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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Villainess, Rose Van Darmian (3)
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"What? H-haha! Yes, thank you!"
Had my high praise pleased him?
Dunkel laughed heartily, accepting my compliment.
'What the hell? Why's this bastard acting so magnanimous?'
I'd expected him to swear or something.
Dunkel's reaction was utterly unexpected, and for me, who had aimed to land a jab, it was quite disappointing.
"Ca-Carmel. What kind of talk is that? Apologize at once! My apologies, Sir Dunkel. As you can see, he's a child who hasn't had formal etiquette training, so..."
Instead, it was Jettie, the butler, who fidgeted and tried to salvage the situation.
"It's fine. No, this old man is rather pleased. Isn't it surprising? To find a child like this in these times."
"Haha, this young man is quite clever for his age, indeed."
"Tell me, little knight. May I ask your name?"
Dunkel asked, squatting down before me.
His snake-like eyes began scrutinizing me from head to toe.
My fists clenched reflexively, but I couldn't bring myself to swing.
"It's Carmel."
Because I didn't want to make things more difficult for Jettie, who was desperately trying to defend me, or for Rose, who was nervously welling up with tears.
"I apologize for my excessive words, Your Excellency. I was so genuinely impressed that the rough words just slipped out."
"I appreciate you saying so."
"Truthfully, I was quite troubled about escorting the Young Lady alone. Thanks to Your Excellency and the butler, my worries have been eased, so it is I who should be offering thanks. Thank you, Sir Dunkel."
Still, I didn't want to be looked down upon just because I was a commoner, so I showed Dunkel the utmost respect.
"Hmph..."
Dunkel replied with a genuinely surprised expression.
"Well now, it seems I've underestimated you."
"Not at all."
"By the way, are you perhaps..."
"...?"
"Never mind. It was a pleasure today, little knight. We shall meet again."
After scrutinizing my body with an unsettling gaze for a moment, Dunkel finally stood up and turned away.
"Hah..."
And then, a sigh.
"Carmel, please curb your temper. I was on pins and needles watching you."
I turned my head to see Jettie, his face pale.
"Well, it ended safely, so that's good. Since it happened while you were escorting the Young Lady, I should be the one to thank you."
"I apologize for the trouble, Sir Jettie."
Even so, like the adults I admired, he didn't forget to express his gratitude.
In truth, Jettie was a grateful person who had helped me clean up messes I'd made before.
"Alright. We'll see each other soon. Young Lady, let us go as well. The Viscount is anxiously looking for you."
"Ca-Carmel."
Just as I was about to turn away, I heard a tearful voice.
Rose spoke to me, her voice trembling with tears.
"I-I'm sorry. Because of me..."
"Lady Rose."
"Mm..."
"I'm fine. So..."
Her appearance was so pitiful that I added words I didn't strictly need to say.
"From now on, please don't cry in front of your escort knight. I read in a book that for an escort knight, the greatest dishonor is..."
"...the tears shed by the one they serve."
"So, please don't cry in front of me from now on. Alright?"
I extended my pinky finger and smiled.
"U-understood!"
Rose placed her pinky finger on mine and replied.
****
The Chapter 1 boss of [Harem Academy].
The villainess, Rose Van Darmian.
When the player painstakingly won the battle against her, she threw herself off a cliff.
The protagonist rushed to catch Rose but failed, and to him, Rose said:
-"You are different from the men I know."
-"If only I had an escort knight like you by my side..."
****
Late at night, atop a cliff overlooking the Mana Lake.
I was swinging my sword, beads of sweat dripping.
"..."
Today, for some reason, the sword felt exceptionally heavy in my swings.
Too much force was applied. The sword's path subtly twisted, and my stance gradually faltered.
How long had I been swinging this sword that I so disliked?
-Clang!
I threw the sword to the ground, then lay down flat.
"This feels so damn unsettling."
It was exactly that. This unsettling feeling, which had begun to cling to me like a leech ever since I parted ways with Rose, simply wouldn't go away.
"An escort knight, huh..."
What the innocent child had said today,
What the villainess in the game had uttered at her end.
That single phrase kept echoing and replaying in my mind.
When I played the game, I hadn't paid it any mind at all.
No, I had even scoffed at it.
-"A viscount's daughter, talking about an escort knight? What nonsense."
Yet, that villainess, today, had extended her tiny finger to me and said:
-"Carmel is the same age as me, so he'll be my escort knight, won't he?"
-"Then promise. Here, pinky!"
The Rose in the game had regretted it. That she had no escort knight by her side.
What those words implied was simple: the Rose in the game had no one to protect her.
And among the lines spoken by Rose in the game, there was one word that particularly bothered me.
-'Men'.
It wasn't singular, but plural. The deliberate use of the plural 'men' was incredibly unsettling.
I really hoped it wasn't true.
But what if, by some chance, it wasn't just one person who revealed their ugly desires to the young, innocent Rose?
"Damn it."
As the image of the girl, happy with parfait smeared around her mouth, flashed in my mind, a furious rage ignited within me.
I vowed to stop it, yet at the same time, I felt anxious.
Because I still knew nothing.
What exactly would happen to Rose, when it would happen, or how I needed to act to stop it.
Nothing was clear. To be honest, even at this very moment, as I pondered, something might be happening to Rose.
