My Crime... But Worse

I was dressed in a black suit that glistened with shining dots like a night sky filled with stars, looking as if I were headed to a lavish affair, when in reality, it was just Rubi's birthday party — a stark contrast between appearance and reality.

"It looks a little tight on you," Cyro remarked, also dressed impeccably from head to toe.

His outfit was personally picked out by Rubi who he placed his complete trust. A pink suit was bold but I couldn't make of him for it because that would also be making fun of her who chose it.

Cyro, being a busy paladin, rarely had a day off especially in the middle of a workweek, emphasizing the significance he placed on this occasion.

"I have to admit, it is a little snug," I agreed with his remark.

The suit, tailored to fit me perfectly, now strained against my increased height and the muscles I had gained from relentless workouts, making it apparent that I had undergone some changes.

If it weren't for my demanding training schedule with Quentin who was a devilish trainer, I would have opted for a new suit since it was long overdue.

Fortunately, my parents were aware of my commitment to improving my battle prowess, thanks to Cyro informing them, and my mother spared me from the shopping ordeal.

Meanwhile, the mansion bustled with activity as the maids and butlers prepared to accommodate the guests, not solely for the birthday celebration, but also for socializing purposes.

On the first floor, down a hall, there was a designated large playing room where Rubi and her young friends could indulge during playtime.

One might question the number of friends Rubi could have, considering she was homeschooled.

Yet, she possessed an extraordinary ability to effortlessly befriend children her age, akin to the Pied Piper leading a group of enchanted youngsters with her magic flute.

"Do you think her excitement and nerves are really due to a boy?" Cyro whispered as we stood on the backyard stairs a few meters away from the large garden.

"What would you do if there is?" I asked, trying to suppress my laughter at his exaggerated expressions.

"If there is, he better not be deceiving my precious baby sister with sweet lies, or he'll face the wrath of a paladin," he responded, his tone entirely serious.

'Sweet lies! Hahahaha!'

"Well, if there is a boy, he'd likely be around four to six years old. Relax," I assured him.

Although I, too, felt protective of Rubi, I had no intention of issuing threats to a hypothetical child we knew nothing about.

Cyro on the other hand was different.

We found ourselves waiting there in the back, avoiding the initial greetings with arriving family members.

One group at a time, a conglomerate of our aunts, uncles, and cousins entered the mansion. We attempted to conceal ourselves in the background, but eventually, one of our cousins spotted us, and the entire family gravitated in our direction.

'Fuck that cousin.'

"Hey buddy, it's been ages since I last saw you. Sprouted any pubic hairs yet?" inquired a drunken uncle, despite the early hour.

"Uncle, stop being a pervert please," I begged.

"Trying to send some money my way, huh? Come on, man. I know you've got plenty to spare," urged a cousin who seemed eager to fund their vices.

"I'm broke," I lied.

"Oh my gosh, just look at you two. The last time I saw you, you were barely this tall," she exclaimed, placing her hand at knee level, despite having seen us a few months prior for my birthday.

"Hahaha," I awkwardly laughed. "Thank you for the... compliment?"

All these family members belonged to the Agnus family tree, albeit not the direct bloodline. They constituted the side factions, with unique last names distinguishing them from one another.

During times of war, they would all fall under Father's command, obedient to his orders. However, in this casual setting, everything seemed normal, as if we were an ordinary, friendly family.

"How are you, my precious baby?"

"I'm doing alright, Auntie. How's your back?" Cyro inquired.

"Ah, the back is what it is at this point. No amount of potions or healing magic can fix it," she sighed.

"Cuzzo, I heard you're engaged to a stunning beauty. When are you going to introduce me?" asked Jaren, a cousin around my age.

"She's dealing with some issues in her home country," I responded. "And how about your girlfriend?"

"Man, I broke up with that bitch a long time ago. She kept using my credit card to buy stuff, and Pops yelled at me until my ears rang. Had to cut her off before she ruined my life even more."

"Are you perhaps interested in someone new?" I inquired.

By this point, family members had dispersed into their own conversations, carving out their space in the vast living room, which had been transformed for the party. Couches and carpets were replaced with tables adorned with drinks and food.

"Yeah, bro. There's this new chick at my school. Let me tell you... when I say she's got a fat ass... I mean it's massive," he exclaimed, using his hands to demonstrate the size.

Considering the majority of our family was composed of respectable individuals, raised with etiquette befitting a family of esteemed heritage, it was a mystery how Jaren turned out this way.

"Planning to ask her out?" I questioned.

"Nah, man. I'd love to, but she already has a boyfriend," he replied. "You know me, shit... a gentleman and whatnot."

I gave him a pat on the back. "Good job. Never get involved with someone who's taken. It only leads to more trouble."

"Fosho. Aight, bro, I'ma leave you to it. Seems like more people tryna chat with you."

"Yep."

