Arthas April 07, 2024 No comments
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I made eye contact with Isabel, who had suddenly appeared. "What are you doing here?" I asked, rubbing my ear with my finger in an aloof manner.
At my indifferent response, Isabel's two arms trembled.
I glanced at her and calmly asked, "Did the maid get the date wrong again this time?" pointing out the impropriety of her visiting someone else's residence without any prior notice.
After a moment, realizing my intent, her face flushed as if it would burst.
"...Can we talk?"
I involuntarily swallowed a sigh.
What kind of talk could there be between two people about to call off their engagement?
'What is she even doing here?' I frowned. Having my mealtime interrupted by an unwelcome guest was the worst possible scenario.
"I refuse."
"Why...!"
"Can't you see I'm eating? Be more considerate?"
As I gestured towards the table by the window where the food was served, Isabel's eyes widened in shock, as if she had heard something she hadn't.
I slowly turned my head towards her, "I don't really want to eat this dinner that's gone cold."
It was my way of telling her to leave.
But Isabel just gritted her teeth, still seeming upset, and stubbornly remained in her place, ignoring my words.
I finally sighed and approached her, "What are you standing there like a statue for?"
"...Let's talk."
"If you have something to say, do it here. I'll give you a few minutes."
"Not here, inside, let's have a proper conversation...!"
"Hey,"I called her name in a low voice, and her shoulders flinched. "What are you?"
"What do you mean...!"
"What do you mean, coming here now and talking about this? When you were treating me like trash and spewing all sorts of nonsense, you didn't care, but now you want to talk?"
Isabel's lips, which had been opened to say something, closed in a lie.
I pressed on, not letting up, "Talk? Hah. Let me ask you this. What's the point of talking? What's going to change?"
"Of course it will! We can clear up the misunderstandings and have a constructive discussion about the upcoming engagement ceremony..."
"Nonsense."
A derisive laugh escaped me.
Isabel Yustia hated Kyle Winfred.
It was a statement that required no speculation - it was a simple fact. I had never thought otherwise, and I never would.
In this world, Isabel was the shining heroine, while Kyle was nothing more than a villain, a bastard.
They were an ill-matched pair from the start.
No matter how much Kyle Winfred tried to pretend to be a part of the ducal family, the stigma of being a bastard could not be easily erased.
He had foolishly loved a woman who was far out of his league.
And in return, he had to endure the hatred of the woman he loved most.
This was the entirety of the established relationship between "Isabel Yustia" and "Kyle Winfred" in the official sourcebook.
What kind of life Kyle Winfred had lived, what led him to love Isabel, and what caused him to end up living such a miserable life - none of that mattered.
No one paid any heed to the villain's story. Isabel's behavior in the previous playthrough was no different.
— Don't you dare act hypocritical in front of me, it's disgusting.
— You are a piece of trash.
— Get rid of your delusions! The thought of being engaged to someone like you makes me sick!
Voices echoing like hallucinations filled my ears, hurling insults beyond what I could have imagined, yet it was bearable.
After all, I was an outsider, merely playing the role of a villain designated by the system, and once I died, I would return to my original world - that was all there was to it.
Even if I heard such words, I couldn't bring myself to openly say that I didn't want to get engaged.
Even when falsely accused as the culprit in an incident, I couldn't casually claim my innocence, fearing I might not be able to return to my original world.
But now that I've chosen the Sacred Artifact instead of the system, is there really any need to clear up the misunderstandings with Isabel?
What prompted the change in her attitude, what reason made her cling to me - all of it was a mystery. But I didn’t particularly want to hear the reasons, nor did I want to ask.
'It's unnecessary.'
I, too, am human. I cannot fully trust the woman who killed me. Isabel will go her own way, and I will go mine — that is the extent of our relationship.
"What does it matter if there are misunderstandings or not? Why are you so insistent on having a nice conversation at a time like this?"
One step, then another. Slowly, I approached her, "You've been looking down on me like I'm a bug all this time, and now what? Clear up the misunderstandings?"
"That's, uh, because of your past actions...!"
"Haaah."
Kyle Winfred. The villain in the game who keeps repeating despicable acts, only to die a miserable death.
