The Villainess' Ending Was Death

Fresa was lying down on the sofa to rest after confirming that Rowan Gillespie had returned.

 

‘I’m tired, so tired.’

 

She was already suffering from various issues in the extremely hot weather, and her physical condition was not very good.

 

“You look unwell, Resa.”

 

Reese said worriedly, while floating over Fresa’s face. Fresa had her eyes closed and then she slowly opened her eyes.

 

“I’m just a little tired.”

 

“They say eating something delicious makes you feel better in times like this, humans.”

 

Reese gave advice in a very human manner.

 

Fresa smiled slightly. She certainly missed Lycaon’s cooking for her often. The dishes were simple and boring, but the taste wasn’t bad. Only then did she remember how warm it was to eat with someone else.

 

‘Ah, I unconsciously thought of it again.’

 

Because the hurt she received from people was so great, she tried to avoid giving affection as much as possible. Nevertheless, Lycaon’s empty space has already grown to this extent.

 

“It seems like you miss that person.”

 

Reese looked at Fresa with pity.

 

Fresa didn’t want to refute, so she remained silent. After Lycaon left, the area around here became very quiet. When she first moved in, she didn’t expect anyone to live around her. She felt lonely at the fact that there was no one around her right now. It was not for nothing that the saying that people heal through people came up.

 

“The contractor is listless, so I’m feeling down too, Resa.”

 

Reese let out a sigh and pulled Fresa’s hair.

 

“Ouch, it hurts.”

 

“Cheer up, Resa.”

 

“I’m just a little tired.”

 

Of course, she was angry and dumbfounded by the appearance of Rowan Gillespie. Now, he appeared in front of someone who had finally escaped from the original and was about to start a new life and said, ‘The person I really love is you.’

 

‘Crazy person.’

 

What happened to your mind? Did Alicia know that? If she had known she wouldn’t have stayed quiet. Everyone thought Alicia was a beautiful and kind person. But Fresa knew just how vicious she could be to get what she wanted.

 

‘I was in trouble because I tore the dress I was going to wear to the banquet.’

 

She really liked that dress, but it became tattered thanks to Alicia. Of course, she had no choice but to pretend not to know even though she knew even then.

 

‘Because the original work would have hurt me again.’

 

Anyway, now Rowan Gillespie had noticed Fresa’s presence. She meant that it would not be long before it reached Count Thorpe’s ears.

 

‘The people of Thorpe would definitely deny it.’

 

Especially the Count and Elias. They were people who valued their family’s honor more than Fresa’s existence. So, it would be shameful that Fresa pretended to be dead and ran away, and that they pretended to be sad by burying her empty coffin. In the first place, Fresa was nothing to them, she was a useless daughter and brother, so there was no need to worry about her being suddenly brought here. They probably still thought that Fresa had no abilities.

 

‘So it’s not a big problem, but…’

 

Rowan’s changed attitude bothered her.

 

‘How can a person’s heart be like that?’

 

He said he loved Alicia, so he worked hard to keep it together, so what nonsense?

 

“Resa, someone came to visit.”

 

Reese floated into the air. At the same time, someone pounded hard on the front door.

 

‘Who is it? I wrote that today is a holiday.’

 

Also, it seems like someone didn’t read the notice posted on the front door. Fresa roughly straightened her disheveled hair and opened the front door. But there was someone she had never expected to see standing there.

 

‘Jerome?’

 

It was Fresa’s second brother, Jerome Thorpe. She didn’t know how he found Fresa, but he was someone she didn’t want to see as much as Rowan. Fresa briefly considered whether to close the front door again or tear out Jerome’s hair and make him bald.

 

Jerome opened his mouth wide and muttered as if he had seen a ghost.

 

“You, you crazy…”

 

You might be surprised if someone you thought was dead is alive and well. In that sense, Jerome’s reaction was completely normal. But when he extended his hand towards Fresa he was a bit displeased.

 

“There are a lot of insignificant guests today. Shall I take care of it?”

 

Reese asked, putting his torso close in front of Jerome. She didn’t know what to do with that small, insignificant body, but Fresa decided it would be better to just close the front door and turn around. Until lightning suddenly fell from the sky. And that was until she saw Lycaon, dressed in stunning black robes.

 

Lycaon, who was trampling Jerome as comfortably as if he were on the ground, even greeted him with a nonchalant expression.

 

“How did you suddenly come back?”

 

Fresa was dumbfounded. She didn’t know Lycaon would come back so quickly. Of course he said he would come back soon, but she couldn’t believe him.

 

Lycaon said, stepping down on Jerome’s back exactly twice, like a carpet.

