Villain: The Play of Destiny

Keith woke up to a very interesting call in the morning, and he was quite amused to learn that he had upset a certain Princess.

"I don't believe that it was not deliberate on your part." Rebecca sounded sure, and she was right. What he did was indeed quite deliberate on his part.

"So, your dear Apprentice called you and complained about me?"

"She was not blunt about it, but she was trying to convey tohow desolate the Castle seemed now that she was holed up all alone there with her maids." She giggled. "She did not go hin hopes that New Year with you would be a lot more fun, and you did not even invite her to Essra before you left."

"Well, she's your Apprentice, your responsibility." He nonchalantly said.

"Like I believe you!" Rebecca scoffed. "She means something to you, which is why you gave her so many privileges, and even askedto teach her. I am pretty sure you are going to get your hands on her. She's growing up very beautifully." She teasingly said, and Keith sighed in his heart, knowing well that he could not deny her words.

"How long will it take you?" He asked, changing the subject, and the blonde giggled before she happily informed him about the plans they had cup with to put an end to the war in the next couple of weeks.

"How's Qingyue faring?"

"You can call her and ask her."

"She's doing fine now."

"Well, I told her that isolating herself won't be helpful, but I guess she would not listen to anyone unless it is you." She then continued chatting with him for nearly half an hour, and Keith only ended the call when he heard her peaceful breathing, knowing that she had fallen asleep.

As soon as he put the phone aside, it rang again, and Keith sighed in his heart before he picked it up.

"Good morning, Alana."

"Good morning, Keith!" She cheerfully greeted him back and then got straight to the point. "Mother has invited us to Essra. We will be coming over on Friday!"

"I am aware." He chuckled at her enthusiasm and patiently listened to her narrate how her weekend was with Kashish showing them around the city.

"You like the city?"

"Love it!" She unhesitatingly said and then told him what they did yesterday.

She visited the University, just to tour the Campus as Kashish had told her that it was very beautiful.

Since she had not gone to the University herself, she wanted to see the ty of the student life, but sometimes, she really underestimated her Star Power.

It turned out to be a very hectic affair as students flocked over to see her, and steachers as well. Eventually, the day was called off as students were more interested in showing her around the University than in attending their classes.

They even requested her to sing for them at the Auditorium, which had could not refuse.

"I met your students!" She informed him.

"I see."

"And they toldthat they miss you." She giggled. "You left the Semester midway, would it be alright?"

"You know me." He smiled. "I don't like leaving things unfinished. I taught them all that they needed to learn this Semester, so with the substitution teacher, they will do just fine."

"How thoughtful of you." She teased before she told him about her plans for the day, and then finally ended the call.

Keith put the phone down to stare at the ceiling, and then he picked it up again to dial a number.

"Lord Keith." It was on the third ring that the call was picked up, and a beautiful voice greeted him.

"Good morning, Princess." He smiled. "Must I say that I was quite surprised when I received a call from my dear wife, who informedthat I had unknowingly upset a certain Princess?"

There was a few seconds of silence and he could guess that the girl on the other end was very nervous and fidgeting.

"My apologies. I did not mean it in this way..."

"Want to cover to Essra?" He cut her off and asked, and there was silence for a few more seconds before she answered him with all the enthusiasm that had flooded her.

"Yes!"

"Then come." He smiled and ended the call, putting the phone aside and forcing himself out of bed.

It was still early in the morning, and Ingvild, who had slept with him last night, was not in bed when he woke up.

He heard her helping others in the kitchen, and the breakfast was going to be served soon. So, he took a quick shower and changed into scasual clothes before heading towards the dining room.

Everyone was already there waiting for him, and Minami immediately took the lead to serve him his meal, not giving anyone else the chance.

"Avriel will arrive here in the evening."

"Really?" Ingvild was the first one to perk up her years, and there was excitement in her eyes.

Since they were almost the sage, they got along very well. And it just so happened that they were both Princesses as well.

"Yes." He nodded. "Any plans for today?"

