I Became The Guardian Of The Future Villain

“I’ll bring the tea.”

After the announcement of the guardian, Hestia stayed behind to talk with Leonhard.

She watched Albert leave with a worried expression, clearly anxious about the situation.

‘Yes, that’s the normal reaction.’

 

As the head butler who had worked for years in the duke’s household, Albert surely knew who would be a suitable guardian. And he likely gave Leonhard his advice as well.

 

Hestia wasn’t sure whether Albert recommended Derrick or Malrus, but it certainly wasn’t an 18-year-old lady like herself.

 

While Albert’s face seemed drained, Leonhard, on the other hand, looked absolutely radiant. He was smiling as if everything was going his way.

 

His bright red eyes stayed fixed on her, making Hestia feel a bit awkward. She glanced around nervously before breaking the silence.

 

“…Is there something you want to say?”

 

“I’m just happy.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“I thought you’d refuse. You looked so startled at first.”

 

‘Wouldn’t anyone be startled in my situation?’ she thought, biting back the words.

 

“What made you change your mind halfway through?”

 

As she considered his question, Hestia glanced at Leonhard. He seemed nervous, as if he was worried she might change her mind again.

 

She exhaled softly, recalling the events from earlier.

 

“To be honest… it would be a lie if I said I wasn’t surprised. I never imagined I’d be a candidate for guardian, and I assumed you’d naturally pick either Count Humphrey or my father.”

 

When he first pointed at her, she had panicked. Up until that moment, she had been torn between the two, anxiously wondering who he would choose and preparing herself to respond accordingly.

 

But when Leonhard chose her, and Malrus immediately objected while Derrick stood by her, Hestia snapped back to her senses.

 

Then she saw the greedy look in Malrus’s eyes, full of anticipation for her to give up the position.

 

‘There’s no way I’m letting you have it.’

 

She knew exactly what would happen if Malrus became the guardian, and she couldn’t allow that.

 

So, in a fit of anger, she had accepted the role, almost without thinking.

 

But since she couldn’t reveal all that, she gave a more diplomatic answer.

 

“I believe you had your reasons for choosing me. And I thought if I refused, Count Humphrey would do everything in his power to claim the guardian position.”

 

“So… that’s why you accepted?”

 

“In a way, yes.”

 

When she swore her oath to Leonhard, her rationality had returned, but by then, it was too late to turn back.

 

“May I ask you a question?”

 

“Sure, what is it?”

 

“Why me?”

 

Leonhard blinked his large eyes.

 

“Objectively speaking, I’m less qualified than the other two candidates. It would have made more sense to choose someone else. Why did you pick me?”

 

“Didn’t you once tell me not to trust anyone?”

 

“Well, that’s…”

 

She hadn’t expected him to take that advice so seriously.

 

Of course, she assumed that Malrus and Derrick had both told him to trust them, and she had merely hoped to leave some impression with her words.

 

Who would have thought they would put such an impact on him?

 

“After my parents passed, people came to the funeral.”

 

Leonhard began speaking about the recent events.

 

“The first person to arrive was Count Humphrey. But as soon as he saw me, he told me we needed to decide on a guardian immediately. He offered to take my parents’ place…”

 

Hestia hadn’t heard about this before, but it wasn’t surprising given what she knew about the count.

 

“It wasn’t just him. Everyone offered condolences at first, but eventually, they all asked what I planned to do moving forward.”

Malrus, the other relatives, and various nobles who attended the funeral, including Derrick, had all inquired about the guardian.

Derrick hadn’t been as blunt as the others, but he had still emphasized the need for caution in choosing a guardian.

“I hated being in that situation.”

 

Leonhard clenched his fists, his young face showing signs of tears.

 

“…No one was genuinely mourning my parents’ death. They were just curious about the guardian.”

 

Suddenly, Hestia saw a reflection of herself in Leonhard—powerless and alone at her own parents’ funeral.

 

At least she had her siblings by her side, but Leonhard had no one.

 

“But you were different.”

 

Leonhard wiped his tears and raised his head.

 

“You sincerely mourned for my parents and comforted me, telling me it was okay to cry.”

 

It was the first time he had received true, heartfelt consolation.

 

“And you were the only person who ever told me not to trust anyone.”

 

Everyone else had insisted he trust them or trust no one but themselves. With so many voices saying the same thing, Leonhard had no idea who to trust anymore.

 

Even when he sought advice from Albert or tried to judge for himself, everyone seemed to show only their best side, making it harder to discern their true intentions.

 

But Hestia’s advice had been different.

 

Her words felt like permission to follow his own instincts, to trust his gut.

 

That’s why he had made his decision.

 

Malrus, though highly recommended by Albert and considered the strongest candidate but that made Leonhard uneasy. That man was arrogant and had spoken ill of his only living relative, his uncle.

 

Derrick was better than Malrus. He wasn’t arrogant, and he respected Leonhard’s uncle. Leonhard even thought Derrick might protect him better than Malrus could.

 

But something inside him kept him from fully trusting Derrick either.

 

Then, after his conversation with Derrick that morning, he realized there was another option he hadn’t considered.

 

“I feel like I can trust you. My father always told me to trust my instincts when I’m unsure.”

