I’m a Villainess but So Popular

Editor: Aru

Side Story 10. Castle with Summer Lake (5)

Rachel and Yerine visit the former Duke of Ale Club, while Cassius, Erica, and Eugene stay in the Backyard.

Cassius led the children who had been playing around Erica for a long time to the lake’s shore.

The lake’s surface, which glistened in the sunlight, shuddered periodically.

This is since a protective shield was placed to keep people from drowning in it.

Erica grinned inadvertently as she gazed at the children who had smiled after touching the shield.

“Blothea.”

Erica returned her gaze to the voice that had called her.

“Why?”

She replied, her gaze fixed on the silver-haired man, who shone like the moonlight.

“May I ask you a question?”

Erica tilted her head in response to Eugene’s words.

“What exactly do you want to ask about? Knowing your personality, I’m surprised you asked first whether you could ask something.”

Eugene stared at Erica and scowled slightly without saying anything.

“Because it’s a question that, depending on the person, might be sensitive.”

Eugene would have asked Erica without hesitation if it had been a simple question.

“So, what exactly is it?”

“Do you like kids?”

Erika came to a halt as a result of Eugene’s statements.

“It’s just that I think you’re very nice to Yssius and Chaerine.”

“I’m not a big fan of kids. It’s just that I have an odd fondness for them.”

“Is that so?”

Eugene responded with a puzzled expression on his face.

He cleared his throat and moved on to the next question after a brief pause.

“Then you have no thought about getting married, do you?”

“Indeed, I do not.”

Erica talked with a flat tone.

“A question that, depending on the person, maybe sensitive, do you mean this?”

Eugene nodded his head when Erika posed the following question.

“You know. It’s kind of difficult to ask someone if they intend to marry or not.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Erika, who had opened her mouth to say something, bit her lower lip and remained silent.

For a moment, there was silence between the two.

There was nothing but the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves and the sound of children giggling from a distance.

And it wasn’t until a long time had passed that Erica spoke again.

“It’s funny to ask now, but you don’t have any plans to get married either, do you?”

Eugene silently nodded.

Erica said, looking up at the unshakeable blue eyes.

“I had a feeling you wouldn’t.”

“Is that so?”

And then there was silence once more.

Erica, on the other hand, was not bothered by the silence.

This silence was not the result of the botched handling of a sensitive subject. It was a silence meant to help people understand each other even when they couldn’t speak.

That’s why Erica felt at ease with the circumstances.

“I’m not trying to trouble you, and I’m not asking you to listen to me either.”

Eugene was the first to break the silence.

Erica wrinkled her brows and listened to him in an uncharacteristically serious manner.

“Have you considered adopting a child?”

Erica’s pink eyes, which were fixed on Eugene, blinked steadily.

Eugene turned his gaze to gauge Erica’s reaction when he received no response.

“Please don’t misunderstand me, Blothea. I just wanted to recommend it since I believe that having a family is very……”

Erica broke out laughing as she noticed Eugene firing out his sentences like a machine gun.

“I’m not insulted at all. That’s OK.”

Eugene was taken aback when she stared at Erica, who stretched out after speaking as if it was absolutely nothing.

“I can see why you thought this was a sensitive subject. After all, isn’t this what you truly want to ask me?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I understand. I know you’re not doing this with bad intentions.”

When one looks into their eyes, one can detect whether someone is approaching another person with ulterior motives or whether they are genuinely concerned about the other person.

Eugene was not a person who had a habit or a knack for deceiving others.

So Erica was aware that Eugene was attempting to be considerate to her in his own manner.

“Thanks.”

Eugene’s brow furrowed in response to Erica’s calm voice.

And, without saying anything, he moved his gaze to the children on the lake’s shore.

“It’s nothing.”

“By the way, I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ll adopt a child.”

Despite the negative response, Eugene did not show any particular reaction.

All he had to do was nod his head and look at the lakeshore.

“Aren’t you going to ask as to why?”

“Do you want me to ask?”

Erica responded as Eugene crossed his arms and looked at her curiously.

“No, I just figured you’d ask.”

“Well, I was wondering if I should ask. Because you might not want to reveal the reason.”

