Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Take the mommy
Third-Person POV –

Neonidas, or by his former name Orson, had a secret fetish he’d harbored since childhood. As a child, he loved watching those cartoon series made for girls that aired early in the morning. Especially the ones with multiple beautiful female main characters. Over time, however, he found himself drawn to something unexpected: the wicked stepmothers or, in general, the villainous female leads who often appeared in such shows aimed at little girls.

Take, for instance, the woman who would say, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”

Neonidas always imagined teleporting to her side to respond, “No one, you are the fairest of them all.”

As he grew older and entered adolescence, this fetish began to evolve—or rather, mature. Now, instead of simply teleporting to their side, he fantasized about fuck those evil women so thoroughly it would shatter their minds. Yes, it was a strange fetish, but doesn’t everyone have one or two odd fetishes?

Right?

Anyway, Neonidas’s partial attraction to the empress wasn’t solely because she was a stunningly beautiful MILF who fit every man’s fantasy. That was certainly a factor, but the real reason lay in her resemblance to a wicked stepmother archetype. Though, in truth, the empress wasn’t a villainous stepmother in reality—she was still a kind-hearted, good-natured MILF.

If Neonidas hadn’t changed this world, and everything had gone according to the original novel, the Empress would have gradually taken on the role of the evil stepmother.

So far, every woman Neonidas had desired served a purpose for him. They were, in essence, investments of a kind—even Solara. While Neonidas was gradually starting to view Solara differently these days, in the beginning, he had sought to use her as a means to better control her brother, Soren. Later, Solara’s talents, which rivaled even Soren’s, became apparent, and Neonidas decided to make her his woman.

The reason he sought to dominate Yuanna was to establish a secondary power base within his duchy that he could control. The empire’s constitution clearly defined the amount of land a duke could possess. Neonidas already controlled the lands of Viscount Kalderon. Additionally, he temporarily governed the lands of Count Karjman, who had been slain by a team Allea had dispatched.

If Marquess Alexsaz’s lands were directly tied to Neonidas, it would constitute a blatant violation of imperial law. Thus, he needed Yuanna. A child born from her womb would serve as the second most significant power within his duchy.

This way, Neonidas would hold sway over both the greatest and second greatest forces in his domain. Of course, this required Yuanna to give birth to a child, and for him to shape the child’s mind as he wished. But before any of that, he needed to make Yuanna, the child’s mother and the person with the most influence over the child, fall in love with him.

As for Allea, she was a long-term investment. Neonidas’s ultimate goal was to become emperor, and Allea would serve as a key to achieving that goal. Finally, regarding Cassandra, she could prove to be an incredibly useful woman.

Neonidas had many plans for her, but first, he needed to uncover the intentions of Cassandra’s father, Duke Maximilian Valen, who ultimately controlled her.

However, the empress Velriona differed from all these women. Of course, she would be highly useful—Neonidas could benefit greatly from her without ever winning her heart. She was an incredibly powerful and influential woman, capable of making Neonidas’s ambitions much easier to achieve.

But at the same time, he desired her. Unlike the others, his reasons for wanting the empress were fifty percent strategic and fifty percent rooted in pure desire.

Neonidas looked at the slightly blushing, beautiful, mature woman standing before him before stepping into her room. The largest guest chamber had been allocated to Empress Velriona. To the right was an elegant seating area, while the left housed a sleeping area veiled by a sheer red curtain.

When Neonidas took a seat on the couch, the empress sat across from him. She wore a white nightgown that revealed her curves while modestly covering her body. Only her neck, face, and limbs were exposed, yet she still looked stunningly alluring.

“So, do you trust me completely now?” Neonidas broke the awkward silence at last.

The empress nodded a few times. “Yes, I trust you… please help me… to protect my daughter.”

The empress’s weak, desperate voice sounded like a melody to Neonidas. “Of course I’ll help, my dear empress. I’ve already discussed this matter with Allea, and the two of us have reached an agreement.”

For now, Neonidas kept secret the fact that he was Allea’s future husband. The empress still believed that Neonidas would part ways with Allea. During their previous meetings, he had shared with the empress what Allea had done to him. If she were to learn now that her daughter and Neonidas were destined to remain together, she would never consent to being with her daughter’s future husband.

