To be the Villainess

O50.

Chapter 50

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third person

Sebastian and Mire stepped through the shattered balcony window, their boots crunching against the glass. The room greeted them with the metallic scent of blood. Dark stains smeared across the walls and floor told the story of violence, but the one they sought was nowhere to be seen.

Sebastian’s eyes scanned the chaos, his expression a volatile mix of fury and fear. His voice broke the heavy silence, sharp and commanding. “Where is she?”

Mire, towering and beastly, stood silently for a moment, his glowing eyes fixed on the bloodied room. He cradled the herbs and rare ingredients in his clawed hands, his loyalty to her unshaken. “I don’t know,” he replied, his voice low but steady.

Sebastian’s jaw tightened, frustration flaring as he moved with purpose around the room. His hands hovered over broken furniture, shattered glass, searching for any trace of her. Each second passed like a tightening noose.

“You’re her beast,” Sebastian said, his tone sharp as a blade. He stopped abruptly and turned to Mire, his dark eyes narrowing. “You can sense her. She’s alive, isn’t she?” His voice dropped, laced with both certainty and desperation. “You wouldn’t still be here if she wasn’t.”

Mire gave a slight nod. “She lives. I would feel it if she didn’t.” His words carried a calm conviction, but they did little to soothe Sebastian’s growing anxiety.

Sebastian strode forward, grabbing Mire by the collar. His grip was firm but not cruel, his voice low and dangerous. “Then find her,” he demanded, his eyes burning with intensity. “You’re the only one who can.”

Mire didn’t flinch, meeting Sebastian’s gaze without fear. “I will.”

Sebastian let him go and turned his back, running a hand through his hair as he tried to suppress the turmoil threatening to surface. His voice, though quieter now, carried the weight of unspoken worry. “I need her back,” he said, almost to himself. “Before it’s too late.”

Mire gave a final nod before slipping out the balcony and vanishing into the night, his movements silent and swift.

Sebastian stood alone, the blood-stained room echoing with the faint sound of Mire’s departure. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his expression hard, unreadable. The only sign of his inner turmoil was the slight tremor in his fingers as he stared down at the ruined space.

The silence pressed in, heavy and oppressive, as he muttered under his breath, “I’ll find you,” he whispered, his voice low and filled with resolve. “No matter what it takes.”

The wind howled through the shattered balcony, a cold whisper of the hunt to come. In the distance, Mire’s guttural roar echoed, a beast unleashed. Somewhere in the shadowed expanse, she lingered—alive, but out of reach.

Sebastian’s gaze hardened, his resolve unshakable. He would tear through the darkness itself if that’s what it took to bring her back.

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arthemice

I glanced at the system’s announcement, the holographic text hovering before me. My sixth training session had finally arrived, marking two weeks since I’d escaped the palace.

Two weeks of solitude. Two weeks of survival.

I’d found refuge in a small, abandoned cabin deep in the forest. It wasn’t much, but it was shelter. Every day, I honed my alchemy skills, pushing my limits. And, honestly? I’d improved a lot.