The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 39

Did she anticipate what he would say? Irene spoke with a kind but firm tone, wearing a benevolent smile.

“Thank you for saying it first, as I was about to ask the same thing. Luwen, protect Fei. Make sure this never happens again.”

Luwen nodded with a stern face.

“I’ll go to the imperial palace. It’ll take some time. The horses taken by the intruders are returning one by one. Keep an eye out in case there’s a message from Fei.”

“Leave it to me.”

Irene nodded back and left the room. Once again alone, Luwen quietly gazed at the painting on the wall.

Fei, who had turned the ink stain caused by Luwen’s quill into a cat, seemed just like a magician. The warmth he felt while spending time with Fei that day hadn’t faded yet, but the person himself was gone.

Overwhelmed by emotion, he forcibly tore his eyes away from the painting. However, everywhere he looked was filled with Fei’s shadow. His peacefully sleeping face, the face watching him contentedly at every meal, the face smiling while smelling the peony fragrance, the back view of him sitting at the desk.

The room was full of countless Feis, too many to count. Unable to focus his gaze anywhere, Luwen hung his head low.

Then he saw his own hands. The hands that seemed large enough to cover Fei’s entire face now looked as weak and small as they did that snowy winter day at the training grounds.

The small, unsightly hands of a child that couldn’t even grasp Fei’s trembling finger. He thought he had grown enough to lift Fei effortlessly if he fell, but he was still just a child. The feeling of helplessness from that day overwhelmed him once again.

Slap!

With stinging eyes, Luwen mercilessly struck both his cheeks. His round cheeks, still retaining some baby fat, instantly turned bright red.

Feeling the pain in his hot cheeks, Luwen gathered his resolve. He needed to become stronger to protect the person he wanted to keep safe.

“Young master. Please stay healthy and unharmed. I’ll definitely come to get you.”

…And if the young master was hurt even a little, if those ruthless people harmed that fragile person, he vowed to make them regret it.

* * *

On the galloping horse, I was slumped against the leader, swaying.

My bottom hurts. I’m tired. I’m exhausted.

“Didn’t you learn horseback riding, being a noble and all?”

After nearly falling off due to lack of strength, I was moved to the leader’s horse, and he’s been grumbling ever since.

Of course I learned. But it’s been three days already, three days! Three days of barely sleeping, eating only a few strange weeds, and marching without a carriage – how could my body be in a normal state?

“You think I’m leaning on you because I want to?”

Even if I was an abandoned child, I was still a young master raised in luxury. I might know elegant and refined horseback riding, but I’ve never experienced this kind of rough, day-and-night marching.

Just as I thought I might die if we continued like this, the Kans in front stopped at a cliff. Wondering if they were going to split up the group again, I blankly stared into space.

“Young master, we have to walk from here.”

Huh? Have we arrived?

Looking around, I saw a narrow path along the cliff.

They said we were heading to a temporary shelter because their village’s location had already been exposed. When I heard they had chosen a location inaccessible to horses for safety, I was secretly impressed by their cleverness… but seeing the entrance, I could only sigh.

The cliff path, just wide enough for one person to pass, looked extremely dangerous at a glance. In my current leg condition, I might sway in the wind and fall off the cliff even if left alone.

“I’ll carry you on my back, young master. You might fall if we let you go alone.”

I looked at him with suspicious eyes, wondering if I could trust him. But I couldn’t stay here alone.

“We can send back all the remaining horses from here.”

“Okay.”

It was my idea to bring all the family’s horses to prevent tracking. I believed that our well-trained horses would eventually return home even if released anywhere. Maybe one or two might leave for freedom, but most would probably be recovered.

“Deliver this paper to your master.”

I said, stroking the mane of a white horse that was nickering. After tying the message pouch securely to the bridle so it wouldn’t be lost on the way, I patted its rump.

The white horse didn’t leave immediately but nuzzled its nose against my cheek. It was the horse I had gifted to Luwen. It seemed to have developed some affection for me after meeting often with the boy.

