I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 28

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

28

A tall gravestone standing under the shade of an elm tree in one corner of the garden, surrounded by iron railings.

After dressing neatly, I headed toward where Father and Brother were.

On the pure white marble bathed in dim sunlight, the Countess’s name was carved in elegant script. The fragrance of white lilies arranged in rows below the gravestone drifted on the breeze.

I watched the two from a distance without making a sound. Brother’s fingertips trembled slightly as he kept his head deeply bowed. Father, with his shoulders hunched, continuously dabbed at his eyes with a handkerchief.

Rieze’s diary had written that Father and Brother were doing well without Mother, but from what I could see, both seemed sufficiently sorrowful.

‘They must have hidden their feelings in front of their grieving young daughter and sister.’

Since my presence would break this quiet moment, I too held my breath and observed a moment of silence. As I turned through the album of rising memories page by page, my throat began to ache.

When I sniffled, Father heard the sound and turned around.

“Rieze. When did you arrive?”

“…About 10 minutes ago.”

As I squeezed out my choked voice, Father smiled gently and extended his arms, and I ran over and nestled into his embrace.

A faint smile also crossed Brother’s lips as he glanced at us.

“Why didn’t you bring me along?”

“…Mm. I’m sorry.”

Though I knew he had been considerate of my memory loss, I complained anyway, and Father apologized without adding any other explanation.

“…If you both just stay quiet like this, Mother will be bored.”

I turned my body to look up at the gravestone and opened my lips.

“Mother. We’re here. It’s already the fourth year we’re spending without you. We’re all healthy and doing well. That nagging Brother Simon graduated top of his class at the Royal Military Academy. Hard to believe, right?”

After a brief playful glaring match with Brother, I continued the story.

“Father still worries a lot and cries a lot too. He takes good care of us so we don’t feel your absence. The day before yesterday, we got a new family member too. A foal with dazzling white fur, so pretty. I’ll tell you about Seolgi from time to time. And as for me.”

I paused briefly and took a deep breath.

“I read through 【The Cowardly Hero and the Evil Wizard】 again, the one Mother and I read together the most. Volume 9 was released recently. But reading it alone makes even the fun parts a little sad. When I was little, Mother would read it changing her voice. The princess’s voice, the hero’s voice, and the old wizard’s voice too.”

Feeling Brother and Father’s surprised eyes turn toward me at once, I showed them a bright smile.

I took out a piece of parchment from my pocket and gently placed it in front of the gravestone.

“Mother. You promised that when I got a bit older, we’d try writing our own adventure story together. So I hastily wrote one last night as a crash course. It’s only one page so far, but I brought it to show you first. Please read it happily! I’ll bring you the next part soon. Please continue watching over our family peacefully from heaven. I love you.”

As I finished my letter to Mother, Father and Brother, both with reddened eyes, rushed toward me simultaneously.

“Rieze. Your memory has returned!”

“Really now, making us worry all this time. You little rascal.”

Father, who burst into tears, hugged me tightly, while Brother gently knocked my head without hurting me.

After that, just like with Milly, we spent time catching up and rejoicing together. Father especially forgot his dignity and shed tears, which took effort to console.

It would be wonderful if I could end things just like this.

But there was something I absolutely had to confess to my family who truly loved me.

Even though I had been asked by Rieze’s soul and inherited her memories, I could never be completely the same as her, so this was a process I had to go through.

After stepping away from Father’s embrace, I stood resolutely.

“Brother, Father. I was seriously ill in spring, wasn’t I?”

“…Yes, you were.”

“Actually, a great change occurred within me at that time. I can’t explain it in detail, but everything about me changed from that point on. My values, personality, attitude toward life, even my food preferences and small habits.”

The two exchanged puzzled looks as if wondering what I was suddenly talking about.

“My memory has returned, but… you might still feel like I’m a different child than before. Especially Father might feel hurt or confused…, so I’m sorry in advance.”

Living my entire life acting like Rieze would be overwhelming, and even if I tried, a performance thorough enough to fool even my family would be impossible.

I raised my head expecting to see the two looking surprised or troubled. However, what entered my vision was Father chuckling heartily and Brother snickering.

“Haha. My daughter, as Father said before, as long as our daughter is healthy and happy, it doesn’t matter how she changes.”

“What am I supposed to say to that. You’re taking a long time to say you’ve hit puberty.”

Their reactions were so nonchalant that my serious demeanor became embarrassing.

“No, no. Really. I’ve changed, you know? My personality has become more eccentric and cynical!”

“Yes, yes. Originally, everyone becomes a bit like that around twelve years old.”

“Though it would be a bit troublesome if your personality got any worse than that.”

I was the one who ended up flustered instead. As I stammered, having lost words to retort, Father patted both our backs and took the lead.

“Now. We’ve finished greeting Mother, so let’s go have our meal, children.”

“I’m starving from dealing with my troublesome sister.”

Watching the backs of the two as they walked away, I laughed in bewilderment.

It was absurd that my carefully considered confession was dismissed as merely a pubescent girl’s rebellion, but if it meant the two could accept it without being hurt, then perhaps it worked out well anyway.

Following my now more comfortable state of mind, my steps also became lighter.

“Wait for me!”

Sunlight filtering through the leaves shimmered as it saw us off. It was the beginning of a long, long summer.

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