Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

'Ugh...'

For a while now, Keith groaned from the constant waves that rocked back and forth inside his head from the dizziness he had. His body was all sore, and his eyelids became too heavy to open them.

He couldn't move.

Bedridden—stuck and waited like it was forever.

Fear initially took over his body, but he was valiant to face them head-on, for he had fared worse amidst the trepidation and trails of life.

Every part of his muscles refused to follow what his mind commanded, yet he wasn't the one to give up—with clenching jaws and tightening around his core—as he pushed through a little squirm against the warm, cozy bed that embraced his back. 

After several attempts, he only lifted a finger on his left hand, which was already a big improvement.

For that, he huffed out, then calmed down for a breather; It wasn't hard to try it once again, but the spell cast upon him was so strong that he had to do one step at a time.

'This isn't just a simple hypnosis—Curses! What did she do to me?'

But with the overcrowding questions that barged inside Keith's head, he knew he needed to take a moment to recall the moment Mystique's miracle awakening.

Hearing Mystique's voice for the first time—not when she was under the monthly curse—was unbelievable.

Almost his gut instinct clawed him that something has changed within her; but he tended to let it slide when there were times he got to witness this other side of her—a little quirky, and vibrant part that he never saw before.

Especially the things and the path of fate that was in it for him, of which he accepted it with bitterness and resentment in his heart, changed if not for her.

Not only that, when she went on to help him get back on his feet, and take back the title and position that was taken away from him, hadn't crossed his mind.

It was almost like it wasn't the Lady Mystique he once knew.

Even if it was all an act, he could care less; in fact, he was even grateful to learn this miraculous occurence—a change for the better, as they would say—became something he wanted to cherish forever.

Only until Keith met Nathan in a forceful encounter, in times Keith least expected. Just several yards away from the Auction rendered him helpless. 

The threats and malicious intent to harm Mystique angered him, after all the humiliation made to both of them, and the audacity to plant a seed of doubt in him.

The daring hearsays that spread like wildfire among the nobles, and how Mystique changed, perhaps no different from Athan's awakening.

Uninterested, he brushed them off; however, more of the things he was never well-aware of made his judgement clouded akin to murky waters.

The odd dynamic between Mystique and Athan from then on and the peculiar items that she possessed—even the ones she got desperate without him having no idea what they were—made him think twice.

'What was that again, did that… Grand Duke showed me?' Upon furrowing deep, more creases appeared on his face. 'That mysterious small frame with magical light and sound… His Grace showed me that and the one My Lady had was the same as his…'

More than anything, Keith was willing to turn a blind eye for that matter, but not to this point where his Lady, Mystique Blackwell, not only both had some similarities with her adversaries, but also colluding with them left a bad taste in his mouth.

'What in good heavens happened to her? Was her soul sold to the devil to have this sudden change of heart?'

This instance had Keith's loyalty towards Mystique dwindling from the confusion. 

Dread crawled to his spine once more, making his muscles tense as he wanted to get up, and witnessed them all for himself.

'I must see it for myself once more... A little more…'

Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, keeping up the pace, despite the invisible force that kept on pulling him down. 

With a low growl that left his lips, he used the remaining ounce of his strength—muscles tensed as he sat upright in a snap. He gasped for air, as though he was on the verge of drowning.

Afterwhich, he wiped his drenched face, then raked his slick hair. In an instant, eyes squinted as the bright afternoon plastered the bright sky, a blue hue and an ever-changing clouds, was all he noticed from the arches of windows to the side.

'It was almost an intense paralysis, that would be my first in almost forever I suppose?'

Upon leaning to the headboard, he glanced at his palms, damp and trembling, when he was out of energy. All of a sudden, he thought his surroundings became hot. His gaze then roamed towards his cotton sleeves, which became wet and sticky on his skin, taking it off and tossed to the side.

'I must make my move.'

From the other edge of the bed found his inner sleeves, necktie, and long coat. He gritted his teeth, got up, and donned them one by one.

Before leaving, he glanced at the pouch—which was his belonging—on the nightstand; jamming inside, he pulled out the latest tonic she ever concocted, all for him to use.

It wasn't the first time he had one, and it was effective. He knew he had to use these wisely, but he became more than willing to gamble.

Soon as he moved out, he prowled to the corner, further away from detection, and the maids that roamed around. Through fine tuning of his hearing, he filtered through the noises, the more he followed through the path he ought to take.

Keith lost track of time as he went on and on; until he heard a giggle brimmed so sultry, enough to make his heart skip a beat.

'My Lady—!'

Goosebumps were all over his body, when another peal of laughter came.

Something he was familiar with as well.

'Did I hear it wrong?'

Keith almost choked himself, staggering his steps as he got closer. 

"You think too highly of me, Miss Quinn."

Yet in that moment, his world turned upside down when Nathan's voice echoed with a hearty reply.

Thus once sowed came to a sprout.