The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 22

Coloring (4)

Levina was silent for a moment.

Her gaze flitted between the blood dripping from my arm and the glass fragments scattered on the floor.

As if she hadn't decided how to interpret the scene before her.

The complex emotion that had flickered across her face was soon masked by her familiar blank expression.

The tiresome face I saw every day.

She sighed.

It seemed to be a mix of annoyance and fatigue.

As she exhaled the air from her lungs, she subtly raised an eyebrow, revealing her displeasure.

"Lavin, I don't know where you picked up this idea, but do you really think anything will change?"She opened her mouth.

Her voice was even lower and colder than usual.

It didn't particularly feel frightening.

Because this person always acts like this, even when groveling like a dog, feigning apology.

"Father already stated you're being expelled from the family, and there's nothing more I can do."

She slowly walked around the room.

As if appraising my surroundings.

"You're not at an age where throwing a tantrum will solve anything."

Her gaze wasn't directed at me.

The dust in the room, the clothes scattered untidily, and the broken liquor bottle.

As if all of it were an extension of me, she meticulously scanned everything.

But she never looks directly at me.

That's the kind of person Levina is.

"Right now, you are a truly pathetic and inadequate person.

Though I doubt you've ever been anything different."

She stopped in front of me.

And looked down at me.

As always.

I didn't like that gaze, that expression, that demeanor.

"Do you think there's anyone who would care about you just because you hurt yourself?

Someone would notice, hmm?

Even children sent to nunneries after causing trouble tend to avoid such things.

Everyone knows it's a cheap tactic, no different from the childish tantrums thrown by overgrown brats."

Whatever she said didn't really resonate with me.

I wanted to scream for her to bring Estelle immediately because I was in agonizing pain, but it would be better to say nothing.

Because right now, I'm someone who has never exchanged a word with Estelle.

She looked at my wound.

The blood hadn't stopped, it was still flowing.

But there was no change in her expression.

"Or is this about the broken engagement?

Do you know that it's laughable for an Edelgard to act like this over a mere girl?"

I had intended to just stay silent, but when Seraphina's name came up, I involuntarily blurted out a sarcastic remark.

At least Seraphina wasn't just, no.

She wasn't 'just a girl' to 'Lavin'.

"Yes, it might be because of the broken engagement.

I heard that the esteemed Young Lord already finished discussing it without even talking to me."

Levina stared at me without answering.

Blankly, with an unreadable expression I'd never seen before on her usually emotionless face.

I crushed out the finished cigarette in the ashtray.

Then I took out another cigarette and put it in my mouth.

I opened the matchbox with my left hand.

My arm trembled faintly.

I took out a matchstick, struck it with trembling hands like an idiot, and with a 'chzzk' sound, a flame ignited.

But my trembling hand couldn't accurately bring the flame to the tip of the cigarette.

The flame danced in the air for a moment, then soon died out.

"Ah, fuck. Sister, no, that's not right. Levina, could you light this for me?"

She didn't answer my words.

Nor did she move.

She merely looked down.

She must have been inwardly flustered.

Indeed, if it were me, I'd probably also wonder how to react to someone calmly smoking a cigarette after cutting their arm.

Once more.

This time, I put a little more strength into my fingers.

The second flame ignited, and this time, I succeeded in lighting the tip of the cigarette.

After inhaling the smoke and holding my breath, my head swam.

The pain from the wound seemed to recede a little.

When I exhaled the smoke, a hazy curtain obscured my vision.

Beyond it, Levina's face was visible.

Still expressionless.

"Sister?"

"Sorry, you used to dislike being called that, didn't you?"

"That's not it......"

"Why, it's common, isn't it? People who die for love."

I didn't avoid her gaze, and said calmly.

As if talking about someone else's story.

"Is that all?"

I just nodded.

Without a word.

Her eyebrows twitched faintly.

My compliant attitude seemed to be outside her expectations.

She must have thought I would resist or at least make an excuse.

Though it's been quite a while since I stopped doing that.

"Is that all you have to say?"

Her voice was now laced with overt annoyance.

She approached, gently took the cigarette from my hand, and stubbed it out on the table, not in the ashtray.

The red ember sputtered and died.

I didn't even have the strength to avoid it.

It was just a bit of a waste.

I hadn't even smoked half of it.

Since my pockets were rather light, each cigarette was precious.

"Whatever I say, your words are always right, aren't they?

No, they have to be right."

"......"

"It was probably two or three years ago that I begged you to forgive me just this once, promising I wouldn't do it again. You said that was the last time. Whatever I say, you won't listen, will you?"

I replied with a faint smile.

Because I felt that if I got angry or annoyed, I would become too pathetic a person.

Levina couldn't answer.

