Chapter 14
Chapter 14
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Villainess Laura (6)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After wolfing down my meal in record time, I fled back to my room, dodging the escorts while Laura watched me with a strange look on her face.
On the way, I tried to drop her off at her room, but Rainy was still reeling from the aftereffects of her trauma and refused to let go, so I ended up bringing her along.
“…”
“…”
Rainy and I sat side by side on the bed, our fingers interlocked.
I knew full well in my head that she wasn’t in a normal state because of her trauma.
But I also recognized that sitting on a bed like this, fingers laced together, crossed way beyond the line of normal friendship.
In the awkward atmosphere, I turned to Rainy with a serious expression.
“Saintess.”
“Uh… yeah.”
“You do realize that, just like the young lady said earlier, this looks plenty suspicious to anyone watching, right?”
“Yeah…”
It was embarrassing to say it myself, so I hesitated a bit, but I pushed through and opened my mouth.
“Saintess.”
“Yeah…”
“For now, you don’t want to let go of my hand, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Got it. Then we’ll stick together all day today.”
“Really?”
Rainy looked up at me with a fragile expression.
“Of course. This is all my fault for leaving you alone like that anyway.”
“Hmph, as long as you get it.”
Rainy seemed a little pleased by my apology and flashed a faint smile as she playfully smacked my thigh.
“Ow…”
To lighten the mood, I pretended it hurt a lot even though it didn’t sting at all, hamming it up as I asked.
Teasingly.
Lightly.
“Saintess, you’re not having any weird thoughts, are you? Like, maybe you actually like me, so you drew that stuff on my face and won’t let go of my hand.”
“Hey!”
Rainy’s face flushed bright red in an instant, and she hurled a pillow at me—one that reeked of her scent from sleeping on it just one night.
I took the hit with a big grin.
“Hehe, so what’s your answer?”
“You’re… just a friend, that’s all! Today’s just… I’m a little scared, that’s why…”
I watched Rainy’s face closely.
From the twitch of her eyebrows to the quirk of her lips.
Not missing a single clue.
Rainy seemed uncomfortable under my gaze and turned her head away, her cheeks burning red as she hid her expression.
I pondered her feelings for a moment but decided it was all just speculation for now—no point jumping to conclusions. So I lay back on the bed.
Rainy, still holding my hand with our fingers interlocked, followed my movement and ended up lying down beside me.
She blinked in surprise at my sudden move.
“Wh-what?”
I met her eyes and gave her a soft smile.
“Just… let’s take a nap like this today.”
“It’s still the middle of the day?”
“Sleeping’s the best cure for anxiety. I’ll stay right by your side, hand in hand, even while I sleep. So relax and drift off.”
Rainy fidgeted with her fingers and looked up at me anxiously.
“You won’t disappear if I fall asleep first?”
“I promise: today, I’ll stick to you like a human doll. You can bite my arm, choke my neck, hug me tight—whatever you want.”
The saintess pouted and grumbled.
“I wouldn’t do that to a friend.”
“…”
I wanted to point out that normal friends don’t interlock fingers or nap in the same bed either.
But I swallowed it down and just smiled.
“You’re right.”
“Just… don’t let go of my hand. That’s all I need.”
“If that’s what you want, Saintess.”
“…”
Even after I promised over and over that I wouldn’t leave, Rainy couldn’t shake her anxiety and showed no signs of falling asleep.
In that case, I’d have to go first.
With my constant exhaustion from year-round fatigue, I was confident I could drop off anytime I wanted.
So, with a playful grin before drifting off, I said my last words.
“No doodling on my face today, okay? I’ll really get mad.”
Sensing my intent to end on a light note, Rainy grinned mischievously and played along.
“Brace yourself tomorrow morning.”
And with that, we fell asleep.
***
Caw, caw.
I rubbed my eyes at the ominous crow’s cry and sat up in bed.
“You’re awake?”
When I opened my eyes, there was Rainy, neatly dressed and greeting me with a bright smile.
My throat felt parched from sleep, and I mumbled.
“What time is it?”
“Ten. You slept over twenty hours.”
