A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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12.

At the low voice that resonated in my ears, I slowly opened my eyes.
And my gaze met Ethan’s, who was staring at me with an oddly enigmatic expression.
‘…Damn, without even realizing it.’
I had jumped to conclusions and frightened myself unnecessarily.
Recalling my own oversensitivity from moments before, I bit my lip firmly.
As I hastily averted my gaze to feign composure, I belatedly noticed the hand extended before me.
A pristine white glove—the kind that reflected Ethan’s meticulous nature.
And upon it lay a single, minuscule pale yellow petal, resting there forlornly.
“This is….”
It was undoubtedly the one he had removed from my hair moments ago.
My mind reeled in confusion.
‘He wasn’t trying to strike me… he was trying to remove this?’
Well, with so many eyes watching, Ethan would have to be mad to lay a hand on me.
Yet I despised myself for that momentary flinch.
‘How terrifying habit can be.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly and swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape.
As I gazed down at the petal resting upon the glove, my mind turbulent,
a belated realization struck me—that Ethan had shown me an unexpected kindness.
‘Why all of a sudden…?’
Only then did I lift my head, regarding him with a puzzled gaze.
His face, armored in coldness, revealed not the faintest trace of emotion.
But I knew well enough that a man who had done nothing but provoke me would not remove a petal out of goodwill.
‘Is he saying this petal is as bothersome as me? That I’m slovenly and pathetic? Or is he testing whether I’ve lost my memory again?’
Muttering like a sigh as I conjured thoughts he might harbor, I spoke.
“…Thank you.”
In that instant, Ethan uttered something unexpected.
“Who brought flowers into this house?”
His expression turned remarkably cold as he swept his gaze across the servants standing rigidly before us.
Then he turned to the Butler with a low, cutting tone.
“Butler. Have you still not properly instructed the subordinates on the master’s particular circumstances?”
“N-no, young master, it is not such a thing…!”
The Butler’s complexion drained of all color.
I, who had been frozen with wide eyes at Ethan’s sudden outburst, quickly intervened to prevent the blame from falling on an innocent party.
“It’s not the servants’ fault.”
“Then did you roll through a flower garden on all fours? While suppressing your breathing difficulties?”
“No. That’s not it….”
Why are you reacting so sensitively?
You didn’t care whether Edith lived or died….
I regarded him with a strange gaze and spoke.
“It was unavoidable. Vincent Leandro suddenly scattered flower petals with his ability right in front of me.”
“Vincent Leandro… displayed his ability in front of you?”
“Yes, as for why… ah, ah, ah-choo―!”
That was when it happened. Suddenly my nose tingled, and before I could stop it, a sneeze burst forth.
“….”
I tried to turn my head away, but unfortunately, whether or not saliva had scattered, Ethan’s expression twisted in that very moment.
Seeing him squeeze his eyes shut, embarrassment welled up inside me.
My face flushed crimson as I stammered out in panic.
“I… I’m sorry, but would it be alright if I went upstairs first? I’m not feeling well.”
“…Very well.”
The moment permission was granted, I rushed past him and hurried up the staircase.
‘Ugh… why did I have to sneeze at that moment…! How mortifying!’
Even if we were practically enemies, he was still one of the male leads.
To spit on him. To scatter saliva like a spray bottle…!
I had inadvertently done something terrible to Ethan.
However, by the time I had reached the second floor, the mortification gradually subsided.
“Huff, huff… Well, that’s rather fitting, isn’t it?”
I muttered while glancing down the distant staircase below.
Thinking about it again, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
Wasn’t he the man who stood by and allowed Edith to die in the end?
Compared to that, a few drops of saliva on his face was nothing but a trifle.
That was the moment.
Suddenly, I felt someone’s gaze so intensely it burned my face.
Without thinking, I turned my head, and there was Vincent, who had walked out into the lobby.
“…!”
Despite the distance, our eyes met precisely.
When had it started?
He stood with his head held high, staring directly at me on the second floor.
‘Ugh!’
I shuddered and quickly turned away, pretending not to see him.

― Either go find Ruellin quickly and receive purification, or go back to your own home and isolate yourself. Don’t cause trouble here for no reason.
― How unlucky.

