I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in History

I promised to help Rio. I couldn’t betray them now.

I would rest Kushana’s village for a bit, and then return to Rio. I currently have neither physical nor magical strength left. If I did not eat something and rest my body just for a few hours, I would collapse.

With Rio and Leon in my hands, I could not fall ill.

It would be a long time before I could be trained to be strong.

Gramps Will would never belittle me. I worry about him a lot. But I wouldn’t want to be the kind of woman who breaks her word.

“I…I can’t leave yet.”

I answered, staring straight into Duke-sama’s eyes.

If I were a free-spirited heroine, I would definitely be running to Gramps Will right now. It would be an eternal farewell to my precious mentor.

I would have left Rio and Leon in the hands of my trusted Duke-sama, Victor, and Vian, and be on my way to Duelkis Kingdom.

But this was my role, and I was determined to help Rio by collecting Maddie in the Ravaal Kingdom. I had to take responsibility.

Duke-sama lived in a world like this for a long time.

Gramps Will was the one who made me what I was today. He was like my favorite family member.

Duke-sama stared at me with a somewhat pained frown. Is he expecting me to cry?

At the very least, I wanted to be strong. I didn’t want Duke-sama to see the weak side of me, even if it was a lie.

I gave myself a self-deprecating smile.

“It’s precisely what a villainess would do, not going to see someone important to them even if they may die, right?”

I didn’t want to be such a villainess.

My voice trembled a little, but I tried my best to hide it by putting on a mask. It had been sunny earlier, but before I knew it, the sky was covered with clouds, and drops of water were hitting my face.

I yelled at Duke-sama, who remained silent, not caring that it had rained.

“Why don’t you just despise me? Get angry at me, tell me I’m a disgusting woman!”

My voice became louder.

I wanted someone to punish me for not going to see Gramps Will. I wanted him to blame me for showing no emotion at the loss of someone I respected.

The rain got heavier, and before I realized it, my body was soaking wet.

Duke-sama gently approached me and hugged me carefully. I felt as if something in my heart would crumble at the touch of his kindness.

“Why? Why are you being so nice to a woman like me?”

“You look like you’re about to cry.”

Duke-sama’s calm voice overlapped my rough voice.

I had decided not to cry… I had been desperately trying to hold back my tears…

Duke-sama had ruined everything.

Slowly, my body relaxed, and I realized that in front of Duke-sama, it was okay to cry, to expose my heart to him.

At that moment, the tears flowed uncontrollably.

Gramps Will, I wanted to see you. I would like to express my gratitude and love to you. I would like to show you how much I have developed because of you.

I wanted to tell you that what you taught me is my greatest treasure.

Regardless of my intention, large drops of water run down my cheeks. I never thought that losing someone would be so painful and heartbreaking.

Duke-sama embraced me warmly as I sobbed like a child, and I suddenly realized that I’d relied on his arms for support ever since I met him again in the Ravaal Kingdom.

Gilles, did you have to go through all this alone?

And yet, you continued to endure this pain while trying to create a cure to save Gramps Will?

I cried even more when I thought of Gilles.