I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 46

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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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46

 

I pursed my lips to hold back my laughter.

 

“That’s right, if you’re ordinary friends! You just drop by whenever you want to see each other!”

 

“….”

 

Kail hung his head in embarrassment, unable to continue speaking.

 

Inviting him to come over more often would probably be too much for Kail’s personality.

 

This level of honesty is the best he can manage right now.

 

I wanted to say I’d visit him more often since I’d like to see Kail more frequently too, but there was something holding me back.

 

The fact was that I had actually gotten quite busy.

 

Besides the new classes I’d started, the social season had resumed and young ladies from various families were beginning to send tea party invitations.

 

After thinking it over, I came up with a brilliant solution.

 

“Kail. Want to take riding lessons together?”

 

“What?”

 

“You haven’t learned yet either, right? You’ll have to learn soon anyway. So let’s learn together. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2 PM for an hour, at the riding arena on our estate grounds. Let’s ask our parents!”

 

Since I had to learn riding anyway, I could kill two birds with one stone by meeting with Kail at the same time.

 

Kail’s stiff expression softened at my suggestion.

 

Judging it to be a decent idea, he scratched his nose bridge and finally agreed.

 

“…Well, alright.”

 

After that, we had refreshments together and unwrapped the Countess’s return gifts that Kail had brought.

 

They consisted mainly of rare ornaments from overseas, finest fabrics and jewels, and premium food ingredients.

 

It’s incredibly generous payment for a week of food, lodging, and guidance.

 

Moreover, the Countess returned 【Frank Luden’s Butterfly Guide】 that I had given her months ago, intending it as a permanent gift.

 

Along with other butterfly books and illustrations.

 

I clicked my tongue as I flipped through the gorgeous butterfly painting frames that artists had drawn by hand.

 

“Wow. This must be expensive….”

 

Feeling slightly guilty, I looked at Kail, who raised his eyebrows.

 

“How long do you plan to keep up the lie about liking butterflies?”

 

What about you—when are you going to reveal your peach allergy?

 

The words rose to my throat but I held them back.

 

That would be a bit much.

 

Even though we shared secrets with each other, their weight was different.

 

Surprisingly, I had actually stopped disliking butterflies so much.

 

“I still don’t particularly like them, but lately I’ve been doing more outdoor activities and taking care of animals, so my disgust toward insects has improved.”

 

“…Really?”

 

“I don’t mind if a butterfly lands on me now.”

 

It got better once I adapted to it.

 

If that’s the case, wouldn’t I come to like them if I tried to?

 

If I came to like them, there would be no awkwardness in exchanging books and pictures like these.

 

“Please tell the Countess I’m very grateful and that I’ll come visit her soon.”

 

“Got it.”

 

I set aside just the butterfly books and pictures, leaving the rest for the butler and servants to organize.

 

“So now… want to tour our house? It’s not as big as yours, but it’s well decorated. Oh, our study is definitely bigger and more magnificent than yours!”

 

The library-sized study, filled with tens of thousands of books by the late Countess, was the pride of Count Brante’s estate.

 

“I’ll show you Seolgi too. Once you see her, you’ll definitely be dying to learn riding right away!”

 

I stood up triumphantly and pulled Kail’s arm.

 

Kail clicked his tongue as if annoyed but still got up.

 

Walking together toward the study, I suddenly felt that Kail’s eye level had gotten higher.

 

‘He’s grown taller?’

 

Standing close side by side, it was obvious. The height difference that had been two finger joints was now reduced to one.

 

At this rate, he’ll catch up to me next year and surpass me the year after.

 

Imagining his young, round face becoming angular and firm, and his cute build becoming a burly male body, gave me goosebumps and felt somehow disgusting.

 

I could picture Darius as a complete adult without any sense of incongruity, but Kail would seem very awkward.

 

Maybe it’s because there’s such a huge difference between the current Kail and the description of Kaileus as a villain in the original work.

 

While various thoughts crossed my mind, we had already reached the study.

 

I grabbed the golden, gleaming door handle of the study.

 

“Now. Prepare to be amazed. Our house’s study that rivals the royal palace library—grand opening!”

 

Let me set aside those distant concerns and focus on playing with this child for now.

 

***

 

The majestic fortress where dusk was settling, Randerstd Royal Military Academy.

 

Simon sat in the empty student lounge, studying the schedule for the guerrilla training that would take place for a week starting next week.

 

It was comprehensive practical training that included various high-intensity mock combat exercises as well as camping and marching.

 

Simon’s class was divided into four squads with squad leaders assigned by academic ranking.