 

“Greetings formally, Resa.”

 

It was awkward to wear an outfit that one would only wear at a formal event, but even the way he spoke and his facial expressions didn’t look like Lycaon.

 

Lycaon’s dark blue cloak swayed gently in the lukewarm wind.

 

“This is Lycaon Grenadine, Grand Duke of Grenadine.”

 

The greeting was so elegant and strange that Fresa felt like watching a short play.

 

“…yes?”

 

Fresa’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden self-introduction. So, her sickly neighbor turned out to be the Grand Duke of the Empire, or something like that? Fresa muttered with a bewildered expression.

 

“If you were the Grand Duke of the Grenadines, you would have subdued the dragon…”

 

“I guess it became more known that way.”

 

Lycaon smiled calmly and stared at Fresa.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

 

“Ah yes.”

 

Fresa barely nodded her head. To be honest, Fresa was also the one who lied.

 

Lycaon looked down at Fresa with a strange look. It was so unexpected that she had no idea how to react. Now everything clicked into place. Everything from being poisoned by the poison of an extinct dragon, to the fact that an apparently ordinary person came all the way to this countryside for treatment, to Rhys feeling the magic power running rampant in Lycaon.

 

‘It was mentioned a few times in the original work. The Grand Duke of the Grenadines was described as Rowan Gillespie’s internal rival.’

 

In the original work, Lycaon was the object of Rowan’s feelings of inferiority. However, since he did not appear directly and was only occasionally mentioned in a few lines of Rowan’s dialogue, she did not recognize him. Even his name was always referred to as the Grand Duke of the Grenadines, so it had to be that way. Despite learning the devastating truth, Fresa had more important things to do.

 

“Mr. Lycaon, are you okay?”

 

This was Lycaon’s current state. It was more important how much of the poison had disappeared than the fact that he was a great magic tower lord.

 

Lycaon laughed out loud.

 

“Is that all you want to ask?”

 

“Yes. You already told me everything else. You are the owner of the Magic Tower and a famous Grand Duke of the empire. But to me, you are just a patient and a neighbor who needs my medicine.”

 

And also a friend. She didn’t even bother to say those words. It was because he was somehow embarrassed.

 

Lycaon took a step closer. Thanks to his height, the sun hanging over the mountain ridge was slightly blocked.

 

“The patient and neighbor are doing fine now. Of course, I still need more of your medicine.”

 

“What a relief.”

 

Fresa nodded her head once. Lycaon’s complexion certainly looked a lot better than before he left. Still, there was something that bothered her, but it wasn’t something she would say while Jerome was listening, so she asked the question she was curious about right away.

 

“Anyway, why did my brother become like that?”

 

“Oh, I couldn’t tell you in advance.”

 

Lycaon turned his back and stared at Jerome, who was lying on the floor. Unlike when he looked at Fresa, his eyes were cold.

 

“Before I left, I cast a spell so that I would be summoned if you felt in danger.”

 

Fresa looked at Lycaon’s straight profile. He felt a little strange. He couldn’t decide whether to be grateful that he had prepared for this situation or to feel displeased at the fact that he hadn’t told him in advance that he had used a spell. Of course, it was true that she had received help from Lycaon now, so her feelings were a little closer to the former. Fresa asked, scratching her slightly heated cheek.

 

“Did you anticipate that I might be in danger?”

 

Maybe it was because she ran into Rowan at the market. Lycaon probably judged Rowan to be dangerous. But Fresa wasn’t afraid of Rowan Gillespie. It’s just annoying and unpleasant.

 

“I’m sorry I didn’t discuss it with you first. I wanted to protect you from any possible danger. Of course I hoped nothing would happen.”

 

Lycaon looked Fresa straight in the eyes and apologized.

 

Protect.

 

It was a very unfamiliar word to Fresa. No one has ever tried to protect her. So she drank the poison to fend for herself, and she fled to this place. However, she couldn’t help but feel strange when she told Lycaon, whom she had only recently met, that he was the one she had to protect.

 

Fresa changed her subject, trying not to get carried away with her emotions.

 

“First… I guess we’ll have to talk about the rest later, but what about this person?”

 

“Do whatever you want. I don’t have the power to decide.”

 

Lycaon answered as if he had been waiting. Fresa glanced briefly at Jerome, who was flinching and struggling to raise his head.

 

‘I’m in trouble because Jerome saw with his own eyes that I was alive.’

 

But she didn’t want to give up her new home. She couldn’t just run away forever. If she couldn’t avoid it, she’d rather crash into it.

 

After much deliberation, Fresa decided to dispose of Jerome Thorpe.

 

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Translator Note: