The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 45

‘The hunters’ village was a lie.’

Luwen continued to observe his reaction. The intruders at the mansion all had their foreheads covered. Perhaps they were Kans too. Thinking that Fei might have been captured by the Kans made him feel anxious again.

“Damn it. Are you lucky, or am I just unlucky? Of all the horses…”

The man who was irritably messing up his hair sighed deeply.

“Your lady will save your baby ducks. I didn’t come to fight. I came to stay by the young master’s side.”

“What are these baby ducks?”

“I heard they mean children.”

“Huh… Just as the young master said.”

Luwen, who reacted quickly to the word ‘young master’, hastily said:

“Is the young master really here? Take me to him quickly. You can tie me up if you want. I’ll let you subdue me. Just let me be by the young master’s side.”

“No, it’s not up to me. Sigh, wait, youngster.”

The man reached into the bushes and rustled around a few times, and the bushes parted.

“Don’t follow.”

“Five minutes. That’s the limit of my patience.”

Thinking that Fei was right in front of him, Luwen couldn’t bear it. For Luwen, this was the maximum display of patience, but the man laughed dejectedly.

“You’re really a funny youngster. I don’t know who needs who more here.”

The man returned before five minutes had passed.

“The boss says you can come in.”

“What about the young master?”

“He should still be in the tent. Don’t know if he’s awake. Want me to tell you where?”

“Yes, please.”

“If you ask politely, saying ‘please’, I’ll tell you.”

“Please.”

Answering without a moment’s hesitation, it was the man who was taken aback instead. He seemed to have a strong pride, but Luwen immediately bowed to his request.

“Do you like him that much? That young master?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Taran hated him a lot at first too, but now he’s always sticking close and chattering. He looks happy.”

Luwen’s eyebrows twitched at the unfamiliar name and the mention of someone else being close to the young master.

“Who’s Taran?”

“Our youngest. I heard he’s learning letters and medicine from that young master?”

“… Is your pace always this slow? Hurry and take me to the young master.”

“This brat’s back to his old self already?”

“I said hurry!”

“Ah, why are you getting angry!”

He felt strangely uncomfortable. Was it because he hadn’t seen with his own eyes that the young master was safe yet? He wanted to see the young master as soon as possible.

* * *

It had been ten days since I started staying at the Kans’ hideout. At first, I only wanted to see Luwen, but now I missed sister and Merin too. Other than that, it was bearable.

I nudged Taran’s side with my foot as he lay face down on the desk, snoring.

“Ugh, what… I want to sleep more.”

“Aren’t we going to pick herbs?”

“We’ll go, we’ll go, but let me sleep a little more…”

Taran, who had opened his eyes briefly, lay down again. I woke him because I thought he might drool on the book… but looking closely, it was already too late. Let’s just leave him be.

The relationship that changed the most over the past ten days was with Taran.

When I noticed Taran studying herbology, I thought I could use it and probed him. However, I learned that he had misunderstood quite a few things because he didn’t know the letters properly. So, when I offered to teach him letters and medicine, he started to see me differently.

Taran, who gradually opened up his heart like that, soon revealed his past as well. It was almost like a build-up to apologize for rejecting and misunderstanding me because I was a noble.

‘The lord was riding through the village and hit my younger brother. That bastard fell off his horse, and my brother… was dragged to prison and died the next day. Yet they say it was my brother’s fault for being on the roadside where the noble was passing.’

‘…’

‘I begged them to at least return my brother’s body, but the lord instead caught me and branded me. Under the pretext of my brother’s sin for not atoning with his death and my sin for not acknowledging my brother’s wrongdoing.’

Hearing the story, I understood why he disliked me and couldn’t even get angry. So as I taught him more sincerely, I realized that Taran was quite an excellent student. He might get along well with Luwen too.

So I negotiated with the boss to resolve Taran’s grievances, free him from the Kans, and take him as my disciple. If I show kindness to the Kans, they might help me when I ask for help later. There will be at least one, maybe two situations where I’ll need help from the Kans.

