My Family in the Novel?

Chapter 234: Aria Tellus Astrea Interlude

Humming along the gentle breeze of the fresh spring winds, Aria found herself lost in the moment, her voice blending seamlessly with the natural melody of the singing birds.

With closed eyes, she swayed gently, her flowing hair resembling strands of golden honey dancing in the wind that filtered through the open window.

The soft caress of the sun's rays highlighted her already radiant face and figure, casting her in a light that would make any fairytale princess envious.

As she sang, her hands instinctively reached out to stroke the smooth black hair of her lover, Andrian—or perhaps it was Ian now? the distinction seemed inconsequential in this blissful moment.

A small smile graced her lips as she immersed herself in the music of her own creation. Though the words that escaped her lips may have seemed random to an outsider, to Aria they held a certain magic, a rhythm that resonated with her soul.

Giggling softly to herself, the idea of becoming a songwriter tickled her imagination.

She imagined penning lyrics that would capture the essence of moments like these, where love and music intertwined in perfect harmony.

Opening her eyes, she gazed fondly at the sleeping form of Ian, her heart swelling with affection. Yet, amid the tranquility of this scene, a thought crept into her mind, casting a shadow of doubt.

"This scene is too different from all the other scenarios so far…" she mused aloud, her voice barely above a whisper.

Indeed, the illusions that had plagued her mind in the past had often revolved around the darkness of Ian's family history. So why, she wondered, was this moment of serenity now unfolding before her?

As Aria gazed at Adrian's sleeping form, a rush of conflicting emotions flooded her mind.

His black hair and familiar yet different face stirred memories of the brother she once knew—a fragile and timid soul who struggled to assert himself even in the simplest of interactions.

Yet, in this moment, he seemed transformed by the presence of Ian, exuding a confidence and strength she had never witnessed before.

She couldn't help but compare the Adrian before her to the Ian she had grown accustomed to. The differences were stark, even in the way they slept.

While she couldn't recall how Adrian typically slept, she knew every nuance of Ian's sleeping habits, having shared countless nights by his side. It was a routine, a comforting familiarity that she had grown to cherish.

"Is this when Ian became Adrian?" she whispered to herself, her words hanging in the air with uncertainty.

She longed for a response, a confirmation of her suspicions, but she knew deep down that it couldn't be true.

As much as she wished for it, Adrian—no, Ian—lay before her as a separate entity, oblivious to her presence.

The gentle gestures she mimicked, the desire to reach out and touch him, were but futile gestures in the realm of her spectral existence.

Unable to touch, unable to be seen or heard, she remained a silent observer in the unfolding drama of Ian's life.

As she waited for time to pass, Aria found herself drawn to Ian's side, her head resting gently on the soft pillow beside him.

The rhythm of his breathing, the rise and fall of his chest, seemed to synchronize with the thumping of her own heart.

In this moment, in this world or any other, Ian remained undeniably handsome to her, his features a source of endless fascination and adoration.

With a wistful smile, she couldn't help but marvel at his slumbering form, longing to reach out and touch him, to express her love in the most tangible of ways.

But before she could dwell too deeply in her reverie, the sudden creak of the door jolted her from her thoughts.

With a start, Aria rose from the bed, her eyes widening as she beheld the unexpected visitor in the doorway.

"Why am I here?" she wondered aloud, her gaze shifting between herself and the sleeping Adrian, a hint of disdain flickering in her eyes. It was a moment of disorientation, a fleeting lapse in memory that left her questioning her own existence.

But then, like a floodgate opening, memories rushed back to Aria in a torrent of realization. She remembered now—the purpose of her presence in this place, in this time.

Panic gripped her as she pieced together the fragments of her fractured memory, the pieces of a puzzle falling into place with alarming clarity.

As her past self approached the sleeping Adrian, a sense of urgency overtook Aria. With trembling hands, she reached out, attempting to push her past self away, to alter the course of events unfolding before her eyes.

"N-no..." she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper as she watched helplessly, her attempts to intervene futile as she passed through her past self like a ghostly apparition.

"To think that this bastard is still alive after all that... he's like a cockroach," her past self muttered with disdain as she cast a crimson glare at the past Adrian.

The intensity of her gaze would have made anyone feel like the most pathetic person alive.

