The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 65

"I told him that if he was going to destroy the lives of magicians with a single moment of rashness, then how was he any different from the emperor’s faction that destroys their homes?"

Harsh words, but not incorrect. Even if Ethan had succeeded in harming Ryan, it wouldn’t have ended there.

On the contrary, it would have fueled more hatred toward magicians, and any business plans I had would have been completely destroyed.

"Saying you had no choice is just an excuse, Ethan. You almost ended up paying for it with your life. You were about to repay kindness with betrayal."

Ethan bit his lip hard. Darcy pointed to his head as he continued.

"Don’t let your emotions consume your reason."

"Don’t preach to me."

"Well, maybe you could learn something from seeing how I turned out after being consumed by fear as a child."

Darcy’s self-deprecating words made me poke him in the shoulder.

No, I really wish you wouldn’t say things like that! You’re fine now, aren’t you?

"You’re not consumed by fear—you’re just a monster corrupted by them. You became a prince because you wanted power."

Ethan’s voice was laced with bitterness, and his words were practically spat out.

But Darcy remained calm, like a quiet sea.

"No, I’m just biding my time."

"…"

"Death is too simple and meaningless. I won’t give them the blessing of that escape."

"…"

"To do that, I need power. Stirring their minds is just a bonus. Didn’t you see how he reacted earlier?"

"Enough, Ethan. What’s important is that you realize what you did wrong today. Never, ever do something like this again. That would truly be the end."

Fearing that the tension between them might escalate further, I intervened to change the subject.

"But how did you even get out? Without anyone noticing?"

Ethan, who had been glaring at Darcy, turned to me and lowered his head.

His once loud and confident voice now softened to a near whisper.

"I went out for some fresh air and found a servant’s uniform in the stables, so I changed into it."

Apparently, this wasn’t even the first time he had gone out. It was surprising that he managed to make it to the stables without anyone noticing.

"I’m good at hiding my presence. On the island, the security was so tight that it was impossible not to get caught."

I must have looked too obviously surprised because Ethan quickly defended himself. But his confidence only lasted a moment.

"I’m really sorry about today. I mean, I apologize. I lost my mind thinking that an opportunity like this might never come again, and I nearly ruined everything."

Ethan eventually admitted that he had been reckless.

"Since nothing actually happened, we’ll move past it."

I appreciated that he had apologized first, so I forgave him, though I didn’t forget to issue a warning.

"But from now on, you need to stay in your room and follow instructions. Otherwise, we can’t proceed with the contract."

Ethan nodded obediently at my warning.

…Honestly, I couldn’t trust him completely, but for now, I had no other choice.

"I want to rest."

Darcy, who had been standing with his arms crossed, whispered.

"Right, let’s go back to the room."

At least the confrontation had happened indoors.

We led Ethan back to the private theater room.

The room was in a bit of disarray since Ethan had been using it constantly.

Although I tidied it daily, the fact that someone was living there made it feel different than before.

"It used to be just our space."

Darcy, who seemed slightly displeased by this change, furrowed his brow slightly as he removed the bag he was carrying.

‘Is it one of those bags that can hold anything, like the pouch I gave him before?’

The color matched that of the magic stone, so it seemed likely. It reminded me of a certain fictional pocket.

"The thing you mentioned."

Darcy handed me a band that looked like it could be strapped to the thigh.

"I made sure the gun would shrink when worn, so it wouldn’t be cumbersome even if you wore it with a dress."

"Is that even possible?"

"It works on a principle similar to making the pouch."

I had no idea what principle that might be, but if a genius like him said so, it must be true.

I took the band and examined it. The purple and violet hues blended beautifully, making it visually appealing.

"Thank you, Darcy."

"Since I made you wait so long, I won’t charge you for it."

"No, you should take payment."

It’s best to keep transactions clear, especially with someone like Darcy.

"It feels a bit cold to draw such clear lines."

"I’m not drawing a line; I’m acknowledging your work."

As I was correcting him, there was a knock at the door.

"Just a moment."

