For the Young Villain’s Happy Ending - Chapter 92

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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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Chapter 92

The exchange of letters with Vivian—diary-like in nature—continued unabated.
A few days later.

“….”

Raina Hart sat in a chair at the dining table on the first floor, blinking her eyes for a moment.
She had been gazing at the night sky from the window, but seeing how the landscape had changed, it appeared that Vivian had awakened.

“One o’clock in the afternoon.”

Raina Hart checked the time on the wall clock, then pulled a notebook from her pocket.
New writing in a different hand than her own.
The date was one day ahead of her last memory.

「I picked wild strawberries today! They were so delicious I almost ate them all, remember? I saved a few for you. I’m sure you’ll love them!」

When she turned her gaze to the dining table, she spotted a wooden plate filled with a handful of wild strawberries.
Raina Hart picked up one strawberry and placed it in her mouth.
After the subtle sweetness came a tart flavor that made her wince involuntarily.

“Vivian’s palate is…quite something.”

It seemed that taste preferences truly did follow the soul.
Though it didn’t suit her palate, Raina Hart let out a small exclamation of acknowledgment as she continued eating the strawberries until the plate was empty.

“Is it not possible for you to coexist in this body alongside him?”

If this was coexistence, then perhaps it was coexistence.
Raina Hart recalled Person’s pleading words spoken in the rain at the Imperial Palace and let out a soft laugh.

‘Since Vivian’s active hours are increasing, this arrangement will only be temporary.’

Raina Hart left a reply thanking Vivian for the meal, then flipped through the notebook to review their past conversation.

‘There’s no answer to this question.’

In her letters, Raina Hart always received cheerful replies from Vivian.
Yet there was one question to which Vivian never responded.

“Do you know what kind of sachet the Duchess Asperada uses?”

The Vivian I knew would have written some reason why she couldn’t answer.
Perhaps there was some circumstance preventing her from doing so.
For instance.

‘…an oath, perhaps.’

Something related to Simona Asperada.

“Vivian, sister!”

Just as I was about to sink into contemplation, a loud voice came through the window.

***

It showed in her notebook entries, but Vivian possessed a bright and unguarded nature.
Because of this, whenever Vivian awakened, the number of people who had grown close to her seemed to multiply.
During the five days in the village, it was frequent for Vivian’s friends to visit the house or for strangers to strike up conversations with her on the street.

“Vivian, what are you doing today? Shall I show you around the village?”
“What perfect timing. Take this with you. I made cheese from milk. You should eat things like this.”

In the village, Vivian was known simply as a common young lady of unknown origin.

‘This body belongs to Vivian, after all.’

Though I was not naturally warm-hearted, I did my best to mimic Vivian’s brightness as I interacted with the villagers.

“It’s fine. I’ll explore on my own.”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

I believed that was my duty in borrowing Vivian’s body.
But.

….

Hearing Vivian’s voice calling from the first-floor window, I stepped outside, my heart heavy with an inexplicable unease as I surveyed the scene before me.

“Hehe.”
“Hehe.”

A dozen or so village children had gathered around, looking up at me with eager eyes.

“I… made a promise to go play with you…?”
“Yes!”
“We promised to catch stag beetles together!”

But hadn’t my notebook clearly stated that today I’d gone out to pick wild strawberries?
Making two promises in a single day—this was exhausting just to think about.
My energy was already draining at the mere thought of it.

‘Does my stamina differ when I’m Vivian…?’

I spoke to the children.

“…Monsters might appear, children.”

A barrier had been erected from the village entrance all the way into the mountains to prevent monster intrusions, so my excuse was rather thin.

“Don’t worry, big sister! We promised not to go outside the village!”
“We’re not scared when you’re with us.”
“Our dad said you’re the strongest among all the weak ones!”

Each child had a wooden stick tied to their waist.
The incident that sparked this had occurred three days ago, the day before yesterday.

“L-look over there!”
“An orc!”

Some villagers returning from the market had been chased by a single orc.
Just before reaching the barrier-protected village entrance, the orc’s club smashed their cart to pieces.
Drawn along by Vivian’s friends, I had rushed out to meet them and found myself charging forward.

“Vivian?!”
“It’s dangerous!”

Raina Hart brought the wooden sword down hard against the orc’s upper body.

Crack!

Unlike my usual sluggish movements, my body moved with surprising agility. I flowed around the orc’s club like water and landed a precise strike.
It was truly astonishing.
But it was a wooden sword without a blade.

“…Kugh?”
“Vivian!! Watch out!”

