I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 884: Erin

"Lady Falkrona."

As Belle descended from the airship, she was immediately greeted by several Falkrona Knights waiting for her at the Skyport.

She gave them a small nod before stepping onto the platform.

The journey had been long, and by the time she finally arrived, the night had already fell over Edenis Raphiel.

The sky above was dark, illuminated by the countless lights scattered across the floating islands and distant cities.

Belle looked around briefly.

She was back in Sky Kronas.

Sky Kronas was the island of Edenis Raphiel that belonged to the Falkrona Household.

It wasn’t simply a piece of land they happened to own.

The island had been given to the Falkrona House more than a thousand years ago as a symbol of friendship and connection between the family and Edenis Raphiel.

It had been granted to the first official head of the Falkrona Household, and over the centuries, the family had continued to develop and invest in it.

Of course, the main branch of the Falkrona family didn’t actually live there.

The island had long been entrusted to distant relatives of the household, who had settled there generations ago.

After more than a thousand years, the bloodline connecting them directly to the main branch had become considerably diluted.

But that didn’t change the most important fact.

Sky Kronas still belonged to the Falkrona Household.

Whenever members of the Falkrona family traveled to Edenis Raphiel for political matters, diplomatic meetings, or simply intended to remain in the kingdom for more than a day, Sky Kronas became their natural residence.

It was almost like having a piece of home in a foreign kingdom.

Tonight, however, Belle wasn’t here for politics.

She had arrived in Edenis Raphiel after a long journey specifically to meet her family.

And, in truth, she couldn’t say she was particularly excited about it.

Her main family was here.

Her father was most likely already occupied with diplomatic discussions with the rulers and officials of Edenis Raphiel.

There couldn’t have been a better time for the Falkrona Household to gather here.

The Holy Academy was about to open.

The Saintess had just been revealed to the world.

Nobles and influential families from across the continent were flooding into Edenis Raphiel.

Of course, Waylen Falkrona wasn’t going to miss such an opportunity.

But Belle wasn’t thinking about politics.

Not tonight.

She wanted to see her mother.

That was the reason she had come.

More than anything else, she wanted to know how she was doing.

Belle would have been furious if her mother had been brought all the way to Edenis Raphiel simply to sit through endless political discussions or attend some unnecessary diplomatic gathering.

But she knew her father better than that.

Waylen hadn’t brought his wife here to involve her in politics.

He had brought her because Edenis Raphiel offered something they desperately needed.

Treatment.

For that reason alone, Belle couldn’t blame him.

She only wished she had been informed sooner.

But there was another reason she had come.

Edward.

Just thinking about his very conspicuous appearance in Veyra was enough to make Belle grimace.

The worst was that he had actually really interrupted the Saintess’s reveal just on a whim upon seeing Edenis Raphiel too happy as he said.

She could only sigh inwardly.

His sudden return had been shocking enough to leave her family with far more questions than answers.

And her father clearly intended to get those answers.

Waylen had summoned her almost immediately.

That alone told Belle everything she needed to know.

He wasn’t going to casually ask what had happened.

He was waiting for an explanation.

A proper one.

And considering the circumstances, Belle had no doubt that the entire family would be involved.

Her father.

Her siblings

She had spent the journey mentally preparing herself for the conversation.

Once she left the Skyport, a waiting car immediately approached.

One of the knights opened the door for her.

"My Lady."

Belle entered without saying much.

The vehicle soon departed, carrying her toward the Falkrona residence.

The streets of Sky Kronas passed outside the window, illuminated by mana lamps and the lights of the various buildings.

Belle remained quiet throughout the journey.

She had visited this place before.

It wasn’t unfamiliar to her.

But it had been a long time.

Long enough that some parts of the island looked different from what she remembered.

Eventually, the car slowed down before a large and elegant mansion.

Belle looked through the window.

At the entrance stood an enormous falcon-shaped structure, its wings spread proudly over the front garden.

The Falkrona crest.

Belle stared at it for a few seconds.

Memories slowly resurfaced.

She had been here before.

Many times, perhaps.

But it had been long enough that the place felt strangely distant.

The car finally came to a stop.

Belle took a slow breath.

And then she stepped out.

The Knights belonging to the Falkrona House bowed their heads as Belle passed by, showing the respect that was expected toward a Princess of the House.

Because Belle was a Princess of the House.

The mighty Falkrona House.

A Sovereign House of the world.

