Is it wrong for me to like seeing the villain suffer [23]
Two days later, Naran regained consciousness after treatment.
Fortunately, there was no significant damage to his body.
As for me, I was moved to the room next to Arkle's.
“With him, Lizzie will be safer.”
So Naran muttered in a low voice as he opened his eyes.
When I told him that Arkell was worried about him, he remained silent without responding.
“Do you still hate Arkle?”
“…….”
After a long moment of silence, Naran opened his mouth as he stared out the window:
“I thought my brother hated me.”
“…….”
“I am the reason our parents died.”
This was the first time I heard anything from the Cayenne family's past.
“When I was an infant, I suddenly fell ill for no apparent reason. So my parents took me themselves to a famous doctor in the capital. But on the way back, there was a carriage accident.”
Naran turned with a calm face to continue his speech:
“My father died instantly, and my mother died trying to protect me.”
“…….”
"And then Callen became our caretaker. He sent my sister Martha straight to the academy at the border. A notorious and difficult place, and he probably wanted her to die there."
'Calin, that bastard… he coveted the status of the master of the Cayin Family.'
Now I remembered that some of the characters in the original novel were Martha's classmates at that academy.
“He then sold Arkel as a mercenary for a huge sum.”
What? Arkell went to war then?
This is the first thing I hear...
'And he was apparently young then...'
I thought the three Cayenne family siblings were just dark and crazy characters, but their past oozes pain.
“On the eve of Arkel leaving the palace, I begged him. I begged him not to leave me alone.”
“…….”
"But he turned around and left without saying a word. Then I realized... Oh, he's tormented just by looking at me."
“…….”
“Kaline coming to this house, and Arkel going to the war zone...all of that is because of me.”
Naran spoke coldly as if it did not concern him, but his crimson eyes were immersed in darkness.
“If I had at least as much value as kicking…”
“Two fires.”
I called him quietly, and he turned to me and looked in silence.
"Now you can move, right? Let's meet for dinner in a moment."
I smiled as I asked the question, and his eyes trembled for a moment.
“Okay. ...thank you, Lizzie.”
He smiled a stunning angelic smile.
“Thank you for saying that you love someone like me. And I too... love you. ... very much.”
Naran's large, crimson eyes sparkled like jewels and were gently bent into loving features.
As for his rosy cheeks, they looked like two ripe apples.
It's the smile I've always wanted to see.
I patted his head and got up from my seat.
“I will wait for you in the dining hall.”
"Yes."
He nodded and waved his little hand.
“By the way.”
I turned towards him and said:
“Everyone in this palace values you. And I do as well.”
“…….”
“He was honestly worried about you.”
But Naran did not comment a word.
“See you in a bit.”
However, I did not go to the dining hall after I left... but rather to Arkel's room.
❖ ❖ ❖
Knock…knock…
I knocked on his door and stood behind my hands waiting for him to come out.
I suddenly realized that since that day I had not had a frank conversation with him, even though my room had moved next to his.
It was true that he was busy delivering Calin to the Imperial Palace…
'But... every time we met, he quickly walked away from me as if to avoid confrontation.'
See...Are you determined to return me to Aliheim?
'no! This can't be happening!'
My back trembled at the mere thought, so I knocked on the door again with determination.
I had to decide today.
I will extract his permission to stay here until I have enough money to be independent.
‘And Arkell knows full well that I am not only useful to him in the magic tank, but in many other things as well.’
I will prove to him that I can always be of help.
'Does he really not exist?'
I intended to invite him to share the dining table with Naran, hoping that would be the beginning of mending their relationship.
Moreover, having Naran by my side might give me some support in the conversation.
But…
'Really, does he not exist?'
I waited a long time without the door opening, and I was about to turn around when the door opened with a slight creak.
“Huan, not now.”
Arkel's gaze trembled as he turned to me.
“…Lizzie.”
He looked a little confused. I was also very confused, as he was wearing a thin shirt whose buttons were almost unbuttoned.
I caught a glimpse of his broad chest and the prominent contours of his collarbones, and I involuntarily held my breath.
Moreover, his forehead was dripping with cold sweat, and his breathing was weak and intermittent.
'It's the disease associated with the magic tank.'
The same symptoms I first saw when I treated him.
“Lizzy...now I...”
"You're in pain, right? Let me in."
I said firmly, pushing him inside before he closed the door.
“Not a good time.”
Arkell breathed heavily as he turned his face away from me.
“You are suffering. What better time than now?”
'I have to get him to sit on the bed quickly...'
But before I could say anything, Arkel collapsed on the bed, clutching his chest.
“Ah…”
His voice was hoarse and his breathing was ragged, but it was clear that he was struggling as hard as he could.
