Chapter 65-66 – The Past Cannot Be Easily Erased
Even when I greeted Kiella and walked with her into the village, along with her attendants, I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Her appearance had changed so much that it was almost impossible to recognize her.
"Hello, my lord!"
"Nice to meet you."
"Oh my, lord Kiella! Thank you so much for helping me yesterday!"
"It's only natural. I am a lord after all. Nothing unusual happened last night, right?"
"Of course not. It was all thanks to you, Lord Kiella!"
The village elves greeted their lord warmly the moment they saw her. Kiella responded with a kind and pleasant expression.
It all appeared peaceful, like an ordinary life in a quiet village. Still, the sense of unease I had felt since our first meeting never left me.
In truth, Kiella never behaved like a wild beast toward other elves. If she had, she never would have lasted in the royal castle where she once lived.
But that didn't mean she used to be this friendly either. Chatting with other elves like this wasn't something she did in the past.
If it had been before, she wouldn't have even acknowledged the people around her.
'Was she trying to manage her image as a lord?'
Honestly, even if she held the title, Kiella never struck me as the kind of woman who would bother with something so tedious. Still, it seemed like a possible reason.
Just then, one of the resident elves, who had been speaking warmly with Kiella, turned to me with a somewhat uneasy look.
"My lord, is this person… a human?"
"Yes, that's right. He's the only human who survived the war with the Demon King. From now on, he'll be visiting the village regularly as my guard."
Kiella answered without a moment's hesitation, but the elf's anxious expression deepened.
"Ah… I see. But is it really alright to bring a human into the village? Humans are the ones who summoned the Demon King. Of course, I don't think all humans are dangerous, but…"
"I understand your concern. But it's fine. This man is a knight in the Queen's direct order. He's someone who can be trusted, not only for his loyalty but also for his strength."
In the past, Kiella would frown if her subordinates spoke up against her. But now, she smiled gently without the slightest trace of irritation.
"Besides, Ruinua, the goddess and mother of us elves, wished for harmony between humans and elves. So we must start viewing humans with more open minds."
Unlike me, who still couldn't believe what I was seeing, the villagers seemed completely used to this side of their lord.
"I was being narrow-minded. I apologize, my lord."
The elf bowed deeply, even offering me an apology for his earlier remarks. The other villagers, seeing this, praised Kiella's kindness and spoke of how generous their lord was.
'Am I dreaming?'
Kiella, who claims to treat humans with compassion, now has fellow elves admiring her for her kindness.
Anyone who had seen her true nature would find this transformation impossible to believe.
'Has she changed after the war?'
'No, that couldn't be. Her rotten personality wouldn't change so easily. If anything, she must be wearing a mask, trying to play the part of a respectable lord.'
I stayed alert and kept my guard up as I followed her to the lord's residence.
Perhaps because the village itself was small, the lord's home looked quite modest. It was several times larger than the villagers' homes, but that was all.
It was nothing like the grand castles or elegant mansions that one would usually associate with nobility.
Still, I didn't let my guard down.
No matter how well someone hides behind a mask, it's easier for their true face to slip when they're in the comfort of their own home.
"Thank you for coming. There's no more work today, so you may go back and rest."
Kiella dismissed the servants with a friendly tone.
Her house, although small for someone of her status, wasn't so cramped that she needed to be alone. It made me wonder why she sent them away. But this was no time to be distracted.
Out of sight from the villagers, Kiella could reveal her true nature at any moment. I had to stay alert.
"Let's go in, Dayke. From now on, whenever you come to our village, you'll stay here."
"Thank you, Lord Kiella."
When I stepped inside, the situation I had expected didn't happen.
Rather than showing her true self, she simply walked into one of the rooms, as if she were looking for someone.
"Ruina, I'm back."
"Welcome home, Kiella."
The elf in the room greeted her warmly.
She didn't rise from the chair she was sitting in, which suggested she was quite familiar with Kiella. One unusual detail stood out—her eyes were covered with a cloth.
"Ruina, the guard we discussed last time has arrived. His name is Dayke. He'll visit once a week and stay for three days to look after you."
So I wasn't here to protect the lord—I was here for her.
I spoke up, confused by the unexpected arrangement.
"I see… I'm not guarding the lord?"
"Yes. As you can see, Ruina is blind. Lately, there have been rumors of strange monsters nearby, and I've been worried. She stays in this house all the time, so I want you to be prepared in case anything happens."
So that's why her eyes were covered with cloth.
"I'm really fine… But Kiella worries too much," Ruina said, clearly not thrilled about my presence.
Whether Kiella noticed or not, she continued in a calm, soothing tone.
"You never know what might happen. Ruina doesn't like having other elves in the house, so there are no servants here."
Kiella's attitude was even gentler than how she had acted outside with the villagers.
In this peaceful setting, it didn't seem like I'd get punched just for asking a question.
"Is she… shy, by any chance?"
"I think so. I wanted to station a few guards around the house, but she insisted she'd rather die than let anyone else inside."
There were already guards stationed outside the village. But it seemed Kiella was especially concerned about Ruina's safety and chose to keep her close at home.
"I see."
"I went through a lot just to convince her to accept even one person. I figured if it had to be one, I should find someone trustworthy—so I called for a knight from the Queen's order. Even then, she only agreed to let you stay for three days a week."
"You didn't have to say all that…"
Ruina puffed out her cheeks in protest. Surprised, Kiella quickly apologized.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just worry about you so much. Please don't be upset."
I still couldn't get used to this softer version of Kiella.
The two of them clearly shared a close bond, but I couldn't figure out exactly what their relationship was.
As I tried to make sense of it, Kiella spoke again.
