I’m a Villainess but So Popular

Editor : Aru

I didn’t know what to answer Rayl’s question.

“Well, it’s hard to put it in a word.”

“Did I ask you something too difficult?”

Rayl said, with a big grin on his face.

At that time he was again wearing the face of a kind friend, whom I usually knew.

“Let’s sit over there and talk. My legs hurt.”

I pointed to the bench across from the dormitory building, Rayl nodded his head gently.

I couldn’t sleep anyway, and it wouldn’t be bad to talk a little bit.

“You’ve seen my father, haven’t you?”

Rayl asked, sitting on the bench, looking at me obliquely.

“Yeah.”

The Duke of Diamond was the man who supported my appointment as a Housekeeper from the beginning.

At first, I didn’t know who he was, but I later found out after he introduced himself, and only then did I see his emerald eyes, which resembled Rayl’s.

“Hey, did he look okay? His health is not in good shape these days..”

“Ah.”

After hearing Rayl’s words, I remember his father’s long dark blue hair which tied in one branch.

Rayl was also lean, but he wasn’t too skinny to look.

The Duke of Diamond, however, was noticeably thinner than Rayl. Because he was so thin, his cheeks were hollow, and his complexion was not good, and his skin was as pale as a ghost.

‘I can see he’s not in good shape.’

“Um………..”

While agonizing over the answer, Rayl tilted his head out. I slightly avoided his gaze and tried to find the best answer.

He’s worried about his father’s health. It was as hard, to be honest as I was speaking.

That’s because I didn’t want to give him any bigger worries.

“He looked a little tired, but he looked pretty good.”

“Oh, really?”

In my agonizing reply, Rayl answered with a delighted and excited voice.

“Yes.”

I nodded several times to emphasize that my answer was not a lie, and Rayl was more comforted.

He raised his upper body with a relaxed look on his face.

“That’s a relief then.”

Then he lifted his head and looked up at the sky, and spoke in a calm voice.

“My father’s health has deteriorated rapidly these days, and it’s been bothering me.”

“That’s understandable.”

“That’s why I asked about the Housekeepers meeting.”

Turning to the side, Rayl looked calm, with his upper body slightly bent and his eyes fixed on the ground.

“I often think that my father may have to retire first before I become a unit wizard under the Imperial Palace.”

Seeing him say that, the Duke of Diamond seemed to be in a worse condition than I thought.

But I thought he was still okay to attend the Housekeepers meeting that required a lot of brain rotation and mental strength.

“But when that happens, I’m afraid I can’t do it like my father or you.”

“Huh…?”

What the hell are you talking about?

Why is he talking about myself, apart from the Duke of Diamond?

“My father’s been struggling all his life since he became a housekeeper. For the revival of the Diamond family.”

Then he raised his head and looked straight at me and smiled.

“Honestly, you know, right?”

But strangely, the smile seemed bitter and still.

“Until recently, our family was at the bottom of the seven families.”

The family that remained in 7th place for several years before the spade family was pushed to 7th place due to the early death of the Housekeeper was Diamonds.

Due to the fewest mana-range in nature, Diamond origin was in an environment where it was difficult to show outstanding magic performance compared to other families.

They maintained their reputation by using magic drugs that require relatively little mana as their main weapon.

“Given that we’ve been at the bottom of the list for decades, I don’t think it’s easy to raise our family status in seven families. And yet he always tried to make it happen.”

“He has a true attitude as a Housekeeper.”

“Right.”

Rayall nodded back.

“So I respect my father.”

Looking at him who said so, I smiled still.

“I think you can be a great housekeeper like your father. Even if your father is retiring sooner than you think.”

“Thank you.”

But there was something dubious about his short answer.

He had an insecure look on his face as if he didn’t believe what I said.

“But, sorry. I don’t think I can be like my father. I’m not as stubborn as my father and I’m easily swayed by others.”

“No. I thought you were rather the most gracious of us, except Eugene.”

Most of the successors tended to focus on the special magic of their family, but even I had a hard time keeping up with his willingness to stay in one field deep and wide.

The ability to memorize thousands of all the magic drugs and create new drugs by transforming them was based on talent, but it required a great deal of effort.

“Haha, thank you. But I’m not as firm as you think I am.”

Rayl smiled back awkwardly.

