I Am The Game's Villain-Chapter 528: [Event] [Elven Utopian War] [67] Inner Conflicts

I jolted awake. My eyes snapped open, and I found myself staring up at the inside of a tent, the fabric stretching above me. The immediate instinct was to sit up, but I groaned slightly, the movement feeling sluggish and heavy.

I glanced down at my body—bandages wrapped around my arms. The dull ache I had grown used to was gone. I felt… better, at least physically, but exhaustion clung to me. The weariness was still there, though I could tell someone had taken good care of me.

I turned my head toward the entrance of the tent just as someone stepped inside. It was Vina, her eyes wide with surprise when she saw I was awake. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out at first.

I smiled.

"You’ve been a great help against Navas," I said, though I was a bit surprised at how tired my voice sounded.

Vina avoided my gaze. "You would’ve won anyway."

I raised an eyebrow, a little pleased. "You were that confident in me?"

She didn’t answer right away.

"You should rest," she said after a moment.

Without another word, she turned and quickly left the tent.

I was left alone with my thoughts, trying to shake the weariness from my mind. "How long was I out?" I called after her.

"Two days," Vina’s voice floated back to me from outside.

Two days?!

I had been unconscious for that long?

I couldn’t believe it. But what surprised me more was the fact that Cleenah wasn’t around. I tried calling her, but it was no use. She wasn’t there again. I knew she could leave my body whenever she wanted as long as I was alive, but why was it that she always seemed to vanish when I needed her the most?

Pushing the thoughts aside, I carefully attempted to stand, my legs still a little numb from being immobile for so long. I had to get up. I had to move. I quickly changed into fresh clothes, determined to get back to Utopia and figure out the next steps. I needed to put a plan in place with Alvara. Once we had that, I could finally get my…well, mother to safety, back to Sancta Vedelia, where she belonged.

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I stepped outside the tent, the cold night air hitting me as I made my way toward the camp’s exit. But before I could get very far, I was met by Celeste.

Her eyes trembled with emotions that she couldn’t quite mask. But when she saw me standing there, obviously prepared to leave, her expression shifted.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"I have to leave," I replied, trying to brush past her. "The threat here is over."

But Celeste wasn’t having it. She stretched out her arm, blocking my path. "You need to rest at least for tonight. You just woke up!" She glared.

It had been two days since I left Alvara behind, and I was quite concerned. A week was almost up, and I hadn’t thought much about explaining myself. I had assumed I’d be back by now, that everything would be fine, but here I was, still far from there.

"Please…" Celeste asked again with a pleading expression.

I could see the concern in her eyes, and it made me sigh. "Fine. But I’m leaving early tomorrow morning."

Celeste’s face lit up immediately. "That’s great! Now, come eat!" She said, pulling me toward the wooden bench near the campfire.

The warmth of the fire and the smell of food filled the air as I settled down and dug into the vegetable soup.

"Where’s King Reiner?" I asked between bites.

Celeste’s expression changed a bit. "He left with… the body."

I didn’t need her to elaborate. It wasn’t hard to figure out who she meant.

Maybe slicing his head off was a bit much…

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Celeste didn’t say anything right away, but then I remembered something. "What about Kendel? You captured him, right?" I’d seen him earlier, barely alive, lying on the ground after Celeste’s work. She hadn’t held back, as expected.

Celeste hesitated, avoiding my gaze. "Well…" She started, her voice trailing off.

I raised an eyebrow. "Celeste…"

She sighed deeply. "I left him there when you were in danger, but when I came back, his people took him. He’s in no state to fight, though."

She hadn’t killed him huh.

"I wanted to kill him," Celeste admitted. "But keeping him alive was the smarter choice. The Teraquin House, the people who fought alongside us... they can’t be blamed for his actions, not like Sephira. She didn’t ask for this, but why should she pay for Kendel’s sins?" She looked at me.

I blinked, surprised by the depth of her reasoning. It wasn’t just pity driving her. She’d really thought this through. And, surprisingly, she was right.

Once the war ended, everyone would need a scapegoat. And, most likely, the Teraquin Kingdom would bear the brunt of that blame—people who were innocent, like Sephira, would be caught in the crossfire. But by keeping Kendel alive, they could point the finger at him without completely destroying the Teraquin Kingdom’s reputation. It would allow the survivors to rebuild without everyone’s hate being directed at them. At least, that’s what Celeste was counting on.

I nodded slowly, taking it all in. She had made the right call, even if it didn’t feel like it at the moment.

As I continued eating, I glanced around, scanning the area for a familiar blonde vampire.

"Alicia is sleeping," Celeste said flatly, quickly noticing who I had been looking for.

"R-Right…" I muttered.

I had hoped to apologize to Alicia before leaving, but it seemed it won’t be today.

"Even if she wasn’t, I don’t think she’d want to see you right now," Celeste added, with a sharper tone.

Ah.

She must’ve seen everything.

I could feel the awkwardness thickening with every passing second. I focused on finishing my meal, eager to escape this uncomfortable exchange. As soon as I emptied my bowl, I stood and excused myself, heading back to my tent.

I needed rest. The next few days would require my full strength. Durathiel wasn’t going to be an easy foe, and I couldn’t afford any distractions. All my affairs here had been resolved—or so I thought.

Sliding my hand into my pocket, I felt… nothing. My breath caught in my throat.

Where was it? The Seed of Eden?

