The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 38

No, this is weird, isn't it? Even between friends, this is crossing a line.

Darcy might not know this, having rarely formed relationships with others, but I am a completely normal person.

Such things don’t happen between two people who are just friends.

My hand, having lost its direction, hovered aimlessly in the air. I clenched and unclenched my fist repeatedly until Darcy gently grasped my wrist.

"Hm?"

He looked at me with a pleading gaze.

'...He's adorable.'

I must be crazy, thinking a man twice my size is cute. This kind of infatuation must be serious. His almost playful behavior was partly to blame.

I was sure my face was flushed. I quickly raised my hand to cover what was undoubtedly a reddening face.

Darcy urged me in a soft voice.

"So, quickly pet my head."

"..."

"Then I'll get up."

His words were oddly persuasive—too persuasive, in fact. The resolve I had just moments ago melted away.

Fine, just this once.

In the end, I reached out and gently patted his head.

Luckily, no one was in the hallway, but someone could appear at any moment.

I gently stroked his hair.

‘His hair is really soft.’

The silver strands that slipped through my fingers felt almost unreal.

Darcy closed his eyes, looking content. Sitting there on the floor, arms crossed and eyes shut, this grown man might have seemed ridiculous to others, but to me, it felt oddly familiar. It was almost comforting.

‘Was this how I looked when I was at home?’

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Seeing someone in their natural state was more surreal than I thought. It was as if he was showing me a part of himself hidden behind the walls he had built.

There would be more difficult days ahead.

Would it be easy for him to face people as a prince? Even if he managed well, it wouldn’t be without pain.

I wished him luck for the future and gave his head a light tap.

Darcy opened his eyes and asked,

"Marceau, do you find this strange?"

"Strange?"

"That I only take things seriously when it involves you."

"Hmm, no, it's not strange."

If I didn’t know Darcy’s past, I might think it was odd. But after hearing his story, I could understand it somewhat.

He chuckled at my response, then stood up, muttering to himself.

"It's so difficult to define the feelings I have for you."

He wasn't asking me a question. It was more like he was scolding himself in a low voice.

He seemed confused.

Relationships don’t always go the way we want. The same goes for feelings.

...To be honest, I was the same. I didn’t know how Darcy viewed me.

Did he have romantic feelings for me, or was it just the significance of our first bond or knowing my past?

‘And I’m just as confused.’

What do I want from Darcy?

I think about drawing a clear line with him, but when he approaches me, I find myself irresistibly drawn to him.

Do I just want to remain friends with him, as we are now?

Or do I want him to stay by my side?

I still hadn’t found the answer, so I couldn’t come to a clear conclusion.

But there was one thing I could say.

"Then let’s figure it out."

If we don’t know, we can just follow our hearts and see where it leads.

Whatever lies at the end, I don’t want to regret anything in my relationship with Darcy.

I don’t want to measure or predict the feelings of someone who has altered the course of their life for my sake.

The same goes for my own feelings toward him.

“We’re not just going to see each other for a day and part ways. We’ll keep seeing each other for a while.”

...Until you leave. I swallowed the last words and looked at Darcy.

“So let’s talk more, spend time together, and figure it out.”

"...Yes. I’ll be here for as long as it takes."

Darcy looked at me and spoke softly. Until you’re happy.

“Relationships can’t always be defined in just one way. It’s okay to feel confused.”

...I wasn’t really in a position to say that, considering it took me a year to sort things out with Leshuan and her crowd. But I had learned something from it.

“No one’s ever told me that it’s okay to be confused.”

“That’s because it’s part of your life too.”

At my words, Darcy stood up and bent down slightly.

His hair fell over his face, and a warm, spring-like smile bloomed on his slightly shadowed features, a smile only I could see.

“You always give me answers.”

“…”

“You’re never wrong, Marceau.”

Even the budding leaves of spring couldn’t be as fresh as this. My heart skipped a beat, and I inhaled deeply.

“Well, then, let’s go now.”

It would be difficult if I moved too quickly in this relationship I had just suggested we explore.

