I will not die a Villainess's death

There was something surreal about seeing yourself taking something this badly. Even now Lucas remembered the feeling of frustration he had felt at seeing Elysia run from him.

At that time, he could not understand why Elysia behaved like his demands were unreasonable.

"Are you not going to go after her? Don't worry, I will keep your past company."

The familiar brush of the tail was all it took for Lucas to snap out of his thoughts and run after Elysia.

The friendly layout of his home brought a wave of nostalgia to Lucas.

He had modeled the current Dirac estate after this place. But no matter how much he had tried or how accurately he had gotten the stone, something had always been missing.

It had taken a long time for the Dirac estate to feel like home to Lucas.

"Elysia, are you there?

The sound of those soft sobs was getting louder and louder by the second. The closer Lucas got to Elysia, the more he hated the sound of that cry.

It made him wish that he had Sorias with him right now. Elysia's familiarity would have been a better choice to console her.

"Go away. I don't want to see anyone."

It was the typical cry of a child. It was something Lucas had never heard from Elysia before.

His sister had been too prim and proper to talk like this to him. Lucas had brought her up carefully and taught her to hide her emotions.

Such behavior was not becoming one in their family, this was what Lucas had told Elysia in the past.

It seemed like the wounds on her soul had remained even after everything else had been reset.

"Elysia, please come out. I want to take you back home."

There was a sound of leaves moving before Lucas saw Elysia's body come into focus. Her expression was one Lucas was sure he would never forget as long as he lived.

"Home? But I am home already. Are you going to send me away again?"

"Elysia, your brother is not going to abandon you-"

"I am not asking about him of the past. I am asking about you. Will you abandon me again?"

For a second Lucas was confused about what Elysia was saying. At this point in his past life, Lucas had never sent Elysia away from home.

He had been too paranoid that she would cause some kind of accident and mess things up. It would have ended up getting Elysia into trouble she would not have been able to avoid.

'The soul remembers what Elysia could not before. Then, does it mean her memories of the past are locked inside her as well? Are they waiting for a time to explode out of her?'

The thing had that not been a concern before was suddenly becoming a real concern now. Lucas had been relieved to know that Elysia had no memories of her past life but this new development caused him to reconsider all he knew.

This was dangerous. This one answer could make or break Elysia's relationship with him.

"Elysia, no one is going to abandon you. Neither me nor Sorias. I don't think your friends are going to abandon you either. They are still waiting for you out there."

Everything on Elysia's face said that she did not believe Lucas. And she did have good reason to distrust him as well.

As much as Lucas had wanted to avoid hurting Elysia, he had caused an irreversible scar on her soul.

"You are a liar. I don't want to see you anymore."

Lucas felt the wind pushing his body away. He tried to reach out to the young teenager in front of him but his hands never reached her.

Before he knew it, he had been thrown outside the estate.

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"He's gone so you can come out now. You know, I can just have him thrown out of here so that you don't have to face him."

The teen Elysia's face broke out into a passive smile as soon as she finished throwing the intruder out.

The person she was talking to just heaved a sigh before her familiar face came into focus. It was the older Elysia, the one whose body was lying comatose outside in the Dirac mansion.

"I feel guilty doing this. I don't remember any of this happening. I'm sorry that I cannot remember who I used to be or who you are."

Elysia did sound sorry. She even felt sorry for the person she used to be and everyone present in her past. It felt like she was killing them by not remembering them.

"It's a good thing that you don't remember what happened since it allows me to exist inside you. Your guardian placed me inside you for a reason and it was to protect you. Be it from yourself or your memories."

"But of course, that stupid dragon had to interfere and block my access to you. Listen carefully Elysia, you are free to choose anyone in the world but that stupid dragon, you understand!"

Elysia almost broke out into a giggle at the anger her 'younger self' was showing on her behalf.

She did understand that the projection of her younger self was all but an illusion of magic. The magic had taken this form because it was comfortable.

Still, the magic was able to do something Elysia had always wanted to do once in her life - Curse Adam out.