"Get some rest, Ruina. I'll show Dayke around the house and be back."
"Yes. Come back soon, Kiella."
After leaving Ruina's room, Kiella brought me to an empty room on the same floor.
Then—
"…Hey."
Her voice dropped low, and she shot me a cold, piercing look.
It was the first time I had seen that expression since arriving in the village.
But it wasn't unfamiliar. I had seen that look many times in the past.
'She hasn't changed a bit.'
"You're not going to answer?"
"Yes."
I responded immediately, just as she had expected.
It wasn't because I was afraid of her.
Thanks to the app, I had a way to protect myself if things got violent.
That didn't mean I could win against her, and there was no reason to provoke her. So, I stayed calm and watched how things unfolded.
"Listen carefully. If anything happens to Ruina while you're here, you'll die."
The seriousness in her tone made it clear—what she said earlier about caring for Ruina wasn't just talk.
I replied that I understood.
Kiella stepped closer, her stern face just inches from mine.
"And if you even lay a finger on Ruina, I'll rip off that arm of yours. Don't even think about anything indecent."
Again, I found myself wondering about the true nature of their relationship.
One thing was clear—Kiella truly treasured Ruina.
Her entire demeanor shifted the moment we left that room, which meant the warm, gentle side she showed was for Ruina's sake.
Could they be sisters?
But I didn't remember anything about the Supreme Court Justice having a biological sister in my previous life.
"What's with the silence? Do you think I'm bluffing? Just because you're the Queen's knight, you think I won't touch you? Should I pull out a few fingernails right here to make my point?"
Even if I couldn't recall the details of her past, the fire in her eyes left no doubt—she wasn't joking.
Before her patience ran out, I gave a small, obedient nod.
"Good. You seem to know when to listen. This will be your room, so stay here. I can't rest easy at night, not knowing what might happen to Ruina."
– Kiella…! Where are you?
Ruina's voice echoed from the living room. She must have stepped out looking for her.
At the sound of her name, Kiella's entire presence transformed.
"Ruina! What's wrong?!"
She flung open the door and rushed toward her, now speaking like the kind, concerned lord everyone believed her to be.
I couldn't help but chuckle. Just moments ago, she was threatening to tear out my fingernails. Now she is like a cute elf.
—
[MC POV]
As the first night in Laketown approached, I found myself doing nothing at all.
There was nothing required of me except to wait in my room or quietly observe the two elves chatting affectionately in the living room.
Despite the common belief that a village lord would be extremely busy, Kiella stayed by Ruina's side all day. It seemed she had delegated most of her duties to her servants and only handled the most important tasks herself.
I couldn't help but wonder, "If this is how things are going to be, why even call for an escort?"
Still, I reasoned that it might simply mean she cared deeply for Ruina and wanted to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
The day passed peacefully and quietly, and night eventually fell.
While everyone else was asleep, I sat on my bed, thinking about how I could get my revenge on Kiella.
"I've thought of a few ways…"
It was important to remember that the moonshine grass given to Agnes wouldn't work on Kiella.
To be specific, it had no effect on elves other than Agnes. Elves, being in tune with nature and blessed by it, were naturally immune to plant-based poisons.
In contrast, dark elves have lived in caves for generations, avoiding sunlight and forests. As a result, they lack resistance to poisons.
"What would be the safest and most reliable method?"
Unable to settle on a clear answer, I left my room to clear my mind.
As I moved through the living room, I tried to stay as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake the two elves.
Then I heard a sound coming from Kiella's room.
"…What was that?"
I could tell there was a sound, but it was so faint that I couldn't make out what it was.
Curious, I slowly approached, carefully muffling the sound of my footsteps.
"Ugh ♥ Aahh ♥ … Haa… ♥"
The sound grew clearer as I got closer, as if someone was deeply absorbed in something.
It seems that Kiella was so focused that she had forgotten to close the door properly. The door was left slightly open, so I peered through the crack.
What I next saw was Kiella lying naked on her bed, touching her own pussy.
"Hmm♥ Hmmm… Mmmmm♥"
It was a rare sight to see an elf masturbating, but it didn't really surprise me.
She had already opened her eyes to her sexual pleasure by torturing me in her past life.
However, at that moment, a name that caught me off guard came out of her mouth.
"Ruina… Aahhh♥ Aahhh♥…"
'Ruina? Is she masturbating while imagining Ruina?'
As if to answer what I thought was correct, Kiella kept calling her by the same name.
"Ruina, I like it there. Touch me more…♥"
I was taken aback because it was so sudden, but it didn't take long for me to understand the situation. In the first place, masturbating while thinking of someone means you have a crush on that person.
'I understand now.'
Thanks to this, many of the questions I had were finally answered.
Why did Kiella wear a kind and gentle mask in front of Louisa and the villagers?
Why, even after assigning Ruina as the escort, did she still not feel safe enough to leave Ruina's side?
All of Kiella's strange behavior now made sense. It could all be explained by a simple fact—she had a crush on Ruina.
It was rare for an elf to fall in love, and even more surprising that the one experiencing it was Kiella. But there was no denying it. She was clearly seeking comfort and constantly looking for Ruina's presence.
"…You're pathetic."
I found myself cursing under my breath without even realizing it.
She wanted to appear reborn—pure and good—just to impress the elf she had fallen for.
Did that mean her past no longer existed to her?
Could someone simply erase their dark, filthy self just because they decided to change?
The thought made me furious.
She had done such cruel things to me, yet now she walked around proudly, pretending to be someone new.
"I won't let you live as if the past never happened."
Her love for Ruina had also reminded me of what truly mattered.
I was going to ruin her happiness. With that silent promise, I turned and returned to my room.