Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: It Seems Like I've Got the Leash on the Future Villain
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The only one stunned on the spot by that unimaginable top rank was the attendant.
Even after hearing those words, Matthias opened his mouth as if it were no big deal.
“Sien will like this. I should go up to the spire and let her know right away.”
“It’ll take some time to prepare, so keep it a secret.”
“……I’ll do that if necessary.”
Sparks flew between them once more. Around the time the attendant sandwiched in the middle swallowed nervously with a bewildered expression, Matthias continued coldly.
“Oh, it’d be better to compile a list of those who’ve spoken carelessly to Sien rather than dealing with the top rank.”
The attendant had a hunch that the entire retainer family would be wiped out soon.
But the message he had to deliver wasn’t just that.
The attendant cautiously opened his mouth.
“Th-that! The surprising part wasn’t just that.”
“What on earth happened?”
The attendant’s words continued in full.
Matthias’s gaze grew icy as he listened.
The duchess, watching such a Matthias, smirked with an intrigued expression.
“The baby seems incredibly smart, doesn’t she?”
The duchess glanced at the attendant before turning back to Matthias.
“My daughter has always been smart.”
The beautiful face with its sharp lines furrowed.
“Smart, but too fragile, too young, and lovable. Delicate like she could shatter at any moment, with such a soft heart…… She gets hurt so easily. She doesn’t match this family at all.”
The attendant tilted his head in confusion.
‘Well, rather than fragile, she seems sharp and straightforward. I think she glared and pointed accusingly no matter what anyone said.’
Of course, the attendant had no chance to interject with testimony. Duchess Lukella swiftly changed the subject.
“……That doting fool. Do you know? The elders are moving to elect you as duke.”
The elders’ endorsement was a double-edged sword.
The successor must face the trial platform.
If they endorsed him as successor, the unprepared candidate would die on the trial platform. The elders were undoubtedly aiming for that.
Knowing this, Matthias let out a faint chuckle, brushing back his hair with a weary expression.
The attendant found himself rolling his eyes at the dizzyingly sharp jawline and delicate features, lethally captivating.
“They must really want to finish me off properly.”
The words slipping from his lips carried a strangely fatal allure as well.
Of course, Duchess Lukella nodded calmly as she gazed at him.
“That seems to be the case.”
The head elder’s attitude was within his expectations.
He smirked cynically, just like when he’d slit the throat of that thieving guild master who didn’t know his place in the past, then said.
“I’d anticipated it. Well then, I’ll be going.”
The duchess tilted her head and muttered sarcastically.
“You’re one step closer to the duke’s seat, and no champagne?”
“It’s a joyous day, but I need to see Sien.”
“Planning a celebration party, are you?”
“Who knows. Since it’s a good day, maybe we should have one.”
Telling Sien about Duchess Lukella’s ‘that gift’ would make her happy.
‘When should I let her know?’
A smile as bright as sunlight spread across his perpetually cold face.
***
Having finished all my lessons, I stepped outside. The education supervisor and the discipline officer looked at me with opposing expressions.
And…….
The masked boy, still nameless, toddled along matching my waddling steps.
“Moya. Why’re you following?”
“Let’s do something fun together. I told you I have something for you.”
I glanced around. The muscle maids, frowning, encircled us at a distance. They peeked at my expression before sternly opening their mouths in unison.
“No. Lady Sien must head straight to the north spire.”
With their thick, lowered voices and burly, muscle-packed arms…….
‘Sc-scary.’
……They were definitely the maids I’d completely won over with protein temptations. Yet somehow, I felt like I’d be dragged off by them any second.
But I seemed to be the only one cowering. True to his black curtain family upbringing, the masked boy stared them down without a hint of fear.
“Why? Playing house for a bit should be fine, right? There’s no family law saying I have to be dragged straight to the spire after lessons.”
‘……Logical? Like an invincible spear!’
But the muscle maids seemed to have an invincible shield. They spoke without a trace of surprise.
“It’s an order from Grand Prince Matthias, father to the baby.”
The way they lifted their chins proudly after saying that!
‘Even if dummy Dad orders it, so what. Everyone here thinks our dad’s nice and will ignore it.’
Especially this black curtain family boy. I glanced at him and froze.
Fortunately, he seemed more soft-hearted than expected. His face wasn’t fully visible, but his lips were set firmly, looking a bit awkward.
‘Oh? Seems like it hit home!’
The boy hesitated for a moment before emphasizing to the maid again.
“Then step back a bit. Just let me give her one gift.”
I blinked at him.
‘A gift? What about my say?’
Gifts from villain families were probably akin to bombs.
I shook my head at him seriously.
“No take.”
But his next words were enough to tempt me.
“Liar. Didn’t you say you want to live?”
“Ung……?”
“Take this, and you can live.”
I widened my already round eyes even more.
Whenever the topic of ‘wanting to live’ came up, my eyes sparkled like baby stars.
‘There are maids nearby anyway…… He doesn’t seem like he’d bully me here…… And if I cower from him, I’ll never take over the villain family! Gotta act bold!’
Perhaps sensing my deliberation, the muscle maids stepped back a few paces. To a distance where my tiny baby voice was just barely audible.
