Love Operation: Don't Become The Villainess

CHAPTER 36: I...

THIRD PERSON'S P.O.V.

"Praise be to Agen! Praise be to the Father God!"

A gentle smile rested upon The God of Beauty's lips as he observed his followers from different places and countries, even in different worlds and universes who worship him through the floating rectangular-shaped mirrors surrounding him in his own abode.

These digital screen-like mirrors where he watches the different events unfold in the different worlds and universes serve as his eyes. It was indeed convenient.

On one particular mirror to his right, he eyed a mysterious man standing in the shadows far behind his kneeling followers in front of his statue coated in golden paint. Instead of being suspicious of what this man might do in his temple, he was more drawn to the beauty this man possess--a beauty of mystery, darkness, royalty, and death.

Pouting his lips, he peered in closer to check whose world the one he's watching belongs to...

"Wait," his mouth gapes, eyebrows raising, "This one... Somses?"

This world belongs to Somses! How long has it been since he heard about that God of Perception? It certainly has been a while since he talked to him... and who knows how long 'a while' is to a god?

Among all the gods, albeit being a God of Perception, Somses is the most playful one. Not to mention, the craziest.

Now that he thinks about it, the last time he heard about Somses was that he has gone mad and insane... but that's really none of his business. Unless the situation actually involves either all the gods or just him, they don't pry into each other's businesses. Aside from it being due to avoiding conflict or it's too bothersome, they just don't really care about each other's matters (unless it genuinely piques their interests).

In the end, he only shrugged his shoulders at the handsome and mysterious mortal he saw in Somses' world, diverting his attention to another random mirror.

He was just really drawn to his beauty, but him being suspicious in his own temple is a trivial matter he leaves to the mortals or his followers to take care of themselves.

And after that, he did his usual routine--of choosing random mirrors to different mortal worlds, giving them his blessings then closing the mirrors afterwards. He's now left all alone in his abode, of the seas of stars in the nightsky above and the glowing turquoise waters resembling the morning sky below his feet. The gigantic luminous pink tree stood in the middle of it all surrounded with a small garden of flowers and other plants.

He sat down on the waters, creating calm ripples then leaned backwards on the huge roots of the pink tree, closing his eyes afterwards.

~ * ~

CATHERINE'S P.O.V.

I feel like I'm being myself, but not at the same time...

Does that even make sense?

It's still me. The soul in this body is still Yara.

This thought reminded me of the original soul of Catherine...

I'm not the real owner of this body. That's a fact.

What I should be doing is to return it.

But Ivan... I don't want to give him up to the original Catherine.

But if I continue this, I don't know what might happen to my soul.

I don't know what might happen to him.

I'm not really sure about what's happening to me but I feel like there's nothing wrong, but I just know something is.

Is this all really worth it?

Should I just give this up?

Am I being too selfish?

I gasped when I realized something. Bigla akong napaupo sa kama, nanlalaki ang mga mata.

"I'm becoming a villainess," I said. The air remained still inside of my bedroom. Tanging ang ugong lang ng aircon ang nangingibabaw.

Being selfish, power tripping, and being mean.

Mariin akong napapikit ng mga mata't napakunot ng noo. I massaged my temple using the base of my palm.

I'm still headed towards that path no matter how hard I try to avoid it.

My eyes caught sight of my cellphone on the bedside table on my right. Ivan said it's okay if we don't talk tonight...

I did plan on talking to him tonight to reassure him but I really don't feel like it. I don't want to force myself at baka sa kaniya ko lang mailabas ang frustration na dinaranas ko ngayon.

I'll just call him tomorrow. I'm sorry, Ivan.

Walang gana akong dumapa sa kama bago ibinaon ang mukha sa aking malalambot na mga unan.

I wonder how Agen is doing? How is his progress of finding Mordall going? Can I still continue living like this? Knowing I shouldn't be here?

"Catherine..." I called out to her name.

"She's asleep. I made her soul fall into deep slumber," I remember the God of Beauty saying.

FLASHBACK

"Isn't that..." I gulped, "Isn't that dangerous and cruel?"

"Dangerous and cruel?" he let out a low laugh, amused, "Don't worry. It's fine. That happens quite often actually. As long as I don't forget about her."

"What do you mean?"

"If I forgot I have her soul, well, haha," muli siyang natawa, "Her soul just stays here in my abode. Nothing really happens. She's just stuck here instead of making her merry way back to the universe."

I gaped. That really is cruel.

"Though I don't think I'll forget about her if you're that worried since you're there to remind me. Why?" he smiled so gently it sent shivers down my spine, "Do you want to return her body to her? Or do you not, and want to stay in her world?"

At the thought of Ivan, I couldn't dare refuse and it seems like he already knew about my answer.

"I-I just have a question," I couldn't help but stutter at my shamelessness.

"Hmm? What is it?"

"H-how long can I stay as her?"

"I'd give you her life if you want."

Nablanko ang aking isipan, "What?"

That easy?

"It's really that easy," he answered as if he could read my mind.

"Isn't there a limit to how much a god can interfere with the matters of the mortal world?"

"No?" he looked at me innocently, "Not really? I mean, the only world we can't really interfere with directly is that original world in an alternate/parallel universe, the one created by the Father God himself--the world and universe where we, The Six, were born. But the other worlds which were created by the other gods and goddesses like me, like the world of Beloved Jade, I can directly interfere with. You might actually have a version of yourself there in the original world but as Yara, the real you. Now that I think about it, I should check the 'you' from that world. I might find some answers."

I was left speechless. I didn't know about that.

"Mortals would normally not know about it since it's not written in the Speculo. It's one of the hidden truths of the world that should only be among the divine after all."

"T-Then why tell me?"

He smiled at me with depth, and implication of what I don't know, "It's because I think I can trust you."

And that there might be something more to my relationship with Agen that I am not fully aware of.