I Picked Up an Abandoned Villain in the Polar Region

Episode 95

 

However, Eliza couldn’t openly voice her doubts and cautiously asked Brody.

“I heard you’re dating Kyle. How did you two meet?”

Brody replied brightly and respectfully.

“Oh, I met Kyle on the Asgar continent.”

“The Asgar continent…?”

Eliza’s expression stiffened at Brody’s words.

If they met on the Asgar continent, that meant Kyle had been exiled there through the magical portal. She hadn’t expected him to have gone that far, and the realization froze her face.

Though she quickly composed herself, the shock still lingered in her eyes.

Brody, well aware of the family’s circumstances, noticed this and swiftly tried to ease her worry.

“I met Kyle in the snowy plains. He was looking for a guide to take him south, and we happened to cross paths since I had a map. That’s how we ended up traveling together.”

She carefully avoided mentioning that Kyle had been on the verge of death when they met.

Such a revelation would likely have drained all color from Eliza’s face.

Seeing that Eliza still looked uneasy, Brody added in an effort to change the mood.

“That’s when we started dating too. Actually, I was the one who fell for him at first sight and followed him.”

Brody’s face turned red as she bashfully covered her mouth and laughed.

Eliza, slowly recovering from her shock, looked at Brody with a mixture of surprise and intrigue. For a rabbit, even a beastkin, to claim she followed a wolf out of love at first sight was unusual, to say the least.¹Yes, ma’am. Brody and common sense just don’t mix¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Unbothered by Eliza’s startled gaze, Brody continued cheerfully.

“He was so charming from the moment I saw him. You can tell how much I liked him since I followed him all the way here.”

Eliza silently observed Brody, who was confessing her feelings without hesitation.

No parent would be unhappy to hear someone speak fondly of their child, and Eliza found her heart warming despite her earlier doubts.

As Brody shared stories of her and Kyle’s journey from Asgar to this place, mostly focusing on Kyle, Eliza began to listen more attentively.

The initial discomfort she felt toward the unfamiliar rabbit girl slowly gave way to a sense of fondness. Like her son, she too found herself gradually opening up to Brody.

 

***

 

The two talked until late in the evening—or rather, Brody talked while Eliza listened intently.

By the time Brody left the room, Kyle was due to return.

Brody, not typically one to speak excessively, found her face sore from talking so much.

“Ugh, I wouldn’t even notice if I started drooling at this point.”

She muttered to herself, massaging her stiff cheeks. Winning over Eliza had been hard work, but she had a clear purpose for doing so.

As she headed downstairs to wait for Kyle, she realized she missed him more than usual.

Humming a tune, she made her way to the main hall.

Just then, a man entered through the front door.

Thinking it was Kyle, Brody looked up, only to widen her eyes in surprise. The man, Abel, was equally startled to see her.

“That rabbit…?”

Abel muttered, his gaze fixed on the unfamiliar woman.

Brody had never seen Abel in his human form before.

Unlike Kyle, whose presence was sharp and cold, Abel had a warm and graceful appearance.

He was undeniably handsome, even exuding a sense of purity. However, Brody remained indifferent to his looks, not because of her preference for handsome men but because of her loyalty to Kyle.

“Ah, yes, I’m that rabbit.”

Brody said with a polite smile as she approached him.

“We didn’t get to exchange greetings last time. You must be Kyle’s younger brother, right? Nice to meet you.”

Abel, who was naturally sociable, smiled back and extended his hand for a handshake.

“Are you feeling better now?”

Brody waved a hand dismissively, looking a bit sheepish.

“Oh, I’m fine now. I’ve caused such a fuss by being unwell for a few days, though. I hope I haven’t been too much trouble for everyone, including you, sir.”

“Sir?”

Abel blinked, momentarily confused. However, Brody quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment.

“Oh my, I’m sorry! I didn’t know what to call you since it’s our first meeting…”

Abel reassured her, waving off the apology.

“Call me whatever you like. If it’s all right, I’ll call you Sister-in-law.”

Abel’s straightforward suggestion of addressing her as ‘Sister-in-law’ startled Brody for a moment, but the two soon settled into a comfortable conversation while waiting for Kyle.