‘Well… I can ask him to promise to let me stay after he completes his treatment.’
I extended my hand to begin healing, but he blocked me forcefully.
“Go away.”
He looked up at me, his crimson eyes holding a strange, familiar gleam.
“Come closer.”
When he stares like that, I feel like he turns into someone else.
“Don't come near me.”
“But last time you asked for it yourself.”
“It's dangerous.”
She smiled softly at him.
“If I had been afraid of danger, I would not be alive today.”
“You...”
I extended my hand again.
This time he did not repel me, so I gently placed my palm on his cheek.
“You still don't want me to come closer?”
I asked simply, and he answered after fixing his gaze on me for a moment:
“More… touch me more.”
A small, sly smile appeared on his lips.
“Isn't that what you like?”
I almost screamed in surprise.
'You insolent man...!'
He always pretended to be cold, so where did he get this boldness from?
'Beautiful... insane.'
His handsome face, even in his silence, now seemed even more dazzling, as if I were looking at an angel descending from heaven.
'It's amazing...'
I began to summon my sacred powers to heal, but I realized I didn't need to.
The tired wrinkles between his eyebrows began to relax little by little, and his features relaxed under my touch.
He seemed drunk at the touch of my hand, his eyes half-closed with a strange fascination.
'This is a face I've never seen before...'
A beauty that cannot be described by the word “handsome” alone.
My heart started beating violently.
I put both my hands on his face, and he did not move them away, but continued to look at me silently.
“Kick…”
It's time to formally ask him to let me stay here.
But what surprised me was that my words came out differently:
“Shall we get married?”
Arkell blinked several times in a row, then suddenly his eyes widened in indescribable astonishment.
'Huh… He seems to be more shocked than even Naran.'
'Really, it's normal for him to be shocked. I myself did not believe what I said.'
I was about to apologize and correct myself, but he preceded me by saying:
“Okay.”
'What?! He agreed so simple?'
She looked at him in astonishment, but he became even more confused and quickly added:
“No, I mean… not that I specifically agree to marry you… I mean… it’s okay, I mean good… damn.”
His words were slurred and his ears turned red.
'...Wow, he's crazy cute.'
Despite his confusion, I couldn't help but smile warmly.
He lowered his head in confusion and said faintly:
“...sorry, I mixed things up.”
“It's okay. I'm the one apologizing... I surprised you a lot.”
“No, I… I just…”
She hastened to explain:
“I did not mean a real marriage, but a sham marriage. A formal marriage contract, nothing more.”
I looked at him reassuringly.
“You understand? I'm not that reckless.”
But his features did not look satisfied. He asked me in a mysterious tone:
“A formal marriage?”
“Yes. We achieve our goals with it, and then we divorce without problems.”
His looks got weirder.
'What's wrong with him?'
But that's okay, when he hears my entire plan, he will understand that it is the best.
He asked me seriously:
“And what is your purpose?”
“Not to return to Aliheim.”
His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise.
“I want to protect the Kaien family so that I can depend on myself. And you too...”
She smiled with laughing eyes:
“You need me, don't you?”
“…….”
“But as I said, I am a prisoner, and this could lead to war.”
He kept watching me silently.
“But if we marry with the consent of both parties, I will no longer be a prisoner, and Alheim will have no excuse to claim me.”
Maybe they won't give up on me easily, but at least the justification for war will fall away.
This alone is enough to make a sham marriage valuable.
Arkell appears to have reached the same conclusion.
"…correct."
He said it in a whisper.
“I will not ask you why you refuse to return to Aliheim. It is enough for me that you do not want to.”
Quite a response.
He looked deep in thought, his face very serious.
I swallowed as I watched him.
He rested his chin on his hand and his eyebrows were furrowed as he let out a short moan:
“Hmm...”
'Please...this solution is the easiest for everyone.'
But I know that a decision like this, even if it is a sham marriage, is not easy for Arkele.
In the original story, he didn't want to be associated with anyone at all.
'Should I give him more information to convince him?'
He remained thoughtful, and she sent him a pleading look.
“I swear… I have no ulterior purpose. We will write a clear contract and stick to it. Without any ambiguity.”
“……..”
“Promise. Everything will be neat and simple.”
He suddenly raised his eyebrows and said with rare seriousness:
“There is something important I need to think about.”
"What is it?"
He answered in a stern voice, supporting his chin with his hand:
“Are we having a big wedding?”
“…….”
...And what exactly is the significance of this?
***
Translated by: Snow
I post the chapters in the Telegram group as files, and perhaps if my account is banned after evil, you will find me there
Just write in the Telegram search: snowestellee
Or take a picture of this link and enter it from Google Lens: https://t.me/snowestellee