(Somewhere in the real world, Adam sneezed out loud which startled his advisors enough to stick him in bed for a whole day. Just what was might enough to even make the dragon prince ill?)

"You need to calm down now. I am sure Lord Dirac would give up soon enough and return before his consciousness gets damaged. This place is not good for him."

As long as Lord Dirac did not do anything dangerous, Elysia could make his spirit go back without sustaining any damage.

It would take a toll on Elysia's reserves but she was sure she had enough control to make that possible.

A second dive into her soul won't be possible for a long time though. Elysia would be too fragile for that.

"I don't understand why you like Lucas so much. All he did was ignore you your whole life. He even handed you over to someone else to raise."

"He did that but I cannot fault Lord Dirac for that. Lord Dirac must have been young back then as well. And no matter what happened, I was happy in my new home and with my new people. I will always be thankful to Lord Lucas for that."

Even if the end of this road was covered in spikes, Elysia could not complain about the life she had.

She had managed to meet Adam and Eve in the end and even Sara and Lord Sorais. That alone had made life meaningful.

"You are an idiot but I cannot contradict your words. The magic would not allow me to go against your commands and-"

Just as the spirit was about to finish, she felt the wave of magic crashing into her. It was familiar and it dominated even her spirit.

It should have been impossible for that magic to feel familiar but the spirit still felt the same wavelength of power in it that made up her core.

"You! What are you doing? Master put you here to look after Elysia, not to attack her. Are you turning a traitor?"

The spirit cried out, her body unable to move for a second.

That second was all it took for Lord Dirac to jump behind her and close his arms around Elysia. The other female let out a startled gasp before her face was grabbed into her brother's hands.

"Come back with me. Please, come back with me. I don't want to lose you again so please don't do this to me."

Those words had real emotions in them but Elysia seemed stiff in those arms. Her arms were hanging limply around her and her expression was dazed.

_________________________________

Lucas took a moment to gather himself.

He had been thrown out of his home by Elysia. No, not Elysia. That spirit had her face but its essence felt different from the girl Lucas had seen before.

'She must be a guardian that was placed in this space. I need to get past her if I want to reach my sister.'

Things had gotten a little complicated now but Lucas was still sure he would be able to pull it off.

No, not able. He had to pull it off at any cost. Leaving Elysia in here was not an option.

"HAHAHA, you seriously got thrown out? I never thought I would see the day. But I guess I should expect that. That spirit got all of my stubbornness after all."

The familiar voice of Noctis was so refreshing. It gave Lucas a ray of hope.

He had promised himself that he would never ask Lucas for anything if he ever met him again. Lucas had been so sure about himself and his promise back then.

But when faced with the circumstance, Lucas had no other choice but to break his promise.

'Really, only you can make me break my promise, Elysia.'

"Noctis, please help me get Elysia out of here. I beg you to help me this time."

The beast had a regretful expression on his face. Lucas felt his heart sink as soon as he saw that.

"Hey, don't look so dejected. I know I cannot help you but I know someone else who can."

"Someone else?"

Lucas asked, parroting Noctis's words. For that, he got a tired and irritated sigh from behind his back.

"To think that I will turn into such an individual in a few years. How outrageous but fine, I will help you this time since it's for Elysia's sake. Don't expect my help again."

Lucas watched stunned as his younger self spoke.

His words were followed by a familiar tidal wave of magic and Lucas felt himself being carried over to the place he had just been at.

There were two individuals there, just as Lucas had expected. And his eyes sought out the one he wanted to bring back immediately.

"I'll stun the spirit. You go and reclaim Elysia."

Lucas nodded and their counter-attack started. The spirit was taken by surprise at seeing them but she could not resist.

Before he knew it, Lucca's arms closed around Elysia's body and she went limp in his arms.

"Come back with me. Please, come back with me. I don't want to lose you again so please don't do this to me."

Those were the most honest words Lucas had ever said in his life. He hoped that their sincerity would carry over to Elysia.

All he could do was wait and support her. And Lucas was willing to wait however long he had to in this place for his sister to come around.