We performed the unique handshake that we made when we were eight years old, and he swiftly departed from the first floor, likely heading to one of the guest rooms on the third floor where he often dozed off during such events.

Jaren was like a whirlwind, arriving, causing chaos, and disappearing shortly after.

For the following couple of hours, before the official commencement of the party, I caught up with more cousins I hadn't seen in a while. Most of them resided outside the city and had made the trip solely for Rubi's birthday celebration.

Speaking of Rubi, she was engaged in conversation with a group of younger family members her age; they were playing games and having a fantastic time.

One of the children started crying, and I witnessed firsthand Rubi comforting him, managing to stop the tears with her words before any adult could intervene.

"That's our sister," Cyro remarked, nodding approvingly.

I glanced up at the second floor, observing Father conversing with a couple of uncles inside a mana bubble, ensuring privacy.

I attempted to read his lips, but as if sensing my gaze, he grinned before concealing his mouth with his hand.

Soon, as the clock struck 7:30, the doors swung open, allowing guests from other families to enter.

Having convinced Diana to indulge in a few extra swigs of blood the previous night, excusing myself from attending the appointments today, I didn't worry about breaking the promise I made to her.

And when I say she drank a lot — oh, I mean a lot. Quite frankly, if she had consumed my blood for another minute, I might have met my demise right then and there from all my mana being drained.

Prominent figures gradually arrived, representatives of influential families compatible with our own.

Some came from out of the city, some out of the state, and a few came from across the world.

This year surpassed any previous occasions, be it my birthday, Cyro's, or Rubi's, in terms of the importance of the attendees.

I deduced that the presence of these distinguished individuals was due to the demon king's arrival, with the family figureheads capitalizing on the party as an opportunity to gather and hold meetings.

It was a little scummy of them to do, treating a little girl's birthday party as an excuse to conduct business, but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Then, my eyes fixated on a particular person entering with his mother.

I recognized his face not only from the internet but also from the novel's description.

It was impossible to overlook.

He sported white hair, tied neatly into a ponytail, exuding beauty more than mere handsomeness. His slender frame appeared malnourished, yet underneath the clothes, his physique displayed a chiseled form that spoke of strength and dedication.

One of his eyes held the color of a vibrant green emerald, while the other shimmered like the deep blue sea.

His skin possessed a paleness that bordered on the ethereal, almost resembling that of a vampire, despite being a human with parents of darker complexions.

As I clenched the side of my waist, I realized my sword was absent from its usual place.

Taking a deep breath, I opened my hand, attempting to calm myself.

I reminded myself that the crimes this person would commit had not yet come to pass, and for the time being, he was merely an innocent teenager attending a party with his mother.

Approaching him, I introduced myself to his mother and politely requested a private conversation with her son, to which she graciously agreed.

She must have assumed I wanted to befriend him, recognizing the opportunity to establish connections with a family of lesser status than our own.

He regarded me cautiously and asked, "Did I do something wrong, perhaps?"

'Not yet, but I know what you're capable of, you sick individual.'

Shaking my head, I reassured him, "No, not at all. I merely thought you seemed like an intriguing person from afar and... I wanted to extend my greetings."

"Is that so? Well then, nice to meet you. I'm Aldo Niro," he introduced himself.

"I'm Bell Agnus, though I suspect you already knew that," I replied, offering a friendly smile.

He nodded, acknowledging the accuracy of my assumption.

"So, Aldo, are you visiting for the party, or do you happen to reside in this city?" I inquired casually, attempting to break the ice.

"I don't live in this city, but I'm not too far away. Just one city over. It's not a long drive," he responded, returning my friendly smile.

I knew that behind his facade of friendliness, he hid a more twisted nature than almost every possible human within a thousand miles radius.

'What should I do... how should I proceed?' I pondered.

I had the option to confront the issue now and snip the bud before it escalated into a significant problem.

Yet, as the shitty god once told me, the role he played in future events would eventually be replaced by another individual so there was no use stopping him so early on.

If what the original Bell Agnus from the novel committed was an unforgivable crime, Aldo's actions toward one of the female protagonists warranted a punishment that spanned a hundred lifetimes.

'Of course, on the one day, I don't have to train, I encounter a villain. As expected of this clichéd world,' I muttered, rolling my eyes.

He exclaimed as if I was his idol, "I truly admire the way you dealt with those assassins. The way you teleported around the room, casting all that magic... I must have watched the videos a hundred times, on repeat."

If he claimed to have watched it a hundred times, it was likely he had viewed it a thousand times.

That was the sort of twisted individual he became once he fixated on something.

His obsession was far worse than Maya who herself was willing to follow someone around for months on end to get all the evidence she needs to publish her news articles.

I prayed that my presence in this world had triggered a chain of events that would deter him from committing his villainous acts, but deep down, I doubted that would be the case.

"Thank you. I was merely doing my best to survive," I replied.