Even if the Villain's Daughter Regresses

 

Cecile hesitated for a moment, then widened her eyes.

“…What?”

“There’s something you don’t know. I… to Laila…”

Sion, with downcast eyes, wiped his face with his dry hand. Cecile couldn’t take her eyes off his dry movements.

Strangely, it felt as though she could sense his pain.

“…I’ve wronged her, and that’s why I’m not qualified.”

“You’re saying you’re not worthy to be Laila’s husband?”

“Yes.”

“Then what are you qualified for?”

“The right to protect Laila.”

“Are you saying you’ll only protect her? Forever?”

Sion nodded. After examining Sion’s face closely, Cecile sighed.

“You’re serious.”

“…”

“You really… Ah, so that’s why back then in the Marquis’s residence…”

Cecile lowered her gaze as if she had realized something and murmured to herself.

“The problem wasn’t that Laila is the Marquis’s daughter…”

Cecile lifted her gaze again, locking eyes with Sion.

“What did you do wrong to Laila? Can you tell me?”

“No.”

“You did something so wrong that you can’t even tell me… Hmm… Does Laila know? Does she know what you did?”

“Better than anyone.”

“Ah, right. Of course. It wouldn’t make sense for the person who suffered not to know that. Hmm…”

Cecile tilted her head slightly, just like before.

Sion had done something wrong to Laila. From the context, it seemed to be a very serious mistake.

But despite that, from what she saw, Laila…

Lost in thought, Cecile cradled her chin with one hand and lightly tapped her cheek with her fingers.

After a long pause, Cecile finally spoke.

“When you go back to the Duchy of Axid, take me with you.”

 

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

 

“Cecile?”

“Laila!”

Cecile approached Laila with open arms. Laila instinctively embraced her.

“How long has it been? Is it about half a month since we last saw each other?”

“Yes, about that long…”

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well. How about you, sis?”

“I’ve been well too.”

Eventually, Cecile released Laila. Looking into Laila’s eyes, Cecile smiled.

“Shall we move somewhere else?”

With no reason to refuse, Laila readily guided Cecile to the drawing room.

After a short while, with tea prepared and the servants dismissed, Cecile spoke.

“Do you want to be with Sion for the rest of your life?”

Laila nearly dropped the teacup she had just picked up.

Fortunately, a disaster was averted. Laila calmly set the teacup back down.

…Or so she wished. In reality, her hands and the teacup trembled together. The tea she hadn’t even sipped yet quivered, threatening to spill over the edge of the cup.

Clink. After finally placing the teacup safely on the saucer, Laila opened her mouth.

“Why are you… asking such a question all of a sudden…?”

“I remembered something you said before. You said you were crazy.”

“…”

“Do you still think you’re crazy?”

Laila slowly nodded.

She was indeed crazy.

Completely out of her mind.

She had just recently confirmed that fact.

“Then, since you’re crazy, do you want to do something crazy?”

“What?”

“Laila, you need to help Sion.”

Laila’s eyes widened more and more as she listened to Cecile.

After seeing Cecile off as she left the duchy, Laila ran.

“Sion!”

Laila burst through the door of Sion’s office. Sion was in the middle of a conversation with the butler, Garick.

Garick, sensing the situation, stepped back first. He bowed his head to Sion and said,

“Then I shall take my leave.”

As soon as Sion nodded, Garick exited the office. Laila, catching her breath, approached Sion. Sion stood up from his seat.

“Is something wrong?”

“Let’s get married.”

“What?”

A desk separated Sion and Laila. Laila leaned on the desk with her uninjured right hand.

As Laila put weight on her hand, her upper body naturally leaned forward. The distance between Laila and Sion, which existed because of the desk, decreased.

Sion stepped back slightly to increase the distance that had shrunk. Seeing Sion move away, Laila bit her lip before speaking.

“They say the king is urging you to get married?”

“What?”

“I heard everything from Cecile… Countess Kaiter.”

Laila shifted her weight back to her heels and straightened her body. She lightly clenched her fists with both hands and continued speaking.

“They’re urging you, but they’re practically forcing you.”

“……The king of this country, to me? Marriage?”

“Yes.”

Taking a deep breath to steady her quickening breath, Laila recounted the story Cecile had shared.

“Since you suddenly became a duke, the nobles in the capital are unhappy about it.”

“…”

“To quell the nobles’ discontent, the king is trying to marry you off to his people…”

“Goodness.”

Sion muttered in disbelief. Laila didn’t delve deeply into the meaning behind Sion’s exclamation.

Sion’s marriage.

Laila’s head was already full of those words.

“I heard that if you marry someone from the king’s side, it’ll be very difficult for you. You’d live under the king’s watch for the rest of your life…”

“…”

“Let’s get married. No matter how powerful the king is, he can’t force someone who’s already married to marry again.”

Sion quietly murmured Cecile’s name. Laila looked at Sion’s face. Sion had somehow covered his face with one hand.

Laila thought absentmindedly as she looked at Sion’s face, which was completely covered by one hand.

His face is small.

Or maybe his hands are just big?

A moment later, Sion lowered the hand that was covering his face.

“Where’s Cecile now?”

“She left.”

“……What?”

“She went to the Count of Kaiter’s estate…”

After conveying everything to Laila, Cecile had immediately gotten into the carriage.

Laila had just come to the office after watching the carriage with Cecile leave.

Sion looked down at Laila with a blank expression before speaking.

“Laila.”

Just hearing her name made her feel something, and Laila hurriedly said,

“Of course, I don’t mean a real marriage. I’m talking about a sham marriage or… a contractual marriage. I would pretend to be your wife until the king gives up on you…”

If you find someone you really want to marry… then…

Laila’s voice gradually grew quieter. In the silence, Sion spoke again.

“There’s no need for that. What Cecile said is…”

At that moment, Sion’s gaze suddenly landed on Laila’s left wrist.

Specifically, on the bandage wrapped around it.

“…Did you injure your bones?”

The subject suddenly shifted. Laila blinked and responded.

“No, it’s just a muscle strain. But it’s quite severe… yes.”

“Even though you’re injured, you still want to do something?”

Laila realized that the conversation they had shared in the garden was continuing.

“…Yes.”

“…”

“I want to do something. I have to.”

“…Alright.”

Sion’s gaze lingered on Laila’s left wrist.

Laila suddenly wished she could look into Sion’s mind.

What are you thinking right now?

Why did you bring up my wrist again?

It would be nice to have the ability to read other people’s thoughts and feelings.

If I had that ability, I would use it only for one person.

After a long silence, Sion finally spoke.

“Let’s get married.”

 

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

 

Not long after Duke Axid announced his engagement, guests arrived at the duchy.

“Vilhel, Marie!”

No, they weren’t exactly guests. Marie and Vilhel each had letters of recommendation.

Marie rushed over to Laila and grabbed her right hand.

“I’m going to work at the Axid Duchy starting today.”

“Really?”

“I got a job here too.”

Vilhel, sitting in the reception room, raised his hand.

Laila’s gaze shifted past Vilhel to the boy sitting next to him.

“…You’ve grown a lot, Mason.”

“Hello.”