I Became The Guardian Of The Future Villain

“Hey, I’ve finished cleaning up your room. I cleared out the furniture that Lady Hestia used, and I’ve redecorated it to match your taste, so if you need anything, just let me know.”

 

Galleon appeared with good news as they were finishing up their meal.

 

Actually, Luciard had been sleeping in his room since yesterday, but since Hestia had lived there before, some of her belongings and traces were still around.

 

He didn’t have time to clean up yesterday, and it was only today that the room was redecorated to suit Luciard’s taste.

 

Not that Luciard usually kept much in his room anyway.

 

“Right! I heard Hestia’s room has been all done up? I want to go visit Hestia… Hey? Where’s Hestia?”

 

Leonhard, who had been finishing up dessert, looked around when he noticed Hestia was no longer at the table.

 

“Lady Hestia had some work to do, so she left the table early.”

 

“Hestia is busy again today?”

 

“Lady Hestia is always busy.”

 

“When will she not be busy? I want to hang out with Hestia every day like today and eat delicious food together.”

 

“Yeah, I know. It doesn’t look like her workload is getting any lighter. But still, since Lady Hestia works so hard for the Duke’s family, let’s support her together.”

 

“Okay, got it!”

 

Feeling a bit disappointed, Leonhard perked up at Galleon’s words and told the Blaze mercenaries that they should play some more.

 

The mercenaries happily agreed, and they all got up to play card games.

 

As Leonhard followed them, he paused for a moment to look at the stairs they were passing by.

****

 

“Finally, you’re here.”

 

“You know I snoozed twice before finally getting up, right?”

 

“I guess it must be fun hanging out with us.”

 

“I thought you were gentle, but I guess being a boy means you don’t get tired easily.”

 

It was only late at night when the Blaze mercenaries finally confirmed Leonhard was asleep, and then they all flopped down in exhaustion.

 

But everyone looked at the sleeping boy with fond smiles.

 

“I guess he’s been really bored lately.”

 

Lavio’s comment made everyone nod in agreement.

 

“I heard he doesn’t have any friends his age.”

 

“I think he said there aren’t any suitable kids around.”

 

“I heard the lady’s little brother is his friend, but he lives far away.”

 

“He must feel really lonely at such a playful age.”

 

They all looked at Leonhard with pity, while he himself was fast asleep with a big smile on his face.

 

“Thanks for playing with him, everyone.”

 

When Luciard casually expressed his gratitude, the mercenaries’ eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Haha, it’s fine, captain. It felt like we were kids again playing with him.”

 

“Everyone here is so mentally young that playing with a kid is easy.”

 

“It’s tough, but the kid’s nice.”

 

“Yeah, because he’s such a good kid, it makes you want to keep playing with him.”

 

But playing with a kid they had just met for less than a day wasn’t exactly easy.

 

Especially since they had been going along with Leonhard’s whims from the time they arrived there until now.

 

“I’ll take Leon back to his room. You all rest.”

 

“Got it! You worked hard today too, captain.”

 

Luciard carefully picked Leonhard up and took him back to his room.

 

“Hmm… Uncle, Hestia…”

 

After laying him on the bed and covering him with a blanket, Leonhard mumbled.

 

Seeing his lips curl into a smile, Luciard couldn’t help but smile softly as he tidied the boy’s messy hair.

 

After making sure Leonhard would sleep well, he drew the curtains and quietly closed the door. Just as he was about to head to his room, he suddenly spotted a dimly lit room at the end of the dark hallway, where the light was still on.

 

‘What’s that…?’

 

With a sense of curiosity, Luciard turned around and headed towards the light.

 

Most of the servants had gone home or to bed, considering the time.

 

In the dark hallway, the light spilling out from the crack of the door was even more noticeable.

 

Luciard cautiously opened the door where the light was coming from.

 

“…You’re still not off to work?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

The room he entered was none other than the office.

 

Hestia, with glasses on, was resting her head in her hands, but she looked up when he came in.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“What do you mean what brings me here? Do you even know what time it is?”