She merely looked down at me with a hardened expression.

I leaned back against the sofa.

And closed my eyes.

Whether from losing too much blood, or simply being tired, my head was spinning.

It felt like it would be alright to fall asleep like this.

"......Get up."

Levina's voice was heard.

It felt slightly less sharp than usual.

Though it might have been a delusion.

"I'll call the physician. Until then, at least stay conscious."

I didn't open my eyes.

I just lay on the sofa, unmoving.

I didn't even have the energy to reply.

Not long after, I heard the sound of her leaving the room.

The sound of her heels faded, and then the door closed.

The room became quiet once more.

Though the smell was quite potent.

The broken liquor bottle lay scattered, the peculiar smell of old alcohol, stale cigarette smoke, and the scent of blood.

My eyes caught the cigarette Levina had crushed out.

Upon closer look, smoke was still rising; the ember hadn't completely died.

I grabbed it with a trembling hand and tried to put it in my mouth to smoke, but the blood flowing from my arm extinguished the ember.

How much time had passed?

Again, the sound of the door opening was heard.

Estelle walked into my room, looking around.

For some reason, I thought I could smell apples.

"Just as the rumors say. It's a complete mess. Ugh, the smell of alcohol, cigarette smoke. Do you even clean this room? As your sister said, it doesn't feel like a place where a person lives."

It was a cheerful voice, with an intonation that sounded somewhat teasing.

It was the Saint, Estelle, dressed in a white priest's robe.

"Usually, other petty nobles would rage, 'How dare a nobody like you lecture me?' But you're a bit different, Young Master. Or perhaps you're too hurt to even speak."

She looked around the room, then finally her eyes met mine as I lay on the sofa.

For a moment, the playful smile on her face faintly stiffened.

She stared at me blankly for a moment.

But that too was brief; she soon shook her head slightly and returned to her usual expression.

"Wow, you're a mess."

Estelle spoke.

Her voice was cheerful, yet it had an underlying coolness.

She approached me and squatted down in front of me.

Perhaps because of the playful atmosphere, I found myself making a joke.

"Don't people usually knock?"

"The Holy Spirit, blessings, and God's word always arrive unannounced."

"I'm not exactly a devout believer, you know."

She shrugged her shoulders and let the words trail off.

"Did you do this yourself? Or did someone help you?"

Then she casually lifted the arm from which blood was flowing.

Cold fingers brushed the wound.

The sharp pain made me involuntarily wince.

Seeing my expression, she smiled as if amused.

"Looks like it hurts. Well, of course, it would hurt when raw flesh is torn."

She smiled sweetly and stood up.

Then, scanning the table, she picked up my cigarette pack.

"Can I smoke this?"

"If you're going to light, light one for me too."

"Indeed, when else would I get to smoke a cigarette lit by a Saint, hmm?"

She took out two cigarettes.

One she put in her own mouth, and the other she placed in mine.

She struck a match and lit her own cigarette first.

Then she took the cigarette from my mouth, and put the one she had lit in her own mouth, into mine.

Even after doing it herself, she seemed quite flustered.

Though she didn't say anything to show it.

As I inhaled deeply, the familiar smoke filled my lungs.

She too took a deep drag, then subtly furrowed her brow.

"This really tastes bad."

She said with a shy smile.

Then she extended her hand over my arm.

From her palm, a warm and gentle light flowed.

The torn wound instantly began to heal.

Flesh grew back, and the skin became seamlessly smooth.

Although there was still blood, the wound had vanished without a single scar.

"Aren't you going to say thank you? Levina, who begged and pleaded for help, will take care of the reward, but there's such a thing as basic courtesy. I guess the Edelgard family doesn't teach that?"

Recalling a past conversation, I let out a hollow laugh and replied in a low voice.

"Thank you."

"......Ah, uh-huh."

Perhaps not expecting a direct thank you, she replied somewhat awkwardly and averted her gaze.

Then, after a brief silence, she suddenly asked, as if something just occurred to her.

"Hey, have we met somewhere before?"

"No, I don't think so."

I replied calmly.

She tilted her head at my answer.

"Is that so... that's strange. Your face doesn't seem unfamiliar."

She seemed to ponder something for a moment.

"Ah, right, the forbidden library. There was quite a stir because of that for a while.

I think I might have seen you at the disciplinary committee meeting. Wasn't it said you didn't cause trouble?"

"Because you were the one who did it."

Estelle's expression stiffened for a moment, then became laced with a smile again.

"Me? Why?"

"I don't know. Just, because it felt like it."

As she had done before, Estelle swiftly snatched the cigarette I was smoking from my hand and looked at me with narrowed, intrigued eyes.

"How much do you know?"