Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

I have said this multiple times.

Not just once but throughout my life.

I have hated one thing a lot and that is my own family….the Aljanah.

Perhaps it's because Esmeray belonged to this family.

Perhaps my hatred is for those who put a blind eye to Esmeray's doing.

I hated how I was treated by Avril, I hated that nobody came to help me when I needed.

….Yet, my hatred does not take away my reasoning and my way of thinking.

The Aljanahs are important for this world to have a certain balance.

For thousands of years the Aljanah have been a medium.

They have started a lot of conflicts but also have solved a lot as well.

But in the end one thing was always stuck with me.

'Trusting an Aljanah is akin to asking Satan to be merciful.'

As we walked behind the current head of Aljanah's of Lumina, my gaze kept on shifting.

The woman…Nora walked just beside Jacob with their hands intertwined.

"....."

My gaze wandered on her hips that she swayed around proactively.

I turned to my side only to find Aimar and Elijah giving me weird look.

I slowed down and so did the other two.

"Is all the woman you have yet not enough?" Aimar said, his tone disgusted. "Are you really going after a married grandma."

I completely ignored him as my gaze shifted towards Elijah.

"You can feel it too right?" I said, looking into his eyes. "Her presence?"

Elijah glanced at Nora once again as he nodded his head slightly.

"…Y-yeah." He whispered softly. "It's like she is actively trying to get into my head."

I firmly gripped my hand as I affirmed that it wasn't just me.

"…What are you guys talking about?" Aimar asked, as he looked oddly clueless. "Is this feeling exclusive to Aljanah's or what?"

"...."

"...."

We both didn't respond as it felt more than just a joke.

'…What the hell is she?'

I thought to myself as she looked back over her shoulder and gave a small smile.

'....'

No matter what happens, I will have to keep my guard up against her.

She is definitely some evil being that has taken a human form.

….Calling her human doesn't feel right.

As I tried to figure her out, Jacob brought us to a huge door.

Two servants opened the door and a huge hall opened up.

Jacob turned back and smiled. "Welcome to my home."

I glanced at him and then behind him as I noticed someone special.

"Let me introduce you to my small family." Jacob spoke as he gestured towards them.

The first to step forward was a young man, tall and sharp-eyed.

His silver hair was tied loosely, and his eyes were a brown-grey.

"This is my son, Havier."

He didn't smile as his gaze landed on me, like he was assessing me.

I ignored him as my gaze shifted to someone else.

'…No way this is true.'

The woman who stood by Havier's side stepped forward.

Blue hair braided neatly that fell behind her back and unnatural face that looked too good to be true.

She smiled gently and walked towards me until she stood infront of me.

'…No way.'

My gaze shifted towards her ears that were just like Levia.

"This is my daughter-in-law." Jacob spoke with pride. "Verena."

Verena held out the back of her hand like she expected me to kiss it.

"It's an honor to finally meet you, Himmel," she said softly. "My family always look up to you."

I gently grabbed her hand and placed a firm kiss on her hand.

….And much to my surprise, the mature woman blushed crimson.

It wasn't just me who noticed as even Havier noticed it.

Havier's eyes twitched so hard I thought his face might crack.

Verena pulled her hand back a little too quickly, the blush still bright on her cheeks.

She tried to hide it with a calm smile, but the damage was already done.

"Your family?" I asked, giving her a curious look.

Verena got a hold of herself as she smiled.

"Let me introduce myself again." She spoke, bowing slightly while grabbing her gown's hem.

"My name is Verena Nelo Lorelei, the former princess of only mermaid household alive."

"Why does your family look up to me?" I asked as I see no reason for this to happen.

"Well, our family is a devotee of Goddess Anastasia." She spoke with the same smile. "As the only male Avatar of her…our whole family looks up to you."

"….I see."

There was a lot of things that I wanted to say but I couldn't.

'….Wasn't Anastasia the one who eradicated the mermaids?'

Then how come there is one who is still alive in this time?

Verena must've sensed something in my expression because her gaze softened.

"You look confused," she said quietly.

"He will be Verena." Nora, who was watching the show all this time, finally spoke. "…You are making him like this."

Verena still smiled as she moved back.

