A Regressed Villain: Heroines, Villainesses and Me?

Chapter 162- A rather bad future

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Name: Leo

Title: None

Race: Human

Age: 22

Class: Berserker

Level: 13

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Attributes

Vitality: 780+ / 780 — Under the effect of Ability — 2+ every millisecond.

Stamina: 315 / 115

Strength: 1220 / 120 — Under the effect of Ability — 1/2× of forced received = +1 Strength.

Agility: 510 / 100

Precision: 112 / 60

Mental Fortitude: 115 / 70

Perception: 110 / 60

Luck: Black

(Anything will have a 200% chance of failure.)

'That was close,' Avendial thought, his mind swirling with thoughts about the mayors and Leo's situation. He was caught off guard by Aria's question. Although he had shared with her that they were in love in the future, her inquiry about her abilities had taken him by surprise. He had assumed she would overlook it for a while longer or take a few days to process everything. Yet here she was, adapting remarkably well in just a single day, which was advantageous for him. However, it also meant he needed to brace himself for the questions that would likely come next.

"Hm, what happened?" Avendial asked, finally noticing that she had caught up to him. He fixed her with a curious look, though there was an unmistakable hint of intrigue in his eyes, indicating he was eager to hear her response.

What do you mean by 'not trust you'?" Aria asked, noting that he had mentioned their promising start in the future. If he believed they were in love, it seemed impossible for her to have kept her abilities a secret from him.

"Aria, I can't reveal much at this moment because I want you to experience those events firsthand instead of adjusting yourself to your future self. You are different from who you will become," Avendial said, turning to face her. Her eyes locked onto his, clearly eager for an answer. He could sense her anticipation, which compelled him to respond in a way that suggested each of his words was making a lasting impression on her.

"I will say this only once: when I first met you, your face and entire body were burned beyond recognition. You were fine overall, but the burn marks left no part of you unscarred," Avendial began, delivering a blend of truth and deception. If she bore burn marks in the future, it likely indicated a fire event that would occur very soon. If that were the case, he would have a plausible excuse to convince her of the validity of his information.

But he did not stop there. He wove another layer of falsehood into his narrative, saying, "At that time, you were aligned with the faction led by Lin, which had become one of my rivals within the tower. We were engaged in constant clashes. However, one day, I received a message from you, alerting me that Lin's life was in danger. I don't know the specifics or why you reached out to me, but it happened nonetheless."

'!?'

"What?" Aria's disbelief hung in the air as she heard Avendial reveal the shocking information. According to him, even after being betrayed, she had tried to protect Lin. He had once warned her about impending betrayal within a year, which now felt painfully prophetic, given the state of her body—a mere shell, burnt and worn. Yet, despite it all, she had continued to follow Lin.

It wasn't that she couldn't believe him; after all, she had done the same. Even after multiple rejections, she had persistently supported him, choosing the same path he walked and neglecting her own interests. It wasn't inconceivable that, even after being wronged, she might forgive him and continue to pursue him.

But what swelled within her now was not doubt, but a deep, seething anger—anger directed at her future self for being so foolish.

And why, she mentally questioned, would he seek Lin's help from someone who was clearly his rival? Yet Avendial had already stated he didn't know the reasons behind her choice, leaving her with no questions to ask.

"In exchange for help, I asked you to do something—details that are not important right now. However, while we were working together to assist him, Lin believed you had betrayed him and sent someone to eliminate you," Avendial revealed, his gaze unwavering as he analyzed her responses. He carefully noted the physical changes in her, trying to gauge whether she was digesting the information or grappling with suspicion. As expected, the emotional weight of the revelations stirred turmoil within her, and he witnessed the reaction he had anticipated.

"Why...!" Aria clenched her fists, her eyes dropping as she bit down her frustration. It struck her how she had always been replaceable for Lin, who seemed unbothered while she risked everything for him, feeling like nothing more than a fool enslaved to his whims. Anguish and hate for her future self bubbled within her.

But that feeling soon dissipated. After all, her future self was still her. It dawned on her that if Avendial hadn't entered her life, she would have continued down a dark path where only death awaited her.

"So, I saved you, and to ensure your survival, you joined my faction, but..." Avendial wove the narrative together, trying to make it as believable as possible.

"But I never fully trusted you because I had been betrayed so many times before, losing faith in others each time," Aria replied, her gaze still downcast. She was painfully aware that her future self had made a rational decision, one anyone would make after being wronged by someone they deeply trusted. It was clear that her future self had adopted a posture of distrust.

"...Yes," Avendial acknowledged, pleased to see Aria starting to accept his account. He understood that the more he revealed, the more chance there was for a vulnerable slip, so he sought to conclude this conversation quickly. "That distrust existed even as our bond grew closer, leading you to always promise that you would share everything about your abilities in the future, but..."

"But that future never came. Yes, I was killed by Lin, right?" Aria lifted her head, meeting Avendial's eyes as she asked. She had already confided in him about her ability to perceive emotional shifts in others as a kind of status. His mental fortitude allowed him to remain composed, giving no hint of deceit in his response as he simply nodded.

"Yes."