I’m a Villainess but So Popular

Editor : Aru

“Huh? Uh, I just came here because I thought I was a little stiff.”

When I smiled awkwardly, Eugene slightly frowned and looked around at my face.

“Why is your face so grim-faced? What’s wrong?”

It’s all because of you, jerk.

“Oh, nothing. Never mind.”

But Eugene, who couldn’t understand what I was thinking, looked at me suspiciously and closed the gym’s door.

He naturally came and sat next to the chair where I was sitting, and asked with a face still of doubt.

“Is it really nothing? Your reaction is too suspicious for someone who said nothing.”

“Why don’t you believe me? It’s really nothing.”

“No, but it’s too suspicious to be nothing.”

Eugene squinted his eyes and argued against it.

“You don’t usually train at this time. Have you ever been to a training camp or gym earlier than me? You always come later than me.”

“No, I admit that I don’t come at this time of the day, but I’m not late, it’s just you came too early.”

Then Eugene tilted his head and said.

“Too early. I always arrive 30 minutes before the appointment time. Isn’t that normal?”

Looking at Eugene’s expression, I could notice that he said it because of pure curiosity, not to contradict me.

“No, you know…… oh, no. Yes.”

In the end, I gave up refuting.

‘There you go. What do you expect from the son of the Duke of Ace?’

Eugene looked at me as if he was still curious, and continued to refute when I didn’t bring up much more.

“And a normal person would have started practising as soon as he came to the gym, but you just sitting here looking worried. As if you can’t concentrate.”

Eugene will never know that he was included in the cause of my agonizing expression.

‘You don’t even know what is inside of other people’s mind……….’

I secretly glanced at Eugene so that I wouldn’t be caught.

Eugene was actually more quick-witted than others.

If I didn’t say it first, Eugene would never know that I was worried about the love potion case, but I thought it would be better to change the topic to prepare for a possible situation.

“Well, you’re at the gym, aren’t you training?”

“And you’re not doing it either. And I know you’re trying to turn the topic around.”

Tsk, then I kicked my tongue and turned my head.

‘That’s why it’s annoying to have a friend who is too quick-witted.’

But I never meant to tell you.

To be honest, it’s not easy to say it in front of him when I know that the other person secretly likes me.

‘It might be rude if the other person didn’t confess first.’

“I don’t know. You don’t have to know.”

He lowered his upper body, held his chin, and turned his eyes to the other side.

“Well, if you don’t want to say it, I won’t ask. I’m sorry.”

“That’s alright. It’s all right.”

Now I’m somewhat used to Eugene saying ‘I’m sorry’.

In the past, I used to be surprised every time Eugene said that, but I didn’t anymore.

“Eugene, it’s good to apologize, but other than us, don’t say sorry to other people too often.”

“Why?”

At Eugene’s question, I kept my mouth shut for a moment and thought of something to say.

In my previous life, people didn’t appreciate someone who often says sorry.

Rather, they tended to think easily and look down on.

I shouldn’t do that.

“Just because.”

In the end, the answer was vague, but Eugene did not ask further questions.

“Well, who does that ‘us’ refer to?”

“Well, me, Rachel, Astra, Rayl, Cassius and Erica?”

In response, Eugene slowly rolled his eyes as if he had put a new sapphire in them.

“I see.”

Then he swept away his silver hair, which was as transparent as snow.

“Well, you don’t have to worry. As you know, I’m not that good-natured.”

“So you know.”

Eugene looked at me when I stepped in.

“Okay, I’m sorry. Keep talking.”

Eugene looked at me with a sulky expression for a few seconds, then turned his head and continued his words.

“Anyway, I’m not an easy-going person.”

“Well, that’s right but you know, you’ve been saying ‘sorry’ a lot lately?”

“I’m just like that to you.”

It was embarrassing to hear Eugene’s answer without hesitation for a second.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t hear Eugene’s answer, and I understood exactly what he meant by that.

Nevertheless, I was so embarrassed that I asked back.

Eugene looked straight at me, wondering if I didn’t hear him, and slowly and clearly repeated her answer.

“I only did it to you.”

“……..”

“You’re the only one who I said sorry to.”

It was a calm voice. Like a teacher who explains to a child who asks, “What’s this?”

Unlike his voice, I slowly felt my heart start to shake.

“……..that’s unexpected.”

Then Eugene raised one eyebrow.

“Unexpected?”

“Yeah.”

I had to give a short answer.

That way, he could not notice that my heart was beating faster and that my face was slightly red.

“Why is it unexpected?”

“You’re pretty sweet and friendly, though. For the other kids.”

