The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 79

“You’re not a servant to me, are you?”

“Until I’m officially appointed as a guard knight, I’m in the position of a servant.”

From an outsider’s perspective, that might be true, but what mattered was the definition of our relationship that we had established. I had never treated Luwen as a servant, and he knew that well, yet he drew a disappointing line. He even pointed out that only his duty would change from servant to guard knight. This is why I wished he would remain a child for a long time.

‘Acting all formal while not even treating me as a master.’

What kind of servant would casually touch their master’s cheek and hug them as they pleased? There might be servants who worry about their master’s small appetite, but they don’t bring food to the plate or watch until they finish eating. I wondered if he didn’t realize how different he already was.

‘Well, that’s what makes him cute.’

I turned my upper body towards Luwen and rested my arm on the backrest. As he looked up at me, using my arm as a pillow, I naturally fixed his hair that had fallen.

‘See? You don’t realize that this isn’t something a mere servant would do.’

Although his words were formal, his attitude remained the same. I swallowed my laughter inwardly, seeing no need to make him aware of it. It was time to return to the original topic.

I still hadn’t heard from Luwen about the rumors. Either he had forgotten about them due to lack of interest, or he hadn’t mentioned them thinking they wouldn’t interest me.

“Tell me more about what happened at the academy.”

“I’ve told you almost everything, um…”

Luwen started to ponder. If he didn’t mention the rumors even after wracking his brains like this, I thought I might not need to worry about them. Digging too persistently might seem suspicious.

“Do you remember when I told you about a noble classmate named Drabis?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Drabis knows the area around the academy well. I happened to learn that there’s a scenic lake nearby because he was talking about a famous attraction.”

“Really?”

Wait a moment. I felt a bit uneasy. Surely he’s not going to suggest going out? If it’s a famous place, wouldn’t there be a lot of people? There’s no guarantee that there won’t be academy students out on an excursion among them.

“If possible, I’d like to take you there tomorrow, young master.”

…Oh no.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes. Actually, I was late because I was making a reservation at a restaurant that I thought would suit your taste. But I was delayed because I had to wait in line for the reservation…”

He even made a restaurant reservation?

“They say their salmon dishes are excellent. The salad is delicious too, and I thought you might like it, so I wanted to take you there. Since you don’t eat at all when you have no appetite, it might be good to go out and eat occasionally.”

His expectant eyes, like a child seeking praise, were burdensome. With so many people queueing for this restaurant, how crowded must it be? I’m sorry, but I couldn’t go to the place Luwen was talking about.

However, I didn’t want to disappoint the expectant Luwen either. I hurt the child last week, and I couldn’t do it again this time.

‘Besides, he prepared this for me…’

No, I can’t. I had to refuse. Should I make an excuse about feeling unwell? It didn’t seem like a good method, but I couldn’t think of any other way to avoid it.

“If it’s inconvenient for you, you can refuse. I didn’t mean to burden you.”

“No, it’s not a burden. Actually, I’ve been feeling cooped up staying at home all the time. I don’t know the area well, so it’s been awkward to go anywhere.”

I answered with a slight smile. If I wasn’t attending the academy, I would have definitely answered positively, as Luwen and I used to dine out together before. So, I decided to act normally for now, and then if I felt unwell tomorrow…

“Really?”

Seeing Luwen delighted like a child made my heart sting. He was so happy that even his tone became as bright as before. Could I really pretend to be sick?

‘Ah, this is driving me crazy.’

Why did such a trial have to come to me… My mind was complex, and my chest ached with pangs of conscience.

“Of course. Really.”

Meanwhile, the muscles in my face were working hard. Fortunately, my voice remained the same as usual.

Luwen, with a broad smile, explained about the restaurant’s menu. Seeing him smile as he suggested that we could even have dinner by the lake with takeout food that I liked, my worries deepened.

‘…Can I really pretend to be sick?’

At this point, the rumors about Norman didn’t matter anymore. The problem facing me right now felt even more serious, to the point where those rumors seemed trivial in comparison.

