Arc sat with his arms crossed, deep in thought. The goddess Seraphina hovered nearby, still trying to figure out how this man—who just destroyed the Archduke—could so casually take over the role.
"So, how many members does the Imperial Family have?" Arc asked, leaning back lazily.
"Fourteen," Seraphina replied promptly. "The Emperor, the Empress, four princes, four princesses, and the remaining are distant relatives who hold honorary titles."
Arc raised an eyebrow. "Only fourteen? Pfft, amateurs. I'm making fifteen."
Seraphina choked on her own divine breath. "Fifteen? Are you serious?"
"Completely," Arc replied with a smirk. "I mean, isn't it obvious? More family members, more drama, and more reasons to be merry. It's basic math."
"Basic math?" Seraphina pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do you think this is some sort of festive reunion? You're supposed to be the villain!"
"Yes, yes, we'll get to the villainy part later," Arc said, waving her off. "But first, we're going to need a proper family. A lonely Archduke? How tragic would that be?" He shuddered dramatically. "Nope. I need backup. And they need to be fabulous."
"I fail to see the logic," Seraphina muttered, watching in confusion as Arc stretched out his hands. The golden and green flames from before swirled together in his palms, forming glowing spheres of light.
"Time to make some souls," Arc said with a grin.
"You're just… doing this?" Seraphina asked, her voice incredulous. "This is soul creation, not baking cookies!"
"Relax, feather lady. I've got this," Arc said confidently. "I'm the protagonist of this situation. What could go wrong?"
Seraphina opened her mouth to argue but stopped, instead watching in horrified fascination as Arc conjured soul after soul.
The first three souls glimmered in Arc's hands before taking form. They materialized into tiny children—a set of triplets. The two boys and one girl were the spitting image of Arc with their flowing black hair, though their sparkling blue eyes set them apart. They were about six years old, their faces round with cherubic innocence.
"There we go," Arc said proudly. "My adorable kids. You can't be a proper villain without heirs to pamper."
"Pamper?" Seraphina stared at him in disbelief. "You're creating villains, not tiny versions of yourself to spoil!"
Arc knelt to ruffle the hair of one of the boys, who giggled adorably. "Papa loves you," he cooed, then stood and shot Seraphina a smug grin. "And yes, I'm pampering them. Deal with it."
"Unbelievable," Seraphina muttered, clutching her head.
Next, Arc conjured two more souls. They took the form of a regal man and woman, both radiating elegance. They had the same black hair and pink eyes as Arc, though their faces bore more mature features. They glanced at each other lovingly and then at Arc, nodding approvingly.
"Meet my parents," Arc said. "They're deeply in love with each other. Exactly what every proper Archduke needs—an origin story of pure romance."
The goddess groaned. "Pure romance? You're supposed to be creating a fearsome family, not the poster children for a romantic drama!"
Ignoring her, Arc moved on, summoning ten more souls in rapid succession. Each one materialized into a unique and vibrant individual, forming a complete and diverse household. Arc took his time naming them, introducing each one with flair.
The Atheris Clan
Arc Atheris – The Archduke, the self-appointed head of the family, and an expert in causing divine headaches.
Eleanora Atheris – His mother, graceful and elegant, with a sharp wit and a soft spot for her family.
Victor Atheris – His father, stoic yet kind, the embodiment of a protective patriarch.
Adrian Atheris – Arc's eldest younger brother (24 years old), a genius magic researcher who is always buried in books.
Lucian Atheris – Arc's second younger brother (20 years old), a martial arts prodigy with a temper as fiery as his punches.
Isolde Atheris – Arc's younger sister (18 years old), a beautiful but mischievous troublemaker who loves teasing her brothers.
Reginald Atheris – Arc's eldest uncle (52 years old), a cunning politician and an unrivaled chess player.
Matilda Atheris – Arc's eldest aunt (50 years old), Reginald's wife and a renowned strategist in court politics.
Damien Atheris – Arc's unmarried uncle (29 years old), a brooding swordsman with a soft heart under his intimidating exterior.
Theresa Atheris – Arc's unmarried aunt (30 years old), a sarcastic and fiercely independent woman with an obsession for rare artifacts.
Freya Atheris – Cousin #1 (24 years old), a bubbly alchemist who sees the world as one big experiment.
Rowan Atheris – Cousin #2 (20 years old), a brooding artist who's perpetually annoyed by Freya's antics.
Clara Atheris – Cousin #3 (18 years old), a quiet but sharp-tongued observer who knows everyone's secrets.
Ethan Atheris – One of the triplet sons, adorable and mischievous.
Elijah Atheris – Another triplet son, shy and bookish.
Evelyn Atheris – The triplet daughter, confident and surprisingly bossy for her age.
As the entire Atheris family stood in their newly-formed grandeur, Seraphina's jaw dropped. "This… this is your villainous family? They're gorgeous! They look like they belong in a romantic opera, not a tale of terror!"
Arc crossed his arms and smirked. "I told you—style matters. If we're going to be villains, we might as well be good-looking ones."
Seraphina sputtered. "They're too charming to be villains! How are they supposed to inspire fear?"
Arc shrugged. "Fear? Nah. Confusion? Definitely. Think about it—who would expect this beautiful family to be up to no good?"
Seraphina: "Your logic makes no sense!"
Arc: "My logic is flawless. You're just jealous because I didn't make you part of the family."
Seraphina: "I don't want to be part of this… soap opera!"
Arc: "That's fine. You can be the crying neighbor who always needs help."
Seraphina: "Why are there so many of them?!"
Arc: "Strength in numbers. You can't conquer the world with just one villain."
Seraphina: "Conquer the world? You're supposed to oppose the Chosen Child, not take over the planet!"
Arc: "Details, details. Let me dream big, will you?"
Seraphina: "This is a disaster. They're too charismatic to be villains!"
Arc: "Are you saying villains can't have good hair and skincare routines?"
Seraphina: "You're not taking this seriously!"
Arc: "Oh, I'm serious. Seriously having fun."
Seraphina: "I don't even know why I'm still arguing with you!"
Arc: "Because deep down, you know I'm right. Now, stop pouting and hand over that advanced illusion magic."
Seraphina threw her hands up in exasperation. "Fine! You win. I'll give you the Archduke's advanced illusion magic. But if this backfires—"
"It won't," Arc interrupted with a smug grin. "I've got this handled."
The goddess sighed, muttering something about divine patience before conjuring a shimmering orb of light. She handed it to Arc, who absorbed the magic into his palm.
"There. Advanced illusions. Happy?" she asked.
"Ecstatic," Arc said. He turned to his new family, clapping his hands. "Alright, Atheris clan! Time to settle into the Grand Duchy and make this empire regret underestimating us."
Seraphina watched the family march out of the room, her head in her hands. "They're supposed to be villains," she muttered. "Not a walking magazine cover."
Arc's voice echoed back as he led his family out. "Villains can be fashionable, too!"