Chapter 17
The Male Lead Went Crazy for the Troublesome Villainess — Episode 17
"You may already know this, my lady, but Lillia has a special ability. However, because she is still young, she suffers severe aftereffects every time she uses that power. I'm told that on the days she uses her ability, she cannot even sleep, and she cannot even eat properly."
I knew this from the original novel.
I knew Lillia's holy power had become a problem. The child struggled beneath the weight of her own power—and the responsibility that came with it.
"I don't know whether it has simply become a habit or whether the journey is too hard on her, but she is showing attachment to you for the first time. I thought she might at least sleep and eat a little if you stayed beside her. Would that still be too difficult?"
He was actually asking me so earnestly?
If he had been coercive, I would have refused. But right now, Kael was sincerely asking me. How could I refuse something like this?
Besides, the warmth of the child who had clung to my legs was still vivid. I wasn't confident I could do it, but in the end I agreed.
"......I will try."
Actually, even when I was reading the novel, Lillia had been my favorite character. People called fans like me 'Lillia moms.'
How could an honorary Lillia mom turn her back on Lillia? I would not easily forget the warmth of that little body clinging to me. The child had held onto me as if I were her entire world.
"If you want to protect Lillia, you should learn swordsmanship properly. The way you are learning now probably is not enough for you."
At those words, I felt my eyes snap wide open. Actually, recently I had been thinking that I needed proper training.
Of course, Seraphine and the knights were training the non-combat personnel in swordsmanship. But with so many people being taught at once, it was difficult to expect detailed instruction tailored to one person's level.
I had served as a combat operative in my previous life, so I picked things up faster than the others and was steadily building my fundamentals. Even so, I could not ask for private instruction just for me.
In that situation, Kael had made the offer first. It was a temptation that was hard for me to refuse.
I swallowed hard.
This was an opportunity to raise my chances of survival.
"Would you be giving me private lessons?"
"If you are all right with it. But the training absolutely will not be easy. A female instructor would be best for a woman, and Seraphine is about your size, so......."
"That would be wonderful! Please let me do it!"
A woman certainly understood a woman's body better, so Seraphine really was the best instructor for me.
Of course, I knew from the original novel's descriptions that Seraphine was an extremely harsh person when it came to training, but what did that matter?
Besides, Seraphine was the female lead. I'd be more than happy to get on the female lead's good side.
I grinned and bowed my head.
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
With this, I was one step closer to my short-term goal. To survive and return, no matter what.
First I had to survive if I wanted to spend money, date, and get married. If I learned swordsmanship, I could use the longsword I'd been coveting and take down monsters more easily.
Wasn't this an opportunity I absolutely could not miss?
* * *
It was not until evening that I was able to go see Lillia. Perhaps because they were still uneasy about letting her go around alone, two clerics accompanied Lillia.
"Lillia?"
Lillia, who had been curled up on the small bed, raised her head. Her swollen eyes had gone down a lot, but her complexion was still pale. The meal tray placed in front of her had not been touched.
"......Rosana?"
"You didn't eat?"
Lillia shook her head glumly.
"It's gross. I don't want to eat. My stomach hurts."
I glanced at the tray and saw only hard bread and watery stew. It was similar to what we ate. They gave her this and told her to eat it, so of course she couldn't eat it. How could a little kid eat something like this?
"Wait a moment."
I rummaged through my emergency ration pouch and took out a few pieces of dried fruit and a hardened nut cluster made with a little honey. I had bought them at the market for whenever I needed a quick sugar boost. Vanessa quieted down whenever I gave her one too. I should buy a lot more the next time we reach a market.
"Do you want to try this?"
Lillia hesitated, then carefully reached out and took it. She took a bite, and her eyes went round.
"......It's yummy."
Watching her nibble away with that tiny mouth made me feel oddly relieved.
"If you eat the stew, I'll give you more of this. How about it?"
Lillia blinked, then nodded as she took another bite of the nut cluster. Then she carefully began spooning up the stew.
Seeing her squeeze her eyes shut, it really must have tasted awful. Hmm, it would be nice to improve the menu a bit. Still, that was easier said than done.
"I ate it all!"
Lillia thrust the empty bowl out toward me.
"I want more, more."
Lillia kept glancing at my pouch. When I popped a piece of dried fruit into her mouth, the child beamed brightly.
"Rosana is the best! When I grow up like you, can I buy delicious things like this too?"
Her innocent, sparkling eyes made me feel oddly self-conscious. It was only a little snack, after all.
Lillia was in circumstances where she couldn't even enjoy something this small. I saw an echo of my past self in her. There were far too many things in this world that were unfair to children.
"Shall we go wash your face and brush your teeth by the water?"
Lillia glanced around at the people nearby and mumbled.
"Those bad men aren't coming anymore, right? Can I go out?"
At those words, my heart sank. I should have smashed those crazy bastards' heads in too! I bitterly regretted stopping after smashing what hung between their legs. I clenched my teeth and spoke.
"They will absolutely not come. And even if something like that happens, I will protect you."
Only then did Lillia carefully climb down from the bed. Her feet were so tiny that my chest tightened. They had gone after a little child like this.
Children really needed to learn how to defend themselves. This world was far too harsh.
* * *
In truth, even after proposing the training first, Kael had thought that Rosana might give up. Seraphine's training was famous for being grueling. Because she tended to do high-intensity training to surpass her own physical limits, even male knights would quickly drop out.
So he had thought that Rosana might do the same.
But.
"......Do you know that Lady Rosana is training at the same intensity as Seraphine right now?"
Millus muttered blankly. Kael nodded. How could he not know? He was watching with his own two eyes. He knew House Ardena was a martial family and that Rosana had been born with a naturally strong frame.
She had once kept herself skeletal through extreme dieting, but the Rosana before him now had built more muscle. Gaining that much in such a short time required tremendous effort and the right natural physique.
Still, he had not thought she would be able to manage this much.
That she would wake at four in the morning and continue two hours of high-intensity training.
"My lady, can you keep going? Push-ups are next."
"Yes, I can do it!"
Hot beads of sweat glistened on her smiling face. Her passion, shining in the sunlight, was dazzlingly beautiful.
Kael's gaze lingered on Rosana. Was that woman really Rosana—the Rosana he had known?