Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

'What?'

In defense, Nathalie raised her hands, waving so fast at him as she couldn't look directly into his eyes. 

It turned out as though her ears deceived her for this instance.

Her feelings grew stronger, and harder to ignore or even leave unnoticed; a part of her became too restless to the point she needed to be so upfront with her feelings.

With what other opportunity she had other than this time around, or at least she thought then.

While it was but the wishful thinking of hers, by clarifying would be enough to know her place.

Indeed, Mystique needed Keith for a sole purpose, but she was also Nathalie at the same time. In her heart, she sought refuge and solace in him. 

But then, the inevitable came: with Clarice in the picture, the situation would evolve to a more complicated state than they were at the moment.

Nathalie became breathless from the implications he had behind the words he said.

'Wait… Was it the case?' She pondered a little while; for as long as she could remember, one of the catalysts for their relationship to develop was no different from love at first sight.

On the flip side, she thought it must've been the different scenario that shifted from what the timeline was in the first place.

Her heart raced, enough to pound aloud against her chest and sort of deafening her surroundings as she became all giddy from her stead.

With trembling hands, she wrote midair for him to read, [So, does this mean you've taken a fancy on me all along?]

Keith gave her a curt nod while his ears perked up. [For the longest time, I thought that I didn't deserve it but I've never been so desirous about this kind of feeling until I met you, My Lady.]

Out of all the words she thought of, only one came and the rest left unspoken.

"When?"

"Ever since you've pulled me out of that hellhole, thinking about it drives me insane." He shut his eyes as he chuckled deep, every peal now started to flutter her heart to a crazy beat. "You were my beacon of hope and my purpose to live for another day grew stronger; I'm nowhere near what I am now without you."

But with a gentle smile paired with his intense gaze colored her face to beet-red, searing, looking away from him after he mustered his courage to answer her queries.

Foremost, her mind started to rev up from the assumptions she had: from having many reasons not to go beyond it wasn't her place to do so to the hesitations and preconceived thoughts she had for him.

'Oh my…'

Nathalie fidgeted her fingertips as she had the tingling yet tantalizing sensations started to bug all over her body.

'Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my goodness! Oh my gosh! Oh my goodness! Oh my gosh!'

She became so elated that he noticed her trembling, leaning close as he had a closer look at her flushed countenance in deep concern.

"My Lady, you seem to be unwell?" 

With a little jolting upright, she then shook her head as she gestured her hands upon how well she seemed to be in the moment.

"Perhaps it must've been a shock to you, which clearly had taken a toll on you."

[Wait— No! I'm...] Nathalie cupped her cheeks, never had she been this warm for quite some time. Taking her time breathing out afterward, she added, [I'm beyond speechless, that's all.]

"My Lady, truth be told, it is I should've been so nervous the whole time, for I thought it was but a one-sided feeling…"

She furrowed her eyebrows as she thought about the words he delivered. 

'... One-sided—' Withal, she gasped for air when she realized what he implied.

[Wait… So, you knew! But—] Nathalie started to erase a bunch of words, trying to get her message clean and concise of what she wanted to deliver. [When?]

"I suppose it was around when we ventured to the Southern Territory… That was but a mere speculation, then it became more than a hunch when we returned to Starbrooke Castle."

She couldn't believe it at first; however, now that she was on all ears, she dropped her jaw for who knew how long it was then.

"While I'm in no position to ask you about it; Ashtra and His Grace, Nathan, had given me more hints and clues of it than I could've ever known."

[What? His Grace did— How?!] 

She sprung from the edge of the bed, leaning close to him, which also made him more flustered than he ever was as he slowly backed away. Soon as she noticed, she distanced a tad bit as they cleared their throat in unison.

"Uhh, t—to answer that— My Lady… I've lost count; but similar as His Grace helped me earlier, and Ashtra went with it."

'An eavesdrop! I got set up! No wonder he took too long.'

Nathalie got so caught up with the discussion that she didn't even bother nor became too conscious about it.

Not long enough, Keith went on and groveled onto the carpeted floor as he sought forgiveness.

"I beg your pardon, My Lady. For I knew we only had an agreement that had nothing to do with anything romantic and only lived to serve you with all my life."

He went on with his humble beginnings, and how his past was as he was too disgusting to dream of such a thing. 

She nibbled her lips as she grabbed a handful of her peignoir by the thighs from the words he spoke of nothing but the truth.

The agreement was more of an excuse than a core testament that Athan was out of her radar; she never insisted much like the contract she had with others for it bore heavy consequences. 

Right now, he took his chances, but that was because she was giving off a sign that she was on the same page as him.

That was the tea, served hot and piping.

Tonight was a point of no return.

When she went on to kneel on the floor, he arched his neck and gaped at her when she was near his level.

But then, she reached out to his callused hands, clasping them to a caress, before she tapped her forehead against his.

Nathalie whispered, "Please don't be sorry, None of that should matter anymore as I feel the same way about you."