Life Of A Nobody - as a Villain-Chapter 413: Celeste Lightborne - The sleeping beauty

While the butler was guiding Rio and others to a separate hall, the barons behind them had started their own talks. With Darren questioning Misha about his thoughts and ambitions, while Misha just shamelessly talking in circles and refusing everything.

His answer always being 'I just want my daughter to be happy, and to have freedom and no pressure to make that choice herself.' _ noble words, which the Heartwell head couldn't refuse.

On the other hand, Rio's steps paused as he reached an intersection. He glanced at the other side of the hallway, where lines of guards stood in security, with a bunch of maids standing by holding pots and plates in their hands.

"Is that where lady Celeste is resting?" Rio asked, taking a deep breath as the scent of medicinal aroma wafted in the air, filling his nostrils.

Surprisingly it didn't make him feel sad, depressing or bad like normal_this scent had a positive calming effect of sorts. Even smelling sweet like waves of wind from a flowery garden.

The butler glanced his way, and then nodded his head, "Yes."

"Her room shifted? I remember it was in the inner courts." Rio said and turned his head towards the butler, waiting for a response.

"... There's some construction going on in the inner courts, lining up new patterns of arrays and foundations, so…"

Hearing the butler's response, Rio frowned and clicked his tongue.

[It seems the plotline of Heartwell brothers' inner conflicts had started already. And seeing as Darren moved his wife away from the main house, _ things are getting serious.]

'This fucker really can't do anything right in his life.' Rio thought and cursed the useless man who couldn't protect anyone around him because of his foolish ideals and emotions.

"I want to see her. Alone." Rio spoke firmly and walked towards the silent hallway. Leaving his shadow and Tanya behind.

The guards blocked his way, stopping him, but only for a few seconds as the butler nodded his head after getting permission from Duke Heartwell through telepathy.

The guards stood aside and Rio entered the room. The maids and healers surrounding the cursed baroness looked at him in surprise, before the butler signalled them to leave the room and wait outside.

"We'll be right outside." He said as he too stepped back. Though the doors remained open, so they could see everything.

Rio ignored everything, and walked towards the bed in the middle of the room, his eyes focused on the women lying motionless on it.

Celeste Lightborne, the baroness of House Heartwell, mother of the hero, and the cursed sleeping beauty as she was called in the original novel.

Rio sat beside her bed on a chair, with only a thin veil of sheet separating them. He just stared at her for some time, trying to judge her condition through his skill of True Eyes, watching how much corrosion had covered her body, and how much pain her mind and soul would be under right this instant.

She was one of the few characters in the original novel who actually made him feel bad when reading about their pov's and past. About the trauma they go through and the ending they receive after everything.

"Hello aunt." Rio said with a sigh and soft smile, "It's me, Rio. I'm alive. (Chuckle) Been a while since I last saw you."

"..." There was no response from her side, but unlike others he knew for sure that she could hear him. So he just continued speaking.

"You know, I don't like that sad smell of medicine either, but this is nice… I'm sure the jasmines were your favourite once too. That's the only reason Baron Heartwell would choose them, right?"

"..."

"Leon and I are classmates now. Did he tell you that? He's stubborn just like his father. _ He's also grown quite strong and talented now. Though not quite at my level yet." Rio said with a chuckle.

"My mother told me a few stories about you some time ago. And I couldn't help but wonder, what would've happened if you were here.. . I'm sure the city would've been much safer and peaceful then. She praised you, and that's something she doesn't do for many people."

"I heard what happened while I was gone, and I'm sorry that she did that… But you should know she was just grieving for my loss and angry at Lisa for coming out alone. She never meant you or anyone else any harm."

"But I'm back now. And her anger is gone. So I just wanted to tell you that I'll talk to her, and make all the necessary arrangements. We may not be able to cure you fully yet, but I'll try my best to help reduce the pain."

"...Before Lisa left the academy she said she's going on a mission that could help her find a cure for you, and that it's gonna be very dangerous and she may not come back....She must have told you about that before leaving too, right?"

"....And I just don't know what to feel anymore. I can't _ can't forgive her aunt. I've tried, really, but I just can't. _ I know she did what she thought was right, but I just can't forget that scene where she just turned her back on me and left me dying."

"... And now every time I see her, all I remember is just that betrayal and not the friendship we had."

