The Villain Leaves as a Hero

It was truly like witnessing a miracle, Sylvia thought.

In fact, to her, the Eleanor County was a precious land where she was born and raised, but it wasn’t as if only good memories remained in this place.

To the people here, she was the daughter of the lord who ruled the land, but on the other hand, she was also a being called a witch.

Therefore, from a certain point on, she didn’t really prefer wandering around the county.

When she walked through the city center, she wanted to close her ears because the gazes felt here and there and the whispers heard from somewhere all felt like rebukes and reproaches directed at her.

But that was only until recently.

“Gongnyeo-nim! Take this with you on your way. It’s a new liquor that our store has released this time, and it tastes very good.”

“What do you mean, Gongnyeo-nim, Gongnyeo-nim. We should call you Gaju-nim now!”

“Aigoo, I made a mistake. Kalgalkal!”

Seeing the residents of the territory smiling broadly around her, she couldn’t help but smile.

It wasn’t just because they were being friendly to her.

Just seeing these people happy and rejoicing made her feel warm in the corner of her heart.

This must all be a new landscape that he showed her.

“…Lierde Gongja, thank you.”

“I have never done anything worthy of thanks. It’s all thanks to Gongnyeo’s virtue.”

“Anyway….”

Sometimes, he deserves to be thanked nicely, but Sylvia frowned at his attitude of coldly rejecting even that one word.

It wouldn’t be simple modesty.

Perhaps he really doesn’t know how great his achievements are, how much he has given her.

Unlike him, who is always good at grasping things from an objective point of view, why does he become such a fool when looking at himself?

While thinking that point was ironic, Sylvia couldn’t help but smile.

Now, every single one of his actions felt lovely.

“Then I’ll see you again next time. If there are any inconveniences, please let me know anytime.”

In that way, she spent a long time talking with the residents of the territory, listening to their inconveniences, and sharing the position of the Eleanor family, exchanging with them.

Sylvia felt that the time to return to the castle was approaching and spoke to those around her.

Everyone exclaimed at her kind attitude of caring for the residents until right before parting.

“Oh my, thank you for your words, Gongnyeo-nim.”

“How can she be so kind? Someone like that should have become the Gaju a long time ago.”

“I know, right. She’s young and smart, so we won’t have to worry about the county in the future.”

Sylvia was a little embarrassed by the compliments pouring out after only exchanging a few words.

Still, it meant that the residents were looking at her positively, so she decided to accept it gladly and was about to get into the carriage.

“By the way, Gongnyeo-nim, before you leave, there’s one thing I’d like to ask….”

“Yes, what is it? Please feel free to speak.”

At that time, when a woman carefully raised her hand and requested the right to speak, Sylvia nodded and turned her body.

She wondered if there was a problem that she hadn’t mentioned separately, so she listened with a serious expression.

But what she heard was the opposite of what she expected.

“I’ve been wondering since a while ago, is the person next to you Gongnyeo-nim’s lover? He doesn’t seem like an attendant.”

“Yes? Ah…!”

Only then did Sylvia realize that she hadn’t introduced Kyle, who had been by her side for a long time, and she blushed, realizing her mistake.

A lover.

Of course, in her heart, he was already more than a lover, but she was a little embarrassed to reveal this in front of the territory residents she didn’t know.

Still, if she marked him as hers here, there would be nothing better than that, so it was the moment she was about to nod carefully.

“No.”

“……?”

The heavy voice that suddenly broke in instantly made the air cold.

Where Sylvia turned her head, there was Kyle, looking around at the people surrounding him with his unique expressionless face.

He opened his mouth, shaking his head as if drawing a line that this was the limit, with a voice that was extremely firm.

“I have nothing to do with Eleanor Gongnyeo-nim. I hope you don’t misunderstand.”

At that moment, an arrow flew and fiercely pierced her heart, kuk.

As if pouring cold water on the feeling that she felt like she was about to fly just a moment ago, the blood drained from her whole body.

After that, the two did not exchange a single word in the carriage while returning to the castle.

＊＊＊

Dalgeurak. Dalgeurak.

Without any conversation, only the cold sound of moving silverware echoed in the dining room.

Marian, who was sitting at the head of the table and feeling this heavy silence with her skin, was full of questions in her head.

She had certainly heard that they had toured the county together, but why had the atmosphere become so grim?

Did they have an argument there?

It shouldn’t be possible to create such a tense atmosphere with just that.

“I’m sorry, Marian Buin. May I get up first?”

