[Full] The Villainess Just Wants to Live Quietly! (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 16
Barnen’s explanation cleared up the parts I hadn’t understood—it was as if an itch I couldn’t scratch had finally been soothed. All the questions I’d puzzled over alone suddenly clicked into place like pieces of a completed puzzle.
It was right at that moment, as I listened intently to his words.
Perhaps feeling that words alone weren’t enough, Barnen pointed to a sheet of paper on the desk and asked,
“Is it okay if I use this?”
“Of course.”
I readily gave my permission.
Barnen immediately picked up a pen and continued his explanation, sketching intricate diagrams.
But then—
Flutter—
As I lifted the fully filled page to turn to the next sheet, underneath it lay a weapon design I’d idly scribbled like a doodle.
‘Oops!’
It wasn’t drawn with enough detail to show anyone—it was merely a private expression of my imagination, which was why I’d hidden it.
Now that this design had unintentionally caught Barnen’s eye, I was utterly mortified.
“That’s…!”
“Did you draw this?”
“Yes. I just sketched it out of boredom.”
Barnen stared fixedly at the weapon design I’d drawn. His mouth, which until a moment ago had been chattering nonstop, fell silent, and the room grew quiet.
Matella, who had been watching the situation from the side, must have sensed something strange about his demeanor and interjected.
“What’s wrong?”
Even Matella’s question received no answer from Barnen. He simply kept staring intently at my weapon sketch.
Just as Matella and I exchanged puzzled glances over the situation,
Barnen, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
“You want to make a weapon like this?”
“Yes, well… I just imagined what it would be like if something like this existed.”
Barnen immediately handed me back my weapon design and demanded in a forceful tone,
“Explain it. Tell me exactly what you imagined.”
His expression was so serious that it felt as if something terrible would happen if I didn’t explain right then and there.
Fortunately, it wasn’t a difficult request, so after a brief hesitation, I picked up the weapon design I’d drawn.
What was drawn on the paper was a gun.
However, it wasn’t shaped like the guns I knew from the modern era—it was constructed differently.
The safety mechanism featured a design with an embedded magic stone, and what loaded into it wasn’t an ordinary bullet.
Since this was a different world, I’d adapted it to fit the era’s progression.
“When you pull the trigger here, a magic orb is fired.”
“What kind of magic orb? How? It’s a small weapon—won’t its power be weak?”
“It doesn’t matter what attribute it is. By spinning a small magic orb, its power is amplified—whether fire or wind, it can cause a massive explosion.”
Barnen stroked his chin, lost in thought. Then, he snatched my weapon design and began adding something new to it.
Where I had imagined something abstractly, Barnen was calculating practical details to complete the blueprint.
“Like this? But with this method, it won’t produce that much power.”
Looking at the formula Barnen had just sketched on the spot, I couldn’t help but gape in awe.
It was perfect. In an instant, a design had emerged that accounted for even the parts I hadn’t considered.
“You really are a genius….”
The words slipped out in genuine admiration. Hearing my spontaneous praise, Barnen laughed as if exasperated.
“You, who imagined this design, are calling me a genius? A passing dog would laugh at that.”
“But I can’t handle these practical details yet…”
“That’s something you learn. I guarantee you’ll naturally grasp it as you practice. Don’t go comparing your first step to my decades of experience.”
Though I didn’t dislike Barnen’s praise, it was clear to me that I still had a long way to go.
Just as I stared blankly at the design he’d added to,
Barnen, as if having made up his mind, spoke firmly.
“Become my disciple.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I originally came here out of obligation, but honestly, I’m now curious.”
They say geniuses recognize other geniuses.
Feeling that Barnen had seen my intelligence made me happy.
“I never thought you’d take interest in me…”
“No, not you—your design.”
Huh? What did that mean?
“Let’s try building this. If done well, it might become a terrifyingly lethal weapon. Though there are still many issues to resolve.”
I realized his interest lay not in me, but in the weapon design I’d drawn.
Though slightly absurd, I didn’t care what the reason was—as long as I could learn from him.
“Yes, Master.”
My immediate, unwavering reply made Barnen smile with genuine satisfaction for the first time.
Matella, who had been watching us, sighed in relief and said,
“I was so nervous watching you two—thank goodness! I should hurry and tell Lady Crisha this happy news. She must be worried, knowing your temperament…”
“Before that.”