 

“What time is it… It’s only 10 o’clock.”

 

‘Not just “only,” it’s already 10 o’clock, right?’

 

How often had this happened that her sense of time was so messed up?

 

Plus, looking closely, her eyes looked tired, and she kept rubbing the back of her neck as if it was stiff.

 

‘Galleon and Basil seem to have left for the night, but she’s all alone…’

 

As Luciard was lost in thought, he suddenly realized something.

 

“Wait, you’ve been here since after dinner, haven’t you?”

 

“Yep.”

 

Seeing Hestia nod casually, Luciard was taken aback.

 

Drip—

 

“Ah!”

 

“Ah.”

 

This time, Luciard was startled for a different reason. A drop of blood was trickling down from Hestia’s pale upper lip.

 

As she raised her head and fumbled on her desk, Luciard hurried to her side. He quickly pressed a handkerchief against her nose.

 

“Don’t tilt your head up. You’ll choke like that. If your nose bleeds, you need to lean forward.”

 

“…I’m fine. I can handle it by myself.”

 

Though Hestia tried to push him away, he insisted, “It’s not fine. You should take it easy instead of bleeding like this. What’s going on?”

 

“I usually get nosebleeds a lot, so it’s okay…”

 

“What?!”

 

Hestia fell silent at Luciard’s shocked reaction. His piercing gaze felt like it was poking her cheeks.

 

She had so much to say, but Luciard finally sighed and asked,

 

“How often do you get them?”

 

“Once a week… No, once every two weeks?”

 

“Don’t lie.”

 

“…Once a week.”

 

As Luciard’s eyes narrowed even more, Hestia inadvertently confessed. Suddenly, she felt a bit wronged.

 

“But why does it matter to you whether I get nosebleeds or not?”

 

“Getting nosebleeds that often is a sign that you’re overdoing it. You might be fine now because you’re young, but later on, it will take a toll on your body all at once. Ignoring the warnings your body gives you could lead to serious trouble.”

 

“Ugh…”

 

She felt like she had heard similar nagging from Jerome before.

 

‘Lady! Didn’t I tell you not to work late? It’s not an urgent task, and it won’t be a problem if it’s a day or two late!’

 

Hestia was known as a workaholic even in Bairn, so she often heard her family and Jerome telling her to take a break.

 

“But I feel more comfortable handling things ahead of time…”

 

“If you want to die young, keep at it.”

 

“Okay, okay, I get it. I won’t do it anymore.”

 

Eventually, Hestia raised her hands in surrender and leaned back in her chair.

 

While Luciard kept her nose pressed shut, Hestia gently pushed him away.

 

“That’s enough now. This should be good.”

 

Drip—

 

“Good? It’s not good at all.”

 

As soon as he removed the handkerchief, blood started flowing again, and Luciard told her to stay still.

 

In the end, Hestia was stuck there, her face held by Luciard, unable to do anything.

 

Silence hung in the air as the situation turned oddly awkward.

 

‘Why is he suddenly here at this hour helping me with my nosebleed?’

 

It wasn’t like she had any feelings for Luciard, but his good looks were enough to catch anyone’s eye.

 

He looked different from the typical handsome type and was quiet, did his job well, and was in good shape as the captain of a mercenary group…

 

‘This feels a bit weird.’

 

Having never truly experienced romance in either life, Hestia found the strange atmosphere uncomfortable, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint why.

 

“Alright, it’s done.”

 

Just as Luciard carefully removed the handkerchief, he noticed it was completely soaked in red.

 

“It seems like you’re bleeding more than usual…”

 

“How tired must you be to be bleeding this much?” 

 

At Luciard’s scolding, Hestia pouted for a moment before something cold pressed against her upper lip. Luciard had taken a clean handkerchief and dipped it in the water from a nearby cup, then began wiping the bloodstains from her face. 

 

Hestia’s hands trembled slightly at the gentle touch so close to her face. 

 

“Enough, I can do it myself.” 

 

“Just stay still.” 

