The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 29

Coloring (11)

A week passed.

For a week, nothing in the world changed.

I still headed to the church every evening.

Conversations with Estelle were always enjoyable.

Meaningless jokes, trivial stories.

When I was with her, I could forget many things.

It was probably thanks to the good quality wine, but in the end, Estelle was the one who brought it.

Anyway, that day too, I was heading to the church to meet Estelle.

The sun was slowly setting in the west, and the sky was just beginning to be tinged with orange.It was the path I always took, where I had never seen a single person passing by, as no one went to the church behind the dormitory.

On an old bench placed there, where I had never once seen anyone sitting, someone was seated.

It was Seraphina.

She had her head bowed, staring intently at something.

It seemed to be her fingers.

She didn't seem to notice me approaching.

For some reason, it felt as if time had stopped only in that spot.

I tried to simply walk past her.

Pretending not to see her.

As if no one had been there originally.

Just then, she raised her head.

She seemed to have heard my footsteps.

"Lavin."

And she called my name.

Her voice was faintly trembling.

"What are you doing here?"

I asked in a dry voice.

"I waited."

She stood up.

And slowly approached me.

She stopped a few steps in front of me.

She neither approached further nor stepped back.

That ambiguous distance was no different from our current relationship.

When I approached, Seraphina would retreat, and when I retreated, Seraphina would approach.

I truly hated that.

"I have something to say."

She said.

Her eyes were staring straight at me.

But her gaze was somewhat unfocused.

"We're not in a relationship where we can meet and talk separately like this anymore, Seraphina."

"Ten minutes, no. Even five minutes would be fine. Could we, somehow?"

I looked at her for a moment.

A tired-looking face.

Her anxious hands fiddling with her fingertips, just like a moment ago.

That sight wasn't unfamiliar for some reason.

Because she was acting like 'Lavin' used to, committing a mistake and then cautiously watching others.

Regardless, it was Seraphina, who had always been by my side since childhood.

We had too many similarities, and knew too much about each other.

I don't know what happened after I died.

But it was certain that something had changed, or something had happened.

Otherwise, Seraphina and I would never have met like this again.

I would have long since died somewhere alone, and someone like me would have been almost entirely forgotten.

I sat on the bench without a word.

There was a creaking sound.

Seraphina carefully sat beside me.

There was about a hand-span distance between us.

As if there were an invisible wall.

For a while, no one spoke.

Only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves could be heard.

From afar, the faint laughter of students drifted over.

It was a peaceful scene.

Except for us.

I opened my mouth first.

"Your finger."

"......?"

She looked at me, puzzled.

"Is it okay?"

I asked, looking at Seraphina's hand, which still had a thin bandage wrapped around it.

"Ah, yes! It's fine! It's almost completely healed, so you don't have to worry.

Still... thank you for worrying."

She gave an awkward laugh.

"That's good to hear."

Seraphina was only looking down at the tips of her shoes.

Silence fell again.

A suffocating, heavy silence.

"Why did you wait?"

I asked first.

I wanted to end this meaningless time.

"Just."

Her answer was hollow.

"Just, because I wanted to see you."

"......."

"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't say this. It's just, lately, I keep thinking about you."

She rambled incoherently.

Like someone who didn't even know what she was saying.

Words spilled haphazardly from her lips.

"Look, we're not exactly in a relationship anymore, but......."

"That story is over."

I cut her off.

I didn't want to hear any more.

"I know. I know, but that day at the mansion.

With Miss Levina and Father.

Watching you sign.

I just had a strange feeling.

As if everything was truly coming to an end."

Her voice grew smaller and smaller.

By the end, it was almost inaudible.

It faded away, buried by the sound of the wind.

"It was already over, long ago; that day was just for confirmation."

"No. It wasn't. At least, I didn't think so.

I thought someday, someday it would be okay.

That we could go back to how we used to be."

She shook her head.

Desperately.

"What else was I supposed to do?

Wasn't three years enough?

I felt like I at least tried to get along well, like before."

I let out a hollow laugh.

And Seraphina wore a blank expression.

"Ah, right. After that pointless duel with Kyle......and it's been like that ever since."

She mumbled.

"For three years, rumors and all, you suddenly changed back to your old self, truly..."

"Even if I changed a little, nothing else changed, did it?"

