I Picked Up an Abandoned Villain in the Polar Region

Episode 102

 

Over the past couple of days, Kyle had been helping Albert clear the debris from the farmhouse that had burned down.

The midday sun was scorching, and sweat poured off the workers like rain as they toiled under the hot weather. Still, not a single person complained as they worked hard to restore the village, Kyle included.

As everyone moved to rest under the shade of a tree to escape the sun for a moment, Kyle noticed a blueberry bush in a messy corner of the garden and walked toward it.

The sight of the small, purple berries naturally made him think of Brody, the fruit-obsessed rabbit.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever bought her this fruit before,’ Kyle realized.

Determined to stop by the market later and pick some up, he added it to his growing list of errands.

He also remembered he needed to buy clothes and shoes for Brody. Repeating his tasks several times to commit them to memory, Kyle clicked his tongue at himself.

‘****, so many things to do.’

Despite grumbling at the thought of feeling like Brody’s errand boy, his expression betrayed his excitement at the idea of buying something for her.

Maybe, he thought, looking after the rabbit suited him after all.

Kyle decided to instruct the Oswald brothers to find a women’s clothing store. Then he remembered Brody going to borrow clothes from a maid the previous night.

Did she not manage to get any? He recalled her lying next to him wearing his shirt and tilted his head in thought.

The memory of the previous night brought back something he’d momentarily forgotten, making Kyle’s face flush red.

He instinctively wiped his lips with the back of his hand, then quickly moved his hand to his neck in embarrassment.

While Kyle was lost in thought, Albert approached him with a cup of water.

“Kyle.”

Kyle didn’t respond, too deep in his musings.

Albert called him again.

“Kyle, what are you doing?”

Albert grabbed his arm, snapping Kyle out of his reverie.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Here, drink this.”

Albert said, handing him the cup. Though he found Kyle’s behavior odd, Albert didn’t press him further.

Kyle, on the other hand, felt embarrassed for getting flustered and took the cup awkwardly.

They sat in the shade, sipping water and catching their breath.

After a moment of silence, Kyle hesitated before asking Albert a question.

“Albert, that medicine I took when I collapsed in your highlands—can I get it here?”

“Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

Albert looked at him quizzically.

Feeling somewhat ashamed, Kyle replied.

“I think it’s wearing off. I want to try it again.”

The symptoms he’d felt yesterday reminded him of the same urges he’d experienced when he smelled the incense at the inn.

Kyle assumed the medicine’s effects were naturally wearing off and hesitantly brought it up to Albert.

Albert, however, burst out laughing as though Kyle’s concern was ridiculous.

“Kyle, the symptoms from that incense disappear naturally after about a week. Since you took the medicine, it went away even faster.”

Kyle’s face twisted in confusion at the unexpected response.

“That can’t be right.”

Unwilling to accept that the incense wasn’t the cause of his feelings yesterday, Kyle tried to explain himself.

“I felt fine, but suddenly, the same symptoms came back,” he insisted, frustrated.

Albert, still unfazed, responded playfully.

“Similar symptoms? Well, that’s only natural, isn’t it? You’re with someone you love.”

“I’m what?”

Kyle was startled, his voice rising as he questioned Albert.

Albert, who had been grinning all along, suddenly turned serious.

“Miss Brody. You two are practically living like a married couple in your house.”

Albert’s matter-of-fact tone left Kyle stunned. He had never considered himself to be ‘in love’ with Brody, so he was caught off guard.

He awkwardly mumbled, “Ah… yeah, right,” to keep up appearances, but inside, his thoughts were in turmoil.

Kyle couldn’t understand Albert’s earlier statement about it being natural to feel such symptoms when with someone you love.

After all, he’d never felt that kind of desire toward Zelda, the woman he once believed he loved.

As Kyle struggled to sort through his emotions, the situation took a strange turn.

The person who had been occupying his thoughts just moments ago appeared in the distance.

It was Zelda.

She stood with Abel, inspecting new materials delivered to the village.

When she saw Kyle, she froze in place, and so did Abel. The awkwardness between them was palpable, especially since they were together.

Kyle felt uneasy seeing them but nothing more. There was no anger, no resentment—only discomfort.

Without acknowledging their belated greeting, Kyle stood up and walked away.

