I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 26

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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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26

 

“…You said you had no friends, but you had plenty.”

 

Huh? Ah. He must have seen the bustling party scene at the Count’s mansion.

 

“Most of them were strangers.”

 

Well, some of the young ladies seemed eager to get close to me, but by my standards, they’re far from being called friends.

 

Kail’s eyes narrowed as if gauging the truth.

 

“Really. Father sent out invitations on his own. I only just learned the names of the kids who were there.”

 

I shrugged my shoulders in protest.

 

“Actually, I didn’t want to go back to that gathering… I heard you had stopped by, so I was glad I could escape.”

 

I could deeply understand Darius fleeing from his own birthday party.

 

When I smiled brightly, Kail averted his eyes. He placed the shopping bag full of desserts on the table with a thud.

 

“Kail, did you go buy this yourself?”

 

“…Whether I went myself or not, it doesn’t matter.”

 

His petulant response carried a positive vibe. Imagining him creaking like a robot as he entered a fancy shop to pick out desserts made me want to burst out laughing, but I held it in.

 

“It looks delicious! Thank you so much. I’ll enjoy it.”

 

The head still facing away from me nodded shallowly up and down.

 

After that, while an awkward atmosphere flowed for a while, the ducal house’s butler served Kail’s tea on the table and left. Glancing at the two of us with strangely pleased eyes.

 

Regardless of Kail’s condition, I decided to confess what I had planned to tell him before.

 

“Kail. When I met you again, there was something I wanted to talk about.”

 

After catching my breath for a moment, I opened my lips.

 

“…I’m sorry. I wanted to apologize for what happened before.”

 

Hearing my words, Kail whipped his head toward me. As if it was a completely unexpected statement, his eyes doubled in size.

 

Finally making eye contact.

 

“I was selfish and arrogant. I didn’t consider your situation or feelings at all, just kept pestering you. Even though you kept expressing that you didn’t like it.”

 

“….”

 

“All those times I asked you to play with me were my one-sided demands, but you accommodated me. Looking back, you must have had your own schedule and plans, so it must have been really annoying. I reflected on it.”

 

After delivering a straightforward apology, I smiled brightly. Kail remained frozen stiff with his mouth slightly open.

 

“And even though we parted on such bad terms, thank you for coming to keep your promise.”

 

After calmly conveying all that, I felt like my throat, which had been blocked with cotton, was finally cleared.

 

Kail, who had been frozen like a statue for a while, rubbed his face vigorously with dry hands. His mouth kept opening and closing as if he had something to say but couldn’t organize his thoughts well.

 

I waited quietly for his words to be refined without rushing him.

 

“That…, my words were harsh too. I didn’t really think of you as a wastrel or pathetic. Um. So back then… maybe I was physically tired and suddenly got emotional.”

 

Kail rambled incoherently without finishing his sentence. His yellowish eyes wandered, unable to look directly at me.

 

“Well, I didn’t do anything right either…”

 

Wow. That Kail is apologizing right now. This means we’re making up, right?!

 

Equally surprised, I stared at Kail with wide eyes.

 

“I think I was a little… wrong…”

 

His volume gradually decreased in a decrescendo until it became like ASMR. Though it was quieter than a mosquito’s buzz and he didn’t properly finish his sentence, his feelings came through clearly.

 

That’s enough.

 

You tried, you really tried. I’ll count it as hearing your apology.

 

“Kail.”

 

Worried that Kail’s cheeks, which had ripened like tomatoes, might explode if I left him any longer, I smiled and extended my hand.

 

“So we’re making up now?”

 

Kail, clenching his molars tightly, nodded with his half-closed eyes looking downward.

 

“You have to give me a reconciliation handshake.”

 

When I urged him with my arm floating in the air, Kail unclenched his fist and lightly grasped my hand.

 

I was startled by how hot his hand was, but I didn’t show it and shook it vigorously.

 

Finally, a historic day when our hearts truly connected. I never thought it would be resolved so easily. I’m moved.

 

After that, I took out the box from 【Rotiang】 that he had given me and opened it. The desserts, each wrapped in pretty oil paper, stimulated my sense of smell with their sweet fragrance.