 

Leonhard smiled awkwardly. Hestia, watching him, felt conflicted.

 

Her guilt over Icarus’s death and the fear of working alongside the person who killed her in her past life clashed within her.

 

Leonhard’s face, cold and villainous in her memories, wavered in her mind, but so did Icarus’s face, kind and supportive.

 

She had already regretted not being able to prevent Icarus’s death, and now she resolved to help Leonhard avoid a similarly tragic future.

 

This is my perfect chance to make up for my past mistakes and directly influence the future that lies ahead.

 

Hestia forced herself to shake off the lingering anxiety in her heart.

 

“To be honest, I’m scared.”

 

Leonhard was tensed, thinking she might take back her words.

 

“I’m not sure if I can properly lead the dukedom as a guardian, or if I can be a strong enough shield to protect you as you grow up. But…”

 

Hestia’s previously stiff face softened into a smile.

 

“I will do my best. Please take care of me going forward.”

 

“I-I’ll do my best too!”

 

Leonhard, who had been visibly nervous, let out a sigh of relief and smiled sheepishly.

 

Just a moment ago, when his guardian was announced, he had handled the situation with maturity, fully stepping into the role of someone making a meaningful contribution. 

 

But now, before Hestia stood a child no older than his youngest sibling.

 

No matter how mature he might seem, he was still only eight years old.

 

“Now, shall we write a contract?”

 

“Huh? A contract…?”

 

Leonhard was briefly confused as Hestia looked around the room for paper and a quill.

 

“Writing down such agreements will benefit you in the future. If you ever work with someone or make promises in the future, always make sure to leave it in writing rather than just verbally.”

 

“Do I really need to go that far…? Uh, okay.”

 

Under Hestia’s steady gaze, Leonhard reluctantly nodded.

 

“May I borrow the imperial law book for a moment?”

 

“Here.”

 

Leonhard handed her the imperial law book. Hestia flipped through it, looking for the clauses about guardianship.

 

“A guardian has the duty to protect the ward until they safely reach adulthood.”

 

In other words, they would serve as a legal guardian until the ward turned 18.

 

“But that also means the guardian will be involved with the family’s affairs for a long time.”

 

Hestia flipped through to another section of the law.

 

“Did you know that you can inherit your title starting at 15?”

 

“Huh? Really?”

 

“Yes, here, take a look.”

 

It was clearly written in the law that a noble could inherit their title at 15.

 

In noble families, there were often cases where children were left without parents or only siblings remained.

 

While it’s unreasonable for very young minors to lead a family, it was believed that by the age of fifteen, a person was capable enough to manage such responsibilities, and thus, they were granted the right to inherit their family title from that age.

 

That’s why nobles have their debutante at fifteen, and even commoners begin seeking employment seriously at fifteen.

Hestia had learned about this law while searching for a way to inherit the Frost family before her return, after her parents had passed away.

 

In the end, Derrick’s son Elvin, being only 13, didn’t meet the requirements, and there were other unsolvable issues, leading to her decision to run away.

 

“I will assist you only until you turn 15.”

 

“Why? You could stay as my guardian until I’m an adult.”

 

“I’ve already told you, haven’t I? Not to trust anyone. That ‘anyone’ includes me as well.”

 

“Then who should I trust?”

 

“Trust yourself. I’m merely a fence around you, nothing more, nothing less. Moving forward and choosing your future will be your responsibility.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

It seemed like this was a bit difficult for him to grasp at his young age.

 

“What I mean is that, just as you chose me as your guardian, from now on, you should continue to act as you see fit.”

 

“Got it. But why only until I’m 15?”

 

“Because you can inherit your title at 15, and you should become the duke as soon as possible. That way, you can build your power and have the strength to protect yourself.”

 

“Really…?”

 

“Yes. Once you become the duke, many things will change. For the next seven years, you should prepare to inherit the dukedom.”

 

This was all for Leonhard’s sake.

 

The position of heir to the duchy could easily make him a target rather than a protector.

 

Before her return, when Malrus became his guardian, he had tried to kill Leonhard two years later, aiming to seize the dukedom for himself.

 

Even after inheriting the title, the dangers facing Leonhard wouldn’t completely disappear, but at least they wouldn’t be as blatant.

 

“I also heard from my father about Sir Luciard. You originally wanted him to be your guardian, right? And you asked if he could give up the guardianship if he returned.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Do you still feel the same way?”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Leonhard pondered.

 

If either Malrus or Derrick had been chosen as his guardian, he would’ve had no hesitation in saying he wanted to change them out.

 

But the person standing before him was Hestia.

 

He didn’t know much about her yet, nor was he entirely sure what kind of person she was, but…

 

“I don’t think I need to change anything.”

 

Leonhard, from the moment he had first met Hestia, felt an inexplicable certainty that he could trust her entirely.

 

‘And Father said she’s a good person.’

 

He recalled his father, Icarus, speaking highly of Hestia.

 

He had said that, despite her young age, she was mature, responsible, and free of any greed that didn’t suit her age.

 

Even though Leonhard was still a child, he wasn’t incapable of telling whether someone was good or bad for him.

 

In fact, children were often more sensitive to the emotions they felt from others.

 

And in that sense, he felt that Hestia was someone he could fully trust and rely on.