Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Chapter 112  [Club House Competition] [Prelude] [Shyamal]

She had an ordinary face with rosy skin, her black hair tied in a bun. Her obsidian eyes looked at the boy.

"Thank you." The purple-haired boy, no older than five, replied with a bright smile, "...Wait a minute."

Saying so, he rushed towards the plant growing with a single flower beside the window.

Picking the flower, he rushed back towards her with his small legs before extending the flower towards her, "This is for you, Aunt Belly!!"

"Thank you, young master." Belly smiled, taking the flower, her voice musing, "So, are you going to meet that girl today?"

"Yeah, I need to see Ashlyn today." Azariah nodded, thinking about the caramel-haired girl, "She would be upset if I don't go see her."

"I see." She said. Then she hesitantly added, "But please come home early, Lady Esmeray will be attending the dinner today."

The smile on his face vanished, his skin turning cold as he asked fearfully, "...M-mother?"

"Yes." She said dryly. Still kneeling, she reached out her thumb, rubbing his cheek, "...But don't worry, I will be there; she won't do anything to you."

"B-but why is she like that?" He asked, lowering his head, "...Why doesn't she love me?"

"She loves you, young master." Belly replied, trying to coax him, wrapping her hands around him and gently embracing him, "Everyone loves you."

"R-really?" He asked.

"Of course she does." She replied, gently stroking his back, "...But like I always told you, only if you love someone, then someone will love you back. That's how humans are, young master."

"Will mother also love if I love her?" He questioned, leaving her embrace as his purple eyes looked at her hopefully.

Hopeful that someday she would look at him the way Aunt Belly sees him.

...Someday she will love him like a normal mother.

...Someday the desire for a mother's love in his heart will be fulfilled. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Yes." Smiling sweetly, she replied, pinching his cheek, "How can someone not love you, young master."

He smiled back, letting her do it.

"I need to go!" He panicked a little, looking at the time, "...I am already late to meet with brother."

Belly stood up as well from her place, watching him wear his shoes in a hurry.

"I will see you later, Aunt Belly." Reaching the door, he looked back, waving at her.

Smiling, she waved back as he opened the door.

"Young master!" She called before he could walk out.

"Yes?"

"...Always be kind to others." She said, smiling gently, "...Those who are kind to others are always loved."

"You always say that." He replied with a smile, nodding his head, "And I will always remember that."

...

...

...

"Brother Shane!!"

With his hand waving high while running, Azariah exclaimed happily, looking at the young boy sitting under a huge oak tree.

His silver hair, combed neatly, fluttered around in the light wind while his crimson eyes moved towards Azariah.

"Shhh!!"

Placing his finger over his lips, he gestured for Azariah to quiet down before pointing at the girl sleeping with her head on his lap.

Azariah also looked at the girl sleeping peacefully before he slowed down, walking gently towards them.

"Brother Shane." He said quietly as he sat down on the side with the girl between them.

"You are late." Shane complaint, glancing at the boy.

"I didn't mean to." Azariah shoulders slumped down as he replied quietly.

"...It's fine." Shane mumbled as he gently patted his sister's hair.

"...I thought you wouldn't bring her." Azariah commented, looking at the silver-haired girl.

"...She was crying too much." Shane replied, his eyes drifting off, "...I had to in order to keep her calm."

"..Why?" He grumbled with a dejected look on his face, "...Can't she live alone for a while?"

"...You don't understand, Az." Shaking his head, Shane replied softly, "...She hasn't been in her best condition after Asher died."

Azariah quieted down as he heard about Asher's death.

A part of him blamed himself for this, as his mother is the reason she lost someone important.

"It wasn't your fault." Noticing his silence, Shane reached his hand out before messing his hair, "...Don't burden yourself with something you had no control over."

"Hmm." He hummed, nodding his head softly as his gaze lingered on Shane's hand covered with bandages.

"...Did she scratch you again?" Azariah asked softly.