"For him to be caught up in a trap like that... Did this... did this bastard actually think of me as his sister? How utterly hilarious!" Her laughter rang hollow, tinged with bitterness and disgust.

With deliberate movements, the past Aria opened her palms to reveal a small vial containing a viscous black liquid.

As she uncorked it, a sinister aura emanated from the vial, filling the air with the scent of death and decay.

Yet, there was a twisted sense of satisfaction in her expression, a perverse joy that danced in her eyes as she prepared to administer her dark concoction.

With a smile that bordered on madness, her past self forcefully opened Adrian's mouth, pouring the dark reagent down his throat. The liquid disappeared into his gaping maw, leaving behind a trail of malevolent whispers and sinister promises.

"And done...!" her past self exclaimed gleefully, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. "I should've done this from the start."

In that moment, as the echoes of her past actions reverberated through the room, Aria was filled with a profound sense of regret and horror.

Aria's horror deepened as she watched her past self administer the deadly poison to the man she loved. The memory flooded back to her—the venom of the serpent black whip, the most lethal poison known to exist.

It was a substance derived from an S-rank monster, so potent that even a single drop could spell certain death for any living creature.

Whether injected or ingested, once the poison entered the body, there was no hope of survival. And the insidious nature of the poison ensured that its presence would remain undetectable, leaving no trace of its lethal touch.

In just a few seconds, her beloved would succumb to the poison's deadly embrace. It was a grim reality, a fate sealed by her own hand.

Yet, as the moments ticked by, Aria found herself grappling with a disconcerting realization—the memory of this event had abruptly ended, leaving her with a void of uncertainty.

Why had her recollection of this moment ceased here? What had transpired afterward, and why was Adrian alive and well in the future?

Questions swirled in Aria's mind, each one a knot of confusion and apprehension.

What had happened to alter the course of events? Had her actions somehow been undone, or had fate intervened to spare Adrian from his untimely demise?

As her past self walked back through her, a sense of dread washed over Aria like an icy wave crashing against her soul. Her heart pounded in her chest, not out of worry, but out of sheer terror.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sleeping Adrian, but now her gaze was filled with fear rather than adoration.

Black smoke began to seep from Adrian's body, tendrils of darkness twisting and coiling around him like malevolent serpents.

His once warm complexion grew paler by the second, drained of life as if the very essence of his being was being consumed by the darkness that surrounded him. The air grew thick with foreboding, chilling Aria to the bone as she watched in horror.

And then, in a nightmarish transformation, Adrian rose from his slumber, his form contorting and shifting into something grotesque and otherworldly.

A creature of pure nightmare stood before them, its white hair flowing like ethereal tendrils, its skin as pale as death itself. Its eyes, mirroring the infinite expanse of the night sky, twinkled with an unfathomable darkness that seemed to consume all light.

Veins bulged grotesquely beneath its skin, pulsating with an ominous energy that sent shivers down Aria's spine. Its smile, filled with razor-sharp teeth, stretched impossibly wide, revealing a maw that seemed to devour the very essence of existence.

In that moment, it was clear to Aria that she was facing a creature of cosmic horror, a monstrosity beyond comprehension.

Her past self-froze in shock, mirroring the same expression of terror that Aria wore now. Who wouldn't be filled with fear at the sight of such a monstrous entity?

It was as if the fabric of reality itself had been torn asunder, revealing the grotesque horrors that lurked in the darkness beyond.

As the creature's gaze bore into her, Aria felt a primal instinct urging her to flee, to escape the clutches of this abomination before it was too late.

But deep down, she knew that there was no running from this nightmare. For in the presence of such unfathomable horror, there was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run.

With a deafening bang, Aria's past self stumbled backward, collapsing to the floor in a heap.

Fear gripped her like a vice, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably as she felt the warmth of urine soaking through her clothes.

The monstrous entity before her opened its palms, then before she knew it she was pulled, its intentions clear as it seized her by the neck with a terrifying strength that squeezed tighter with each passing second.

Aria could only watch in horror as the creature muttered incomprehensible words, its grip on her neck choking the air from her lungs.

Tears streamed down her past self's face as she cried out in terror, the reality of her impending demise sinking in with horrifying clarity.

And then, with a touch as cold as death itself, the monster's hand made contact with her forehead, sending a shiver down Aria's spine as she witnessed the scene unfold.

