Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess-Chapter 199 - 198- Memory

"Mm…" Valerie let out a soft groan in her sleep. Her throat felt dry, and the discomfort stirred her awake.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. For a moment, she stared blankly, but then—bit by bit—the memories came rushing back. The moment she lost consciousness… the fear… the chaos…

"Uh!" She tried to sit up in alarm, but stopped midway—something was holding down the duvet covering her.

She turned her head slightly—and her breath caught.

There, resting beside her bed, was a man. His head lay gently on the blanket that covered her, his eyes closed, and his breathing calm. His lips were slightly parted as if he had fallen asleep waiting.

All the panic that had been bubbling inside her vanished in an instant.

He was here. Safe.

"Hah…" A breath escaped her lips, and she sank back into the bed. Her strength, which had flared up for a moment, faded again.

With slow care, she reached out a hand toward him.

Her fingers ran gently through his hair. "You worked hard," she whispered.

She didn't know yet whether her father had made it back. But knowing that this man—this person who cared about her—had risked his life to find her… it left a deep ache in her chest.

She felt guilty. Guilty for how she behaved, for making him worry, for driving him to take such a dangerous step. But that guilt was drowned out by the quiet joy blooming in her heart.

She already knew he cared.

But moments like this—when she could see it, feel it—made her heart overflow with warmth.

"You are awake..." Suddenly, a familiar man entered the room.

Valerie's eyes widened slightly as she looked at her father, "F-Father..."

Adam slowly approached her bed and rested his hand on her head, "Yes, I am back. Sorry for keeping you worried."

Valerie pushed herself up and wrapped her hand around him, tears welling up her eyes.

These past few hours were like hell for her. First, she received the news that her father was abducted by the demons and was taken to the other side. And then, Austin went after him.

Valerie was shaken down to her core. She was helplessly trying to reach them, however, a damn woman came in her way.

This was the second time in her life that she was reminded of how helpless she could become.

First, in front of that Demon General who erected the barrier to weaken her. And this time that Council warrior who stood in her path like an unshakable wall.

Adam softly patted her back and assured her that he was fine now.

"Valerie… you know," her father said gently, "if I had been in Austin's place, I'm not sure I would've done the same. Risking my life just because my fiancée was worried… That kind of courage—it's not something I've seen in anyone before."

Valerie slowly pulled away from him and turned to look at her father. His eyes, filled with quiet warmth, were fixed on the man still resting beside her.

What Austin had done wasn't bravery—it was closer to madness. The mission itself was a gamble with death. No one could say what lay on the other side. Maybe the Demon King's generals. Maybe the entire demon domain. The odds were impossible to measure.

Yet Austin had gone. Not only that—he offered himself up as a hostage without flinching.

"…Father," Valerie spoke softly, "did something happen to him while he was there? Was he hurt?"

Her voice trembled slightly, worry wrapped in every word.

She still remembered that awful moment during the battle, when her heart clenched and the world seemed to collapse. Like something terrible had happened—and she couldn't do anything about it.

Adam paused.

He didn't answer right away. A quiet hesitation settled in the room as he looked at his daughter.

He thought about telling her. About what Austin did in front of the Demoness. About how he sacrificed himself just so she wouldn't cry.

But seeing her like this—so worried, so fragile—he couldn't bring himself to say it.

"No," he finally said. "Nothing happened to him. I was taken away by the Council Advisor, so I don't know much… But from what I heard, he somehow broke through their defenses and made it out."

The truth was—no one really knew what happened. Not even Adam. Austin had collapsed from exhaustion the moment he returned and had been sleeping ever since. No one had pressed him for details.

His answer came quickly enough. But there was a pause—just a few seconds—before he spoke.

And that was more than enough for Valerie to know.

He was hiding something.

But it didn't matter. She would ask the one person who could never lie to her.

°°°°°°°°°°

[Austin's POV:]

....where the f*ck am I?

I looked around and found it was a familiar place...the Valorian Academy.

I was standing in the common hall and was summoned here out of nowhere.

'This is a dream...for sure...'The way people were going past me without noticing me, it was obvious that this was a dream...or maybe more like a memory. Since I haven't watched such a vivid dream where I could think properly.

Looking around, I suddenly spotted Rhea.

She was sitting at the table with a book in her hand, but her eyes were directed at someone else.

I followed the line of her sight....and was startled to find a very familiar face.

It was no one else but me....so this, indeed, is a memory I received after wielding Scar.

Valerie was sitting beside me but I didn't have much focus on her. I was reading a book while leaning back on the seat. My hair, which was quite long, was tied in a rough ponytail. My eyes lazily focused on the book.

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Looking around, I found there were several girls who were looking at me, many of them giggling and whispering things that were directed at me.

"Would you like me to fill the tea?" Valerie asked softly as she picked up the teapot.

"Mm-hmm." ...and I didn't even bother to thank her or even look at her.

Valerie smiled... uh, is it bad to feel a little jealous here? I mean, that person is me but still...

Valerie was quietly pouring tea when—

THUMP.

A loud slam shook the table, making her frown. Tea spilled slightly at the rim of the cup.

A stranger stood there. He looked young—clearly a student from the academy—but his face was twisted in rage, eyes burning red.

"You bastard! How can you—agh!"

"Uh…" Valerie gasped—and so did I.

It all happened too fast.

Without even sparing him a glance, Austin picked up a fork from the table and flicked it.

Thud.

The metal sank into the guy's chest with terrifying force. Only a few inches of the fork remained visible.

He… he just stabbed someone.

Calmly, Austin closed the book he'd been reading and set it down beside him. Then, with a voice colder than ice, he spoke:

"That could've stabbed your heart, Markus. So watch your mouth when you speak to me."

His gaze finally lifted—and when it did, the air in the room changed. His eyes were sharp, unfeeling, and deadly.

A weight pressed down on the common hall. No one dared move. Even Valerie visibly flinched under his aura.

Markus stood frozen, trembling, blood slowly staining his shirt.

Then—Austin's eyes turned toward me.

That one glance made my heart skip.

"You're still here?" he said softly. "It's not time for you to know everything yet."

And with a snap of his fingers—

Whoosh.

The world around me collapsed.

I felt my body get pulled away, my senses drifting. Everything blurred as the world faded from sight.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard my own thoughts echo faintly.

'My previous self… really was something else.'

°°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- I mean...Selner did say that he was a completely different person and once he regained the other fragments, their personalities would merge. Thanks for reading.