Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

Keith finished having a quick bath, he put on a soft, classic black robe on him, nice and tight. His damp hair donned like a second skin on him, slick and glossy. With a tad damp towel on his crossed arms, he leaned by the wall and took a glance at the hourglass on the nightstand.

'Thirty minutes before it begins, huh?'

Meanwhile, Athan took his time bathing, and Keith had time to think about what he must do to fulfill his duties. 

After which, he gazed at several pills beside the glass, of which are the supplements that Arnold gave to them.

Enough said, Keith tucked his ears and tail, covering himself from his towel out of the embarrassment.

'Not to brag but, would it really be this worse?' he heaved out a deep sigh, and hoped for the best.

This wasn't the first time he did it with her.

More so with Athan, oddly enough.

Then, his eyes darted at Mystique, whose body glimmered among the cozy, warm quilt on the spacious four-poster bed. Under Arnold's spell, she was able to prolong her life for a while without succumbing to the agony in her. 

For that, Keith was incredibly thankful.

It was up to both of them to save her from eternal perish.

Upon shutting his eyes, the Grand Duke's warning kept on repeating in his head ever since the early stages he embarked on the mission.

***

Keith was in Arnold's study and got called for an important message only addressed to him.

"You're here," Arnold mumbled without looking his way.

Keith responded with a salute. "Sire!" 

Meanwhile, Arnold was on his grand armchair, also busying himself with the parchment he stamped and signed on his study table. 

"I don't mean to hide this information away from you, but…" he trailed off his voice, creaking his chair as he stood with a stern gaze directed at him. 

'What could he be implying at the moment—?'

After a while, Arnold cleared his throat. "Her curse, so to speak, isn't entirely monthly."

Keith was stunned by what he heard, his lips parted and then shut several times as though he had a hard time understanding what he meant.

"I meant what I said…" Arnold kneaded his forehead while almost cursing audibly in front of him. "Don't get it twisted." 

So far, since her celibacy vanished, she would've to resort to another lifeline, in which Arnold was so terrified for what she would do soon—if she planned to live for as long as she could.

"Only if she used her magical powers completely, Keith."

That was what Keith knew, at least.

Arnold interrupted his train of thoughts. "A lot worse, if she ended up biting more than she could ever chew…"

From the wizard himself, a cursed witch only maintained its beauty and power through other life forces.

"So, you should never expect too much of Mysti, hmm?" A glint of his indigo eyes was seen from squinting. "Know your place, mutt." 

Withal, his words jabbed deep to his heart, and he only stared at the floor with both fists clenched tight.

"Rest assured, Sire. No harm would come her way, not when I'm around." Even bowing, Keith's eyes snapped wide open, almost as though Arnold knew his intentions. 

Loud and clear, Arnold drew a line for why he was picked, and what his purpose was henceforth.

Still, somewhere deep inside him, believed that it wasn't always the case.

"Good! I've already taught her the efficient way ever since, so I shall be at ease except…" 

His feline ears twitched, being attentive to what he was about to say.

"Her voice… Under no circumstances she must resort to her voice—You seem intrigued…"

"Pardon my curiosity, Sire."

"Not that it'll happen anyway," Arnold scoffed, shuffling towards the window, and peeked a little. "I blame Alice for that—but there's no reason for me to tell you her origins, I suppose?"

Keith nodded; he was naturally talented, so a steep learning curve was never a problem when he came to Blackwell's household for thorough education and etiquette. But Arnold's blatant choice made him small, and he mustn't retort.

"Good! What an obedient mutt. I'm glad I didn't regret choosing you." He let out a dry cackle. "You may leave."

***

Now that Keith got the gist and had the opportunity to be with Mystique, there was no way he would've let it slip through his fingers as he didn't need to impress Arnold further, even receiving his good graces.

Whether bearing the title 'Commander of the Arctic Order' or not somehow meant nothing to him any longer. Even the sudden proposal she made, or whatever her intentions were afterward.

He wouldn't lie, he caught a glimpse of her eyes—a tinge that he hoped for, but from their huge gaps and standing, he didn't want to be delusional.

However, his time got interrupted when Athan blurted from his right.

"Clearly you don't sleep while standing at that. A penny for your thoughts?"

Keith peered sideways, and it was Athan, who donned a bathrobe quite loose and sloppy, almost showing his carved muscles and borderline showing his groin area.

"I'd rather decline, Your Highness." He pulled away from leaning and went close to the edge of the bed.

"It's still five minutes late, why in such a rush?"

Keith then looked towards the nightstand. "I'm taking these supplements."

"Right." Athan then had a suggestive smile, and Keith wanted none of his charades. The Crown Prince went close to him, brushing his back a bit, as he took the supplements as well.

'What is he even—' He looked to the side, and there he gulped water, close to purposefully spilling a pint of it by the side of his lips and to his neck. When seen, he averted from his mischievous gaze. 'What a notorious and debauched! Hard to imagine how My Lady was into this man.'

"Well, I'll go ahead while you stand there for the rest of your life," Athan teased him as he took off his robe, and revealed his packed and smooth back. Thereafter, he crawled onto the bed.

He couldn't deny for so long that a pang of jealousy hit him, but he shrugged it off right away and got over it. 

When a bright brilliance enveloped her, he covered his eyes. 'It has come—' the strong, indulging aroma struck him once again.