But just as swiftly as the nightmare began, darkness consumed Aria's vision once more, enveloping her in an abyss of uncertainty.

As she sat in the suffocating darkness, struggling to catch her breath, questions raced through her mind like a whirlwind. Was that terrifying ordeal real? Did it truly happen, or was it merely a figment of her imagination?

The vividness of the memory, the raw terror that still lingered in her mind, suggested that it may have indeed been real.

But if that were the case, why was there no trace of it in her recollection of events? And perhaps most perplexing of all, why had Adrian acted as if they were meeting for the first time just days after the incident?

As Aria grappled with these unsettling thoughts, a sense of unease settled over her. The lines between reality and illusion blurred, leaving her to navigate a maze of uncertainty and doubt.

Thump…!

Thump...!

Aria's heart pounded relentlessly in her chest, each beat echoing the tumult of emotions raging within her.

The revelation was almost too much to bear, but deep down, she knew the truth. After all throughout the scenarios she watched that very monster grew up t the man he is now.

She knew it was the very same person she had loved with all her heart. Ian.

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, sending shockwaves of fear and disbelief coursing through her veins.

She had glimpsed his true nature in her past visions, but this time, the familiarity of the scene struck a chord deep within her soul.

It was as if she had been destined to witness this moment, to confront the darkness that lurked within the man she loved.

As she trembled and wept in the corner of darkness, a comforting warmth enveloped her, wrapping her in a protective embrace.

Large hands encircled her trembling form, their touch gentle yet reassuring. Aria's tears subsided as she leaned into the embrace, the sensation of familiarity washing over her like a soothing balm.

"Adr—... Ian?" she murmured, her voice trembling with uncertainty as she dared to speak his name. The person behind her chuckled softly, the sound a comforting reassurance amidst the chaos of her thoughts.

"Adrian, Ian... it doesn't matter. Call me whatever you like," he replied, his voice a comforting rumble against her ear. Slowly,

Aria turned to face him, her eyes searching his familiar features for any trace of the monstrous entity she had glimpsed moments before.

"What are you doing?"

"J-just checking…"

"Is that so..." Adrian's voice rumbled slightly, his cheek still stinging from Aria's pinches. Despite the discomfort, he couldn't help but feel a pang of empathy for her, knowing the turmoil she must be experiencing. "Sorry about that..."

"About what?" Aria questioned, confusion etched on her features as she searched his eyes for answers.

"About that last scene..." Adrian explained, his voice tinged with regret as he bowed his head slightly. "The scenario was supposed to end after you saw my eighteenth birthday, when you fully witnessed me become what I truly am. But... sis intervened and showed you a memory that both of us forgot."

'Seriously she's such a bully….' Adrian thought as he glared at his sister watching right now. But still he was grateful for that memory after all he did not know that happened while he was in a coma.

Aria's brow furrowed in confusion. "By sis, do you mean that doll?"

"Yeah..." Adrian confirmed with a nod. "You already have an idea what my family is like, right?"

Aria nodded slowly, her mind reeling with the implications of his words. "So you don't remember that as well?"

"No, as far as I knew, the first time I met you was a few days after that..." Adrian replied, his tone somber.

"Well, in technicality, the first time I probably met you now is when we were still kids?"

"What do you mean?"

Adrian chuckled softly, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Adrian is also me, although I am dominant. His past, present, and future are already assimilated and dictated by me, so in technicality, we met since we were young."

"I-I see..." Aria's voice trembled as she struggled to process the whirlwind of information swirling around her. How was it possible to even have a conversation with Adrian after witnessing the horrifying truths of his past? It was a wonder she could even form coherent thoughts amidst the chaos of her emotions.

Adrian's gentle touch on Aria's cheeks drew her attention, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange that spoke volumes. In the encompassing darkness, they were alone together, but their connection transcended the confines of their surroundings.

"Aria Tellus..." Adrian's voice cut through the silence, firm and serious. "After seeing all that, do you still love me?"

As his face began to morph into the monstrous visage she had witnessed moments before, Aria felt a surge of conflicting emotions wash over her. Despite the grotesque appearance, she couldn't shake the profound sadness she saw in his eyes.

"This is the real me... this is my truth... tell me, Aria, do you still love me...?" his voice trailed off, filled with a desperate longing for validation.