One of the oldest and most powerful Houses that had existed for centuries, its name carrying enough weight that even Kings and Emperors treated it with caution. The Falkrona bloodline had produced countless powerful individuals throughout history, and their influence had spread far beyond their own territory.

For Belle, however, none of that mattered as much as it did to outsiders.

Most of her memories of the House were unpleasant ones.

The constant demand for perfection.

The expectations placed upon every child.

The tension between her siblings, each one trying to prove themselves worthy of carrying the Falkrona name.

And after their mother had fallen bedridden, everything had only gotten worse.

The atmosphere inside the House had become heavier, colder.

Even simple family gatherings had turned into something resembling a battlefield where every word had to be chosen carefully.

Still, not everything about the House had been bad.

Belle knew that.

In fact, she knew she had probably been treated better than most.

Being the youngest had its advantages.

People had spoiled her to some degree, and compared to her siblings, she had been burdened with far fewer expectations. She wasn’t constantly pushed to become stronger or forced to prove herself to their father.

But strangely enough...

That didn’t please Belle at all.

She had never wanted special treatment simply because she was the youngest.

She wanted to be acknowledged for herself.

Perhaps that was one of the reasons she had continued living in Celesta for so long.

Even now, she had no intention of permanently returning to her true home.

Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

When she finally reached the mansion, the guards opened the massive doors for her and stepped aside.

Belle walked inside.

Calling it a mansion felt almost like an understatement.

The building was spacious, with two separate wings extending from the central structure. The interior was just as grand as she remembered.

Belle had visited this place many times when she was younger.

Yet somehow, it felt strangely unfamiliar now.

"Young Lady Falkrona."

The first person to greet her was a middle-aged woman with grey hair tied neatly into a bun. She wore a pair of glasses and had a gentle smile on her lips.

Belle recognized her immediately.

A smile appeared on her face.

"Freda, it has been a while."

"It has, my Lady. And you have become even more beautiful since the last time I saw you."

"I see you’re still an expert at praising and flattering people. I suppose my dear father wouldn’t have kept you around for this long otherwise."

"Perhaps."

Freda chuckled.

There was something comforting about seeing at least one familiar face.

"So..." Belle glanced around the mansion. "Are they all here?"

"They are, my Lady. And luckily, dinner will be ready in about an hour. The Lord has already been informed of your arrival."

"And?"

"He said he will meet his children in the dinner hall."

"I didn’t expect anything less from my father."

Belle sighed.

Even after all this time, that sounded exactly like him.

She had barely arrived, yet there was already a schedule waiting for her.

"I shall rest for a little while," Belle said. "But before that, I wish to see my mother."

"Of course, my Lady."

Freda smiled before turning around and leading Belle deeper into the mansion.

As they walked through the corridors, Belle couldn’t help but notice that most of her siblings seemed to be present.

She didn’t meet any of them, however.

And none of them came to greet her.

Not even a single one.

Considering that they must have already been informed of her arrival, Belle couldn’t help but find it amusing.

"Nothing has really changed..." She muttered with a wry smile.

It was still the same.

Everyone taking care of themselves.

Everyone keeping their distance.

Everyone focused on their own affairs.

Sometimes Belle wondered if her siblings even behaved like siblings anymore.

They acted more like employees competing against one another for a promotion, constantly trying to gain some advantage over the others.

No.

Maybe even that comparison was too generous.

At least employees had to greet one another.

Belle didn’t even receive the bare minimum of that.

Of course, there was another reason.

Everyone probably thought she had abandoned the House.

After all, she had left alongside Thomen and Kleines, choosing to remain in Celesta rather than return home.

From their perspective, perhaps she had simply turned her back on Falkrona.

Belle didn’t blame them entirely.

Still, it saddened her.

A few minutes later, Freda finally brought her to a peculiar chamber located farther away from the main halls.

"My Lady."

Freda bowed before leaving swiftly.

Belle stood in front of the door for a moment.

She took a small breath.

Then she knocked.

There was no answer.

Belle slowly opened the door.

She stepped inside and quietly closed it behind her.

The room was peaceful.

Much quieter than the rest of the mansion.

And it didn’t take long for Belle to find her mother.

Erin was lying on the large bed, her body still looking fragile beneath the sheets.

"Mother."

Belle’s voice was quieter than before as she walked toward her.

For a moment, there was no response.

Then Erin slowly turned her head.

Her grey eyes widened slightly when they landed on her youngest daughter.

A weak smile immediately appeared on her face.

"Belle..."

"M-Mother..."

Belle rushed toward her and sat beside the bed.

She immediately reached out and grasped Erin’s hand.