“……”

Eugene spoke as he sat in the chair in front of the table.

“Then I’ll ask. Why don’t you consider it?”

“You ask too soon.”

“No, I assumed you wanted me to ask, so I did. But why are you picking a fight?”

Eugene’s statements elicited a mischievous smile from Erica.

“I’m just, I’m having such a great time these days.”

Erica said as she stirred the teacup in front of her with a teaspoon.

“I could talk to my beloved friends in person whenever I had the chance. That’s how I spend my day, and I’m extremely delighted about it.”

“……I see.”

“That’s what I thought after years of living like that.”

Erica replied as she gazed out towards the lake.

“I already have a few precious people around me who I consider to be family. Do I need to force myself to meet someone new and start a family?”

“Indeed. There’s no need for that.”

“That’s true.”

Erica, who replied, took a teacup and placed it on her lips.

After a sip of black tea, she set the teacup down and smiled softly.

“Right now, I just want to devote my time and affection to the people around me. Instead of meeting new people.”

Her eyes, which were stained the colour of cherry blossom petals, gleamed softly.

Eugene nodded and murmured, seeing the lovely light.

“Excellent decision.”

With blue eyes filled with gentleness, he said.

“I sincerely believe so.”

*** “There was a time when I thought I’d never see you become an Imperial Palace Wizard in my life.”

The woman with grey hair said softly.

Her voice, which had always been heard firm and straight, was trembling slightly.

“On days like this, I feel like crying a little.”

The former Duke of Ale Club spoke with a smile.

Her emerald eyes were filled with tears.

“Mother……”

Rachel stroked her shoulder.

I completely understood what she was feeling.

It was much better than before, but I sometimes dreamed of when the coup d’etat took place. Then, as soon as I awoke, I took Cassius’ hand in mine.

It was reassuring to confirm that his hands were warm, to gaze at his face, and to confirm that he wasn’t a 17-year-old boy.

Before I could go back to sleep, I went to the children’s room and discovered that they were sleeping.

The former Duke of the Ale Club witnessed the coup d’etat personally, so she would not have fully forgotten about it until now, as I did.

“I’m ashamed, but I just wanted to say that I’m glad you both grew up nicely. So I called you both.”

With a smile, the former Duke of the Ale Club replied, gently bending the corners of her eyes.

The way she smiled really resembled Rachel’s smile.

I responded to her.

I replied to her. “Mother……thank you for your kind words.” Then she shook her head.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Rachel smiled warmly and took a step back after carefully wiping her mother’s eyes with her handkerchief.

“It’s a beautiful day, Mother. But why are you this way? Please do not cry.”

“I apologize, Rachel.”

“No.”

With a soft smile, Rachel said.

“Only good things will happen in the future for both of us, I and Yerine, and everyone who came to the tea party today, so you can rest assured, Mother.”

The former Duke of Ale Club lifted the corners of her lips in response to Rachel’s words.

“Yes, there are those by your side who can make you happy even without me worrying. I understand.”

As she rearranged the corners of her eyes with her fingers, she said.

“Still, I want to tell you this. I wish you the best of luck in the future.”

I grinned as I heard the heartfelt, pleasant voice.

“……thank you. Mother.”

“Of course, I wish the Spades and the Imperial family the best.”

My heartfelt to dissolve in the lovely atmosphere.

With a loving expression on her face, the former Duke of Ale Club grabbed a pocket from the drawer under his desk and handed it to Rachel.

“Rachel, do you recognize this? Go around and distribute it to everyone.”

“Oh, of course. The kids will love it.”

Rachel never replied when I asked what was inside the pocket until we got back to the lake.

***

“So you’re telling me I have to pick a flower from the pocket and blow them towards the lake?”

“Yes, that’s right. Since you’re asking, why don’t you pick one first?”

Rachel responded, excitedly holding out her pocket to me.

It appears to be a little pouch, but it contains hundreds of blossoms.

For a long time in the summer, it is said, there was a ritual in the Ale Club estate where one flower was selected and the petals were blown toward the lakeshore, believing that doing so would make the flower-related wish come true.

“Oh, dandelion!”

Rachel exclaimed when she saw the adorable small yellow blossom.