"...It's better than her scratching herself." With a light smile, Shane replied, continuing to pat her.

"...Why does she do that?" He questioned, his childlike face filled with confusion.

"...Well, she says there is a voice in her head...her own voice." Hesitating, Shane replied, his voice low.

"Voice?" Azariah asked, tilting his head.

"...I will tell you about that some other day." Shaking his head, Shane replied, "....It's the voice that always tells her...to harm those who are close to her."

"..Ahh, but she is harming herself, isn't she?" Confused, he voiced his concern, turning towards her.

"Well, harming herself works as temporary relief from that voice." Shane informed as Shyamal turned around, twisting her body towards Azariah, "...Instead of hurting others, she hurts herself."

Azariah remained silent as Shyamal reached out in her sleep before placing her head in his lap.

"But if she harms the one that the voice wants to harm...she can be at more peace." Showing the scratch marks on his hand, Shane informed.

"...Does it not hurt?" Azariah asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"I am her brother." With a light smile, Shane replied, "...Until she finds someone to take care of her, I am the one responsible for her."

Azariah nodded gently, his hand suspended in the air close to her head.

"...If someday she does hurt you." Grabbing his hand, Shane brought it close to her head, making him pat her, "...Please don't be too harsh on her...She won't be able to endure too much pain."

Azariah nodded gently, patting her head before glancing at Shane, "...I will."

...But the patting from his soft hand, unlike his brother's, made Shyamal's eyes flutter open gently.

...

...

"Ackh..Haah...Haah."

Huh?

....The sound of someone's labored breathing made Shyamal's eyes flutter open as she looked around the place, still laying on the ground.

Something transparent limited her vision but didn't completely hinder it.

...Almost immediately, she recognized the place.

How could she not?

After all, she had spent all her childhood in this place with her brother and the others.

But her mind soon started to register the bareness of the place.

....The lively oak tree now turned dry.

....The flowers dried.

....Nothing with the sign of life remained as she looked around with difficulty.

....It felt dull to her, colorless with nothing but darkness.

....Brother.

Her eyes trembled violently as she tried to find her brother.

Arghh.

Her body ached in pain, almost unbearable for her to endure, like thousands of needles pricking her body at the same time.

"....Haah..Haah."

....She gritted her teeth, moving her body until she could 'see' what was happening.

What?

....But what she 'saw' made her body froze in place, her heart dropping at an alarming rate.

....A boy with purple hair stood in front of a young man with silver hair.

....A deep cut ran through the purple-haired boy's back, blood gurgling out from it.

....Tears streamed down from the boy's closed eyes.

But Shyamal couldn't notice any of that...her gaze remained fixed on his hand.

....And the blade like object he held that cut open her brother's stomach.

Brother!!

She wanted to scream, but no voice came out; she wanted to cry, but no tears left her eyes.

Her body fell down helplessly, and so did her brother's, as Azariah grabbed him before placing his body down slowly.

....Her vision blurred again, her consciousness fading.

And the last thing she saw was Azariah kneeling down beside her brother.

...

...

"Haaaah."

In a moving bus, a girl gasped for breath, beads of sweat pouring down from her head as she brought her hand to her chest, feeling like someone was twisting her heart.

Closing her eyes, she tried to calm her shaking body before she glanced beside her, where a boy with purple hair sat.

His eyes were closed, with earphones plugged in, listening to music.

"....."

Looking at him...a desire to kill him arose from deep within her.

Kill him.

....At the same time...a voice also echoed in her head...her own voice filled with madness.

That voice filled her mind completely...as her distressing emotions started to surface again.

Slowly, she reached her hand out, her nails pointing towards his arm as she tried to scratch him to calm herself down.

But...

....She hesitated at the last moment.

He...wouldn't allow her to do it like he used to.

"...I can't recognize you anymore."

She mumbled to herself, leaning on her seat, closing her eyes, digging her own nails into her arms.

And....

A pair of purple eyes gently opened, looking at her harming herself.

Without doing anything.