Reforming the Villain Family - Chapter 33

The silver snake left the house. Deeply shocked by this fact, I stared blankly at the window for a while.

Wearing only my pajamas and feeling the cold air from outside the window, I belatedly realized my body had become extremely cold.

I sniffled, holding back the snot that was about to flow out, and closed the window before returning to my seat.

All day, only the scene of the silver snake crying and leaving the house kept replaying in my mind.

‘I didn’t think it would leave while crying like that.’

I knew it would be obvious that the silver snake would be upset if it saw, so I was planning to secretly return it to the study, but I ended up forgetting.

The book pretended to tell how to seal the divine beast, but it didn’t contain any practical methods.

In short, it was a fraudulent book.

‘It was just a book that only mentioned that divine beasts could be sealed too.’

So I quickly lost interest. While I forgot about it, the silver snake ended up discovering it.

‘Where should I look for the silver snake?’

As I was pondering, I suddenly shook my head vigorously and changed my mind.

‘No, this might be for the better.’

The silver snake that had been asking me to make a contract every day might now go out to find a new contractor.

Perhaps this time, it might find the real male lead.

‘That would be really fortunate.’

Why does one corner of my heart feel so uneasy?

‘It was troublesome, but…’

My gaze unconsciously turned towards the space under the bed.

It felt like if I called out, the silver snake would immediately wriggle out and say, ‘Why are you calling, you worthless creature?’

‘Should I go outside to look?’

But now that the silver snake had left the house, there was nothing I could do.

When it was here, I wished it would disappear, but now that it’s gone, I keep seeing its image in my mind.

I felt drained. Meanwhile, Sophia and Delma entered my room.

“Young miss, please wake up. If you sleep now, you won’t be able to sleep well later tonight.”

Seeing me lying on the bed, Sophia gently woke me up, perhaps thinking I was taking a nap.

I got up and sat quietly on the bed with my bottom firmly planted.

Usually, this would be the time for drawing pictures or reading books.

But since I was just sitting there doing nothing, it must have looked quite strange to them.

“Young miss, if you’re bored, shall I read you a book?”

“We also have the block game that you like, young miss.”

Sophia and Delma suggested various activities to me, but nothing appealed to me.

“You’re not feeling ill, are you?”

Finally, Sophia asked worriedly, but I just shook my head without answering.

‘I feel drained.’

With each response, I unconsciously let out a sigh. Seeing this, Sophia felt my forehead. Soon after touching my face, Sophia was startled.

“Oh my! Why is your body so cold?”

* * *

The problem started in the evening. Suddenly, my body began to feel chilly, and then a fever started.

“Yes, since last night her body was cold… and she’s having a runny nose…”

Sophia was earnestly explaining to someone. It seems I had fallen asleep for a moment while groaning in pain. I rubbed my bleary eyes and got up.

The doctor sitting in front of me carefully took my wrist and began examining me.

Now that I looked around, not only Sophia and the doctor but also the Duke and Philen were in my room.

‘Why is the Duke in my room?’

As I was wondering how to get rid of them, the doctor spoke again.

“It seems to be early symptoms of a cold. It’s not serious, and you should get better if you take some medicine.”

“Just a simple cold? Are you sure you’ve examined correctly?”

“I-If that’s the case, I-I’ll examine again.”

The Duke only asked again, but the doctor, trembling nervously, checked my pulse once more.

“E-Even after re-examining, there are no serious symptoms. If you take medicine for a day and rest well, you should get better, but…”

“You’ll have to take responsibility for those words.”

The Duke spoke in a chilling tone. The doctor anxiously scanned my body again.

Finally, unable to bear it anymore, I opened my mouth.

“What brings everyone here… ah, achoo!”

“Young miss!”

“Young miss, are you alright?!”

As my nose started running, Sophia hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and approached me.

While Sophia was worried about me, I couldn’t understand why the doctor, whom I was meeting for the first time today, was so anxious about my every move.

‘Why is he acting like that?’

“It-It’s alright, young miss. It-It’s not serious. You’ll get better soon, very soon!”

The doctor, who had been muttering words to no one in particular, soon fumbled in his pocket and pulled out some powdered medicine. He held it out to me and said,

“Young miss, please take this. If you take the medicine, you’ll feel better soon.”

It seems the doctor was right about me catching a cold. Even when I’m still, my nose keeps trying to run.

‘Ugh, it’s bitter.’

I reluctantly took the medicine and grimaced. At that moment, Philen approached with drooping eyebrows.

“Our young miss, are you in much pain? It’s alright. You’ll get better soon. You don’t need to worry at all.”

‘It seems Philen is more worried than I am…’

“That’s right, that’s right. If-If you take the medicine and sleep well tonight, you’ll be fine.”

The doctor beside me added, still trembling. I agreed with the doctor’s words and nodded vigorously.

Although my nose was running a bit, it wasn’t anything serious.

This level of discomfort was something I used to experience regularly on cold days before coming to the Duke’s household.

“Young miss, you’re indeed brave. Still, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to say so…”

The doctor kept urging me as he packed up his things.

Although it was still dark dawn, perhaps due to the bitter medicine I had taken, sleep had somewhat eluded me. For me, who was now fully awake, Sophia left the room saying she would bring some warm milk.

The doctor and Philen followed, and the Duke was the last to leave the room.

‘Phew, it’s finally quiet.’

Just as I was about to take a breather, suddenly the door flung open again. The Duke, who had strode back in, abruptly handed me something.

