I Am The Game's Villain

Chapter 890: Vesterra

It was one of the most beautiful islands in all of Edenis Raphiel.

That was saying something.

The floating archipelago was filled with islands known for their breathtaking landscapes, ancient architecture, and cultures so distinct that traveling between them often felt like crossing into entirely different kingdoms.

Yet even among those islands, Vesterra stood apart.

It possessed an aesthetic unlike any other.

The city was ruled by elves, and the influence of their people could be seen in every street, bridge, garden, and tower rising across the island.

By the standards of Edenis Raphiel, Vesterra was still a relatively ‘recent’ island.

Before it became what it was today, it had been far less remarkable.

Its previous ruler had belonged to an old family from Edenis Raphiel. He had governed the island for many years, but he had no suitable successor. Whether he had never had children, or whether the few descendants he possessed had simply refused to inherit the island, Edward did not know.

Perhaps they had not considered Vesterra worth inheriting.

At the time, most people preferred the higher islands.

Places such as Ophirion and other renowned territories closer to the sunlight, where powerful families, royal houses, wealthy merchants, and influential organizations gathered. Compared to those celebrated places, Vesterra had once seemed quiet, ordinary, and easy to overlook.

Eventually, the old ruler understood that he would die without anyone willing to take his place.

So, around a hundred and fifty years ago, he did something unusual.

He put the island up for sale.

Not merely a residence or part of its land.

The entire rulership of Vesterra.

The ownership.

The responsibility of governing it.

Surprisingly, he received an offer very quickly.

The people who made that offer were not from Edenis Raphiel.

They came from Sancta Vedelia.

A young elven couple purchased the island.

They were kind, respectful, and wealthy enough to make a serious proposal. The old ruler had apparently taken a liking to them from their first meeting, and he did not hesitate long before accepting their offer.

The couple had treated him well in return.

They allowed him to remain in his old castle for the rest of his life rather than forcing him from the place he had ruled for so long. They even accepted his final wish, to be buried within the land that had belonged to him.

After his death, they built a monument in his memory.

Not because they were forced to.

Not because the people of Vesterra demanded it.

But because they wished for the former ruler to be remembered.

Then the young elven couple began transforming the island.

They spent nearly all of their remaining wealth rebuilding Vesterra in the image they had envisioned. The old streets were expanded and redesigned. Gardens were cultivated across the city. Bridges, towers, homes, and public buildings rose in an elegant elven style that gave the island a beauty it had never possessed before.

Within twenty-five years, Vesterra had changed so completely that someone who had known the island in its earlier days would barely have recognized it.

And over the century and a half that followed, it became even more magnificent.

Edward walked through the streets of Vesterra quietly, observing the city around him.

The pathways had definitely elven feeling.

Tall trees grew naturally along the roads, their branches curving over the streets as though they had been shaped by careful hands rather than nature. Pale stone bridges crossed narrow waterways, while vines climbed the sides of elegant buildings that blended traditional elven architecture with the more modern style of Edenis Raphiel.

The city did not feel ancient.

Nor did it feel entirely modern.

It was a careful balance between both.

Beautiful, certainly.

But Edward had not come to Vesterra merely to admire its appearance.

The Teraquin family was here.

And if there was one place the Teraquin royal family would choose as a residence whenever they stayed in Edenis Raphiel, it was Vesterra.

The reason was simple.

The young couple who had first purchased the island had belonged to two royal elven bloodlines.

The man had been a prince of House Teraquin.

The woman had been a princess of House Elaryon.

They were the youngest children of their respective families, far from the center of succession and unlikely to inherit meaningful power in Sancta Vedelia. They had fallen in love, but neither of them wished to spend the rest of their lives trapped within royal courts, endless ceremonies, family expectations, and political struggles.

So they had decided to leave.

When they learned that Vesterra was being offered for sale, they seized the opportunity immediately.

Their families had helped them pay for the island.

Partly because they wished to make their children happy.

But also because neither of the two royal elven houses could ignore the value of owning territory in Edenis Raphiel. An island in the floating archipelago was not merely a beautiful place to visit, it was influence, protection, trade, and a position above the conflicts of the kingdoms below.

The agreement had benefited everyone.