And when I need help for the second time, it would be more beneficial for me if Taran returns to the Kans. If not, it can’t be helped.

It was purely for my own benefit, but when Taran heard the story from the boss, he cried for quite a long time and then started following me around, quacking like a baby duck.

‘Oh, come to think of it, I wonder if sister figured out the meaning of the baby ducks.’

I wrote it trusting her, but maybe I should have just made up something that didn’t happen. What if she didn’t realize it because I wrote it too naturally?

But it’s already been sent. I should trust my smart sister. It was while I was thinking this. Suddenly, someone barged in without warning and dropped a bombshell.

“The youngster from your house is here, young master?”

“What? You can’t possibly mean Luwen-“

“Young master!”

Behind the skinny man, I saw the face of our little one who had grown much taller.

Luwen, who strode past the man, hugged me tightly. I was so surprised that I stood there blankly, and only came to my senses after being embraced by Luwen.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Are there any injuries? Were you scared?”

Luwen’s heartbeat was loud. His voice was full of worry and concern, and his arms that held me tightly were trembling slightly. A faint familiar rose scent spread from within.

“Don’t tell me you came alone? Are you hurt anywhere, Luwen? Didn’t you encounter any monsters or beasts on the way? Did you sleep properly? Did you eat?”

“I couldn’t sleep properly because I was resenting you, young master.”

My heart sank and my body flinched. It must have been noticeable. Luwen couldn’t have missed it, being so tightly embraced.

Considering the face he was making while looking at me, it probably didn’t mean resentment in the literal sense. Even knowing that, I was shaken for a moment. Come to think of it, even if Luwen resented me… I mean, even if he really hated me, there’s no need to be this shaken.

‘It’s not like I absolutely have to be by Luwen’s side.’

Of course, it’s true that being close makes it easier to achieve my goal. Still, given the years we’ve spent together, even if we’re apart, it’ll just be a bit more difficult, but changing the genre of Luwen’s life should still be possible. Yet I was bewildered by why my chest felt so tight and painful.

“Why did you break your promise? Don’t do that anymore. I was really, really… scared. Do you know how scared I was that I might lose you, young master…”

“I’m sorry. Were you very surprised?”

“Of course!”

Luwen’s loud voice was full of affection. Only then did I feel confident enough to manage my expression, and I looked up with a smiling face. And while stroking Luwen’s hair, which I hadn’t seen in a long time, I whispered in a gentle voice:

“I won’t do it again.”

“I don’t believe you. That’s why I’ve decided not to leave your side, young master.”

Hm? Is this the meaning I think it is? Does he mean he’ll stay as my guard instead of Irene’s? Not wanting to over-interpret, I asked directly to be sure:

“You’re not going back to sister?”

“I told the young lady. She even asked me to stay by your side, young master.”

Irene’s reaction was roughly as I expected. But it doesn’t seem like Irene asked first. It feels like Luwen spoke first, and Irene accepted.

Well, the order doesn’t matter. What’s important now is that Luwen has decided to stay as my guard. The fact that he’s not returning to sister at the most crucial time for changing Luwen’s affection line. That alone made me feel like I’d achieved half of my goal.

“I’ll be in your care from now on, Luwen.”

I smiled, not hiding my good mood for once. Luwen, his cheeks turning slightly red, nodded vigorously.

Oh, how cute. Whose little brother is this cute?

“There are other people here.”

The skinny Kans raised one hand and tactlessly interrupted.

So what? I’m grateful that he brought Luwen, but does he have more to say? Why isn’t he leaving? Wondering if he’s going to demand payment for an errand he wasn’t even asked to do, I watched quietly. Suddenly, Luwen, who had switched to defense mode, pushed me behind him and glared at the man.

“You’re quite a brazen youngster. Hey, young master. You must tell the boss that I brought you safely. I’m leaving now.”

The man swept his gaze over Luwen with eyes that seemed to find him unexpectedly adorable, then left the tent. He treated him like a cheeky kid, but I guess he finds him cute. It was a bit surprising that there were Kans with normal aesthetic sense.