Surprisingly, he had one hidden secret.
"Are you sure?"
"Huh?"
"Are you absolutely certain about the past misdeeds you've heard about me?"
"......"
Kyle Winfred was an evil person. But he was not inherently evil from birth.
Born to a commoner mother and as a bastard.
Given such a humble background, how could this man have been treated in the ducal family?
Outwardly, he may have been treated as a member of the noble family. But did the direct descendants truly think the same?
'They treated me like a dog.'
They spread baseless rumors to ruin his reputation, deliberately ostracized him from all official family events, and somehow orchestrated situations to provoke his wrongdoing.
In the midst of this, he met Isabel, and it must have felt like a glimmer of light in his sewer-like life; but to be treated as trash even by the one woman he loved — he must have slowly gone mad.
And so the completely twisted Kyle Winfred became a true villain.
"Answer me."
Incidentally, at this point in time, shortly after his return, Kyle Winfred has not directly committed any major villainous acts.
At most, he's just made some desperate attempts to catch Isabel's attention.
"I... you..." Isabel, her eyes glistening, couldn't continue her sentence.
It was understandable.
How could she know the hidden backstory that was never revealed in the game, the facts that I myself only stumbled upon by chance while living as Kyle Winfred?
"Vermin. Trash. Despicable human."
"..................."
"I'm surprised. You're the first woman to interpret me in such diverse ways."
"............."
"Shall I continue? Human scum. Horrible human. One deserving of damnation..."
"Th, that’s enough…...!" Isabel's eyes began to fill with tears. The stubbornness with which she had insisted on talking to me dissipated in an instant.
Seeing her at a loss, I felt an indescribable emotion.
"Strange. Why was I so obsessed with you?"
I spewed out words I didn't truly mean - mere speculations about how Kyle Winfred might have behaved.
"Vermin, trash - just the same old insults I've heard every day. But hearing them directly from your mouth made it all the more miserable. As if I've truly become the scum you see me as."
She finally let the tears fall. Shocked by my words, her labored breathing grew ragged.
An unsettling silence filled the room.
“Escort her safely.”
"Yes, my lord."
I clicked my tongue in irritation and turned away. Since the butler had heard the whole conversation, there was a good chance that the contents of the conversation would reach the Duke’s ears.
That's when it happened.
"Kyle-!" Isabel cried out my name.
I turned my head for a moment and saw that her gaze was directed somewhere in the room.
I followed her line of sight to the bedside table, where a brown case lay. Inside was a ring, identical to the engagement ring on Isabel's finger.
"You clearly threw it away-!"
Are you crazy? Why would I throw away something so expensive? I’ll have to sell it later and get my money’s worth.
“I will escort you out now.”
"No, wait! I still have things to say to Kyle!"
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Lady Isabel."
As Isabel persisted, the butler gestured to the servants standing by.
Soon,
"Wait, please, let me just say my piece... Kyle!!"
She was dragged out of the room, screaming in a voice that didn’t suit her.
I watched her disappearing form and murmured cautiously,
"Is it finally taken care of?"
* * * * *
A few days after the commotion, the Duke who had set out to find the Sacred Blood finally returned to the estate.
"It was truly there. Not a forgery, but the genuine Sacred Blood."
The Duke acknowledged that he had found the Sacred Blood in the location I had pointed out.
"I told you it was the real thing."
"I admit it, Kyle. You have finally proven useful to this family."
Was it that he was so happy to have found the Sacred Blood? An unconcealed joy spread across the Duke's face.
"I trust you haven't forgotten the terms of our deal," I asked him to fulfill the deal in a nonchalant manner.
Although it was unlikely that the Duke would go back on his word now that he had even used Geass, I wanted to get a definitive answer as soon as possible because of my impatient nature.
I met the Duke's gaze and waited for his response; after a moment, his tightly sealed lips parted with a faint smile.
"You will have Count Yustia's direct request to call off the engagement. I have already made arrangements for the butler to issue you a check whenever you need it"
------ End of chapter -----
Translator's Notes:-
Don't forget to share your opinions in the comments!!!
