Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

Lumina has a deep history, and the forsaken families tried their best to preserve it.

From what they know, the First Holy War was ignited from the clash of the Origin Race.

The Second Holy War erupted among the Three Children of Mana to determine the superior among them that lived in the same epoch.

The Third Holy War, infamously known as the ’Akasha Holy War’, saw the rise of the Dronarta Empire against the world.

A time where humanity was at its peak, waging war against every other race.

Many found it hard to believe, and why would they not?

It was an empire of humans, who are widely considered the weakest among all races.

How could they stand against the whole of Lumina?

But the records held by the forsaken families say otherwise.

And for the glorious rise and even for the harsh fall of the Dronarta Empire...

...Only one man was responsible.

The man who slaughtered millions alone.

The man who was feared so much by everyone that they forced themselves to forget about his existence.

The Duke of the Dortiona Empire.

...Qaisel Ingrid Ayaan.

Or infamously known as the mad lover Qais.

.....

.....

The silence stretched within the room after Edel’s words.

No one said a word for a short while.

"...It’s in the past," Mariam broke the silence, her calm voice echoing. "And it’s forbidden to talk about him—"

"That man alone killed four heads of the forsaken families!" Edel roared, glaring at Mariam. "And you are talking about adopting the child with the same title?!"

"Azariah isn’t the Exiled Prince," Mariam retorted calmly before her gaze trembled.

...She said something she shouldn’t have.

Slowly, she turned to look at Nerissa, who silently stared at her, holding back her emotions.

"We all know who the Exiled Prince is," Esmeray said, breaking the tension. "Azariah became the scapegoat because the church couldn’t reveal the real one."

"Oh, that will cause a huge unrest," Coretta commented, glancing at Mariam. "Don’t you think?"

She glanced away as Mariam turned toward her.

"And your grandson will also be coming to Akasha along with him," Esmeray added, looking at Edel.

Finally, Edel turned silent.

He had thought of dealing with Aimar before but couldn’t do so.

’Her’ warning was clearly etched in his mind.

And even thinking about ’her’ made Edel’s blood boil in anger, but he suppressed those feelings for now.

With Aimar coming toward him.

He got the opportunity he needed.

To end him just like his brother.

"While we are at it," Edwin suddenly said as he stood up, earning everyone’s attention.

"I would like to announce something as well."

"Finally, the silent one says something," Drake laughed as he looked at Edwin.

Edwin looked at Mariam, who seemed oddly irritated by his presence.

"My granddaughter Siersha has been engaged to Azariah," Edwin announced, taking everyone by surprise.

The room soon turned chaotic as everyone gave different reactions.

Drake laughed harder, his voice echoing throughout the room. "Are we finally seeing the two eternal enemy highbloods getting together?! That’s hilarious!"

Nerissa glared at Mariam, and on the other hand, Orelena looked confusedly toward Esmeray.

She was sure Mariam wasn’t the one who arranged it.

Yet she also couldn’t understand why Esmeray would do such a thing.

"What’s the meaning of this, Edwin?!" Coretta yelled, abruptly standing up from her seat.

"I will explain everything to you—"

"No!" She cut into his words, glaring at him. "You promised to marry her off to my grandson!"

"Azariah is ’engaged’ to my granddaughter," Edwin said calmly, emphasizing the word. "...And I will explain why I made that decision to you."

"..."

Coretta quieted down, understanding the hidden meaning beneath his words.

Everyone could feel the hidden talk going on between them, but they weren’t interested enough to care.

"No matter what happens, you won’t go back on your promise, Edwin."

Coretta commented seriously as she sat down.

She also mentally noted to talk with Edwin properly.

"Did you know about this?" Nerissa asked, her gaze crucifying Mariam.

Mariam quietly nodded her head.

"Have you already given up on your pride as an elf?" Nerissa said, disgust clear in her voice.

"Are you really fine with Sgaeyl Highbloods being associated with those filth?"

Edwin coldly looked at her, hiding his fury behind his impassive expression.

"...It was necessary," Mariam replied cryptically without looking at her.

"Enough for you to be fine with the entire elven race looking down upon Sgaeyl Highbloods?" Shw retorted, not hiding her disappointment. "...How could you associate yourself with those traitors—"

"You talk a lot for someone so weak," Edwin coldly cut into her words.

"Strength doesn’t come from oneself," she said, glaring back at him. "Bring out the army and see how we crush you underneath us."

"For how long, though?" Edwin coldly smirked, leaning back in the chair.

"I heard you still haven’t found the cure for the dying World Tree. Is that true?"

