Villain Retirement

"I have always wondered how you wash that hair of yours, Queen Adel. Now I know how."

The waters were raging, and yet flowing smoothly at the same time. One could get lost in the noise inside the bathhouse, quite literally. It felt as if one's senses were being drowned, as everywhere you looked, there will be something that catches your eye.

The fog that filled the air, the pool of water that was endlessly flowing, the white marbled pillars and floor; but most importantly, the Queen that stood at the very center of this all. The strands of her long golden hair, floating on the clear waters which seemed to wash away every impurity in the world.

The expression of disgust and disdain the queen had on her face, however, the water was not able to clean away.

"Get out… now," the queen only whispered, and yet her words drowned all the noise in the marbled bathhouse, "I am not going to ask again, get out."

"Or what, Queen Adel?" Riley let out a long and deep sigh as he started walking toward Queen Adel, stepping in the pool with his black shoes still on, and yet… not even a single speck of dust could be seen mixing with the clear waters.

And even as the ripples of water caused her bosoms to slightly jiggle and her hair to be lightly pushed away, Queen Adel did not move as she just watched Riley wade toward her.

"What do you want?" Queen Adel looked Riley in the eyes, not even minding that he was only a foot away from literally touching her naked silhouette,

"Did Aerith send you here…? If so, then you have wasted your life and time—I have decided."

"Not at all, Queen Adel," Riley then slightly bent his knees, submerging himself until only his head could be seen above the water, "Aerith doesn't know about this. I am here of my own volition to talk to you, we haven't gotten the chance to, after all."

"You can't change my mind. But you have 15 minutes to say whatever it is you want to say—beyond that is already the time of war."

"I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. You will do that on your own," Riley chuckled as he started swimming around, "And by all means, continue this useless war."

"...Useless war?" Queen Adel scoffed, still not moving from her spot as Riley started swimming and circling around her, "What do you even know about fighting for one's home?"

"Nothing. I say it is useless because it is. I prefer to fight in a more enjoyable way," Riley sighed, "You see, Queen Adel—I think you are probably the person that is closest to me."

"I have nothing in common with an animal like you," Queen Adel's eyes turned red.

"See? I also think you are an animal," Riley's quiet chuckles echoed through the bathhouse, "And yet here we are, in the same waters and swimming with the animals."

"..."

"The only difference is that I don't think you are lower than me, no—I am the lowest animal there could possibly be. Irredeemable, unlike all of you."

"Say whatever it is you wanted to say and just go," Queen Adel scoffed, "Our battle is not here, we are done."

"Hm, not really," Riley suddenly rushed toward Queen Adel, standing right in front of her as he looked at her red, raging eyes, "The battle, as you keep referring to, has started as soon as I got to Theran."

"Get out now, or you won't even get the chance to be on the battlefield," Queen Adel did not flinch, even stepping forward as her breasts touched Riley's torso.

"We are already on the battlefield, Queen Adel—my battlefield," Riley tilted his head as he started whispering in Queen Adel's ear, "You see, I love your daughter, I think I really do… but she is easily swayed by her emotions and kindness—kind to the point that even though she knows I am a monster, she still treats me like a person."

"..."

"Very unlike you, Queen Adel. You would probably treat me as a beast, locking me inside a cage—because that is what I would do."

"You will not be in a cage, Ross," Queen Adel also whispered back as she leaned her head closer to Riley; the coldness of their cheeks, now touching, "Your head will be repeatedly smashed over and over again. Your body crumpled like the garbage you are—and I will do so forever until you find that your immortality has its limits just like ours."

"Hm," Riley smiled as he rested his forehead on Queen Adel's bare shoulder, "That sounds nice, Queen Adel—your King is dead, by the way."

"...What?" Queen Adel's red eyes flickered as she heard Riley's whispers.

"Not by me, no," Riley breathed in, "But I watched and offered guidance as my students tore off his head and repeatedly smashed it over and over again, your niece-in-law was one of them."

"Y—"

"Don't leave yet, there's nothing you can do anymore."

"..." Queen Adel's breaths caused the water to ripple—soon, however, the waters that were flowing out of the pool started to calm down as she held her breaths,

"You're lying."

"Hm," Riley's deep and slightly childish chuckle whispered in Queen Adel's ear.

"What exactly do you intend to get from all of this, Ross?" Queen Adel's lips shivered in rage, "My daughter's approval? She despises you, I could see it."

"Themarians are strong, no?" Riley once again took in another deep breath; the Queen's somewhat flowery scent, entering his nose, "I've thought over and over again on how I would kill all of you."

