The Villainess is Ti Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Once again, Letty remained silent.

I was swept away by a wave of emotions, unable to resist them. Standing there, dazed as if I had forgotten how to breathe, I let out a hollow laugh.

...Wow, it turns out I didn’t have a single ally.

Even the connections I thought I had forged on my own were nothing but lies. How laughable is that?

Repressed feelings surged up within . Exhaling deeply, I fixed my gaze on Ryan.

“Your Highness, are you expressing hostility toward the Etvar family out of personal spite?”

I had disliked Ryan before, but I had never felt such deep-seated hatred as I did now. I hadn’t realized he was foolish enough to ddle in my personal relationships.

To think he had the audacity to secretly plant one of his own people in the Etvar household—what a fool blinded by love.

“It seems you’re the one showing hostility toward

right now.”

Ryan, at a loss for words, tried to turn the tables on .

In the past, I would have tried to continue the conversation by responding politely, as he was soone I had to deal with regularly.

Even after becoming the villainess everyone despised, I still made an effort. I tried to approach him despite the pain, attempting to nd our relationship.

But things went wrong.

I was hurt by Ryan, by Kiesen, by Reshuan. And now, even Letty had betrayed .

I’m done with all of it.

I stared at Ryan with empty eyes.

“Your Highness, stop spewing nonsense. You were the one who crossed the line first.”

Ryan flinched at my sharp tone, then irritably brushed his hair back.

“Ha, so you’re finally showing your true colors.”

“Your Highness, you’re the one blinded by love, committing cris. You’re no better than a criminal.”

“If it’s to protect her.”

His sense of duty was laughable. The arrogance of thinking that saying it was for soone else could justify everything was astounding.

“If you truly love Reshuan.”

I muttered, glaring straight at him.

“Don’t abandon your morals as a human being.”

I had no desire to continue a lengthy conversation with Ryan. I didn’t want to waste any more effort trying to persuade him.

I looked at him with disgust, then stepped aside.

“Go.”

“…What?”

Ryan, who had seed ready to continue arguing, muttered in a dazed voice.

I couldn’t hold him any longer. No matter how disappointed I was in Letty, she was still a patient. I couldn’t just stand by and watch soone bleed out.

It was simply the right thing to do as a human being.

“I’m letting you go now, just as I’m letting you leave.”

I reminded him of the truth I had repeated several tis, looking him directly in the eyes.

“I’m not the Marceau who loved you, nor the one who tried to maintain a good relationship with you.”

“….”

“All of this is true. It won’t change in the future.”

My words made Ryan pause, as if he had realized sothing.

But that must have been my imagination. There was no reason for my words to suddenly have a different impact now.

Ryan’s eyes wavered as he stared at .

“No, you have to remain wrong.”

It was as if he were trying to brainwash himself.

Gritting his teeth, Ryan supported Letty and passed by .

As I watched Ryan’s retreating figure and sighed heavily, I heard my na being called again.

“Marceau.”

The clear voice fell like comfort on my ears.

“You’re not wrong. I like you just the way you are.”

Darcy approached , saying the words I wanted to hear.

“Are you hurt?”

The sa unique scent as before emanated from Darcy.

For so reason, his slightly worried tone made

smile. I shook my head.

“How could I not be?”

I was hurt because I cared about Letty. If I couldn’t trust her, who could I trust?

“But maybe this is what he wanted.”

I didn’t bother referring to Ryan as a prince in front of Darcy.

Yes, I didn’t want to lose to him.

“But it’s okay to be vulnerable in front of .”

Darcy’s fingers gently brushed the corners of my eyes. Only then did I realize that my eyes had welled up with tears.

“You can trust , right?”

I ended up laughing out loud at his words.

But I couldn’t easily answer that. The person closest to

had been Ryan’s spy.

And it was Letty who had brought Darcy to

when I needed a mage.

When I thought back to the first ti I t Ryan, it was hard to completely dismiss my suspicions, even if Darcy hadn’t been sent by him.

What if Letty had been colluding with soone other than Ryan?

Having already experienced the worst-case scenario once, it was easy to imagine such things.

What if all of Darcy’s kind words were fabricated for my sake?

To win my trust and extract information, or perhaps to hurt

even more.

Before I inhabited Marceau’s body, she had made many enemies. It wouldn’t be surprising if one of them had planted soone close to .

I needed to assu the worst.

That way, I wouldn’t be fooled again.

Judging by the way he always asked for magic stones, he seed to have quite the spending habits.

I knew how cunning people in need of money could be. He could be just the sa.