As they chatted, Abel found himself feeling a pang of sympathy for Brody. Kyle’s words from a few days earlier echoed in his mind.

‘Don’t fool yourself. I didn’t come back for you, for our parents, or for Roden.’

Looking at Brody, who seemed so cheerful and full of life, Abel felt a growing sense of pity.

She clearly cared deeply for Kyle, but she didn’t seem to realize that Kyle still harbored feelings for Zelda.

When Abel eventually thanked Brody for saving Zelda, her flustered reaction only deepened his suspicions.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who did I save? Haha, you must be mistaken.”

She said, laughing nervously.

But Abel’s expression remained firm.

“I saw you turn back time that day. You used a pocket watch to do it.”

“…”

Hearing Abel say he had seen it himself, Brody unconsciously swallowed hard. However, Abel pressed on, not letting her escape.

“I know this might be an impertinent question, but are you perhaps the legendary Clock Rabbit—”

“Haha! Oh, come now, my lord! You must have been so disoriented back then that you imagined it.”

Brody interrupted, laughing brightly to cut him off before he could finish.

What did it matter if he’d seen something? If she denied it, that was the end of it.

Knowing that admitting anything would do her no good, Brody frantically looked for an excuse to change the subject.

Just then, the front door opened, and Kyle walked in.

Recognizing him immediately, Brody cheered inwardly. Perfect timing!

Like a wife greeting her husband after a long day, she dashed to the door.

“Oh my, honey! You’re back?”

“What are you doing out here?”

Kyle responded, unimpressed as usual. Yet, he held a basket of fruit in one hand—clearly something he’d bought for her on his way back from the market, despite her room already being stocked with fruit.

Brody, knowing the basket was meant for her, grinned sheepishly and approached him. But Kyle waved her off.

“Don’t come near me. My clothes are dirty.”

Instead, he handed her the fruit basket.

Taking it with a cheerful thanks, Brody tried to loop her arm through his, but Kyle suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Turning to look at him, Brody realized too late that Abel was still nearby.

When Kyle’s gaze landed on his younger brother, his expression turned icy.

“Oh, I was just chatting with your brother earlier.”

Brody said lightly, trying to defuse the growing tension.

But Kyle, withdrawing his glare from Abel, replied curtly to her.

“Don’t bother. You’re not close enough to be chatting.”

Completely ignoring his brother, Kyle turned and headed for the stairs.

Brody glanced apologetically at Abel, who, used to this treatment, responded with a strained smile and a small nod.

Brody followed Kyle upstairs, grabbing onto his sleeve as if to say she wanted to stay with him.

Kyle slowed his pace slightly and said without looking at her.

“From now on, don’t talk to that guy, don’t make eye contact with him, and don’t greet him. Got it?”

He spoke with a sharp edge, leaving no room for argument.

Brody could sense his deep hostility toward his younger brother and replied in a quiet, subdued voice.

“Got it. I’ll be careful.”

But what Brody failed to notice was the underlying fear in Kyle’s heart.

The moment he heard that Brody had exchanged pleasantries with Abel, a chill ran down his spine.

Abel had always been a universally beloved figure—everyone adored him. Everyone, that is, except Kyle.

He was terrified that Brody, like everyone else, might eventually fall for Abel’s charm.

The thought that his brother might steal Brody away from him filled him with dread.

It was that fear, more than anything else, that had sharpened his tone and made him more irritable upon seeing Abel.

As he glanced at Brody trotting beside him, he clenched his fists in frustration.

He couldn’t just keep her by his side all the time to ensure she wouldn’t stray.

Taking her to his workplace was out of the question; it was filled with men, and this cheeky rabbit would undoubtedly be distracted there. That was why he’d used the excuse of her being a ‘trouble’ to leave her behind this morning.

But leaving her at home wasn’t any better. With Abel around, it was even more nerve-wracking.

Caught in this dilemma, Kyle gritted his teeth and continued walking, the stress mounting with every step.

 

That’s it for now. The next update will be on Monday. See you all!

My finals will end by 21/1