The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 34

In an attempt to find some relief, he undid the top button of his collar, which had been tightly fastened for the sake of maintaining a perfect appearance.

As he took a slow, deep breath, Darcy finally registered that they were both lying on the same bed.

The implications of a man and a woman being together in bed flashed through his mind all at once.

He could almost hear the crack in his self-control.

This was an emergency.

Marceau was the result of the first genuine human relationship he had ever forged on his own. He wanted her to be happy for the rest of her life.

They cared for each other’s happiness, and their relationship was perfect as it was. Even though they were on a delicate edge, they didn’t view each other as romantic partners.

‘It can’t go any further.’

The situation as it stood was preferable to the inevitable ruin that would follow if he allowed himself to act on primal instincts. Anything more between them was something that could neither be desired nor allowed.

“I know it’s not an easy thing for you. So, let’s talk about this again soon.”

Misinterpreting his silence, Marceau spoke with concern. But Darcy was too focused on regaining his composure to notice.

The moment he realized how unsettled he felt, he became acutely aware of everything about Marceau—the sound of her breathing, the rise and fall of her chest, the flutter of her eyelashes, the curve of her nose… and where his gaze finally rested.

‘I don’t think even during battle I’ve ever been this out of it.’

It was her lips.

It was maddening. Darcy inwardly groaned. He needed to get out of there immediately.

He needed time to think.

“Right, let’s talk later. I should get going.”

Darcy hastily got up and practically fled the room.

It was an embarrassingly obvious retreat, even to himself.

Darcy didn’t really answer me. The way he rushed out as if he were escaping made me feel a bit sorry for him.

‘It must be hard for him to answer.’

Recalling the look of confusion that followed his earlier melancholy expression, it seemed like he was recalling painful memories.

Knowing that his current situation made it difficult for him to answer, I didn’t try to stop him.

We would see each other again, anyway.

And until I met Darcy again, I decided to focus on what I could do.

The reason Darcy devalued his own happiness was tied to the mages. He must have been forced to persecute and attack them under Kyes’s orders.

Since I was considering starting a business involving magical tools, this naturally created an opportunity to communicate with the mages.

“…Maybe this could help the mages?”

In the original story, Ryan’s journey to happiness with Reshuan through the commercialization of magical tools was highlighted, but the mages themselves were largely ignored.

It was obvious, even without looking. There was no way Ryan, as Kyes’s bloodline, would have treated the mages well. They were likely exploited for the sake of those magical tools.

But I could change that.

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After Darcy left, I had someone begin collecting information on mages like him. I knew very little about them, after all.

Thanks to this, I discovered a few important facts.

The royal family periodically purged the mages. This was a well-known fact and a harsh reality.

Except for those who pledged allegiance to the Emperor, held important administrative positions, or were ingrained in noble society, most mages were viewed very negatively.

Even without considering the historical records of mage rebellions, that was just the general perception.

Could it feel good to be treated like a criminal when you’ve done nothing wrong?

Mages were proud of their abilities.

They rebelled against a royal family that refused to acknowledge them. They defied Kyes.

The resistance had been fierce, even up until recently. This rebellion had been going on for quite some time. The royal family always won, but the mages always resurfaced.

This fact surprised me.

Kyes despised mages, yet he never sought to completely eradicate them.

He purged them, yes, but he didn’t kill them all. Whatever the reason, he always spared some of them.

He could have exterminated all the mages, but he always left an excuse, a spark to rekindle.

While the press and articles framed it as a missed opportunity, I knew that wasn’t true.

Darcy had been under Kyes’s command. With his ability, Kyes could have completely wiped out the mages.

In fact, Darcy had helped produce many weapons infused with magic stones, utilizing not only his brainwashing power but also his ability to create magical tools.

Of course, this wasn’t something Darcy had done alone; it had been a collaborative effort with other mages.

Kyes, like someone who enjoyed tormenting his enemies, allowed just enough time and opportunity.

He seemed to want the remaining mages to rebel again.

Because of this, battles between a handful of mages and Kyes, and most of the other mages, had been ongoing.

‘Why?’

This was an unsolved mystery.

But it was something only the Emperor himself could answer.

I’d have to ask Darcy if he knew anything about this later, but for now, all I could do was ponder the question.

In any case, despite spending a significant amount of money, there wasn’t much information available on the mages or the magic stones they could craft.

Most of the information appeared to be a closely guarded secret within the royal family. In other words, only Kyes would know.

Since Darcy had direct access to Kyes, he might be able to shed light on the truth at some point.

There was, however, another separate challenge.

‘I need to find the mages.’

While Kyes hadn’t snuffed out their lives, the long-standing persecution had left many mages weary. They had withdrawn into seclusion, much like I had.

They chose to hide and live quietly rather than continue fighting.

Eventually, they began hiding in places only other mages could find.

Recently, there had been an increase in the number of such mages, according to rumors.

There were plenty of rumors about how people were finally relieved that the mages were leaving their regions.

It seemed they had found some ally willing to help them. While this was good news for the mages, it made things more difficult for me.

“To meet the mages, I’ll have to go into the forest….”

I wanted to meet with the mages and establish a fair contract.

My goal was to work with them to create magical tools.

While it was possible to use the few mages already integrated into society, I wasn’t keen on the idea.

Perhaps because of my personal experiences, I felt more inclined to reach out to those who were weary.

If I had the resources, why shouldn’t I?

Even if mages had special abilities and lived in secluded forests, they still needed to earn money.

They needed money to survive.

Most mages were poorly compensated.

The kingdom wasn’t about to treat those it ostracized fairly.

But if they made a contract with me, things would change.

One thing that weighed on my mind, however, was that helping them might put me at odds with the royal family.

Of course, I had considered this possibility.

‘My life isn’t in danger.’

Even the royal family couldn’t kill me. Ryan had only made a few attempts on my life, after all.

Sure, people would try to undermine me, spread rumors, and I might face some disadvantages….

‘But that’s all?’

It wasn’t much of a threat. Compared to what I’d been through so far, this was nothing.

And besides, having Darcy by my side made me feel secure.

Thinking of him brought a sense of calm.

“Lady Marceau, a letter has arrived.”

“Leave it here and go.”

Ever since Pitoll mentioned my name, the interest in me had skyrocketed. Especially among families that valued and supported the arts.

There were many people begging to meet me, hoping to use the same tools I had provided for their sponsored troupes.

This was proof of how successful Pitoll’s play had been.

The rising interest in magical tools was a bonus for me!

Of course, Darcy’s appearance alongside me played a part in it….

In any case, it was a successful return to society.

Most of the letters were invitations to balls or tea parties.

‘It’s probably time to attend another tea party.’

You never know where life will take you. I had once said goodbye to society, but here I was, making my return. But it didn’t feel as burdensome as I thought it would.

Now, the nobles saw me less as someone they wanted to befriend and more as a potential customer.

Which events should I attend?

As I sorted through the letters, each bearing a different family’s seal, I tilted my head in confusion.

Wait, did I just see a name that shouldn’t be here?

I picked up a knife and carefully slit open the top of the envelope.

“…What is this?”

The moment I saw the sender’s name on the letter, I was stunned.

“…Has he lost his mind?”

It was a letter from Ryan.

What business could he possibly have to send me a letter? I half-expected it to be a threat, but it wasn’t.

It was an invitation to a royal ball.