"Perhaps we can continue our conversation later on." She spoke eyeing me. "I would love some alone time with you."

I had nothing else to speak so all I could do is nod.

Though, I don't think Havier liked the idea as he was practically fuming.

'…And is it just me or is Jacob completely ignoring it?'

I glanced at Jacob who was busy looking at his wife.

"My youngest daughter is still out." He spoke, noticing my gaze. "And you have already met with Levia."

He gestured toward a grand staircase that curled like a golden serpent.

"Come," he said. "Let me show you where you will be staying."

I didn't move as I stood my ground.

"I am not here as a guest, Jacob." I spoke making sure he heard it. "I am here to warn you and take back what's mine."

Jacob stared back at me as his gaze darkened.

But the moment he began to speak….

…Nora's hand slipped into his arm again and just like earlier, the atmosphere changed.

She smiled sweetly, looking deep into my eyes.

"You all look tense," she purred. "Relax. This is your home as long as you are here."

'Liar.'

That was my first instinctive reaction.

She turned her head slightly, her pitch-black hair sliding down her shoulder.

"As for the warning." She spoke. "I am all ears, dear Himmel."

"...."

I couldn't answer immediately as I kept my gaze on her.

Part of me refused to speak while she was gripping Jacob's arm like she owned the entire damn family.

The other part of me didn't trust the shift in the air around her.

'…Who the fuck is she?'

I really don't understand what she is doing here.

There was no mention of her in the game and I have never heard about her from Esmeray.

A cold wind brushed past my mind that made me close my eyes.

"Touch my mind again," I said quietly, "and I'll rip yours apart."

Nora smiled even more brightly as she loosened her grip on Jacob's arm.

"Can you give me some time with him dear?" She asked him. "Alone."

Jacob nodded his head as he clapped his hand. "Clear the room."

I turned towards Elijah and Aimar and nodded.

They understood and began to walk out of the room with the rest of the Aljanahs.

Before long, I was left alone with Nora in the big empty hall.

I clasped my hand behind as I walked towards her.

"…What are you?"

That was the first question that I asked.

"And how long are you manipulating Jacob?"

Her smile didn't die down as she tilted her head. "Aren't you bold?" She said. "Calling my love—."

"I know the difference between love and manipulation more than anyone." I cut her off, standing right infront of her. "So, don't bother lying."

She smiled looking up at my face. "….Ah, the small Azariah has grown some balls."

"...."

I looked down at her, the words she spoke didn't surprise me at all.

"What are you?" I repeated my question. "Answer before I rip off that smug face of yours."

She blinked as she responded. "I am Nora."

I scoffed, my patience running thin.

"You know, Azariah." She spoke softly. "You are way too special for this world."

Nora moved around me in circles as her gaze never left my face.

"You see, Anastasia was really thorough with massacre." She spoke in a dull tone. "There was barely any mermaids left after she was done."

She stopped infront of me once again. "Do you know why she massacred them?"

"...."

I didn't respond but I had the idea for why that happened.

"…She did it simply because she was jealous." She spoke softly.

"Because she feared that one day her lover will be reborn and have a much capable mermaid partner than her."

"….A fallen and a mermaid are the most compatible." I spoke, looking down at her.

"Exactly." She spoke brightly. "But you see, by killing all the mermaids she took something really special from me."

Her eyes landed back at my face. "…And she took everything else."

"…What are you?"

I asked once again as I kept on staring at her.

"Do you know why Anastasia didn't kill every single mermaid?" She asked instead of replying. "You know why there are still mermaids left?"

"....."

I couldn't speak as I wasn't aware of what might go in a goddess' mind.

"So her lover can find his compatible partner." She pinched her fingers close to my face. "And she can snatch her body away."

Though there was hatred in her eyes, she smiled sweetly and began to walk away from me.

"Anastasia won't do anything stupid." I spoke as I turned towards her.

Nora's hand was just on the doorknob as she turned back.

"My dear Azariah." She spoke softly. "What makes you think she hasn't done it already?"

"..."

I stood there frozen as I just looked at her blankly.

….No way that could be true right?

"And about the "key" you came for." She spoke opening the door.

"As long as I am alive, you won't see the face of it."