Misunderstood Hero: My Family Are All Villains

"Hm, why not bring the others?"

Malik’s words made Jasmine pout once more.

"So I’m not enough for you?!"

Her exaggerated offense only made him chuckle.

"Maybe~."

His teasing nature had claimed another victim.

Though this one was not surprised. She already knew what lay beneath the cold exterior, a warmth like no other.

Jasmine had witnessed it before, in the little time they had spent together before... IT.

"Well..."

She scuffed her shoe against the grass, suddenly shy.

"They didn’t want to crowd you. And, um, they wanted to give me some alone time with you."

As sweet as that sounded—the image of his departed loved ones stepping back, letting Jasmine have her moment—Malik recognized the truth beneath the words.

He had long since known what she really was.

"You are only a figment of my imagination, aren’t you?"

His voice was gentle.

"The once biggest crack in my Soul. I’ve already said my last goodbyes to the real you."

To see was to recognize.

To recognize was to realize.

Jasmine’s smile did not waver, but she had shifted.

The playfulness faded, replaced by something wiser.

"...Yes."

Thus, once the truth was spoken, the act ended.

Sure, the little girl who had launched herself at him and buried her face in his chest was still there.

"I’m a small part of your system made manifest."

But the pretense of her being the real Jasmine had fallen away.

"The... librarian that manages your memories."

"A cute little librarian, then."

Malik was not taking that from her.

Not the cuteness, not the warmth, not the smile that had lit up his darkness for so many years.

"Hehehe, that I am!"

And Jasmine—or at least the memory of her—appreciated it.

"I knew you would figure me out, but not this fast!"

Malik softly smiled at her.

"Well, I am your teacher for a reason."

His teasing made her giggle.

"Hmmm... you are."

She folded her arms, nodding sagely.

"And I exist to prepare for your future, Teacher. We both know that IT would weaponize me and the others against you."

This was the first time IT had been mentioned by someone else.

Or, well, at least by a mouth other than his, since this Jasmine was technically a part of him.

IT would use her.

Use the memory of her, the love he carried, and the guilt that festered beneath his skin.

IT would twist all of that into a blade and drive it into his heart.

"Hm, I am sure IT is planning to attack me again soon. Its limit is not all-encompassing."

Strong as IT was, IT could not be everywhere at once. IT could not see everything, control everything, or Corrupt everything.

There were gaps in its reach and cracks in its power.

Malik had found them before.

He would find them again.

"You’ll be fine, teacher!"

Jasmine pushed, making him nod.

"I hope."

...

After that, time stretched on quietly as they watched the lake.

Neither of them spoke much.

The water was still, reflecting the golden leaves of the overhanging trees.

A fish jumped somewhere in the distance while birds sang in the branches, their songs weaving together in a melody that had no beginning and no end.

Malik simply enjoyed Jasmine’s company.

He did not try to fill the silence with words or reach for the questions that buzzed in his mind.

This moment was too precious for that.

So he just sat there, letting her warmth wash over him.

He reminisced about the memories he had just unlocked. The slavers in the Abyss. Those he followed to kill. The children he saved. The two little girls who had stayed. The lessons, the laughter, and the slow dawning of hope.

What came after was kept away.

He would not let it sour... this.

But eventually, the little girl sighed dramatically, flopped onto the grass, and rolled away.

"I wish I could keep you here longer, but..."

She giggled.

"But you’ve got your family waiting for you."

Malik closed his eyes briefly.

"...I do."

She scrambled back up, brushing grass from her clothes.

"Before I go—!"

Jasmine bounced up onto her toes, holding out her pinky.

"Promise!"

The gesture was so childlike that it caught him off guard.

"Promise yourself one thing, Teacher."

Malik looked at the tiny finger.

"What?"

"Promise that you’ll actually try to live this time."

Her voice, however, was far from childlike.

"Be a little more selfish. Care for yourself. Our family is important, yes, but you are too."

She held his gaze.

"Do it for me."

Malik stared at her.

The words settled into his chest.

He thought of all the times he had thrown himself into danger without a second thought.

All the wounds he had shrugged off. All the parts of himself he had burned away for the sake of others.

Eventually, stiffly, he lifted his hand and hooked his pinky around hers.

"Pinky swear!"

Jasmine declared triumphantly, hopping up and down as if that was the only thing that mattered to her.

"Okay. Pinky swear."

Jasmine beamed a second time.

"I’ve got to go now..."

She stepped back and far.

"But I’m always cheering for you; never forget that!"

She spun on her heel and skipped away, fading into the light.

"Bye-bye~!"

"..."

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"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Malik sat there, staring at the lake long after she was gone.

The forest was quiet again, but it was so very loud.

The absence of her presence was... heavy.

He exhaled, his shoulders relaxing by a fraction.

Slowly, he rose to his feet, his eyes returning to their usual cold.

Another memory.

Another loss.

Blink.

***

Malik returned to the real world.

He was on the throne still, no longer in pain.

But, thankfully, he finally felt the change he once searched for.

It was not as fundamental as the last Ascension, but it was certainly felt.

An incredible increase in strength and Rukh capacity.

’Class Eight.’

Finally, above the average soldier in the Last Stronghold, Malik was now something of a proper force. About as strong as a veteran. Someone who could hold his own in a real fight.

Yes, he was so very far from where he needed to be.

The gap between Class Eight and Class Three was a chasm that could swallow entire planets.

But his progress had been incredibly fast.

Unlocking four classes in about three weeks was absolutely fantastic, going against his every expectation.

Indeed, Malik had designed this system well.

All of this progress was thanks to his own effort.

The battles and the endless grinding of Fear Points.

He had earned every step.

And now, all of said effort led to this.

"A damned banquet."

Malik sighed and pushed himself off the throne.

He had a party to prepare for.