The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 51

Was he serious? I blinked, and Darcy shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm kidding. Don't make that face."

Darcy added in a gentle voice.

"Death is too easy a solution."

I wondered if that’s why, despite the torment he endured from Kies all his life, Darcy had yet to kill either the emperor or Ryan.

When I'm with Darcy, I find myself choosing my words more carefully. It's because I can't help but think there might be parts of his past I still don't know.

Sometimes, I worry that I might hurt him without realizing it.

"What should we watch today?"

Darcy stood up and half-reclined on the bed, which he was using as a sofa. His relaxed demeanor was somewhat unfamiliar.

I thought he’d be too busy for us to even see each other. But here he was, finding time once again.

And, just like before, he came to find me in the same way.

I had told him that I didn't want to meet like this, but his smile was too beautiful.

Though I was happy to see him, I still wanted to ask, knowing the orders Kies had given him.

"Aren't you supposed to be under house arrest?"

"It's not house arrest; it's a vacation."

There seemed to be another reason why he had obediently followed the order.

Rumors of him assaulting someone in the streets had already spread widely through the social circles.

I assumed he had a reason for his actions.

As I sat on the edge of the bed where he was reclining, I asked,

"What happened? You're not the type to do something like that without a reason."

"You're the only one who sees me that way."

A strange sense of satisfaction filled me, knowing that I was the only one who truly believed in him. But I knew this feeling was selfish.

"If people knew the real you, they’d all act like I do."

"Why bother? You're all I need."

His eyes softened into a gentle curve, reminding me of a crescent moon hanging in the night sky. The way it quietly shines alone is very much like Darcy.

"I don’t need anyone else."

His words made my face flush. I could feel the warmth spreading through my cheeks, making me even more flustered.

His unrefined words and actions always catch me off guard. It’s hard to gauge his true intentions when all I see is sincerity.

How far should I allow his first steps to go?

Does he see me as a romantic interest? Or is it just a momentary impulse? Every time I meet Darcy, I find myself at a crossroads.

But not knowing doesn’t make me want to step back. I answered in a trembling voice,

"Me too."

I want to show him my sincerity, just as he's showing me.

Until he fully defines his feelings, I’ll do my best as well.

Darcy’s eyes widened at my words.

After a brief silence, he smiled the most beautiful smile I had ever seen.

Not even a flower blooming alone in winter could be as beautiful as that smile.

Darcy suddenly stood up, closing the distance between us in an instant.

He gently stroked my flushed cheek.

"I'm glad you were the first person I met."

"..."

"Even if you weren't, I'm sure we would have met someday."

His fingers hovered dangerously close to my lips, as if they might touch them at any moment.

I was happier because I knew he wasn't just saying this because of the current mood, but because he truly meant it.

But I also knew the truth. In the book, he never even made an appearance.

That’s why these moments are all the more precious now.

The miracle that brought us together, despite never meeting before, has linked us.

"I'm glad I met you too."

You were there during the most despairing time of my new life, and that changed everything.

Because he's not just a character in a book, he feels more alive, and that makes me want to know him even more.

Hoping my feelings would reach him, I smiled as brightly as I could.

Darcy, who had been watching me smile, spoke.

"I want to keep seeing you smile like that."

"That's why I brought something."

"...Huh?"

Darcy walked over to the corner of the room where he had entered from.

It was then that I noticed a box piled up in one corner.

'I didn't even realize it was there.'

This was proof of how completely absorbed I had been by Darcy.

Darcy lifted the box with both hands and set it down on the table. The box slid a little with a nudge, heavier than it looked.

"...What is this?"

"I heard you've been ransacking stores lately. So I prepared something that I thought you might need."

"I was actually going to talk to you about that."

It seemed Darcy had beaten me to the punch on something I had only just been thinking about.

"Though I’m not sure if I really need to go meet them."

I pretended not to hear the words Darcy added as he looked at my face. I couldn’t allow him to have his way with this part.

The meeting with the magicians was progressing smoothly, after all.

Instead, I examined the magical items one by one.

"Wow, this one is such a pretty color."