Barnen abruptly held out his hand toward Matella. When she looked at him with a confused expression, he shook his outstretched hand impatiently.
“You bought the magic-engineered bracelet I made, right?”
“How did you know?”
“How could I not know you bought something so expensive? Hand it over.”
“Oh, but I was going to give this to the young lady…”
“I know. I’m going to assign homework to my new disciple.”
At those words, Matella reluctantly handed Barnen the magic-engineered bracelet she’d just shown me.
Barnen then held it out to me again and said gravely,
“Can you figure out what ability is imbued in this?”
“No.”
I’d only studied magic-engineered weapons theoretically—this was my first time seeing an actual weapon crafted with a magic stone.
Barnen, likely having guessed this, frowned and said,
“How can my disciple not even recognize something like this? I’m worried you’ll tarnish my name out there.”
Just moments ago, he’d called me a genius, yet the moment he saw my inexperience, his attitude shifted completely—leaving me dumbfounded.
“Figure out on your own what special ability this bracelet has and how to use it.”
“Uncle! How can the young lady possibly know that!”
Matella protested from the side, clearly incredulous. But I quietly accepted the bracelet Barnen offered without a word.
“I understand.”
This was the first assignment from Barnen—I couldn’t complain right from the start. If this was a test, I’d prove myself by succeeding spectacularly.
With that, I clicked the bracelet onto my wrist.
Seeing this, Barnen chuckled, while Matella looked utterly shocked.
“Heh heh, you’re an amusing kid.”
“Oh, miss!”
Matella’s face had gone pale, and she fidgeted anxiously—but naturally, to study the bracelet, I needed to keep it close.
“I’ll find the answer by the next lesson.”
At my words, Barnen’s smile seemed to deepen slightly.
After finishing the lesson, I headed to my room, where Leiana was waiting.
But as I neared my destination, I spotted Jerin pacing anxiously back and forth, her face pale with worry.
Jerin was usually cheerful and energetic, so seeing her this frightened was a first.
Since it was clearly abnormal, I approached her and asked,
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Startled by my unexpected voice, Jerin’s eyes widened as she looked at me, then replied in a trembling tone,
“Oh, miss, it’s just…!”
But before Jerin could explain, another sound reached my ears.
Thud!
It was the heavy impact of something colliding.
It was a sound I’d rarely heard in my life, yet somehow familiar—because I’d heard it in Tanasia’s memories.
Clack clack. Immediately upon hearing it, I walked as if entranced toward my room.
“Miss!”
Jerin called my name urgently, but I couldn’t stop my steps.
Right now, I had to find out where that sound was coming from—and why.
I forcefully shoved open my slightly ajar door.
With a loud crash, the door swung open, revealing a shocking scene.
Askan lay collapsed on the floor, bleeding, while Leiana, sleeves rolled up, was about to strike him with a club.
For a moment, it felt as if my blood had frozen solid.
I couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality—Leiana beating Askan in my room made no sense at all.
Leiana turned to me, who stood frozen like ice, and greeted me cheerfully,
“Tanasia, you’re here?”
She proudly showed me the large club she held and continued,
“Come take a look. I brought this as a gift for you, but somehow ended up using it first. I specially commissioned it—it’s said that when you hit someone with this, the pain reaches deep into their bones.”
A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. Leiana’s words made no sense to me.
The moment my eyes met Askan’s blank, emotionless gaze on the floor, fierce anger surged from deep within my chest.
“That sound you just made is really funny—wanna hear it again?”
Before I could stop her, Leiana raised the club high and swung it down.
Clang!
A heavy metallic clang echoed instantly.
Though the situation was horrifying, I immediately understood—Askan’s body had turned steel-like, deflecting the club’s impact.
“Huh?”
Leiana looked bewildered, glancing back and forth between Askan and her club.
Thankfully, Askan was fully clothed, so his steel-transformed body wasn’t visible like during past experiments.
Afraid his ability might be exposed, I quickly rushed to Leiana, blocked the club, and pushed her away with all my strength.
Caught off guard by my sudden action, Leiana lost her balance and fell heavily to the floor.
“What—what are you doing?”
Fortunately, Leiana was too focused on being pushed by me to remember the strange change in Askan’s body just moments ago.
Right now, Leiana’s flustered voice meant nothing to me.