 

***

 

“They’ve sent another request for aid from Avril Village? Even with the people we sent before, it’s still not enough?”

Alexander frowned as he received a report that, despite having sent the largest number of personnel to the flood-stricken village, the manpower was insufficient.

“It seems we’ll need to send more people along with additional supplies,” the butler said.

Alexander, after deliberating for a moment, decided he would go to Avril himself to oversee and complete the restoration work.

Just as he made up his mind, a voice interrupted.

“I’ll go to Avril.”

Alexander turned to see Fabian, standing there as usual with a cigarette in his mouth.

Fabian had been working in the neighboring village with his son, Albert, and nephew, Kyle, and had avoided appearing where Alexander was.

After all, decades of mutual avoidance made direct interaction with his estranged brother uncomfortable.

Moreover, he disliked the attention and scrutiny that inevitably came with being around Alexander.

Still, Fabian, as the older brother, had gathered the courage to visit and offer help, wondering if there was anything he could do.

Overhearing Alexander’s conversation with the butler, Fabian had spoken up.

“I’ll go to Avril myself.”

Alexander was momentarily taken aback but soon shook his head.

“I’ve already decided to go to Avril.”

At the firm refusal, Fabian scowled.

“Are you out of your mind? No matter how urgent it is, what sense does it make for the leader to leave the capital in this situation? It makes more sense for me to go.”

“…”

Fabian had a point, but Alexander hesitated nonetheless. Seeing this, Fabian spoke with a sharper tone.

“Get a grip. Is this the time to be stubborn and prideful?”

Alexander’s face darkened at his brother’s blunt words. He tersely replied, “That’s not why,” and fell silent.

It wasn’t pride or stubbornness; it was guilt. But he found it hard to admit out loud, unable to say, ‘I feel bad asking you.’

Yet his eyes betrayed his unspoken emotions, and Fabian, fortunately, understood his brother’s heart.

Fabian glanced at his brother, who was unable to express his true feelings, and sighed.

“You need to learn to be more honest.”

He said, though he wasn’t exactly the best person to give such advice.

Still, feeling he was at least better than Alexander, Fabian let the comment slip.

The half-mocking remark made Alexander flinch, and he replied irritably.

“I heard that yesterday. You don’t need to say it again.”

“Oh? I think I know who said it. That fearless rabbit, huh?”

Fabian chuckled as he continued.

“I like her. We big cowards need someone fearless like that—especially you and your son.”

At Fabian’s words, Alexander recalled what Brody had said yesterday.

‘I know you both love Kyle. But I think it would be nice if you expressed that love to him honestly.’

Brody’s words had struck a chord with Alexander, prompting him to have breakfast with Kyle this morning. But beyond that, he felt lost on how to mend their relationship.

His frustration led him to sigh, which Fabian immediately picked up on.

“It’ll take a lot of effort to break down walls that have been built over years,” Fabian said.

“What’s important is not giving up.”

His generic advice earned no reaction from Alexander, so Fabian decided to offer something more practical.

“Have you ever complimented Kyle?”

This time, Alexander looked up, visibly startled. But instead of answering, he simply stared at his brother in silence.

The truth was, he never had.

He’d only praised Abel in front of Kyle to fuel his competitiveness, or dismissed Kyle’s achievements with demands to do better.

It was no wonder he associated trying to repair their relationship with feelings of despair and failure.

Fabian, reading his brother’s expression, gave further advice.

“Men like to be acknowledged. If he does something well, tell him. Even just hearing the words can ease resentment.”

Listening intently, Alexander let out a dry laugh.

The absurdity of needing such basic advice at his age was not lost on him.

Seeing this, Fabian felt a twinge of pity for his younger brother, who, despite his age, seemed crushed by his poor relationship with his son.

After a brief hesitation, Fabian reached out and patted Alexander’s shoulder. But when Alexander looked up, startled by the gesture, Fabian cleared his throat awkwardly and muttered.

“…There was dust.”

Pretending to brush off imaginary dust, Fabian nodded in satisfaction and quickly walked away, leaving Alexander behind.

Alexander stared after his brother in disbelief.

Fabian had just lectured him about being honest, yet he couldn’t even admit to a simple gesture of support.

Seeing that his brother was no different from himself, Alexander couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

I am going to disappear for another week. So see you all then~