I Will Become the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 68

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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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68

“Isn’t there something different about him lately? Like being excited or anxious for no reason, or taking unusually good care of his appearance?”

It was a question meant to probe whether Darius was showing symptoms of a man in love.

Since the Countess saw him every day, she would have caught such changes in Darius.

But suddenly, the Countess’s expression changed strangely.

Her enlarged pupils trembled faintly, showing signs of agitation.

“Ahaha, please forget that question just now. I just haven’t seen Brother lately, so it was just a simple check-up.”

“….”

I quickly waved my hands, worried that she might notice Adel’s existence and interfere with their romance.

Until entering the latter half of the original story, the Countess shouldn’t realize that Darius harbored such feelings for Adel.

‘I should have been more careful. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.’

Belated regret for being hasty made cold sweat run down my spine.

I tried to brush it off as nothing serious, but the Countess suddenly looked at me with a bright smile.

What?

“I understand, Miss Rieze.”

“Huh? Yes?”

“Miss Rieze’s intentions have been conveyed.”

“…?”

“I will also consider it positively. For now, I’ll strongly support Miss Rieze until you establish yourself in society this year. We can discuss the formal matters after that, it won’t be too late.”

The Countess firmly grasped my hand.

‘What kind of conversation is this? Why did the topic suddenly jump back to society?’

“Excuse me, Countess. I don’t quite understand what you mean….”

“You don’t need to be so coy.”

…Pardon?

I’m not being coy, I’m genuinely bewildered and asking.

“As for the answer to your earlier inquiry, it’s ‘no.’ Darius hasn’t shown any such signs.”

“Ah…. I see. Thank you for letting me know.”

Though there were some incomprehensible sentences in between, I got the answer I wanted for now.

Sigh. As expected, there’s an emergency on the romance front with Adel.

By now, Darius should be going through his denial phase of falling in love, going back and forth between heaven and hell a dozen times a day.

From close observation, there should be a feeling of ‘why is he acting like that?’

All other circumstances are exactly like the original, so why….

“Since our conversation seems to be sufficiently concluded, shall I call Darius?”

While I was floundering in confusion, the Countess asked with a deepened smile.

“Um…, is Brother Darius at the mansion right now?”

I thought he would be away at the Royal Palace.

“He happens to have the day off today.”

The Countess said that and shook a small bell on the table. She told the butler who soon appeared to call Darius.

I thought I should make contact with Milly first before meeting Darius.

‘Milly would have already sought out Adel and talked with her.’

“Countess, may I briefly visit the restroom before Brother Darius arrives?”

“Fufu, of course. Take your time.”

I left the glass greenhouse, leaving behind the cheerful-looking Countess.

Was it because of the golden butterfly?

Actually, that golden butterfly was one I had procured from the estate a couple of months ago, but I had been raising it while contemplating whether or not to offer it as a bribe to the Countess.

This was because I had developed a psychological distance from her after getting the impression that she was like a wicked stepmother to Kail.

I had no choice but to bring it today as it was perfect as an excuse to rush to the Countess’s mansion.

But to think she would be so happy that she’d practically malfunction with joy.

I entered the mansion building and looked for Milly, and she came running to me after 5 minutes.

“Milly, did you find Adel? Did you ask her?”

I grabbed Milly, hid behind a pillar, and whispered.

“Yes, Miss! She said she doesn’t particularly have anyone she’s interested in!”

“Really? Did it really seem like there was no one from your perspective too?”

“Yes. She seemed indifferent? She appeared to have no interest in romance or love at all. When I said I’d introduce her to a really nice man, she firmly refused, saying she didn’t want such things.”

Milly puffed her cheeks, seemingly annoyed that her goodwill was rejected.

Right. That’s Adel’s original personality. An upright, bold, clumsy female lead.

But precisely because of that, she can’t lie and everything shows on her face.

If she had harbored feelings for Darius in her heart, she would have been flustered and restless, acting like an obviously suspicious one-sided lover.

“I also asked what type of man was her ideal, but she said she’d never thought about it in detail. Really, she was incredibly pure. Though in my eyes, Miss, you’re prettier.”

