The Villainess's Law of Survival

CHAPTER 3: FATEFUL ENCOUNTER

"Time is the most undefinable yet paradoxical of things; the past is gone, the future has not come, and the present becomes the past even while we attempt to define it, and, like the flash of lightning, at once exists and expires." Charles Caleb Colton.

"You... You are the Archmage?"

All the people who were listening to us began to frantically run away from the fear of him.

"Am I?" He asked back just as he drew his face close to me.

My heart fluttered in a frenetic dance at his proximity. My dear god, if you could believe it, he looked even more handsome up close.

'Wait, what am I thinking? Get yourself together Hailey!'

I stepped back away. "I am asking again. Are you the archmage?"

"You seem rather interested in the Archmage, milady." He implied. "If you come with me, I'll let you meet him."

Hah. His way of speaking is similar to what a kidnapper does to tempt kids to go with them to eat a lot of candy.

I shook my head and smiled reluctantly. "No Thanks,"

He was a bit startled. "I thought you wanted to meet the Archmage?"

"Aren't you him?" I asked. "If your not him, then how could you explain how those people ran away desperately once they've seen and recognized your face?"

Instead of answering back, he let out a big laugh and gazed at me with his ultramarine blue eyes filled with amusement.

"W-Why are you looking at me so intently?"

"You are quite an intriguing one. Lady." He said, "Where is your master? Let me deal with him, I'll pay a higher-priced to take you."

Hell. Why does this jerk still want me? Should I attempt kicking him and run away?

Ugh. This is crazy. I am crazy. Afterlife is crazy. What to do now? Should I just die again?

Suddenly, while I'm humming thoughts inside my head, a stern voice steps up.

"I apologize, but I don't have the sparsest intention of giving this lady to you."

When I looked up to see whose voice it came from, I was startled. 'S-Steve?'

I blinked in astonishment. 'Is he here to save me?'

"And for what reason could it be?" His expression hardened the moment he saw my brother.

"You don't have to know my reasons, Master of the Magic tower Ivan Denver Arch." A smirk twitched on Steve's face.

So he's really the person we need to find in this mission. I stared at the man in front of me with rounded eyes. The man's face was expressionless.

"Oh, what a pleasant surprise to see the emperor's dog here. Are you here to capture me and bring me to that crazy emperor again?" his eyes turned hostile, and only then did I realize his cold side.

An awkward silence hung between the two as I looked alternately between them. Considering the situation, this was not the first time they had met. The atmosphere felt heavy and strange.

"Mind your words, Archmage. He is still the emperor of this Empire... And he needs you."

"Need me? Hah, how many times do I have to tell you that the wizard tower is not beneath the power of your damn Emperor!" He burst into rage. A blue aura emerged around him dangerously. "How dare he kill my people? Is he not afraid I'll destroy the royal bloodline in front of his eyes!"

"Then, tell me anything you want, to do it." Steve proposed calmly.

His eyes now calmed down a little and showed little interest in Steve. "Anything I want? Then can you give me that lady?"

'Hey, why is it me again?'

Steve glanced back at me for a second and looked at him. He swiftly grabbed my wrist and forcefully hid me behind his back.

"... Not her, I can give you anything but not her." He said, with his eyes full of determination... The man stared at him and soon turned his gaze to me. As our eyes met, I gave him a slight frown, while he smiled beautifully.

'What the? He's a crazy bastard.'

"Oh, what a pity, the only thing I want is her." The man's baritone voice reached my ears. "You decide, that lunatic emperor or her?"

I simultaneously made dumbfounded expressions at his outright rejection of Steve.

What the heck is going on right now?

"You can't, Archmage. She's mine..' Steve said with a low voice, but that was enough for me to hear.

They were both crazy, a man that came out of nowhere and a brother who claimed I am their possession.'

No one owns me, only me should!

I turned to him. "Are you crazy? I mean, did you eat something wrong? What the heck are you talking about?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

Why would he joke in a time like this, seriously... I can't understand him.