"A part of me just wants revenge on her, asking me to make her understand what I went through while being trapped there… but there's also that voice down somewhere in my heart, that just says to give her another chance. To forget the past, and think about a beautiful future…What would you do aunt?"

"If you were in my shoes, and someone broke your trust like this_ what would you do?" Rio asked and looked at her hopefully.

The room was silent, as it had been since the moment he stepped inside. But this time, the silence felt heavier. A cold aura seemed to be released from her body, a sign that her curse was acting up again, but next second it was gone with his words.

"... Forget it." Rio said and shook his head, changing his tone and topic back to the present. "In all these talks, I even forgot to tell you why I'm here."

"Don't worry about Leon, I'm entering that dungeon tomorrow too. I'll make sure he comes out safe and without a scratch."

"Take care of yourself, aunt. And hang in there, your family's gonna be just fine."

After making a promise of Leon's safety and wishing her well, Rio stood up and left the room. His slow steps, erasing the signs of barrier system had set up.

..

"Give this ring to Baron Heartwell, and tell him from now on all the treatment costs for Aunt Celeste would be spent by Angel corp..He just needs to focus on handling safety and security measures around her." Rio said as he held Tanya's hands and started walking away.

Leaving the butler surprised by his words, as he couldn't help but wonder if Rio guessed about the assassination attempt on baroness that happened last week.

But his surprise only turned to shock as he swept his mana into the ring, and saw the mountain of magical elixirs and rows of healing pills and potions stored inside, as well as a bunch of jasmine flowers and perfumes.

"Heir Blake, this…" The butler started speaking, but Rio cut him off.

"Tell the baron that I accept his hospitality. That Tanya and Esme will be staying here for the night." Rio said, before his figure merged in the shadows and disappeared from the villa.

His words and actions, surprising not only the butler but the duo of assistants he brought along and left behind too.

Esme, who's been used to his sudden whims and mood swings just sighed and shook her head. While Tanya, who wanted to show her skills and talent to him, just looked around in shock after seeing him disappear, before slapping Esme's hands.

"Esme sister, Rio brother _ he gone? He didn't even take us with him." She said in complaint, her happy face already diving down 180° and turning sullen.

"Don't worry, he must have remembered something important, he'll be back later." Esme said, coaxing the little girl, before pulling her along the way the old butler guided them.

(I have some idiots to deal with, watch over Tanya and protect her till then. Don't trust any of these fools in this place, they're all a bunch of sloppy bastards.) Rio's voice echoed in Esme's ears who just kept walking without changing her expression.

From Rio's tone she could guess he was angry about something, and that surely wasn't a good sign for someone. Pity the fools who'll have to suffer now.

On the other hand, away from the main house of Heartwell's, Rio's figure emerged from the shadows in a dark room. In front of him stood a man who immediately stepped forward and bowed to welcome him with smiles and excitement.

"Mister Rio, I was just waiting for your arrival. Welcome back." The man said as the falling light shined on his face. It was Charles, the big brother of Baron Darren Heartwell. The man who left the engagement talks soon after hearing news of his arrival.

"Everyone said you were dead, but I knew you'd be fine. After all, how can someone like you fall in some normal dungeon." Charles spoke flatteringly, trying to butter him up. "If it weren't for that bastard's daughter who betrayed you, .. But don't worry, ever since I learned about her dark deeds, I've made sure to never make anything easy for her in this house...

And her cripple brother, how dare he cheat and compare himself to you, don't worry, I'll help you punish him too..."

The man was speaking in flow, trying to fuel his anger and hatred over his little brother's family, but a sudden grip around his neck stopped his train.

"_ cough cough… What? What are you doing? Why are you __ urgh ohh, let go…" Charles struggled, failing to free himself as a black chain tied the whole of his mana core and refused to allow a single trace of mana to flow out.

"How dare you go against my orders?" Rio said coldly, increasing his grip tightly and watching as Charles's face turned red and black under pressure. "I told you to never mess with Celeste. Never attack her, and never even lay a hand on her. Yet you dare try to kill her."

"urghhh I was _ just _ helping you to get revenge on that bitch Lisa." Charles said, struggling to get a breath in as he felt the world around him getting blurry, as his eyes felt like popping out.

"I made you a slave instead of killing you like your stupid men, so you can help me watch them. I didn't keep you to think and make decisions for me." Rio said and threw the man to a nearby wall before he died in his arms.

