The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 44

Hmm? What does he mean by that?

I tilted my head in confusion, and Darcy began to speak with a meaningful tone.

Avoiding my gaze, he leaned lazily against the sofa and began to speak.

"You've heard that magicians have been disappearing lately, right?"

"Yes."

"That was my doing."

"What?"

I was shocked.

Darcy’s explanation was this:

He was under a spell, unable to defy Emperor Kies’ orders. However, Kies had not commanded him to harm all magicians. In fact, he had often instructed Darcy to let most of them go, keeping only the key figures.

This matched the information I had uncovered and the suspicions I had about Kies.

"Do you know why?"

"Kies never explained his reasons."

Unfortunately, Darcy didn’t know either.

In any case, Darcy found himself in the contradictory position of fighting magicians while also ensuring they didn’t entirely disappear.

But he believed this was even more cruel.

It was a never-ending cycle of pain.

Darcy couldn’t side with the magicians, nor could he stop his actions.

Because that would mean his death. He was tired of life, yet he longed for freedom just as much.

Darcy was trying to ease his guilt.

If he ever gained his freedom, he had prepared a place for the magicians.

In fact, after his confrontation with Kies, when he broke free from the spell, Darcy immediately took the time to open a place for the magicians.

He set up magic stones in a forest frequented by the magicians he had spared.

"...."

No wonder the number of magic stones lying around the room was so small. I had wondered where they had gone, since they hadn’t been used to flee.

"That’s amazing."

I clapped genuinely, feeling a surge of respect for Darcy.

"It’s only because of guilt. It’s something I shouldn’t have done in the first place."

"There are many people who wouldn’t even do that much. Like Prince Ryan, who you encountered today after breaking down the door."

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At the mention of Ryan, Darcy clenched his teeth.

I quickly changed the subject.

"I’m relieved. I was wondering how I would find them. But do they know that you’re the one who prepared that space?"

Darcy shook his head firmly.

"If they knew, they wouldn’t use it. But wait."

With his chin resting on his hand, Darcy seemed lost in thought.

"They might actually appreciate it if they think it was you. After all, I used the magic stones you gave me, so it’s not a lie."

"Why are you so hesitant today, when you’re usually so straightforward?"

I didn’t like how he was excluding himself so naturally. Darcy shook his head at my words.

"It’s reality. To them, I’m an enemy. And if you don’t do it this way, you might not even get a chance to talk to them."

Magicians tend to be close-knit among themselves, but they are highly wary of others.

Especially high-ranking nobles. They suspect most people of being like Kies.

"Everyone has prejudices…."

To break through the magicians' long-standing prejudices, I needed something of equal weight.

I understood Darcy’s consideration. It was true that I wasn’t thrilled about facing them as the villainess again.

However…

"I understand what you’re saying, but I still want to try. Just tell me where it is, and I’ll prepare myself."

Darcy seemed about to say something more, but I silenced him by placing my finger on my lips and making a quiet sound.

"Trust me."

I was tired of challenging prejudices, but I would do it again.

This time, I would be even better prepared and show my true self.

I would hold onto the hope that everything would be alright because that’s what gives me the courage.

Just as the past year has changed me, this challenge would be no different. Whatever the outcome, I would learn something new.

I gazed at Darcy, who was unaccustomed to talking about how he had helped others. His life, unknown to me, must be steeped in deep darkness.

I wanted to comfort him.

"You did well."

I placed my hand on his shoulder and patted it. I didn’t dare to ruffle his hair.

"Even if not now, I will tell the magicians that you prepared that place."

I declared to Darcy as I lowered my hand.

"Because you’re a good person."

Darcy let out a small, helpless laugh at my words. The faint smile lingering on his face made him look truly at ease.

"It’s enough if only you think that."

Rising from the sofa, Darcy headed toward the bookshelf occupying one side of the wall.

"Shall I play some music?"

"You have a phonograph?"

He pointed to his phonograph with a smile.

"I’m used to being alone, but it’s not so bad. Though, my taste in music might be different from yours."

"Really?"

I approached him and browsed through the records. Indeed, there were no quiet pieces like the nocturnes I had. The collection mostly consisted of concertos and sonatas, with an emphasis on intense pieces.

It was surprising to see Darcy had a taste for classical music.

