Title: Villainous Villainess BBEG Pre-Speech

Summary: Probably the general end direction of Villainous Villainess if I ever manage to work up the will to write this. If I make this a separate story, the endgame may differ.

Julius's friends and I managed to enter the doors for the throne room. We bypassed most of the defenses using the secret passages that Jilk knew of. Even though we were moving as fast as we could, I shuddered over the thought of how many lives would be lost in this battle. The Red Guard and the royal forces were considered greater in might and prowess than the combined forces of the Holy Kingdom of Raschel and the Fanoss Principality, and we only had a fraction of one of those.

We felt the palace rock. Our allies would not be able to hold the line for long.

"There's the throne room," Greg called out.

"That was too easy. Where are the guards?"

"You think this to be a trap, Jilk?" Chris said while eyeing our rear.

"With what we know of Angelica, do you believe she would leave herself so exposed?"

"There's no trap," Brad said confidently. It made us all pause.

"What makes you so sure? She's been hiding in the shadows for so long. It doesn't seem in character for her to be unprepared." I said.

"She's not unprepared. She's still playing the long game. Holfort culture does not respect underhanded tactics. The fact that we snuck into the palace plays into her plan."

"So what are you saying? She got cocky and thinks she is going to crush us?" Greg said while gesturing.

"I'm saying she is planning to kill Julius. Narratively it makes sense. An elite strike force comprising the estranged friends of the King and led by the current Saintess sneaking into the palace. Angelica is sure to capitalize on the situation and murder Julius herself," Brad said grimly.

"So we find another way into the throne room. Come from an entrance she's not expecting. We can kill her before she can strike," Chris said.

"Another entrance? Chris, we don't have time. In case you have forgotten, there's a warzone outside. Our friends are dying for every second we waste, and once they are all gone, the loyalists will swarm here," Greg yelled.

"And if we rush in half-cocked, we lose everything. The most we could hope for would be pyrrhic victory where everyone winds up dead."

"So damned if we do and damned if we don't," Jilk said bitterly.

An unsettling air permeated the group. Morale had dipped when we realized that all our plans were likely accounted for and that the outcome of Angelica's machinations would see the very people we wished to save dead. Any actions we took could and would take would endanger those that we loved.

I began thinking of Leon as I was oft to do when I felt distressed. Hoping he would come to brighten my day or walk by my side through my ordeals. But I knew it would not be possible this time around.

I needed to be the one to save my husband.

Walking to the large doors, I placed my hand on them.

"Olivia?" the boys asked.

"What is to come will come, so I see no sense in dawdling. Holfort won't rescue itself," I said while injecting a bit of magic in my voice to transmit my feelings to them.

"That's what I'm talking about. We'll knock that bitch down so fast she won't have time for anything."

"With all of our abilities, there is nothing the Red Queen can do to stop us," Brad said.

"For the sake of everyone, we shall end this madness today," Chris said while brandishing his blade and casting its scabbard aside.

"By any means necessary," Jilk said resolutely.

"So you all came... Just as Angelica said you would," Julius said with a pained expression.

"I'm sorry, Julius. I wish I were wrong," Angelica lied while comforting her husband from a distance.

Her blackened soul shivered in ecstasy. The sight of such pleasure made my stomach curdle.

"We're only here for you, you vile bitch!"

"I would ask you all to kindly refrain from referring to Her Majesty in such crude terms," a voice said from the side of the throne room.

Looking over, we saw the Lord Commander dressed for battle. He walked toward the center of the room at a sedate pace. Not a weapon was on his person. Despite how unprepared he looked, we all raised our guard.

"I've missed you, Livia," Leon said sadly.

His soul flickered. The white parts of it reached out to me. The darkened parts pulled it back. He did not want this. The Leon I loved was still salvageable.

"Leon... Please... The nightmare can end. We can end her reign here and now. You need not suffer her evil anymore. There is no need for you to stain your soul anymore. No more bloodshed. No more sacrifices. No more assassinations. No more innocent lives. You need only take my hand," I pleaded.

"... That's rich coming from you," Leon bitterly said.

