I Picked Up an Abandoned Villain in the Polar Region

Episode 73

 

“Kyle, can I sleep here with you?”

Brody casually suggested, stubbornly refusing to return to her room after watching the shooting stars.

When she was with Ron, she acted all grown up, but now her true colors as a mischievous little rabbit were shining through.

She swayed her body and gave Kyle a playful, teasing look.

Kyle knew he should have put his foot down, as usual, with a firm “No.”

But when Brody grabbed his arm and looked up at him with those wide, pleading eyes, murmuring, “There might be spiders or ghosts in my room… it’s too scary,” he found himself at a loss for words.

Her excuses were clearly nonsense.

But whether it was because he hadn’t faced her teasing in a while or because he was genuinely affected, Kyle hesitated before snapping himself out of it and shaking off her hand.

“Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep.”

At his cold response, Brody’s round, puppy-like eyes narrowed into a dissatisfied glare.

But instead of backing down, she suddenly darted toward his bed, dove under the covers, and popped her head out with a mischievous grin.

It was just like the antics she pulled when she was an actual rabbit.

“Get out of there. Now.”

Kyle knew he had warned her more harshly in the past, but now, he found himself struggling to suppress a laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

Naturally, Brody took his softer reaction as permission to stay and ignored him entirely.

“Hurry up and come to bed, darling,” she said slyly.

That did it.

Kyle’s face darkened, his patience wearing thin.

Sharing a sleeping space wasn’t new for them, but a bed? That crossed a line, poking at his fraying nerves.

How could she casually throw out such a bold invitation? Was she like this with the men she’d dated before meeting him? 

The thought ignited a storm of jealousy, despite Kyle knowing better than to ask the ridiculous question that had popped into his mind: Were you like this with your exes too?

Thankfully, he managed to swallow the words before they escaped.

Unaware of Kyle’s inner turmoil, Brody observed his hesitation and realized he wouldn’t give in tonight.

She had hoped he’d softened toward her recently, but apparently, his walls were as impenetrable as ever.

“Fine! I’m sleeping here, whether you join me or not!”

She huffed, yanking the covers over her head. Secretly, though, she hoped he would lie down beside her.

But her wish went unanswered. The only sound in the room was the door slamming as Kyle stormed out.

Peeking out from under the blanket and seeing that Kyle had truly left, Brody pouted and muttered under her breath.

“Fine, go sleep by yourself, then!”

Though she felt a pang of guilt for kicking him out of his own room, she decided to stop worrying and go to sleep.

 

***

 

Later that night, the firmly closed door creaked open.

Kyle stepped in, this time quietly, carefully shutting the door behind him.

He glanced at the sleeping Brody in the bed, then sat on the sofa across from her.

He had left in a fit of irritation but hadn’t been able to sleep in her room.

His mind kept drifting back to Brody, alone in an unfamiliar place.

“Damn it,” he muttered, rubbing his face in frustration.

Ever since the night Brody had been abducted in her sleep, Kyle couldn’t help but feel uneasy whenever she slept alone.

What if something happened again while he wasn’t there? His overprotectiveness irritated him to no end, but it was Brody’s fault he felt this way in the first place.

Lying on the sofa where he could keep an eye on her, Kyle grumbled internally. Yet, for the first time that night, his heart felt at ease.

The tension in his body finally loosened, and he drifted off to sleep.

 

***

 

By early dawn, Kyle and Brody were up and ready to leave the castle.

Their primary mission—returning Ron safely to his mother—was complete, but their journey home still lay ahead.

A carriage awaited them outside the castle, courtesy of Rubinus, to take them to the edge of the wilderness.

“I still can’t believe we don’t need to pack diapers or bottles anymore.”

Brody said, glancing at the now-empty space where their bulky supplies used to be.

“It’s like a dream come true.”

Kyle replied, looking visibly relieved.

All they had now was Brody’s small rabbit-shaped backpack.

Once they crossed the wilderness, they would resume traveling in their animal forms.

The goat they’d used to carry supplies and the heavy bags were things of the past.

As they stepped outside, they saw Rubinus waiting with Ron.

