Life Of A Nobody - as a Villain-Chapter 404: Let them live

After spending a peaceful week at his house, a piece of news reached Rio's ears.

[The Heartwell family's heir Leonard rushes into the Eisjer domain to save the people trapped inside due to a collapse of an ore mine.]

"And so it begins." Rio said, remembering the plotline of this open dungeon, and the godsent gift awaiting the protagonist.

"Esme," Rio said, and a moment later his shadow stepped in through the door, "We're going to Harendale. We'll stay there for 2 or 3 days, make all the preparations."

"_ Yes, master." Esme froze for a second, hearing the sudden command, but still answered and steadily stepped out. Going back to contact the guild, inform the guards, prepare the teleportation circles, arrange the carriages, check security on his route, and whatever else is needed.

While she was busy, Rio walked towards his mother's office to get her permission. As he said to Agnus, no way was she willing to let him go away in the rare holidays he received from the academy,

It took a bit of a convincing and many minutes of acting cute and innocent, but finally his hard work paid off.

While he was walking back to his room, arguing with system who started repeating all the 'cringe' sentences he said to get Artemis's approval, a sharp voice reached his ears, before a tiny frame rushed his way and crashed into him. "Rio brother, is it true?"

Looking at the little bundle of joy acting all sullen, Rio bent down and spoke gently, "Calm down, my foot soldier, and tell me what's true or not?"

"Sister Esme said you're leaving again?" Tanya spoke, taking deep breaths with her mouth, making her words a _ little bit harder to understand.

Though she was 15 and almost a teen, who's almost the same age as them give and take a few years, but she still had that childlike innocence in her life. Something which none of them had.

Amelia, Rebecca, Esme, Erza, Ayla, Aina - these were all kids educated and trained since their childhood. Being forced to learn everything and experience many challenges to maintain that societal image of nobility and perform their duties to perfection.

But she didn't have that.

She was simple, shy and silent most of the time. And for the rest she was either in the kitchen experimenting with her dishes with no restraints, or hearing and telling Rio's stories to and from the maids she met.

With little to no outside contact or suffering the selfishness of society, her heart remained pure. And since she was just a cook, safe at his home, Rio didn't force himself to educate her on ways of villains either. Giving total freedom to her and fate to control her life.

And that's why everyone liked her. Her mother even going as far as to say, "The sweets Tanya makes are so sweet, just because she, herself is so sweet." cringey words, but maybe true too.

As Tanya's innate talent route does have a similar skill. And how in an event in the future of the original novel, when Rio/Devil attacks Leon's house and tries to kill his mother in front of her, she ends up cooking a poison so deadly, it puts him to sleep for seven days. And by the time he woke up, he was already thrown into the towers of hell as a prisoner, sentenced for a lifetime of misery.

(Why am I so bad to explain stuff and merge plot lines into realtime story paragraphs.??)

"So are you really going back?" Tanya asked again.

"I'm not going back to the academy, just going out for some work. I'll be back in 3 days at most." Rio replied.

"Take me with you na," Tanya said in an innocent way, while tilting her head to make her request more impactful. "I'm so bored at the house now, and there's no one to play with me, or taste my dishes."

"Plus I haven't even shown you half the things I learned in this time, you remember the book master gave me, I've remembered almost half the recipes listed there. So I can come with you and make you eat everything all day."

"Tanya, I'm going for work, not a picnic trip." Rio said, refusing her request as he patted her head, "As for the food, well how about we try all those recipes once I'm back, okay."

"But…"

"No buts, Tanya. Now go and help your mom in the kitchen, I'll bring you some gifts when I come back."

"But mom's not in the kitchen. Nowadays she's always at the lab. Helping mister Augustus with his studies." Tanya replied,

"Then get Amy to help you out. She always told me how much she missed those sweet cookies you made at the academy." Rio said, trying to coax her away.

"Big sis Amy is going to meet sister Rebecca, she probably left already." Tanya replied, "that's why, I'm saying take me_"

"Wait_ Amy's not here?" Rio interrupted her and asked in surprise. "When did she leave?"

"Sometime ago. She said she'll be back a couple days before going to the academy." Tanya explained.

