I will not die a Villainess's death

"Come back with me. Please, come back with me. I don't want to lose you again so please don't do this to me."

The words echoed inside Elysia's mind like a curse. She had never heard someone plead with her in that earnest voice and it caused her desire to remain in this peaceful illusion to waver.

Those words were enough to make Elysia want to go back since they sounded so sincere.

'Are you going to allow yourself to suffer out there again? Didn't the Head Priest say that he needed you as well? Look where it got you. You got cursed and trapped in here as a result.'

The voice was a subtle whisper in the back of Elysia's mind. It had been with Elysia as far as she could remember it being.

But it had never sounded this clear to her before.

'I am a part of you as well. I am the part you sealed away because you were jealous of Eve and the others but didn't want to admit it. I am the 'real' you. Why don't you let me out? I am sure you'll feel better.'

The voice was so tempting to follow. It knew what to say to make Elysia feel better.

She did not want to admit it but she had a desire to harm Lord Dirac verbally for something here. If her words could make him back down from his foolishness then it was good, right?

Maybe that was why Elysia allowed that sealed part of her to break out just a little from its seal.

"Go back you loser. I don't want anything to do with a person like you." Those words escaped Elysia's lips but it was not her will to speak them.

Lord Dirac looked stunned hearing Elysia speak and she instantly realized that it had not been 'her' who spoke.

Someone else had used her body to utter those words.

"I am…sorry. I…that was not me."

No matter what Elysia said now, nothing was going to make things any better now. Words once spoken could not be taken back. That was why humans were advised to think before they speak.

Misunderstandings could arise from the smallest of failures to control oneself.

"Is it a voice asking you to take over? Ely, you don't need to listen to it, nor do you need to turn toward it to feel better. I will always listen to you no matter what you want to say. So please, give me a chance."

Lord Dirac's tone was patient and indulging.

By all means, he should have been furious with Elysia for her words. He should be cursing her out and leaving her in here to rot.

But he was still here, right in front of Elysia. He was not leaving her alone and he had even called her 'Ely'?

"I…Why? I am not a good person. I don't want to show you my real self because-"

"Because I will feel disgusted and leave you? Elysia, we are very similar. No matter how dark and corrupted your 'real' self is, I am confident that I can handle it. No part of you can make me turn away from you. After all, you are the only sister I have."

'Bold words from someone who threw you away. Lucas sure knows how to sprout nonsense. Don't believe him or you'll get betrayed by him. Even your precious Eve threw you away, right?'

Elysia's body tensed at the last accusation. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for Elysia.

'Eve did not betray me. She tried to help me and I will not hear otherwise. Neither against her nor Adam. Now I am convinced that I need to get away from here.'

Lord Lucas was still standing in front of Elysia, his hand on her face and his eyes meeting Elysia's.

Now that her head was cleared, she was easily able to see past his emotions. And Lord Lucas looked desperate.

'Hehe…hehehehe! Do you think you can escape me or your destiny if you have someone protecting you? Stop fooling yourself. Just who do you think you are to deny your fate? Sooner or later, you will face your retribution."

The voice turned hostile once it knew it had lost its favor in Elysia's eyes.

But the black-haired female chose to ignore the voice. Instead, she met Lord Lucas's eyes with her confident pair.

"Although I cannot say I feel confident to call you my brother just yet, I do believe you, Lord Lucas. I hope we can have a real relationship soon."

The man looked stunned at Elysia's purpose. She had never seen someone's eyes go that wide before.

Lord Lucas didn't even look like he had pupils in his eyes. If there was any proof Elysia needed about her importance in Lord Lucas's life, she had it all.

This man did adore Elysia as a sister right now. Even such a simple confession from Elysia made the man go loose-legged. His body staggered against Elysia as if he had lost all strength.

"Thank god you are alright. I would have never forgiven myself if anything happened to you."

Elysia attempt to give a genuine but happy smile to Lord Lucas, no, to her brother. It had been such a long time since Elysia had smiled that her body found it awkward to do so now.

But it didn't hinder Lord Lucas from pulling her into a hug.

"Let's get out of here now. Don't worry, I will keep my promise this time. I will protect you until I die and then even after death. But I assure Elysia, you will have so many people loving you from now on. You will be happy this time."

That was a heavy promise Lucas was making to her but Elysia had a feeling that he would be able to keep it.

