Saving You, Villain - Chapter 97

The ability to turn back time was a privilege known only to the leaders of the Celestial and Demon Realms.

To be precise, Celiana knew how to reverse time, but she lacked the necessary magical power to do so, making it essentially an ability exclusive to the gods. The gods were fully aware of this and deliberately allowed the leaders to believe it was a privilege they could use, subtly reminding them of the gap in power between the Celestial and Demon Realms.

At least, that had been the case before Camian was born. The cunning gods had no intention of ever sharing the secret of time reversal with him.

Under Camian’s blood-soaked, black shoes, billions of light fragments flowed endlessly past, leaving a trail of red bloodstains in stark contrast to the ethereal glow. Camian carelessly tossed aside his golden hair, tangled and drenched in blood. The heads of Celestials, bodies severed, rolled away like rotting pieces of meat.

—You are as insolent as ever, son of the Demon Realm.

A vast, towering light filled Camian’s entire field of vision. The voice that emanated from the light reverberated throughout the space, sounding at once like that of an old man, a child, and neither male nor female.

“Give me one more chance,” Camian demanded.

He had stormed the Celestial Realm uninvited. The Celestials had drawn their bows and spears to stop him, but under his merciless hand, they were powerless. No one could halt his relentless march through the realm, his body drenched in the metallic scent of blood.

—We have already granted you your final chance. We will tolerate no more of this madness. Do not let your arrogance blind you to the limits of your power!

The booming voice cracked like thunder, shaking the entire space. But even under the overwhelming threat from the gods, Camian stood firm, as unmoved as a deeply rooted tree. Their warnings meant nothing to someone who had lost his world.

Camian gazed up at the god with eyes empty of emotion.

“I’ll take full responsibility.”

Drops of blood dripped from his long fingers.

“Take all my power, cripple my body for all I care—just let me be with her.”

Camian was holding on, barely managing to control the despairing rage tearing him apart. His request, though phrased as a plea, was made with such irreverence that the gods were astonished that he could hide his true nature even now.

The gods looked Camian over from head to toe, intrigued. They desired his foolish strength. They exchanged whispered words in a language only they could understand, their gaze lingering greedily on him.

Camian stood silent, watching the luminous beings contemplate how best to use him.

—Because of your selfishness, the time across worlds has been twisted. Our innocent children are struggling to correct it, but many are perishing under the pressure.

“I’ll bear the consequences of the warped time,” Camian interrupted, not waiting for the god to finish speaking.

—Indeed. Your power will suffice.

With a casual gesture, the vast light flicked its hand, and a cluster of pure white light began spinning in the air before descending to rest on Camian’s shoulder. Then, with a faint crackling sound, it disintegrated.

—Do not resist. You are the one who offered your body to us.

Another flash of light surged. Camian let out a bitter smile. Whether it was the Celestial or the Demon Realm, all they wanted was to use his power. Perhaps this was for the best. Even if his power was useless in saving Liv, it at least gave him this one last chance.

Camian withdrew all the magic surrounding him. The light seeped into his neck, wrists, and ankles, forming bonds like a collar, handcuffs, and shackles. The gods smiled in satisfaction.

—From now on, the task of fixing the twisted time is yours. If you refuse, the power we’ve infused into your body will tear your limbs apart and scatter them across the dimensions. Don’t even think of playing any tricks.

Camian nodded indifferently, uncaring. The god sneered quietly at his response. Was he foolish, or simply that desperate? Either way, it wasn’t something the god needed to understand. After all, Camian was just a demon who had massacred their children.

Camian wasn’t the first to try turning back time. While it wasn’t common, there had been others who had done so in the past. The accumulated distortions from all those time reversals were significant. To untangle a single thread of twisted time required enduring unbearable pressure, as if one’s body were being crushed into pulp. Even high-ranking Celestials had fled in agony or perished from the ordeal.

Camian likely wouldn’t die, but he would suffer the same level of pain as the Celestials. He alone would bear this burden.

Camian reached out toward the light.

“Then use me… one more time.”

—However, you cannot return to the exact moment when you first met that human.

“Why not?”

The bloodlust Camian had barely suppressed leaked out from between his lips.

—Time is like a thick, continuous thread. If you repeatedly cut and reattach it, the weakened points will eventually fray. That timeline has already reached its limit. It’s hanging by a thread.

“Spare me the nonsense and get to the point.”

—You must go to a moment that, if severed, will not have a major impact on the flow of time.

The god sifted through Camian’s countless memories, his chin resting on his hand in contemplation. Where would be the ideal time? Somewhere Camian would be satisfied, but also advantageous for the gods.

The best option was the moment just before Liv’s suicide. It wouldn’t take long, and if Liv took her own life again, the gods could immediately exploit Camian’s power once more.