“Thank you, Milly. That was a big help.”

That’s enough. Now that I was certain they hadn’t even begun to fall in love, let alone romance, I had something else to confirm.

“Miss, where are you going?”

“Rest now! I’ll be back later!”

I left a brief farewell to Milly and headed back to the glass greenhouse.

When I returned to the tea table in the glass greenhouse, the Countess was nowhere to be seen, and Darius was sitting in her place.

“Brother Darius!”

“Hello, Miss Rieze.”

It had been a long time since I’d seen Darius with his bangs completely down, dressed in comfortable casual clothes.

“I’m sorry for calling you out on your rare day off.”

“What are you talking about? I’m the one who occasionally begged Miss Rieze to spend time with me.”

“Still. What about the Countess?”

“She told us to have fun and left. She seemed quite excited about something.”

“Ah. It’s probably because I gave her a rare butterfly as a gift.”

“I see. Oh, she was delighted that Miss Rieze will have her debutante next year.”

Darius smiled while tilting his coffee cup.

“I find it amazing too. In my eyes, Miss Rieze is still a small and cute little sister. To think we’ll soon meet at social events when you become an adult – it’s quite moving.”

“I am a small and cute little sister.”

Please always think of me as a close little sister!

I said it playfully with that meaning. Darius chuckled.

“Oh, whenever you need a guardian at future social events, just let me know anytime. When Simon is busy or something, I’ll escort you.”

“Wow. I have many people volunteering to be my chaperone. The Countess also said she would do it earlier.”

Darius laughed brightly again.

“I want to see Brother Darius’s room.”

Looking at him, I made a sudden request.

I needed to confirm whether the event that becomes the first button of the meeting between Darius and Adel had gone wrong.

“My room?”

“Yes! I heard you have a collection of precious artworks and sculptures! Brother told me. I want to see them, would that be okay?”

“Of course it’s fine. Let’s go.”

Success!

Darius readily agreed and stood up.

Following him, I recalled the first chapter of 【Golden Covenant】 that I had repeated countless times.

The trigger that entangles Darius and Adel, aka the ‘vase incident.’

Darius, who has a great interest in art, displays his cherished collection in his room.

Among them was a tulip-shaped vase glazed with purple, said to be the only one in the world.

The craftsman who made it had already passed away over a hundred years ago, making it a vase of incalculable value.

Adel, who was cleaning the room, dropped and broke that vase.

Adel kneels before Darius and says she’ll work to pay for the vase.

However, even while seeking forgiveness, the quirky and brazen Adel shows the spirit to speak her mind on the spot.

‘But for such a precious treasure, it was carelessly stored. If the vase hadn’t been sticking out from the display case, it wouldn’t have caught on my elbow and fallen.’

He has a point. It’s understandable that she’d feel wronged.

Even I would have felt my mouth itching to protest if I were in her position.

Still, in this world’s setting, servants are beings whose tongues can be cut off or who can be buried without anyone knowing at a single word from their master.

If the other party hadn’t been Darius, that’s what would have happened. Though there’s probably some protagonist buff in the story too.

Anyway, Darius feels both exasperated and curious about Adel’s boldness, along with a growing fondness.

Wondering what to do with Adel, instead of making her pay for it, he gives her the extremely cruel punishment of picking up all the vase fragments and putting them back together perfectly.

On top of that, he makes her sign a kind of slave contract where she must come running whenever he calls until she successfully reassembles the vase.

It’s completely different from the kind and gentle Darius we see now.

He’s the type who only becomes mischievous in front of someone he likes, like Milly.

‘A young master who appears to be a flawless, noble gentleman to others, but becomes cunning and childish only toward the maid he likes. That’s what makes it delicious.’

It’s the contrasting charm my favorite character possesses.

Anyway, that was the beginning of their love story.

So what I need to confirm right now is the whereabouts and condition of that purple tulip-shaped vase.

Darius, who had arrived in front of the door, grasped the handle.

“Go ahead, look around to your heart’s content.”

I entered through the door he opened for me.

As I scanned the walls displaying various luxurious artworks, I witnessed an unbelievable scene.

‘N-no way…’

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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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