The Villainess in the Childcare Story Doesn’t Hide Her Personality - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I stared blankly at Cain Inkaris.
Since Cain had never sent me a letter in the first place, I was confused about what he was talking about.
“A letter? What are you talking about? You never sent one.”
“I sent one every month! I heard you weren’t adapting well, so I sent letters asking how you were doing out of concern… I didn’t ask about anything else, just how you were. So that other people wouldn’t bother you.”
Wait.
Now that I thought about it, there was something that came to mind.
Those letters that came under the Military’s name…?
‘They were disposed of immediately.’
Those letters never reached my hands.
It was an iron rule that the Imperial Bureaucracy and the Military never overlapped.
My superiors had even explained that it was a common tactic to harass a new administrator.
Even when I was curious about what they contained and wanted to read them, my superiors had already disposed of them all according to procedure before I could.
Well, after they stopped coming after a few times, I figured that the theory about them being prank letters was probably right….
Those were all from Cain?
“Oh, it’s a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding? You just threw them away without even opening them.”
“That’s true, but I thought they were sent by the Military, not you. My superiors disposed of them before I could even read them.”
“They disposed of them?”
“Yes.”
As I nodded vigorously, relief gradually washed over Cain’s face, which had been taut with tension.
“So you didn’t deliberately ignore them… or rather, you didn’t read them and refuse to reply?”
“Of course not.”
I let out a sigh.
“We weren’t even fighting. Why would I not reply? I simply didn’t realize they were from you. Why didn’t you send them to my home in the first place?”
“I didn’t know your address.”
I tilted my head.
It was true that I had never told Cain the address of my new place after moving out of the dormitory following my Academy graduation, but with Cain’s wealth and power, finding out an address would have been trivial.
“If you’d tried, you could have easily found it. Or you could have come to find me directly.”
….
Cain’s answer came very slowly.
“Who was it that said not to come find me personally because people would think it strange?”
For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
It was true that I had said such a thing. It was also true that Cain had faithfully followed that request all this time.
It was also true that I had been quite relieved that Cain stopped visiting.
‘How could I explain? That everyone pressured me. Your family, your friends, even your teachers.’
Knowing Cain’s nature, instead of speaking the truth that would provoke him, I wrapped it in an appropriate lie.
And it had worked well until now.
But.
‘How shameless… my heart aches a little.’
That he thought I would refuse personal contact for such a trivial reason.
I truly believed it, and when letters sent only under the Military Command’s name went unanswered, I’d simply harbored misunderstandings all this time.
Cain Inkaris had certainly been my only friend during my Academy days.
Though our contact had been severed through circumstances beyond my control, I hadn’t wanted to invite such misunderstandings.
When I offered no response, Cain’s eyes narrowed increasingly.
“Usually you have such a long tongue—did a fox steal it away?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for. They say the higher-ups disposed of it.”
“….”
“Just, from now on, do accept letters, alright? Truth is, when Timothy said he’d send you a letter, I simply brought him along. I thought he’d feel terribly guilty if you only replied to him.”
“You really came all the way to the Capital for just that one reason?”
“Well, there are other reasons too. I wasn’t lying to Count Monte earlier. It really is time to introduce Timothy around. I sent that troublesome fellow away to make it happen.”
“What?”
“Sending the Grand Duke to Athos—that was me.”
As I furrowed my brow and looked at him, Cain hastily added more.
“What if that sinister man did something to harm our Timothy, hmm?”
“The Grand Duke… sinister?”
“Yes! Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, right? The moment the Grand Duke left for Athos, that rumor entangled with you vanished in an instant. What did the Grand Duke do to make it happen?”
Wasn’t it simply that the baseless rumors had naturally died down?
But attempting rational counterargument against Cain when he was being this forceful would be a waste of time.
“…I understand. I’m always careful anyway, so don’t worry.”
Cain let out a scoff.
“Your version of being careful is like jumping into a pit of fire for anyone else.”
“And you live carefully yourself?”
I clicked my tongue.
Cain was nothing if not reckless.
Even during Academy days, he’d undertaken unnecessary adventures more than once.
“You’re the one who insisted on personally eliminating those mutant wasps that escaped from the laboratory, then got stung by dozens of them until your face swelled up like a balloon.”
Though they were called wasps, they were actually chimeras of vipers—creatures no different from monsters.
Cain dropped a stack of documents with a heavy thud.
“Aren’t you going to read, Tessa?”
“…Right, let’s just work.”
And so the Archives fell silent once more.
Only the sound of pages rustling filled the space.
Ah, and occasionally the sound of Cain knocking something over.
Several hours passed like that.
‘…I should stop here.’
I stretched.
With Cain’s help, efficiency had certainly improved, allowing me to filter through far more materials than I’d anticipated.
There was still some work remaining, but I could organize it tomorrow.
‘I feel bad keeping Cain here any longer. And I’m worried about Timothy.’
“Cain, that’s enough now….”
The moment I turned my head and opened my mouth defensively, a large, rough hand brushed dangerously close to my lips before something slipped inside.
A rich, sweet cocoa flavor melted on my tongue—it was premium chocolate.
“You like chocolate anyway.”
“….”
“The military physician said eating something sweet beforehand helps prevent dizziness, so it’s good.”
I quickly swallowed the chocolate and protested.
“Then you could just give it to me normally!”
“If I did that, you’d shove it in your pocket and forget about it, only to find it during laundry.”
“….”
It was an undeniable truth.
I let out a bitter laugh.
“You know me far too well.”
“If you know that, then listen to what I say. Send me news more often. At least eat your meals properly.”
“…Take back what you just said. I didn’t expect a barrage of nagging.”
“Ha, Tessa. Now hand over those documents to me.”
I quickly passed them to him.
Carrying them directly would be quite heavy.
As Cain naturally took the stack of documents and swayed slightly, our sleeves brushed against each other.
His breath drew closer, and there was a brief moment of silence.
I cleared my throat and stepped back.
“It’s not heavy at all. Stop joking around.”
“…Did you catch that?”
Cain’s face scrunched up.
“Of course.”
I quickly walked ahead. Cain might not know the way, so I was just guiding him. Really.
All the way to the office, Cain followed silently behind me without a word.
Only when we entered did he say one thing.
“…Are you really okay working in a place like this?”
“You wouldn’t understand, but working in a place like this won’t kill me.”
“Anyway… how am I even a young master? I’ve been rolling around in servitude since childhood.”
Cain grumbled.
“And regardless of whether your status is low or high, everyone would agree this environment isn’t good for your health.”
I know.
How could I not understand?
“Why don’t you at least reduce your workload… I’m really worried about you, Tessa.”
I gazed at Cain intently.
There was no playfulness in his golden eyes, nor any sharp indignation.
Only genuine concern was evident.
I answered briefly.
“I’m only doing this because I want to do well.”
Cain Inkaris studied me for a long moment.
Ordinarily, he would have delivered a sharp retort on the spot.
But today, it seemed his mind was unusually preoccupied.
“Do you know something, Tessa?”
When Cain Inkaris finally spoke, his expression was unusually grave.
“It’s alright even if you don’t do well.”

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