.”

”Other than those things, you may tell your parents whatever you want... and only your parents. Don’t go around telling this story to everyone you meet.”

In short, it was almost the same thing I had warned the others not to do... and it was the best course of action.

There was no way to hide the fact that we had been thrown into the Ancient Earth, or the method of our return, or even what had happened there.

Maybe if it had only been Kyle and me, it would’ve been possible, but for the others it was nearly impossible.

After all, their families and the Axis had invested enormous resources into searching for us.

And it would be appropriate to say that the Relic the Axis possessed had altered the gate and caused it to throw us here... After all, no one would come interrogate me about where I got it from... Well, I didn’t literally have it, only the tattoo.

Alicia sighed. ”I hope this is clear, and that there will be no need for additional measures.”

I felt a chill when she said that last part. Even the others shivered in their places... She probably intended to erase their memories regarding the part about the ruins. It seemed fitting for her personality.

”Stay here tonight, and I’ll inform your families tomorrow.”

With those words, she vanished from her spot, leaving us alone.

Honestly, that’s an amazing way to leave. I want a teleportation ability too, or something similar. You could escape every awkward situation and ignore everyone.

I pointed toward the place where she had been sitting.

”Well, you heard her... and you’re smart enough to know what should be said and what shouldn’t.”

No one responded to my words.

Instead, each of them sat there with their own thoughts.

Leona smiled softly while Izel muttered, ”Finally.”

Elliot clasped his hands together in deep thought, while Ellen stared into the distance with nervous eyes, and at the same time Kyle tapped his foot against the floor with a hand on his chin.

Well, they had things occupying their minds now.

...

The sun rose, illuminating the streets of the Axis while students walked here and there in their academy uniforms just like on previous days.

But today was somewhat different.

News of the missing students’ return had reached their families before beginning to spread rapidly everywhere... Well, in this era, a single post on social media was enough for everyone to know.

Some attendants had already come to take Ellen back to the capital, while Kyle had left after obtaining Alicia’s permission.

The moment the parents heard their children had returned, they rushed to contact them and go meet them, but Alicia hadn’t given them any time to do so.

In the rear garden filled with grass and crisscrossing pathways, space distorted as Alicia appeared before the Ashvil family’s mansion.

But of course, she hadn’t come alone, because beside her stood Izel like a statue incapable of moving.

Alicia didn’t pay much attention to this and disappeared after delivering the girl to her home, leaving her standing there alone.

With wide eyes, Izel looked around at the familiar garden, noticing people moving in the distance and carrying out their daily tasks, unaware of her presence.

Her breathing quickened and grew heavy while a feeling of weakness spread through her limbs... It wasn’t fear, but it wasn’t joy either.

It was something in between... like shock.

’My home.’

Gathering her strength, she stepped toward the door a few meters away... It was close, yet also impossibly far.

With every step, her eyes felt hotter while her limbs tingled more, as though her blood refused to reach them.

She reached the door, ready to push it open, but someone opened it first as a familiar voice entered Izel’s ears... A voice she had missed and believed she would never hear again.

”Contact them and have the gate prepared before—”

The woman’s words stopped on her tongue when she saw Izel. The man behind her froze in place as the papers in his hands fell to the ground.

Claire blinked in disbelief as she stared at the girl before her, then stretched her hands toward her, afraid she might disappear again.

”Izell...”

At that moment, Izel felt all strength leave her body.

A large smile formed on her beautiful face while tears shimmered in her eyes, and she felt a lump form in her throat.

Without hesitation, Claire pulled her daughter into her arms, holding her tightly.

”Izel... Izel, my dear...”

Over her mother’s shoulder, Izel saw her father, a wide smile on his exhausted face as he approached and embraced them both.

”You’ve returned, little one.”

At that moment, the small family was reunited once again, not for sorrow and pain like before, but for something else...

Izel struggled against the choking feeling in her throat as her words came out soft and weak.

”Mom... Dad... I’ve returned.”