"Just stay put, Lara." He said in a low voice.

Jesus! How could I stay put while I'm about to be sold to someone I don't know?

"Steve!"

A loud pitched voice startled me. It was none other than Diana. The heroine.

She came rushing toward us frowning. "What are you talking about?! She's your sister!"

I didn't sense her presence at all coming but. She certainly appeared to be annoyed or rather jealous.

"So... She's your little sister, huh?" He said, glancing amusingly and cold at Steve.

"Dianna, could you please stay silent for a moment? Can't you see we're talking?" My brother responds to her with his teeth clenched.

'Oh? Where's the lovey-dovey couple here?'

"You! You're unbelievable Steve! I thought you intended to attract this wizard through Lara. Why are you hesitating now?" Dianna's voice then turned into icy annoyance.

What the? Is she the female lead of this novel?

I'm not surprised anymore, since I'd previously known that in the novel they would use Lara as bait. Nevertheless, it is still frustrating to hear from someone you call a close brother and friend, revealing that they used me.

I pity Lara. She doesn't deserve toxic people like them. This novel is biased.

"I can't endure watching you, Steve, ruining our plan, and you Lara! How dare you seduce your brother just by singing an unknown song?! You're such a harlot."

"Say what?" I tilted my head at her vague remark.

A stupid expression crossed my face, but I quickly pulled myself together. This is the first time someone called me a w***e, and I heard it from someone I never expected to. Even my birth mother did not dare to call me a w***e. How could she!

I was about to speak up when Steve intervened.

"That's enough, Dianna." My brother warned her.

"I have not said enough yet," Dianna exclaimed.

'What? Is she trying to speak more bad words at me? Should I just slap her face to wake her up from being a b***h?'

"Don't cause a fuss, Diana. Not here." Steve argued continuously with Diana.

On the other hand, the man Steve claimed to be the archmage observed us like he was watching a melodrama, annoyed. He abruptly grabs my hand.

"Sorry, I'm sick of watching this. I prefer time with you alone." He sneakily whispered.

I was about to open my mouth to protest. In a second, I found out that we were already in a different place. The cold breeze blew my hair as the dress I wore changed magically in Marcus's snaps of his fingers. Before I knew it, I was already wearing strange, yet comfortable clothes. Marcus wrapped his cloak around me and sat freely on the grass of the ground.

The view up here was beautiful. I can see the entire Empire night view. It was quiet and peaceful. 'I liked it'

"Where are we?" I asked.

"My secret hiding place."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Do I need a reason to bring you here?" He replied while staring at me. "However, I did not anticipate that there was a beautiful face hidden in your veil, milady." He smirked.

=_=

'I am aware of how godly looking this face is, the compliment is meant for Lara and not me.'

On the other hand, Lara's mother was described as someone who looked cold and fierce. Lara was the spitting image of her mother, she looked like a girl who was cold, beautiful, and too difficult to approach.

"I was finding someone." He started.

"Someone?"

"Yes, I am finding a lady whom I've never met or known her appearance."

"How could you find someone you haven't met yet?"

"I'm an Archmage." He cooly stated. "I felt her presence at that place, so I hurriedly came to find her but the traces of her slowly disappeared from the crowd and that's leading you to me." He murmured the last sentence.

He went silently staring into my eyes as if he were digging a hole inside me. While I can't help but also stare into those beautiful deep blue eyes, it's somehow giving me a scent of familiarity.

"Oh." was the only thing I said.

There were a few moments of silence before he spoke.

"Marcus."

I tilted my head. "What?" and looked at him skeptically.

"My name is Marcus. The lady can call me by my name instead of my title."

A frown creased my brow. "Isn't that a bit disrespectful?"

"It is not milady. It's me who allowed you to address me by my name."

"But... If others heard me calling an honorable person like you by your name, I would be sentenced to death."

