Struggling as a Villain

Duchess Scarlette Bellarine—the Crimson Witch who single-handedly erased the existence of ten thousand demons along with a Demon General in a fit of rage.

She went on the battlefield alone, fuelled up by the anguish of her son's death and when that anger bubbled up and exploded, the one-fourth of the demon king's army turned into dust.

That shows how much affection she carries for Richard. Although she died in that war, it doesn't lessen the influence she could bring to this world.

The Duchess fears nothing in the world more than the loss of her only family. She can be a lethal weapon for the Empire. An assistance to the hero party. And a deterrent for the demons. However, for Richard, she was nothing but a doting mother who couldn't live without him.

"Mm...finally, I feel relieved. My baby remembers me." With his upper body completely naked, Richard sat on the sofa with his mother on his lap. There were several marks of her lipstick on his cheek but he ignored that for the moment.

His main concern was, whether the Duchess would find out about him being not Richard. But looking at her doting side, he knew that he was able to convince her.

'Is my personality the same as Richard....no, it can't be...' He inwardly shook his head in denial. In his last life, he never talked to his sister rudely and was never an arrogant prick.

...well, for most of the part.

"Richie, do you wanna take a bath with me?" Realizing that she had interrupted him, Bella asked with an innocent tilt of her head.

For a moment, Richard forgot that this woman was in her late thirties, not in her teenage years. Those innocent eyes were there to just lure him.

However, "No, mother. I am quite alright by myself."

"Che." He would ignore that sour reaction as he lifted the lady from his lap and softly planted back on the couch.

He was about to walk back into the bathroom when suddenly the lady called out, "By the way Richie...are you having a problem channelling your ether?"

"---!!" He was thankful that his back was facing the Duchess or his shocked look might have revealed his secret.

He took not a second longer before regaining his composure and responding to her, "No...why do you ask?"

A liar steals their eyes away, that's why Richard turned to look at her with a confused frown—doing his best to not look suspicious.

Bella tilted her head again, but this time she was genuinely confused, "I mean...from what I could sense, you aren't regulating ether through your body properly. It would be counterproductive, baby."

Richard held himself from gulping in a fret. This woman...is quite dangerous.

He couldn't remember if there was any canon character who could assess one's etherflow without using any specific spell. And here, this lady has trained her sensory skills enough to tell his etherflow without even examining him specifically.

Not good. He needs to come up with an answer or who knows what she might do if she suspects someone else is using her son's body.

"I think I am nearing another Sprouting that's why I am taking it easy and not using my etherflow in any way which could slow down my Sprouting."

Sprouting refers to the creation of a new etherflow base. The more bases one has, the more ether would flow in one's body and naturally, one would be able to use more complex and heavy-magic-consuming spells.

Bellarine's eyes widened, "Isn't this your fourth?! This calls for a celebration!" She jumped from the sofa like an excited child and regarded this achievement as worth celebrating. Hopping alternatively on her feet, she looked nothing like a Duchess.

Richard shook his head instantly, "I am still not sure if this is another Sprouting or not so please keep this news to yourself for the sake of my reputation."

"Aww...kay." She heaved a sigh and kicked an imaginary rock in sadness. Although it wasn't completely sure if her son could grow another base or not, even the faintest of chances called for a celebration.

But well...Bella would cut a cake by herself tonight and celebrate this occasion in secrecy.

"Now, can I go?" Hearing Richard, she nodded.

Richard heaved a sigh and finally walked back inside the bathroom.

There was something he now felt the urgency about. He has to somehow connect with his ether or he would be done for.

Although he lied to the Duchess just now, he couldn't keep on having his magic suppressed like this. He has to find a way to get a hold of it otherwise it wouldn't take long for those priests from the church to return.

'I hope they don't have any mental interference magic...'

Taking a long breath, Richard threw away all his concerns and sat down on the ground once again.

He tried to remember if there was any method given in the novel. However, accessing ether has been so natural to the main character that it never was mentioned how he did it.

'I have to locate my ether core first...' The epicentre where from where all the etherflow networks originate. The generator of the magic in his body beats just like his heart. If he could hear his heart then hearing the ether core wouldn't be a problem.

'Focus...focus....' Frowning until his brows didn't seem like they were touching, Richard dwelled deeper in his subconscious to locate it.

Detaching his consciousness from the outside world, his sole motive remained to investigate what lay within him. All he could see was darkness, and amidst that darkness, he felt it.

The subtle movement of something within him, which pulsated like his heart but the intensity and the pace were slightly different from the blood-pumping organ.

Richard didn't release his focus and kept on looking deeper into himself. The orb was visible but not completely. He could feel it but couldn't locate it. However, the very fact he noticed the part from where ether was produced was an achievement in itself.

'Fuuuu....' Opening his eyes, Richard realized that he was bathed. But it wasn't water that wetted him, rather it was his own sweat.

'I have located the ether core...but to release it and utilize my magic I have to concentrate a little more...'

[Ding!]

[Quest arrived!]

[Manipulate your ether to release the water from the gemstone.]

[Time: 30 minutes]

[Reward: 20 points.]

Richard frowned reading the rewards. He didn't see any tab which showed his status.

"System....how could I use that twenty points?"

The answer arrived in an instant,

[The Optional Task Assigner allows you to gain points and donate them to the person you have opted to save from your past life. In short, these points can be used to enhance the strength, speed, luck or other stats of your sister.]

Richard's eyes parted wide upon reading the description. This...was incredible.

Hesitantly he asked, "Umm...is it possible to see her current stats?"

[Yes, of course!]

[Name: Bella Anderson]

[Age: 18]

[Race: Human]

[Str: 11]

[Spd: 11(15)]

[Int: 30]

[Luk: 20]

[Special skills: Skinning, baking.]

[The reduced stats mean the person has faced some situation that might have temporarily lessened their ability. Like a wound or tiredness.]

.....

For some reason, his eyes softened upon seeing that name. In his last life, the reason he was able to survive for that long and didn't succumb to the anguish he had to face daily was her.

Subconsciously, he asked the system, "Is there any way of seeing her?"

[Not now, but in the future upon completing a certain number of quests, the system would grant the facility of monitoring the target.]

That made him motivated. There was nothing he could do in this world other than believe in this system. If it is telling the truth then Richard has more than one reason to fulfill every task it assigns.

With a new vigour and with better motivation Richard sat down inside the bathroom once again and while resting his hand on the gemstone of the bathtub he closed his eyes.

And in the next moment—

**FISSSSSSSS**

Richard opened his eyes wide as he felt water splashing against his face. The gemstone he was touching suddenly burst open—landing a fountain on his face. And not only this one but every gemstone in the bathroom began to spit a whole lot of water.

Richard chuckled at his achievement which arrived by who knows how.

However, what mattered to him the most was,

[Ding!]

[Quest achieved!]

[Congratulations Host!]

....

*****

A/N:- Ehe~