I Picked Up an Abandoned Villain in the Polar Region

Episode 97

 

Brody’s efforts to bond with Kyle’s family and create moments like these were, of course, all for Kyle’s sake.

Before coming to Roden, she had no intention of interfering so deeply in his family affairs. Knowing how much Kyle detested his family, she had wanted to avoid touching on sensitive matters.

But that changed after they arrived at the plateau of Erbe.

“…”

Brody recalled the look in Kyle’s eyes as he watched Fabian and his two sons on the plateau.

The memory of Kyle staring enviously at the affectionate and warm trio was vividly etched in her mind—it had left a deep impression on her.

Up until then, Brody had believed Kyle simply hated his family.

But seeing that moment made her realize the truth: buried beneath Kyle’s hatred was an unspoken yearning to be loved by his family.

That was why he had reacted with such intense anger, resentment, and fury when they betrayed him.

If he hadn’t held any expectations for them in the first place, he wouldn’t have felt such profound disappointment and despair.

Understanding this made it unbearable for her to just stand by and watch his fractured family dynamics.

She didn’t expect a dramatic reconciliation. She just wanted his family to stop hiding their love and finally express it openly and courageously, even if only a little.

If Kyle could feel even the smallest fraction of their love, Brody would be content.

Though today’s failure dampened her spirits somewhat, she couldn’t stop now.

Brody clenched her fists with determination. After all, giving up wasn’t in her nature.

 

***

 

In the end, Brody and Kyle finished their meal in his room.

Afterward, Brody, who had taken a shower and changed into Kyle’s oversized clothes as usual, began whining.

“These clothes are too big and uncomfortable. They keep slipping down—I feel like they’re going to fall off.”

Ordinarily, Brody would have been pleased about wearing loose, slipping clothes, but now she was acting unusually modest.

Kyle, who had already planned to buy her clothes and shoes the next day, responded indifferently.

“Just wear them for tonight. I’ll bring some when I get back tomorrow.”

“No, I don’t want to! It’s uncomfortable. Or I’ll just take them off and sleep like that!”

Brody abruptly started to strip, and Kyle, horrified, shouted.

“Are you crazy?! What’s with the sudden tantrum?!”

Grumbling, he sat up from the sofa and headed toward the door, muttering.

“Fine, I’ll call a servant and have them bring something for you to wear. Just stay put.”

But finding women’s clothes in a size that fit Brody was unlikely; the servants were all much larger than her.

As Kyle was about to leave, Brody blocked his way, looking frantic.

“No! You can’t summon servants in the middle of the night. If someone needs something, they should go themselves!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? It’s their job to come when the master calls, no matter the hour.”

Brody grabbed his arm and insisted.

“Absolutely not. I’ll go instead. I made a friend among the maids earlier—I know which room she’s in. If I ask her nicely, she’ll lend me something. She’s a really kind person.”

Kyle wanted to retort that going herself was more troublesome, but Brody, now hastily throwing on a robe, declared she’d be right back and dashed out before he could get a word in.

Once outside the room, Brody sighed in relief, realizing Kyle hadn’t followed.

Lately, he’d started claiming, ‘You cause trouble when you’re alone,’ and tried to keep an eye on her.

Successfully executing her plan, she headed toward Eliza’s room.

Brody’s sudden fuss about her clothes had been a ploy to visit Eliza.

She had overheard earlier that Eliza struggled with insomnia and stayed up late, so she figured now would be a good time to visit.

Eliza had also said she wouldn’t mind if Brody came to chat.

With the pretext of wanting to comfort Eliza over the evening’s events, Brody knocked gently on the door.

“Mother, it’s Brody.”

There was a brief silence, likely from surprise, followed by the sound of someone clearing their throat and Eliza’s voice inviting her in.

Brody opened the door cautiously, expecting Eliza to be alone, but to her surprise, Alexander was there too.

The couple seemed to have been having a conversation over tea.

Brody, startled by the unexpected presence of Alexander, quickly recovered and greeted him warmly.

“Father, you’re here too! What a pleasant surprise!”¹So yeah, I decided that Father and Mother are the most accurate translations.

