I Have 10,000 SSS Rank Villains In My System Space Chapter 390: Razeal and Selenas’ Confrontation

Razeal observed Selena’s tear-stained face for a long moment before letting out an audible, heavy sigh that seemed to have been anchored in his chest for months. He offered a faint shake of his head—not in rejection, but reflecting a weary disbelief. He gave no reply to her tremulous greeting or her quiet acknowledgment. He did not mirror her smile, choosing instead to simply stare. Despite his better judgment, he felt a sharp twist of discomfort at her current state. Eyes that were once bright, steady, and innocently pure were now hollowed by the weight of sleepless nights and remorse. It was a brand of trauma and self-loathing that felt less like a temporary phase and more like a permanent residence. That unnerved him more than any outburst of anger ever could. He had convinced himself that he never wanted to see her again, a conviction he had repeated so often it felt like an absolute law. Yet, seeing her broken before him, he felt something dangerously akin to pity—a realization that only served to irritate him further.

Selena took in his sigh and the slight movement of his head, her heart constricting at the subtle display. She parted her lips to speak, but the words withered in her throat. Where could she even begin? With an apology, a confession, or an explanation? Whatever starting point she chose felt entirely inadequate.

Razeal shifted his weight, sliding his hands into his pockets to project an air of indifference he didn't truly possess. He walked toward her in measured, deliberate steps until a distinct boundary remained between them—close enough for conversation, yet far enough to maintain distance. His gaze remained fixed on her. "Do you know one thing, Selena?" he murmured, his voice lacking its previous sharp edge, sounding merely exhausted. "I’m such a fool that I still feel this wretched looking at what you have become. Even after everything you did to me." His jaw tightened momentarily.

The confession caught him off guard. He hadn't planned to admit to such vulnerability, especially to her. But the truth escaped him, pulled out by the uncomfortable reality that he couldn't simply wipe away the years they shared before everything shattered. They had grown up side by side; he had witnessed her laughter, her arguments, her loyalty, and her rivalry. Seeing her so defeated felt inherently wrong in a way he couldn't begin to explain.

Selena’s lips trembled violently. "I... I know," she whispered, her smile twisting painfully as if she were desperately holding herself together. Tears traced paths down her cheeks. "But you aren't stupid. You are simply innocent... and kind. You’ve always been that way, ever since we were children." Her voice cracked with a jagged breath. "I realize that now."

Celestia, who had remained silent throughout the unresolved tension between her and Razeal, turned her head to observe the scene. She watched quietly, absorbing every syllable. She understood that this moment held a significance her own arguments lacked. Though she longed to intervene and reclaim his attention, she refrained. Instead, she turned away slightly, discretely wiping moisture from her eyes. She would never let a tear fall, yet the sting of the moment remained.

Razeal’s gaze hardened, albeit with less intensity than before. "So, what do you want now?" he asked, a trace of sarcasm lacing his words. "Are you looking for me? Had you not already done enough?"

Selena shook her head in small, helpless motions, unable to articulate an answer for several seconds. It was true—she had accused him, watched his world collapse, and stood by as it happened. There was no denying it. Still, she inhaled deeply, forcing air into restricted lungs, and finally raised her eyes to confront his.

"I am here to tell you the truth," she stated, her voice surprisingly steadier than her trembling hands. "The real reason I did it."

Razeal wore an expression of clear irritation. "I already told you," he interrupted with a faint eye-roll, "I do not care what the reason was."

"I did it because I wanted to marry you."

The words tumbled out in a single, desperate rush, as if stopping would kill her nerve. She squeezed her eyes shut immediately, bracing for the fallout as tears slipped from under her lashes.

Silence defined the air. Complete, absolute silence.

Razeal blinked once, then twice.

His expression went blank, his sarcasm and irritation vanishing in an instant. "Huh?" the word escaped before he could check it. "What?"

Pure, unadulterated confusion took hold of his face. He stared at her as if she were speaking a tongue he didn't understand.

Selena forced her bloodshot eyes open, unwavering. "I thought... if you were painted as the villain," she stammered, "if the Empress believed you were unstable and unworthy, she would force you away from Celestia and dissolve the engagement. I thought that was the only way you could finally be free."

"I thought... when that happened," she whispered, her breath hitching, "we could make our own arrangement. If I destroyed your reputation and dirtied my own alongside you, then at long last, I could step in and offer to stay by your side."

Razeal’s brows furrowed, his brow deepening with every word.

"I was selfish," she continued, her voice breaking. "I was terrified of losing you. I thought if I did that, you would have no choice but to choose me. I wanted to force fate."

The sheer absurdity of her claim hung heavy in the air. Razeal simply stared.