Her hands instinctively rose to slap both of his cheeks, forcing him to meet her gaze as his head began to bow in defeat. "Why are you asking me such an obvious question...?" she countered, her voice filled with a mixture of frustration and affection.

In that moment, as their eyes locked in a silent exchange, Aria realized the depth of her feelings for Adrian.

Despite the darkness that threatened to consume him, she saw the light of his true self shining through.

And as she gazed into his eyes, she knew with unwavering certainty that her love for him transcended the barriers of fear and doubt

….

Throughout the countless scenarios I've witnessed, I've come to realize a fundamental truth about Ian—no matter the circumstances, he remains true to himself.

Despite the darkness that shrouds his life, his heart radiates with light and kindness that never wavers. In every iteration of his story, Ian remains the same: a fun-loving, caring soul who cherishes his family above all else. His core essence never falters, never straying from the values that define him.

Initially, I viewed Ian's family with suspicion, even seeing them as monsters. But as I watched their interactions unfold over the years, I witnessed a bond that transcended the darkness that surrounded them.

Their love and care for one another surpassed even the highest standards, revealing a depth of familial connection that was truly remarkable.

Through it all, Ian never succumbed to the darkness that threatened to consume him. He never lashed out in spite or sought vengeance for the injustices he endured.

Instead, he remained steadfast in his identity, a beacon of light in a world filled with shadows.

And so, with a heart overflowing with love and gratitude, I speak the words that have been weighing on my soul.

"Adrian Vulter Tellus... Ian Astrea... I love you." As he blushed at my words, I couldn't help but chuckle slightly, why is my love so cute?

"I love you... like no other!"

"I love you… more than anyone else in the world!"

"Elena, Louise and even that maid of yours none can compare my love for you!"

As the words just kept spilling from my lips, I felt a surge of overwhelming emotion coursing through me. Of course, he blushed intensely at very word I said.

In this moment, I knew with unwavering certainty that my love for him was genuine, born from the depths of my being.

As I watched his reaction, I couldn't hold it anymore as I laughed out loud.

Despite his monstrous appearance, his blush made his face look oddly endearing.

Fear may have consumed me moments ago, but now, in this moment of vulnerability and honesty, everything felt different.

Before I knew it, my hands moved on their own accord, reaching for the back of his head as I pulled him closer to me in a deep, passionate kiss.

It was a kiss that resonated with the beating of my heart, a physical manifestation of the love that I wholeheartedly wanted to show him.

"Ian, I love you," I whispered once more as tears of joy welled in my eyes, the emotions within me bursting forth like a dam breaking free.

And then, in a moment that took my breath away, Ian's voice cut through the silence. "Aria, will you marry me?" he asked, his hands holding out a golden ring that seemed to shimmer in the dim light.

The ring, with its intricate design reminiscent of my golden hair, and the vibrant red gemstone that contrasted with my crimson eyes, felt like a symbol of our love, a promise of a future together filled with happiness and adventure.

I couldn't help but chuckle through my tears, overcome with a mixture of joy and disbelief.

As I wiped away the tears streaming down my cheeks, I managed to compose myself enough to respond, "Y-yes... please take care of me, Ian..." My voice wavered with emotion, betraying the overwhelming happiness that flooded my heart.

In that moment, as I looked into Ian's eyes, I knew that this was the happiest moment of my life.

Despite the trials and uncertainties that lay ahead, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace knowing that we would face them together, hand in hand.

With Ian by my side, I felt invincible, ready to embrace whatever the future held for us.

As he slipped the golden ring onto my finger, a tangible symbol of our love and commitment to each other, I felt a warmth spread through my heart.

"I love you, Aria," Ian whispered, his voice soft and filled with tenderness.

"Mhm... I love you too," I replied, my heart swelling with affection for the man standing before me.

With those simple words, a wave of warmth washed over us, binding us together in a shared moment of love and devotion.

Without hesitation, we leaned in and kissed once more, our lips meeting in a gentle embrace that spoke volumes without the need for words.

In that fleeting moment, everything else faded away—the worries, the doubts, the uncertainties—all melted into oblivion as we lost ourselves in the sweetness of our affection.

'Aria Tellus Astrea'

Just the thought of being part of his family excites me~.