The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 72

"Don’t mix personal matters with official ones. You know that, Kaysen. Bringing Lady Leshan out is your desire, and fulfilling a desire requires sacrifices."

Just because Leshan wanted out didn’t mean they had to comply. She had no power to make a difference once she was out. However, Kaysen wanted it because it was what the woman he loved desired.

"Are you afraid your past will come back to haunt you? You should’ve thought of that before acting," Darcy said as he opened the door.

"Take the best horse from the stables and beg Marceau to let me help you," he added.

Kaysen, who had been silently listening, finally spoke. "…Do you love her?"

Though Darcy had always cared for Marceau, he had never openly expressed his feelings. Darcy blinked, then slowly smiled, a genuine expression unlike anything Kaysen had seen before.

"The word 'love' feels too weak…"

Kaysen saw a very human side of Darcy as he smiled.

"But I won’t answer that," Darcy said, shaking his head, his silver hair shimmering like stars in the night sky.

"There’s someone who needs to hear it first."

In the end, Kaysen went to find Marceau.

Though he had heard of her changes and witnessed them in her actions, like Ryan, he couldn’t fully believe it. The guilt he had felt in their few encounters must have been an illusion. After all, she was the villainess who deserved the treatment she got.

But now, she was also the person he needed to persuade.

He decided to approach her humbly, knowing that Marceau, as he remembered her, would enjoy seeing him swallow his pride. After all, he had tormented her enough in the past.

"Lady Marceau, please listen to Lady Leshan’s story," Kaysen pleaded, bowing low.

"...Her story?"

It was an absurd opening. First, Darcy had come, and now Kaysen, the captain of the knights, was here as well.

And now he was asking her to listen to Leshan’s story. Kaysen then began to explain the situation.

Leshan had been confined but wanted to share something she had overheard. It was similar to what Leticia had mentioned.

Given that Leticia was also involved in this, it was clear she had deliberately decided to defy Ryan’s orders.

There was no doubt left. Marceau felt confident she could trust Leticia for more information.

Leshan’s actions surprised Marceau just as much. If she had told Marquis Ephekl to stop conspiring with Ryan, she must have known the consequences. It would damage not only the Marquis’s trust but also her relationship with her grandfather, which was likely what she wanted.

Kaysen, still bowed low, pleaded with Marceau. She looked over at Darcy, who was smiling at her, his gaze warm and unwavering.

Kaysen’s desperation was evident. "Please…"

Who would have thought that the man who had conspired with Ryan to belittle and torment her would be in this position?

Seeing him kneeling before her didn’t bring satisfaction, only discomfort. It made her feel like she really was the villainess they had accused her of being.

Marceau approached Kaysen.

"Captain Kaysen, please stand up."

She could sense that Leshan had indeed changed.

"But why come to me?"

She wanted to clarify why he hadn’t asked Darcy directly or gone to her first.

"...I’m the captain, but I have no real power," Kaysen continued.

He explained the situation further.

Even if they rescued Leshan, she had nowhere to go. Returning to Marquis Ephekl’s estate would be impossible, and none of the ladies who favored Leshan would dare oppose the Marquis.

And then there was Ryan’s involvement.

As captain, Kaysen could protect her, but he couldn’t guarantee her safety if Ryan decided to act openly.

"There must be more to it…" Marceau said, prompting Kaysen to reply quickly.

"Darcy said that Marceau’s permission was absolutely necessary."

…I knew this would happen, Marceau thought.

"Captain Kaysen, I’m well aware that I made things difficult for you in the past. And even though I’ve changed, you still don’t believe it…"

"Flattery isn’t necessary, Captain. You still don’t fully trust me," Marceau cut him off, detesting people who lied out of convenience. Kaysen’s gaze wavered.

"So you won’t help…"

"Darcy, help Leshan," Marceau said, turning away from Kaysen as if he didn’t exist and shifting the conversation to Darcy.

It wasn’t out of a desire to be closer to Leshan again. She simply knew that what Marquis Ephekl was doing wasn’t right.

Additionally, there was a small part of her that wanted to support Leshan, who was showing real change.

She understood how much courage it took to change.

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

And if she was part of the reason Leshan had begun to change, the least she could do was offer a helping hand.

‘Besides, I have questions for her.’

This was an opportunity to uncover the secrets surrounding Leshan and the magic stones and to negotiate with Marquis Ephekl to take Ryan down.

She had thought she wouldn’t have to face Leshan again, but there was no reason to avoid her either.

"Alright," Darcy agreed, his eyelashes fluttering as he nodded. When he smiled, it was like stars scattered across the Milky Way.

Seeing his face reminded Marceau of the warmth of his last confession. She hoped her face wasn’t turning too red.

"When I return, I have something to talk to you about."

It was probably about her confession.

"...Okay."

Marceau took a deep breath and nodded. Darcy quickly disappeared from the room.

After watching the spot where Darcy had been, Marceau finally turned her head, feeling the sharp gaze from the side.

She read his thoughts.

"Were you surprised that my reaction wasn’t what you expected?"

"...No."

"Are you curious why a villainess like me would help Leshan so easily? You must wonder if I have some hidden agenda," she teased, though Kaysen remained silent, his curiosity evident.

"I’m not going to tell you."

She taunted him.

"What are you doing?" Kaysen asked, irritated.

"Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me. You never have," she replied, watching his typically expressionless face crack slightly. She then turned completely away from him and sat on the sofa.

"Leshan will stay here at the estate, not at Darcy’s palace, so there’s no need to worry," she continued, making her decision clear.

Of course, having Leshan stay here was only a temporary solution.

Marceau planned to discuss her future living arrangements with Marquis Ephekl.

She could still feel Kaysen’s gaze on her back.

"...Understood."

After a long pause, Kaysen finally spoke, adding, "I’m sorry."

There were no additional words, but the simple apology was filled with more sincerity than anything he had ever said before.

It took longer than expected for Darcy to bring Leshan back.

Marceau thought the security must have been tight, but that wasn’t the case.

"…Honestly, what’s the point of rescuing her if she’s just going to run around like that?" Darcy grumbled, glaring at Kaysen. He let go of Leshan as if she were a burdensome object.

Kaysen rushed over to the staggering Leshan.

"Lady Leshan!"

"Kaysen, I’m fine," she reassured him, refusing his help as she stood and looked directly at Marceau.

It had been a while since Marceau had seen Leshan, and she was still as lovely as ever.

Just looking at her felt like basking in sunlight.

Leshan started to smile brightly at her but quickly froze, wiping the smile from her face as she bowed her head.

"Thank you so much for helping me, Lady Marceau."

She was trying to maintain a respectful distance.

"It’s nothing, Leshan. I heard you’ve been through a lot… Please, have a seat."

Marceau offered her a place on the sofa, and Leshan sat down facing her, with Kaysen beside her.

Darcy naturally took the seat next to Marceau, keeping the usual distance between them, which made her nerves tingle.

Not now, she thought, shaking her head to clear her mind. She then turned to Leshan.

"I heard you were confined to your room. Is that true?"

"It was, but… I went to my grandfather’s study to try to persuade him."

As expected of a heroine loved by everyone in Marquis Ephekl’s household, Leshan had asked the servants to take her to the study. However, Marquis Ephekl had been out at the time.

"There must be a contract," Marceau thought.

She needed to find it. Leshan began searching through her grandfather’s desk, something she had never done before in her life.