The Time-Limited Villain Supports My Breakup

Chapter 06

｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Bree ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Even though I wanted to pretend I didn’t notice, the presence of the book was so overwhelming. I laughed while resting my chin on my hand and asked,

“Why? Do you want to read the book together?”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that!”

As if he had been waiting, Julios shouted with a cheerful voice,

“We like sitting by the fireplace too! We always read books there!”

“Ah, I see.” I replied in a voice that didn’t convey any soul.

“Well, then, sit next to me.”

“…What?”

“Next to me.”

I nodded towards the empty seat next to me. Since I was sitting in the center of the sofa, conveniently, the seats on both sides were vacant.

“It’s empty. Plus, the seat is spacious.”

“…”

“…”

“Both of you can sit comfortably.”

At my words, The older brother, Ermano, cautiously moved his gaze to see Julios’ reaction.

“Hmph! If you want to sit with us that badly, we’ll make an exception and let you join us.”

Julios answered awkwardly and took Ermano’s hand then moved towards me.

Ermano sat on the left and Julios sat on the right.

“I’m making an exception and reading with you. I usually don’t read books with others!”

Julios spoke somewhat gruffly but with a thoughtful expression, swinging his legs in the air.

“Wow, what an honor. I should write about this in my diary tonight.”

Of course, I don’t keep a diary. Leaving a soulless response, I opened the book.

I realized that the herbs used in this world and those from my past life were similar. The names were different, but I found it fascinating, so I read more carefully.

Along with that, to avoid anyone noticing that I’m not Daphne, I also read basic noble etiquette books.

‘Well, it’s better than being completely ignorant than experiencing it firsthand… I suppose.’

While incorporating my past life studying experience into my mind, that’s when it happened.

…Suddenly, I realized that the surroundings were quiet.

After all, children were more frightened by silence than noise.

With that thought, I looked up, but to my surprise, the twins were deeply engrossed in their books, contrary to my concerns.

Eyes of the same color as mine sparkled. Unintentionally, a small smile escaped me at the sight.

‘They may be troublemakers, but they seem to enjoy studying.’

I was about to stand up, but hesitated. It might disturb the children’s studies.

‘I don’t have much else to do anyway. Should I wait a bit longer?’

Leaning my elbows on my thighs, I rested my chin in my hands. As my view naturally lowered, I noticed the book the twins were reading.

Julios, contrary to his age, was reading theories of magical knight studies.

And Ermano…

‘A fairy tale book?’

No, judging by the elaborate illustrations, it seemed more like a mythological tome.

‘Ermano seems to have an interest in mythology.’

Given the original background was related to mythology, it naturally caught my interest. Unconsciously, I tilted my head toward the book. Then, naturally, my body leaned toward Ermano.

“…!”

Surprised by the sudden proximity, Ermano flinched. I quickly straightened up.

“Ahem, sorry.”

“…”

Apologizing briefly for the awkwardness, Ermano clutched the book tightly and lowered his head, seemingly embarrassed. However, his subdued, puppy-like demeanor made me feel strangely guilty, as if I had done something wrong.

“Do you… like that book?”

Feeling a bit uneasy, I threw out a light question.

“That’s my brother’s favorite book in the world.”

The response came from Julios. Even without confirming, it seemed like Ermano knew what book he was reading.

“Right, Ermano?”

“…”

Ermano nodded slowly. It seemed like he was still shy about expressing his likes, as his ears turned red.

Finding it quite adorable, I smiled and asked, “Who’s the best in that book?”

“I like the hero!”

Although it wasn’t a question directed at him, Julios quickly responded.

“Okay, okay.” Acknowledging that, I turned my attention back to Ermano.

“What about you, Ermano?”

“…”

“Do you have someone you like?”

Ermano nodded hesitantly. Blushing, he shyly replied, “I also like the hero.”

“Why?”

“Heroes are strong. They defeated demons with the goddess and brought peace to the empire.”

Ermano clutched the book tightly as he spoke.

“So… I want to become strong like the heroes in legends and defeat demons.”

Speaking with flushed cheeks, Ermano suddenly hesitated. Then, he raised his voice as if his feet were tingling.

“O-of course, that was a thought from when I was younger. Not anymore! It’s just a myth…”

“Yeah, it’s a great dream.”

“Huh?” Ermano paused.

I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders.

“Saving the world, not everyone can do that. But Ermano has been thinking about wanting to be a hero since he was young.”

“…”

“So, in a way, Ermano is already stepping towards the name of a hero.”

