[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-461":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},336548,598,"Chapter 461: A Last Embrace","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-461",461,"\u003Cp>\"Are you jealous of your sister now? If you wanted me by your side, maybe you shouldn’t have assigned me to hers in the first place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she said was true—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one who had her follow Ada in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But thinking about it now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having Carmen follow me everywhere, just like she now followed my sister ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I found the idea downright amusing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come to think of it, I suppose you fit better beside Ada now. Besides, plenty of women have barged into my life lately...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no place for Carmen among them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s been a long time, Frey... Since those days when our biggest problem was dealing with that old fossil Leonides.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You haven’t changed a bit since then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But you have.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carmen turned to look at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had lived for a long, long time ... long enough that a few years weren’t nearly enough to change her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for me, the past few years had changed everything .. Whether for better or worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s no need to hold back anymore, boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’ve been suppressing yourself this whole time, haven’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lifted my palm and glanced at my body...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve spent so much time among monsters, I’ve forgotten how to live among humans.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had pushed my body to the peak of perfection ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind, my reflexes... everything sharpened and refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had dedicated myself wholly to the art of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because of that, this body now craved it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It craved battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every fiber of my being screamed at me to release the pressure I had been bottling up inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hands tingled more and more with each passing day I didn’t wield a blade...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was Balerion or the Dark Sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time in my life...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I found myself yearning for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yearning for war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let them know what fear truly means, Frey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let them witness the rebirth of a star ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The star of Abraham Starlight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Placing her hand gently atop my head, Carmen smiled one last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But remember... Don’t lose yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I replied simply ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Savoring these brief moments with one of the few people I truly cared about in this life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carmen felt the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, I didn’t realize it yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That my body had already begun its strange transformation...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The change that would shape what I was to become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without warning, a strange violet spark flickered from the point where Carmen’s hand touched my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spark only she could see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was enough ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enough to trigger a sudden shift that shattered her smile... and darkened her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carmen possessed deep experience and unshakable composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She managed to hold herself together, despite what she had just seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn’t stop a faint shadow of grief from surfacing on her face ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A look I rarely saw from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s wrong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She responded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a heavy sigh, Carmen regained control of her expression and slowly withdrew her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I guess I’m just tired .. after chasing your sister around for months.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then take a break while I’m around,\" I offered, showing a bit of concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she gently refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t underestimate me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I may be just an old lady, but I’ve still got plenty left to offer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course you do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We stood there, the snow falling gently over our heads,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the bustling port of Winterfell ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharing a quiet moment, until Ada finally arrived and joined us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at you, sister... Somehow, you remind me of myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fatigue on her face was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She, too, had developed those dark circles under her eyes ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A consequence of the constant pressure placed on her shoulders due to her high position in the army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s still not enough,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada muttered with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No... you’ve already done more than enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cast a glance over the bustling war camp that had taken shape here, Amid the frozen lands of the Moonlight family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the ships that stretched across the horizon, And the vast preparations Ada had orchestrated on my behalf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t have asked for more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s details like these that win wars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Be proud of yourself, Ada ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’ve proven yourself worthy of being the lord of this family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I meant it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And my sincerity brought a bittersweet smile to her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you suddenly acting like the older brother? It doesn’t suit you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But despite her words, I could sense the quiet happiness blooming in her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She never was good at hiding her true feelings from me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada’s gentle smile didn’t last long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes drifted to the distant horizon, where the sun was nearing its descent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So... it’s time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. The first Imperial Campaign begins now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ships set sail at dawn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would be aboard the one leading the charge from the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here we are again... saying goodbye.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had happened so many times in recent years\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That we’d almost grown used to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada knew better than to try stopping me anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how hard she tried...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her brother would always find his way back to the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the place I belonged to now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won’t ask for much, Frey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping closer, Ada spoke firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All I ask... is that you come back to me in one piece.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as I was alive,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as I returned to her in the end,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada would never ask for more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, once again, I found myself forced to make a promise I wasn’t sure I could keep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada would be fighting her own battle ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Commanding from the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I... would be thrown into the heart of the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, it hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I crossed the Demonic Sea,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be a very long time before I saw her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without meaning to, I pulled my sister into a tight embrace ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One final hug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carmen watched silently from the side,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smiling gently and allowing us to have our moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few seconds, I let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ada held on ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t want me to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t grant her that wish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry, Ada.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pressing a kiss to her forehead,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took my first step away from her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll see you later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those parting words, I left her behind ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the emotions between us could deepen further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"See you later... Frey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ada echoed those words in a soft whisper,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fiddling with a strange device in her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a lot on her mind lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, she wasn’t just Ada Starlight ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the second-in-command of the Empire’s Grand Army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just a soldier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple fighter playing his part in the vanguard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, both of us were heading toward it ..\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>War.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The War of Darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>",1180,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.347Z","2026-06-01T04:30:12.387Z",1,"novelbin.me","eb9c70471244fa978f2b4bda30a54a73c5d2291d9668cb326af5a162715049e1","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-462","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-460",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]