The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 79

Delusion (18)

After becoming the new head, I found I could do more than I had expected.

Not only could I command the Edelgard servants Levina had placed around me as I pleased, but the worry of money, no matter where I went, seemed to have vanished.

Although people who would tread carefully around me, watching my every move, hadn't yet started to gather, at least those who would openly hurl insults or spread rumors, mocking me as I passed through the corridors, were nowhere to be seen.

The buzzing sound in my ears that had assaulted me every day had finally disappeared.

For some reason, I felt as if everything would go well if things continued like this.

I left the room I originally lived in and started staying in the room Levina had used.

Perhaps because it was a room specifically prepared for the great young head, it was much more luxurious and comfortable than where I used to stay, although my old room was perfectly fine.

The room was spacious, high-ceilinged, and utterly quiet, with not a single sound from outside reaching it.

Outside the window, a well-tended garden was always visible.The items she used were still there, but since neither Levina nor I were the type to become attached to objects and keep them, they didn't seem particularly important.

Although, a faint scent of perfume still seemed to linger in the air.

In the evenings, I sometimes visited Estelle.

Now, two or three times a week, I would have dinner with Estelle, or spend the remaining time going out somewhere with Seraphina.

Whenever we were alone, Seraphina would sometimes look at me with a face that seemed to want to ask something, but neither of us bothered to speak it aloud.

Especially ever since rumors started circulating within the academy that on the day Levina disappeared, I had been heading somewhere with her.

Our days always passed by vaguely, with the unspoken agreement to just remember them as enjoyable.

Today, I was leaning back in a comfortable chair, reading a magic book that Levina used to read often.

The text didn't register in my eyes.

It was filled with nothing but vague stories, so I couldn't even grasp what it was trying to say.

I merely stared blankly at the words, flipping through the pages.

Just then, Lineta, who was cleaning the room, spoke to me.

"Excuse me, Young Master."

Her voice was small and cautious.

"By the way, should I call you Young Head now?"

I replied without looking at her.

My gaze still lingered on the meaningless text.

"Just do as you've been doing."

"Even so..."

"Just call me Young Master."

At my words, Lineta seemed to hesitate for a moment.

Then, in a very small voice, she soon replied.

"Yes, Young Master."

She silently resumed her cleaning.

The sound of the mop brushing against the floor echoed rhythmically.

"Do you know, when I first came here, I used to tremble every day, scared of what Young Master might order me to do?"

Lineta spoke again.

This time, her voice was a little more relaxed than before.

"The rumors about you were truly dreadful."

I casually replied, turning the pages of the book whose words barely registered.

"Because rumors aren't always entirely lies."

"Even so, I didn't see any of those things myself!"

Lineta replied and then paused for a moment.

She then continued.

Her voice contained a certain conviction.

"These days, people are spouting all sorts of absurd things, but I don't believe Young Master is that kind of person."

Hearing that, I asked without taking my eyes off the book.

"What if I am that kind of person? Will you hate me?"

"At the very least, I don't think I could hate you."

"Why?"

"You're a difficult person to hate. I'm only saying this now, but I don't know why, it's been like that since I first met you.

You smelled similar to something I smelled in the village."

It seemed her cleaning was finished.

She flicked her duster clean at the window, then approached me.

"Shall I bring you a cup of tea, perhaps?"

In that instant, the strength drained from my hand.

The book I was holding fell to the floor.

A dull thud echoed in the room.

I stared blankly down at the book on the floor.

I reached out to pick it up again, but my hand couldn't quite reach it.

Before I could get up and pick up the book, Lineta approached first and retrieved it.

She lightly brushed the dust off the book and handed it to me.

"Are you alright, Young Master?"

Taking the book, I shook my head.

"No, tea isn’t fine."

"......"

"Instead, could you bring me some coffee and snacks?"

At those words, Lineta's face brightened considerably.

"Yes! I'll bring them right away!"

She replied with an almost joyful air and left the room with light steps.

Not long after, she returned carrying a tray.

On it were a steaming cup of coffee and a few biscuits arranged neatly on a clean plate.

"Here you are, Young Master."

Before taking it, I looked at Lineta's face.

At least it wasn't the strange, distorted expression she used to wear even when smiling.

Lineta, who was holding out the coffee cup to me, asked again with a puzzled expression when I didn't take it.

"Young Master?"

"Ah, yes. Thank you."

I took the coffee cup.

And for a long time, I gazed at the coffee in the cup.

Lineta's expression before she handed me the poisoned wine came to mind.

At least now, it wasn't that kind of feeling.

As I took a sip of coffee, a slightly bitter sourness and a subtly savory aroma spread through my mouth.

I felt a slight release of tension.

Meanwhile, Lineta was looking at the biscuits with a face full of anticipation.

"You come and eat too."

Lineta had always awaited the time she would come to my room to clean and run errands.