Since then, the descendants of the young couple had ruled Vesterra.

And the island had become a favored place for both House Teraquin and House Elaryon.

Whenever members of either royal family came to Edenis Raphiel, they could stay in Vesterra without concern.

There, among descendants of their own bloodline, they would be welcomed with the respect expected of elven royalty.

Regardless of everything that had happened, Edward finally came today, just as he had promised Alvara.

Yesterday, he had taken the day off.

He had spent most of it with Levina, who had finally met her two new siblings and, in the process, had also gotten the chance to spend some time with the others. It had been a relatively peaceful day, one Edward had deliberately set aside for her.

But today belonged to Alvara.

Walking toward the large mansion where the Teraquin Family was currently staying, Edward eventually reached the estate and stopped for a moment to observe the surroundings.

The mansion was large.

Elegant walls surrounded the entire property, with tall gates at the front and numerous guards stationed around the perimeter. It was obvious that the Teraquin Family wasn’t taking security lightly, especially with so many important figures gathered inside.

Edward looked at the guards.

Then at the gates.

Then back at the mansion.

There was no reason to make things more complicated than necessary.

Instead of approaching the entrance, Edward simply turned around the outer wall, walked a short distance away, and then suddenly leaped.

His body shot over the tall gates easily.

A moment later, he landed silently on the other side.

Edward glanced down at the ground.

No barrier.

At least not one covering the immediate area.

That would spare him the annoyance of triggering some unnecessary alarm.

He turned around and began walking toward the mansion.

However, he hadn’t taken more than a few steps when he suddenly stopped.

A woman was standing nearby.

She had frozen completely.

She was a beautiful elf woman with long green hair flowing down her back and bright green eyes. Her expression had initially been one of confusion, but the moment her gaze settled on Edward’s hooded figure, that confusion quickly turned into alarm.

The silver eyes beneath his hood looked cold.

The woman’s body stiffened.

“I—Intruder!”

She immediately turned around and shouted.

(I knew it would happen, Master.)

Before she could get any further, Edward disappeared from where he had been standing.

The woman barely had time to react before he appeared directly in front of her.

She gasped and instinctively stepped backward.

Edward stared at her calmly.

“I am not an intruder.”

His voice was as indifferent as ever.

“Where is Alvara?”

The woman stared at him.

“You—you think I will tell a stranger like you where she is?!”

She tried to maintain her composure, glaring at him despite the nervousness in her eyes.

Edward’s expression barely changed.

“Alvara is my wife.”

He narrowed his eyes slightly before reaching up and lowering his hood.

The woman’s face immediately went pale.

“Y—you…”

She stared at him.

Her eyes widened as recognition slowly settled in.

“You are…”

She swallowed.

“…him…you were the one from Vanadias… and the Utopian King now…”

“What about Vanadias?”

“We met there…”

The woman hurriedly corrected herself, realizing that she had his attention.

“I—I am Neia from the Teraquin House. The second princess.”

Edward stared at her for several seconds.

“Good for you.”

He simply walked past her.

Neia’s mouth opened slightly.

She stared at his back in disbelief before hurriedly following him.

“I—I was with my cousins…”

Edward continued walking.

“We were bothering Bryelle.”

He stopped.

That finally caught his attention.

Edward turned his head toward her.

For a moment, he stared at Neia again.

Then the memory became clearer.

A group of young elves.

Bryelle.

The bullying.

Edward looked at Neia once more.

She did seem somewhat familiar now.

His expression remained completely indifferent however.

“I remember.”

Neia’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

But then Edward added,

“Yeah. I remember you only from that moment.”

His tone was so dry that the words sounded almost sarcastic.

Neia’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“That… was our fault.”

She lowered her head.

“I apologized for our behavior.”

Edward looked forward again.

“Where is Alvara?”

Neia blinked.

He genuinely didn’t care.

Or, at the very least, he didn’t care enough to discuss it.

“Yes…”

She nodded and decided to lead him herself.

As she walked ahead of him, Neia couldn’t help stealing a few glances backward.

She wanted to say something.

If this were the Edward she had briefly encountered before, perhaps she would have been able to speak more.

But this Edward was different.

Just standing near him made her nervous.

Extremely nervous.