He hesitated to move and just laughed it off as if I had said something laughable.

"No one would dare to do that to the lady. Unless they wish to turn into fine ashes." A charming smile played across his face.

And there, my heart skips a beat for a second. Aww.

How could a man smile more beautifully than me?

"Anyways, I should go now," I suggested. "It's inappropriate for a man and a woman to meet like this."

"I apologize for my rude behavior toward the lady." He said and stood up from resting on the grass field. "I must send you back, he must probably be going insane now finding you."

He says, referring to Steve.

"Can I ask a question, milady?" He implored.

"You are already asking."

He laughed once again, but it's a bit louder now. "Aren't you upset, Milady?"

"Upset about what?"

"When you discover that your brother is using you."

Ah.

"I'm not upset," I said, expressionless, making him glance at me with doubt.

"I see." He shortly replied and nodded.

"I am so furious that I wanna bury them alive," Annoyance was visible on my face. "Maybe I can ask death himself to invite them to hell for eternity," I said sarcastically.

He paused, and the corners of his lips quivered, he pressed his hand to his mouth as if he was suppressing himself from bursting into laughter. Suddenly, he broke into a fit of laughter. He was amused at the scene.

I lifted my brows.

Snorting. "I apologize. I did not intend to laugh at you, milady."

Seriously, there's nothing funny to what I've said. I rolled my eyes.

"It's fine," I sighed and gazed up at the moon.

"I'll just bury you with them," I murmured.

"But milady..." He stopped. I turned to him, staring directly into his eyes.

"Wha-What?"

He started walking my way, keeping his quiet gaze on my face.

I'm not stepping away, I'm not afraid of him. But why? Why is he coming so close again!?

He's so close to me now that I can feel his hot breath that scents like a cool mint.

I held my breath and froze on my stand. He dips his head down, brushing his lips against my ears. The goosebumps that spread on my body after don't stay noticeable. I felt him smirking.

Damn. I hate this feeling. I've never been this close to a man in my entire life, a stranger at that.

"You are trembling like a little kitten, milady." He teased.

"I-- 'm not!" I quickly denied it.

He laughs slightly at my remarks.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn't spit out a complete sentence, damn it.

"You don't have to be wary of me. Milady. I won't harm you." He said in a low voice, "But I must confess that the lady is quite fascinating, totally different from all the rumors I heard."

"What do you mean?" My eyes squinted.

He placed his warm hands on my shoulder as he paced back and stared mysteriously at me. "I'm glad that the lady is not as bad as what the rumors describe you." He smiled gently.

'Oh. Because I am not her...'

"Close your eyes, Milady." Suddenly, he said in a request.

"Why would I close my eyes?" I asked.

"I'll teleport you to Scarlett's Mansion directly."

Yeah, right. Hahaha. There's no way he would ask me to close my eyes to kiss me. Gosh, what am I thinking? This is dangerous. Wrong.

I merely nodded and closed my eyes. Slowly, I felt an unfamiliar cold force encircling me. It was just like the feeling I felt earlier when I first teleported with him.

"Till we meet again, milady." He whispered and loosened his grip before everything turned silent.

As I opened my eyes, in a dark corridor a tall figure stood in front of me with his arms around his chest frowning at the sight of me.

I lifted my face toward his.

He's tall.

'Too tall.'

"...Uhm, hi?" I waved.

It was none other than Steve.

He observed me from top to bottom.

"Where did the two of you disappear?" He muttered sternly.

"I..." 'don't know how to answer.'

He gapes at me silently. His eyes were hard and narrowed as if he had many questions he wanted to ask, though he simply settled to remain quiet.

"Forget it, you must be exhausted." He said, "You should head to your room and rest."

He was about to go when I grasped his shirt behind to stop him. "Wait a minute, how about Diana?"

I ask.

He turns his head back to me."I've already sent her home. You don't have to worry about her."

