The Villainess is Tired of Everything-Chapter 77

“If you need magic stones, I’m willing to offer some from our mine. I don’t know exactly what you’re planning, but I’m asking you to stop, Marquis.”

This was an offer he couldn’t refuse, especially if it meant gaining both the magic stones and maintaining Leshan’s trust.

“You wouldn’t want Lady Leshan to resent you, would you?”

“You’ve read me well.”

Marquis Ephekl laughed, though it sounded somewhat hollow. He glanced at the ceiling briefly before returning his gaze to me.

His lips began to part, and I thought the negotiation was about to succeed.

“But I can’t do that.”

“…What?”

To my surprise, he rejected the offer.

I was confused.

I had thought the negotiation was proceeding smoothly.

“Why not?”

“Your offer is generous, but I have a reason to see this deal through.”

His words didn’t make sense to me. Wasn’t this all for Leshan?

There was something dangerous in his tone.

‘Has something changed?’

But how could that happen in such a short time? Was that even possible?

I narrowed my eyes in thought before speaking again.

“Isn’t the magic stone mine what’s most important to you?”

“Lady Marceau Etwar.”

He rose from his seat.

“When you live long enough, secrets accumulate. And sometimes, you need a way to keep them hidden.”

Under normal circumstances, my offer would have worked.

If the information provided by Leticia and Leshan were all there was.

…But Marquis Ephekl needed something more now.

What had changed him?

I thought back to the variable in our situation—Leshan’s actions.

‘The note Leshan took with her.’

Could that note be something Marquis Ephekl desperately wanted to keep hidden? But why? It was just a name, after all.

Unless he had done something to that person, there would be no need for such secrecy.

Marquis Ephekl faced me, his gaze as cold and threatening as a beast that had been hiding its claws.

“I find this regrettable. But there’s no way out for you.”

The subtle but chilling aura of menace sent shivers down my spine.

The person named on the note had disappeared six years ago.

“It’s an inevitable situation.”

And that disappearance had become Marquis Ephekl’s weakness.

I realized that the instinct that had driven him to come to the Etwar estate in search of Leshan was now directed at me.

It dawned on me.

‘…He killed him.’

Marquis Ephekl had killed him.

Murder had become the reason he needed to finalize the deal with Ryan.

‘…Are Ryan’s men really just looking for Leshan?’

There might be something deeper and darker at play. In fact, there definitely was.

I didn’t know all the details, but I was certain I was right.

“Do you have anything else to say?”

Marquis Ephekl’s once-kind smile no longer looked that way.

I issued one final warning.

“…You’ll regret not accepting my offer.”

He didn’t deny it.

“Perhaps. But…”

The deep furrows on his forehead hinted at inner turmoil.

“When you’re already falling off a cliff, there’s no turning back.”

Strangely, I felt a pang of pity for him. So I added one last thing.

“…Lady Leshan will resent you.”

Leshan believed in Marquis Ephekl.

“Lady Marceau, my grandfather will definitely help you.”

If that belief were shattered, Leshan would fall into deep despair and pain.

Marquis Ephekl, who knew this better than anyone, smiled.

“There’s something I fear more than her resentment.”

“….”

“I’m a selfish man.”

His smile was tinged with sadness.

I couldn’t find any more words to say.

And so, the negotiation ended.

I thought everything would go smoothly, but instead, I returned with nothing to show for it.

Without even changing out of my clothes, I collapsed onto the sofa.

“How did the conversation go?”

Leshan asked, her face filled with hope, clearly believing that her grandfather and I had reached a favorable agreement.

This hope stemmed from her deep faith in Marquis Ephekl.

…But that faith was about to be shattered.

I hesitated, then decided to be honest.

“…No, he refused.”

There was no point in hiding the truth—it wouldn’t prevent what was coming.

“That can’t be…”

Leshan’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

I hesitated for a moment before gently patting her shoulder.

“Stay strong. We’ll find another way.”

My mind was racing.

The negotiation had failed, but it seemed Marquis Etwar had his own plans, so I wasn’t too worried.

Most importantly, knowing that Darcy would be staying behind to support me reassured me.

As I thought of him, I touched my lips, remembering the feel of his kiss from that night.

It felt like a surge of strength suddenly filled me.

I wondered if Darcy felt the same way.

Lost in thought, I heard the sound of a window opening. I turned to see Kaysen entering.

“How did the negotiation go?”

“It completely fell apart.”

“…That’s unexpected.”

Kaysen blinked as he handed me a letter from Darcy. I nodded, still feeling disheartened.

Taking the letter from his hand, I gestured toward Leshan.

“Leshan is feeling quite down as well, so please comfort her.”

“…And what about you?”

His unexpected question made me blink, more out of irritation than surprise.

“The person you need to take care of is right over there.”

I told him firmly, then opened the letter. After that, I focused solely on the letter and ignored Kaysen.

‘So Ryan has already left.’

Although it was his first time leading such a mission, as the male lead, Ryan was sure to succeed. That, however, was what worried me.

‘What if he ends up capturing innocent people…?’

It wasn’t fair for them to be treated like this just because they had power.

Darcy reassured me in the letter, telling me not to worry about the discussion with the Marquis and to focus on meeting the magicians.

He must have anticipated how things would go during today’s meeting.

I thought of Darcy’s silver hair.

‘I want to touch it.’

I wanted to touch him, see him, hear his voice.

If I felt this way after only a few days of not seeing him, how much more would I miss him while I was away meeting the magicians?

‘…Still.’

This trip would also be an opportunity to learn more about Darcy’s past.

[On the day you leave, I’ll introduce the person who will be guarding you.]

‘If it’s not you, I don’t want anyone else.’

I smiled to myself, feeling a bit childish.

I held Darcy’s letter close to my heart and took a deep breath, closing my eyes.

When I return, our relationship will have changed a lot.

I looked forward to that change.

The day of departure arrived. It also marked several days since Leshan had stayed with me.

She was wearing the same dress she had worn when she first came to see me.

“Thank you for everything, Lady Marceau. I’ll return to the estate now.”

…That’s not going to work. I hesitated.

Whether she knew about my internal conflict or not, Leshan’s expression remained resolute.

“I’ll find a way to convince my grandfather, so don’t worry and go.”

If she returned, she would only end up hurt.

Leshan had changed and no longer feared conflicts in her relationships as she once did… but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t get hurt.

In fact, she was likely feeling more torn up inside than ever, trying to keep faith in Marquis Ephekl while being constantly betrayed.

For some reason, I saw echoes of my former self in her.

The version of me that had moved forward, believing that people around me would eventually trust me, only to end up utterly drained.

Leshan had once been one of those people who treated me that way…

‘But I can’t see her like that anymore.’

…To be honest, I also found it hard to just let her go. She was clearly involved in this situation.

If I took her with me to meet the magicians and had her meet Airen, we might be able to uncover the connection between her body and the magic stones. That would be perfect.

I impulsively said to Leshan, “Come with me.”

Leshan’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting my offer.

I calmly explained my reasoning.

“This is an opportunity to learn about the connection between you and the magic stones. You deserve to know the secrets, as you’re directly involved. And if you return now, you’ll just end up locked up again.”

Even if she stayed here, she would eventually despair, realizing that her efforts were futile and couldn’t change Marquis Ephekl’s mind.

I wanted to spare her from wasting more time.

“…How could I possibly go with you?”

“Leshan, you’re the one who found that note.”

I reminded her of what she had accomplished.

“Don’t you want to know what your grandfather is hiding from you?”

“….”

“Come with me.”

I extended my hand to her.