I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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11

“…! Right! What should we play?”

He grinned widely and opened the trunk again.

Kail let out a small snort, seemingly incredulous at how shamelessly excited I was getting over a mere 30-minute permission.

Whether he mocked me or not, I was just happy that the toys I had carefully selected wouldn’t go to waste.

“Um, how about Othello? It’s simple!”

“I don’t know how to play.”

“Then what about chess or trump cards?”

“….”

He hasn’t tried any of them. I felt quite sorry for him that he didn’t know even the commonly enjoyed board games. He must have really lived doing nothing but studying and training.

“I’ll teach you.”

Kail slightly nodded his chin as if to say go ahead.

“First, chess is a board game where two people compete against each other.”

When I explained the chess rules, Kail listened with quite a serious attitude. Even though it wasn’t a low-difficulty game, his eyes sparkled with interest.

It’s just like secretly introducing the existence of computer games to a model student who had only been going around to academies since childhood.

“That’s all for the explanation. Any parts you don’t understand?”

“No. Let’s start.”

The expected answer came back, and I immediately set up the chess pieces on the board.

“Kail, you take white.”

When I yielded the first move, Kail, who had been hesitating, soon picked up a white pawn.

The bandages wrapped around his palm caught my eye. Did he wrap them to prevent calluses?

After moving his pawn forward two squares, Kail rolled his eyes to look at me.

It’s the first game, and to get him interested, I should go easy, right? But I can’t make it obvious that I’m going easy on him. I need to win by a hair’s breadth.

I approached with such an arrogant mindset, relying only on the experience and wisdom I had accumulated from my previous life. Only after one of my pieces was captured first did I realize that the small child in front of me was no easy opponent.

‘This skill is hard to believe for a first game. He must have an exceptional mind.’

Kail continued the game without asking about the rules of movement.

When we had alternately captured three pieces each, I found myself absorbed in moving the chess pieces. Forgetting that I was supposed to go easy on him.

“Checkmate!”

After about 30 minutes of fierce battle, I shouted while toppling the white king. No matter how clever Kail was for his young age, he wasn’t at the level to beat me in his first chess game. It did develop into a close match as I had intended, though.

“You’re incredibly good for a beginner, Kail. It was a nail-biting match.”

It wasn’t empty words – he really was exceptional from the start.

However, after tasting defeat again following archery, his pride seemed hurt as Kail’s ears turned red.

Oh no. I should steer him toward a different game instead of chess.

“Let’s play one more round.”

“Won’t you try a different game? How about Old Maid? It’s simple yet thrilling – the best game!”

“….”

I waved the trump cards, trying to guide him to an easy and cheerful game, but Kail ignored my suggestion and rearranged the chess pieces.

He moved a pawn and another match began. This time, I deliberately made a bad move to let him win. When I moved my queen to a very poor square, sparks flew from Kail’s eyes.

“Are you serious about that move?”

“Huh? Oh! I made a mistake!”

“I’ll kill you if you go easy on me.”

“…I said it was a wrong move.”

I raised my hands with a pitiful expression, pretending it was a mistake, but Kail put my queen back in its original position.

“Move again.”

“Tch.”

He’s so quick to catch on. I’ll have to lose more subtly.

As I pretended to agonize while holding the queen, acting confused, Kail raised his fist.

“The loser gets flicked on the forehead.”

After making that terrifying declaration, he flicked his finger in the air, showing off the power of his flick.

A sound that would surely leave a bruise or swelling spread through the air.

“A-are you saying you’ll hit a lady?!”

When I covered my forehead with both hands and shouted, he twisted his lips up wickedly.

“So give it your best effort.”

You serious game addict! You’re threatening someone who’s trying to entertain you!

I was furious, but thinking it might actually be rude to deliberately lose to a kid whose pride was all he had, I gave it my all from then on.

Actually, that’s an excuse. I just don’t want to get hit.