"That has nothing to do with you," Nerissa replied, her voice laced with contempt.

"And don’t talk about the World Tree. It makes me nauseous when a parasite like you says its sacred name."

"Well, it doesn’t seem like you elves can defend that ’sacred’ tree," Edwin rebuked while glancing at Nerissa.

"....."

Nerissa ignored his words as she looked at Mariam.

Her eyes clearly judging her decision to have an alliance with them.

"Your father was a better ruler than you," Edwin commented, and the atmosphere turned chilly the next instant. "Too bad he died because of your own—"

Find your next read at empire

"That’s enough, Edwin," Mortis cut his words, stopping him from continuing. "...You already said what you wanted to."

"Sure." Edwin shrugged as he sat back down once again.

Esmeray once again took the lead; her voice echoed. "We will vote once again."

And without even anyone noticing, she took the lead away from them.

"Those who don’t want Azariah to live in Akasha, raise your hands," she said, looking at everyone.

A silence lingered before Coretta raised her hand.

"I don’t want him here," she declared, looking at Edwin.

"I second that." Drake raised his hand as well. "He smells trouble even though I haven’t met him."

"I agree with Drake’s words." Mortis quietly raised his hand as well. "I don’t want more trouble in Akasha than we are already facing."

Finally.

Esmeray looked at Nerissa.

She could already predict what she was about to say.

"If it can stop Mariam’s mistake." Nerissa said, raising her hand as well. "...Then I agree; he shouldn’t come here."

Of the eight forsaken families, four refused to let him live here.

"It seems like we aren’t going to reach a conclusion anytime soon," Edel said, looking at everyone.

A few sighed, ready for another round of discussion.

"Hm?"

But before the conversation could start again, Esmeray confusingly looked up.

She felt mana behaving oddly.

.....Oddly emotional.

And only after a while did she understand the phenomenon.

Mortis was the first who stood up, his body blurred as he said while looking around.

"Look at Lumina."

His body vanished, leaving everyone confused.

"What happened?" Orelena asked, noticing the oddness in her daughter’s behavior.

"I believe you guys should look at Lumina right now," she said before her hologram vanished.

Everyone looked at each other.

But it wasn’t long before Edel’s hologram vanished.

The rest vanished one by one.

Edwin looked at Coretta one last time before nodding.

She just glanced at him before their hologram vanished.

Mariam was the only one left before her body moved as well.

...

...

...

"Sigh."

A long, tired sigh escaped Mariam’s mouth as she rubbed her temples.

She stood up as she walked toward the window of her room before looking up.

A huge golden tree loomed over her mansion, its branches moving as if breathing.

And behind it was a planet that loomed in the sky, an enormous, glowing sphere.

Lumina.

Everything seemed the same.

"Huh?"

...Before she noticed something.

The atmosphere of Lumina pulsed rhythmically, a faint shimmer coursing across its surface.

The colors of the planet shifted—deep purples bled into crimson before fading to soft blues.

"No way."

Mariam gasped in dread as she looked up in horror.

Lumina’s clouds swirled in spirals, following the specific rhythm.

Occasionally, arcs of light danced across the atmosphere like veins.

It felt as if the planet itself was awake, its pulsations mirroring the heart of someone connected to it.

"How could another one be born now?"

She whispered softly, feeling her emotions harden, fear creeping into her heart.

The door of her room slammed open as a maid with blonde hair walked in.

"Did you see that, my lady?!" Daina asked, making Mariam focus on her.

"Inform everyone who is residing on Lumina," Mariam ordered, suppressing her emotions.

"We need to find that child!!"

...

...

[At The Same Time.]

[Lumina.]

Esmeray looked at the clear sky above her, that changed color from time to time.

The mana trembled with happiness, following the rhythm of a heartbeat.

"My lady."

Adaliah’s voice echoed from behind her.

Esmeray turned around as she looked at her.

"Is that?" Adaliah asked, uncertain.

Esmeray nodded. "He lifted the curse."

Adaliah looked up as well, observing the mesmerizing phenomenon.

But even amidst the odd phenomenon, something more bizarre happened.

"My lady?" Adaliah confusingly called her. "Why...why is it not stopping?"

The phenomenon, which always stopped at one minute, continued even after that.

One minute stretched into two. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Two became five.

Five became ten.

Still, the rhythmic pulsations continued.

"..."

Esmeray’s face remained impassive, but a faint tension crept into her jawline.

...On that day, the fragile balance of the world was destroyed.

A new ’Child of Mana’ had been born—far superior to any of its predecessors.