I immediately went to Askan, who lay on the floor, and checked his condition. A considerable amount of blood was flowing from a deep gash.
“Askan, are you okay?”
Strangely, confusion flickered in Askan’s eyes at my question—as if he couldn’t understand why I was helping him in this situation.
That look only made me angrier.
Of all people, I knew Askan’s hidden power. Even if he couldn’t yet control it, the fact that he’d passively endured Leiana’s abuse infuriated me.
“Why are you just letting yourself get beaten like this! You said you’re my page—how can you let someone else touch what’s mine?”
Askan blinked, clearly not understanding what I was saying, but I wasn’t finished.
“Take care of yourself—please.”
I didn’t know why he’d been silently enduring Leiana’s violence, but I couldn’t stand by and watch.
It would’ve been better if he’d just said he was in pain or begged for his life if he wanted to live.
Seeing him stare at me with those dead, emotionless eyes made my stomach churn.
“Jerin!”
At my loud call, Jerin, who’d been standing outside, hurried in.
“Yes, miss.”
“Go get a doctor immediately.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jerin dashed off to fetch a doctor as if she’d been waiting for the order.
The one most bewildered by the sudden shift in atmosphere was Leiana.
“Tanasia, what’s going on…?”
I glared coldly at Leiana, still sprawled on the floor.
In the original story, she’d been my friend, so I’d tried to maintain a good relationship—but this was unacceptable.
Leiana had crossed a line.
“Get out.”
At my low murmur, Leiana, Askan, and the servants who’d just entered the room all stared at me in shock.
“What—what did you say?”
“Didn’t you hear me? Get out—leave my room right now.”
When I repeated it clearly and deliberately, Leiana’s face flushed red with humiliation.
Unable to endure any longer, she trembled with rage and hissed venomously at me,
“Have you forgotten? At the Crisha estate, you were the one who first laid hands on a servant!”
“It wasn’t me.”
“What nonsense are you spouting now…?”
“Whatever happened in the past, I won’t do such things anymore. If you ever touch my people again, I won’t let it go.”
“Tanasia!”
“I’m clearly warning you—this is the last time I’ll overlook it. If you ever dare lay a finger on Askan again, be prepared.”
“Ha! And what exactly do you plan to do? Are you going to ruin me in society?”
“I’m the eldest daughter of Marquis Brelrop. Think carefully about what I’m capable of. I’ll crush you with everything I have.”
Leiana gritted her teeth, her face contorted with fury.
“No matter that I’m the daughter of a hostess, how dare you treat me like this! Am I worth less than a slave to you?”
“Think what you want, Lady Crisha.”
I deliberately didn’t call her by name—because I no longer wanted to maintain any closeness with her.
Leiana rose from the floor, her face a mix of fury and shame, and as she left the room, she spat out her final words in a voice full of malice,
“Tanasia, you’ll regret this day.”
I didn’t even bother replying—choosing instead to ignore her completely. I had no desire to speak to someone so inhumane.
Without even turning my head toward where Leiana stood, I addressed the maids at the door,
“Sprinkle salt at my room’s entrance and the mansion’s gate—she’s bad luck.”
“Yes? Ah, yes, miss.”
I saw the maids scurry off to carry out my order.
The sound of Leiana’s stomping footsteps gradually faded away from my room.
After today, I’d never let her into my house again.
As I moved to help the collapsed Askan, he looked at me with that same confused expression and quietly asked,
“Why… are you doing this?”
Why?
There were too many reasons.
Having lived in the modern era, the idea of universal equality was ingrained in me—I couldn’t stand by and watch anyone, even a slave, be treated worse than an animal.
Moreover, having read about Askan’s tragic past in the novel, there was no way I could tolerate seeing him abused.
I didn’t want him to turn villainous in the future—and if possible, I hoped we could both find happiness.
I couldn’t possibly explain all those reasons, so after gazing silently at Askan for a moment, I answered softly,
“Because you’re mine.”
Even after my reply, Askan still looked puzzled—but for the first time, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
It was such a subtle smile that one would miss it without careful observation.
“I never realized… it’s actually quite wonderful—being your person, miss…”
His smile captivated me—but whether fortunately or not, I didn’t have long to stare at him in awe.
Slump—Askan’s body lost balance and collapsed. His eyes were already closed—he’d apparently lost consciousness.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
Isn’t he is being cute, just let him be …ufff….