I stroked the horse’s nose bridge as well and patted its side again.

“Go now. You must find your master well. Don’t wander off anywhere else.”

“Neigh-!”

As if answering, the white horse neighed powerfully and started running. That one would definitely return to the mansion.

After releasing all the horses, the Kans busily moved to erase their traces. Meanwhile, the leader crouched in front of me. I looked at him with a sullen expression, still reluctant, but only for a moment. With no other choice, I closed my eyes tight and lay down on his back.

“Don’t drop me.”

“Who do you take me for?”

The leader snorted and stepped boldly onto the narrow path. To the right, a steep cliff opened up to a forest below. The wind sweeping up from the dense forest was so strong it was hard to keep my eyes open. Because of this, I unknowingly tightened my grip around the leader’s neck.

“If you’re thinking of strangling me to death, I’d say this isn’t a smart location for it.”

“Ugh.”

Since he wasn’t wrong, I loosened my arms around his neck and instead gripped his shoulders tightly. As my upper body lifted slightly, I ducked my head down, feeling nervous.

“Be careful. I need to live a long life. I can’t die and leave our Luwen behind.”

“Who wants to die?”

The leader walked on with big strides, sounding exasperated. No, why are you being so bold? You could walk more carefully, you know. Thinking it might be better not to look, I just closed my eyes.

* * *

After many twists and turns, the temporary village we arrived at was nothing short of a natural fortress. Centered around a round clearing in the middle of the cliff, there was a cave at the back, a cliff wall to the right, and the narrow cliff path we entered from on the left.

It seems the intermittent splitting of our group wasn’t just to throw off pursuers. About eight tents were arranged in a circle around the central bonfire area, filling up the limited space.

Though it didn’t feel cramped due to the sparse arrangement, it was hard to gauge how many people were crammed into each tent.

As we got closer, the seriousness of the shabby and dirty tents caught my eye first. The tattered tents, which seemed barely able to block the wind, even had patches of black grime here and there, making them look like discarded items someone had picked up.

Seeing that made me feel itchy all over. I rubbed my arms and said to the leader,

“I want to wash up. And change clothes too.”

Without thinking, I buried my nose in my clothes and nearly gagged, grabbing my nose. It was fortunate Luwen wasn’t here. I almost lost all the goodwill I’d built up in an instant.

“Hahaha! The young master’s expression is priceless!”

The Kans leader chuckled, teasing me. Look at this guy. How dare he when we’re not even friends?

“It didn’t seem to smell much earlier. Let me take a whiff of that noble sweat too.”

The snickering leader suddenly thrust his face towards my shoulder.

Th-this, this pervert!

“What are you doing!”

“Huh? What’s this? It actually smells good.”

The leader pulled away, looking disappointed, and I could only gape in astonishment. Do these people lack a sense of aesthetics and a proper sense of smell too?

Anyway, burying his nose in my body was an unpleasant action, so I mercilessly kicked his shin… but he dodged? The leader jumped back, grinning widely.

“Tsk tsk, young master. Did you think I’d fall for the same trick multiple times?”

This is infuriating.

My strength was already at rock bottom, and using energy was a problem. My head started spinning. Why am I reminded of Dedric’s words about it all being psychosomatic? As I staggered, unable to stand properly, the leader quickly grabbed my arm to support me.

The dizziness was real, but I still had to make him pay for teasing me.

Thwack!

“Ow! Hey, you-!”

“Hey, what? What? Finish what you were saying.”

“That hurts!”

“Hmph. Just support me properly. The dizziness is real.”

“Wow. Look at how shameless you are.”

“If you can’t be shameless, you can’t be a noble.”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure that’s the case.”

Despite his sarcasm, the leader held onto me firmly.

After observing them on our way here, I think I understand why the Kans are so loyal to this person. A leader who isn’t fundamentally evil, who has a lot of affection and cares for others, quite enjoying looking after people. Look at him now. Even though I might roll on the ground due to my own weakness, he’s taking care of me somewhat attentively.