I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 25

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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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25

 

―About an hour ago.

 

Kaileus, who had gotten off in front of Count Brante’s estate, couldn’t take a single step forward.

 

His feet wouldn’t move as if they were stuck to the ground. When he heard the boisterous voices coming from behind the mansion, his vision swayed as if space and time were twisting.

 

“The party seems to be in full swing.”

 

Darius, standing beside him, said while looking toward the garden. He had walked a few steps toward the mansion before turning back to look at Kaileus, who was still standing frozen.

 

“Kail?”

 

“Here, you give this.”

 

Kaileus forcibly shoved the shopping bag into Darius’s arms. It was dessert from 【Rotiang】 that he had bought after running there early in the morning, having pondered all night about what to give as a birthday present.

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Never tell her I was here. Make it seem like you’re the one giving that gift.”

 

It was like cooking porridge only to give it to a dog. The thought of Rieze being moved by receiving the gift he had prepared from Darius made his stomach churn, but he absolutely couldn’t cross that threshold as if nothing had happened.

 

Kaileus got into the Diern ducal carriage and slammed the carriage door shut before Darius could even respond.

 

“Kail!”

 

Ignoring Darius knocking on the window, Kaileus wiped his face and opened the window to the driver’s seat, ordering him to return to the manor.

 

‘What kind of mindset made me crawl here.’

 

Even shamelessness has its limits. What was he trying to accomplish by barging into a party without prior notice after declaring their friendship over?

 

Imagining Rieze being greatly flustered and troubled upon seeing him made bile rise in his throat.

 

No matter how little he cared about social appearances, he could predict that entering that place now would be like pouring ice water on a bonfire.

 

He hadn’t planned to come in the first place. This was all because of that bastard Darius.

 

Two days ago at Diern Manor, Kaileus was struggling alone in the training ground as he always did.

 

According to his usual routine, it was time to finish sword training and practice archery, but he wasn’t making any progress.

 

To erase the memories of that day that kept infiltrating his mind, Kaileus shook his head violently and picked up his bow and arrows.

 

He immediately began shooting arrows at the target. The arrows that had been missing the target, reflecting his jumbled thoughts, gradually settled near the center of the target as time passed.

 

Then he heard a whistling sound and Kaileus quickly turned around.

 

“You’ve improved a lot, Kail!”

 

Kaileus’s eyes turned cold as he confirmed the identity of the visitor leaning against a pillar. Darius was clapping with a bright smile.

 

“How did you grow so much in such a short time? I told you that you have talent!”

 

“Get lost.”

 

“Do Mother and Father know? Does your teacher?”

 

“I said get lost.”

 

There was no way Rieze would come to the manor at such a late hour. The fact that he had harbored false hope, even for a moment, filled him with self-loathing.

 

Darius approached without batting an eye, as if the sharp response was nothing unusual.

 

“It’s Miss Rieze’s birthday party the day after tomorrow, right? I’m going too, so let’s go together.”

 

Because of the name that pierced his ears, Kaileus’s movements suddenly stopped. He slowly turned toward his brother, whom he had been ignoring and not looking at.

 

“…You’re going?”

 

“It worked out well since I’m in the capital. I was planning to stop by the party before returning to Mitas.”

 

“…”

 

Darius continued his explanation in an excited voice.

 

“Miss Rieze gave me quite a nice gift before. I should repay her, but what would be good? Do you know what Miss Rieze likes, Kail?”

 

“…”

 

“What did you prepare?”

 

Kaileus’s heart beat unpleasantly as he listened to his story in a daze.

 

“I’m…!”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Kaileus’s lips, which had been about to say he wasn’t going, stiffened when he saw Darius’s faint smile.

 

Kaileus silently glared at him as he tilted his head with a smile in his eyes.

 

“Yeah. What about you?”

 

Darius reached out his hand while asking back as if coaxing a child, and Kaileus brushed away his touch as if something filthy had touched him.

 

Facing the hostile reaction, Darius exhaled through his nose and raised the corners of his mouth.

 

“You won’t tell me, is that it? I understand. I’ll have to figure it out myself. Let’s see whose gift Miss Rieze likes more. Well then, good night, Kail.”

 

With that evening greeting, Darius left. Kaileus, who had been frozen like a stone statue for a while, suddenly erupted in anger and roughly threw down his bow.

