The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 141

“Someone you want to wander the world with. It’s not me.”

“Why so sad~ Have you forgotten that I said I like you?”

Honestly, I was curious how he would answer. I smiled gently, picked up my teacup again, took a sip of tea, and spoke.

“It’s Jayden.”

“Kack, cough, cough.”

Cookie crumbs scattered everywhere. Fortunately I hadn’t put my teacup down yet. How messy.

Adrian, pounding his chest, hurriedly gulped down his tea, then spat it out because it was too hot. Ugh… my stomach turned.

“…You’re being disgusting.”

Ah, my inner thoughts slipped out.

“Urp, kack, that’s harsh… Norman…”

Adrian seemed very wronged. If he had seen the mess he’d made before looking at me, he wouldn’t have said it was harsh.

“I hit the nail on the head, didn’t I? That’s why you’re flustered.”

“Ah… t-that’s not it…”

“Did you promise to wander the world together when you were young?”

Adrian’s lips trembled. This seems to be the correct answer.

“So the Count found out, Jayden was removed from his guard position, and you were confined to the academy?”

With each word I spoke, the color rapidly drained from Adrian’s face. This was also correct.

“A promise alone wouldn’t warrant such punishment… You were caught loving each other, weren’t you?”

“Hiccup. I-I can explain everything. My feelings for you are genuine…”

Why is he bringing me up here? His excuse-like manner made me feel strange, as if he were acting like a lover caught cheating.

“Really? Then can you answer my questions honestly from now on?”

“Y-yes! Anything!”

I smiled at Adrian and watched him for a moment. He swallowed nervously, tense about what questions he might receive.

“If the Count tried so hard to separate you two, why did he send Jayden back to you?”

“…That.”

Adrian closed his mouth. He lowered his head with a pale face.

‘Hmm.’

This confirmed that he knew about the family’s dark business. If he knew nothing, the answer should have been “I don’t know either.”

‘He must be so shocked he can’t even lie properly.’

What an honest reaction.

Of course, he might have let his guard down thinking I didn’t know the secret. Anyway, what came next was important.

“Adrian.”

I called him in a gentle voice. Adrian, who had been choosing his words, slowly raised his head. I maintained a kind and soft expression as I smiled at him. Since he seemed to genuinely like my face, perhaps appealing to my appearance would make the conversation easier.

“U-um.”

“I’ll help you.”

“With what…?”

“To help you live wandering the world with Jayden.”

He gaped blankly, as if hearing something unexpected. But shortly after, he shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

“That’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“They would… only capture me.”

So even if they ran away together, they would eventually be caught.

If he were incompetent, the Count might have ignored him and let him go. But the Count needed Adrian’s memory, so he would pursue him to the end. Adrian seemed well aware of this fact.

“If you’re afraid of being tracked, make it impossible for them to track you.”

He just blinked, as if not understanding my words.

“Like finding their weakness, for instance?”

“Weakness…”

Adrian murmured, then quickly shook his head.

“No. If I try to find their weakness, something even worse will happen.”

“Then find someone who can help you.”

“You wouldn’t understand. What kind of problem I have. There’s no one who can help me.”

His resigned voice trembled faintly. Yet he was resolute. He was certain that there was no savior for him anywhere.

“Maybe there’s someone who could help you. Someone stronger than the Count. Someone who could suppress him.”

After watching the still skeptical Adrian for a moment and letting the tension build, I added as if it had just occurred to me:

“Ah! Should I ask Luwen? To connect us with the Duke?”

“…You mean Duke Vinter?”

“Yes.”

I nodded with a bright smile.

“Norman, you don’t understand. Nobles don’t move easily without profit. No matter how much favor Luwen receives from the Duke, he won’t be interested in taking on my problems.”

“But conversely, if there’s profit, they will move, right?”

“T-that’s… true…”

You know. Information that can move your sister. Ledgers that you can pass on if you just allow it.

As if thinking the same thing, Adrian’s Adam’s apple bobbed significantly.

