The Time-Limited Villain Supports My Breakup

Chapter 23

｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Divine ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Rather than have Daphne say it first, it was better for him to speak.

“Alright, I also have something to say.”

Lyas nodded. After taking a deep breath, he said in a subdued voice.

“Let’s pretend having meals with the kids as if it never happened.”

“…Huh? Uh, why?”

Daphne’s face turned puzzled.

“The children don’t like me. At least, let’s make the meal more comfortable for them.”

“…”

“You must have had a hard time too. Thanks for coming to talk like this.”

Lyas’s voice as he spoke was full of bitterness.

“Uh… Uncle, what should we do about this?”

However, Daphne looked even more troubled than before.

“What I wanted to tell you today was completely different…”

“What?”

At that moment.

Thunk!

Thud!

There was the sound of something falling. The gazes of Daphne and Lyas turned to one place.

Creak, the door opened, and there stood…

“…”

“…”

Ermano and Julios, books scattered at their feet.

Instinctively understanding the situation, Lyas widened his eyes. In a perplexed voice, Daphne whispered.

“Today, the twins and I were studying at the library together. But they wanted to ask Uncle about something they didn’t know…”

“…”

“As you know, magic circuits are Uncle’s expertise.”

Daphne added, and only then did Lyas realize his hastiness.

“Emil, Julie. I…”

Startled, he abruptly stood up.

“…I’m sorry. We just wanted to ask Father.”

Julios muttered in a subdued voice.

Seeing Julios like that, Ermano awkwardly smiled, trying to smooth over the situation.

“Sorry for interrupting when you’re busy. We’ll leave now.”

Ermano summed things up in simple words.

When they were about to leave the room with their heads bowed…

“It’s not a disturbance.”

Lyas spoke with a hint of urgency in his voice.

The twins and Daphne looked at him in surprise.

Lyas slowly approached the twins. Then, he knelt down, aligning himself with their eye level.

“That just now… I misspoke.”

“But…”

“I… have been waiting for this moment.”

“…”

“I don’t mind. I mean it. I’m sincerely happy that you came.”

Lyas spoke with a mix of sadness and a genuine, happy smile.

The twins’ eyes widened more than before.

Their irises that resembled mine and also Aileen’s sparkled.

“So, if you’re not upset, can you tell me what you’re curious about?”

Upon his question, the kids nodded their heads vigorously.

Afterward, Lyas nodded as well. Julios bit his lip to prevent tears, and Ermano’s eyes turned red.

“Come here.”

Lyas sat down with the twins.

Curious about many things, the kids bombarded him with questions.

Daphne, secretly watching the scene, couldn’t help but smile.

Before quietly leaving the study, she slipped a piece of paper into the next book they planned to read.

“Now, for the next one…”

Lyas unfolded the book to explain. However, he stopped abruptly upon finding the inserted note.

In squiggly letters, it read:

My funeral wish is to become an excellent magic swordsman like Father!

The moment Lyas read the sentence, his faint smile slowly stiffened.

As if trying to hold something back, his Adam’s apple wavered.

“Father…?”

“…Are you crying?”

The twins asked anxiously.

Lyas shook his head, and as if not wanting to be exposed, he hugged the twins tightly.

***

It was a good decision to go ask Uncle Lyas questions.

A few days had passed since that incident.

The awkwardness that once paralyzed the dining table was gradually fading away.

The kids timidly responded to Lyas’s questions, occasionally asking questions themselves.

Now, the dream of improving their family relationship was not in vain. That’s what I thought at least.

A servant entered the dining room, carrying a silver tray with a paper knife and a letter.

Naturally, I assumed it was for Lyas…

However, the servant extended the tray towards me.

“Milady, a letter has arrived for you.”

“For me? Really?”

Someone wanted to send a letter to Daphne?

The other three also had surprised expressions, probably thinking the same.

I opened the envelope and checked the letter.

“Why? Who is it from?”

Curious, Julie leaned his head towards me.

“Milady, the cake you ordered is ready. Rose Bakery… did you order dessert?”

“Well, I just felt like having something.”

Of course, I’ve never ordered desserts or anything.

I mumbled vaguely and looked at Lyas, who was sitting across from me.

“Uncle Lyas, may I go out for a while today?”

“Go out?”

When Lyas questioned me, I continued.

“I have some personal matters to attend to. I won’t cause any trouble.”

“….”

Lyas seemed to be deep in thought for a moment.

It was while I was still nervous, wondering if there were lingering suspicions about me.

Lyas spoke in a serious tone.

“Did you not like the skills of the baker?”

“What?”

“If that’s the case, I can convey the message again—”

“N-No, that’s not it!”

I quickly interjected. How could they even think of firing the chef when their skills were so good!