After all, I would give her such snacks or gifts whenever I called her.

"These biscuits are delicious. Where did you buy them?"

Lineta asked.

She was squatting beside me, looking up at me.

"From a shop in front of the academy. It just caught my eye."

"I should go there sometime too.

Lately, I've been so busy that I've only visited once since the first day, but next time, I'll go with my brother Kyle..."

At her words, I instinctively grabbed Lineta's wrist.

"You can just go with me."

"Would it really be alright for me to go out anywhere with Young Master?"

Leaning back in the chair, I pulled Lineta closer.

Lineta simply let herself be pulled along by the force.

Her body was light and soft.

"It doesn't matter, does it?"

"......"

Lineta said, her face somewhat flushed.

"If you ever have occasion to visit near the annex, would you please stop by our village?

In return..."

Her words were cut short.

It was because of the shadow standing by the doorway.

"You've been with that maid quite often lately."

It was Seraphina.

She was watching us, her arms crossed.

Lineta, startled, sprang away from me.

I looked at Seraphina and asked.

"How long have you been there?"

"Since you were about to pounce on that maid."

Hearing that, Lineta flinched, trembled, and with a flushed face, she scurried away into a corner as if fleeing.

I looked into Seraphina's eyes.

Like Levina's face that I had seen before, it was somehow haggard and etched with fatigue.

Her blue eyes had lost their glow and grown dull.

Seraphina walked around the room, surveying her surroundings.

Then she shot a glare at Lineta and spoke.

"I'm not trying to say anything, but you gave me the room key and told me to come whenever I wanted..."

"Don't just stand there, come over here."

I recalled the memory of Seraphina having blasted away my wrist in that place before.

Seraphina moved as I instructed, though she seemed unable to understand why.

As she sat down, I saw a letter in her hand.

"What's that letter?"

"My father sent it, but there's no need to read it."

"Why would he send me a letter?"

"He was trying to break off our engagement, wasn't he?

It's probably just full of apologies."

Seraphina bit her lower lip slightly.

I don't know how many times she had done it, but her lips were slightly chapped and looked exceptionally red.

"If you truly become the Head, I wouldn't be a suitable match for you, so I'd have to be mindful of others' opinions."

"Given how I am in the first place, there's no way I'd care about such things."

"......Thank you."

Even as Seraphina said that, she hesitated slightly, then bit her lower lip again.

And then, as if having made up her mind, she opened her mouth.

"By the way, I have something to tell you, and it's really important, so would it be alright to send that maid out first?"

I told Lineta to step out for a moment.

Lineta bowed her head and left the room.

The door closed, and we were once again the only two left in the room.

"So, what's this important thing you have to say?"

"Before Levina disappeared, did you really go to the Eastern Forest with that person?"

Seraphina took a deep breath and looked directly at me as she spoke.

Hearing her words, I stood up from my seat instead of replying.

And I walked towards the drawer containing the revolver.

"Lavin?"

Seraphina called out to me.

I didn't answer.

I opened the drawer.

Inside was a revolver.

Should I just shoot Seraphina right now?

The thought crossed my mind.

But this time, she had said she would trust me, so I decided to rely on those words.

Or perhaps, with the thought that there was nothing I could do anyway, I closed the drawer.

It had been incredibly difficult to imprison the Duchess, who was so disgusting and hateful, and also to shoot Levina, who had been approaching me.

I felt like I was becoming a mediocre person, unable to properly do good deeds, nor properly do bad deeds.

Regrettably, it seemed I wouldn't be able to shoot Seraphina.

I said with a smile.

"Yes, I did go, but I returned without incident."

"Just the two of you, went to that forest? On the day Levina disappeared?"

Seraphina's expression crumpled.

"It wasn't just the two of us; the Saintess was there too."

At those words, Seraphina suddenly, for some reason, adopted an expression of relief.

"Seraphina. You're doubting me right now, aren't you? You said you'd trust me."

Seeing that expression, I approached her.

And just like that, I lunged on her.

"You said you loved me. You said you'd hug me tight and tell me everything would be alright."

"La-Lavin! What are you doing?"

Seraphina resisted, but I paid no heed, pressing my body against hers and biting her ear.

As I bit her ear, the strength drained from her body.

I fumbled over Seraphina's body, but she only flailed her hands and couldn't push me away.

Her breathing somehow grew ragged.

I pushed Seraphina onto the bed just like that.

I swatted her hands away and tore open her upper garment.

But it wasn't there.

Rummaging through her lower garment, I found a pendant glowing with a blue light near her pocket.

I immediately flung it against the wall and shattered it.

The sound of glass breaking echoed in the room.

Blue fragments scattered across the floor.

Pushing her shoulder aside, I stood up and looked down at Seraphina, who was sprawled on the bed.

Then, without a word, I left the room.

Ignoring her voice that called out from behind me.