Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

The once peaceful and quiet Starbrooke Castle got overwhelmed with sudden chaos.

"Out of my way!" Arnold bellowed and blasted the gate with his sheer power of ice as he carried the lifeless daughter of his by the arms. 

From his embrace, had a tinge of blood as a few of her skin went jagged, and pricked on his skin, but he couldn't care less after all that had happened recently.

Mystique was beyond pale, and her face now had large crevices, a little gap found after tiny specks of dust came down from it. 

Almost more than half of her body somehow become no different from a frozen gemstone, and the ones around it—which happened to be her alabaster skin—are also on the verge of transmutation.

She was no different from the brink of broken glass. 

His eyes become bloodshot, on his feet cast a frozen trail of ice, sliding towards the entrance of his castle.

Keith was behind him, tending to his needs, and at the same time, distancing himself from the imminent wrath he would've faced. But then his ear twitched, every time he caught his ears the slow beating of her heart, worsening every time it thumped.

"Johannes! Johannes!" Arnold roared, making the footmen and maids panicked and became disarray.

"Your Grace—"

"Prepare the boudoir, NOW!" 

"But—Yes… Yes, of course, Sire!" Johannes whistled, and every single one of them became busy bees, buzzing around, clamoring within the nook and cranny of the castle. 

From his hand, he waved, and a magic ice carpet took form and placed Mystique on it. With utmost tenderness and care. One last time, he patted her head after he landed a kiss on her crystalline forehead.

After which, Arnold looked behind, and it wasn't Keith the only one, but there were also Athan with the rest of them.

Left with no choice, Arnold was on bended knees, shocking everyone inside the castle.

While everyone sucked in a cold breath, Keith's heart skipped a beat numerous times as his gut became heavy all of a sudden.

But it wasn't only that when he went further as to grovel on the cold, polished marbled floor. From his callused, bloody hands trembled, giving him the deepest, sincerest bow he ever made.

Out of instinct, he wanted to help him get up, but he couldn't move at all, which left him to stare at him.

The arrogant Grand Duke became too subservient, pleading like his life was at the Crown Prince's mercy.

"Please, you're the only one who can save my beloved daughter…" he croaked, his back brimmed with pride and honor, now trembled as it was going to collapse in no time. "Your Highness, I beg of you… Please… Please…"

Athan's eyes widened, blinking a few times, but his face went rigid like he couldn't believe such a time would happen to him.

To them, it was the first time. 

Alas, they've witnessed first-hand the total breakdown of their sworn enemy.

Even Nathan and Sylvester couldn't believe what happened. The former's face averted his gaze but was almost likely to know this was bound to occur after all the painstaking effort for all their endeavors. While the latter wallowed with deep guilt.

Marianne hugged his brother tight, sniffing in his cradle, and Sylvester clicked his tongue, shutting his eyes with a loud huff upon how upsetting it was for such an unfortunate event befell them.

Silence loomed over them; it was stifling, and when Athan didn't answer, Arnold blurted out crazy words.

"I'll do whatever you asked of me! Please! Anything I would gladly do for you!" He arched his neck up and stared at him. His face turned beet-red, with snots and tears bawling out.

This day, he didn't present himself as any noble would, but more so as a father, who he needed to be…

In the meantime, Veronica pressed her lips, as pitiful as Arnold looked, she couldn't help but snuggled close to his arm, slinking around it. 

Keith couldn't take it any longer. With gritted teeth, he kneeled, and whispered, "Sire, I'll commit to this task."

"What?" While Arnold snapped his head, and breathed ever-so-harshly at him, "She used more power than she ever could, even exchanging her life force! You'd die even before reaching halfway!"

A hard lump stuck Keith's stroke, that not even him would suffice her. In retrospect, she needed lifetime insurance, and he was the key, but it would be all for naught if he happened to disappear, lest she continued to live on as per Arnold's lifelong mission.

At this point, the people remaining somehow got the gist, and it was rather an open secret to them, they understood what he meant.

But then, he was stubborn, replying, "Sire, even at a cost of my life, I'm willing to serve—"

"Your Grace, he can come along with me…" Athan interrupted.

They all quickly turned in his direction. This time, his crimson eyes had a soft gaze, meeting Arnold's and Keith's from this instance.

Both of them became speechless.

While it was known that the Grand Duke of Blackwell recently developed an even greater soft spot for her daughter, the Crown Prince was rather a whole different dimension.

After what they all had done to one another, this was yet another perfect opportunity to drag them to the lowest part of the society, and no chance to rise henceforth.

So far, Keith knew they were in a contract, and it was hard to imagine how much further he would've gone for her.

"Violette, rather, is comfortable with him. Please be at ease."

'What? Will he even?'

"I owe her more than you could've ever thought of, Your Grace," he muttered, beckoning him to stand for her daughter's sake. After which, he looked at Veronica, who had a hopeful gaze at him. "You know we have a lot of 'serious matters' to discuss, hmm?"

From his tone wasn't menacing for a subtle, fair warning, but enough to threaten anyone in this room or scurried away from him.

Luckily, every single one of them was indomitable with their will and didn't have to flee.

But then, Veronica only nodded, agreeing to his every word for what it would be after the unprecedented night. When she let go of him, he then turned around and uttered.

"Please take us with her…" Athan bowed, and then looked Keith in the eyes. "I hope you won't disappoint, yes?"

"You have my word, Your Highness."