He would normally still be asleep at this hour, however, the baby was wide awake, nestled quietly in his mother’s arms and babbling softly.

It was as if Ron understood it was time to say goodbye.

“Ron, this is really it,” Brody said softly.

Ron responded with a bright smile, wiggling his tiny fingers as if waving goodbye.

“You’ve been such a trooper,” Brody whispered, her voice tinged with emotion.

She reached out and touched his little hand, which immediately wrapped around her finger, just like when they’d first met.

Her heart swelled.

That small gesture, back then, had sparked a sense of responsibility in her that carried them through this long journey. Now, saying goodbye was far harder than she had anticipated.

Though she had always known this moment would come, actually facing it was painful.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but Ron, blissfully unaware, continued to smile at her.

“Ayl-ee!”

Ron babbled, his gaze shifting to Kyle, who had come closer to see him one last time.

Watching Ron babble endlessly with his tiny mouth, Kyle couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

“He never did manage to say my name.”

Brody muttered, feigning disappointment at Ron’s continued attempts to call only Kyle’s name.

She had hoped to hear it at least once, but it seemed her name was too difficult for the baby to pronounce.

As Ron kept calling for Kyle, Brody’s initial disappointment gave way to laughter, and he joined in the lighthearted moment.

After saying their goodbyes to Ron, Rubinus approached Brody and handed her a small pouch.

Inside, she found a single key.

“A key? Why just this…?”

She asked, puzzled. It wasn’t part of some treasure chest—just the key on its own.

Rubinus explained calmly.

“It’s a key that can open any door. One day, you’ll need it.”

Her confident tone left Brody staring at the seemingly ordinary key.

It looked completely unremarkable, yet her words made her believe in its significance.

Setting aside her curiosity, she gratefully placed it in her backpack.

After bidding Rubinus farewell, Brody and Kyle climbed into the carriage.

As they departed the castle, Brody gazed out the window at the receding figures of Rubinus and Ron, silently wishing them well.

She hoped Rubinus would find the strength to move forward after his trials. And for Ron, she wished for a happy, loving childhood now that he was safely back in his mother’s arms.

The thought of continuing their journey without Ron left an emptiness in her heart.

The cries that had once driven her to exhaustion, the laughter that had been a source of joy after difficult days, and the nonsensical babbling that had filled their conversations—all those sounds would no longer accompany them.

As memories of their time with Ron surfaced, an ache welled up inside her.

To dispel the heavy mood, Brody forced a playful tone and said to Kyle.

“So it’s just the two of us now. Guess our cozy little journey starts again, huh?”

“…”

Kyle said nothing, only watching her quietly.

He could see through her lighthearted words—he knew she was trying to hide her feelings.

Brody was a deeply emotional person, and saying goodbye to the child she had cared for like her own wouldn’t be easy for her.

As expected, Brody’s emotions betrayed her.

She bit her lip and quickly turned her head away to avoid his gaze, tears pooling in her eyes.

“Why are you crying?”

Kyle asked softly.

“Just…,” she began, struggling to keep her voice steady.

“I’m sad thinking that I won’t see him anymore.”

Her words were followed by tears spilling down her cheeks.

She wiped them away with the back of her hand, but the dam had already broken, and the tears wouldn’t stop.

Kyle watched her silently, concern flickering in his eyes.

Brody, now self-conscious about her tears, cleared her throat and forced a smile before speaking again.

“Do you think Ron will remember us someday?”

She asked, her voice tinged with hope.

Kyle was certain Ron wouldn’t. Memories from infancy rarely stayed, and he’d usually have stated that matter-of-factly. But seeing Brody’s tear-streaked face softened him.

“He has to,” Kyle said, a hint of humor in his voice.

“After all the trouble he put us through, how could he not?”

His exaggerated indignation and tightly clenched teeth made Brody burst into laughter, her mood lifting despite herself.

Her laughter brought a faint smile to Kyle’s lips as well.

The carriage sped farther away from Rubinus’s castle, leaving it behind.

As Brody had said, their journey as just the two of them was beginning once more.