 

She tried to resist, but he didn’t let go of her face at all. It was close enough that she turned her gaze elsewhere. 

 

Still, it was so close that she caught a glimpse of his red hair in her peripheral vision. 

 

“All done. Fortunately, your clothes didn’t get dirty.” 

 

Her face was a bit flushed as he wiped her upper lip and mouth, but the bloodstains were completely gone. 

 

As Luciard began to tuck the handkerchief away, Hestia snatched it from him. 

 

“I’ll wash it.” 

 

“Forget it. If it doesn’t come out, just toss it…” 

 

“I said I’ll wash it!” 

 

Hestia snapped, and Luciard looked at her in confusion. He then noticed that her earlobes were turning red. 

 

“I’m a woman too, you know? If you don’t want to embarrass me any further, you should listen to what I say.” 

 

Luciard’s grip loosened instinctively, and Hestia quickly seized the handkerchief. 

 

Seeing her flustered profile, Luciard involuntarily turned his head away. 

 

“What’s going on?” 

 

Even though he had just wiped her nosebleed, for some reason, it felt hard to meet her gaze. 

 

While he was lost in thought, Hestia stood up. 

 

“Where are you going?” 

 

“You told me not to work, so I’m clocking out.” 

 

As she started to clean up the scattered documents, Luciard scratched his cheek. 

 

“Need help?” 

 

“No, I’m done. Thanks to you, I’m actually getting to leave at this hour.” 

 

“…What time do you usually leave?” 

 

“Usually midnight. If I’m late, it’s 2 AM.” 

 

“What time do you start?” 

 

“Between 7:30 and 8 in the morning. If I want to shower and eat, I usually wake up around 6:30.” 

 

So, she’s only getting about six hours of sleep? 

 

“You’re not going to survive like that.” 

 

“Everyone says that. But I’m fine.” 

 

“Of course, they say that! You’re pushing yourself too hard. Why aren’t you sleeping more when you’re not out on the battlefield?” 

 

“…Why am I hearing this lecture from you too?” 

 

The two continued their talk as they left the office and headed to their respective rooms. 

 

“Anyway, I know you have a lot of work, but take it easy.” 

 

“I will.” 

 

“…Listen to me properly.” 

 

As Luciard clicked his tongue and opened the door, Hestia slipped inside. 

 

He paused for a moment, realizing she had walked in without closing the door behind her. 

 

Hestia, who was about to change into her pajamas, tilted her head when she noticed Luciard still standing there. 

 

“Aren’t you leaving?” 

 

“…I should be the one asking that. Whose room is this?” 

 

“Whose room? It’s mine, of course…” 

 

As Hestia looked around, she realized the room looked slightly different from what she was used to seeing. 

 

Then she remembered that her room had been changed a few days ago. 

 

“Oh…Sorry.” 

 

Embarrassed, Hestia blushed and quietly stepped out of his room, heading to the room next door. 

 

Luciard watched her for a moment before glancing around her room. 

 

“So they really did change it after all. They talked about renovations, and now Leon’s room has changed.”

“At first, I was going to use the guest room, but the lord insisted on this. Well, it definitely saves time when coming and going.”

“Hmm…” 

 

The room, filled with various dolls and toys and things Leon liked, had been transformed to match Hestia’s preferences. 

 

“It’s more ordinary than I expected.” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“I thought if it were a lady’s room, it would be more cute and flashy.”

 

“I hate that sort of thing. I prefer things simple and tidy.” 

 

It seemed so. 

 

While it wasn’t as stark as Luciard’s room, hers was undeniably neat and tidy.

 

“…Anyway, you did well today. Sleep well.” 

 

Hestia looked at Luciard with wide eyes, a bit taken aback by his farewell. 

 

“…Yeah, Luciard. You sleep well too.” 

 

She heard him close the door and move to the next room. 

 

While the soundproofing wasn’t terrible, she could occasionally hear Luciard moving around on the other side of the wall. 

 

Now dressed in her pajamas, Hestia sat on her bed and muttered to herself. 

 

“…This feels strange.”