His presence wasn’t loud or aggressive.

That was what made it worse.

Still, after several moments of silence, curiosity eventually won over her fear.

“Um…”

She continued walking without turning around.

“You said you were Alvara was your wife? I don’t think Alvara is married yet, however…”

Neia hesitated.

His declaration was outrageous.

Almost disrespectful.

No one would dare to casually announce that Alvara was already his wife without the Teraquin Family’s agreement.

Except, apparently, Edward.

Edward didn’t bother answering.

Neia bit her lip before continuing.

“If you really are the Utopian King, there have been talks about a marriage between Alvara and a House of Sancta Vedelia. Considering the current relations between both—”

“I couldn’t care less about Sancta Vedelia.”

Edward cut her off without even slowing down.

Neia flinched.

“Or anyone else’s wishes.”

His silver eyes became colder.

“Alvara is already mine.”

He paused for a moment.

“Whether your family gives its agreement or whatever the hell it is they think they need to give me, it doesn’t matter.”

Neia stared ahead.

“R-Right…”

She gave a small, nervous nod.

After that, she wisely decided to keep quiet.

Eventually, the mansion disappeared behind them as Neia led him toward the backyard.

“She went to see the gardens outside with Bryelle,” Neia explained.

Edward simply nodded.

He followed her.

The gardens were large and beautifully maintained, filled with carefully arranged flower beds, winding paths, and several elegant trees that provided shade over portions of the grounds.

Edward didn’t pay much attention to any of it.

His eyes were already searching.

And it didn’t take long.

He spotted her.

Alvara stood among the flowers.

She looked almost like she belonged there.

She wore a beautiful green gown that flowed elegantly around her figure, its color blending naturally with her long green hair. Her usual graceful and almost untouchable elven beauty was present as always, but there was something softer about her expression as she examined one of the flowers in front of her.

Then, she suddenly stopped.

As though she had sensed something.

Alvara turned around.

Her eyes widened.

Edward.

He had told her he would come today.

But he hadn’t given her a specific hour.

Perhaps, somewhere in the back of her mind, she had expected him to take another day.

To spend more time with Levina and the others.

Yet here he was.

Her lips parted slightly.

“My love…”

The moment those words left her lips, Edward’s figure vanished.

Neia barely even saw him move.

One instant he was several meters away.

The next, he was standing beside Alvara.

His arm wrapped around her back, pulling her close as he embraced her without hesitation.

Alvara’s cheeks immediately flushed.

“You came…”

Her hands rested gently against his chest.

“As promised.”

Edward said, his eyes staring right into her.

Alvara smiled.

There was genuine happiness in her eyes.

“Have you had a good time?”

Edward looked down at her.

“Without you…it did feel like something was missing.”

Alvara’s smile widened a bit.

Edward leaned down.

She closed her eyes shyly.

Their lips met.

Neia stood several steps away, staring at them in complete and utter shock.

She had never seen Alvara behave like this.

The woman in Edward’s arms looked nothing like the cold, proud, and occasionally ruthless elf princess that Neia knew.

She looked like a girl in love.

A girl who had completely forgotten about everything around her because the person she loved had finally arrived.

Neia had seen Alvara display affection toward Bryelle before. There was a warmth between the sisters that Neia understood.

But this was different.

Completely different.

There was something much deeper in the way Alvara looked at Edward.

Neia had heard about their relationship.

Everyone had.

The human who had somehow captured the heart of the Teraquin Elf Princess who hated every other races especially humans.

But hearing rumors was one thing.

Seeing it with her own eyes was another.

Neia stared at Edward.

Then at Alvara.

Before, there had been an obvious difference between them.

Alvara was an elf, and even among elves, she possessed an almost otherworldly beauty.

Edward, meanwhile, had been a human though he looked clearly above the rest.

But now…

Neia wasn’t sure that word suited him anymore.

There was something about Edward that made the distinction meaningless.

Standing together like this, the two of them looked almost perfectly matched.

Their appearances.

Their presence.

It was as though they had been made for one another.

Then a cheerful voice suddenly rang out from behind them.

“Big sister!”

The sound of wheels moving through the grass followed the voice.

Edward and Alvara both turned.

