I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 885: Falkrona Sovereign House

Heading toward the room prepared for her, Belle simply took a bath and changed into a resplendent gown.

For such a rare family reunion, she couldn’t exactly afford to look careless.

Almost all of her siblings would be present.

Everyone except Thomen...

The thought briefly made her expression fall.

She quickly pushed it aside.

Tonight was supposed to be a family gathering, and despite everything that had happened between them, Belle still wanted to make an effort.

After all, it wasn’t every day that the entire Falkrona family gathered around the same table.

She had already avoided talking much about Edward ever since his his new position as the Guardian of the Holy Tree.

But this time, she couldn’t avoid the subject anymore.

She knew there would be questions.

And honestly, she would have to be truthful.

There was no point hiding things from her family forever.

Once she was finished preparing herself, Belle left the room and was guided toward the dinner hall by one of the servants.

The further she walked, the more familiar the mansion became.

Eventually, she arrived in front of the large doors leading into the dinner hall.

The servants immediately opened them for her.

The wide interior of the hall was revealed.

Belle stepped inside.

Her gaze swept across the room.

And there they were.

Her family.

Most of the familiar faces were already seated around the long table.

It seemed she was a little late.

The moment she entered, the doors closed behind her.

Almost immediately, several pairs of eyes turned toward her.

"Don’t you have the decency to arrive at least on time once?"

The cold voice immediately caught Belle’s attention.

She turned toward the speaker.

It was her older sister.

Rosalyn Falkrona.

Waylen’s second child and the only daughter among Belle’s siblings.

And, perhaps, the sibling who disliked Belle the most.

Rosalyn was beautiful, quite a lot.

She didn’t look anywhere near old enough to already have two children, though compared to Belle, there was a maturity to her appearance that made the difference in their ages obvious.

Her grey hair reached nearly to her shoulders, falling neatly around her face.

Her cold grey eyes were fixed on Belle with a stern and critical expression.

Belle merely smiled faintly.

"Come on, sister. You shouldn’t treat our long-lost sister like this."

The one who spoke next was none other than her second brother.

Isaak Falkrona.

Waylen’s second son.

He chuckled softly, wearing a slightly playful smile that made him stand out among the rest of the family.

Unlike most of his siblings, Isaak was quite expressive.

His grey hair was a little longer than the others’, falling in slightly wavy strands around his face.

Rosalyn didn’t bother answering him.

That alone said quite a lot.

Normally, Belle wouldn’t have been surprised if Rosalyn had thrown some sarcastic remark back at him.

But Isaak was different.

He was probably her favorite brother.

Whether that affection was genuine or simply because Isaak was the obedient brother who had supported her claim to become the next Head of the Falkrona Household...

Even Belle wasn’t entirely sure.

She knew Isaak was close to Rosalyn.

Close enough that it sometimes made it difficult to tell whether she genuinely favored him as her brother or simply appreciated having someone who supported her ambitions.

Belle didn’t think too deeply about it.

"Daughter."

The calm voice came from the head of the table.

Belle’s gaze shifted toward the man sitting there.

Her father.

Waylen Falkrona.

The Supreme Head of the Falkrona Household.

Just sitting there, he possessed an aura that made it easy to understand why he was regarded as one of the mightiest men in the world.

Power.

Influence.

Strength.

Politics.

He possessed all of them.

His grey hair was long and pulled back neatly, while his sharp grey eyes usually carried a cold and intimidating presence that made even experienced nobles feel uncomfortable under his gaze.

Yet when those eyes landed on Belle...

They softened ever so slightly.

So slightly that someone who didn’t know him might not have even noticed.

But Belle did.

She had known him for far too long.

"Father."

Belle respectfully greeted him before walking toward her seat.

She took the place beside Silas, her oldest brother, who was seated on Waylen’s right.

Rosalyn was seated on Waylen’s left, with Isaak beside her.

"Brother."

Belle greeted Silas as well.

Silas looked the most like their father out of all the siblings.

The same hair style.

The same sharp features.

The same intimidating eyes.

The only major difference was that Waylen had a beard.

"Belle."

Silas gave her a small nod and a brief glance before looking away again.

And then silence.

An awkward tense silence filled the dinner hall.

Belle sat there without knowing what to say.

She wasn’t used to this.

Or at least, she didn’t want to admit that she was.

Actually, she had forgotten just how tense these family dinners could be.

It had been years since she had sat around this table.

Years since she had been forced to endure the uncomfortable atmosphere that seemed to naturally form whenever the Falkrona siblings were gathered together.

She had escaped this family.

She had built a life somewhere else.

Yet now she was back.

And somehow, the same suffocating feeling returned almost immediately.

Belle swallowed.

She glanced around the table.

Nobody seemed particularly interested in starting a conversation.

’Save me, Thomen.’

She silently pleaded toward her deceased third brother.

A bitter nostalgia filled her chest.

Thomen had always been like her in these situations.

Awkward and uncomfortable.

Never knowing what to say during these tense family dinners.

But whenever Belle was younger, he had always reassured her.

Perhaps because she was the youngest.

