I'm The Villain

Three Choices Made Difficult

King Rajnesh of the Kelilohalla kingdom, a man who cared for his kingdom, one who built his empire on a foundation of trust.

He had three sons, a daughter and a loving wife.

What more could he wish for in this life?

The Bherealia kingdom, that was his next conquest.

In order to tackle the problem to house the ever growing population, he had mounted a full-on assault on the neighbouring kingdom though he bared not a single thread of hostility towards them.

"Father, scouting results have come back." William, his eldest son said.

"Mm." Raj nodded,"The same as always?"

"It is different this time...One of our higher ranking troops were eradicated. The scouts escaped to avoid death."

"Which one?"

"The undead orcs we purchased from the vampires, father. To fell such a large amount...I believe that they had run into a group of Platinum ranked adventurers who believed them prey."

A vein in Raj's temple was visible,"Those brutes...Those orcs costed a fortune!" Raj growled as he comforted himself,"It's...Fine. Money is nothing. As long as the scouts are safe."

"As you wi-"

"Father!" Roxanne burst in, her face painted in worry.

"My child, what has happened?" Raj asked.

"T-the throne room! The monster has the nobles rounded up! A-and mum and everyone..." Roxanne looked like she was about to break down.

"WHAT?!" Raj and William shouted,"Quick! To the throne room!"

—————

Raj opened the door, noting the terrified looks on the soldiers' faces, he gulped.

Inside, he saw familiar faces all encased in water,  unable to move nor speak, their faces of terror said it all.

Even the children were not left alone, stuck in cubes of unmoving water.

And sitting on the throne, was a masked man, beside him a mighty dragon that was nearly thrice his size and on the other side, a gelatinous slime that had a crown on its head, silently peering down at the king and his children, the masked man almost looked like he was leering at them, mocking them.

"Ah, about time the main cast got here~!" The man spoke theatrically, as if it were a relaxed play.

"That is the throne of the king! How dare you-" Roxanne elbowed William to shut him up, Raj silently thankful.

If he provoked this person, who knew what they would do?

"You are?..." Raj asked politely.

"I am Candie Ark, and i'm here to take over this kingdom. Resist and..." Candie's hand moved, three cubes moving to the front.

"Alexis! Derek! Wayne!" Raj roared,"You!...To threaten a kingdom!..."

Candie laughed,"Of course, I'm not just here to take over~ I need some fun in my life! Twenty thousand, three hundred and seventy-three years i've waited...And it was well worth it. I hate despair! I hate hate! I want that gusto! That might! That feeling that friendship will somehow push you beyond limits even though it's impossible!" Candie stood up, his movements erratic as he pointed and turned, his body bent unnaturally.

"So..." Candie put a finger to his lips,"I've come with a proposition. You have three main possible endings. Two of which, will let you live."

Raj grit his teeth,"What...Are my choices? How do I know you won't go back on your word, monster!"

Candie giggled madly, pretending to wipe tears off the mask's eyes,"If I wanted to kill you and destroy this city, my subordinates would be here, not me."

The temperature in the room dropped, Candie's words dripped with threat were heard.

"Now I want you to pick. Three. Simple. Choices."

"..."

"One. Give up your title, purge your nobility and quell your people before giving up leadership."

"Two. I want you to look up at the skies. Draketh."

The dragon blew a hole in the roof of the castle, dust falling as the building shook.

Outside, the sky was nearly pitch black.

"A flood will rain from the skies. A speciality spell just for you. And with it, it'll take all the lives of your kingdom, along with you, of course."

"To kill so many people without remorse! Are you even human?!" Willian roared angrily,"Have you no empathy for your own kind?!"

Candie was silent for a moment,"Lord Candie should we-" Draketh was stopped.

"No."

Draketh sat down once more.

Raj, Roxanne and William stared at the silent figure, the mask staring back,"You're wrong."

"Huh?..." William was confused.

"Thirty thousand years ago, I was a nobody. I had no talents besides being a dangerous menace to the world that was considered a heretic to the church." Candie's blonde hair covered part of the mask.

"But Master Elliot saw potential in me. Master Elliot offered me a new lease at life. Now look at me." Candie breathed in deeply.

Raj and his children were forced to stare at the unblinking figure by a powerful force,"I've renounced my humanity! I am a god! I control the disasters that befall this earth! I am standing here, as one of the six prominent figures of the Masked Depravities!"

Candie walked down, towards them.

"And let me make one thing clear, little boy. I'm not killing those six hundred thousand people. Your father is, if he chooses to." Candie answered simply.

Raj breathed heavily,"The last choice?"

He could virtually see the sadistic grin growing under the mask,"You will be a vassal kingdom, under full control. The nobles will stay...But if we're unhappy..."

Raj chuckled,"So you think you can rule a kingdom? Do you know the requirements?! Even with power that can surpass mine, do you think the kingdom will not fall in a massive civilian coup?! To follow you...Is a fate worse than death!"

Candie shook his head,"I am not a ruler. I am a mere subject."

"Subject?..."

"I have come here on an order by our supreme god master Elliot. I have been tasked with acquiring new land for our new kingdom while my colleagues are off with similar tasks. Now, I was ordered by master Elliot to reduce as many casualties as possible..."

A chill rushed up Raj's spine.

"If not for master Elliot saying to spare you moronic humans..."

William shook.

"You'd be dead long 'fore I set foot out the castle."

Those menacing words rang out like a cannon, following deafening silence.

"So...What will it be, Rajnesh Kelilohalla? Will you stand by your foolish words and cause the death of six hundred thousand. Or stand with me as a loyal subject of Lord Elliot? Rest assured, you will be given the title of a knight, not a pawn. Just below a bishop." Candie asked, leaving the ultimatum for Raj to answer.