"Not really." Kiara shrugged.

Since the Space City was not too big, they had already explored most of it yesterday, and Kiara even knew about the Laboratories that the other girls had yet to visit. Therefore, she really had nothing on her hands.

"Want to go inside Aerzaar?" He asked, and there was an instant reply.

"Yes!"

Seeing Kiara's excitement, the ladies who did not know about Aerzaar, could not help their curiosity and looked his way.

"What's Aerzaar?" Celine asked.

"I will show you later." He met her eyes and then returned his focus to his meal.

By the tthe meal finished, Amira, Reina, Ingvild, and Celine were burning in curiosity as they wanted to know what Aerzaar was, and since none of them had given them any answers during breakfast, they impatiently surrounded Keith, hoping that he would finally tell then what it was.

"Ready?"

"Yes!" They all nodded their heads and expectantly looked at him, but Keith suddenly grinned as he tapped on each of their shoulders, making them disappear.

He did the swith Qingyue, Ingrid, Ginara, and his grandmother, and then he turned to look at Sibyl and Venessa.

Venessa inquisitively raised her brow at him when he approached her but did not resist as he sent her away as well.

Now, only Kiara, Minami, and Yingying stayed by his side, all smiling.

"You sent them all to different locations, didn't you?" Kiara asked, guessing what he had done.

"Yes." He nodded. "You will gather them up if they don't find the Palace." He said as he sent them inside the Steele of T& Space before appearing inside a Garden, right behind a certain grey-eyed lady, who was overwhelmed by the beautiful roses that surrounded her.

"Eh!" Qingyue yelped in surprise when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist, but in an instant, she realised that it was him and relaxed.

"What is this place? An Illusion, a Dream?" She genuinely asked, and he leaned near her ear.

"It's real, my dear Wife. This world is called Aerzaar, and it belongs to me."

"A world?"

"Yes."

"How's that possible?" She frowned, not doubting him, but genuinely curious.

"It is possible. Do you know, there are certain Seeds of a very mystical Tree, the World Tree, and though it bears fruits of unimaginable Power, the seed of that fruit can be consumed as well, bound to your life and soul, and inside it, a world can grow as you grow older."

To say that she was shocked at those words would have been an understatement, and Keith allowed her a few minutes to process the knowledge he had just provided her and smiled when her eyes regained their focus and looked at him.

"So, we are inside the Seed of the World Tree?"

"No, this place is different. Very different, and it's a World much more special than those."

"What is it?" She asked, but he just grinned at her.

"Not telling."

"Keith!" She grew a little impatient as he refused to tell her the truth, and subconsciously, she ended up releasing a Poison, but since he was immune to any harmful Poisons, it did not matter to him.

He teased her to the point that she angrily ended up chasing after him in the Garden, and then out of it.

Keith led her to the side of a small spring with crystal clear water, and Qingyue pouted a little as she cto stand next to him.

The beauty of this place simply vaporised all her indignation.

"You are mean."

"I know." He shrugged, but this time, she managed to control her impulse to lunge at him and remove that irritating grin from his face.

Her eyes turned to look at the place they were at right now, and she could not help her smile that kept brightening up at its beauty.

"You have never jumped into a spring before, have you?" He suddenly asked, and she subconsciously shook her head before she realised what was about to happen and her eyes widened.

However, it was already too late as she was grabbed and pulled into the water by him.

"Keith!" She shouted his nas soon as she surfaced and gasped for breath but soon found her mouth blocked by his.

She resisted a little but then succumbed to his taste, no longer upset about all the teasing he had done earlier.

"Ever made love in the water?" He teased her again, and though she had this sudden urge to punch him, after all, he was the only man she had been with, she played along.

"No."

"Let's fix that." He said, and she felt her womb growing warm as soon as he started taking off her clothes.

She did not even care that he tore one of her favourite panties, and just moaned as he entered inside of her, providing her with an aching pleasure as he stretched her walls with his length.

"I missed you!" She told him, and Keith blocked her mouth again as he started making love to her.