Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 91

Chapter 91: You & I

The golden sun of Cresencia bathed the vast landscape in a warm glow, yet the air between Ahcehera and Richard remained cold and distant.

She had hoped that a day spent in her pocket dimension, away from Agartha or Sirius’ conflicts, away from the dark energy spreading through the galaxy, would help Richard regain himself.

But he was always silent.

Richard stayed by her side, moving when she moved, watching when she stopped, but never once did he speak.

His once expressive violet eyes were unreadable, clouded with something she couldn’t decipher. It was as if he were present yet absent all at once, a shadow of the man she knew.

Ahcehera stole a glance at him as they walked through the lush, endless fields.

The flowers around them swayed gently in the breeze, but Richard’s silver-white hair remained eerily still. His entire presence felt too controlled, too restrained.

She wanted to say something, to demand that he speak, to shake him out of this unsettling silence, but something held her back.

Would he even answer?

Instead, she led him toward the magical lake at the heart of Cresencia. Its waters shimmered with the reflection of a sky that did not belong to their world.

“You should rest,” she finally said, breaking the fragile quiet between them.

Richard nodded, but even that felt mechanical. No words, no questions, just a distant acceptance.

Ahcehera clenched her fists.

She had spent the entire day trying to reach him, yet the Richard before her was like a ghost of himself.

As night fell over Cresencia, they sat beneath a massive tree, gazing at the twin moons that hovered above the horizon. Ahcehera could take the silence no longer.

“Richard,” she murmured, turning to face him. “Why won’t you talk to me?”

For the first time, his gaze shifted from the moon to her.

His lips parted slightly as if he wanted to say something, but then, he hesitated, his throat moving as he swallowed unspoken words.

Then, softly, almost too faint to hear…

“I don’t know what to say.”

Ahcehera’s breath hitched.

Before she could respond, Richard turned his face away, his lashes hiding the turmoil in his eyes.

The quiet between them stretched once more, but this time, it felt heavier, like the calm before an inevitable storm.

When Ahcehera and Richard returned to Agartha, the shift in him became even more apparent.

At first, she only noticed the small things, how he would pause in the middle of a sentence as if he had forgotten what he was saying, how his gaze would occasionally lose focus during a conversation, how he would stiffen when certain names were mentioned.

But soon, the moments of silence became more frequent.

There were times when she would call his name, and he wouldn’t respond right away, as though he had been lost in another world entirely.

Other times, he would stare into the distance, brows furrowed, as if struggling to remember something important.

Something is wrong.

Ahcehera had no doubt about it.

And yet, before she could properly question him, Richard made a shocking decision.

–

A month later.

One morning, while Ahcehera was reviewing a report in her academy office, an urgent message flashed across her optical brain.

[Richard Mors has submitted a formal request to advance his studies and graduate early.]

Her eyes widened.

Without hesitation, she immediately left her office and made her way to the administration hall.

The moment she entered, she saw Richard sitting across from a panel of professors, his expression calm yet unwavering.

“…It is impossible for a student to graduate in one year,” one of the professors argued, pushing up his glasses.

“Even the most gifted individuals require at least two years to fully complete their training. We cannot…”

“I’ll take all the exams,” Richard interrupted.

His voice was steady, but Ahcehera could hear the determination behind it, no, not just determination. It was urgent.

“If I pass, I graduate. That’s all there is to it,” he added.

Murmurs spread among the faculty members. Ahcehera’s gaze remained fixed on Richard, searching his face for any clue as to why he was doing this.

And then, she saw it.

His fingers clenched tightly into a fist.

He was hiding something.

“Richard,” she finally spoke, stepping forward. “Why the rush?”

For a brief moment, something flickered in his eyes, hesitation? Guilt?

But then, it vanished.

“I just don’t want to waste time,” he replied, his voice eerily smooth.

Ahcehera didn’t believe him.

Not for a second.

The faculty agreed to his request, albeit reluctantly. Richard would be given the chance to take all the required exams within the next six months.

If he passed, he would graduate ahead of schedule. As soon as the meeting ended, Richard immediately turned to leave.

But before he could escape, Ahcehera grabbed his wrist. “We need to talk.”

Richard glanced down at her hand but didn’t resist. “About what?”

“You know exactly what,” she said sharply.

She led him away from the busy hall, taking him to the academy’s secluded training grounds. Once they were alone, she let go of his wrist and crossed her arms.

“Now, tell me the real reason,” she demanded. “Why are you doing this?”

Richard sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ahcehera, there’s nothing…”

“Don’t lie to me.”

His body stiffened.

Ahcehera took a step closer, lowering her voice.

“Ever since we returned, you’ve been different. Sometimes, you space out. Sometimes, you don’t even react when I call your name. And now, you suddenly want to graduate early. Don’t tell me this is just about ‘not wasting time.'”

Richard didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked up at the sky, as if searching for something beyond her understanding.

“…There are things I need to do,” he finally admitted, his tone softer. “And I can’t afford to wait.”

Ahcehera’s fingers curled into a fist. “What kind of things?”

Silence.

She knew then that he wouldn’t tell her. Not yet.

But one thing was clear…

Richard was running out of time.