Rio stood up and called his sister telepathically, only to realize she was already outside of its range. He checked their common storage ring, and found a letter thrown onto the messaging board.

A trick they use to communicate when they're distant. And to make sure their letters or hints don't get buried or mixed into the hundreds of other things piled into that ring, they deliberately set a small area in the center just for this massage table.

While Rio took out his letter and started reading it, Tanya hurriedly sneaked away. Going back to pack her luggage and all her lucky instruments and ingredients. As for permission from Rio, didn't you guys hear Rio say yes when she called him at the end..

(Big brother, can I come? she said slowly, tugging at his clothes, and then Rio, who was busy reading the letter, nodded his head before getting lost in thoughts like always.)

…

{Brother, I'm going to meet Becca at Haven. It's a girl's only secret, so don't cry over why we didn't tell you.

Ps Erza's also with me, so don't worry about anything, we'll be careful and safe. Be back in a few days.

Amy.

ooh, and also we're planning a hiking trip together so maybe we'll get some network issues, so don't try to call me. Or her, especially at night, you know.??}

Rio read the letter and then shook his head with a smile.

[You were right, the tricks of godmother affected her more deeply than she showed outside.] System spoke what its host had predicted a week ago. [You sure, you wanna let her out of your sight. She may do something stupid.]

"If I want them to be strong, I can't control their lives all the time." Rio said, "Gauri was right, my shadow will only make them more dependent on me, my overprotectiveness is only hindering their potential. So I'll just let them live freely now."

"Let them make their own decisions, their own mistakes, so when I'm occupied or not around, they can better control themselves."

[What if she messes up one of your plans? Endangers not only herself, but all you've worked for all these years?]

"_ If that happens, we'll just have to step up and handle things. Only when the sky crumbles, we'll show up to lift up the clouds." Rio replied and looked at the clear sky outside, "Plus she's not the same Amy she was 3 years ago, she's changed. She'll take care of herself now."

[Host, if you're worried about the nightmares, or the voice in your head resurfacing again now, then _ ]

"They're my memories, and my trauma to handle, you said so yourself, right, that no amount of potions or pills can heal my broken psyche, so don't worry, I'll be fine." Rio said, reminding system of their previous conversation when he started remembering bits and pieces about Kajal, or Katherine. (ch 205 & ch 276.)

[...] System, who wanted to tell him about the dark entity living in his head, swallowed its word and went silent. Clearly now wasn't the time. He's not ready to handle the truth yet.

…

While Rio started making preparations for his adventure to steal Leon's chance, and interrupt the plans of Apollo to gain power, _ Amelia on the other hand was planning an assasination in the capital.

"You sure you want to do this?" Rebecca asked, looking at the mission tag from the adventurer's guild Erza picked up for them.

"You know I have to." Any replied, memories surfacing of her past as she clenched her fists in anger.

When godmother took control of her body, her consciousness just stayed there, struggling to free itself _ that feeling of helplessness was horrifying. And she never ever wanted to feel that again.

And since she wants to train her mind to be clearer and calmer, what better way than to solve out some unfinished business from her past.

"He was the first one who made me feel how ignorant and weak I am, so if I want to grow beyond that, that's where I'll start." Amy said, taking a look at the profile on mission notice.

{Mission - The infamous Gyandel

Wanted - Dead/Alive (To collect reward for his death, proof must be submitted first.)

Target rank - ???

Target strength - ???

Target's main God - Apate, the goddess of lies and deceit.

Criminal Record - Crimes against royalty, charged with murder of over 30 noble and elite family members. Causing public distrust and riots, conspiracy for promoting terrorism, 12 recorded counts of theft and arson at merchant routes leading outside Schilla.

Mission history - 18th draft. (All 17 previous challengers who took this mission have been missing, presumably dead.)

Mission difficulty - High.

-- To accept, pour your mana and sign your name at the bottom.}

Rebecca looked at Amy's anger, and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Have you talked to Rio about it? You know it can make things complicated for him and you?"

"Nyx and Kali, they were always going to fight anyway, me killing her daughter's avatar won't change a thing." Amelia said sternly, and poured her mana into the letter to sign her name on it.

"Ria" The name appeared in the corner for a second, before the page started burning and turned to ashes.