"What?"

"Do you know how many people you killed with this stunt?! I've lost so many men because of your insurgents! Hundreds of people I trained! Gone! And now, Holfort is in a civil war because of you! Countless men and women! Shedding unnecessary blood for the sake of this coup! And for what purpose?! What did you hope to achieve?! The civil war won't magically end with her! The loyalists will continue fighting until you are all wiped out! All you've done is bathed this land in blood!"

His soul didn't flicker. He believed what he was saying. It was the truth.

"Do be so sanctimonious on us, Leon. How many lives have you ended? Compared to you, Olivia's hands are pristine," Chris retorted.

"So says the kin slayer," Leon said with dead eyes.

Chris flinched as the memory of cutting down his sister was brought up.

"Why would I ever follow you all? Livia, you are siding with the worst of what society has to offer. Chris killed his sister, Greg's attempts to barter with Raschel lead to the death of the princess, Brad is a cad whose dick rotted from his celebratory fucks from finding out his fiancee was executed, and Jilk attempted to murder his foster brother's children."

"You dare?! They aren't Julius's children! Please, Julius. You have to believe me. I would never hurt you." Jilk said.

"Jilk..." Julius said weakly.

"We're your friends, Julius. We want to help you. Angelica has always manipulated you."

"How can I possibly trust you? She's always been there for me, unlike you all. Your actions even killed my sister."

"And she killed Marie!" Greg hollered.

"That's simply despicable of you all. Stephanie murdered Marie. We found the letters and payment to prove it."

"Which Angelica was the lead investigator of. She planted the evidence so that she could destroy the Offreys."

"She was the lead investigator because I put her there. She had the resources and promised me justice, and she delivered."

"That's just more incentive for her to lie to you. To secure your loyalty."

"Enough of this farce!"

"Then tell us, Julius. Why would we betray you?"

"You tell me."

"No, tell us. For what reason would we betray you? We are friends... brothers. We only drifted apart once Angelica began to poison you against us back in the Academy."

I saw Julius's soul waver. He was torn between his belief in his friends and his wife. With that simple question, Julius was forced to ponder why. Years of conditioning were slowly unraveling by the second.

He then looked at me.

"Why do you fight, Olivia? I know you love your husband. You've loved him for almost as long as I've known you. Why do you fight him now? What compelled you to abandon your husband and children to start this war?"

"Because he needs my help," I said tearfully.

Julius drew his sword. No one moved to stop him. In an instant, he crossed the room and stood before me. His blade quickly raised to strike me down. The prince's friends cried out for him to stop. I did not move.

The blade never fell.

"You did not even attempt to stop me, Leon?" Julius said weakly as he turned around.

"Julius? What's the meaning of this?"

"Answer me, Leon! Why did you not stop me? The Leon I know would have done anything to protect Olivia. You once cherished her above all else. You would have died for her. So what changed?"

"So this is the power of the Saintess? I had always feared ever since we thwarted the Principality, but to think Livia could do this," Leon said as he readied himself. It was not a response to Julius's questions. Why was he speaking to himself?

"What are you talking about? Answer the question!"

"My Queen, I am afraid the Saintess used her powers to bend the will of the founding families. What are your orders?"

Soon the palace shook once more.

"End recording," Leon said calmly to an orb that suddenly appeared.

"That was a marvelous performance, My Lion," Angelica said as she draped herself over Leon. To my horror, I saw their souls flicker as one.

"What's the meaning..." Julius before an image formed in front of us all.

The pictures were of us, and they were moving. Soon the room was filled with noise from the image. As we watched, we realized that it was the conversation we had just had.

"What sorcery is this?" Brad asked in awe.

"A recording. It is a visual and auditory record of what just happened. And with a little edit here and there."

The recording replayed. Much like before, it was still of us. Then we noticed the differences. There were segments from the conversation missing. The portion after Jilk claimed the children weren't Julius's was gone. Instead, we saw Julius trying to cut me down with the voice line about ending the farce played over it. Additionally, a sigil was shown when Julius halted. After Leon addressed the Queen, the image shook and went out.