In any case, Vincent had just heard words from me that felt like an insult.
There was no point in running into each other again—it would only make things awkward between us.
‘…Should I not have said it quite like that?’
Recalling my conversation with Vincent, I felt a twinge of regret.
Back then, I’d let my emotions run wild and spouted whatever came to mind, but thinking about it now, I was the only one at a loss.
If he harbored a grudge and used his ability against me…!
‘Should I go apologize right now and pretend we’re close?’
I’d been dawdling along, but I soon exhaled a deep sigh and shook my head.
“That doesn’t make sense….”
I hadn’t wanted things to spiral into such ruin, but truthfully, this collision was inevitable sooner or later.
The Edith Blake you knew.
That naive girl who didn’t know what to do with her blind adoration for you—she no longer exists. I needed to make you understand that.
“Sigh… Playing the villain is really… so exhausting….”
Feeling my strength suddenly drain away, I trudged toward Edith’s—no, my room now.
Behind my retreating figure, Ethan’s voice issuing some command grew distant and faint.
“…Where is the healer? Find her and bring her to the second floor….”

***

Vincent, who had been watching intently as Edith disappeared beyond the second floor corridor, soon lowered his gaze and looked straight ahead.
“Brother.”
Ethan, who had been asking the Butler about the healer’s whereabouts, regarded the man approaching him with an indifferent stare.
“Did she hit her head?”
“….”
“They said she came back from the dead, but our Edith’s completely lost her mind. She doesn’t even know who I am. Does that make sense? Ha!”
Vincent let out a hollow laugh and spoke with cutting sarcasm.
Then Ethan narrowed his brows and warned quietly.
“Watch your tongue. What are you all doing?”
At their master’s gesture to dismiss the listening ears, the Servants standing respectfully scattered in haste.
In the meantime, Vincent, who had fallen into contemplation, tilted his head slightly.
“I don’t think I saw the moment she fell….”
“….”
“Did you see it, brother?”
“Why did you come here?”
Ethan didn’t answer that pathetic question and instead asked in return.
Then Vincent grumbled as if exasperated.
“Why did I come? Obviously I came looking for Ruellin.”
“Ruellin isn’t here.”
“What? Then where is she?”
“I don’t know. I thought she might have gone for purification, so I searched around Tollen, but I couldn’t find her.”
“So Ruellin’s disappearance… truly wasn’t Edith’s doing?”
His gentle eyes, reminiscent of a puppy’s, slowly widened.
Ethan exhaled a quiet sigh at Vincent’s visibly shocked expression.
“I understand your concern, but it’s true that she regained consciousness from her coma yesterday. The Duke and I confirmed it with our own eyes.”
“….”
“As she claimed, the amnesia… it doesn’t appear to be a lie, at least from what I saw today.”
“Amnesia…?”
All expression drained from Vincent’s face.
He repeated the word “amnesia” several times, as though hearing it for the first time.
“So Edith really has amnesia? She’s not lying to escape the situation?”
“….”
“Brother doesn’t remember either?”
“…The Duke couldn’t recognize her either.”
Ethan replied quietly, his gaze briefly avoiding Vincent’s.
His tone carried a hint of defensiveness, though Vincent didn’t immediately notice.
“Then… why wasn’t she surprised at all when I used my ability? If she has amnesia, she should have forgotten what an Awakener is…!”
“She’s already encountered a healer. And information like that can easily be learned from the servants.”
The young viscount’s relentless questioning finally ceased.
A deathly silence descended upon the two men, each lost in their own thoughts.
A moment passed.
Suddenly, Ethan narrowed his brow and fixed his gaze on Vincent.
“Speaking of which, why did you suddenly show up and do that?”
“Do what?”
“Did you forget she has severe pollen allergies?”
Even without a subject, it was immediately clear whom he meant.
At the same moment, Vincent’s golden eyes trembled as if shaken.
“This is a delicate time. Don’t come all the way here and cause unnecessary trouble.”
Ethan gestured dismissively at the servants moving about, his displeasure evident.
There was no telling which loose-tongued servant might notice today’s events and spread word.
The Duke was already in foul spirits over his daughter’s miraculous recovery—the last thing needed was for him to learn of this.
“….”
Vincent opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again.
After repeating this for some time, he finally wrung out a question.
“…That’s right.”
“….”
“Why did I…”
“….”
“forget that, brother?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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