"What...did you say?" the king asked with eyes piercing through my skull. I was already kneeling in front of him with my head down, but his stare made me feel so much smaller than I already am. His throne that was on a higher ground showed the difference in our positions, but I felt there was no need for that since I felt like I was already below him from his glare.
"Your majesty, his highness the first prince 'Theodore Kascis' has been kidnapped," Kelan who was much more calmer than me replied.
The king seemed to be deep in thought, "I didn't think someone would be able to kidnap him. He always had his guard up and seemed smart," he said. "I guess I overestimated him."
"The one who kidnapped is someone close to him. His highness seemed to trust his kidnapper a lot. It's easy to let your guard down when you're with someone you trust right?" I was irritated with the king. "Besides, I think you've greatly underestimated his highness. I think he's plenty strong for someone who raised himself and has a bastard of a father, even if you're not related."
"I didn't know you had the guts to say such things," if the king had fire abilities, he probably would've been on fire from anger right now. I could see veins appearing on his forehead and hands that were grasping the arm rest of his throne as his mana rushed out.
"You're the one who has the audacity to call someone weak when you're nowhere near as strong as them, both mentally and ability wise," my mana started to surge, rivalling the king's.
"Are you asking for an execution?" the king stood up.
"I don't think I need to ask for permission to kill someone whether I'll get executed or not," I stayed kneeling on the ground as my mana continued to expand, creating what looked like a dragon behind me.
One thing that the king was right about is me not having the kind of guts to do this, or at least not before. After gaining more memories of the future that Eason created using my body, I felt more anger and hatred building up in me. The double standard treatment that I got compared to what Eason got was absolutely disgusting. Although I despise their behaviour towards me, it also gives me confidence.
Just like Esper, I also seemed to gain my confidence through anger. Hatred and anger are the strongest source of power. It makes one desire things that they'd never do before because of their once weak and cowardly self. It makes people dream of things that they feel should be theirs because the world is unfair. Greed formed from anger can blind someone enough to make them change into a completely different person in a short amount of time. That is exactly what's happening to me however, the consequences are not low.
The more memories I receive, the more emotions ripple in my chest. It wasn't like my mental state was good in the first place, but I can feel the last bits of restraint keeping me sane slowly slipping out of my reach.
"You want to kill me?" the king raised his eyebrow, "are you trying to rebel against this nation?"
"No, I just want to kill you. I want you and the others to die so fucking much. I don't have anything against this nation, but I don't like its people. I want revenge. I want justice for me," I felt like I was becoming an emotional mess who only knows one emotion; anger.
"Justice? What kind of justice do you even deserve?!" Owen suddenly appeared.
"On the scale of one to 10, how much do you want me to die?"
"10! You deserve to die! You've done nothing but evil things and made Eason suffer!"
"Name what I did wrong then, and don't say I bullied lady Rosia cause I didn't. When she came back with you earlier today, there wasn't a single scar or bruise on her," I said.
"You- You... um..." Owen was surprised when he couldn't name any evil doings that I committed.
"What about you?" I asked, getting up,
"What?"
"Our relationship seems to be a two way hate relationship. I want you to die as well and unlike you, I can name all the things you did to me when I did nothing wrong. You tormented his highness Theodore too didn't you Kascis? Isn't that a crime committed against royalty?" I said.
"I'm royalty too! He's my brother and he doesn't even have any royal blood! He's just a peasant my father brought in!" Owen shouted. "How dare you address me so casually! I am the crown prince."
"The truth will come out soon. I'll make sure his highness Theodore receives his crown," I said as if it was a warning. This time, he will not be just an uncrowned king. That throne that the fake descendant is sitting on, will be his.
"I believe we're straying off topic," Kelan spoke up. "We are here to discuss the kidnapping of the first prince are we not?"
"Yes, you are right," the king then turned to me, "I'll forgive you one more time Infermel." Forgive me? You don't even deserve to tell me that! You and everyone else should be the one to apologise to me!
"You're lucky," Owen spat out through gritted teeth.
"So tell me, what did the culprit look like? Do you know their name?" asked the king.
"He has white hair, white eyes and pale skin," Kelan described, "his name is 'Felix', the same one as him but I can assure you it wasn't Felix Infermel," Kelan glanced at me.
"Sounds like an excuse to me. You're the one who kidnapped Theodore weren't you Infermel?" Owen pointed at me accusingly. "That person sounds like you when you still had white hair!"
"Do I look like I have white eyes to you?"
"If your hair colour can change then so can your eye colour!"
"If my eye colour did change then don't you think I would've killed both you and you father from anger already?" I question. "If my eye colour changed too then I must've gained another strong power right? Maybe I was picked by another God unlike you who's quote on quote, "Esper's descendant's" but still hasn't been picked by her," I mocked not just him but also the royal family.
One thing is for sure though, if the king announces the kidnapping of the first prince and gives the hero Felix's appearance out with his name, everyone would immediately come at me. Even if I tried to defend myself, it's most likely that no one would listen aside from a select few like Alberu, dad and Wren.
I began to think back to Felix the hero's words. He said I was true evil, but what does that mean? Even Lucas said that. It's clear he's hostile towards me as well. He even kidnapped Theodore just to frame me. Damn, he really thought of a good plan. If he were to come clean, the other's will probably still call me the criminal since he's a hero and I'm a villain. Of course the tie breaker always goes to the heroes. The only fair tie breaker would be a hero VS another hero, but I'm not one.
"I don't think it was Infermel who did it," a voice suddenly spoke up. It was the one and only... Eason! That's right! He's a hero so if he were to say a few things for me, I might be able to prove my innocence!
"Your majesty, I want to duel with him," I said, pointing at Eason and surprising everyone.
"Whoa there Infermel," Eason put his hands up defensively, "I just said that I don't think you kidnapped his highness."
"Your majesty I heard that Kassiel use to follow the same tradition as Thanar; 'The strongest is always right'. Eason will be on the side that's going against me and if I beat Eason in a duel, you must guarantee that everyone will know that I am innocent no matter what. How about we settle things that way?" I suggested.
"But I'm not going against you Infermel-" I walked to Eason and placed my hand on his shoulder, shutting him up.
I moved my lips near his ear and whispered, "if I win, use your hero halo and convince everyone I didn't do anything wrong up until now and of course there's no holding back. I know you remember Eason. I don't believe your fake attitude towards me can change into a sincere one that fast. Normally you wouldn't even stand up for me unless... you know how much a villain suffers in their life."
"Infermel..." Eason looked guilty. I know that if this was the him in the future, he wouldn't feel guilty at all.
Children's minds are influenced easily. He might've gotten memories of the future however, those memories are not him. Memories and the real person are separated things and not only that but currently, he's unaware that he's the one who activated the relic. There was no memories of me discovering that fact and the consciousness if my own, so he really has no clue. In short, he just witnessed my suffering through his future perspective that was created by me.
"If you feel bad then just agree to it," I whispered. I know it's not a good thing to use someone who's doubting everything and is too a mess right now but, it's simply called 'karma'. He too manipulated people like this before.
Eason was hesitant to agree but in the end, he did.
"I approve then," said the king.
At the arena, Eason and entered on opposite sides. This was it, another battle with the hero against the villain. I could feel my bandages slowly getting soaked once again as I take every step. It was as if it's telling me my execution is near.
When I suggested a duel, I wanted to test one thing; how strong the law of fairy tales is here. Could a villain possibly... win against a hero for once?
"Let the duel begin!"