"Does Aerith know you want to kill all of us?"

"She knows," Riley chuckled, "She just doesn't know enough. But I want you to know, Queen Adel—that is why I am here, to tell you something that I have been wanting to tell someone else."

"Your last words?" Queen Adel smirked as she leaned her head closer to Riley's, "Go ahead, a warrior's last breath should be heard."

"I'm not a warrior, Queen Adel. I am an Executioner," Riley then very slowly raised his hand, placing it on Queen Adel's cheek before pushing her hair to the back of her ear. Queen Adel did not flinch, completely allowing Riley to place his lips upon her ear,

"You see, Queen Adel, I'm…"

"..." Queen Adel's eyebrows slowly furrowed as Riley's lips began moving; his words, entering her mind and staying there like glue. But very soon, Queen Adel's eyes started to widen.

"You…" Queen Adel finally backed away from Riley as she looked him in the eyes, only to see the visceral smile on his face.

"I told you, Queen Adel," Riley's soft chuckles started to whisper through the entire bathhouse, "You and I are the same."

"No!" Queen Adel roared, causing the waters to instantly turn into mist. This mist, however, also instantly dispersed away as Queen Adel rushed toward Riley and grabbed his face—and without even any hesitation, she slammed his head on the dried marbled floor.

"Yes, we are…" Riley's eyes which could be seen through the gaps between Queen Adel's fingers slowly lost their color,

"...We both want the death of your people. I'll see you soo—"

"I do not!" Queen Adel let go of Riley's face before stomping it with her foot several times—not even stopping as Riley's entire body crumbled and turned to dust

"I… I don't want the death of my people," Queen Adel then held her head as her breaths turned heavy, "Theran… this is what Theran wants. We will live… live and die for Theran."

Queen Adel's eyes began to tremble. But once again, she managed to calm herself down—quickly covering herself up with her robes as she rushed out of the bathhouse, quickly running and flying to her and the King's quarters.

"Arthus!" Queen Adel broke the door as she barged inside Arthus's study—the large window she shattered the last time she was there, letting the wind blast through and across the room as she stomped her way toward the shadow calmly sitting on the side,

"The bomb! We need to get the bomb that Caitlain planted, and we need to get our people back now!"

"..." King Arthus's shadow only glanced at Adel.

"Arthus! Stop being so spineless and hiding in the shadows all the time! Do something!"

"I'm afraid it's too late, my Queen."

"What do you—" Queen Adel was about to rush toward King Arthus, but he stepped out of the shadows before he could do so; his crown, glistening softly even from the harsh light from the outside. His unexpectedly youthful face that resembled Aerith even more than Adel, completely calm…

…too calm. And the reason was clear for Queen Adel to see, as there was nothing else to see but his face… as well as the hand holding it.

"Haa. I told you, Queen Adel. We will see each other again soon," the hand that was holding King Arthus's head stepped out of the shadows.

"You—"

"And I told you," Riley smiled as he dropped King Arthus's head, "The King is dead."

"Wh—"

"I did lie, though. I told you I helped the students—but in fact, the students helped me. Quite touching, don't you think?" Riley then lightly kicked King Arthus's head, letting it roll toward the Queen,

"Naughty, naughty, Queen Adel. Were you about to tell the King what I told you? That was between us."

"You think my daughter won't see right through you!?" Queen Adel once again roared.

"She will. I already told you, she sees me," Riley chuckled as he fully stepped into the light.

"What… are you?" Queen Adel gritted her teeth as her eyes once again turned red.

"I am nothing, Queen Adel," Riley breathed in as Queen Adel punched through his chest, "And soon, so will all of you."

"..." Queen Adel stared Riley in the eyes, "I… will save my people from you."

"See? You already changed your mind," Riley stepped forward, pushing Adel's arm deeper before holding the back of her head.

Queen Adel, however, remained staring at his eyes even until he placed his forehead on hers.

"What you don't understand, Queen Adel, is that there should only be one person that Aerith should hate, there should only be one person she loves, one person she despises...and that is me."

"..."

"I am the villain of this story, Your Highness. Not you, not anyone, Me…" Riley's trembling and throaty voice whispered in Queen Adel's ears, "You think you matter to Aerith? You don't… I am her villain, the person that turns her days dark...

…her eyes should only be mine, and mine alone."

"...You are insane."

"Another thing we have in common," Riley smiled as his face began to crack,

"...See you again soon, Your Highness."