A Regressed Villain: Heroines, Villainesses and Me?

Seated within the car, which was dashing along the asphalt on the highway of the Croceaus Territory, Margaret couldn't help but admire the towns and architecture outside the glass window. The skyscrapers clearly showcased the marble and living standards of the territory, which were far better than any other noble territories or even Princess Katheria's estate that Margaret had ever seen.

Of course, the architecture of the buildings could have been similar due to the alignment of noble standards, but the way the whole territory was planned was in itself a marvel. The buildings reached the sky, with roads more than eight lanes wide, and although there wasn't too much traffic, with most people appearing to be professionals unlike the busy streets, the whole area appeared vibrant.

Trees were planted with the vibrancy of everything, clearly showcasing the natural beauty of the entire Croceaus Territory.

Finally, the car arrived outside. The huge metal gates leading into an enormous garden area were visible as the car slowly drifted inside. Servants and guards glanced in the direction of the car while Margaret noticed a high number of people around, seemingly exercising. Particularly, one individual seemed clearly engaged in abnormally heightened movement. 'An Empyreal?!'

At first glance, Margaret realized that the man was clearly not human. The first term that came to her mind for people possessing such inhuman abilities was Empyreals. However, she was shocked to know that there was no such Empyreal registered in the royal family of the Croceaus Territory.

To put it simply, individuals awakened as Empyreals were rare, given that the royal family held a monopoly on them. They were the ones who decided to bestow those individuals upon other noblemen, making them very rare. If a nobleman possessed an Empyreal without informing the royal family, it was against the law and could lead to severe punishment, including the execution of that Empyreal.

However, it was true that if a nobleman were to possess such individuals, they would not likely inform the royal family. There was a chance that the royal family would still get rid of that Empyreal, seeing as they were not under their control.

There have been a few cases in history where such Empyreals were executed once the royal family detected them as threats, sending their own to carry out the executions without regard for the laws, as laws are made by those in power.

Setting that thought aside, she focused on the words that Aria had told her, making her realize that they were soon going to witness the rise of many such Empyreals in the future. She shouldn't be surprised now, as she was already aware of several things.

'Destruction of the world and tower?' It was confusing her how the royal family was unaware of such matters. Given their background, it was impossible to trust them with this information, which clearly formed a foundation for her trust in the Marquess, as he had told her how he awakened an ability that brought him to the past. Trusting him, she knew she needed to prepare for the upcoming situation while also setting her priorities straight, needing to choose whom to support. However, given the assurance from the Marquess that he would inevitably inform the princess about this information, she remained silent.

The Marquess had assured her that he would definitely inform the princess about the preparations that needed to be made in the future.

"Greetings, Lady Margaret."

As she exited the car, two maids greeted her, prompting her to glance toward them before turning her eyes in the direction where, in her line of sight, she saw Aria standing there as they waited for someone.

Margaret approached Aria, her gaze briefly drifting back to the servants who had greeted her.

Their movements were precise, trained to the letter, further emphasizing the standards of nobility.

Indeed, even maids and butlers all had to study in a few universities specially made for them in the Kingdom of Thalris, run by a few noble families.

As she neared Aria, she noticed the woman seemed lost in thought, her arms crossed as she glanced occasionally toward the towering gates.

"Miss Aria," Margaret called gently, breaking the silence as she came to stand beside her. "Are you waiting for someone?"

Aria, having noticed Margaret and her arrival, greeted her back while remaining composed, appearing to have completely adapted to the way she should act toward noblewomen. "Yes, I am. Avendial hasn't arrived yet."

Margaret raised an eyebrow at the casual mention of the Marquess's name. Considering she had already noticed from their previous conversation how Aria always referred to the Marquess by his name rather than by his title, this hinted at their clearly deep relationship. "Avendial?" she repeated, her tone laced with curiosity. "You mean... the Marquess?"

"Yes," Aria replied, not finding anything disguised in her question. Though it appeared that her referring to Avendial by his name rather than Marquess—a title used by these noblewomen—was clearly making others feel confused, putting her in a different bracket in front of them.

Margaret hesitated, processing Aria's words. Her straightforward demeanor was disarming, and Margaret found herself compelled to probe further. A hint of doubt sprouted in her mind regarding their relationship, which, although clearly visible, still needed further clarification, as unlike how she expected their mood to be light, it appeared her thought was true and they both had some kind of deep relationship. "If I may ask, what exactly is your relationship with the Marquess?"

Aria looked at her while glancing toward the middle gate, hoping to see his arrival. Yet not finding him, she focused on Margaret before replying to her question straightforwardly. "He's my boyfriend."

'!?'

"Wh-what?!" Margaret was visibly taken aback, considering her eyes widened as she processed the implications of this revelation about their relationship, which could cause complications if this information reached the ears of the royal family.

Indeed, Margaret was aware of the consequences this information could have if the royal family came to know that the Marquess, even though engaged with the princess, was indulging in a foreign affair, which was clearly a crime in front of royalty. Continue reading at empire

But again, to her, it was clear that while the Marquess had hidden the information of him possessing an Empyreal, he also seemed to hide this particular information. As soon enough, she realized that it was probably only her who seemed surprised, prompting her to put aside her own thoughts and wait for the Marquess for further clarification.

Vroom

Another engine roar reached both of them as their eyes looked towards the metal gate from where a fleet of cars was entering the premises, prompting them to realize that it was none other than Marcus who had finally arrived in the territory.

The fleet of cars, one after another, finally stopped just outside the stairway where both Aria and Margaret stood.

The door opened, and Avendial stepped out, dressed in a tailored black suit with subtle silver embroidery, followed by Alfred who exited the car, falling behind with other guards.

Avendial's sharp eyes scanned the gathering, landing first on Margaret, who offered a polite nod, and then on Aria, whose features softened ever so slightly.

"Aria," he greeted, his voice smooth yet tinged with warmth that was absent in his acknowledgment of Margaret, or so he made it appear as such, "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

"Not at all," Aria replied, her tone lighter, almost teasing. "Though I was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten about us."

Margaret observed the exchange closely, noting the subtle shift in Avendial's expression—a fleeting smile that seemed to form as he looked at Aria.

It was a smile she had never seen him direct towards anyone else, not even the princess.

"Lady Margaret," Avendial turned to her, his tone now formal. "I trust your journey was pleasant?"

"Of course, Marquess," Margaret replied, maintaining her polished composure. "Your territory is as impressive as ever. And it seems you've been... keeping yourself quite busy." Her words carried a weight of implication, and she watched for his reaction. But as expected, he just gave a bland look.

Avendial's eyes narrowed slightly, though his expression remained unreadable. Considering how he had already dealt with the meeting and needed to write down all the information which he could recall, it was a very tiresome task. He just replied, "Indeed. There's much to prepare for these days."

Aria, sensing the underlying tension in Margaret's words, stepped forward, subtly positioning herself beside Avendial. Her gesture was protective, almost possessive, and Margaret couldn't help but take note while giving just a smile as she could see that it was just a hint of jealousy which prompted Aria to do that.

"...." Avendial, standing now beside her, could clearly see that she was showing that side of hers which appeared to show a hint of jealousy. Though of course it wasn't evident, it was more like an instinctive approach, yet it appeared she was on guard against Margaret, which was appreciable. Putting aside this thought he had, "Shall we head inside? There's much to discuss, and I'd rather not keep you standing out here."