A Regressed Villain: Heroines, Villainesses and Me?

"Th-this?!" Aecilia exclaimed as she hurled the tablet onto the table. It landed with a thud, and the screen flickered to life.

A video began to play, the sound muffled, but the clashing noises made it clear they were witnessing a fight scene.

Ting

The screen flickered inside the hall before the image stabilized—a grainy CCTV recording, shaky as it captured a tense moment.

The figures were initially indistinct, but soon one of them became unmistakably clear—a hulking mass of muscle, grotesquely swollen, revealing that it was an Empyreal in an unrestrained rage.

The elders leaned in closer, squinting, their breaths held as the video unfolded.

The menacing figure, evidently an Empyreal, charged toward Aecilia.

Gasps of disbelief rippled through the room as the identity of the muscular assailant became clear, but more concerning was a familiar figure—Marquess Croceaus, their most valued investor, appeared helpless in the shadow of the oncoming beast behind Aecilia.

The tension in the room heightened, the hairs on the back of their necks bristling in horror.

Even though they knew they were watching a recording of a past event, the vividness of the scene was impossible to ignore. Naturally, they couldn't dismiss the possibility of the Marquess being injured during this exchange.

A plethora of questions flooded their minds. Why was an Empyreal trying to attack the Marquess? Read new chapters at empire

Had the royal family sent him?

And why did the buildings in the background resemble those from the free cities instead of the royal kingdom?

One thing was unequivocal:

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The room remained eerily silent, the weight of this revelation settling heavily in the air.

One by one, the elders started to lift the tablet, eager to view the video themselves, each of them reiterating its significance as it circulated around the round table.

Their shock was palpable, especially considering that they had forgotten about the large screens and projectors available in the hall. The gravity of the situation must have momentarily clouded their minds.

Each member of the council, seasoned experts in their respective fields and well-versed in matters concerning the Sertsul family, seemed to momentarily overlook the practical reality of displaying the video on a larger screen.

Eventually, the tablet—after being rewound and replayed multiple times—returned to the center of the table.

Some council members still looked visibly shaken.

They were rattled by the memory of Aecilia effortlessly dodging two fierce attacks before hurling the Empyreal to the ground, culminating in a powerful explosion.

They all knew Aecilia was far stronger than any other candidate who had undergone similar superhuman training. Yet, in the absence of Empyreals, they had never truly tested her mettle against one.

This was the first time she had faced an Empyreal, and her victory made it abundantly clear just how much stronger she was than them.

'...Marquess, you truly are something else...' Aecilia stood undaunted amidst the tension, arms crossed and gaze sharp, as she observed the murmurs and glances directed at her. Given how she had never once doubted the tasks assigned to her, witnessing each of his predictions coming to fruition made her ponder if she was perhaps falling in love all over again.

He had instructed her to present this video to the elders of the Sertsul family, anticipating that they might attempt to undermine the deal she was proposing—the very reason she had summoned all of them today.

"Did you really kill him?" one of the elders finally asked, his tone laced with disbelief rather than accusation.

Aecilia's lips curled into a faint smirk. "I didn't kill him. He killed himself," she replied coolly. "If you watch closely, you'll see it. His emotions overwhelmed him, and that was his undoing."

Definitely, all the elders had already noticed that particular instance where the Empyreal died on his own, but still some of them, mostly the younger members who had arrived with the head of the branch family, took the tablets and looked while standing beside the seated figures—they rewound the video once again, scrutinizing every frame.

"Y-yes, you didn't kill them," one of the younger members, who was in the same age group as Aecilia, appeared relieved given how they reacted when they viewed the video of Aecilia going against an Empyreal. They were clearly taken aback the moment they saw how she defeated him.

Naturally, the reason why Empyreals mostly made them on guard wasn't the fact that they possessed superpowers, but rather that these people were already well-trained fighters and members of an elite class of soldiers, making them machines in their own right. With the addition of superpowers, they were unstoppable.

It was similar to how all of them were well trained with the application of the secret medications and the herbs from the Sertsul family's tradition, giving them a boost. But, if they were to stand against such illogical powers like those produced by these Empyreals, they weren't confident in themselves, given their battle prowess may be similar, but their strength was not.

"Isn't it relieving?" Aecilia gave a mocking smile to that young member, clearly knowing that her superiority in fighting made them feel inferior. Naturally, it was becoming more evident by the way he spoke.