Her mother’s hand was still thin and weak, but it felt warmer than Belle remembered.

Belle looked at her carefully.

She was still pale and still fragile but she looked better.

Much better than the last time Belle had seen her.

"Are you okay?"

"I am, as you can see."

Erin gave her a small smile.

"The young Saintess passed by."

"The new Saintess?" Belle asked in surprise.

Erin nodded.

"Young indeed, but already as capable as the previous one."

She chuckled softly.

"Then... will you be alright?"

"Perhaps a few more sessions will be necessary, but I already feel much better. There is nothing to worry about."

A few more sessions.

Belle’s expression became complicated.

Even one treatment from the Saintess was considered something incredibly rare.

And expensive.

Not everyone could afford such treatment.

More importantly, the Holy Church didn’t simply allow the Saintess to freely use her divine power whenever someone requested it. Her abilities were sacred, and even nobles and members of powerful Houses couldn’t casually demand her assistance.

Yet her mother had already received treatment.

And the results were obvious.

She really was getting better.

"I am so glad..."

Belle squeezed Erin’s hand.

The relief she had been holding inside her chest finally began to loosen.

Erin smiled.

"I am also happy to see you here, Belle."

She slowly raised her other hand and gently touched Belle’s cheek.

"My daughter... I had thought you had forgotten me."

"I would never forget you, Mother."

Belle’s voice became softer.

Erin’s eyes began to glisten.

"Then come back to us."

She swallowed.

"Please."

Her voice trembled slightly.

"Thomen is no longer there. You are all alone."

"I’m not really alone."

Belle thought of Orlin and Tihana.

"And I have responsibilities there," Belle continued. "I need to take care of Thomen’s territory."

"That place isn’t safe for you."

"Mother..."

"I don’t want to lose any more children."

Erin’s voice was weak.

"And I don’t want to lose any more grandchildren."

Belle fell silent.

She didn’t know what to say.

Because she understood.

Thomen had suffered more than anyone.

His son had died.

His wife had died.

Then his daughter.

And finally...

Thomen himself had died.

An entire family had been taken from him piece by piece.

It was a tragedy that Belle still couldn’t bring herself to fully accept.

Just thinking about it made her eyes sting.

She looked down at her mother’s hand, gently holding it between both of hers.

What had Thomen even done to deserve such cruelty?

What had any of them done?

Belle had no answer.

"I will not die that easily, Mother," Belle said reassuringly, giving Erin’s hand a gentle squeeze.

Erin didn’t answer.

"If you are back in good health, then I will consider it," Belle added.

"Hopefully, I will be by then."

Erin sighed softly.

Belle looked around the room before giving a faint, almost bitter smile.

"I do hope so too. As always, this family looks like a dead one without your voice."

"Don’t say such things."

"I am just being honest."

Belle’s smile disappeared.

"I don’t think you’re aware of exactly how bad things have become here. They’re worse than before, and Father doesn’t exactly help with that."

Erin remained silent.

"Without you by his side, he is too..." Belle paused, searching for the right word.

"Cold."

Her mother lowered her eyes.

"We have lost children, Belle. That is normal."

"Normal?"

Belle’s expression hardened.

"Did he even shed any tears for Thomen? Or Elona?"

"Belle..."

Belle immediately regretted asking.

The words had escaped before she could stop herself.

She bit her lower lip and looked away, refusing to meet her mother’s eyes.

The room became quiet.

"I need to prepare myself for dinner," she finally said, standing up from the chair. "I will come back after."

Erin didn’t stop her.

Belle walked toward the door and opened it quietly.

She glanced back one last time.

Her mother was still lying on the bed, looking much healthier than before but still fragile.

Belle smiled faintly.

"Rest, Mother."

Then she left.

The door closed softly behind her.

Belle stood in the hallway for several seconds before releasing a long sigh.

This house was really depressing.

Far too depressing for her tastes.

Everything felt so cold.

So distant and so empty.

Maybe it had always been like this.

Maybe she simply hadn’t noticed it as much when she was younger.

But after spending so much time away from Falkrona, things were different now.

Belle had experienced what a real family could feel like.

She had tasted the warmth of having people around her who genuinely cared about one another.

Orlin.

Tihana.

Even Edward, who had suddenly returned after all this time and was now surrounded by people who cared about him.

Here...

Belle felt as though she had walked into a beautiful mansion that had been abandoned from the inside.

She had once called Falkrona her home.

But now, standing in those familiar corridors again, Belle couldn’t help but wonder if it really was still her home.