Arthas April 07, 2024 No comments
Don't forget to rate and review the novel on Novelupdates
I made eye contact with Isabel, who had suddenly appeared. "What are you doing here?" I asked, rubbing my ear with my finger in an aloof manner.
At my indifferent response, Isabel's two arms trembled.
I glanced at her and calmly asked, "Did the maid get the date wrong again this time?" pointing out the impropriety of her visiting someone else's residence without any prior notice.
After a moment, realizing my intent, her face flushed as if it would burst.
"...Can we talk?"
I involuntarily swallowed a sigh.
What kind of talk could there be between two people about to call off their engagement?
'What is she even doing here?' I frowned. Having my mealtime interrupted by an unwelcome guest was the worst possible scenario.
"I refuse."
"Why...!"
"Can't you see I'm eating? Be more considerate?"
As I gestured towards the table by the window where the food was served, Isabel's eyes widened in shock, as if she had heard something she hadn't.
I slowly turned my head towards her, "I don't really want to eat this dinner that's gone cold."
It was my way of telling her to leave.
But Isabel just gritted her teeth, still seeming upset, and stubbornly remained in her place, ignoring my words.
I finally sighed and approached her, "What are you standing there like a statue for?"
"...Let's talk."
"If you have something to say, do it here. I'll give you a few minutes."
"Not here, inside, let's have a proper conversation...!"
"Hey,"I called her name in a low voice, and her shoulders flinched. "What are you?"
"What do you mean...!"
"What do you mean, coming here now and talking about this? When you were treating me like trash and spewing all sorts of nonsense, you didn't care, but now you want to talk?"
Isabel's lips, which had been opened to say something, closed in a lie.
I pressed on, not letting up, "Talk? Hah. Let me ask you this. What's the point of talking? What's going to change?"
"Of course it will! We can clear up the misunderstandings and have a constructive discussion about the upcoming engagement ceremony..."
"Nonsense."
A derisive laugh escaped me.
Isabel Yustia hated Kyle Winfred.
It was a statement that required no speculation - it was a simple fact. I had never thought otherwise, and I never would.
In this world, Isabel was the shining heroine, while Kyle was nothing more than a villain, a bastard.
They were an ill-matched pair from the start.
No matter how much Kyle Winfred tried to pretend to be a part of the ducal family, the stigma of being a bastard could not be easily erased.
He had foolishly loved a woman who was far out of his league.
And in return, he had to endure the hatred of the woman he loved most.
This was the entirety of the established relationship between "Isabel Yustia" and "Kyle Winfred" in the official sourcebook.
What kind of life Kyle Winfred had lived, what led him to love Isabel, and what caused him to end up living such a miserable life - none of that mattered.
No one paid any heed to the villain's story. Isabel's behavior in the previous playthrough was no different.
— Don't you dare act hypocritical in front of me, it's disgusting.
— You are a piece of trash.
— Get rid of your delusions! The thought of being engaged to someone like you makes me sick!
Voices echoing like hallucinations filled my ears, hurling insults beyond what I could have imagined, yet it was bearable.
After all, I was an outsider, merely playing the role of a villain designated by the system, and once I died, I would return to my original world - that was all there was to it.
Even if I heard such words, I couldn't bring myself to openly say that I didn't want to get engaged.
Even when falsely accused as the culprit in an incident, I couldn't casually claim my innocence, fearing I might not be able to return to my original world.
But now that I've chosen the Sacred Artifact instead of the system, is there really any need to clear up the misunderstandings with Isabel?
What prompted the change in her attitude, what reason made her cling to me - all of it was a mystery. But I didn’t particularly want to hear the reasons, nor did I want to ask.
'It's unnecessary.'
I, too, am human. I cannot fully trust the woman who killed me. Isabel will go her own way, and I will go mine — that is the extent of our relationship.
"What does it matter if there are misunderstandings or not? Why are you so insistent on having a nice conversation at a time like this?"
One step, then another. Slowly, I approached her, "You've been looking down on me like I'm a bug all this time, and now what? Clear up the misunderstandings?"
"That's, uh, because of your past actions...!"
"Haaah."