 

He could vividly picture Rieze being delighted to see Darius at the birthday party. He could also see her unwrapping the gift he had prepared and cheering.

 

When that face overlapped with the scene of her chatting excitedly with Darius with a flushed face from before, irritation welled up.

 

Clearly, it was no longer any of his business. He had resolved to cut ties with that child. Why was he so annoyed?

 

Yes, it was all Darius’s fault for provoking him.

 

Getting up at dawn to choose clothes and cut his hair, waiting in front of the dessert shop worried it might sell out early and entering first, being surrounded by female employees cooing over him while he sweated choosing a gift set.

 

As soon as the carriage wheels stopped in front of Diern Manor, Kaileus jumped out as if he had been waiting. He disheveled his neatly combed and fixed hair and loosened the tie that was choking his neck.

 

After returning to his room, Kaileus rummaged through his drawers and found the birthday party invitation that Rieze had given him. It wasn’t an official invitation stamped with the count’s seal, but a crude invitation written by hand.

 

― I, Rieze Brante, invite Kaileus Diern, my first and only friend, to my birthday party.

 

After reading the words written in cute handwriting below the date and location, Kaileus cursed and threw the invitation.

 

It was dozens of times that he had turned his gaze to the training ground entrance because of the clear voice he occasionally heard, and dozens of times that her chattering red lips and refreshing green eyes had appeared like hallucinations.

 

Why was he acting this way after driving her away so coldly? Even looking back at himself, it was an absurd course of action.

 

But such foolish behavior was now over.

 

The birthday party day had ended. The last thread-like connection had also been severed.

 

Kaileus dragged his uncomfortable body, as if food was weighing him down, and lay on the bed.

 

‘I should rest a little and then train.’

 

Just as he was drowsily falling in and out of sleep, someone knocked on the door. When he opened his eyes, the butler’s gentle voice could be heard from outside the door.

 

“Young Master Kaileus, Miss Rieze has come to see you.”

 

***

 

Guided by the butler, I sat in the garden pergola and waited obediently for Kail. Holding the shopping bag with 【Rotiang】’s name engraved on it.

 

‘Hmm…What should I say.’

 

It would probably be very awkward and embarrassing when I faced Kail, but I had rushed out without caring about the consequences, following my impulses.

 

Simply because I missed Kail, my comfortable friend from the past.

 

‘Right, I should apologize and go.’

 

Even if we can’t reconcile and become friends again, let me at least apologize before leaving. If he refuses to meet me like this, then there’s nothing I can do.

 

However, Kail came before I could even take the first sip of tea. Judging by his disheveled clothes and hair, he seemed to have rushed over.

 

“Kail!”

 

Joy suddenly surged up and I called his name with a bright smile. Kail, who had been looking at me intently with wide eyes, slowly closed the distance.

 

“…Why did you come.”

 

“I heard that you came to the birthday party and just left. Ah.”

 

I shouldn’t have said that. Sure enough, Kail’s expression crumpled unpleasantly.

 

“But don’t be angry at Brother Darius! I was so happy to hear that you came!”

 

I quickly defended Darius and changed the subject.

 

“We parted on bad terms, so I didn’t think you’d come. Thank you so much.”

 

“…”

 

“Did you come to keep your promise?”

 

“…I can’t live bald for the rest of my life.”

 

I remembered the oath I had made him swear when I forcibly pressed the invitation into his hands, and I laughed softly. So he had remembered that.

 

Kail turned his head and roughly rubbed the back of his neck. I had been worried he might coldly drive me away again, but since the atmosphere wasn’t bad, I gained courage.

 

I approached Kail, who was standing awkwardly in front of the table, and pulled him to the seat next to me. Surprisingly, he was led along obediently and sat down, so I observed him carefully.

 

He was dressed in a tuxedo with a shirt and vest, just like at Darius’s birthday party when I first met him. Although slightly disheveled, he had cut his long bangs that had hung like curtains over his face and neatly swept them back.

 

Now that I could finally see around his eyes clearly, I felt refreshed.

 

“You cut your hair. It looks much better.”

 

Perhaps because his dressed-up appearance felt awkward, or because the compliment was embarrassing, he couldn’t stay still and kept running his hands through his black hair.

 

Then she looked at me and stubbornly pouted her lips.

 

When I waited patiently, that sulky mouth finally opened.

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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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