“Well, all I can do is make some magic drugs. I don’t have a lot of connections like my father, and my magic power lags far behind you.”

“Rayl-”

“So I envied you. You’ve done everything well.”

I’m speechless.

His emerald eyes, which were always smiling, were revealing the reverse for the first time.

But I couldn’t define exactly what the feeling his pupil was carrying.

“………No.”

“Don’t be too modest. You’re doing really well.”

“I’m not that perfect either.”

I wasn’t the perfect person. I could be sure of that.

I was just possessed by a genius, extra character, who was lucky to hide her power.

Even after being possessed, I tried hard to improve my magic skills, but that’s all was basically based on Yerine’s ability.

I was just lucky to meet good people, and luckily, I met people who liked me and started living my present life.

That was all.

“I was actually late for my appointment today.”

“Huh? You?”

Rayl asked, with his eyes wide open in astonishment.

“Yes. I was stupid enough to not turn on the hosts’ contact, so I didn’t get a call that the venue for the ceremony had changed.”

That’s how I buried myself on the bench with open arms.

The sense of autumn wind passing through the skin was vivid.

“Well, I’m not perfect enough to make such a stupid mistake. And you know I’m not good at making magic drugs.”

“Even if you can’t make it, you’d do better than average.”

“Anyway, it’s not perfect, as you say.”

I stood up from the bench saying so.

“I’ve benefited too much from your nutritional supplements this time.”

“Huh? No, but you still have to eat the proper amount.”

“Without that, I might not have timed it to the Housekeepers meeting. I wouldn’t have been able to prepare for the meeting.”

Housekeepers are a task of enormous responsibilities and burdens.

It was also understandable that Rayl assumed that he was not good enough to be there.

But I wanted him to be able to see himself as a Rayl diamond, not as a 7 Imperial Family Housekeeper.

“I’ve always been very grateful to you. It’s hard to get it on the market and you’ve given me a lot of precious medicines. That’s the best that only you can make.”

“That’s– ”

“That’s how you take care of other kids as well. Everyone is grateful to you.”

The wind grew stronger.

My hair fluttered around, but it didn’t matter.

As I continued to stare at the playground where darkness had settled, I turned around and opened my mouth, looking at Rayl.

“Astra has said this one time.”

Rayl, who had his head bowed, raised his head to the name.

“You are the one we need.”

I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but I felt a flinch in the fingers of Rayl, who was listening to me.

“And I think so too.”

I knew the answer wouldn’t come right back.

But knowing that one day an answer would come, I stood still and waited for his words.

“……thanks.”

“No.”

It was a short thanks, but I could tell. The fact that it wasn’t just a word out of vain.

“You know, can I ask you one more question?”

“Huh. Absolutely.”

“By any chance, have you spoken to my father today?”

“No.”

I turned my head slightly and spoke to him sitting on the bench.

“Well, he didn’t say much today.”

“…… that’s a shame.”

That retorting face of Rayl was obscured by darkness.

“Yes, if I had known he was such a good man, I would have asked for a conversation first, but next time I’d really like to talk to your father.”

I heard a big smile from the dark side of the bench.

It was a familiar laugh that he used to make with Astra.

“Yes. If you succeed, please give him my regards.”

I replied with a smile, too.

“Of course.”

***

The day before the winter vacation.

The campus was quiet because it was a weekend without classes.

Most of the students probably gathered in the dormitory to enjoy or pack before the vacation.

But I had to go to the teacher’s office to make sure that the appointment was handled properly.

I was worried that the reason for my absence might have been hastily written, but that didn’t happen, and I was happy to be congratulated by Professor Frain on the way to check.

I was on my way back to the dormitory in such a good mood.

“Uh, Eugene.”

There was a familiar silver-haired man by the entrance to the main building.

When he heard me calling his name, he looked back at me with his blue eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“I have some business to do.”

He didn’t say it in specifics.

I thought it was cruel to tell him that I had been promoted to a Housekeeper because he already felt too pressured to become a family head.

‘I think I’d better avoid it as much as I can.”

Thinking so, I stepped towards the door.

“I’ll be going now, then.”

But when I was about to go out, his arms came in from somewhere and blocked my way.

“Because the performance has finished, so there’s no reason to see each other, is that it?”

When I looked up in amazement, Eugene was looking down at me with an eyebrow raised.

“I’m sad.”

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