ILLYML – 2

“Serina Melford” is a blessed character who faces death by relying on the villain, the final boss of the novel. She looks like a pure and innocent beauty. From the description of her in the novel, I think she’s a villain.

Long curled eyelashes curled like curves caught people’s eyes at once whenever they blinked. The curving silver hair looked like a thousand sparkles at first glance, and the red-eyed eyes were brighter than any ruby. 

At first, I didn’t realize that this place was a fictional novel or there was a charater “Serina.” 

I thought it was just a dream. 

Then, I felt more and perturbed.

When I was eight years old I had a mental age of twenty. 

In the beginning of my discovery, I felt blessed to be a character named “Serina.” Most of all, my background was made of diamond spoons. 

However, when I found out that my mother was the last boss and ‘king of villains’, I was a little reluctant with a clear understanding that the ending of this novel is when the heroine and the male lead kiss each other at a grand wedding. 

In contrast to that, Serina, a villain of the novel, was hugging a dying man in the bell tower. His name is Alastair Cichelon Ponnell Aguernia. 

The man is a dark horse who lived an unlucky life. 

The Duke of Aguernia was so famous that he belonged to the four largest families of the Empire. With its reputation, there is rumor that the goddess of good fortune guarded the Aguernian family.

The goddess, Ji, has always made Aguernia’s businesses successful. Infinite glory was synonymous with the Aguernian family. 

Nevertheless, after the death of the Duke of Aguernia, their glory and success also followed suit. Aguernia’s new Duke had no talent for business. His business is always failing and there was loss after loss.

Fortunately, the ducal house had accumulated a great deal of wealth so their losses weren’t felt in their day to day lives. 

But slowly a financial crisis loomed like a dark cloud growing heavy with a storm.

The Duke of Aguernia, who continued to engage in business despite his poor ability, suffered more and more losses, and eventually the family’s finances were exhausted. To make matters worse, the luxury of the ducal couple was truly enormous. But the worst was yet to come.

A natural disaster. Seven trade ships from the Aguernian family on their way to the north were hit by the typhoon and sank without leaving a trace. It was something no one had ever predicted. The sinking of seven trading ships is simply a huge blow.

The story stayed in the newspapers for almost a month. Because of this enormous incident, the Duke of Aguernia finances sank with the ships deep in the sea. 

At that time, there was a person who put out a helping hand, the Duchess of Melford. 

The Duke of Melford proposed bestowing a large investment to the Duke of Aguernia for the restart of business. As there is a saying that there is no free lunch in the world, her proposal was conditional.

Send the successor of the Duke of Aguernia to the ducal house of Melford. That was the only term. But if the son of a duke became a plaything of the Duke of Melford, it was no less than that the Aguernians would bow to Melford. 

If it had been yesteryear the pride of the Aguernia house would never have allowed it, but things were different now. In the past, they had money and ability to back up that pride—facts that were absent from the new lord.

So he accepted the offer immediately. The son of the Duke of Aguernia, who was sent to the House of Melford in such a process, was Alastair. 

‘Who knew?’ The fact that the Duchess of Melford was brainwashing his precious son. 

The Duke of Melford, while brainwashing Alastair, did not neglect the education of his successor, which he had begun to receive in Aguernia. 

My brother, Carron, noted this. So he said. -If he’s educated like that and he becomes the Duke of Aguernia, then he’s going to use my sister to gulp down Aguernia. 

He was not wrong. More precisely, that was what the Duke of Melford wanted: a bloodline between Serina and Alastair. 

Alastair was a magic genius. I’ll tell you the amount of mana he has.

It’s impossible to describe. The novel mentions that there is no magician on the continent who can follow Alastair. 

The Duke of Melford wanted his talent. Melford had been the home of wizards and magic for generations, but even the second most powerful wizard was no match for an Alastair. 

The Duke wanted to further her family’s power. That’s why she was brainwashing Alastair.

Obey Melford, love Serina. 

Alastair, who loved Serina dug to his brainwashing, blindly followed her like a faithful dog. 

In the novel Serina used and abused Alastair to the point he was ruined. 

The heroine of the novel, the saint, Juliana, only found out later that he had been brainwashed.

Feeling sorry for him, she released him from his brainwashing. With her remarkable sanctity the no-longer brainwashed Alastair is in a state of tumultuous confusion and Juliana takes care of him. 

Then one day, the Alastair disappears without notice. Juliana searches for him for a long time, worried. But no trace of him is left and in the story he doesn’t show up for a long time.

After time passes, Alastair appears at the end of the story. It was Serina to whom he ran back to and it was her who destroyed him. 

When she sees Alastair, she laughs and destroys him without mercy. Of course, Alastair wasn’t someone she could directly kill. But he died in her hands.

Why did he do that? 

-My lovely, tell me. You wanted to get away from me like that? 

-…. I‘m not sure. 

That was their last line. 

* * * 

-Deng

Three years have passed since then. 

The sound of a bell ringing at the funeral resounded through the forest like an echo. The forest where the funeral was held was as lifeless as a corpse. 

The nobles present expressed their condolences for the deceased and the families of the departed were busy suppressing their grief. 

The star of the funeral was the late Duke of Aguernia, Alastair’s father.