To be blunt, I was currently a twelve-year-old commoner child.
What this meant was that there were limits to what I could do right now.
It was frustrating. I wanted to protect Rose all day long, but in many ways, the situation didn't allow for it.
"Your expression isn't good."
Just as I was lost in thought, a soft voice reached my ears.
"Ah, Master."
I opened my closed eyes to see Daphne, who had sat down beside me without me noticing.
Seeing my Master, I naturally tried to get up.
"It's fine, stay lying down."
My Master stopped me with one hand, then instead placed my head on her thigh.
Suddenly, a fragrant scent wafted into my nose, and I felt a soft sensation on the back of my head.
My body reflexively began to relax.
"What wind blew today, Master, that you don't scold me even when you see me lounging around like this?"
"Comforting a troubled heart is also a virtue of a master, isn't it?"
"Was it that obvious...? By the way, how did you know?"
"How could this Master not know when her disciple, who usually keeps a vigilant eye on the kitchen, instead stormed out with his sword, looking angry, instead of guarding the kitchen?"
"...Did you go into the kitchen?"
"Ahem, yes. So, what is it? What's the trouble that made my disciple's eyes well up like a baby deer's?"
As I asked, Daphne skillfully changed the subject.
Normally, she would have questioned me thoroughly and then immediately checked the kitchen's ingredients, but today was an unusually frustrating day, so I complained to her.
"Master, what would you have done?"
"Tell me in detail."
"I have a young rabbit I care for, and lately, I've been seeing hungry wolves targeting it."
"A rabbit my disciple cares for... Is it real? Or a metaphor? I'm very curious, but continue for now."
"But when I saw those wolves, they were in heat. So I'm anxious. I feel like they're going to do something before they devour the rabbit."
"Hmm, wolves in heat for a rabbit..."
I don't know what kind of baseless metaphor this was, but.
Daphne tilted her head, listening seriously to my story, and I felt at ease, continuing to speak.
"Honestly, by natural order, I shouldn't intervene. But, I don't want to see that happen."
"Hmm."
"So I want to intervene, but the problem is I don't know when the wolves will attack the rabbit. And I'm not in a situation where I can keep watching the rabbit."
"That must be frustrating."
"Yes, that's why I'm frustrated. Master, what would you have done?"
When I asked, Daphne chuckled softly, then began to stroke my head.
"..."
The feeling was strange. Even though it was a small gesture, I felt my chaotic mind calm down.
How long did we stay like that? Daphne began to speak to me in a gentle voice.
"If it were me, I would have dealt with those wolves as soon as I saw them."
"But that's not a helpful answer for you, is it?"
I quietly nodded.
"Then there's only one thing I can tell you."
"...?"
"If you have time to be frustrated, don't just stand still; move."
"Ah."
"If the situation isn't what you want, create it. If you don't know when, you decide when."
Daphne let out a soft chuckle, then helped me up, meeting my gaze as she continued.
"Carmel, you have enough ability to do that. So, don't regret anything and do everything you can. And."
"If you can't find an answer, asking for this Master's help is also one way."
Daphne continued, showing me a bright smile like a full moon.
"Oh, and I read something in a book recently."
What book was it recently? I think it was about stray dogs.
"That for horny bastards, castration is the only answer."
"Huh?"
It felt like I'd just heard something outrageous.
"I just said that because you mentioned 'in heat' earlier. Well, either way, I hope this Master's meddling was helpful."
'Castration, huh...'
It was an abrupt remark, but strangely, it was also one that appealed to me, so my head nodded on its own.
It was amazing. My insides, which had been so stifled, felt as if they had suddenly cleared up and refreshed.
"Seeing your expression return, it seems you'll manage well on your own now."
"Thank you, Master. My mind feels at ease thanks to you."
"Good, then. It's just a shame I won't be able to see my disciple catch the wolves, as I have to leave for a while."
"Eh? Where are you going?"
"It's spring, isn't it?"
Ah, that's right.
Daphne had said she visits her old friends every spring.
Last year too, she was away for about a week for the same reason, and I remember having a pretty comfortable time thanks to that.
"When are you leaving?"
"I plan to leave tomorrow. Even if you feel lonely, stay strong. I'll be back soon. Oh, and I have something prepared for you."
Saying that, Daphne pulled a small cloth wrapper from her pocket and handed it to me.
I carefully unwrapped it, and inside were about ten charcoal-like objects.
"...What on earth are these?"
"Biscuits. You seemed to dislike sandwiches, so I prepared something else."
It was a checkmate.
****
Jettie, the butler of Viscount Darmian's household.
He looked at the unexpected visitor who had come to his office with a puzzled expression and asked.
"What brings you here?"
So I answered.
"I heard you were looking for laborers to do odd jobs for Lady Rose's birthday party, so I came to apply."
"You? Alright. Let's say that's true. But."
Jettie, having heard my answer, narrowed his eyes as if something displeased him, and said.
"Why is a fellow who sells drinks carrying a sword?"
"To be an escort knight."
"The announcement didn't mention anything about an escort knight, though..."
"The duration will be until the guests who enter the mansion leave, and I'll only take 2 gold per hour as payment."
-Thud.
Butler Jettie, perhaps deeply moved by my unprecedented offer, placed his palm on his forehead and slumped into his chair.