I stared at it for a long time with the blossoms in my hand.

‘The dandelion flower represents happiness……’

I smiled again and caressed the silky golden petals.

It seemed to hold the heart of the former Duke of Ale Club, who wished us all well.

“Come on, let’s pick flowers with Kael and Yssi, and you guys should make a wish as well.”

Cassius said, picking up Yssius and Chaerine and leading them towards Rachel.

After a while, everyone began to pick flowers one by one.

Yssius picked hyacinths as Chaerine and Aster picked pine flowers side by side.

Rachel picked the silver bellflower, Erica picked the crimson lilac, and Eugene picked the acacia.

Cassius was the last one to select flowers.

Rachel put her hands over her lips and muttered something to Cassius, who had picked the flower.

Cassius, who had heard it, opened his golden eyes wide and gazed back at Rachel, perplexed.

“No, I swear to you, it’s true.”

Rachel remarked this as she looked down at the flowers in his hands. Cassius then grinned brightly and approached me.

“What did Cassius choose?”

“This.”

He said as he unfolded a pale red geranium in his hand.

It looked to be a lighter shade of geranium than I was used to seeing.

“It’s geranium, isn’t it?”

“Yes. You choose a dandelion.”

“Yes.”

I smiled at him, caressing the bright yellow flower.

“The dandelion flower means happiness.”

At that, Cassius smiled broadly and brightly.

“I’m glad. If you make a wish today, you can continue to be happy.”

“I hope so.”

And it would be perfect if I could enjoy that happiness with my precious people.

“That’s right. What did Rachel just say?”

Cassius then smiled playfully.

Oh, he’s not going to tell me again.

“Secret.”

I knew it.

“Do you want to know?”

Cassius hugged me from behind and said in a sweet voice.

“I’m sure she taught you the meaning of geranium flowers. There’s nothing else to say.”

“Well, that’s right, but you don’t know what geranium means, do you?”

We’ve only become better at making fun of each other after living together for years.

“If you kiss me here, I’ll tell you.”

Cassius rolled his lips up and pointed his finger at his lip.

Those eyes, which made me fall over every time, were really attractive.

“I’m not particularly interested.”

“Come on, don’t be such a liar.”

Look at him, attempting to kiss me while making fun of me.

“Are you sure you’re not going to do it?”

In the end, his golden eyes as sweet as a crescent moon weakened my heart.

‘Wait, who else would fall for that ruse if it wasn’t me?’

I stood on my tiptoes, closed my eyes, and gently pressed my lips against Cassius’s lips.

With a sound, the lips that were attached fell off.

Chu-

Cassius then grinned and hugged me firmly.

“Thank you very much, my wife.”

“What?”

“You do realize how much I adore you, don’t you?”

“Then tell me what geranium flowers represent.”

“Well…….”

“What, why don’t you tell me?”

I noticed him rolling up the corners of his mouth and smiling as I looked up at his golden eyes.

“I told you I’d tell you, but I didn’t say I’d tell you right now.”

I was speechless.

“Wow, that cheap”

“Let’s blow the petals into the lake, everyone! Remember to blow and make a wish!”

Rachel’s words echoed across the lakeshore, burying my voice.

As I glanced at Cassius giggling, I blew out some of the dandelion petals that had been ripped off in my hand.

Cassius’ geranium flowers blew in the breeze as dandelion petals floated in the air.

‘I wish for my happiness and the happiness of my precious people.’

I retorted to myself as I gazed at the faraway yellow flowers.

The wind pushed the brilliant petals toward the lake all around it.

I stared blankly at the lovely scenery across the summer sky, where the petals were gradually becoming red.

The petals that flew away embroidered the surface of the lake where the shield had been removed.

Cassius opened his mouth and hugged my shoulder, unable to pull his gaze away from the scene.

“Pretty.”

“Yes, it is really pretty.”

As I lifted my head, I noticed golden eyes containing my own reflection.

The golden eyes always drew me in.

“You know ……”

“What?”

And in the future, the soft light of his golden eyes seemed to keep drew me in.

A voice with sincere affection flowed through his lovely lips.

“The meaning of the pale red geranium is ~~”

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