His death was unexpected to everyone. Who knew he would die of a sudden heart attack? 

“I pray for peace for the deceased,” said the Duke of Melford, who approached the Duchess of Aguernia. 

The Duke of Melford consoled her and hosted a perfect imitation of the Duchess of Aguernia’s miserable face. 

“Look at that—tsk tsk… that pretense.”

Disgusted, Carron, my brother and youngest out of my siblings, clicked his tongue and shook his head with disapproval. 

“Seri, what’s going to happen (to him) now?” 

“What’s going to happen? We’re going to go back to our own house…” 

Maxion, who answered on my behalf, came up from behind and squeezed in between Carron and I.

Carron openly ignored Maxion. “He isn’t completely brainwashed, is he? But can’t he  just go?” 

“Do you really think so?” Maxion wondered. 

Only then did Carron nod as if he knew. 

“Then you don’t have to worry.” 

“Seri’s pet is as docile as a trained dog.”

They nodded in agreement. 

Is it because they’re twins? The two of them gritted their teeth every time they saw each other, but in truth, they got along quite well. 

“Hey, but do you know that’s dangerous?” Maxion pointed his finger at the black-haired boy. 

Carron and I naturally followed Maxion’s fingers to where he was pointing at me. We were next to the bawling Duchess. And me, now masquerading as the black-haired boy, froze.

The boy’s indifferent gaze turned to the coffin containing his father. In an atmosphere full of grief, the boy’s seemingly insensitive appearance was somewhat alien. 

As if this situation has nothing to do with him, or is it because of the unique and remarkable appearance that boy has? 

The boy’s red lips were tightly sealed. His eyes, under long eyelashes, searched the funeral hall.

A well-made, beautiful face. 

“What’s dangerous?” 

Maxion, with a stiff look on his face, he stared sharply at the boy. 

“Look at the tip of your hair…” 

The glossy black hair was like soft silk. What does he mean? It’s perfect.

My gaze shifted to the corner of my vision to the tips of my hair. 

The short black hair was gradually turning into a patchwork color. 

It was a subtle change that no one would notice, but at this rate, dark hair will completely turn to my original silver soon. 

“This is crazy.” 

“…..” 

Carron, who grasped the situation, took off his coat. Then he approached the black-haired boy like he was concerned.

“Ek, Alastair. If you’re sad, you can cry as much as you like.” 

Carron hid me with his coat, covering the head of the supposed Alastair. Carron spoke to Alastair very naturally. 

The aristocrats who saw the scene thought kindly upon Carron’s actions. What a thoughtful gesture, to hide Alastair’s tears. 

But the reality was different. Carron only wanted to conceal his dark hair, which was gradually turning into a gray color. 

The boys and I headed out, leaving the funeral.

“…. ” 

“The disguise is so weak, man.”

“That’s why I said no! Seri is good at changing her appearance, so why are you blaming me? Why would she ask Seri to dress up like a man?” 

”Grr…” 

My black hair was now completely mud-colored. 

Someone called out to Alastair..

It was Mikhail. My brother and the eldest son of the Duke of Melford. Mikhail grumbled and covered my mud-colored hair with his body, blocking possible stares.

We looked on from afar at the appetizers, where the Duke of Melford patted the Duchess of Aguernia. The Duchess of Aguernia gave thanks to her. The last piece of Melford’s familial unit approached us.

“Let’s go back now.” 

She whispered gently with a satisfied smile on her face.

We headed to the home to the Melford mansion. It where the real host of the funeral and heir to the Aguernian ducal house, Alastair, was.

Upon returning to the mansion, I threw off my dreary black and silver mourning clothes and changed into a white dress that lightened my mood. 

“Where is Alastair?”

I’ve been on edge ever since I left to attend the funeral on his behalf. 

Last night, Alastair cut his wrist without a moment’s hesitation after he left my room. 

My anxiety drove me crazy. Alastair must have been slowly going mad. 

“He is locked up in the dungeon.” As soon as I heard the reply, I headed underground.

When I opened the old iron door there was a sharp ominous sound, I frowned. 

“Alastair….?”

“!?” 

There was a gag in Alastair’s mouth and his arms were bound by a metal harness. He could no longer be restrained by even the strongest ropes. 

Alastair opened his eyes when he heard my little voice. 

He began to struggle, trying to close the distance between us. 

Soon, magic, which had risen from his body, leaked out. The black mana soon cracked the harness. 

“Calm down, Alastair,” I said, and his movements stopped and mana disappeared like it was an illusion.

I approached him and released the gag from his mouth. 

He gasped and panted. 

It must have been a little hot, but my cheeks were reddening. 

“Serina…..” he groaned and buried his head on my shoulder. 

My body trembled with a numb heat at our contact, but I accepted him calmly. 

“I don’t know what to do in this situation.”

The key to unlock the harness was in the hand of Melford‘s head. I didn’t know what to do. My face reflected the tension and bewilderment in my heart.

The harness along with the mana restrainer ball cracked. It was Alastair’s force. The broken mana ball fell powerlessly down and rolled on the floor backwards. 

It can’t be that simple. 

I stared at him blankly in astonishment.

As I was busy gawking, two hard arms hurriedly enveloped me in a tender hug.