In reality, Ermano and Julios, in the distant future, did help the heroine, so my words were not entirely wrong.

Upon hearing my words, Ermano looked at me with a dazed expression, slightly surprised.

“But there’s no goddess, so how can he become a hero?”

At that moment, Julios interjected.

“Look, it’s written here that being a hero is helping the goddess and defeating demons together.”

“…”

“But now there’s no goddess, and no demons. So, he can’t become a hero now.”

“Isn’t that right?” Julios blinked, asking.

It seemed like he wasn’t trying to mock Ermano but rather inform him of the reality.

“I… I know too.” Ermano said, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s just… just something I imagined.”

Eventually, he bit his lip, seemingly embarrassed.

It was understandable. He had shared a dream of becoming a hero, which was somewhat disconnected from reality, with his not-so-friendly cousin, only to have his own brother deny it.

But I knew the content of the original work. Right now, there might be no goddess or demons, but they would appear later.

‘Of course, I can’t say that…’

Seeing Ermano looking somewhat dejected. Feeling sorry for asking first, I decided to boost his morale, even if just a little.

“Well… She probably isn’t here right now.”

“Right now? So, she’ll appear someday?”

At Julios’ question, Ermano slowly raised his head.

“Well, I don’t know. Julie, if you do something bad, maybe she won’t appear again?”

“I-I don’t do bad things!”

Julios shouted as if he had stepped on something sharp.

Right. He’d want to say that. I chuckled and ruffled Julios’s hair.

“Don’t touch me, you witch!”

Julios, with his ears turning red, pushed my hand away.

“…”

I looked at my awkwardly paused hand in the air. It didn’t hurt, but…

“Did you call me a witch again…?”

“…!”

I muttered in a low voice, staring at Julios. Julios shrank back as if surprised.

“I-I didn’t mean it that way…”

I grinned and said to Julios, “You know what, Julie? Witches are on the side of demons.”

In a voice slightly lower than usual.

“…!”

Julios, feeling something unusual, widened his eyes.

“If you keep calling me a witch, I might get angry and summon a demon, you know…?”

“Sob…!”

As if frightened, Julios welled up with tears. I slowly lowered my face toward him.

Right at that moment when Julios’s eyes were about to become teary.

“Well, even if I get angry, I won’t actually summon a demon.”

I straightened up again as if to say, ‘When have I ever done that?’

Being called a witch wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it wasn’t enough to make me angry either.

‘I just wanted to tease.’

Still, since I went this far, he should understand.

Just looking at Julios, who was still frozen, it was clear, wasn’t it?

I chuckled and said, “Well, don’t worry, Julie. If a demon appears, the goddess will also appear, and then…”

I looked at Ermano beside me, resting my chin on my hand.

“Our hero will save us.”

Isn’t that right? Winking with one eye, Ermano’s face brightened.

Ermano responded more energetically than before.

“Yeah, I’ll save you, Julie.”

“T-Thanks, brother…”

Julios, who still hadn’t shaken off his fear, replied with difficulty.

‘Ermano may be timid, but he’s still an older brother after all.’

I chuckled lightly and stood up.

Since I had seen enough, I planned to return to the greenhouse.

“Uh, where are you going?”

At that moment, Julios, who was still touched by his brother’s words about saving him, looked up at me.

“I’m done here, so I’m going back.”

I casually replied as I organized the books.

“Already?”

“Already?”

Julios and Ermano both responded simultaneously.

“I’ll go too.”

“I-I’ll go too.”

Then they started to tidy up their places.

Did I interrupt their flow? I said in a bewildered voice.

“Um… don’t mind me and continue with your studies.”

“I’m done studying.”

“I’m done.”

However, the twins were more resolute than I thought. It was pointless to tell them to study more when they said they were done.

In the meantime, the twins, who had tidied up their places neatly, approached me.

Then they looked up at me with a face that said, “Aren’t you going?”

I couldn’t help but smile at the angelic, identical twins.

‘In moments like these, they’re cute again.’

I knew they had mischievousness behind their innocent faces, but in that moment, their cuteness made me forget about it.

So, we left the library together.

“Uh…”

While Julios was speaking in a squeaky voice, Ermano, who was quietly following me, slowly opened his mouth.

“Will you… come again?”

“Where?”

“…The library.”

Ermano, who was walking quietly beside me, asked while lowering his head.

“Well, I might come back if I need to find something again, but I don’t think I’ll come back often.”

Giving an ambiguous answer, Ermano raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“…Are you not coming anymore?”

The expectation that was in his eyes just a moment ago turned into disappointment.