 

Simon, who became the leader of Squad 2, scribbled down his squad members’ strengths and planned strategies.

 

“During shooting, I’ll take the front position and deploy this guy for cover….”

 

Since it was a format where common points were awarded by squad, cooperation and unity were extremely important.

 

To claim first place this semester, he had to surpass Squad 1 led by Darius, so Simon was approaching this more seriously than ever.

 

Just then, Traver Colt, the third son of the Colt Marquis family, entered the lounge.

 

Simon gave only a brief nod to his classmate who had become the leader of Squad 4, then focused on strategy planning again.

 

Traver approached Simon and placed a sandwich wrapped in wax paper on his desk.

 

“Haven’t had dinner yet, have you? Simon. I didn’t see you in the student cafeteria.”

 

“…Thanks, Traver.”

 

Though he had neither appetite nor leisure at the moment, since Traver had personally brought it for him, Simon picked up the sandwich once and offered his thanks.

 

“Don’t mention it.”

 

Traver, whom Simon expected to leave, pulled out the chair across from him and plopped his plump bottom down.

 

Simon’s eyes stiffened momentarily.

 

He felt annoyed that Traver had to sit right in front of him when there were plenty of other seats in the spacious lounge.

 

“Simon, you’re working very hard.”

 

Traver propped his arms and grinned like a toad as he looked down at Simon’s notebook.

 

Simon turned to the next page, naturally hiding his notes.

 

“Well, next week is an important schedule.”

 

Personally, Simon didn’t like Traver Colt.

 

If the Colt Marquis family wasn’t a powerful house ranking in the top 5 within the kingdom, he wouldn’t have associated with him at all.

 

“There’s an easy way to claim first place without all that futile effort.”

 

When Simon raised his eyebrows, Traver smirked and leaned in closer.

 

“How about joining hands with me during this guerrilla training? Well, more precisely, let’s have our Squad 4 and your Squad 2 cooperate.”

 

“…Cooperate in what way.”

 

It was obviously going to be some lowly method, but he asked to hear it out first.

 

“We’ll bring down Squad 1 together. During obstacle training, we’ll hold back Squad 1, and during urban warfare mock battles, your squad will sabotage Squad 1. Urban warfare has lots of cover, so it’s hard to tell who’s shooting where—Darius will never catch your betrayal. There’s no rule prohibiting cooperation between squads either, so there’s nothing to worry about. How about it?”

 

Just as I thought. When Simon let out a snicker, Traver hastily added:

 

“Your squad can take first place. Our Squad 4 is satisfied with second. You’d be able to crush Darius and reclaim the top spot, so it’s a deal with no losses for you, right?”

 

“Traver Colt.”

 

At Simon’s lowered voice, Traver flinched and pulled back.

 

“If I was going to bury Darius with such methods, I would have taken first place last semester too.”

 

Simon, who had been grinning, switched his expression to something chilling.

 

“Get lost, you stupid bastard.”

 

Simon spat out the curse in a seemingly gentle voice.

 

Traver’s cheeks turned red and blue as he trembled and slammed the desk, standing up. The chair fell backward, pushed by his heavy body.

 

“You bastard, you’ll regret this!”

 

Shouting that, Traver slammed the lounge door and left.

 

His next moves were as predictable as fire.

 

He’d try the same scheme on Darius and get rejected, then go to the leader of Team 3 next.

 

Whether the Team 3 leader accepted it or not was of no concern to Simon.

 

As long as he could compete fairly with Darius alone, whatever schemes those lowlifes cooked up together didn’t matter.

 

During last summer’s vacation boat trip, when Simon had interrogated Kaileus, he had figured out why the usually evasive Darius had suddenly switched to serious mode.

 

‘If he loses first place even once, he’ll be summoned to Diern Estate to receive education from the Duke.’

 

From what Simon had observed, Darius harbored some unfathomable resentment toward his father.

 

Having to leave Pelrn and Mitas to stay at Diern Estate would be hell for him.

 

But that didn’t mean Simon had any intention of graciously yielding first place to him.

 

It was partly for his own goal of becoming captain of the Royal Guard, but Simon knew well that Darius wouldn’t want such a sacrifice either.

 

Despite being able to easily gain privileges and advantages using his family’s immense power, Darius had approached his studies with integrity and diligence last semester.

 

So Simon would respond by giving his honest best in fair competition.

 

Rather, Simon smiled with pleasure at the appearance of a worthy rival.

 

‘Let’s see who gets to graduate early, Darius.’

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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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