The Villain Rising: Chapter 244: A Punchy Reunion

Chapter 244: A Punchy Reunion.

"Ahh, perfect as always."

I muttered, looking in the mirror as my black hair was styled perfectly. My cloak fluttered behind me excitedly as I had ever so graciously forgiven it for the traitorous act it had done in the treasury.

Just then, a soft knock disturbed me.

"Are you ready yet, princess—I mean Young Master?"

Who else could it even be but Lillith, making fun of me for taking a slight bit more time admiring myself?

I was sure that bitch was just jealous.

"I am ready, grandma—I mean Lillith." I responded to her in her own way and walked towards the door, opening it with a wide smirk.

Arza was standing behind Lillith, wearing a black dress with a pattern resembling stars. Her face was as emotionless as ever, but her hair was styled properly while her face... had some makeup.

Hmm, who are we meeting exactly that Lillith even made Arza wear makeup...?

I couldn’t help but think as Lillith’s voice disturbed me once again.

"Stop gawking at your fiancée like a desperate single and let’s go." Lillith didn’t bother hiding her annoyance about how I called her grandma.

"Yeah, you would know best how a desperate single would act. Pfttt." I chuckled at my own joke because her face after I said it was just too damn funny.

The smile she had shown me before this morning appeared again on her face. "You are lucky there are no flies since guests are coming. Still, you should be careful, Young Master. If one sat on your cheek, it would be a problem, wouldn’t it?"

I shuddered slightly as she let her aura out with that creepy smile.

Tsk, so petty for someone so old.

Still, I knew not to push her too much.

"Ahem, lead the way, big sis." I muttered, looking away as her scary smile turned into a happy one as soon as I called her sister.

"Right away, Young Master." She replied cheerfully before strolling off the hallway.

So easy to please.

I sighed and followed behind her as Arza joined beside me, holding the edge of my cloak slightly. And for a bastard who absolutely hated anyone’s touch, that cloak wasn’t resisting her, showing me once again how far gone it was in degeneracy.

As we walked through the hallway, I saw countless servants and demons running around in a rush as they always did, but even through that, they didn’t forget to stop for a moment to throw a warm smile at me, and bow before leaving.

I actually kind of liked this kind of respect, so I didn’t mind either. Hell, I even greeted them as well, going as far as calling them by their individual names, which they told me only once when Lillith had gathered most of the staff to introduce them to me.

One of the important things I learned in the past was to never treat your slaves—I mean subordinates—like subordinates. Instead, treat them with importance and they would work with double the efficiency.

And from how rumours of me being the most competent among the Demon King’s successors were slowly spreading within the castle, I would say it was working like a charm.

As I was lost in my thoughts, we finally arrived in front of a massive door. I could hear some muffled sounds from within as my feet moved on their own in anticipation, recognising the voices.

Lillith didn’t bother me for once and opened the door, standing calmly by the side as I saw the ones sitting inside.

There were five people inside.

Ashavar was seated on a couch, his face holding a knowing smile as he looked at me.

Opposite him was a man wearing a sleek black suit with an overcoat, his features similar to mine and yet matured with age.

I could see grey streaks running through his hair.

The man was none other than my father.

Reynold Von Ashborn.

Beside him were two girls, a small child with big red teary eyes and an older girl looking at me with strange expressions.

Ru and Lyla.

And finally, behind them stood a maid with black hair and pink eyes.

Stella.

I looked at them with a smile, as that was the only expression my flaw allowed, and waved my hand awkwardly, not knowing what to say for a moment.

"Hey guys, been a while, huh?"

My dad matched my smile.

"It sure has, little bastard." He replied back, matching my smirk.

While Stella gave me a soft smile.

Ru, in the meanwhile, ran towards me with her little steps. "Big brother."

Her eyes were teary as I crouched slightly to hug her back but before she could reach me, something else arrived, to be precise, a fist with enough force to knock out an elephant struck right on my jaw, sending my body flying before crashing into the wooden wall.

My head buzzed for a while but after being punched around so much, Lyra’s punch which was once so intimidating felt like a pillow now.

"Hahahhahahaa...."

Through it all, I laughed and looked at the one who had punched me.

"Can’t say I missed that, Lyra."

Lyra cracked her knuckles. "Then I guess I have to force you to miss it so you wouldn’t be so reckless from next time onwards."

Her smile sent a slight shiver down my spine, for a whole other reason than Lillith, as I remembered the childhood memories.

She walked towards me with slow steps, but before she could reach me, someone else stood between us, a girl with white hair and crimson serpentine eyes, Arza. In her hands was my traitorous cloak, which she had been holding before, and which had separated itself from my back right as I got punched.

Lyra looked like she wanted to say many things but held herself back because she knew herself, this wasn’t a good place to talk or have a fight with the daughter of the owner of the place.

Still, she threw an annoyed glare at Arza, then at me, before walking back towards the couch without a word for now, because Ashavar was still there.

Meanwhile, Ru passed by Arza, who didn’t try to stop her, and hugged me tightly.

"I missed you, big brother..."

She cried as all I could do was pat her back, without being able to say that I missed her too.

Ashavar looked at me from his couch.

"Now that you are here, I will give you some privacy."

His gaze passed over to Lyra.

"Nobody will be in this area soon, so you can have your reunion properly."

My father stood up as well, slightly bowing to that bastard. "Thanks for the generosity, Your Majesty."

"You do not need to be so formal with me, Duke Reynold. After all, we will be in-laws soon." He chuckled lightly before exiting.

Once he was gone, Lillith followed behind him, closing the door, leaving me and Arza with my family and only now did I understand why Arza was here...

My father probably wanted to meet her and true to my expectations, his gaze met mine and then Arza’s before he spoke. "Why don’t you both take a seat... after all, we do have a lot to discuss?"

I got up from the ground as Ru ran towards Lyra as well, trying hard to make her expression cold as she followed the same gesture as my father and sister, awkwardly holding her head on clasped hands with narrowed eyes.

But hers looked more cute than intimidating compared to the others.

It was probably Lyra’s work and she didn’t even try to hide it.

A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I looked at my father’s overly serious glare, my sister’s exaggerated attempt at menace, and Ru... who looked like she was seconds away from giving her act away and hugging me again.

I walked towards Arza, grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the couch without any hesitation, as I saw Lyra raise her eyebrows at me.

As soon as I took a seat, my father asked the first question.

"Why do you want to marry him...?"

His question wasn’t directed at me, it was directed at Arza with a serious expressions.

Arza in the meanwhile looked at him blankly for a moment, tilting her head slightly before finally answering.

"I like his chocolate."

As soon as she said those words, my father’s eyes trembled, probably questioning where he went wrong, while Lyra frowned, getting up from her seat.

"You... you what are you saying...?" She stuttered before looking furiously at me. "You bastard, what did you do to this poor girl...?"

Meanwhile, I sighed.

Here we go again.