I stepped out to receive the magic stones that Ryan had left behind.

‘Right, there was this too.’

I placed the boxes of magic stones by the door before returning to Darcy.

Since these stones were given to me, not to the Marquis of Etwar, I had the freedom to use them as I saw fit.

‘If it becomes an issue later, I can always supply them from my own magic stone mine.’

To my surprise, Darcy and Ethan had resumed their conversation.

Ethan was holding a round, polished piece of magic stone in his hand, resembling a jewel.

I sidled up next to Darcy and asked Ethan,

"Is this what you were planning to throw at Ryan?"

"It may not look like it, but it’s a bomb. It’s a magical device."

Ethan grumbled. His shift to formal language, likely due to lingering guilt over the earlier incident, was almost endearing. It seemed his conscience had been pricked.

I narrowed my eyes and teased him.

"You sure seem interested in magical devices."

"N-no, I’m not!"

Ethan’s reaction was immediate and obvious. At this rate, he’ll never master a poker face.

‘Darcy really does excel at making magical devices.’

Seeing the two of them together gave me an idea.

‘Maybe I can help bridge the gap between Darcy and Ethan.’

I began talking up Darcy’s talents.

"All the magical devices you’ve seen so far were made by Darcy."

Ethan had been particularly fond of the video player. Just this morning, he had been watching a play on it, marveling at the technology.

"Darcy might be able to explain how it works."

I tried to entice Ethan by highlighting Darcy’s talents.

"No way!"

Of course, Ethan wasn’t going to give in that easily.

"I can’t explain the principles, but I could give you one to take apart."

Darcy added, pulling a video player out of his bag.

This offer seemed to pique Ethan’s interest. I could almost see his ears perk up.

"But."

Darcy placed the video player in Ethan’s hands, pausing for effect.

"If you’ll leave me and Marceau alone for a while."

"I’ll be in the bathroom."

Though Ethan clearly didn’t want to accept Darcy’s help, it seemed he couldn’t resist the temptation.

He quickly agreed and dashed through the door connecting to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

In an instant, we were alone.

Darcy placed a hand on my shoulder.

"So, shall we have our conversation now?"

"Do we even have anything to talk about?"

The chill I had felt earlier when he caught me holding Ethan returned.

‘But there’s no reason for me to be scared of this, right?’

We’re not even lovers. It felt unfair, but I didn’t want to voice that thought to Darcy, who seemed in a foul mood.

"How is the production from your magic stone mine?"

But the question Darcy asked was completely unexpected.

I had been too hasty in my assumptions. I lowered my head to hide my suddenly flushed face.

Seeing my downcast face, Darcy immediately asked with concern.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, no. Just a minor headache."

I quickly responded to his words, took a deep breath, and then raised my head.

"The mine is operating fine."

"Good."

I wasn’t reading detailed reports on the mine, but I had a general idea of its production levels.

But why is he asking about this? My embarrassment quickly faded into curiosity.

"It seems the royal family’s and Marquis Epekle’s mines are producing fewer magic stones lately."

"Magic stones?"

This was something I hadn’t expected.

There was no mention of a decline in magic stone production in the book.

In fact, as Leshuan and Ryan’s love story unfolded, the popularity of magical devices increased, leading to a higher demand for magic stones.

"But it’s good to know your mine is unaffected."

"Yeah, there haven’t been any problems."

"Since it’s not confirmed, just be cautious."

"Got it."

Moments like these made me wish I had my own network of informants. If I had more information, I could compare it with Darcy’s or even pass it on to him.

For a brief moment, Leticia’s face flashed through my mind.

‘She did say she was sorry to me.’

It hadn’t seemed insincere at the time, but how long could that sentiment last? How much could she really change for my sake?

It wasn’t worth pondering uncertain things.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and began reflecting again.

‘If this wasn’t mentioned in the book, it must be related to the changes that have occurred.’

The story had started to diverge significantly from the original after Darcy’s introduction.

Perhaps this was the butterfly effect of him surviving when he was supposed to have been sacrificed.