But I wanted to trust Darcy. I wanted to believe in the person I had co to know.

His warm voice, focused solely on , was still vivid in my mory.

It felt natural to accept his comfort and open my heart to him.

I grasped the hand that had been brushing my eyes. Darcy hesitated but didn’t pull his hand away.

I quietly gazed at him.

I wanted to speak while looking into his eyes.

His silver hair, slightly ruffled by the wind, shimred like freshly fallen snow.

His sharp nose stood out beneath the flowing strands of hair. His eyes, seen up close, were as clear as a stream.

I...

“What are you staring at?”

He spoke, his eyes flicking down before softening as he looked at .

I blinked, gazing at his face through his lowered lashes. It was only a fleeting mont, but to , it felt like an eternity.

The storm in my heart settled into calm.

Yes, I had decided to trust him.

“You’re beautiful.”

I smiled as I answered. It seed like Darcy’s ears turned red, startled by my words.

“So, why did you co back? Did sothing go wrong with your plan? I’ll help if I can.”

Having regained my composure, I asked the question that still needed answering.

“Oh, that.”

Darcy looked around and whispered.

“How about we talk in your theater instead of here?”

“That’s a good idea.”

I had already been thinking about retreating to the theater. Talking here in the palace wouldn’t be ideal, so this seed like the better option.

While my al with Ryan had been ruined halfway through, the al was over now, and it seed that Darcy and Ryan’s conversation had also concluded.

I glanced at Darcy, but he didn’t appear to be injured.

“Then I’ll lead the way.”

When I nodded in agreent, Darcy guided

out of the palace.

I thought we were heading to the carriage, but that wasn’t the case. Darcy navigated the maze-like palace with ease. I had been here a few tis, but the space still felt unfamiliar, while he moved through it as if it were his own ho.

Eventually, we reached a palace that looked like a ruin, where he stopped in the withered front yard.

There was a certain longing in his gaze as he looked at the palace.

...Could this be the place where he had lived? I wanted to ask but held back, sensing it might be a sensitive topic.

“Give

your hand.”

Darcy extended his hand to . What, am I a puppy being trained or sothing...?

When I frowned slightly, Darcy spoke with a touch of indignation.

“No, it’s just that we need to be in contact to use magic. We’ve known each other for how long now, and you’re giving

that look?”

“Oh, I see.”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, I extended my hand. Our fingers intertwined.

“Our destination is the sa drawing room where we always et. And.”

Darcy paused and blinked. Suddenly, my vision shifted, and I felt a headache coming on. As I shook my head, Darcy chuckled and added.

“You were right. That place earlier was where I lived.”

“You could really make a career as a fortune teller...”

I wondered how he kept reading my thoughts.

The fact that he could move so easily between the palace and the mansion was baffling. Knowing how many layers of magic protected the palace, I couldn’t understand it.

...Is Darcy that much of a genius?

I paused as I was about to leave the drawing room. I rembered that Darcy had been reluctant to et people before.

“I’m okay with it now.”

He responded before I could even ask.

His attitude was noticeably different from before. Could it be related to his decision to leave and then return?

Planning to discuss everything and also to calm my mind, I opened the door.

The servants, who had seen

return from the palace so quickly with a man in tow, were visibly shocked, but I didn’t mind.

People might gossip about Darcy and , but it didn’t matter.

Darcy and I headed to the theater.

As the familiar wallpaper and sofa ca into view, my mind settled into a peaceful calm. I rubbed my hands together in satisfaction, then made a solemn suggestion.

“Alright, how about we have our conversation while lying in bed?”

“Sure.”

Darcy’s casual response prompted

to lie down on the bed imdiately. I hadn’t even changed my clothes, but I didn’t care. So days are just like that.

I heard the sound of Darcy’s footsteps, followed by the sound of him moving sothing around.

Soon, a familiar lody reached my ears.

“Isn’t this one of your favorite pieces?”

Despite claiming to know nothing about the piano, Darcy had found and played the piece we listened to on our last day together.

I had avoided this piece for a while after Darcy left. I was afraid it would remind

of the mont he departed.

Now, whenever I hear this piece, I’ll think of the kindness he showed

today. And then, I’ll think of him.

“Yes, thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Darcy’s words, spoken offhandedly, were followed by the sound of him moving again. It seed he was lying down now.

I stared blankly at the ceiling, giving him ti to settle.

A mont later, I heard the sound of soone plopping down beside . Startled, I turned to my side.

Darcy was already lying beside , propped up on his elbow, gazing at .

With a playful smile, he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world:

“You said we should have our conversation while lying in bed.”