The orc, having taken no real damage, scratched its head before raising its club toward Vivian.
The villagers nearby closed their eyes, bracing for the horrific outcome.
But then.

Crack!
“Kyaaaagh!”

Thunder roared, and the orc’s death cry echoed out.
When the villagers opened their eyes, they saw a charred orc and Vivian sheathing her sword.

“Vivian…”
“She defeated the orc…?”

She had slain an orc with just a wooden sword.
In other words.
She had become the hero that all the village children looked up to with admiration and longing.

‘I should have stayed out of it.’

If I had simply watched the people abandon their carts and flee, the orc wouldn’t have entered anyway because of the barrier.

“Dad…!”

The whimper of a child nearby had made me act on instinct.
Beetle collecting.
It was a promise Vivian had made, but this seemed like my own doing.

“Wait a moment.”

There was no choice.
Raina Hart stepped inside the house, let out a short sigh, and emerged again with the wooden sword in hand.
It was a precaution against any unforeseen circumstances. In Vivian’s body, the only thing she could trust was the wooden sword Kevenriak had given her.

“Let’s go now.”

But at Raina’s words, the children remained motionless, their eyes fixed upon her.
As if they were waiting for her to say something more.

“…Why?”

Raina asked, her voice tinged with slight unease.
A boy who appeared to be around eight years old spoke up, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

“Vivian, aren’t you going to do it today?”
“The leader said you always have to say that.”
“Come on, you have to do it!”
…

I was afraid to even ask what “it” was.
But without my question, the mystery soon revealed itself.
The boy pulled out a wooden stick as if to demonstrate and shouted.

“Follow me!”
…

I closed my eyes for a long moment, doubting what I had just witnessed, then opened them again.
I hoped Vivian would wake up, but reality remained stubbornly mine.

“Follow me…”

So I was supposed to say something like a gang leader would.

“…!”

I declared it solemnly and walked forward.
I was grateful there were no eyes watching from the surroundings.

***

But.

“Huff…, huff…. Come on, everyone….”

Vivian’s stamina was so depleted that she couldn’t even keep pace with the children, let alone lead them.
I walked along the narrow path between the fields. The children had already begun climbing the mountain connected to the farmland.
This was the third gathering site we’d found after striking out at the previous two locations.
I couldn’t fathom how they remained so energetic.

‘Someone must be casting a heal spell on them….’

Or perhaps they’d been secretly given recovery potions.
I used my wooden sword as a support and brought my forehead to the pommel of the hilt.
I needed to catch my breath.

“Sister! Hurry up!”
“We’re going ahead!”

But for the children, the stag beetles before their eyes took priority over a lagging guardian.

“Such enthusiasm….”

I muttered weakly upon hearing their voices.
Were they planning to compile an encyclopedia of every stag beetle in the village?

“…I have to follow them.”

I was their guardian, after all.
Though barriers existed deep within the mountains to protect against monsters, danger wasn’t limited to them alone.
There were protruding tree roots to trip over, or beehives to accidentally disturb and knock down….

“M-Master! Ban got stung by a bee again!”
“Master! Jasmine went looking for Max and disappeared!”

“….”

I fell silent in recollection for a moment, then took a deep breath and raised my upper body.
But for Vivian’s body, that speed was too much, and the world spun before my eyes.

“Ugh…!”

My vision blurred terribly, the world before me dissolving into obscurity, yet I felt my body sway violently.
I stood upon a narrow furrow in a field.
One of considerable height.

‘I can’t get hurt…!’

This was Vivian’s body.
Yet my feet had completely lost contact with the ground, my balance utterly compromised.
In that fleeting instant, I thought I would surely tumble and roll without resistance.

Whoosh.

A powerful gust of wind swept in from the opposite direction of my fall, enveloping me.
I squeezed my eyes shut.

“…?”

When I opened them again, I stood upon the furrow once more.
I glanced about, yet saw no one.
Vivian’s body remained entirely unharmed.

***

“Your kin are all dead. Now only you remain.”

Simona gazed at the mirror within the jewelry box.

“S-Simona. Will you… will you kill me too?”

Twenty years had passed. The wandering musician who once played for others no longer existed.
What gazed back from the mirror was the highest-ranking noblewoman in the Betuzhenia Empire—the Duchess Asperada.
She shifted her gaze to the card in her hand.

「Age 22. Autumn. Escaped the Duke’s Castle.」

Autumn had only just begun.
It had been a month since Vivian escaped the castle.
She murmured softly, her gaze fixed upon the card.

“Things keep going awry.”

Even though I had killed her.

A knock sounded at the door.
With a soft click, Simona closed the jewelry box containing the card, then turned her head.

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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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