Fortunately, a voice broke the silence, and a moment of relief crossed Marian’s face, but she was stunned to hear the content.

To think he would throw out a statement that would amplify the coldness even more in this atmosphere.

“Yes? Ah. Well, yes. I don’t know if it suited your taste.”

“It was very delicious. I felt it when I came before, but the chefs’ skills are considerable.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You must be tired from going out, so please get some rest.”

“Yes, then excuse me.”

When Kyle quietly got up from his seat, Sylvia, who had stopped using her fork, quickly got up with an urgent expression.

“Oh, Mother…! I’m sorry. I’ll get up now too.”

“Uh, huh? Okay. By the way, maybe…. Ah.”

Marian belatedly tried to ask Sylvia what had happened, but before she could even open her mouth, Sylvia had hurriedly left the dining room.

In the end, she was left alone, sadly finishing the leftovers, and then the subtle atmosphere between the two people just now came to mind, and she inadvertently smiled bitterly.

That’s how love is in youth.

“L, Lierde Gongja! Wait a minute!”

“…Do you have any business with me?”

Meanwhile, Sylvia, who was chasing after him as he left the dining room and moved outside, reached out and stopped him.

When Kyle’s emotionless gaze, who replied with a businesslike attitude, turned to her, Sylvia flinched for a moment.

There have been quite a few times when his attitude felt somewhat cold or prickly, but this was the first time it felt so cold.

“I was wondering what you meant by what you said to the territory residents in the market earlier…. May I ask?”

“Are you talking about how the Gongnyeo and I are not related?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“It means exactly what it says. That should be explanation enough.”

“It’s not enough. I have a mountain of things I want to ask!”

Sylvia raised her voice for once.

From the beginning, the two are ostensibly dating.

Of course, with Creed Eleanor, who could be said to have been the matchmaker for this contractual relationship, virtually disappearing, it has become a relationship that is only in name.

But even so, how can he say it as if nothing happened?

“From the beginning, the relationship between the Gongnyeo and I was a contract that originated from Eleanor Gyeong, wasn’t it? Since that person has disappeared, we have no choice but to be unrelated.”

“I know that much too. But the attitude you showed earlier didn’t sound like it simply meant that we weren’t dating. Am I wrong?”

Please tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m overreacting.

Sylvia prayed earnestly in her heart and gazed at the man in front of her with a desperate look.

But the reality was ruthless, and it didn’t grant her wish.

“No, you’re not wrong. That’s what I meant.”

“…Yes?”

“Please don’t make me say it twice. I said that’s what I meant.”

Coldly, perhaps more sharply than any words she had ever heard, cutting into her skin.

The moment she heard that, Sylvia felt like time had stopped.

That’s what he meant?

So, is he saying that even if we put aside the contractual relationship, the bond he has built with her so far is as good as nothing?

“If I return to the castle tomorrow, please consider that the meeting between the Gongnyeo and I never happened.”

“W, wait a minute. Lierde Gongja. I don’t understand what you’re saying….”

“Thank you very much for everything so far. Now, as the owner of the Eleanor family, I hope that only a brilliant path lies ahead for the Gongnyeo.”

His actions of bowing deeply with a polite, formal attitude that didn’t feel even a bit playful were just like treating a stranger.

Sylvia could only move her lips and couldn’t say anything.

As if cutting the thread of fate that had been connected between them with scissors.

Sylvia quickly approached him, who started and finished the story alone and turned around, and grabbed his hand as it is, forcing him to turn around.

“Wait a minute, Lierde Gongja! My story isn’t over yet…!”

“…….”

But the moment she saw his eyes, which she had forcibly stopped, Sylvia felt the strength in her hand instantly disappear.

What on earth is that, that expression?

You’re the one who said goodbye.

You’re the one who said let’s end everything like this.

Why are you looking at me with such sad eyes, telling me not to hold you back?

If you look at me like that, I have no choice but to let you go.

If you look at me with an appearance that seems like it will break soon if I put a little more strength in it, I can’t hug you like this and beg you not to go.

“…Excuse me.”

Feeling the strength disappear from her hand that was holding his wrist, Kyle turned around as it is.

“Kyle….”

Sylvia, who had been standing in the hallway for a long time, called out his name in a low voice, but decided to meet him again tomorrow without being discouraged.

She couldn’t let him go like this.

But the next day, Sylvia, who visited his room under the pretext of breakfast guidance, was only greeted by an empty bed with no owner, scattered and welcoming her.