The first thing I picked up was a pouch. The pouch, made of silk and studded with magic stones, was quite beautiful.

Is this what I think it is?

I turned my head towards Darcy, who explained as if he had been waiting for the question.

"A pouch that can hold anything."

His thoughtfulness was as lovely as his face.

I looked at him silently for a moment before bringing up a suggestion I had been meaning to make for a while.

Now seemed like the right time.

"...Darcy, should we go on a trip together?"

"A trip?"

"Yes, just the two of us."

Cough. Darcy choked on his tea.

...Ah.

Realizing how my request might have come across, I quickly waved my hands.

"No! No! That's not what I meant!"

"I didn't say anything. I really just choked. It doesn’t mean anything else. Really."

He patiently explained, looking at me.

It was only after hearing his words that I realized I had overreacted. His long explanation made me feel even more embarrassed.

I lowered my head, unable to look at his face. Laughter came from above. I muttered in a sulky voice,

"You could have just let it go."

"Your reaction was too amusing for that. But why do you want to go on a trip?"

"Well, I want to take some pictures."

"Pictures?"

I explained my plan to Darcy.

"We’ll meet children there, right? The experiences they have are limited. I want to help fill that gap."

Things I can do, but they can’t.

I can't suddenly change the current situation for the magicians, but this was the best I could think of.

"I’ve taken some pictures around here, but it would be nice to have ones from other countries too."

"You’re really dedicated."

"Of course."

I want to successfully conclude the contract with the magicians.

To help those trapped by prejudice.

And above all... I want you to be free from the guilt you carry towards them and be happier.

Just like how you wish for my happiness, I wish the same for you.

"You could just present the contract."

He's not wrong. They are desperate enough.

"I don't want to."

Even if our meeting is based on a contract, I want to treat them as people, not as someone above or below them.

"They’re people, just like me. We’re only in different circumstances."

"..."

"And there are things I can relate to with them too."

Darcy frowned as he looked at me. It was the expression he usually wore when deep in thought.

His face, looking confused as if he were angry, reminded me of a child experiencing something for the first time. It might be an accurate description.

After all, he, too, was no different from a child born with the bloodline of a magician who had been imprisoned.

I imagined Darcy’s childhood.

Darcy, lying alone in the desolate abandoned palace.

A child who couldn't even properly reveal who he was, having all his merits taken away.

A boy whose life was mostly darkness, filled with battles and the palace.

I regretted my words. I shouldn’t have suggested it to him.

"Darcy, let’s go on a trip."

I needed to give him a firm answer.

So that the blackness that filled the canvas of his life would be covered with new colors.

So that new experiences would accumulate for him, just like for the children.

Darcy's eyes widened, reflecting different hues like a rainbow.

"Alright."

Darcy nodded as if he had been waiting for my suggestion.

If I said I wasn’t surprised by his quick answer, I’d be lying. A prince’s schedule is hardly ever flexible.

"Don’t you need to check your schedule?"

"I'm supposed to be under house arrest, remember?"

His brazen excuse left me speechless. Despite his arrogance, his consideration for me made me smile.

"What, really? How much time can you spare?"

Considering the time and scrutiny it would take to get to another country, a long trip was out of the question.

Besides, I needed to meet the magicians and continue with the business.

"As much as I’d like to go for a while... "

Darcy rested his chin in his hand and smiled.

"I think we should be careful even about staying overnight, so let's go from early morning until late evening."

His words made my face heat up again. Calm down.

"We haven't had much time to prepare, and I can't be away for long without anyone noticing."

"That’s true, and…"

I subtly brought up something I had wanted to say.

"We don't need to amplify the rumors about us, do we?"

"What rumors?"

"The rumors defining the relationship between you and me."

It seemed like something he hadn't considered. Darcy’s eyes widened slightly as he touched his chin.

The brief silence felt far too long, likely because I was eagerly awaiting his answer.

Darcy stared at me and spoke firmly.

"It doesn’t matter, because if it’s not you, I don't need anyone else."

He gently touched the ruby pendant around his neck and then looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"So, I don't mind leaving things as they are."

His eyes, looking at me indirectly, seemed to be asking for my opinion.

What about you?