Perhaps because there was such a large age gap between her and the oldest of their siblings.

Or perhaps simply because Thomen had always been the kindest among them.

He had understood her better than most.

Now, he wasn’t here anymore.

Belle’s fingers tightened slightly beneath the table.

She quickly pushed those thoughts aside before clearing her throat.

Looking around the table, she decided to at least say something.

"Kleines isn’t here?"

She was certain everyone had been called.

Before anyone could answer, however, the large doors behind them suddenly opened.

Every gaze in the room turned toward them.

As if summoned by Belle’s words, Kleines Falkrona arrived.

Waylen’s last son.

Belle’s fourth brother.

And the famous genius child of the Falkrona Household.

Kleines had earned that reputation from an incredibly young age because of his unusually early awakening of the Core Falkrona Bloodline.

Even among the extraordinary bloodline of the Falkrona House...

Kleines had always been considered special.

Though ever since Kleines had left, married Alea, and eventually disappeared into Sancta Vedelia, things between him and the Falkrona House had become quite tense.

His departure had already been difficult enough.

His marriage to a woman from Sancta Vedelia had only made things worse.

And then he had vanished entirely.

Speaking of Alea... she was there as well.

The moment Rosalyn noticed her, her expression immediately darkened.

"It’s a dinner between family. What is she doing here?"

Her eyes narrowed coldly as they fell on Alea.

"Alea is my wife. She is part of the family."

Kleines answered without hesitation.

Alea, meanwhile, simply walked beside him.

She completely ignored Rosalyn’s cold gaze as though the woman wasn’t even there.

"Let it be."

Waylen said.

"Lord Falkrona."

Alea respectfully greeted Waylen before walking over and taking the seat beside Belle.

"Father."

Kleines gave his own brief greeting before taking the seat beside his wife.

Rosalyn, however, clearly wasn’t willing to let the matter go.

"This is ridiculous. We weren’t supposed to talk about anything outside our family matters. What does a noble from Sancta Vedelia have to do with this?"

Her voice was filled with annoyance.

"I do have to agree with our dear sister here."

Isaak nodded.

"She may be Kleines’s wife, but she is still an outsider. I wanted a dinner with our family only. It has been a while, after all."

Alea remained completely silent.

Kleines sighed.

"If Alea bothers you that much, then I’ll leave."

His gaze shifted toward Waylen.

"I came here only because of your word, Father."

"Leave, and take that woman away with you. Yes."

Rosalyn’s voice became even colder.

"And don’t dare put a foot into our home again."

There wasn’t even a trace of pity in her words.

Kleines simply sighed again.

"What are you so angry about, Sister?"

His expression remained surprisingly calm.

"That I left for Sancta Vedelia? Please. I’m sure me leaving that day was probably one of the best days of your life."

Rosalyn’s eyes narrowed.

"I was too much of a threat to your ambitions, after all."

She didn’t answer.

Kleines leaned back slightly.

"And if this is about my disappearance... or my supposed death..."

His gaze swept across the table.

"I’m sure our dear father can answer what happened."

His expression became colder.

"And why I was alive."

He paused.

"Because I did die that day."

A long silence fell over the dinner hall.

"Enough."

Silas’s voice cut through the room.

"You won’t say another word."

Kleines turned his head toward his oldest brother.

For a moment, the two simply stared at one another.

"I heard you awakened the Core Bloodline as well, Brother."

Kleines’s expression didn’t change.

"I’m glad for you."

Silas’s eyes narrowed.

"But I had to reveal the secret to my wife."

Silence fell at his words.

The atmosphere in the room changed instantly.

Rosalyn’s cold expression became even sterner as she turned toward Silas.

Waylen remained completely silent.

Kleines simply looked around the table.

Belle slowly sighed, clearly confused.

"Listen, Father."

She looked directly toward Waylen.

"It was hard when I heard Kleines had died."

Her gaze briefly shifted toward Rosalyn.

"At least, it was for me."

She then looked back toward her father.

"And then he suddenly appeared out of nowhere, alive. You seem to have known something. You knew something about what happened to him. I think we have the right to know what actually happened."

"I agree with little sister."

Isaak nodded, his playful expression gone now.

"I’m curious as well. And judging by the reactions here, it seems Silas and Rosalyn know quite a bit too."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Waylen remained silent for several seconds.

The table waited.

Eventually, he spoke.

"Kleines did die."

His voice was calm.

"And he had no more Wings. That is true."

Belle listened carefully.

"He was buried as well."

Kleines’s expression didn’t change.

Waylen paused.

His gaze shifted toward Alea.

She remained silent.

There was no point hiding the truth from her anymore.

Kleines had already told her everything.

Still, this was a secret that belonged to the Falkrona Family.

Only those who possessed the Core Bloodline were supposed to know the truth.

"However," Waylen continued, "an owner of the Core Bloodline can sometimes be brought back."

Belle’s eyes widened slightly.

"It all depends on the person, the circumstances, and the odds. Time is also required."

He continued calmly.

"I had Kleines’s body brought back and began what was necessary to restore him." Waylen paused. "However, his body was stolen before the process could be completed."