"Yes, I understand. Then, I will look forward to the future from today onwards."

Elysia felt someone pulling her out. The dream around her was disappearing back into her body.

Her eyes sought out the remaining magical power contained in the place. She had only been here for a short amount of time but it hurt to part from here.

Elysia's eyes met the spirit that had taken the form of her kid self. Her pouting lips and annoyed eyes said that she was not happy.

Elysia mouthed a small 'sorry' toward the spirit and watched as those angry eyes softened just a little bit.

Someone placed their arms around the spirit's shoulders and puller her into a side-way hug. It was the beast spirit Elysia had often seen around the property.

He seemed to have a good relationship with the Elysia look-alike.

But the most shocking person Elysia saw down there was the Lucas-look alike. Elysia had avoided him at all costs, both her and the younger spirit.

From what Elysia had observed here, she could tell that she did not have a good relationship with that spirit.

But now watching that younger Lucas walking up toward younger Elysia and pulling her into a comforting hug erased all those doubts in her mind.

'I don't know what this place is but I want my future to be like this. To be surrounded by my loved ones. The only ones missing here are Adam and Eve. I might not have been able to leave if this place had illusions of them as well.'

Elysia could leave anyone behind but she could not leave those two behind. They had been her guiding light this whole time.

Abandoning them would be like abandoning a part of herself. And Elysia could not do that.

"Elysia, stop thinking and let's go back. Don't be afraid and close your eyes. I will take on any residual energy you cannot handle."

"But-"

"This is something I resolved to do when I came in here. Please don't fight me on this."

Elysia closed her mouth with a sigh. Lucas was resolved to take this burden and his resolve reminded Elysia of her past self.

Lord Lucas broke the barrier and the backlash hit the pair. But Elysia didn't feel any of it. Her brother had protected her while still absorbing the hit's power.

Not only that, but he was even taking in the unholy power inside him. It would be impossible for a devouter of the god to absorb but Lord Lucas still managed to bear with it.

"Just for the record, I never wanted you to feel any pain. I just thought it would be better for you to be away from the mess that is my life. But I am so glad that you decided to come home with me. And, fuck this world and its unreasonable demands. We will live how we want to."

"Idiot. Look ahead and move forward. We can talk later when we are both safe."

Elysia's fear caused her to lose control of her polite tongue. This might have been the most informal she had ever been and it drove a chuckle out of Lord Lucas's lips.

The man was ash-white already and Elysia could no longer sit back and watch.

Her power added to her brother's and helped elevate his burden. The man looked startled to see that but he never got the chance to scold Elysia before the world converged into a small glass bead and threw the pair apart.

_________________________________

"She woke up. Hurry up and get a healer here to check on the Lord and the Lady."

There was a fury of moments around Elysia when she felt her eyes open. The clear world was no longer in front of her.

'I'm back to my own body. The blurry world is so nice to see again.'

Since the world was blurry again, Elysia had access to her magic now. She could even feel it coursing through her body now.

'It feels so good to be back. But I feel like I am missing something important.'

Elysia clutched the hand in her own, her fingers feeling something firm but soft in her grasp which caused Elysia to become alert instantly.

But her lack of danger and ease stopped Elysia from feeling that awkwardness. The hand in her own felt familiar and safe to Elysia.

"Back with us now? Lucas took a really big gamble to help you and now he's exhausted. Let the doctor take a look at you for now and then you can go back to sleep."

Lord Sorias's presence was familiar as well. His connection to Elysia was pulsing strong and with fondness.

This was the moment that made Elysia's hard-kept lock on her emotions erode and her eyes leaked with tears. Her tears fell on the hand in her grasp which caused her brother to wake up instantly.

"W-What is wrong? Elysia, stop crying. Did Sorias say anything mean to you? Should I throw him out? Or d-does it hurt? Sorias, get the doctor in-"

"It's alright. I am just happy. I'm so glad I came back with you. I never realized-" 'how much I missed this.'

Elysia didn't finish that sentence and no one forced her to either. It was an overall happy moment until the doctors stormed the scene and shooed the boys out for a full body checkup.

Lord Lucas was not exempted from this formality as well which caused him to glare at the un-phased doctor.

The scene was hilarious enough to bring a laugh to Elysia's lips. Life was indeed very blessed right now for Elysia.