This time, it was Eugene’s turn to blush.

By the time, his blue eyes, which opened surprisingly wide, returned to their original size, a flush had risen on Eugene’s face.

“What are you talking about? Don’t say anything weird. That would suit you.”

“Oh, you’re ashamed.”

“I’m not.”

“A strong denial is a strong affirmation, and I’ll call you a cute shy person from now on.”

“I won’t let this go, I’ll pay you back in the battle class.”

Since then, the usual conversation continued.

After quite a long conversation, I checked the time, and there was still a lot of time left before class.

“Well, we still have a lot of time left before class.”

“How much time do we have left?”

“An hour?”

“We talked like that, but only 20 minutes have passed?”

“I guess so.”

He said, taking his eyes off the clock behind the gym.

“By the way, Spade.”

“Uh.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

Eugene asked, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

‘You’re not going to confess……..aren’t you?’

I looked at Eugene’s face with a rush of thinking, but it was not easy to figure out what he intended to say.

Didn’t I get confused too when I talked to Cassius last night?

From those words alone I could not judge if he was going to confess.

‘Well, I don’t think he’ll make such an impromptu confession, considering Eugene’s personality.’

I replied with the thought of passing it roughly even if I was asked a difficult question related to confession.

“As long as it’s not hard to answer.”

“Oh, yes.”

Eugene quickly agreed with what I said.

Then, with a slightly worried expression, he held his hands together and opened his mouths.

“If it’s hard to answer, you can just listen.”

“Okay.”

Eugene, who was slightly munching, said, touching his hands.

“The reason you looked so worried earlier…….”

I only heard that much, but my heart sank with a thump.

‘Are you trying to ask me if the reason is you?’

What should I do?

Was it too obvious?

‘But still, I didn’t even say anything about it but he guessed it like this?’

In that short period of time, all kinds of thoughts came into my head like smoke.

“Is it because of my father……?”

I breathed a sigh of relief at his words.

However, Eugene asked me carefully again. He looks too nervous because I didn’t answer.

“It’s really because of my father?”

I burst into laughter and waved my hand at Eugene.

“No, Eugene. Not at all.”

“Really? If not, I’m glad…….”

In response, Eugene seemed to be considering the possibility quite seriously.

“Yes, completely unrelated to it, so you don’t have to worry.”

I tried to reassure him with a big smile.

Come to think of it, I wondered why Eugene thought that.

“By the way, how did you come up with that idea?”

“Well.”

Eugene bit his lips in a bit of trouble.

“In fact, I don’t think my father likes you very much. I was worried that he might have talked too hard at you at the meeting.”

“Well, that’s happened but since I know his personality, I don’t really care.”

“But I was a little worried.”

Eugene talked, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

“Because of the raid on the Dukedom……and I’m afraid you’ve criticized enough and are to blame for it.”

“Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t get criticized for it, but it wasn’t as bad as you thought.”

Actually, it’s a lie that it wasn’t that bad.

I didn’t openly listen to offended swearing, but it couldn’t be fun to hear the reprimands of those older than me.

Nevertheless, I had to say so in front of Eugene.

‘Since he was the one who was criticized unreasonably at the meeting.’

“I don’t think we could have stopped the monsters, the Academy’s security, even with the Duke’s security. It would have been the same for any territory, but luckily it went into your territory.”

“Well, that’s right.”

“And you were wounded trying to protect me, the second prince and Blothea too.”

I smiled slightly after hearing Eugene’s words.

The fact that he was defending me made me feel better.

“Did you report any injuries? Do the Housekeepers know?”

“I wrote it on my report, but no one talked about it at the meeting.”

I said with a bitter smile.

“Thanks to your cooperation, I’ve caught seven monsters, but I think there are some people who are dissatisfied with it.”

For example, the Duke of Leonhart who didn’t read the report properly.

For a while, Eugene didn’t answer back.

At first, I thought the conversation ended with that.

“If you’ve been blamed for that, it’s not your fault, it’s mine.”

“Huh?”

At first, I didn’t quite understand what he was saying.

“If it weren’t for me, you could have caught the monster.”

The question, why, came up to my throat.

“I shouldn’t have stopped by your castle.”

Eugene said in a subdued voice.

“If I hadn’t acted like a fool at the time–”

I got up and approached Eugene.

I asked in a trembling voice of anger, holding his shoulder that seemed surprised.

“What did he say?”

Eugene, who didn’t know what I was talking about, opened his eyes wide and asked.

“Spade, what’s wrong?”

I asked him, trying to control my anger as much as I could.

—————

“What did your father say to you?”