[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-254":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","THE VILLAIN'S POV",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},336591,598,"Chapter 254: Shadows Beneath the Throne (2)","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-254",254,"\u003Cp>No matter how long I stared at her, aside from the blackness in her eyes,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>she still looked like herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same Sansa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She, along with Abraham Starlight, were the only characters I never wrote anything concrete about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somehow,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>her presence was something I didn't want to lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After deciding that, I let the topic fade, and continued chatting with Sansa like I used to in the past, ignoring the darkness that swirled quietly around her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At times like these, meaningless, lighthearted conversations were more than welcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, isn't that what friends do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that, we lost track of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You've been staring a lot lately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice came out of nowhere, and she turned toward me with a teasing smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know what you're talking about,\" I replied, deflecting with casual denial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She chuckled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's unlike you, Frey. Could it be… you've fallen for me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know that's not the case.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mean, she can literally read emotions from facial expressions .. so what was the point of asking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know,\" she nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But do you know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you getting at?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of feelings do you think I have for you, Frey?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rose from the bench, eyes locked on mine .. those deep, dark eyes of hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no clear answer to her question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't have her ability, so all I could do was guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm afraid if I say 'love,' you'll try to kill me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're more clueless than I thought.\" Sansa shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I could never fall for someone who breaks his promises.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…A promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remember her bringing up something like that before ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a promise made to the other Frey, the one who lived before I reincarnated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though honestly, I wasn't even sure we were different people at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be honest… I forgot about that promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I told her the truth .. straightforward and unfiltered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded, showing no reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I figured.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence settled between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We stared at each other for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So?\" I asked. \"Aren't you going to tell me what the promise was?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No. It doesn't matter anymore if you've forgotten it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa turned to leave but glanced back at me with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if you don't remember it, Frey… you've been fulfilling it perfectly all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I guess that's just the kind of person you are.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words stirred something in me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if she wasn't going to tell me, I figured I'd leave it be ... for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the last to arrive, and the first to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun had already begun to set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's getting late.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You should head back to your room now, don't you think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll stay a little longer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa had made up her mind to leave, as if something was forcing her to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I didn't try to stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With one last look at her, I remembered how she was one of the few who stood by my side ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>even when others had called for my execution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you… Sansa. For everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I wouldn't have survived if not for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So saying \"thank you\" was the least I could do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa replied with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need to thank me. You saved my life, remember?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So we're even then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved at her, and she did the same ... disappearing from my view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah. I definitely don't want to kill you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the smile faded from my lips, replaced by my usual cold demeanor,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>as I welcomed another uninvited guest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How long do you plan to watch from over there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't even bother to turn around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blonde-haired prince clapped as he stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Impressive senses, as always… Frey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aegon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince, smiling as usual, glanced first at me, then in the direction where his sister had disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see your relationship with my sister is going smoothly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remarked with a smirk. I answered him plainly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Better than my relationship with you, at least.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ouch. That hurts, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feigned offense, then walked over and sat right where Sansa had been moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you want?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked, my patience already thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My relationship with him had never been friendly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aegon was also good ..too good at hiding his true thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dealing with this royal family was one long migraine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need to worry, Frey. You're no longer one of my priorities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that so? Hard to believe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aegon wasn't the type to let a rogue piece wander around his chessboard, spreading chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Can't blame you. Normally, I'd just eliminate pieces like you… but you're too stubborn to die. Killing you's quite the hassle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll take that as a compliment,\" I said with a dry laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chuckled as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was a compliment. You should be proud.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I feel disgusted instead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So cruel.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aegon shrugged, then gazed up at the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There are plenty of eyes and hands surrounding you now, Frey…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, I'm not sure if dealing with them is any better than dealing with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You might find me charming by comparison.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no telling what exactly he meant ... or who he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he wasn't wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that was his conclusion after failing to kill me more than once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled faintly, staring at the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll figure things out… same as always.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then keep dancing on the board however you like. For now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You seem awfully calm. If I were you, I'd be feeling some pressure right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa's not such an easy opponent anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I threw the jab, and he only laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that what you truly think, Frey Starlight?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aegon stood up, and for once,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw his real face ... his real smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My battle with my sister ended a long time ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you talking about?\" I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Aegon was already walking away, still smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've already won. It's over. Sansa destroyed herself with her own hands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words confirmed something:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>he knew things others didn't ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and unlike me, he didn't need a glimpse of the future to realize it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look forward to the show that's about to start in the coming days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'm sure you'll enjoy it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved goodbye and disappeared,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>just like his sister had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed and remained seated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of show…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what blood would I need to spill this time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought gnawing at me,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood and left the garden as the sky grew darker overhead.\u003C\u002Fp>",1096,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:12.387Z",1,"novelbin.me","3cad62a7c84311f94c40865aac46727f035cb6aed9b8d6277b02017c826fb3d8","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-255","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-253",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]