The Yandere villainess loves the useless engineer Chapter 11: Departure form the NightBane territory

The next morning arrived far too quickly.

Outside the massive castle windows, the Nightbane capital was only just beginning to wake beneath the pale morning sunlight. Servants moved throughout the halls preparing for another busy day while knights changed shifts along the castle walls.

anwhile—

I was preparing to leave.

My luggage had already been loaded into the carriage waiting outside, and several Nightbane servants stood near the entrance making final preparations for the journey back to the Aldric Territory.

Honestly, part of felt relieved.

The Nightbane Duchy was incredible, but spending ti there was ntally exhausting. Every hallway seed filled with powerful nobles and terrifyingly strong knights.

Not to ntion Lilith’s awakening ceremony still lingered heavily in my thoughts.

An A-rank.

No—

Sothing even beyond that.

I still could not forget the look she gave .

It felt like she knew sothing I didn’t.

"Leo."

I turned toward the voice.

Lilith stood near the staircase watching quietly.

Unlike her energetic mood from yesterday, she seed noticeably quieter this morning.

Her long black hair draped over her shoulders while her deep purple eyes remained fixed on .

"You’re really leaving already..." she muttered softly.

"Well, I can’t exactly live here forever."

"You could."

"...That sohow sounds threatening."

Lilith ignored my comnt and slowly walked toward .

For a mont, neither of us spoke.

Then she suddenly reached forward and adjusted the collar of my coat.

"You’re terrible at dressing yourself," she said quietly.

"I dressed perfectly fine."

"It was crooked."

"...I hate that you’re probably right."

A faint smile appeared on Lilith’s face.

But despite that smile, sothing about her expression still seed slightly downcast.

"You could co with ," I suggested jokingly.

Lilith imdiately shook her head.

"Father wants to stay here for a while."

That made sense.

After awakening with such monstrous talent, the duke would probably begin personally overseeing her training from now on.

The thought made pause slightly.

This was probably the beginning.

The point where Lilith truly started becoming soone beyond ordinary logic.

"Don’t overwork yourself," I said casually.

Lilith blinked before smiling faintly.

"...You sound like an old man sotis."

"I’m spiritually exhausted."

"You’re twelve."

"Exactly."

Lilith let out a quiet laugh.

For a brief mont, the atmosphere between us felt normal again.

Then one of the servants respectfully approached.

"The carriage is prepared, Lord Leon."

Right.

It was ti to go.

I let out a small sigh before turning back toward Lilith.

"Well... I’ll see you again soon."

Lilith stared at silently for several seconds.

Then unexpectedly—

She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around tightly.

I froze slightly before awkwardly patting her back.

"You’re acting like I’m leaving forever."

"...Still," she mumbled quietly.

For so reason, her grip tightened slightly for a brief mont before she finally stepped away.

Her deep purple eyes t mine once more.

"Don’t forget about while you’re gone," she said softly.

I chuckled lightly.

"I don’t think that’s physically possible."

Lilith seed oddly satisfied with that answer.

A few minutes later, I finally climbed into the carriage.

As it slowly began departing from the Nightbane castle grounds, I looked back through the window.

Lilith still stood at the entrance watching silently.

Her dark figure gradually grew smaller as the carriage rolled farther away from the duchy.

Even after the castle disappeared into the distance—

I could not shake the strange feeling lingering in my chest.

————

Several months passed quickly after returning to the Aldric Territory.

Life gradually returned to normal.

Well...

As normal as life could be when your own awakening ceremony was rapidly approaching.

Only a few days remained until my thirteenth birthday.

And honestly?

The closer it got, the more nervous everyone around seed to beco.

Mother had practically beco incapable of relaxing.

"You need to rest properly before the ceremony."

"Don’t overexert yourself."

"Are you eating enough?"

At this point, I was fairly certain she was more stressed than I was.

Father was not much better.

Although he tried hiding it behind his usual calm expression, I often caught him staring at thoughtfully during als.

Even Alex seed unusually interested.

"So," he said one afternoon while leaning against the training yard fence, "what rank are you hoping for?"

I shrugged.

"Anything decent."

"That’s boring."

"What do you want to say? ’Oh yes, I’m secretly an ancient legendary mage destined to shake the continent.’"

Alex grinned.

"I an... after seeing Lady Lilith awaken, anything feels possible now."

Fair point.

News of Lilith’s awakening had spread throughout the entire kingdom at terrifying speed.

An A-rank at thirteen years old.

People were already calling her the greatest talent the Nightbane family had ever produced.

Though thankfully—

No one besides seed aware that her true power was likely even higher.

As for ...

I honestly had no idea what would happen during my own awakening.

Originally, I expected maybe C-rank.

Possibly B-rank if I got lucky.

But after everything that had happened recently, uncertainty gnawed constantly at the back of my mind.

Especially after that strange mont on the balcony with Lilith.

For so reason, ever since returning from the Nightbane Duchy, my body occasionally felt... off.

Not weak.

Just strange.

Like sothing inside had subtly changed.

I could not explain it properly.

Maybe it was simply stress from the upcoming ceremony.

Hopefully.

Because tomorrow—

Everything would finally be revealed.