Kyle Winfred. The villain in the game who keeps repeating despicable acts, only to die a miserable death.
Surprisingly, he had one hidden secret.
"Are you sure?"
"Huh?"
"Are you absolutely certain about the past misdeeds you've heard about me?"
"......"
Kyle Winfred was an evil person. But he was not inherently evil from birth.
Born to a commoner mother and as a bastard.
Given such a humble background, how could this man have been treated in the ducal family?
Outwardly, he may have been treated as a member of the noble family. But did the direct descendants truly think the same?
'They treated me like a dog.'
They spread baseless rumors to ruin his reputation, deliberately ostracized him from all official family events, and somehow orchestrated situations to provoke his wrongdoing.
In the midst of this, he met Isabel, and it must have felt like a glimmer of light in his sewer-like life; but to be treated as trash even by the one woman he loved — he must have slowly gone mad.
And so the completely twisted Kyle Winfred became a true villain.
"Answer me."
Incidentally, at this point in time, shortly after his return, Kyle Winfred has not directly committed any major villainous acts.
At most, he's just made some desperate attempts to catch Isabel's attention.
"I... you..." Isabel, her eyes glistening, couldn't continue her sentence.
It was understandable.
How could she know the hidden backstory that was never revealed in the game, the facts that I myself only stumbled upon by chance while living as Kyle Winfred?
"Vermin. Trash. Despicable human."
"..................."
"I'm surprised. You're the first woman to interpret me in such diverse ways."
"............."
"Shall I continue? Human scum. Horrible human. One deserving of damnation..."
"Th, that’s enough…...!" Isabel's eyes began to fill with tears. The stubbornness with which she had insisted on talking to me dissipated in an instant.
Seeing her at a loss, I felt an indescribable emotion.
"Strange. Why was I so obsessed with you?"
I spewed out words I didn't truly mean - mere speculations about how Kyle Winfred might have behaved.
"Vermin, trash - just the same old insults I've heard every day. But hearing them directly from your mouth made it all the more miserable. As if I've truly become the scum you see me as."
She finally let the tears fall. Shocked by my words, her labored breathing grew ragged.
An unsettling silence filled the room.
“Escort her safely.”
"Yes, my lord."
I clicked my tongue in irritation and turned away. Since the butler had heard the whole conversation, there was a good chance that the contents of the conversation would reach the Duke’s ears.
That's when it happened.
"Kyle-!" Isabel cried out my name.
I turned my head for a moment and saw that her gaze was directed somewhere in the room.
I followed her line of sight to the bedside table, where a brown case lay. Inside was a ring, identical to the engagement ring on Isabel's finger.
"You clearly threw it away-!"
Are you crazy? Why would I throw away something so expensive? I’ll have to sell it later and get my money’s worth.
“I will escort you out now.”
"No, wait! I still have things to say to Kyle!"
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Lady Isabel."
As Isabel persisted, the butler gestured to the servants standing by.
Soon,
"Wait, please, let me just say my piece... Kyle!!"
She was dragged out of the room, screaming in a voice that didn’t suit her.
I watched her disappearing form and murmured cautiously,
"Is it finally taken care of?"
* * * * *
A few days after the commotion, the Duke who had set out to find the Sacred Blood finally returned to the estate.
"It was truly there. Not a forgery, but the genuine Sacred Blood."
The Duke acknowledged that he had found the Sacred Blood in the location I had pointed out.
"I told you it was the real thing."
"I admit it, Kyle. You have finally proven useful to this family."
Was it that he was so happy to have found the Sacred Blood? An unconcealed joy spread across the Duke's face.
"I trust you haven't forgotten the terms of our deal," I asked him to fulfill the deal in a nonchalant manner.
Although it was unlikely that the Duke would go back on his word now that he had even used Geass, I wanted to get a definitive answer as soon as possible because of my impatient nature.
I met the Duke's gaze and waited for his response; after a moment, his tightly sealed lips parted with a faint smile.
"You will have Count Yustia's direct request to call off the engagement. I have already made arrangements for the butler to issue you a check whenever you need it"
------ End of chapter -----
Translator's Notes:-
Don't forget to share your opinions in the comments!!!
