Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 103

Chapter 103: I Remember

Richard’s soul, which was originally a fragment of Riezekiel’s, had completely merged under the influence of the Nether Fire.

Even the dark energy that had once coursed through his veins had been purified, leaving behind an essence that felt both familiar and foreign at the same time.

This transformation had granted him a rare ability, to shift the color of his hair at will, from the jet black of his past to the striking silver that mirrored Riezekiel’s.

But that was not the only thing he had gained.

He remembered everything.

Every fragment of Riezekiel’s past, from the struggles of childhood to the victories that had carved his name into history.

Every hardship, every sacrifice that his elder brother had endured to rise to the top, to earn his place as the rightful heir of the dukedom.

And most importantly, he remembered the last night of the Night Owls’ Mission.

The truth came crashing into him like a storm.

Richmond had betrayed them.

Richard could see it now, clear as day, untainted by manipulation or deceit.

His second elder brother had acted out of selfishness, placing his personal ambitions above the safety of his team.

Because of that mistake, Riezekiel had died. The others had died. And Ahcehera… Ahcehera had suffered the worst fate of all, left as the lone survivor, burdened with altered memories.

Richard sat beside Ahcehera, his heart tightening as he gazed at her. His silver eyes, once cold and calculating, now softened with a mixture of longing and regret.

He wanted to reach out, to touch her, to tell her everything, but something held him back. Because Richmond had loved her, too.

Richard knew it. He had known it since they were children. But Ahcehera had always been closer to Riezekiel.

He recalled a moment from the past, a time when the three of them had been entangled in trouble because of Richmond’s naivety and jealousy.

–

The sun was high, casting golden streaks across the sky, as the three of them, Riezekiel, Richmond, and Ahcehera, stood at the edge of an ancient ruin within the territory of the dukedom.

The structure was forbidden, and dangerous, and yet Richmond had insisted on venturing inside.

“Come on, Zeke. Stop being boring for once!” Richmond had huffed, his arms crossed over his chest.

He was only fourteen then, younger than Riezekiel by two minutes, and at that time, he had been determined to prove himself. Especially in front of Ahcehera.

Riezekiel, carrying the weight of responsibility, sighed heavily. “This isn’t about being boring, Richmond. This place is sealed off for a reason.”

But Ahcehera, who was thirteen at the time, giggled beside them. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Riezekiel groaned. She always sided with Richmond when it came to reckless ideas. In the end, against his better judgment, Riezekiel followed them inside.

The ruins were ancient, filled with eerie inscriptions and hidden mechanisms.

At first, it had been nothing but an adventure, with Ahcehera eagerly examining relics while Richmond tried to act like he knew what he was doing.

Then, Richmond had made a mistake.

He touched something he shouldn’t have.

A deafening click echoed through the ruins, followed by a deep rumbling from beneath the ground. Before any of them could react, the floor collapsed beneath their feet.

They fell.

Riezekiel had barely managed to grab Ahcehera’s wrist, keeping her from crashing into the abyss below. But Richmond, who had been ahead, had vanished into the darkness.

“Richmond!” Ahcehera screamed, her golden eyes wide with terror.

Riezekiel didn’t hesitate. He handed Ahcehera the end of a broken pillar to hold onto before diving into the depths himself.

The fall had been brutal, but he managed to find Richmond, bruised and frightened, trapped beneath fallen debris.

“I-I didn’t mean to…” Richmond stammered, his voice shaking. He looked up at Riezekiel, guilt swimming in his emerald eyes.

“I know,” Riezekiel had said, already working to free him.

They barely escaped that ruin alive.

When they finally emerged, covered in dust and sweat, Ahcehera ran to them, throwing herself at Riezekiel first.

“You’re both idiots!” she cried, but the relief in her voice was undeniable.

She clung to Riezekiel for a long time before finally turning to Richmond, offering him only a hesitant smile.

That was when Riezekiel saw it.

The flicker of jealousy in Richmond’s eyes.

It was subtle, but it was there.

Richmond had always wanted to be the one Ahcehera ran to first. But she never did. She had always been drawn to Riezekiel, always trusted him more.

Even back then, it had already begun.

–

Richard blinked, his mind snapping back to the present.

He exhaled slowly, staring at Ahcehera as she sat beside him, unaware of the storm raging inside his heart.

Richmond had betrayed Riezekiel in the past.

Would he betray him again?

Richard clenched his fists.

“I remember now.”

Richard’s heart pounded as the weight of his newfound memories settled over him like a suffocating shroud.

He now understood everything, why Richmond always looked at Ahcehera with longing yet never spoke his feelings aloud, why his brother had been so desperate to prove himself, and why, in the end, he had made the selfish decision that cost Riezekiel his life.

His fingers trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists.

Richmond’s jealousy, his resentment, had festered over the years, feeding into his eventual betrayal.

But why had he been erased from the mission’s records?

Why had his name been replaced by someone already dead? Was the academy protecting him?

Or was someone else pulling the strings?

Ahcehera remained unaware of the storm within Richard’s mind. She sat beside him, her purple eyes flickering with concern as she studied his expression.

“Richard… what are you thinking about?”

He turned to her, his eyes unreadable. For a moment, he almost told her the truth. Almost. But then he hesitated.

“Nothing.” He forced a smile. “I was just remembering something… something important.”

He would find out the truth.

And this time, he wouldn’t let history repeat itself.