THE PERFECT VILLAIN: Another chance with a system
Chapter 25: An unplanned encounter

Chapter 25: An unplanned encounter

Soon after, Mira, Anna and Mia came back to the apartment. Neither spoke to each other and none to him either.

They all went their separate ways, leaving the apartment silent as though it had been abandoned.

The night felt longer to Niel as he found it difficult to drift into slumber. Between the tiny but audible weeping of the young girls and the sniffing sound Mira made once in a while, Niel found it impossible to close his eyes.

He stepped out of bed and headed out of the building. The white moonlight glowed brightly in the sky, making the village look clear as though it was daytime.

Niel walked toward the silent open field. He had barely crossed a distance when he saw a figure sitting comfortably under the tree. He took a few more steps forward and noticed it was a lady and then closer he got, the more the figure looked more familiar. It was unmistakable when he had crossed half the path to the tree—it was Lady Amira.

What is she doing here?

Niel pulled closer till he got in front of her and she didn’t notice, she seemed clearly lost in thought.

"Lady Amira?"

His voice came out calmer than usual but for some reason she didn’t hear him.

Is something bothering her?

He reached for her shoulders and gently tapped it. In an instant she swung her blade with lightning fast speed and Niel dodged in the last second, stumbling purposely on the ground. Only then did she see him.

"Oh, sorry Niel. I—I didn’t see you."

Amira dropped her blade and stretched a hand towards him. He reached for it and she pulled him up.

"I’m sorry once again," she bowed her head gently to him.

"It’s okay," he said as he sat down on the rock close to her. "You seem lost in thought. What’s got you thinking that much?"

She looked at him, meeting his eyes for a moment, then she looked away. "You already know the answer. It’s the same reason you can’t sleep too, isn’t it?"

"Luna."

Niel immediately fixed the pieces together but something wasn’t fully adding up. She had judged the case with pure efficiency as though she wasn’t bothered by it and yet, deep inside her, she was hurting. He began to wonder what connection she had with Luna and his only conclusion was Mia, her sister.

Even that didn’t answer his question. Her sister was alive so she shouldn’t be in that much distress. He had fought alongside her in his previous life and they had failed to save people more times than they could count and yet amongst the five heroes, she was the best at maintaining her emotions. Yet, here she was fully absent-minded.

Before he could think any further, Amira blurted out:

"How could she? Why would she do that? She wasn’t always like that."

Amira mumbled as her lips began to tremble. "I trusted them with her. I trusted all of them with her. They had already lost everything, why—why?!"

In that moment, everything clicked for Niel. The kids weren’t just random villagers but survivors whom Amira had saved and she had handed them to Luna to watch over them—even her own sister. Niel muttered without looking at her:

"She tried her best. It may not be the whole story we are looking at but I can say that in the last few years, she had done her best."

"Then why did she change now?!" Amira responded almost immediately. "We have been friends since childhood. She was always happy, always cheerful. She was always willing to help. So why would she change now?!"

Tears had begun pouring from her eyes as she covered them with both her hands. "I can’t understand why."

Niel stretched his hands towards her and pulled her closer to himself in a warm side hug which made her temporarily stop crying. She lifted her head toward his face but he was staring forward as though his mind had drifted away.

"You know," he began. "Some things happen and we can’t explain how or why in that moment but the longer it stays the more the truth begins to reveal itself. I do not believe she did it but I do believe in a few days or more you would find the truth. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but I believe soon, you would see the truth. Luna never changed."

She looked at him for a moment, longer than she had intended, then she sat up and wiped her eyes, cleaning the tears off her face.

"You are right."

She muttered, reaching for her blade. "I have to believe something was wrong. I have to believe she wouldn’t do it, she wouldn’t throw our friendship and promises away. I have to believe."

She rose up from the stone and walked in front of Niel then bowed her head gently. "Thank you. I didn’t realize how much I needed that conversation."

"It’s not a problem. I knew her long enough to know what she could and couldn’t do. This isn’t it." Niel responded. "So you shouldn’t have to eat yourself up about it."

She smiled. A brief, genuine smile touched her lips. She nodded in agreement and turned around. "I would be taking my leave. I have to get some sleep to prepare for tomorrow’s activities."

Niel rose and followed her by her side. "Me too. It’s been a long day."

They both headed silently to the village that night. He had told her the truth would reveal itself in time—that was a fact nothing could dispute. But by the time she would realize it, it might have already been too late.

It might have been an unplanned encounter but it was the first step towards his grand plan and she was his masterpiece.

Niel’s gaze drifted towards her for a brief moment and then shifted toward the village. A single thought lingered in his mind:

Amira my dear, by this time next three days, everything you cherish would be gone. Just like you took mine.