Misunderstood Hero: My Family Are All Villains

"W-What the Hell are you two doing?!"

Malik had just lifted a forkful of cheesecake to his mouth when a voice shattered the cozy atmosphere of the cafe.

"Big brother!"

The fork paused, hovering in front of his lips.

He turned his head slowly to the side.

Scheherazade did the same.

Only Isha kept eating.

The little owl had her beak buried in a cream puff, her pink eyes half-closed with bliss.

Huda stood in the doorway of the cafe, her pink dress rumpled, her crimson hair a mess.

Worse yet, her face was flushed, and her similarly pink eyes were wet.

Malik ate the piece.

"We’re eating."

He pointed at the table, which was covered in empty dishes—plates stacked on plates, cups drained to the dregs.

A single cream puff remained, and Isha, done with the previous one, was eyeing it.

Huda’s pink eyes teared up further.

"I... I know that!"

Her lower lip trembled.

"But you... how can you just leave me like that!"

Without waiting for an answer, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his side, pressing her face into his shoulder.

Malik didn’t move and let her do as she liked.

His fork hung in his hand, momentarily forgotten.

’Man, it seems I’m really huggable.’

He chuckled inwardly and turned his attention to Huda, who surprisingly didn’t punch him.

She was sniffing at him now—wet sniffles that would have been embarrassing if anyone else were doing them.

He didn’t care if she dirtied his clothes; even if bratty and a tad annoying, it was his little sister.

He set down the fork and patted her head.

"I am here... I am back."

She cried harder.

Her fingers dug into his clothes as her tears soaked through the fabric.

"I know..."

Her voice came out muffled.

"I know I promised myself that I wouldn’t apologize to you anymore, but I can’t."

Malik kept patting her head, even as she broke down in his embrace.

"I’m s-sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so, sorry."

Huda sucked in a breath.

"I’m not asking you to forgive me, but... just... I’m sorry. And thank you. Thank you for loving someone so unworthy."

Malik’s mind drifted back to the Holy Palace, to his seemingly correct thoughts about the coalition.

His little sister had indeed been a part of those who opposed him. She had joined the traitors who called themselves the Heroic Coalition, the ones who had tried to overthrow him.

Honestly, they hadn’t even come close to succeeding in doing what they had set out to do.

Malik was still very much alive.

Rather, their attempt at overthrowing him only catapulted his popularity, making him a legend and a symbol that was larger than life to Devil’s Maw.

The current him didn’t care.

They had failed; he had won.

That was the end of it.

But he didn’t know if that would change once he started remembering the details.

The memories were fragmented, missing many pieces.

What if those pieces changed everything?

What if he remembered something that made him angry and bitter? Made him wish he had never patted her head?

That locked him in a dilemma.

He couldn’t ease her pain now, in case later he found himself not wanting to do so. But he couldn’t simply do nothing.

Malik eventually sighed.

’...no.’

Then he hugged her closer.

He didn’t say anything, providing no words of forgiveness or promises. Huda had to make do with his arms around her, holding her while she cried.

Thankfully, it seemed to be enough.

Eventually, her sobs quieted, and she stopped shaking.

Without letting go of his arm, she pulled back slightly, just enough to wipe her eyes with her sleeve, and sat down in the chair next to him.

Scheherazade watched the entire scene with her chin propped on her hand, her almond eyes half-lidded.

"Good for you... reuniting. But you must know that you’re interrupting a date."

Malik had barely spoken to her during the meal. He had been too focused on the food, too hungry to care.

Every time she tried to make conversation, either he grunted in response or Isha interrupted, annoying her to death.

Scheherazade had tried to hold his hand. He had reached for another sandwich. And it seemed that now, with this new addition, there was no progress to be made.

"He’s my brother, you damned homewrecker!"

Huda’s head snapped toward the Empress.

"Stop trying to get into his pants! He doesn’t like you back!"

Scheherazade’s eyes narrowed.

"Homewrecker?"

She sat up straighter.

"I’m not wrecking anything; there’s nothing to wreck! His marriage is a formality at best."

"You don’t know that!"

"I know more than you think."

The two women glared at each other.

Around them, the cafe patrons stopped pretending not to stare.

The manager had frozen behind the counter, a teapot in her hand.

None of them knew what to do.

Malik let out a sigh.

"No home will be wrecked."

Both women turned to look at him.

"We will remain allies, as will our people. Devil’s Maw won’t survive otherwise."

Friendship or not, both of them were responsible for a great many people.

He couldn’t risk ruining their alliance. The Demons would still arrive in their millions; the invaders were still out there in their millions. While the Order and the Origin of Corruption bided their time.

"For now, let’s leave it at that."

He had spoken like a politician.

Neither agreeing nor denying.

Neither confirming nor rejecting.

"You..."

Huda’s face fell.

She had expected him to shut down Scheherazade completely, to declare his loyalty to Layla, and to send the Empress packing, so this was a surprise.

A ’surprise’ that had Scheherazade smile.

"That means I have a chance, right?"

She had taken his words in a positive light!

"..."

Malik said nothing.

Again, he didn’t agree or deny.

He wasn’t planning on stringing the lady along forever. He wasn’t that cruel. But he couldn’t start forming a harem now.

It hadn’t even been a month since his return, for Hell’s sake!

He hadn’t even gotten his bearings yet!

And how would people think if their Sultan married another woman as soon as he was back?

It would not only be a bad look for him, but it would also greatly humiliate his wife, Layla.

So no.

No harem just yet.