The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 32

“There’s one more thing you need to do.”

“What is it?”

Ryan had thought that involving the Marquis and securing the treasure would be enough, but it seemed there was more.

Suppressing his rising irritation, Ryan maintained a composed expression.

“You need to make Marceau Etvar fall deeper for you.”

“…What?”

Ryan couldn’t believe his ears. He wondered if Kyes had gone mad, but the emperor’s eyes remained steady.

The crazed glint in his eyes unsettled Ryan. What could possibly be gained from this?

‘Ah.’

A short sigh escaped Ryan as he frowned.

He recalled a recent rumor he had heard.

A hidden prince, who had been in seclusion for years, had finally revealed himself at the theater. And who had been by his side?

Despite Marceau’s cautious behavior, Darcy had been openly displaying his emotions.

Even though Darcy had become a prince, he showed little interest in most things, except for Marceau. His gaze was fixed solely on her.

Whether it was romantic or not, their relationship had already become the subject of widespread gossip.

“Is this because of him?”

“At least your brain is still functioning. You’re worthy of being the crown prince.”

“…Do I really have to do this?”

Ryan knew Marceau had feelings for him. Even though she might have been hurt, that fact wouldn’t change easily.

But that only made it more unpleasant. Ryan disliked how Marceau constantly schemed against Reshuan, the woman he loved, while obsessing over him.

Her blind devotion made him uncomfortable.

Most of all, he couldn’t forget the look of disdain on her face when she found out he had planted spies around her.

‘…I know that such feelings don’t change easily.’

But it was undeniable that interacting with Marceau had become more awkward. The way she looked at him with contempt made her seem like a different person.

As Ryan hesitated, Kyes narrowed his eyes.

“Do you have another method?”

He asked in a mocking tone, implying that Ryan didn’t have any leverage over Darcy.

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Of course, Ryan had nothing to say in return. He kept his mouth shut.

“That boy was never used to showing his emotions. And yet, he’s given Marceau a place by his side. The first time is always special.”

Experience wasn’t wasted. Kyes had read the situation clearly after hearing about Darcy.

Kyes had restricted everything in Darcy’s life, leaving him starved for everything.

Although Darcy hadn’t yet fully realized his own emotions, it was clear to anyone watching from the outside.

What Darcy felt for Marceau was significant.

It was inevitable that he would lose his composure. After all, he had been so isolated and prickly that he had barely spoken to anyone, and now he was experiencing his first love.

‘I still don’t understand how they met….’

But the fact that Darcy’s emotions were directed toward Marceau was advantageous.

It was the perfect opportunity to find a way to control Darcy until they could retrieve the treasure.

Everyone knew that Marceau’s unrequited love for Ryan was as natural as breathing.

“We should use whatever we can. If we use Marceau Etvar, we can control him.”

Kyes chose his final strategy to persuade the reluctant Ryan.

“And it’s also the best way to protect the woman you love.”

Ryan flinched at that.

Yes, there was Reshuan. The woman destined to become the crown princess and, eventually, the highest-ranking woman in the land.

She was so beautiful and graceful that no amount of wealth or power could ever be enough to offer her.

‘Lately, she hasn’t seemed to be in good health.’

Ryan knew from Letty that Reshuan had been deeply shaken after her meeting with Marceau. Recently, she had been refusing to meet anyone, claiming illness.

The nobility wouldn’t take kindly to Reshuan, who, like Marceau, had also withdrawn from society, though for different reasons.

Since she wasn’t originally from their world, people were eager to find flaws in her.

There were plenty of people who would turn their backs on her in an instant, even if they had previously supported her.

Their support wasn’t out of genuine affection for Reshuan but a calculated investment in their own interests.

In that sense, Ryan’s position as the crown prince was ideal for protecting Reshuan. Few would dare challenge someone with his status and honor.

But what if even that became uncertain?

Reshuan could be hurt. That wasn’t just a possibility; it was a fact.

And Marceau would rise again.

People don’t change fundamentally just because they behave differently for a year or two. The pain and the strange behaviors would inevitably return if the situation changed.

‘This is all for Reshuan and me.’

Having completed his hypocritical self-justification, Ryan let out a heavy breath. The fog that had clouded his mind lifted, and he felt clear-headed.

“…Understood.”

Ryan bowed his head in agreement.

He decided to take a positive view of the situation.

“That’s good.”

He might as well rid himself of the guilt he felt for betraying her.

He was confident that if he treated Marceau kindly, she would be pleased.

It never occurred to him that Marceau might dislike his kindness.

Marceau’s love for him was a constant, as unchanging as a law of nature.

“My mother fell in love with the Emperor at first sight.”

After gazing into my eyes for a long time, this was the first thing Darcy said.

It was hard to imagine, given the Emperor’s current appearance, but I had heard that he was quite popular in his youth.

After all, Ryan and Darcy didn’t inherit their looks from nowhere.

“But Kyes didn’t like mages. He despised them. And my mother was no exception.”

The royal family, knowing how powerful mages could be, had always been wary of them. Kyes was no different.

The tragedy of their love began with this misalignment. Experiencing love for the first time, Darcy’s mother didn’t know what to do and eventually decided to use her power.

Darcy paused as he spoke about his mother.

He stood up, ran a hand through his hair, and turned away from me as if avoiding my gaze, only to turn back and face me again. Resting his chin on his hand, he looked down at me with a face that seemed sculpted by a divine hand, so unreal it felt.

His eyes were as calm as the still sea at dawn.

Or at least, they appeared that way on the surface. But I knew that beneath the calm, a storm was brewing. The way he licked his lips made it clear he was nervous.

“I’m not sure if telling you about my power is the right choice.”

He forced a smile, trying to hide his anxiety.

“But I’d rather you hear it from me than from someone else.”

“I feel the same way.”

After some thought, I agreed. I didn’t want to hear about Darcy from anyone else. They would likely be biased against him.

I knew that mages each had their unique abilities. This, along with their magic, was what made them so threatening.

Darcy raised one corner of his mouth in a smile and looked at me intently.

“Sometimes it feels like you’re the one who uses magic, not me. You always say just what I want to hear.”

“Maybe it’s because you and I are more alike than we thought.”

“That’s hard to deny.”

It was a curious thing. Despite our vastly different lives and environments, we had found similarities in each other. And not just once.

“Marceau.”

He called my name. After a short pause, his voice echoed softly.

“I can brainwash people.”

“…Brainwash?”

…The ability to control someone’s thoughts? I hadn’t even considered that such a thing could be real.

Darcy was the only mage I had ever met, so I often forgot that this world was a fantasy unlike the one I had lived in before. Hearing this was like a bucket of cold water thrown on me, snapping me back to reality.

There was no hint of jest in his expression—he was telling the truth.

I understood instinctively.

This was why Kyes, who was otherwise rather incompetent, had been able to control the mages so effectively. And why Ryan had been able to use magical tools so freely without worrying about mages.

It was all because Darcy, who hadn’t appeared in the main storyline of the book, was an incredibly powerful wild card.