That was when we saw the plan for what it was. They made it look like I used my powers to control the rightful heirs and started a coup using their lineage.

We heard the voices again. Looking out the window, we saw the recording play outside for the capital to witness.

"You planned this? That's not possible. How could you possibly plan all of this?" Jilk said flabbergasted.

"I'd love to claim credit, but I would be doing a disservice to My Lion. He spent many nights thinking up many plans and contingencies to the point that failure was impossible. He is rather brilliant when he puts his mind to anything. It's why I had to have him."

"Explain yourself," Julius said darkly.

"Explain what?"

"Everything!"

"That's quite a bit of answering to do."

"Angelica!"

"But I'd be glad to go over them all. It was dreadful for you not to have caught on at all. No thrill knowing no one could appreciate my work. Now that I have your attention, I'm curious what my puppet thinks about Leon's and my work."

"Puppet?"

"Ooh, let's start there. I've always thought of you as a puppet. Dull and motionless unless guided by someone else. Even when you were dissatisfied with your lot in life, you did nothing to change it. Incapable of thinking for yourself and following whatever authority figure told you. It was frankly disgusting to know you were to marry me. Though I suppose congratulations for finally deciding for yourself."

"And Marie?" Brad asked.

"Ms. Lafan was rather brilliant. I almost wanted to recruit her when I saw how she so easily seduced you all. Alas, I needed a reason to take out the Offreys, and she just happened to earn Ms. Offrey's ire. It was simply too perfect an opportunity to pass up. I must thank you for having such a poor relationship with your fiancee. Pinning it on her was so easy as a result."

"And your children?" Jilk asked.

"I planned to have our children ever since I met Leon. Why would I ever tarnish my bloodline with Julius's? The very thought made my skin crawl. Having birthed my second son, I planned to stop with the charade of desiring his touch even if I could never bear My Lion's children. Speaking of which, thanks to this war, I can now marry my love and birth his children without worry. I can feel his love permeate my being without care anymore. So thank you all for this gift."

"And my husband? How long have you taken him from me?" I asked tearfully.

"Oh, Pet. He's always been mine. Ever since I met him. I claimed him in every way. His body, mind, heart, and loyalty were mine. I only lent him to you to soothe his soul when the burden was too much for him."

"But he loved me."

"And he still does. He would have done anything for you. You made him happy in ways I could not, and I would have let you two live in your dream world. But he never belonged to you. It matters not that he loves you and your children. He will always be mine."

"Leon?"

"I'm sorry, Livia."

His soul did not waver. My heart broke. There was no question in his heart. He was lost to me.

"Please, Leon," I begged despite what I saw, and I prayed to any god for him to come to his senses.

"This is goodbye. I'll always love you," he said.

"I'll be quick, My Love," Angelica said as she kissed Leon.

Not long after, the room disappeared. I was in a new room. Looking around, I only saw Angelica.

"Now then, Pet. While the boys are busy with each other, I'll be taking good care of you. Putting you to sleep is the least I can do for My Lion. I'm even going to be gentle. Leon wouldn't want you to suffer."

AN:

1) And now we have the villainess with her knight fighting against the protagonist and her harem. Play final boss music.

2) Olivia can see souls due to acquiring all the Saintess's items. There are more powers not mentioned. Some revealed the truth to her.

3) Cleare was collected at some point.

4) Leon went through a lot of shit to stomach what Angelica would do.

5) Angelica initially only wanted to secure Leon's allegiance but ended up seeing him as an equal and her soulmate due to earlier events.

6) More scenarios would likely be listed if this became a proper fic.

7) Complaints from my last chapter were sent on PM, weirdly enough. You would figure they would have posted it in the reviews for people to see. I only cared enough to add the comments in the edit because I don't want to read any more weird hot takes on the lore. Some were incredibly stupid such as saying the Saintess items could only possess Olivia because she loved the boys instead of her will being at an all-time low. I don't usually disparage alternative interpretations of events, but I'll make an exception for that one. I've only ever deleted one review before, and I honestly didn't feel right about it. Haven't ever since.