Threatening her—assuring her that her daughter would be safe—might work, but it would never win the empress’s heart. Neonidas carefully examined the pain and worry etched on her face. Seeing such a beautiful woman in a state of weakness and despair only fueled his desire to dominate her. But this was a delicate process.

Though Velriona’s eyes bore traces of weariness, Neonidas could sense the strength within her. She was not just an elegant woman—she was someone who had survived the intrigues and politics of the palace for years. If he could win her trust, she would become an ally of unmatched influence, not only within the imperial palace, but across the entire continent.

“Don’t worry, my dear Velriona. I will do what’s best for your daughter,” he said, his tone soft and reassuring. Then he smiled slightly. “But for that, I’ll need your help. You said you trusted me, didn’t you?”

A flicker of hesitation flashed in Velriona’s eyes before she slowly nodded. “Yes, I trust you… But please, Neonidas, don’t let this endanger my daughter.”

Neonidas straightened slightly in his seat, a growing satisfaction swelling inside him. “Of course… But remember, the only type of relationship devoid of betrayal is one built on mutual benefit.”

Velriona understood the underlying meaning of his words and shuddered slightly. “I will offer you all the help I can…”

“Earlier, the reason for your daughter’s death lies with the daughter of the woman the emperor loves. Emperor Gredor will love Avelina as a father and support her. So, if you want to save your daughter, you must give up on your husband.”

Velriona remained silent for a brief moment in response to Neonidas’ words. As she took a deep breath, the emotions on her face shifted and mixed, yet a certain resolve was evident beneath the confusion. The schemes and intrigues behind the throne, along with Gredor’s selfish behavior, had already made it impossible for Velriona to form any bond with him. Moreover, considering that the emperor was the person who could potentially cause her daughter’s death, she began to feel a deep hatred for him.

Now, in the young man’s proposal, she saw both a path to salvation and an opportunity for revenge.

“I haven’t seen Gredor as my husband for quite some time,” Velriona said, the determination in her voice unmistakable enough to satisfy Neonidas. Fixing her gaze on the young man’s face, she added,

“My daughter’s life, her survival, is more important than anything. If I must completely let go of him for that, then I will.”

Neonidas considered Velriona’s statement a victory. A sly smile crossed his lips, though he skillfully concealed it. Winning the trust and loyalty of a woman like Velriona was a key element of his plans. He didn’t see her as just a tool, and even if he did, he recognized her value.

“Your decision is truly admirable, dear Velriona,” Neonidas said, adding a tone of sincerity to his voice. “Your selflessness for your daughter’s future shows what a powerful mother you are. Now, by working together, we can ensure the safety of both you and your daughter.”

Velriona nodded in response. “Very well… What do you want me to do next? How will we neutralize Gredor?”

Leaning back slightly, Neonidas adopted a serious demeanor. “Direct action against Gredor is impossible for now. But we can gradually isolate him. The first step is to break the chain of loyalty surrounding him. Inform me of your allies in the palace and those who trust you. These are the people we will work with to ensure your daughter’s safety.”

Velriona took a few seconds to ponder. “That shouldn’t be too difficult,” she said.

“In that case, you will handle this for now. Above all, avoid drawing the emperor’s wrath. Gredor is an extremely cunning man, and if he becomes suspicious, it will complicate matters for us…” Neonidas paused as he removed his coat, then continued.

“As for Avelina, leave her entirely to me. Avoid any confrontation. I understand that seeing the woman responsible for your daughter’s death and your disgrace will anger you, but under no circumstances should you lose control. In fact, you must treat her well.”

Considering that Avelina was the main character, Neonidas’ words made sense. Since she was the protagonist, she could suddenly gain a power-up and become uncontrollably powerful. Neonidas intended to eliminate Avelina with a single, decisive attack—if she refused to submit to slavery, that is.

The empress nodded in agreement at the words of the young and handsome man before her.

“If you have no further questions… Let’s get to what I truly desire in return for all this,” Neonidas said, standing up and sitting beside the empress.

“I believe you already know what I want, don’t you, my empress?”

Hearing the young man whisper those words into her ear, the empress felt an unfamiliar, strange heat rising within her body. In the darkness of the night, as she contemplated what this young man might do to her, her thoughts became filled with immoral fantasies. Though the empress tried to control herself, her long-neglected, fiery, and lustful body refused to obey her will.