When I won three games in a row, Kail’s forehead swelled up red. Since he insisted I shouldn’t hold back even on the punishment, I had no choice but to flick quite hard.

A record of 3-0 was established, and Kail, who had said he’d only play for 30 minutes, had been absorbed for two hours.

“One more game.”

“I have to go home now!”

When I jumped up and shouted, Kail seemed surprised to finally notice that the surroundings had grown dark.

Milly, who had given us space, came looking for us at just the right time.

“Miss, you should head home now.”

Milly bowed to Kail and urged me on.

“Yeah. I was about to leave anyway.”

Kail, who had been staring blankly at me preparing to leave, gestured toward the chess board with his chin.

“Lend me this.”

That rascal, it must have been fun after all.

“Kail, you can have it! But next time, let’s play something different.”

“I don’t want to until I win.”

Geez. He’s stubborn, so stubborn.

Still, his words about competing until he wins implied that I should come play again. It seemed we had naturally become closer, which made me feel secretly pleased.

The plan to divert Kail’s interests, Plan B, looks promising. Stimulating his competitive spirit with games to distance him from martial arts training – this might work well.

“Got it. Then practice a lot!”

“….”

“I’ll come play again soon, Kail! Bye!”

I waved with a smile, but today too, he didn’t respond to my greeting. He just stared with triangular eyes.

Still, his favorability probably went up. From -50 to around -30.

***

On the day I returned after bonding with Kail over chess, I brought up my next plan during dinner.

“Dad, could you throw me a party for my birthday?”

Though my birthday was still over a month away, I was asking permission in advance to invite Kail.

Count Brante’s eyes widened in surprise, though I had expected him to agree casually.

I thought throwing a party for a birthday was normal for a noble young lady in this world, so what’s with this reaction?

Had Rieze been such an extremely introverted voluntary loner that she hadn’t even celebrated birthdays until now?

“…Ah, yes. Of course you can.”

Count Brante, who had been frozen like stone, moistened his throat with a glass of water and showed an awkward smile.

Is this perhaps an unreasonable request? Are the Count’s family finances difficult?

“Just preparing a dinner would be fine! I’m only going to invite one friend.”

“What disappointing words. If we’re having a party, let me throw you a lavish one.”

“No, I want to keep it small.”

Remembering Darius’s birthday party that rivaled royal palace banquets, I quickly shook my head in alarm. Maybe I shouldn’t have called it a party. I should have just said I’d invite only Kail.

After a fierce back-and-forth about what scale of party to throw, we finally decided to determine the number of invitees when sending out invitations later.

“Your memories… they still haven’t returned, have they?”

Count Brante quietly set down his cutlery and asked in a lowered voice.

“…No. I’m sorry.”

I probably will never regain those memories, so what should I do.

What would happen if he knew that his real daughter was already dead, and a completely different person had taken over her body?

Whenever I felt how dearly the Count cherished his daughter, I would feel guilty as if I had stolen the original ‘Rieze’s’ place.

In my previous life, I had longed for and yearned for a harmonious family, but now that I was actually trying to blend in, I felt like an outsider.

“What’s there to be sorry about? Rather, you seem much more lively now, which is really good to see. You’ve made friends and go out to play often. In the past few years, you’ve never looked this happy… Ahem.”

“Ah…”

“I said something unnecessary.”

The Count mumbled the rest of his words and smiled warmly.

“Whether you have your memories or not, you’re my precious daughter. That will never change.”

Yes, this was exactly those moments. As I hesitated, not knowing how to respond, the Count gently patted my head and stood up.

“I’ll head upstairs now. Have a good night and sleep well.”

“…Good night.”

I pulled up the corners of my lips and bowed.

It would have been nice if my memories had been updated along with my soul. Since I wasn’t possessing a character with significant importance in the original work, I had no background knowledge about ‘Rieze’ either.

So even though it was frustrating, I had no choice but to pretend to have amnesia like this.

As I watched the Count’s back leaving the Dining Room, indescribable complex emotions bubbled up inside me.

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