The boy, satisfied as he surveyed the situation, said to me.
“Here.”
With that, he placed a small necklace on my palm. I tilted my head at the tiny necklace he set on my hand.
Engraved on the pendant was a small fairy with wings.
“……Huh?”
This is……
We looked into each other’s eyes and said simultaneously.
“It’s the Healing Fairy Necklace.”
“Fairy necklace!”
What the boy handed me was the ‘Fairy Necklace’ I’d wanted from the start.
A real fairy necklace had red stripes painted on the pendant. Rare red stripes visible in the sunlight.
After inspecting the necklace closely for a moment, I let out a small gasp of admiration.
‘I thought it was fake, but this necklace is real.’
Of course, the fairy necklace wasn’t a rare item.
Though it was a medium to summon ancient fairies, hardly anyone could summon fairy species these days, so it didn’t fetch high prices.
It wasn’t that expensive, something even a family child could gift……
The boy seemed aware of this too, saying awkwardly.
“Can’t summon fairies, but you can use the healing power inside it to a limited extent.”
I blinked at the gift he’d given me.
‘It’s the Healing Fairy Necklace. To others, it’s just a shiny paperweight artifact, but to baby me, it’s precious! It’ll let me survive a little longer!’
As I didn’t stop him, the muscle maids exchanged glances and whispered.
To the casual eye, it looked like an ordinary gift. And since their charge hadn’t forbidden it, the maids couldn’t possibly intervene.
I was frozen stiff.
‘This is really…… an unexpected windfall?’
With wide, startled bunny eyes, I clutched the necklace he’d given me tightly.
‘With the healing power in this necklace, I can protect and shield Dad, even if just temporarily.’
The fairy necklace artifact.
Common-looking, but not widely known—properly used, it was far more useful.
I didn’t believe in favors without strings attached.
Except for our dad, no one gave me kindness without expecting something in return.
Grateful as I was, I tested the waters like tapping a bridge before crossing.
Pursing my lips primly like a bird’s beak, I asked haughtily.
“Why give this to me?”
At my question, the boy hesitated slightly.
It was odd.
Frowning, he kicked a protruding stone embedded in the ground.
“You said you want to live.”
“…….”
“If you turn up dead tomorrow, it’d be no fun. You’re in a really dangerous spot, and I don’t want you dying.”
……I hadn’t realized I was in such a dangerous situation.
As expected from the perilous villain family Mirmod.
“I see…….”
My hand trembled slightly.
He glanced at me and raised one eyebrow.
“Anyway, a healing necklace I can’t even use to summon fairies isn’t that important to me. I don’t need it.”
He wasn’t one to mince words, even with a five-year-old.
fiddling with the necklace he’d given me, I beamed brightly.
“Okay! Then can you put the fairy necklace on me?”
“……Huh? My hand can touch you?”
He was a bit different from his usual boldness. He clenched his hand forcibly, then opened it again, fidgeting busily.
‘Why say something like that? And why act like this?’
Unable to pinpoint exactly what was up, I folded my eyes kindly and nodded.
“Ung!”
I said it casually.
But Leonhardt’s trembling hands showed no sign of stopping.
Just as I was making a puzzled face, Leonhardt shook his head resolutely.
“……N-no, that won’t do. You could get cursed.”
“……Huh?”
Even as I gestured that it was fine, Leonhardt was firm. He called over a maid and said.
“Hey, maid. Put this necklace on her.”
“Ah, yes. Understood.”
The maid sister took the necklace and fastened it around my neck. The fairy necklace clicked softly, hugging my neck perfectly.
I grinned widely.
‘Now I have a bit of healing power, so survival odds up 1%!’
And I decided to give the thanks I’d been holding back, seriously.
“Tank you! I weally weally happy!”
He nodded awkwardly, looking at my hair sparkling in the sunlight.
“No big deal. Uh…….”
Watching him kick a pebble as if embarrassed by the praise, I noticed one oddity.
I should say thanks, big bwother. But I still didn’t know his name.
“By the way, got a question. What’s your name?”
“My name?”
“Ung! Fwiends!”
His face was hidden by the mask. But seeing the moonflower-like smile on his lips, my flattery seemed to have worked perfectly.
Smiling contentedly, I soon recalled names of relatively decent people from the villain family.
‘Cecil, was it?’
That person was a wanted criminal, but seemed pretty okay deep down—
“Leonhardt.”
……Huh?
“Leonhardt……right?”
“Yeah.”
He looked down at his hands, ears red, the trembling finally stopped.
But…….
Leonhardt!
My hands were about to shake. My legs had gone weak long ago.
I knew Leonhardt.
How could I not know the super famous, ultra, ultra-ultra famous villain name from [Melodia’s Life]?
‘The legendary villain who annihilated an entire imperial army unit?’
A boy with sky-blue eyes and black hair. Face full of scratches, rumored to kill people and get tattoos, nicknamed the duke family’s mad dog bastard—that Leonhardt was the masked boy right in front of me. My head spun the moment I heard.
‘From my memory, he was a villain different from the start, even as a seedling!’