A beautiful young girl appeared in the garden, her long blond-green hair flowing behind her and her bright green eyes immediately searching for Alvara.

It was Bryelle.

She had been approaching them in her wheelchair, but the moment she saw the scene before her, she suddenly froze.

Her eyes widened.

Alvara was standing in the arms of a man.

But then Bryelle recognized exactly who that man was.

Her expression immediately brightened.

A huge smile spread across her face.

“Y-You are here…”

Bryelle’s voice carried a mixture of surprise and happiness as she began moving the wheels of her wheelchair, slowly making her way closer to them.

Edward looked at her.

She had certainly grown since the last time he had seen her.

The change wasn’t dramatic, but it was enough to make him notice. She looked a little older now, her features more mature, though she still carried the same gentle expression he remembered.

When she finally stopped in front of him, Bryelle hesitated.

“Um…”

She glanced toward Alvara, then back at Edward.

“Brother-in-law?”

Edward stared at her for a moment.

“You can call me Edward.”

Bryelle’s expression immediately brightened.

“Then… Lord Edward.”

She beamed at him.

Edward didn’t correct her.

Instead, his gaze slowly moved downward.

Toward her legs.

His expression changed slightly.

Without saying anything, Edward suddenly lowered himself onto one knee.

Bryelle blinked.

“E-Edward?”

Edward reached toward her leg.

“I’ll just get a look at them.”

He raised his gaze toward her.

His silver eyes met hers.

Bryelle froze.

For some reason, whenever she looked directly into those eyes, she felt as though it was impossible to refuse him.

“Yes…”

She nodded timidly.

Edward gently took hold of her leg.

His movements were careful, almost surprisingly gentle considering the strength in his hands.

He reached for the silk fabric covering her leg and slowly pulled it downward, revealing her skin all the way to her ankle.

The scars became visible.

They were old, but they had left their mark.

Several ugly lines ran across her skin, reminders of the injuries that had taken away her ability to walk normally.

Bryelle immediately turned her face away.

Her hands tightened around the armrests of her wheelchair.

She couldn’t look at them. She never could. Every time she saw those scars, she remembered that day.

The pain, the fear, the helplessness.

The moment everything had changed.

Behind Edward, Alvara’s expression became colder.

Her eyes fixed on the scars.

There was no anger in her words, but the temperature of her gaze seemed to drop.

She hated seeing those marks on her little sister.

Bryelle tried to hide her embarrassment with a small smile.

“They’re ugly, Lord Edward…”

She looked away.

“You shouldn’t look at them too much.”

Edward raised his gaze toward her.

Bryelle immediately turned her face further away, her cheeks becoming slightly red.

But Edward didn’t say anything.

He simply lowered his gaze again.

After examining her leg for another moment, he carefully pulled the silk fabric back into place.

Then he gently lowered her leg.

He rose to his feet.

Bryelle looked at him again, uncertain of what he had thought.

Edward turned toward Alvara.

“The Saintess will be able to heal her legs.”

Alvara’s eyes widened.

“Really?”

Edward nodded.

“Yes.”

Hope immediately appeared in Alvara’s expression.

She looked toward Bryelle.

For years, her little sister had been confined to that wheelchair. They had learned to live with it, but that didn’t mean Alvara had ever accepted it.

She had always wanted to see Bryelle walk again.

“How long will it take for them to accept our request?” Alvara asked.

Her expression quickly became more serious.

The Saintess’s sacred power was extraordinarily valuable.

There were restrictions surrounding its use, and the Holy Church certainly wouldn’t allow someone to casually request a miracle simply because they possessed enough influence to ask.

Edward, however, didn’t seem concerned.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll ask Maria directly.”

Alvara blinked.

Then she slowly turned her eyes toward him.

“You know her as well?”

There was something cold in her gaze.

Edward noticed it immediately.

A faint smile curled his lips.

He stepped closer to her.

“My dear Freydis…”

His hand reached toward her cheek.

Alvara’s eyes widened slightly as his fingers rested against her skin.

“Do you wish me to show you just how much I love you?”

His smile became a little more mischievous.

“Just pick a room.”

His hand on her cheek tightened slightly.

Alvara’s entire face flushed.

She immediately pushed both hands against his chest.

“This is not the time, my love.”