The Hero and the Villain

I stared at the grinning male with his head resting on the guillotine. Resting? Is that the right word? He's about to be put to rest but his grin and laid back attitude made it seem like he found this situation entertaining. He must be crazy to be smiling when he's about to die. Could it be that he really wants to die so he's not afraid and actually happy? No, that can't be. Since he seems so insane, he probably would've slit his own throat as soon as he picked up a sharp object.

"Today, everyone has gathered here to witness the execution of this evil criminal, Felix Infermel," I heard Owen, the crown prince of Kassiel and one of my closest friends say. The cheering of the crowd around me nearly made me deaf. Did they really hate Felix that much? He didn't actually do a lot of bad things and was just arrogant and… playful? Yes, maybe he was caught to have helped some bad people, but it seemed like he was manipulated and didn't willingly help the evils.

While Owen slowly lifted his hand up to signal the executioners to cut the ropes holding up the blade that was going to slice clean through Felix's neck, I could hear a boy with blond hair and tears glistening his ember eyes shouting in protest. I recognise him as 'Alberu Infermel', the step brother of Felix. It's normal to disagree with your brother's death, adopted or not, but I don't remember the two of them being that close. For some reason, my heart aches seeing this, but I don't know why.

As the seconds go by, I felt like I was slowly dying when clearly it was Felix who was going to die, not me. I clench my fists, feeling that something was wrong. Terribly wrong… Oh. So that's what was wrong.

I rushed towards the stage with widened eyes at the same time the rope was cut, "stop!" I shouted. Everyone turned to look at me, surprised at my sudden actions. Obviously, I didn't make it. The decapitated head of Felix fell and rolled off the stage, dropping at my feet. I stared at Felix's white hair that slowly turned red from the blood pooling underneath it.

"Sir hero? What wrong?" I heard a woman ask me, "aren't you happy that the villain who had always caused trouble and tormented you die?" I didn't answer. I couldn't even hear what anyone around me said from the loud ringing I heard in my ears. I only snapped back to reality when someone placed their hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry, I should've known that you wanted to execute that criminal yourself. As your best friend, I've truly wronged you," Owen said apologetically.

"No… no….no," I mumbled under my breath, "how did this happen?". "You-!" I heard someone shout. I turned my head to where the voice came from and saw an enraged Alberu. "You all killed him! It's your fault that he died!" the air got hotter and hotter as he continued speaking.

"We did nothing wrong," said Emilia, who was also in the hero's team like Owen, "we only punished a criminal.". I could see Alberu's eyes burn in hatred when he scanned us, who were known as the 'hero' and his team.

All of a sudden, the surrounding area was engulfed in flames. There's no doubt it was Alberu who did this. He came from a prestige family who's known for fire abilities. It seems like he intends to kill everyone.

While everyone was running away, I stood there, still. Even when my skin was burning from fire and I felt like my face was melting off, I didn't move. It didn't matter if I die. I already did. I am not 'Eason Jarle' the hero. No, I am 'Felix Infermel', the villain. I remember everything now.

Years ago, Eason and I were transferred to another world. We were both around eight years old when we died and were taken here. The both of us already knew each other. We died in the same place, a laboratory where the both of us were illegally experimented on. Eason was bright and had charisma, while I was very closed off, so naturally he was able to gain the favour of people more easily than me. Maybe if I pushed myself to interact with others, I wouldn't be the one who would become 'the villain'.

As we grew older, I realised that this world ran by the law of 'fairy tales' where the hero always wins, is loved by everyone and destined to have a happy ending, while the villain suffers no matter how much effort they had put in, even if they had given more effort than the hero ever could. I had become the villain the moment I wasn't able to gain people's favour. I tried to change that fate but no matter what I did, it didn't matter in the end because I wasn't the 'hero'. Eason must've also realised that this world ran by that law, because he had stolen a relic in the form of a mirror that made the two of us change bodies. I remember that night very clearly. Eason smiled tauntingly at me and said, "let's see how much fun I can have in your body," before moving the mirror in front of his face, reflecting mine.

Unlike me, Eason was able to keep his memories since he was the one who activated the relic. He used my body to do things he would never be able to do in his own since his reputation as 'the good guy' would be ruined if he did. That's why he wasn't afraid of death. Once one of us dies, both of us would be taken back to the day after the relic was activated a while after the death. Why do I know this? I was jealous of Eason before, so I tried to find a way to see if I could experience Eason's happiness, even if only for a while but now, living in the body of someone who got me killed made me disgusted. Was that enough to make him the villain though? No, it wasn't. He's still the hero who 'let' the villain experience the 'happiness' of a 'chosen one' while he was executed 'in the place' of the villain, me. That's just how things work here.

My fiery surroundings slowly disappeared along with the heat of the fire and the ringing that continuously sounded in my ears also began to quiet down. Before everything turned to black, I saw a woman with long brown hair and a scar on her right eye that was closed. I recognise the woman, there's no way I wouldn't. She was the one who told me about the mirror relic and had strongly advised that I shouldn't use it. Why is she here now? And right before I was going back to my timeline too. Is it to mock me? To tell me that she was right? No, I'm speaking as if I was the one who activated the relic but in fact, she doesn't even know it was activated… right?

"I'll be waiting for you to return," I heard the woman say, "I will save you. I will be your hero.". … What? She wanted to be my hero? Does she even know what she's doing- what she's suggesting? Even if she were to become my hero, she'll only be named a villain since I am destined to become the antagonist. The execution that I just witnessed was only a spoiler of my own death. If she helped me, that execution won't only be mine, but hers too.

Everything about that timeline then vanished. I woke up in a luxurious room decorated with the colour red and gold. It was my room- my comfort zone, but this is all wrong.

Resting on stands that were hung up on the wall was a wooden training sword and a brand new sword made from steel. The wooden sword was the one that I used in training from the age of 9-12. I was gifted an actual sword made of steel when I was 13 which was my first year at the academy. No, there's nothing wrong with having swords displayed on the wall however, that was exactly what was wrong.

At the age of nineteen which is only one year after I graduated, all swords that I had in my possession was taken away from me by the order of Owen Kascis, the crown prince. My precious swords that I had earned as rewards from my hard work and effort given to me by my adopted father was taken and destroyed in front of me, just like that. I didn't even do anything, but Eason and his group said that I barely socialised and acted suspicious; meaning I must've been planning to do something evil. What kind of logic is that? I didn't do anything evil in my whole life at all. It was Eason who used my body to do whatever he wanted. Everything that I had, even my own appearance, Eason had taken it all.

"Felix!" a little boy with ember eyes entered my room, rushing by my side. "Huh?" the boy looked confused.

"What's wrong Alberu?"

"Felix, why's your hair slightly red?" Alberu, my adopted brother said concerned, "are you hurt?". Hurt? How could I be hurt? Being a villain is dangerous, but the Infermel family is one of the most important family in the nation of Kassiel that even if Alberu were to become a villain, not even the king himself would dare execute Alberu, so how could anyone hurt me while I'm in the walls of the Infermel mansion?

"Felix, did you hit your head in your sleep?"

… Head?

"Is that why your head bleeding?"

… Bleeding?