If I pretend to be sick, I can avoid going out. But for how long? Even if I get through this week that way, what about next week? And the week after that?

As long as Luwen wants to go out with me, this problem will continue to be pushed in front of me until I graduate. I can’t be sick every time, and I can’t declare that I don’t want to go out either.

Eventually, it was a problem I had to face head-on. While I wanted to postpone it until I found an answer…

“If you like this restaurant, I’ll look for other restaurants too. Actually, I’ve been worried because you’ve been alone for a long time.”

“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s not like I’m really alone. The head servant takes good care of me.”

“But not as much as Merin, right?”

“That’s true, but I have a lot to study anyway, so I don’t really feel like going out. It’s enough to just go out with you occasionally.”

It’s fine. It’s really fine, so please don’t suggest going out every week. I had to prevent this at least. I needed to reduce the frequency to at least once a month.

“But since you came all the way here because of me, I want to do everything I can for you.”

“Huh? Luwen, you’re misunderstanding something. I didn’t come here because of you.”

“…Pardon?”

Luwen’s eyes wavered, seemingly confused. I said playfully with a smile in my eyes.

“I came because of me. Because I wanted to see Luwen. It’s not that Luwen waited for me to come. It’s completely different, right?”

“It is different, but… isn’t the cause ultimately because I’m here?”

“It was a necessary decision for you, Luwen. So you being here isn’t a problem. Moreover, me being here now was a gift to myself.”

I placed my hands on Luwen’s cheeks and fixed his gaze on me. His clear, transparent black eyes stared at me intently.

“Do you understand? That you are my gift. You shouldn’t forget that I can always wrap you up nicely and take you with me, okay?”

Luwen placed his hands over mine. The warmth I felt from his hands gripping mine was a bit unfamiliar, feeling hotter than usual.

“Yes. I am young master’s person. Anytime, anywhere, I want to follow you wherever you are. Don’t leave me behind.”

“Alright, alright, where would I go without you? I’ll be by your side as long as Luwen doesn’t become independent.”

It was an obvious answer without need for consideration. After all, my goal is to watch over the time Luwen lives happily. If I were to be more greedy, I hoped to see him occasionally even after he became independent. For a moment, I wondered if I would come to understand the feelings of parents who hope their children visit during holidays.

…Nah, it probably won’t be like that. I hope I never understand such feelings.

“I have no intention of becoming independent.”

Luwen rubbed his cheek against my palm. His short bangs swayed as he tilted his head.

“I can’t be without you, young master. Please always keep me by your side.”

It seemed like he was being affectionate, or perhaps pleading. However, the calm atmosphere was neat, giving me a feeling of familiarity yet strangeness, just like last week. A feeling of the Luwen I knew well mixed with an unfamiliar Luwen.

Of course, regardless of what emotions I felt, the answer I had to give now was predetermined.

“Okay. I will.”

Luwen smiled brightly. It felt like a sin to dim that bright smile.

In fact, Norman, a commoner, and I, a noble, have inherently different auras. To begin with, Norman’s current concept is trying to force a bright smile to overcome depression, while I am the very image of a young noble master in front of Luwen. If I dress up so intensely that people can’t even look at me directly, it should be fine.

Moreover, with Luwen by my side, there would be quite a few students who could infer my identity.

In other words, while we can’t prevent people from seeing, it would be difficult to link me and Norman in the first place. It’s a matter related to noble honor, and a misstep could cost one’s life.

However, I can’t do anything about the rumors circulating behind the scenes. This was the problem. This is why I don’t have a proper countermeasure right now.

‘What if the rumors spread secretly reach Luwen’s ears and he comes looking for me to confirm?’

I can get away with deceiving others, but I absolutely can’t fool Luwen. He knows even my slightest habits, so there’s no way he wouldn’t recognize me just because I changed my name and hair color.

‘If only I could be certain that Luwen wouldn’t look for Norman…’

I was pondering how to be certain. It felt like I could find an answer if I thought a little more, so I racked my brains fiercely. It would be good if I could go out tomorrow without pretending to be sick.