“I just ordered something separately because I wanted to eat it. And, I also have other things to do.”

I subtly brought up the main topic behind my request.

Lyas let out a sigh.

Waiting anxiously for his words, the twins spoke up.

“But, sister… You don’t have any work to do.”

“Unless, perhaps…?”

Suddenly, the twins who were rolling their eyes in thought said simultaneously.

“Are you going to see that guy, Roderick?”

“…”

I was momentarily speechless.

I couldn’t figure out where to start correcting their misconception.

Instead of me, Lyas pointed out the twins’ behavior.

“Using the term ‘that guy‘ for an adult isn’t appropriate.”

“But…”

“Still…”

The twins pursed their lips and obediently responded with a quiet “Yes…” “I understand…” when Lyas raised his eyebrows.

“Well… It’s not that I disagree with you, but…”

Lyas mumbled unclear words and eventually turned to look at me.

“You must come back before sunset.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I readily nodded in agreement.

Lyas didn’t add any further remarks, and the meal ended smoothly.

I hurried out of the residence because I knew the twins were eager to follow me wherever I went.

“Milady!”

As I was about to get on the carriage, Sukia ran towards me.

In her hands was the black robe I had forgotten to bring.

There were currently bad rumors about me circulating in the capital, so a cloak like this was essential for moving comfortably.

‘Pretty perceptive.’

“Thank you, Sukia.”

“Oh, no need for thanks…!”

Ignoring Sukia who blushed with a small smile, I told the coachman my destination.

“To Wayne District, Central Square.”

***

“Welcome, Milady.”

In response to Luciel’s greeting, Daphne nodded lightly.

“I’m pleased you found your way here properly.”

“It almost sounds like you doubted my ability to find it.”

Daphne tilted her head.

It wasn’t an incorrect statement. Lyas sent a letter to Daphne, deliberately not mentioning the name of the shop and instead using “Rose Bakery” to ask her to visit, stating that the ordered cake was ready.

And Daphne came, grasping the true purpose of the letter.

If this was the Daphne in the rumors, she may have not noticed or ignored the letter altogether.

‘As expected, rumors can be deceiving.’

Luciel, finishing his judgment, spoke in a relaxed manner.

“There are quite a few terrible rumors circulating lately. Please consider it a safety measure.”

“Indeed.”

Daphne nodded briefly in agreement.

“What about my request?”

“You’re talking about the poison, I presume.”

Luciel handed her the documents he had prepared.

“After checking, it seems to be commissioned by the Assassination Guild.”

“…”

“But the client…”

He let his words trail off. Daphne turned over the documents.

Deceased.

“…has already died.”

Daphne sighed inwardly.

In truth, she had somewhat expected this.

If the person trying to kill her was a high-ranking noble, they would have tried not to leave any evidence. Manipulating someone’s death would have been nothing, especially for them.

“It seems they truly are influential.”

“You’re not surprised?”

“I expected it.”

Luciel’s eyes narrowed as Daphne casually responded.

She didn’t show any signs of being surprised or angry, not even a hint.

Just when he thought her reaction was a bit disappointing, Daphne asked again.

“Has the safety of the antidote been confirmed?”

“Of course. The results…”

Luciel placed the vial he had received from Daphne on the table and continued.

“To be honest, it’s amazing. Such an antidote can’t be easily made even by the temple.”

“Then…?”

“Yes. If it were for sale, people would willingly pay a high price for it. However…”

Luciel hesitated to continue, as if finding something difficult to say.

“I know. If I try to sell it under my name, no one would buy it.”

Indeed, she seemed quite perceptive. Luciel swallowed a smile and continued.

“I didn’t mean anything else. Anyway, if it were me, I wouldn’t sell this potion under Lady’s name. Trust is crucial when it comes to medicine.”

“Hmm.”

“Of course, it would be good to send it to the temple, but…”

The temple, which used divine power, would never accept a potion made with magic power.

She could only turn to private pharmacies. However, they wouldn’t want to incur the displeasure of the temple either.

Now, all that was left was him, a black market drug dealer.

He wasn’t bound by the restrictions of the temple, and, above all, could bring in a lot of money.

In the first place, entrusting them with the ingredient analysis was undoubtedly the cornerstone for this.

If it were someone else, he would have flatly refused without a second thought.

But not now. There was something in Daphne’s antidote that could quell the rampage in his body.

Yet, accepting outright would mean losing the upper hand in negotiations.

‘I should probably say I need a few samples first.’

He spoke with a nonchalant attitude.

“It might be challenging for us, but if you wish…”

His words were cut off.

“I haven’t said I’m entrusting it to you yet.”

“…What?”

Before he could say no, he was rejected first.

Luciel opened his mouth dumbfoundedly.