"It feels like it represents the chaos inside. I find it comforting to listen."

Even though it wasn’t my room, I felt at ease. The atmosphere here was familiar, even though the space was entirely different.

"What do you want to listen to?"

I handed the choice back to Darcy.

"It’s your space. I want to hear what you like."

"Alright."

Darcy agreed readily and selected a piano sonata that began with a grand minor chord.

After the slightly soft harmony, a vigorous arpeggio followed.

As the gentle crackling of the fire contrasted with the intense notes, Darcy leaned against the wall near the phonograph, his expression relaxed as his eyes slowly closed.

As he moved his hands, Darcy reflexively opened a drawer, then hesitated.

"…I almost made a mistake."

It seemed he had instinctively tried to take out a scented candle. The look in his eyes as he glanced at me was like a student confessing to a mistake.

"It’s a good candle. You can light it if you want."

Scented candles were closely linked to his life. If they brought him mental peace, I would welcome it.

"It’s alright."

But Darcy had a different thought.

"I don’t mind if my daily life changes because of you."

"…Then let’s not light the candle, but just enjoy the mood."

I picked up the censer Roberta had left on the table and handed it to Darcy.

I hoped holding it would give him some comfort.

"…It feels like your hand is what brings me more peace."

The warmth from Darcy’s hand, which had brushed against the back of mine, was soothing. When I looked up, his gesture of sweeping back his hair captivated my attention.

‘…This doesn’t feel real.’

Dressed so impeccably, he could easily be mistaken for an emperor.

It felt like I could be devoured at any moment. A strange warning rang in my head.

‘Too close.’

Realizing this suddenly, I flinched and took a step back. Or at least I tried to, until Darcy held onto my hand.

Darcy intertwined his fingers with mine, locking them together firmly, almost like the roots of a tree. I could feel the heat from his grip.

In a low voice, he whispered,

"When you look at me like that, it makes me want to hold onto you."

It felt like he had seen through me. It was just an instinctive reaction.

"What kind of look?"

"The way you’re looking at me right now."

I laughed lightly, trying to brush it off as a joke. He soon let go of our intertwined fingers, but the warmth of his hand lingered.

Darcy, with his chin resting on his hand, gazed at the censer Roberta had given me, shaking it slightly.

"Why would she give me this…."

Finally, something spilled out of the censer that Darcy had been shaking.

"What’s this?"

To our surprise, it was a necklace that had fallen onto the carpet. A necklace hidden inside the censer.

We were both taken aback by this unexpected item. The thin gold chain made it possible to hide it inside the censer.

Darcy’s face instantly hardened as he held up the necklace.

"Why is this…."

With a troubled expression, Darcy looked at me. But to my eyes, it was just an ordinary gold necklace.

"What is it?"

"…A royal treasure."

The necklace wasn’t just any necklace.

"It’s a magical artifact that prevents mind control from affecting people like me."

"…How did Roberta get hold of this?"

"I don’t know. And I don’t know why she gave it to me."

But one thing was clear. Roberta knew exactly what was hidden in the censer.

And she had passed it on to Darcy.

She hadn’t done nothing after all. Just having this item in her possession would have been a huge risk for her.

Darcy was the only magician currently alive who possessed the ability to control minds. This necklace could completely neutralize his power.

"Come to think of it, Kies did stop wearing a necklace at some point."

Recalling his childhood memories, Darcy murmured.

Kies, who had Darcy under his control, had become complacent. He knew that Darcy, who had been trained by him for so long, couldn’t easily break free.

Eventually, Kies must have started paying less attention to the magical artifact… and Roberta stole the treasure from the complacent Kies.

"It must have been difficult to steal it so naturally…."

Roberta must have been trying to do her best in the situation she knew.

Even though she couldn’t openly help, this was undoubtedly an act of goodwill on her part.

"…I thought she was entirely on Kies’ side."

Darcy responded somewhat sheepishly. Perhaps he was recalling his earlier cold tone.

"You had every reason to think so."

At my words, Darcy fell silent for a moment, then nodded. Lost in thought, he cupped his chin and opened my hand.

"Here, you keep this."

"…A royal treasure?"

"It’s an unexpected move. No one would ever think you’d have it. Besides."

His eyes softened.

"It suits you well."