"They gave you to someone else and I couldn't quite accept that. So I fooled myself into thinking that it won't be long till you wake up and remember that you loved me and only me.

That was all I could hold on to—the idea that no matter what was said to you or what you saw, you always loved me unconditionally. I love you, Adira. I may have failed to tell you that the last time and betrayed your warm and beautiful love for me all the time but I truly, madly, deeply love you.

Perhaps, this is the punishment and the payment the Gods have decided for me. Maybe the reason they allowed me to return was to watch you love someone else more than you used to love me and feel my heart bleed as much as yours probably bled then."

Triton reached out his bloodstained hands and gingerly caressed the face of the only woman he truly loved both past and present lives.

He had the greatest blessing and treasure handed to him on a silver platter yet he failed to see her importance until he lost her—he couldn't love her properly.

Perhaps the Gods deeply loathed him for hurting their beloved child and gave him the most painful punishment they could give him—to send him back to time and not given the chance to earn her love again.

They even made it that he remembered every sin he did so he'd have to live through his second life burdened by it.

This second life they bestowed unto him was both a miracle and a curse.

And even then, he managed to obliterate whatever little affection Adira had for him by constantly trying to pull her away from the men she now loved the most—Casimir and their son, Heise.

And because Adira had no more affection for him left, there was also no reason for her to set out on a war to conquer the neighboring nations and accidentally come across another dragon—which she offered to him for a tiny bit of his affection.

In reality, he was very worried for her then. He worried to death thinking about what danger taking the dragon with her must've entailed, however, he unwittingly said it in a way that caused the crevice between them to split even farther.

And he hated Casimir for managing to snatch Adira's heart—he abhorred himself for not being better for the most perfect woman to ever come into his life. He could not be better than Casimir. Now, he could only live in extreme heartbreaking regret.

"I won't ask for forgiveness or ask you to love me back anymore. This is enough—seeing you happy with someone else while also knowing you remember me is enough now. I just hope you will always remember that I will, for always, love you."

He leaned close to Adira and momentarily paused before gently placing a warm and sad kiss on her forehead, pulling back slowly to lock his gaze onto her moist ashen eyes.

This is my farewell to you, my one and only Queen.

He promptly let her go and rushed towards the languid raven-haired monarch, pulling the sword his love buried in him out, and dragged the man with him to hell. He won't allow anyone to interfere in Adira's happiness anymore. No more.

The latter jolted as soon as he saw Triton's clear and determined aqua blue eyes lock onto him and before he could even do much, Triton had already seized him in an armlock and proceeded to tilt himself backwards—as they were close to the edge of the tower.

It was all too sudden that all Adira could see at his final moment was the same handsome and loving smile he had always given her—the same smile she craved all her life, the past cycle.

"Triton!"

Being held back by Casimir's arms, Adira's out extended hand could only hold nothing but emptiness as both Triton and Raidyn fell out—of course, with the latter leaving behind a string of profanities that gradually faded out.

There was a pause—a silence—that enveloped the remaining people up on the church's tower before the God, unfazed of what just transpired, broke it.

"It seems to me that my child needs me no more."

As if just reminded of this foreign God's presence, Adira whipped her panic-stricken eyes towards his way and bowed low. While Casimir could only heave a heavy sigh of relief after seeing how Adira had returned to her usual self.

"Forgive me, God Apophis, for my transgression of forgetting your presence."

"Hush, my child, I don't mind. However, I do hope you'll remember to invite us to when you present your unborn child to everyone. Everyone, after all, is looking forward to your child."

The cruel God, who did nothing but destroy the moment he was summoned, showed an uncanny warm smile as he cupped Adira's face and made her look up to meet his cold silver eyes.

"Forgive us when we couldn't help you protect your child. This time, we will protect you and this family that you love. There won't be a repeat this time, my dear daughter."

Adira, brought her gaze down as memories of how Iris had staged an accident to take her unborn child from her forever, couldn't help the tears that escaped her eyes. The suffering of her previous life, all for the sake of attaining one man's love, had been paid with that very same man's life and smile.

This time, she was not gonna suffer the same way anymore because her husband loves her as much as she loves him. She had a very cute and lovable son and also an upcoming addition to their family. She was going to finally find peace and live a blissful life.