“Oh…”
Rainy had already slipped out of bed, stolen my chair, and was kicking her legs playfully as she teased.
“So, not gonna check your face? I drew a new masterpiece.”
“Really?”
“Check if you don’t believe me.”
I bolted out of bed and rushed to the full-length mirror in the room.
I inspected my face, stomach, arms, thighs—nothing unusual.
“Hey, there’s nothing there.”
“Hehe, fooled you, dummy.”
“Tch, should’ve ditched you last night like you ditched the saintess.”
“Hmph, you won’t remember, but last night, you were the clingy one. Woke up to you mumbling ‘I love you, Saintess sis’ nonstop. Nearly scared me to death.”
“…”
I knew it was probably just her usual teasing, but just in case, I swallowed hard and asked again.
“F-for real?”
“Yeah, I’ll repeat exactly what you said.”
Rainy cleared her throat dramatically.
“Ugh… Saintess… don’t go… Saintess’s bosom is so warm and fuuuuffy… kiss those soft cheeks and sluuuurp…”
She mimicked my voice perfectly.
A chill ran down my spine at how spot-on it was.
Anything more explicit, maybe not—but mumbling something like that in my sleep? Yeah, I could totally see it.
Seeing my face drain of color, Rainy burst out laughing.
“Kidding, you idiot. Nothing happened.”
“…”
“Scared ya, huh? Heart pounding thinking I caught your true feelings?”
She teased me with exaggerated laughter.
Her over-the-top mocking actually made me suspect I might’ve really sleep-talked like that.
Only Rainy knew the truth.
***
Gone was yesterday’s fragile girl—Rainy was back to her usual bubbly self and dove right in enthusiastically.
“So, what’s next for the young lady’s training?”
We could call phase one—fixing her picky eating—halfway successful.
Sure, it was with dressing’s help, but I’d gotten the girl who’d never touched veggies her whole life to clean her plate.
“Time for phase two.”
“What’s that?”
“We’ll repeat the process you went through while overcoming your alcohol phobia.”
“N-no way?”
Fear crept over Rainy’s face.
I nodded, confirming her guess.
“A healthy body houses a healthy mind! Let’s get happy with exercise!”
“…”
“I’ll wake the young lady every morning for a light jog. Sword training in the afternoons too.”
Rainy’s eyes darted around as she forced an awkward smile.
“R-right!”
Yesterday she’d clung to me, but now she was inching backward, trying to slip away.
I grinned at her.
“Oh yeah, you haven’t been exercising in the mornings lately either, have you, Saintess?”
“Uh… yeah… been so busy with everything… haha…”
Sweat beaded on her forehead—she must hate the heat.
“You should join me. For exercise.”
“I… I have church duties… You got this, Raden!”
She bolted for the door the second she finished speaking.
Her speed was impressive—proof of all that training.
But.
Thud.
Not fast enough to escape me, so I grabbed her quick.
“Perfect, you’ve got plenty of energy. A lap around the territory will be just right.”
“M-my alcohol issue’s all better now? I’m healthy! Shouldn’t you focus on the young lady first?”
“Exercise is something you do consistently, even when you’re healthy.”
“Ughhh…”
Realizing excuses wouldn’t work, the saintess let out a soft groan, then lit up and gently clasped my hand.
Curious what she’d try next, I watched quietly.
“Ra… Raden.”
She looked up at me with a teary voice.
Her vulnerability made my heart skip a beat.
“I’m so tired today… Can we skip exercise till next time?”
“…You slept for hours. How are you tired? Your dark circles are even fading.”
“I swear on the goddess, I’ll join next time… okay?”
With that, she clung to my hand and rubbed it against her soft cheek.
I was glad she’d gotten this comfortable with physical contact—former saintess who used to avoid men like the plague.
On the other hand, I sighed at how desperate she was to dodge exercise.
I let out a deep sigh.
“If you hate exercise that much… no helping it.”
Rainy’s lips shot up to the ceiling.
She figured I’d give up here.
“I’ll train you twice as hard until you learn to love it.”
“Oh…”
No chance.
Infinite stamina hell-training begins.