I took a step, hoping I didn’t look too awkward. Darcy quickly followed me.

The hallway, which had been empty before, was now crowded with people, as if the attendants from earlier had been just an illusion.

The nobles, along with the attendants, were looking in our direction.

The murmurs in the air indicated that today would not be an ordinary day.

“The rumors are going to spread even more.”

“I don’t care.”

Darcy shrugged at my words, and he seemed to mean it.

Since he didn’t mind, I wouldn’t make a fuss over nothing. I nodded in agreement.

As we reached the door leading to the hall, I remembered something I hadn’t yet told him and turned back.

“Dar…”

The reason I couldn’t finish calling his name was because he looked stunning as he adjusted the cravat he had loosened earlier.

With the jacket perfectly back in place, he exuded an aura of restraint that was a stark contrast to the reckless image he had shown before.

Darcy tilted his head slightly as he looked at me.

“What?”

I quickly closed my mouth, then spoke in a tone that was almost a warning.

“You said I always gave you answers.”

“I did.”

“Then you need to give me an answer too.”

“What do you mean…?”

“You need to tell me what will make you happy.”

Because I want him to be happy too.

I ignored the puzzled blinking of his eyes.

“You deserve to be happy too. So I won’t accept any excuses.”

“….”

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll go looking for the answer myself. This is the first time I’ve ever asked you for something like this. I’ll be waiting for your answer.”

After declaring this to him, I stepped into the hall.

“Marceau Etwar is here!”

As the attendant loudly announced my name, the jewels on the chandelier above glinted in my eyes.

The ceiling seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky. The waltz music drifted into my ears. The piercing gazes of others locked onto me.

It truly felt like I had returned to high society.

I wore a confident smile as I met the eyes of the people one by one.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has indeed, Lady Marceau.”

There were quite a few people waiting to greet me. Even as they exchanged pleasantries with me, many of them were sneaking glances at Darcy, who had entered the hall right after me.

“Yes, it has.”

Of course, I pretended to be oblivious, merely continuing the greetings with a serene smile.

As I moved along with a calm smile, I paused.

At the end of the line stood Leshuan and her grandfather, the Marquis.

I bowed my head to the Marquis in greeting.

“I’m glad to see you in good health.”

The Marquis offered me a simple compliment. Soon, it was time to speak with Leshuan.

“…”

The greeting that had come so naturally when I met others didn’t come out this time.

‘I didn’t expect it to be this awkward.’

I was about to force myself to speak when a clear voice reached me first.

“…It’s been a while, Lady Marceau.”

Leshauan greeted me with perfect etiquette. Her face bore a faint smile, but the atmosphere around her was different from the last time I saw her.

I couldn’t quite put my finger on what had changed.

“…Yes, it has been a while.”

Feeling that I should at least respond, I hastily returned her greeting.

Leshauan nodded slightly and then turned away from me.

She didn’t expect anything from me. She didn’t try to speak warmly or approach me.

For the first time, I felt a sense of appropriate distance between us, a distance that had seemed impossible to achieve before.

‘It was the same when we watched the play together.’

Could it be that she really did change after hearing what I said?

I had hoped she would change. But I hadn’t known how I would feel if she actually did.

I watched her retreating figure quietly.

It left me with a bittersweet feeling.

Even after the greetings were over, people continued to flock around me, spurred on by what Darcy had said earlier. Many asked what kind of help I had provided, though I didn’t say much.

Of course, I kept my answers vague, saying it wasn’t something I could discuss just yet.

“Why haven’t you attended any events recently?”

“Was there a problem…?”

Many also inquired about my whereabouts during my absence, curious after my sudden disappearance.

Rumors had circulated, but no one had been able to confirm anything.

Well, of course not.

It wasn’t because I had done something wrong.

It was just that I had grown tired of seeing the faces of you, the heroine, and the hero.

I had thought about how to respond to this, but thanks to Ryan, the issue resolved itself naturally today.

Now I have the perfect bait.

A very big one at that.

“I’ve cleared up some misunderstandings that had built up with Prince Ryan.”