"Phooo whooo, I_just thought..." Charles was speaking when Rio cut him off coldly.

"Don't ever use your shit brain to think anything. Just do as you're told or I'll bury you in the same hole where I buried the rest of your bastards."

The man clenched his fists, his eyes sheathing with anger at the mention of his dead son. But ignoring his rage, Rio just grabbed his chin, and forced him to look up.

"Don't forget, whatever bloodline and family members you have left are alive because of my mercy. Test my limits again, and I'll happily give you a death that not even Gods of underworld would accept your crying souls."

Rio's words echoed in empty darkness as his figure disappeared again, leaving behind the breathless man rolling in pain, as the slave mark on his heart started burning and strangling him from inside out.

That whole night the ambitious Charles, coveting his brother's seat in secret, cried in agony in that dark room. While memories from nearly 3 years ago where Rio stopped an attack on Lisa, killing his two bastard sons in the process. And then came back with his followers to trap him and turn him into his slave forcefully _kept flooding his brain.

The man never regretted anything more than that attack in his life. If only he didn't attack Lisa at that time, then this demon wouldn't come after him and turn him into this _ this puppet.

After learning about what Lisa did to him, after overhearing as she cried and told everything to her mommy, Charles finally thought he could have his revenge on this bitch and Rio wouldn't mind.

But it seems this bastard is still focused on protecting this bunch…

Charles hated Rio, the man who killed half his family and controlled his life, but he hated his brother Darren even more. If Darren hadn't taken the seat of barony that rightfully belonged to him, if Darren hadn't married a beautiful woman who made butterflies in his heart too, if Darren hadn't had talented children like Lisa and Leon _ all of this, all of this should've been his.

It should've all been his, HIS _and Darren should be the one who turns into a slave and works for others. Not him.

"Arghhhhhhhh" The man screamed as all the pain he felt only fueled his jealousy and hatred for his brother even more.

"I will kill you, Darren." Charles shouted before fainting once the dawn broke and the first sunlight fell into the room.

Rio looked at the man from his shadows and sneered at him, "This should help his memory and keep his petty thoughts in check for a while."

[The man is blinded by his hatred. The only reason he's even alive at this point is just to kill his brother.] System responded scanning the unconscious man's mind, feeling pity for this fool, just a teeny tiny bit.

But Rio didn't feel that too. He just kicked his body one last time, and walked away.

"I don't care what he does to Darren, and what tricks and plans he makes to make Darren suffer , Celeste shouldn't be disturbed, by anyone."

[If you're really that worried about her plotlines coming forward, or her waking up early _ you should also stop Lisa. The longer you wait, the closer she'll get to the truth of this curse.]

[We are changing plans of fate every day, maybe her event will change and she may actually succeed in finding a cure too.]

System suggested, making Rio go silent in response, with no clear answer. Stopping Lisa now meant saving her from a certain death, and his broken heart didn't want that.

".... Let's go to the dungeon, and deal with Leon first." Rio said, changing the topic once more as he disappeared from his place.

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Author note - Protagonist's mother and her curse were first introduced in chapter 132. If u want better understanding, u can check it again.

***To anyone who still doesn't understand my mc's personality, I'll say it in clear words.

As said in chapter 1, he's lazy and he's an overthinker. He thinks too much before deciding anything. Especially when it comes to his emotions, heart, and relationships.

If it was someone else, Rio would've sentenced them to death instantly. Without wasting a single thought, like he did for Alfred. The man will die a horrible death in his hands.

But for Lisa, his emotions gets in the way. (As the cringey saying goes, he doesn't open himself to many, but the ones he let's come close, he cherishes wholeheartedly.)

As he told to Celeste, a part of him wants to give Lisa punishment more severe than all the others as her betrayal hurt more than their open attacks, _ while another small tiny part of him wants things to go back to normal again, as he should've expected her righteous response and shouldn't blame her for his failure.

This conflicting feeling is what stops him from making a decision. His personality is too lazy to overthink on their past and come to a sure decision which he won't regret in future.

_ so he just ignores this problem. Leaving it for the future him, or fate to decide.

This is the same reason why he avoids Saisha, cause if he didn't _ he might just do something in his anger that he may come to regret later on.

[System says, pity for the future self of host, as this present time host is too lazy to make any decision, and leaves all the hard work to him.]

{Devil smiles and whispers, worry not, when he comes, he'll literally solve everything. No person means no problems.}

[.....]