Reversing time wasn’t a loss for the gods—it could even lead to a better outcome. The battle to destroy Celiana had resulted in significant casualties for the Celestials. Though Celiana was weaker than her son, Camian, she had once been revered as the most powerful ruler of the Demon Realm. Though they had eventually succeeded in obliterating her, the gods had lost many of their precious children in the process.

For the gods, this was an opportunity to restore the Celestials lost to Celiana, reclaim Camian’s power, and gain far more than they sacrificed.

—I will send you back to the moment just before your human took her life. Even if you fail to save her, remember: you now belong to the Celestial Realm.

The god’s voice dripped with mocking finality. Camian recognized the lowly taunt for what it was. But whether the god mocked him or not, Camian felt nothing. All that mattered was seeing Liv again.

He didn’t care if his body was crushed in the twisted flow of time. He could wait another hundred years if he had to. If he could only see her again, he would endure any humiliation, as many times as it took.

The god quickly lost interest in Camian’s hollow reactions. With a simple hand gesture, a flood of light engulfed Camian, disassembling his body as if it had always known how to do so.

—We’ll give you a small gift, now that you belong to us.

The god’s voice echoed in Camian’s mind like the majestic chords of an orchestra.

—So you won’t grow too bored over the next hundred years, I will allow you to meet your human in your dreams. You’ll watch her age and die, but don’t worry—she won’t know how broken you become.

Whether that was truly a gift or another form of torment, forcing him to watch her die again, Camian had no choice but to accept the gods’ “gift.”

***

A droplet of water slid down the surface of the transparent plastic cup, landing cold against my finger. I realized belatedly that the ice was melting. I habitually took a sip through the straw. The sweet taste of tomato juice filled my mouth.

“Isn’t it hard to work without coffee?”

Chief Cha, holding a venti-sized Americano, looked at me curiously.

“I’m fine.”

“Even people who hated coffee end up drinking two cups a day once they join the company. You’re really something, Lee,” Chief Cha said, looking amused.

“Caffeine doesn’t agree with me, and I just don’t like the bitterness,” I replied, shrugging. Chief Cha didn’t seem to care much and moved on. I finished the rest of my tomato juice with little enthusiasm. It wasn’t easy working all day without caffeine. Back in college, I practically lived on coffee just to survive the endless assignments and internships.

But for the past five years, I haven’t touched coffee. It’s my small effort to meet Camian in my dreams as often as possible.

“Oh, how old are you again this year?” Chief Cha suddenly turned around just as he was heading back to his desk, resting his arm on my partition. I sighed, glancing at the clock. Fifteen minutes still remained before the end of lunch break.

“Thirty,” I answered shortly.

Chief Cha’s eyes widened in surprise as he tapped the partition with his fingers.

“And you still don’t have a boyfriend?”

“Nope.”

“No plans to get married?”

“Nope.”

“I’ve got a younger friend who’s really great…”

“They’re all dead,” I said, cutting him off. Chief Cha stared at me in shock, his expression frozen.

With a faint smile, I added calmly, “Strangely, anyone who dates me either gets sick and dies or is hit by a car and dies. So I avoid dating altogether.”

“…….”

“Oh, but if there’s anyone you want taken care of, just send me a message.”

From the desk next to me, I heard a muffled snort of laughter. Chief Cha, looking completely flustered, awkwardly scratched his chin and, as usual, lamely finished the conversation with a quiet, “I see.”

Once he left, Song, my coworker at the next desk, tapped on my table as if knocking.

“You made me spit out my coffee!” Song said, laughing, with little splashes of coffee visible on her white blouse.

“You know how he is. If I don’t shut him down like that, Chief Cha will keep pushing,” I said.

“I didn’t expect you to say they’re all dead! Did you see his face go pale? Oh man, I wish everyone else could’ve seen it. I feel like I was the only one who caught it!”

I let out a small laugh to play along with Song’s giggling, but inside, I felt no joy.

It wasn’t just laughter—I felt no enthusiasm for anything. Waking up, eating, going to work, going to bed—it was all the same. I was like a pruned, bare tree branch, swaying helplessly with every breeze, unable to bloom leaves or bear fruit.

Death no longer frightened me. I could go about my day, and after lunch, I could easily, casually die. That’s how indifferent I had become.

I was walking a tightrope, teetering on the edge. Living through a monotonous, dry existence, and if the sudden bursts of depression pushed me to a decision, I wouldn’t think twice about ending it all.

The only thing keeping me alive, even now, was Camian, whom I could only meet in my dreams.

That’s why I go to bed earlier than most and wake up as late as possible. The TV in my apartment has long become nothing more than a decorative item. After work, I take a shower, then make a short call to my family. I’m home. Yeah, I ate. Just had some leftovers. Nothing special, just life as usual. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow.

Even though I’m no longer Liv Klein but Heewon Lee, who doesn’t even feel the cold much, I still keep my thick winter blanket on my bed, even though it’s out of season. I curl up under the heavy blanket and close my eyes.

Soon, the deep darkness washed over me, and I willingly surrendered to it.