When I bit Alicia, I’d intentionally unhooked her pendant. Yeah, it had been a scummy thing to do—especially after forcibly drinking her blood—but it was the perfect opportunity to take it.

"Huh?!" I muttered aloud, patting my other pockets in growing panic.

"Are you looking for this?"

I spun around.

Celeste stood there, her expression unreadable, holding the pendant in her hand. The Seed of Eden gleaming.

"When I treated you earlier, I found it in your pocket," she said, glancing at it. "But I’m pretty sure it’s Alicia’s."

I stepped closer, reaching out instinctively. "I need it."

"For what?" She asked, moving her hand away.

"That’s… something I’ll tell you later," I said after a moment of hesitation.

Celeste’s eyes narrowed. "Always with the secrets. Why are you hiding so much from me? Am I not worthy of your trust, Amael?"

Her words hit me harder than I expected.

I lowered my hand, unable to meet her eyes.

"That’s not it. It’s… complicated," I said, struggling to find the right words. "Just believe me."

"I do!" She shot back. "I believe in you more than anyone else! But why can’t you show even a little of that trust in return?" She asked with a hurt face.

Her fists clenched. I could see the pain in her eyes, and for a moment, I hated myself for causing it.

"I… I’m not the man you think I am, Celeste," I said in the end.

Her expression shifted, confusion mingling with hurt. She stepped closer. "What does that mean?"

For the first time, she seemed to sense that I wasn’t just evading her questions—I was confronting her.

"You know that I love you, don’t you?" Celeste asked, her eyes searching mine for confirmation.

"That’s the thing…" I replied softly, sighing as I avoided her gaze. "I think you only love the good parts of me, the side you’ve seen. But that’s not all of who I am."

Her expression faltered, confusion giving way to hurt. "I–If this is about what happened the other day, I don’t care! I still love you!"

I could see the guilt in her eyes as she mentioned the moment when I’d lost control. She was probably blaming herself for her frightened reaction back then, as if it had been her fault. It wasn’t.

"You say that now but… one day, you’ll care. You’ll see the real me, and when that day comes, you’ll hate me. You’ll hate yourself for ever feeling anything for me."

"You can’t know—"

"I know enough," I said, shaking my head with a bitter laugh. "Celeste, my life is a constant battle. I’m always one step away from death, and everyone close to me—everyone I care about—is at risk because of it."

If something happened to her. I don’t know how I’d react. I might lose myself completely. Samael, or whatever thing resides in me, might take over for good.

Her lips parted, as if she was about to argue, but before she could speak, I felt her hand on my cheek. She tilted my face down slightly, and in the next moment, her lips met mine.

My eyes widened in surprise as her hands gripped my shirt tightly, pulling me closer. I instinctively reached for her shoulders, intending to push her away, but she wasn’t having it. Her lips pressed against mine insistently.

As the kiss deepened, she pushed me backward. I staggered slightly, her hands gripping me tighter as if afraid I’d pull away. When she finally parted her lips, a thin thread of saliva connected us.

"Do you love me or not?" She asked, her face flushed but with a serious gaze.

I hesitated for only a moment before the truth slipped out. "Yeah… I do."

Her expression softened, her lips curving into a radiant smile. Without hesitation, she kissed me again, her arms wrapping around my neck as if anchoring herself to me. I couldn’t stop myself this time. My hands slid around her waist, pulling her close.

"Hmn~" She sighed softly, her body melting against mine.

The feel of her pressed against me was intoxicating, her warmth igniting a fire that I couldn’t extinguish. She pushed me further until my back met the table, her lips leaving mine to trail down my neck.

I tilted my head slightly, allowing her better access, before I reclaimed control. Turning the tables, I shifted her onto the surface, my hands finding her thighs as I lifted her slightly. Her breath hitched, and her cheeks flushed even deeper.

"Y–Your fingers are so cold…" she murmured, shivering under my touch.

"And you’re so hot," I replied, leaning down to press a kiss to the curve of her collarbone. My lips trailed lower, skimming the top of her chest as her fingers tangled in my hair.

"Hm~" Celeste let out a quiet moan as I nipped lightly at her neck.

Her reactions only fueled my desire. My hands roamed instinctively, her body responding to every touch of mine. As I kissed her more fervently, my mind began to drown in the moment. Her soft gasps, the heat of her skin against mine—it was all-consuming.

But then… I remembered.

Amael’s words.

"You aren’t Amael Idea Olphean."

"You know who I’m talking about. My childhood friend. I always loved Celes as a kid."

"I’m sure she liked me a lot too. If only I had—"

"...!"

I immediately pulled my head back, breaking the moment.

"Hm… Amael?" Celeste’s eyes fluttered open to meet mine in confusion.

"We should stop…" I said as I gently removed my hands from her legs, taking a step back.

"D–Did I do something wrong?" Celeste asked in panic as she sat up straighter, her brows furrowing in worry.

"No, that’s not it," I replied quickly, running a hand through my hair. "It’s just… let’s save this moment for someplace better."

She blinked at me a bit worried. "Are you okay?"

I forced a weak smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Do you want everyone to hear your moans?" I teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Idiot…" Celeste muttered, her cheeks flushing a deep red as she turned her face away, embarrassed.

I laughed softly, but my laughter was short-lived. I quickly averted my gaze, hiding the swirl of emotions threatening to surface.

I can’t anymore…

Each of Amael’s words rang in my mind.

If I am not Amael, then who am I…