Never Die Villain

"Are you sure? I can just wait for another—"

"Fuck. I already said get inside, didn’t I?!"

Ilya stared at her.

Anastasiya speaking to him after everything that had happened was strange enough, but Anastasiya voluntarily asking him to share a carriage with her was something else entirely.

For a moment, Ilya genuinely wondered whether this was actually his sister or some new Distortion that had killed her and taken her form, because the idea of Anastasiya willingly sitting beside him for the entire journey back to the capital was just that unbelievable.

"You’re actually asking me to ride with you?"

"Ilya."

"...Just making sure."

"Get in the fucking carriage!"

Her scream echoed throughout the palace entrance, startling several servants who had been loading the last of their luggage.

Even Mariya looked taken aback by the sudden outburst, while Ilya remained where he was for another second, staring suspiciously at his sister as though waiting for her to admit that this was some elaborate joke.

Anastasiya’s brow twitched.

"If you make me ask again, I’m leaving you here."

"...That sounds more like you."

"Get. The. Fuck. Inside."

"Alright, alright..."

Ilya finally climbed into the carriage, still casting Anastasiya a wary glance as he settled into the seat opposite her.

She immediately turned toward the window and rested her cheek against her hand, apparently having already exhausted whatever amount of patience had compelled her to invite him in the first place.

Behind them, Mariya watched the exchange with an expression that slowly softened into amusement.

The servants, meanwhile, wisely pretended they had heard absolutely nothing and continued loading the remaining luggage as quickly as possible.

Valentin, however, wasn’t there. He hadn’t even bothered coming out to see them off.

Ilya glanced once toward the palace entrance before looking away again, unsurprised. After everything that had happened during the Winter Assembly, he supposed that expecting his father to suddenly start acting like a father would have been asking for too much.

Once everything was finally in order, Sherry and the Head Maid climbed into the carriage as well, taking their respective seats while the servants secured the last of the luggage.

Ilya leaned toward the open door alongside Anastasiya, where Mariya was still waiting to see them off.

Before either of them could say anything, Mariya reached through the doorway and pulled both of them into an awkward embrace.

Anastasiya flinched at the sudden contact, then immediately tried to scooch to the side when she realized her shoulder was pressed against Ilya’s, doing everything she could to remain within her mother’s arms without actually touching her brother.

"Take care of yourselves, and write to me when you arrive. Both of you."

"We will."

"I will," Anastasiya corrected.

"...."

Only then did Mariya step away from the carriage. The door closed shortly afterward, and with a crack of the reins, the horses began moving as the Northern Palace slowly disappeared behind them.

Ilya settled into his seat.

"...."

Across from him, Anastasiya had already turned toward the window, seemingly determined to spend the journey pretending he wasn’t sitting there.

Ilya didn’t particularly mind, leaning back against his seat as the carriage continued farther from the Northern Palace.

The journey back to the capital had begun.

By the time they returned, winter break would officially be over, and with it, the life Ilya had known at the Academy would come to an end.

He would no longer be attending classes in the Knight Department or forcing himself through lessons that were never meant for him.

This time, he would be returning as a student of the Magic Department.

* * *

"Are they gone?"

"Yes."

Mariya walked past Valentin as she made her way through the halls, a faint smile on her lips after watching the carriage disappear beyond the estate.

Valentin fell into step beside her, a different expression on his face.

"I’m surprised you even came out of your room," Mariya said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "Has Ilya somehow managed to change your heart?"

"You should stop talking, Mariya."

"Should I?" Her smile widened. "You should stop trying to intimidate me, dear, unless you want to disappoint Diane."

"...."

Mariya stopped walking.

Valentin made it another step before stopping as well, and when he turned toward her, Mariya was already standing directly in front of him with that same pleasant smile on her lips.

She leaned forward and placed two fingers beneath his chin, turning his face toward hers.

"Ilya’s perception of you seems to have improved, if only slightly, after this whole fiasco. "What do you think will happen if I tell him you hit me again?"

Before Valentin could answer, Mariya raised her hand.

Slap——!

She struck herself across the cheek.

"...."

A red mark slowly appeared across her skin as Valentin stared at her in complete silence. Mariya merely tilted her head, looking entirely too pleased with herself as she brushed a few strands of hair away from the reddening cheek.

"Crazy woman..."

"Crazy?" Mariya placed a hand over her chest as though genuinely offended. "How cruel. Is that really how you’re supposed to treat the wife you spent your entire marriage pining for another woman in front of?"

"...You knew about Diane before you married me."

"I did."

"You knew I loved her..."

"I did."

"...And you married me anyway."

"I did." Mariya’s smile remained perfectly intact. "That doesn’t make you any less of an unfaithful husband, dear. It just makes me a remarkably understanding wife."

"You are anything but understanding."

"And yet I’ve tolerated you for all these years."

Valentin stared at the red mark on her cheek again before reaching forward, only for Mariya to immediately lean away from his hand.

"Oh, no. Don’t touch it."

"Mariya."

"It needs to remain visible."

"For what possible reason?"

"In case Ilya asks."

Valentin closed his eyes.

"You’re still doing that."

"Hehe."

"Still threatening me with my own son. You should realize by now that—"

"No." Mariya stepped closer again and lowered her voice. "I’m reminding you that your son has finally begun looking at you as something other than the man who made his life miserable. You should be very careful not to ruin that."

"...."

Mariya watched him for another moment before her smile returned, and she gently patted his cheek.

"I need you to do something for me, dear."

"...What is it?"

"Have your men find out what Ilya has been doing in the capital." Mariya’s expression grew more serious as she lowered her hand. "He’s different now, Valentin. Something has been changing him these past few months, and I don’t believe magic is the only reason."

Valentin narrowed his eyes. "What makes you say that?"

"I know my son."

Mariya turned and resumed walking, leaving Valentin to follow after her. Her thoughts returned to the conversation she had shared with Ilya yesterday, when she had asked him whether he still wished to die.

She had expected an immediate answer. But instead, Ilya had fallen silent, and for those few seconds, Mariya had seen genuine uncertainty on her son’s face, as though something had suddenly given him a reason to hesitate.

"Something has changed," Mariya said. "I could tell when I spoke to him yesterday."

Valentin narrowed his eyes. "Changed how?"

Mariya smiled. "There’s someone."

"Someone?"

"Yes. Or perhaps I should say someone is changing him." Mariya glanced back at Valentin, looking rather pleased with her conclusion. "I don’t know who yet, but I’m certain there’s someone in the capital who has gotten close to him."

"...."

"I need to know who this ’someone’ is."

Valentin stared at her for a moment. "...And what exactly do you intend to do once you find out?"

"Isn’t it obvious?"

Mariya tilted her head, her smile remaining perfectly pleasant.

"They’re trying to take Ilya away from me."

"...."

"And that’s unacceptable."

*

*

[End of Prologue - An Ice that Never Melts]

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