At those words, Seraphina, sitting on the bench, swung her legs and quietly said.

"Yeah. Lavin. I remained the same."

When Seraphina and I sat side-by-side on a bench as children, eating snacks, she always used to swing her legs and kick the ground like that.

"Even if you changed, no matter what you did, you had to remain the same.

I guess I wished that your love for me would also remain exactly the same, unchanged.

I also took it for granted. To be honest, I don't really know.

Everyone, everyone saw you as... well. I never heard a single good word about you."

Her voice was filled with emotion.

".......Ah. Yeah. But, well.

Three years of that, it's enough to get tired of it.

Yeah, it's enough to get tired of it."

And on the day I held Seraphina, she was also full of emotion.

But even so, nothing changed.

"If you close the door, it feels like something big will happen.

For some reason, I feel anxious when you're not in front of me.

Now, every time you look at me as if you're tired, I feel distressed.

But now, we're in a relationship where it's even hard to visit you naturally."

Even though I spoke coldly to Seraphina, I didn't hate her.

No matter how much I was ignored, no matter how much she disliked me, for 'Lavin' or for me, hating Seraphina was not easy.

Just as Seraphina approaches me like this even now.

"Yeah. Of course, not an engagement again.

Yes, like you said that night, even just the two of us.

No, not even that, going to another country just the two of us after graduation......."

But I know full well that nothing will change, no matter what I do.

"Seraphina."

If I approach, I'll be rejected again.

Perhaps not in a room, or on an empty street like this, but in a place full of others, she would ignore and criticize me again.

Because Seraphina had grown up that way.

She wouldn't disappoint her family or friends.

Seraphina always looks at me.

And she wishes I would become like her.

She wishes I would always live cautiously, mindful of those around me.

"Yeah. The money, I can prepare.

Or finding a place to work, that would be easy.

Since I'm excellent and can use magic quite well."

"Stop it."

"Why!?"

She cried out.

And then, as if startled by her own voice, she quickly closed her mouth.

She looked around.

Even though I was probably the only person who would pass through a place like this.

Seraphina was always like this.

No matter what she did, even when she was eating something herself, she would always look around and be mindful of others' reactions.

I recalled the times Seraphina used to visit every morning.

"I'm saying I'll help you.

Look, Lavin. I'll see you for who you are now, just as you wished.

I'll be by your side. Please, "

"Help me?"

"Yes. You've been kicked out of the family, and you have nothing now. How are you going to live on your own?"

"I'll manage just fine, so don't worry. And you don't need to concern yourself with that, Seraphina."

"Why do you think I wouldn't? What kind of relationship do we have......."

"Yes. What kind of relationship do we have?"

I looked her straight in the eyes and asked.

She couldn't answer.

Her lips merely trembled.

She remained silent for a long time.

With her head bowed, she was only looking down at her fingers.

Over the bandage, a faint bloodstain was spreading.

Her words about it being almost completely healed seemed to be a lie.

"I heard you've been going to church lately."

She asked abruptly.

"Who told you?"

"Just... I heard it. Someone else talking."

"So."

"Is it true?"

"What does that have to do with you?"

At those words, Seraphina's shoulders slumped.

I stood up from my seat.

I didn't want to continue this conversation anymore.

"I'm leaving."

"Lavin, just a moment."

She grabbed my arm.

Her hand was cold and subtly trembling.

I didn't shake off her hand.

I just stood still, waiting for her to say something else.

But no words came.

The strength just slowly drained from the hand holding me.

I headed for the church.

The sun had almost fully set, and darkness was descending.

As I opened the church door, a familiar scent greeted me.

Estelle was sitting on a chair, drinking wine.

"Ah, you're here."

She smiled when she saw me.

"A little late, aren't we? Did something happen?"

She said playfully.

But her eyes were checking if I was okay.

"Just, I slept a bit long for my nap."

I made a vague excuse.

Estelle didn't ask any further.

"Is that so? You must be hungry then. Come sit here.

I even managed to get some meat specially for today."

She took my hand and pulled me, seating me on the chair.

And as we ate dinner, she said softly.

"By the way, Lavin, could you help me with something?"

She took a sip of wine and licked her lips.

The red wine made her lips even redder.

"Because playing alone isn't all that fun."