"Stolen?"

Kleines scoffed.

"I ran away, Father."

Everyone looked toward him.

"I made sure it would be difficult for anyone to discover that I was alive."

He could have revealed himself.

He could have returned to the Falkrona House and demanded answers.

But he hadn’t.

Instead, he had remained in the shadows, staying hidden.

"Why would you do that?"

Belle asked, frowning.

She could somewhat accept what Waylen had explained.

The Core Bloodline seemed similar to the Wings Krona in some ways, except it was clearly something far more extraordinary.

But she couldn’t understand why Kleines had gone so far as to disappear and hide himself from everyone.

Kleines’s expression became serious.

"That day..."

He looked around the table.

"I was killed by a member of the Falkrona House."

Everyone froze.

"And that person possessed the Core Bloodline."

Shock spread across the dinner table.

For the first time since arriving, Belle didn’t know what to say.

Kleines slowly swept his gaze across his siblings before continuing.

"I had no trust in anyone here. So I left."

Rosalyn immediately spoke.

"Weren’t you killed pathetically by your new friends in Sancta Vedelia?" She asked, sneering.

Kleines looked toward her.

"Dereck Zestella took part in it yes and he was helped by others."

Kleines’s eyes narrowed.

"While trying to find out what happened to Amael and why his health had suddenly deteriorated from sickness and poison, I discovered the truth about the death of the previous Prophetess, Sara Oceania."

Belle’s expression changed.

"Others figures were involved as well."

Kleines continued.

"They didn’t want the matter to become public."

His fingers tightened slightly.

"And then that person appeared."

He paused.

"I don’t know all the details."

Kleines’s grey eyes suddenly began to change.

Silver light emerged within them and his pupils narrowed.

"But I know one thing."

His voice became colder.

"The man responsible for what happened to me...was also responsible for my son’s sudden worsening. He was a member of the Falkrona House."

Kleines’s silver eyes swept across everyone.

"And he possessed the Core Bloodline. Someone with enough influence to come into contact with the Heads of Sancta Vedelia. Someone strong. Someone with one of the purest Falkrona bloodlines."

"Are you accusing us?" Silas asked coldly.

"I am."

Kleines didn’t even hesitate.

Rosalyn slowly shook her head. "You came all this way just to spit out such nonsense and accuse us?"

Her expression was filled with disdain.

"Why would any of us even want to see you again when we had finally gotten rid of your useless self from this family?"

Isaak couldn’t help but laugh when he heard that.

However, the moment Waylen’s cold gaze landed on him, his laughter quickly died down.

He cleared his throat and looked away.

Kleines, meanwhile, remained completely unfazed by Rosalyn’s words.

"Who knows?"

He leaned back slightly.

"My son was certainly special from birth, and I was still a threat to everyone here."

His eyes narrowed.

"Unfortunately, I don’t know much about that person. Not even their gender."

His gaze shifted sharply toward Rosalyn.

The implication was obvious.

"Father."

Rosalyn’s expression darkened.

Having heard enough, she turned toward Waylen.

"Please, stop this nonsense."

Waylen didn’t immediately answer, instead his eyes remained on Kleines.

"You couldn’t have escaped alone that day," he said. "You received help. From the Iris Project, perhaps?"

Kleines’s fists slowly clenched against the table.

"Or maybe another member of the House helped you?"

The moment those words left Waylen’s mouth, Kleines’s expression hardened.

"I am telling you that someone possessing the Core Bloodline killed your son and potentially triggered your grandson’s sickness."

His eyes glowed faintly with silver light.

"And you’re questioning me, Father?"

"Back then, nobody possessed the Core Bloodline except Father and you," Rosalyn cut him off.

"So are you accusing him?"

Kleines stared at her.

"I could have been any one of you. I won’t believe any of your words."

He looked around the table.

"You might as well be hiding the fact that you’ve awakened it yourselves."

The tension became unbearable at that point.

"The rebirth must have driven him insane."

Rosalyn grimaced in disgust.

"I see no other explanation."

Kleines’s expression twitched slightly.

Isaak sighed.

"I’m sorry, Brother, but I really don’t like you accusing us out of nowhere," he said. "Maybe the person who killed you was Thomen in the end?"

"Isaak!"

Belle immediately called out, her voice much stronger than before.

Isaak raised both hands with an apologetic smile.

"My apologies, dear sister."

He gave a small shrug.

"That was a bit too far."

Belle glared at him.

The atmosphere around the table couldn’t have become any worse.

Everyone sat in silence.

No one seemed willing to speak.

Waylen finally broke that silence.

"I would know if any of my children had awakened the Core Bloodline."

His words were simple.

That alone shut down whatever theory Kleines had been holding onto.

Kleines merely scoffed.

He clearly didn’t believe them, but he also didn’t argue.

Waylen then shifted his attention away from Kleines.

"We will talk about that matter later."

His eyes turned toward Belle.

"For now, Belle..."

Belle’s expression stiffened.

"You have some explanations to give us," he said. "About that boy."

Everyone’s attention immediately shifted toward her.

Especially Kleines and Alea.

"Edward Falkrona."