Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

Keith, at the moment, leaned against one of the trees in an array that separated the lush thicket of woods from the open area of the plateau. His head went to a thud against the viridescent moss covering the bark, and then crossed arms as he glanced at the unfamiliar place he was in with Mystique and even Athan.

The ghastly haze almost covered what seemed beneath the protruding mountain peaks, and the biting cold continued to linger against him; if not for his layers of armor and coat, then he would've forced himself to transform into a large tiger, and hid for a hibernation.

In front of her was Mystique, flipping through the pages of her grimoire and went to check her pouch; after grabbing it inside of her cloak, from time to time like she was getting all nervous and giddy. Meanwhile, Athan had his arms on his back, shuffling across the craggy, rocky land, and started to survey around the place. 

Earlier, before arriving at this place, had him very skeptical as it was rather foreign. However, looking at Mystique's eyes started very intrigued around, like how she deeply admired the area then calmed down for a little.

Seeing her at ease made him worried, but her numerous requests to tone it down by a notch couldn't help but compromise it for her.

He put up an act as though he was relaxed, but he perked up his ears and eyes on her for sudden changes surrounding them.

Unbeknownst to him, Athan went close to Mystique as there was something he had to discuss.

A week passed after the crazy incident happened, and as much as Keith wanted to forget it, he couldn't every time he gazed at Athan and Mystique together.

That time, the stuffy air, brimmed with echoes of desire inside the room, and Keith discarded a long time ago his hesitation being with Mystique, and occasionally fooling around with Athan in the heat of the moment. 

Always, at first, a sense of duty and obligation was all for him but as much as Keith hated to admit it, doing this supposed 'hideous activity' over and over had never been such a great pleasure—with both of his mind and body were on the same page—for the rest of his life.

To think the kind of interaction with another person in their rather special moment with her got him every time, and it was mindblowing, let alone Athan, the Crown Prince, himself.  Somehow, it was both an honor and privilege; somewhere deep in him began to heat up, shaking off his head was the only way to stop him from pondering further.

[Keith…]

Keith blinked for a while, clearing his throat, and replied, "My Lady, you've called, is there anything I could do for you?"

Mystique scribbled midair, [No but…] Then she waved off her hand and vanished the words into thin air before she wrote again, [You seem so bothered these days, a penny for your thoughts?]

Keith gulped hard. 'Not that I wouldn't want her to worry about what happened since, and she didn't know about it.'

For that, Keith was somehow thankful to His Highness, and never did he think a day would come that would gratify with an open heart and mind. 

To him, it was better for her not knowing, and the lingering guilt that resided in his heart how he failed Arnold's lifetime mission to some extent. But for the first time, he was already past his limit, and he couldn't imagine if he did it alone.

'My Lady must've prepared so many all on her own…" Out of frustration, he clenched his fist with gritted teeth. 'Really, it's still her, and I couldn't do anything—'

[Keith?]

"Ahh! My lady, rest assured." Keith bowed with grace, beaming a wide grin. "I thought if there were other things I could be of use onwards."

[Is that so?] Mystique tapped her cheek. [Alright, I shall—]

"Violette, are you really sure about this?"

[What of it?]

Athan hummed, he tugged the lapels of his draping fur coat before arms crossed. "I didn't think you would make such a decision with that."

[You mean meeting the Salvatore siblings?] She tilted her head the moment he gave a curt nod, agreeing to her queries. [I just think it's a good time to do so…]

"Not bad. However, for what reason does Veronica have anything to do with this?"

Mystique pursed her lips as she hummed like she had to give a deep thought about it, and even it had Keith curious about her sudden decision.

Long had it been known she was never this close to everyone that was up against her, even Athan was no exception, let alone Veronica, his fiance. 

Though the words she spoke almost flinched him out.

[I wanted to clear things up with her—maybe, meet halfway to see where we are at the moment to have an agreement with one another?] She then had a curt smile—a rather defeated, bitter smile.

Seeing her almost wrangled his chest—hard to breathe—like invisible bindings around. 

Mystique wanted to end the ruse for all that had happened, and he couldn't help but recall the words of Nathan from how she wanted to redirect her life from now on.

'A clean slate in life…' Keith stared at Athan, who also went through a sudden change, but it was more subtle than her. Perhaps, he was so close to her that he knew every move, and only lacked the way she thought of now.

Back then, he was none other than a starved, imbecile, and nameless mutt, holding a myriad of deranged titles and rumors. Alas, realizing that he was someone damaged beyond repair, he succumbed to fate— for he never would get past it.

Throughout night and day, every time he closed his eyes, hoped it would've been his last moments. 

Even a miracle was so far-fetched, never did he imagine such a thing would grace a lowlife like him.

Yet it came out of the blue and manifested in her.

She was his saving grace.

But simply unheard of, very much open, and became a bigger person to those she swore enemies.

'I don't know now…' Keith sighed. 'I shall continue to protect her at all cost.'

"We're here now," Marianne hollered. Their moment cut off when they turned to the side.

From the left, several feet beside her were a group of ladies—about three of them, and wearing draping cloaks that hid clothes beneath—emerged from the forest.

But it wasn't all, when another emerged, now on the right.