And because of this God's last words before disappearing—a warning, reminder and a promise—the neglected Iris finally entered Adira's view again.

Casimir helped his wife up, after noticing where her gaze was directed at, and even handed her his sword. Whatever Adira decided from that point on, he will support her all the way. Even if it meant taking the life of one nameless fallen noble.

"I never thought you would actively seek your end, Miss Latifolia. After I almost melted your face off, you still rushed here to find me?"

"Eek! S-Stay away you freak! You're a monster!! Y-You don't belong here!! You and that bastard Triton!"

"Ah, well, I can't exactly deny that but at least know this, Iris. You, yourself, created this monster."

Adira, with a cold and chilling glint in her ashen eyes, raised Casimir's sword high above her head. It was then that Iris truly regretted the things she did. Because she could finally see it clearly on this woman's eyes her thirst for her life—for a justice that was long overdue.

The former abruptly brought the sword down towards the trembling woman that the latter could only let out a whimper and tightly closed her eyes, resigning herself to her fate, when she didn't feel pain being inflicted upon her.

Did I die a quick and painless death?

"Unfortunately, I don't plan on letting you off that easily. I will make sure you bear the weight of your sins for the remaining years of your life."

Adira turned her back against Iris and gave Casimir his sword back, finally relieving a sigh of relief at this final end. Nothing will disrupt—

"You bastards!!"

They all heard an angry roar as the tower they stood upon in suddenly started to shake and from the edge that Triton and Raidyn just disappeared in, a man clad in black mist—that was the only thing supporting his broken limbs in place—climbed back up with bloodshot mad eyes.

"If the Maiden of Light cannot be mine—"

"Why don't you stay dead?"

It was Casimir's turn to get angry this time as he shot the man off the edge with a sword to his head and a bunch of icicles that struck directly to the man's vital spots as accurately as possible; but it didn't end there yet.

Heise, who managed to feel well enough to turn back into his majestic form, was hovering above them when he saw a ball of black mist being thrown away from the tower and instinctively dove to snatch it in his mouth.

"Heise!" Both his parents called his name—relief and happiness clear in their voices.

"No! Spit that thing out! That's dirty!" Adira, suddenly realizing that Heise just gobbled the broken Raidyn, reprimanded Heise after hearing a loud crunch in his mouth.

The little—not so little—dragon felt sad watching his mother get mad at him and spit out the monarch, bent towards impossible ways, twitching and groaning before it suddenly stopped and the latter finally laid motionlessly on the ground.

What the... Was Heise all it took to kill this dude? Is it because Heise's the heir of the darkness? Oh, shouldn't it be the king now? Did he cancel out the protection it gave to Raidyn?

Adira, encased in Casimir's arms, looked up to her sullen and gloomy looking son still hovering above them—refusing to come closer until his mother says otherwise. 

The former couldn't help the loving smile finally grace her beautiful yet haggard visage before she stretched her arms to welcome her baby back.

"Come to Mommy, Baby. Mommy missed you so much." The woman said.

And the dragon, waited no more, changed into his human form and fell right into his mother's arms with a tear-stained face. He really feared his mother would not love him anymore because he failed to protect her and his little sibling.

"You did a fine job demolishing those bastards that stood in your mother's way, my son. Daddy's very proud of you." Casimir chimed in with a happy and proud smile as he petted the child still clinging to his wife.

"Don't care." Heise just simply replied and stuck a tongue out towards Casimir before laughing heartily.

From now on, nothing should disturb her family anymore, right?

Notes:

Hi! I went on a sudden hiatus since life had been too demanding and hectic. Since we got confined in our homes till further notice, I figured I should write now. Anyway, part of the reason why I went on hiatus was because I struggled to give them the perfect ending. Yep, that's right people. We have finally reached the end of the story.

I really thank everyone that supported "she becomes a passive villainess—not" all the way. I still cannot believe that this story made a million reads. Thank you so much for your support and love! I hope to write another one soon so please support it as well as you supported SBAPVN too!

I love you dear readers! Banzaaaiiiii 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🙇🏻🙇🏻🙇🏻

P.S. I came back because a lot had been pleading for me to write again and I cannot let them down, can I? ♥️ Thank you, mi lovelies 😘

P.P.S. I truly don't know if this chapter satisfied you so let me apologize if it did not 🙇🏻‍♂️