“Take care of yourself so I don’t have to worry.”

Leaving behind words that sounded like a threat, he swiftly left the room again.

I blinked a couple of times, belatedly realizing that the Duke had thrown something onto the bed before leaving.

‘What did he give me?’

When I checked, it was a small chocolate.

My mouth was already bitter from the medicine, so this was perfect. I quickly popped it into my mouth.

The bitter taste of the medicine disappeared, and the sweet taste of chocolate filled my mouth.

‘…It’s delicious.’

A smile slowly spread across my face.

* * *

Perhaps because I took medicine at dawn, when I opened my eyes in the morning, miraculously, my runny nose was gone.

Seeing that I had recovered, Sophia allowed me to go for a walk.

“Just make sure to dress warmly.”

“Okay!”

I answered enthusiastically. And a few minutes later, I walked out of the room with clumsy movements.

‘This seems a bit excessive…’

The thickness of the clothes I was wearing seemed to be at least twice that of what I usually wore.

“Young miss, come this way.”

As I came out of the room to go for a walk, Yan approached. Wondering what was going on, I looked up at him, and Yan skillfully picked me up.

‘What’s this?’

Being held by Yan was extremely comfortable, so I didn’t particularly mind. However, what surprised me was something else.

‘This is the first time Yan has picked me up on his own.’

Until now, unless I asked to be held first, Yan had never taken the initiative to pick me up.

“I heard that a doctor visited this morning. Are you feeling better now?”

Ah, it seems that news had reached Yan too. Hearing the voice full of concern, I nodded.

“Yes, I’m fine now. I don’t hurt at all.”

“I see, it seems you’ve improved now. That’s a relief. Still, you shouldn’t stay outside for too long.”

While Yan’s concern was appreciated, I was really completely fine now.

‘I can walk on my own.’

It was even more of a spectacle when we got to the garden. The knights who were lined up running in the garden waved happily when they saw me.

I waved back unconsciously, but then furrowed my brow.

‘But why are they training in the garden today?’

Even though I come out to the garden for walks every day, this was the first time I had seen the knights training in the garden.

It was a bit strange, but I decided not to make a big deal out of it.

When we arrived at the garden, Yan put me down. As if they had been waiting for this moment, the knights who had been running in line approached me, swinging their arms.

Bart, the largest among them, waved his hand with a big grin.

“Young miss−! What a coincidence to see you here!”

‘Is it?’

Although I had never been to the training grounds, I had heard they were inside the mansion, so they couldn’t be too far away.

That meant we could run into each other anywhere in the mansion at any time.

“Young miss! Are you enjoying your walk!”

“Is Yan escorting you well?”

“Yes, of course!”

I responded appropriately to Chrissy and Gezwill’s questions.

I thought they would leave to continue their remaining training, but they were still jogging in place in front of me.

‘…What are they doing?’

Just as I was wondering if I should move, Bart cleared his throat loudly.

“Um, young miss, I happen to have something in my pocket.”

Bart carefully placed a small wooden sword in front of me.

“Ahem! When you’re not feeling well, swinging a wooden sword can help. Since it has a blunt edge, it’s not dangerous for you, young miss…”

“Hey, do you think the young miss would like something like that?”

Interrupting Bart’s words, Chrissy fumbled in his pocket and pulled something out.

“Young miss, look carefully.”

Chrissy covered it with one hand, held it out to me, and then revealed it with a “ta-da!”

What was piled up in his hand were colorful lollipops.

“Young miss, you’ve never tried these before, right? These are really something. They’re candies, but they’re sweet and sour…”

“You too! How could you give such things to the young miss!”

“Young miss, you’ll like what I brought!”

Gezwill held out a puppy with a “ta-da!” No, upon closer inspection, it wasn’t a real puppy but a puppy doll.

‘Uh… but it looks too much like a real puppy.’

It was too realistically portrayed to be called a doll. It was a bit overwhelming.

I ended up accepting it with my free hand.

As a result, I found myself standing there with a puppy doll in one hand, colorful lollipops in the other, and a wooden sword as tall as me at my feet.

‘Could it be they came here to give me these?’

After a moment of bewilderment, gratitude took over.

Just as I was about to express my thanks, the three who had given me gifts suddenly started bickering.

“How could you give such junk food to the young miss! Don’t you know it’ll rot her teeth?!”

“Look who’s talking, giving a wooden sword to the young miss, a wooden sword!”

“You’re one to talk, where did you get such a dog-like doll from!”

“Stop it, you’re in front of the young miss.”

Yan hurriedly stepped between them to mediate the fight.

Now I somewhat understood why the doctor had visited early in the morning, why the Duke and Philen had come, and why the knights were idly hanging around in the garden.

As I watched them bickering, I licked one of the lollipops.

‘It’s extremely sweet.’

“What are you doing?”

Just then, a low voice came from behind me.

The Duke, who had picked me up, glared at the puppy doll in my hand and the lollipop in my mouth, and finally looked down at the wooden sword lying on the ground.

“Where did all of this come from?”

“Oh, Bart and Gezwill and Chrissy gave them to me!”

I answered in an excited voice.

“I see.”

The Duke’s gaze turned towards the knights.

“So my proud knights gave these to you.”

The surrounding area, which had been noisy until just now, quickly fell silent.

“…Hiccup!”

Amidst the settled silence, someone’s hiccup could be heard.