“N-Norman. If, if you hear terrifying ru-rumors about our family… No. Even if you hear bad news, I hope you won’t misunderstand. Please know that I wasn’t involved.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, but… okay. I’ll believe you.”

Adrian smiled brightly, pushed back his chair, and stood up. Then he suddenly approached and hugged me tightly.

I was about to push him away, but when I heard his quiet murmur, I allowed myself to be embraced.

“I’m sorry… My feelings for you were genuine.”

“You just liked Jayden more, right?”

“Sniff. That’s right…”

I patted the back of the pitifully crying Adrian.

“I like Luwen more than you too, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Haha. I know. That’s why that guy… I really disliked him.”

I imagine Luwen felt the same way.

Just when the atmosphere seemed to lighten, Adrian buried his forehead on my shoulder and sobbed.

‘Normally I would have pushed him away by now.’

For some reason, I felt a strange sense of kinship with his tears, so I couldn’t. The guilt of having to betray one’s family with one’s own hands, yet the hope that one might be able to be with the person they love. Perhaps it was because I had allowed my father’s death for the sake of protecting Luwen.

“Adrian. I’m not sure exactly what you’ve resolved to do, but one thing is certain. Your choice is right. No matter what.”

I hoped this would ease some of the guilt he would have to carry. Even for someone who might be the worst in others’ eyes, there must be precious memories spent with family. I hoped those memories wouldn’t be eaten away.

‘Well, he’ll be happy anyway.’

If this matter concludes well, Adrian will no longer be an heir to the Count’s family. With the loss of his surname, he might even become a commoner. If he wishes, he’ll receive plenty of support to run a trading company, and he’ll live wandering the world with Jayden.

‘I’m envious. Me too, with Luwen… Huh? Wait?’

I blinked at the sudden realization.

Why didn’t I think of this before?

‘I just need to leave the Duke’s family!’

I can abandon the Vinter name and become a commoner. My sister might be sad, but since she’s going to become the Empress anyway, it shouldn’t matter. I never intended to inherit the family, so I have no attachment to the Vinter name.

Even as a commoner, if I have enough money, there’s no need to struggle, and as long as I have a well-insulated house in winter, there shouldn’t be a problem. I was planning to build a vacation home with underfloor heating anyway, so if I reduce the scale, I could build it with my funds and still have plenty left.

‘Besides, if I receive the Duke’s position, I’ll be obligated to have an heir, so I should definitely avoid that.’

The next Duke could be selected from a branch family, so it wouldn’t be a problem even if it’s not me.

I could run a clinic as a commoner, and Luwen could do what he wants…

‘Couldn’t we live leisurely together?’

With a wide grin, I patted Adrian’s back vigorously. After troubling me all this time, he ended up giving me the answer.

‘There’s not much time left until graduation anyway.’

Once Luwen’s advanced knight exam is over, we’ll return to the Duke’s residence. I will tell my sister then.

Of course, she would oppose it now, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing was to let Luwen know about my plan to become a commoner in the future.

* * *

Before I knew it, the graduation exams were over. During that time, Adrian behaved exactly the same as usual. He acted as if he liked me and occasionally begged for dates.

But I knew from Linder’s reports that he had copied the ledgers received from the Count and sent them to the imperial capital. The fact that he still lived as usual meant that the auction matter had not yet surfaced. Probably Adrian and Jayden would disappear right before things exploded.

Adrian’s expression was good, and I wasn’t particularly worried as the Second Prince would look after their safety.

More than them, I was the problem. Now the only thing left to do at the academy was to attend the graduation ceremony, but Luwen still had the advanced knight exam left. I just needed to endure for a few more days, but the dormitory was so cold that my condition kept deteriorating. I would catch a cold, recover, then catch another cold…

There were more days spent lying in bed than walking around normally, so I had no choice but to write a letter under the name of Fei Vinter.

Thanks to that, I was now in the mansion, receiving special treatment. And after recovering my health under the meticulous care of the head servant, it wasn’t even a few days before Linder brought a letter from the Second Prince.