"...y-you," there was irritation and annoyance in the voice of the elder, but he couldn't do anything except to grieve for the Empyreal's death, knowing that he was hopeless, looking down. Meanwhile, all the elders and the head of the families were understanding, linking Aecilia's words about how making Empyreals emotionally overloaded could lead to their downfall.

Slowly, understanding dawned on the council as they began murmuring among themselves.

The anger, the frustration, and the sheer emotional overload on the Empyreal were evident in his final moments.

Another elder, a stern-faced woman seated near the head of the table, nodded. "Your provocation forced him to lose control," she stated. "A remarkable display of strategy and strength."

"Indeed," another elder chimed in. "To hold your ground against such a force… Aecilia, you've proven your worth once again."

A third voice followed, softer yet equally appreciative. "You didn't just protect yourself. You safeguarded the future of this family by ensuring the survival of one of our most important connections."

Aecilia accepted their praise with a nod, her smirk lingering. "I merely did what was necessary. Nothing more."

But inwardly, she felt amused, seeing the hesitation in their eyes, as they were now viewing her in a new light, which was expected, given she had indeed shown what was enough to earn their credibility.

She had provided two crores of information which were unknown to anyone highly guarded under the royal family, and most probably not even the princes and princesses would have been aware of this except the Emperor himself.

So it was natural for her to be seen in a new light.

But the council wasn't done with their inquiries. One of them leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "What do we do with this information now? Surely, there are implications beyond what we've seen in the video."

Though the elders wanted to discuss this information among themselves and not involve the present generation, the already heightened status of Aecilia, who herself had brought all the details they had asked for regarding her future plans, ensured they considered it. They understood the implications of potentially using spies to manipulate Empyreals; though challenging, exploiting their emotional weaknesses could secure their existence.

Aecilia straightened, her tone firm and decisive. "For now, we do nothing regarding the incident itself. Our priority must shift. Halt all current projects and redirect our focus to weapon production—melee weapons specifically. Bows, swords, spears. The works."

Her declaration caused a stir. Confusion flickered across the faces of several members as they glanced at one another. One finally raised his hand, his voice hesitant. "Aecilia, with respect, why such a drastic shift? Shouldn't some of us continue with the original projects while others handle this transition?"

Aecilia shook her head. "No. We have one year to prepare. The current trajectory of our ventures will leave us vulnerable. We need weapons manufacturing at full capacity. And," she added, her tone sharp, "we also need access to gun mechanisms. Contact gun dealers. Gather empty cartridges, schematics—anything you can get your hands on. Additionally, the information division of the Sertsul family will be tasked with several critical investigations. Details will follow soon."

The confusion among the council deepened. One elder ventured a question. "Are we to manufacture guns as well? You mentioned melee weapons, but now you're talking about firearms. What exactly is the plan, Aecilia?"

Her eyes gleamed with an intensity that silenced the room. "Blueprints. Research. Preparation. I don't need to explain every detail now. Trust me and follow the directives. This isn't just about survival; it's about dominance."

And in the end, the only thing Aecilia was able to add were the same words she had heard from Avendial, clearly copying and pasting his words while adding a bit of her own.

The council turned their attention to the head of the family, who had remained silent throughout.

Her presence was imposing despite her stillness. Seated with folded hands and closed eyes, she exuded an air of unshakable authority, with a hint of wrinkles on her face, yet not enough to diminish the impact she filled this place with.

As the murmurs died down, her eyes slowly opened, a gesture so deliberate it commanded immediate attention.

Her gaze swept the room, and without uttering a word, she nodded.

The council members rose from their seats in unison, bowing deeply before leaving the hall.

Their expressions ranged from reluctant acceptance to resolute determination.

They understood that the family's path had been decided, and there was no room for dissent.

As the last of them filed out, Aecilia turned to the head of the family. "Thank you for trusting me," she said quietly.

The head of the family remained silent, her gaze fixed on Aecilia. After a moment, a faint smile tugged at her lips. "You have one year. Don't disappoint me."

Aecilia nodded, her resolve unwavering. "I won't."

The woman stood before turning to leave the room, leaving her words: "I hope following that child's words doesn't bring harm to the Sertsul family, and you will have to make sure of it."

"....Yes, mom." As if already expecting her mother to see through it all, Aecilia simply nodded.