 

“Let’s eat this together.”

 

“…No thanks.”

 

“Tsk, that’s a shame. It would taste better if we ate together.”

 

Since I decided not to force anything, I accepted the refusal and immediately closed the lid.

 

“…Fine. Let’s eat.”

 

It was unexpected that Kail reversed his answer.

 

“Huh? Really?”

 

Kail, who answered with a small exhale, opened the box I had closed and gestured with his chin.

 

“Great! Hmm. Everything looks delicious, but what should we eat first?”

 

After pondering seriously as if making a momentous decision, I picked up a madeleine with a subtle Earl Grey fragrance.

 

I broke the madeleine in half, put the smaller piece in my mouth, and fed the larger piece to Kail. Kail, whose eyes became as big as marbles in surprise, soon chewed the madeleine while grumbling.

 

“…I can eat by myself.”

 

“Ah. Sorry.”

 

I fed him so naturally without thinking. Was I being too familiar?

 

After a brief apology, I put my portion of the madeleine in my mouth in one bite.

 

“Mmm! There’s definitely a reason why it’s famous. It melts in your mouth!”

 

“…That’s good.”

 

When I grabbed both cheeks and made a fuss, Kail glanced at me and muttered.

 

For the next one, I broke it in half and placed it right in his palm. Kail slowly and wordlessly munched on the desserts.

 

When eating particularly sweet flavors like vanilla or chocolate, his dead fish eyes came to life and became lively. His swallowing speed was faster too.

 

‘As I thought, you do like sweet things, Kail! Admit it!’

 

By the way, the taste is shocking.

 

Of course, the desserts I had tried at the Brante Estate and Diern Ducal House were delicious enough, but 【Rotiang】 was on a different level. The flavor wouldn’t lose even compared to Seoul’s hottest dessert shops.

 

While savoring the taste in ecstasy, I suddenly realized this wasn’t the important thing. Now that we’ve made up, we should have an open and refreshing conversation!

 

“Kail. How have you been?”

 

Didn’t you miss me during that month without me?! Weren’t you sad not having a chess opponent?!

 

The small talk was just a pretense, but I asked with that meaning in my heart.

 

“…Just. It was the same.”

 

“Training every day? From morning to evening?”

 

When I asked for confirmation, Kail’s head moved up and down almost imperceptibly.

 

Nothing’s really changed. Neither his daily routine nor his brief, indifferent answers.

 

“I see.”

 

I was about to ask if anything had changed since his father, Duke Selpieus Diern, was staying at the capital’s manor, but I stopped, thinking it might be a sensitive topic. Instead, I started chattering about my inner thoughts and recent happenings.

 

“I was bored since I couldn’t play with you. Even the books I loved so much were less fun.”

 

“….”

 

“After knowing the joy of sharing with a friend, playing alone felt lonely and tedious. But talking with a bunch of strangers was exhausting too. I thought I really have a damn difficult personality.”

 

“….”

 

“Ah. My close maid Milly kept me company when she could, but since Milly has other things to do, I felt sorry. So I asked Father for a foal as a birthday present. If I had a companion horse, I wouldn’t be lonely, and it would be nice to practice riding and go around on horseback.”

 

In the middle of me pouring out TMI alone, Kail’s lips twitched a couple of times, but no sound came out. I stopped chattering and waited quietly to give him a chance to speak too.

 

With my hands, I busily broke the next target, a lemon pound cake with a refreshing fragrance, in half.

 

“I don’t want to eat anymore. You eat the rest later.”

 

When I offered him half of the lemon pound cake, Kail snapped angrily.

 

Oops. Was it wrong to devour several of the gifts at once in front of the person who gave them?

 

I wanted to taste them together. Though I also couldn’t stop myself.

 

“Got it. I’ll save them!”

 

After closing the box, I even retied the ribbon.

 

“It was a gift that perfectly hit my taste. Thank you.”

 

“…More than that bracelet?”

 

“Huh?”

 

When I asked back, not understanding the question, Kail gestured toward the silver bracelet on my wrist.

 

“Better than that bracelet?”

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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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