For the first time since their confrontation began, his composure shattered. The cold detachment and biting sarcasm surrendered to raw bewilderment. His brow creased sharply, his crimson eyes widening as he wrestled with her logic. She had forced the accusations specifically to marry him?

Even Sofia, standing nearby with an unconscious Maria in her arms, nearly stumbled. She took a half-step back, tightening her grip on Maria. For a second, the gravity of Maria’s condition was eclipsed. "What?" she muttered, coughing as if she had swallowed wrong. Her eyes darted between the two, stunned. She had anticipated many things, but certainly not this reckless, childish confession. The sheer stupidity of it hit her like a physical impact.

Razeal looked at Selena again, slowly, as if hoping he had misheard. His crimson eyes locked onto hers, seeking any sign of deceit, but she held his gaze.

"I... I love you," she declared, her voice trembling but clear. "I have always loved you. That is why. I am sorry." As the final word left her lips, tears spilled freely, no longer suppressed.

Razeal froze. The shock was absolute. His mind felt as if it had short-circuited. He stared at her, struggling to reconcile her words with the reality he had endured. Mechanically, he turned to Celestia as if seeking confirmation. Celestia met his gaze and gave a slow, silent nod, her own face a complex mix of sorrow and resignation. Razeal looked back at Selena. Reality began to settle in, and when it did, it detonated.

What the fuck?

The thought hit his mind with physical force. All the elaborate theories he had constructed over the years—the conspiracies, betrayals, and political machinations—collapsed instantly. He had imagined grand, hateful schemes and divine interference. And now? This? This simple, stupid, absurd reason? Because she loved him? Because she wanted to marry him? The pettiness of it felt like a fresh insult to every wound he carried.

Driven by impulse, he closed the distance between them in two sharp strides. Selena didn't move, accepting his approach. He grabbed the collar of her dress, gripping it tight, not to choke her, but to vent the storm raging within him. "What the fuck?" he demanded, his voice cracking with fury. "Is this some kind of bullshit? Are you joking with me?"

He released her abruptly, shoving his hands outward as if physically pushing away the reality she had forced upon him. The sheer madness of it was maddening. It wasn't just anger; it was the betrayal of having his life destroyed for a reason so childish and irrational.

"I’m sorry," Selena whimpered, but Razeal barely heard her.

"What the hell!" he shouted, gesturing wildly toward Celestia. "She lied because she didn’t want to marry me, and you did *that* because you wanted to?" He spun back to Selena, incredulous. "Is this a joke to you? You accused me of rape just because you wanted to marry me?" The words tasted bitter. The realization that she had manufactured a scenario where marriage was the only solution made him feel unhinged. He had seen her as a cold, calculating enemy; to learn it was all twisted affection made it all the worse.

Razeal paced away, unable to process it. "You ruined my life because of that?" he croaked.

Selena reached out a hand, not to defend herself, but to offer comfort. "Razeal..."

"Don’t touch me!" he snapped, recoiling as if from a flame.

Celestia watched from the shadows, silent. She understood his reaction; anyone would lose their grip hearing such a thing. A mournful frown graced her face as she watched him unravel, the air between them thick with fractured fragments of their past. Selena slowly lowered her hand, her fingers curling into her dress, her breakdown silent but profound. She felt like she was watching him stand in the center of a hurricane, utterly ravaged not by her words, but by the aftermath of her actions.

"I thought I knew," she whispered, her voice raw. "I thought I knew what you wanted because I thought you were like me. You always stayed. You saw me when I was scared and weak, and you looked at me as if I were your whole world. I just couldn't imagine a life without you. I thought if I forced destiny, you would simply accept it."

Razeal let out a sharp, frigid breath. "Accept it? You destroyed everything I had."

Selena shook her head, tears flying. "No, I never imagined it would go this far. I thought your family would just scold you. I thought I would play the hero and marry you to protect my own honor. I never meant for them to exile you, to brand you, or treat you like filth."

"You didn’t think?" he repeated, his voice flat and devoid of fire. He rubbed his face, his movements heavy. "Do you know what it is like to walk through your own home and see every gaze change? To hear the whispers that you are dangerous, filthy, or disgusting? To start wondering if they were actually right?"

Selena stiffened.

"I questioned my own sanity," he continued. "I replayed that day constantly, wondering if I deserved it. You made me doubt my own mind, simply because I trusted you."

That realization shattered her. As she struggled to hold back her sobs, Celestia stood by, saying nothing, recognizing that this was no longer a matter of rivalry, but of irreparable damage.

"I was selfish," Selena admitted, her voice scraping against her throat. "I was jealous of her. I was terrified she... and she didn’t even love you the way I did."