Her enthusiasm was genuine—having both of them present made her plan even better.

While Eliza welcomed her kindly and gestured for her to sit, Brody’s mind was already strategizing her next move.

“I enjoyed our conversation earlier, Mother, and since you mentioned staying up late, I thought I’d spend a bit more time with you tonight.”

“Oh, did I perhaps interrupt your private time together?”

Brody asked innocently, her wide eyes filled with sincerity.

Eliza quickly waved her hand.

“Interrupt? Don’t say such things. Come in and have a seat.”

Grateful, Brody took a seat, and Eliza poured her a cup of tea.

Alexander, on the other hand, remained silent, sipping his tea with visible discomfort.

He couldn’t help it. Not only was Brody a stranger to him, but he had also never encountered anyone with her personality before.

Her unreserved demeanor felt overwhelming, especially since she wasn’t in a position to behave so familiarly with him.

Out of habit, Alexander glanced up, only to meet Brody’s eyes. To his surprise, she flashed him a bright, innocent smile.

It was a smile so pure and radiant that it caught him off guard, and he instinctively pulled back. If he had been drinking tea, he might have spat it out.

Oblivious to his discomfort, Brody continued smiling sweetly before addressing them both cautiously.

“You were caught off guard earlier, weren’t you?”

She asked, referring to what had happened during dinner. Speaking in a gentle tone, she added.

“Please don’t feel too upset. Kyle was just a bit sensitive at the time.”

Her words, spoken in defense of Kyle while offering them comfort, left the couple feeling both embarrassed and regretful.

“We should be the ones apologizing to you, Brody. You must have been so shocked,” Eliza said apologetically.

She sighed and added.

“It’s our fault. Kyle resents us because of our mistakes.”

Hearing Eliza’s resigned tone, Brody quickly shook her head, eager to reassure her.

“That’s not true, Mother. Why do you assume he only hates you? If that were the case, he wouldn’t have returned with his uncle and fought so hard for Roden.”

Brody hesitated briefly before continuing in a cautious voice.

“I don’t think Kyle hates you both. If you opened your hearts a little more and showed him kindness, I believe he would soften considerably.”

It was a request she made with trembling sincerity, but Alexander responded coldly.

“That’s not what he wants from us. And showing kindness won’t solve anything.”

He spoke vaguely, treating her as though she couldn’t possibly understand their situation.

But Brody knew everything—she was fully aware of what had transpired between them, of how they had taken away what Kyle held dearest.

Despite his dismissive tone, Brody held her ground, her voice earnest.

“Even so… could you show him a little more affection? Express the love you have for him?”

Her tone, so serious and heartfelt, was a stark contrast to her usually cheerful demeanor.

Alexander looked at her intently for a moment before speaking.

“Did Kyle tell you that?”

He asked, implying whether Kyle had confided in her about growing up without their love.

Brody let out a bitter laugh and shook her head.

“No, of course not. You know him better than anyone—he would never say such things.”

Alexander’s gaze silently demanded, ‘Then what makes you think you understand enough to ask this of us?’

He seemed oblivious to how his cold indifference and lack of affection toward his son revealed everything about their relationship.

Choosing her words carefully to avoid offending him, Brody finally replied,

“Sometimes you don’t need words to understand. When you look at someone, it’s clear. People who were loved show it, and those who weren’t loved carry the marks of that absence.”

Her voice trembled slightly, and her face flushed as she tried to suppress the sadness swelling within her.

“When I first saw him, I just wanted to love him so much. He’s someone who deserves all the love in the world.”

Her words carried the weight of deep empathy and sorrow.

Kyle had grown up in isolation, undeserving of the loneliness he had endured.

It was this understanding that had driven Brody to save him from his fate, to keep fighting for him even after waiting five long years to meet him again.

Feeling self-conscious about the gravity of her words, Brody smiled awkwardly and added,

“I’m sorry if I overstepped. I know you love Kyle. I just thought it would mean a lot to him if you could express that love more openly.”

Alexander and Eliza looked at Brody with tense expressions, their gazes dropping after a moment.

In their lowered eyes, emotions swirled—emotions Brody couldn’t fully discern but hoped, with all her heart, were realizations.