Worry my ass. Why would I worry about her? It would be better if I didn't see her face ever.

"Also," He trailed off, and I urged him to speak.

"What?"

He opened his mouth abruptly. "You must stay away from the Archmage. Nothing good will occur to you being entangled with him." He finally said.

My eyebrows knitted at his remarks. "Why would I?"

'How absurd.'

Even though he is described in the novel as a righteous and kind man, for me he's no different from a jerk. A brother who left and let his little sister succumb to the darkness and lost herself.

'...I tend to remember people's characteristics well.'

Although I don't have any slightest interest in getting closer to the Archmage, his intention of saying this to me made me doubt him. Besides, I can't believe he's talking like that.

I thought it was a little surprising.

"For the reason that I'm your brother. Liana Lara," Steve called my name in an icy voice.

"Don't be stubborn. And do what I say."

The moment I heard the sound, the first thing that came to my mind was this.

"Why should I take that order?"

"W-what?" Steve turned negligible. Blood veins rose on his neatly turned forehead.

"What?" I clenched my teeth and answered back. "Did I say something wrong, little Duke?"

It was hard to control my facial expressions. I knew I was barely lifting the corners of my mouth with a messed-up face.

"Little Duke?" He grunted.

"I don't know what you're trying to say, but I'm fine, Little Duke," I answered immediately in a determined tone. "I am old enough to manage myself."

At that moment, Steve's face crumpled horribly. The reason is unknown.

Rather than anger on his always bright face, there was an indescribable feeling.

"......Lara."

He called me in a tight voice. And... "Have you always been like this?"

"What?"

"In my memory, you were just a small arrogant child who always stuck closely with me wherever I went."

"Just what on earth are you trying to say?"

He hesitated, and soon he opened his mouth, looking at me with a clear gaze. "You changed."

Hah.

I twisted the corners of my mouth and laughed. I was surprised to see how fast he noticed my changes, but it was not unexpected.

Lara was a villain who seemed powerful just by her name.

far from how immature the heroine looked, Lara, on the other hand, looked so keen and sharp. But because of her brother's complex, it made her foolish.

But I sort of understood her.

Just today. No, just a few hours. I've experienced the treatments she got for only a few hours, yet I think it was enough for me to understand how her life must've been.

I stared blankly at his sudden remarks.

"Is that so?" I felt bitter in my mouth. "Maybe because I've grown up." I averted my eyes because of his intense gaze.

Lies.

It's undoubtedly a lie. I don't even know where the real owner of this body is now. And as to why I am here, I still can't accept I've been possessed by a person who's going to die miserably. It's just the same as being dead, then alive, and dead again. All I know is I'm certainly... Doomed.

"Anyway, rather than being concerned about me, you should worry about your princess," I added and started to move my feet away.

'This is so tiring. I want to rest.'

"Where are you going?" I heard him ask.

"To my room," I responded vaguely.

"But your room is on another way..." He tilts his head and points to the next stairs. "That's the servant's quarter."

Hearing that makes me stop walking. I blinked a few times attempting to process what lie I should say to escape from him. "Ah, that... I'm just exercising ha-ha." I reasoned out. Although I find it so ridiculous.

Suddenly. The approaching footsteps resonated sharply throughout the halls, growing louder every second. After a while, the left door slammed open, revealing a maid. Our eyes darted towards her.

"Young Lady!" She screams while striding toward me.

I looked closely at the maid. It was Marie.

I opened my eyes wide at her sudden appearance. "Marie?!"

"Where have you been, Milady? We were so worried when the young master came back without you."

"I'm fine Marie." I said, "Can you please go with me to my room?" I pulled her arms around me as I quickly moved my feet to where he was pointing out.

"Yes? Ah, of course, milady. But how about the young master?" She said as she looked back at him and negligibly bowed to him.

"Don't worry about him. Let's go!"

I breathed a sigh of relief.

For now, the priority for me was to calm down and think of a plan for how to leave here.