I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 1.10

After the situation was sorted out, Marquis Hauser came up, dragging Sugar and Cream along.

The Marquis was thoroughly angry about this incident.

I was about to scold and warn them first, but the Marquis had Ann and Sir Peanut send us out.

“Wait, wait a moment! Father! I have something to say to them!”

Even though I shouted while being carried by Ann, it was of no use.

As soon as we were outside and the door closed, something crashed with a loud noise.

“Do you have any thoughts at all! Or not!”

I froze in shock.

Was that fierce roar really Marquis Hauser’s voice?

He had always been so gentle with me, but now he sounded like a completely different person.

“Merchen could have been hurt too! The entire mansion is in chaos because of your petty jealousy and pranks! I’ve told you countless times that if you’re going to plot something, do it quietly without leaving traces! How long are you going to act like children…!”

What?

The point was seriously missed.

He shouldn’t scold them like that!

However, once we left the fifth floor, I could no longer hear their voices.

***

I was able to lie down and rest, relieved by the report that bugs hadn’t invaded my room.

But there was no way I could be at ease.

My heart was beating anxiously.

I asked Sir Peanut to focus on guarding Rory.

I asked him to watch closely at all times except when he was with us.

The knight who had left his post during his shift had apparently done so on Sugar’s orders.

In a position where he had to obey, what else could he do?

Firing him seemed too harsh, so we agreed to just remove him from guard duty and reduce his salary.

Afterwards, on Sir Peanut’s recommendation, seven more knights were brought in as guards.

Rory’s room was cleaned again and rechecked to ensure no bugs remained.

Around evening.

Marquis Hauser came down to my room.

“Merchen. You must have been very frightened.”

The Marquis knelt in front of me to match my eye level and spoke in a soft, affectionate voice while stroking my hair.

He didn’t even glance at Rory once.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault as a father for failing to raise my sons properly. I’ve scolded your brothers harshly, so don’t worry anymore.”

His warm consolation made me angry.

It’s not me who should be hearing these words, but Rory.

However, to Marquis Hauser, Rory is probably just a lowly slave.

“That’s right. It’s because Father is incompetent.”

“Huh?”

“It’s because Father is incompetent that my brothers who take after you are incompetent too. That’s why they play such vicious pranks.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“You shouldn’t apologize to me, but to Rory. That’s the right thing to do.”

“Rory? You mean that slave boy?”

Marquis Hauser’s eyebrows furrowed as he glanced at Rory.

It must be incomprehensible to his common sense.

Still, I decided to try and persuade him steadfastly.

He’s an adult, after all.

Holding onto a sliver of hope that he might at least understand what I’m saying.

“Father, am I precious to you? How much?”

“Of course you’re precious. You’re my daughter whom I cherish more than my own eyes. You come before anything else in the world.”

“Rory must be just as precious to his father.”

“No, Merchen. If he was that precious, he wouldn’t have been allowed to be sold as a slave.”

“!”

I saw the shocked expression on Rory’s face.

I wanted to tell him right away that it wasn’t true, but I couldn’t at that moment.

I meant to say that other people’s children are as precious as your own.

I didn’t expect him to respond like this.

Although Rory was kidnapped, I remembered the description that some slaves were children sold by their parents.

I hid my bewilderment and glared at the Marquis.

“What if you weren’t a Marquis but a powerless slave, and I was a slave too?”

“This father of yours is a Marquis, my dear. Moreover, the wealthiest man in the empire. You don’t need to worry about such things.”

Is this what they call ‘like father, like son’?

I couldn’t help but sigh.

He completely lacks empathy.

“Then what if I was kidnapped?”

“What?”

“If I was kidnapped by slave traders and sold far, far away? If they mistreated me there, how do you think you’d feel, Father?”

“I’d kill them all.”

The Marquis’s face flushed.

Just imagining it seemed to make him furious to the point of bulging veins and clenched fists.

“I’d rip off their heads and tear their limbs to pieces…”

What are you saying in front of a child…?!

I saw Sir Peanut covering Rory’s ears.

“That’s why. Please think of Rory as you think of me, Father.”

I patted the Marquis’s hand to calm him down and continued.

“Because what Rory is experiencing now could happen to me in the future.”

“……”

“Please. Okay?”

Come on, understand this much.

I looked up at the Marquis with pleading eyes.

A firm resolve settled in his dark eyes.

“Don’t worry, Merchen.”

Did it work?

Thinking my persuasion had half succeeded, I jumped to conclusions.

Until the Marquis tightly grasped my hand and continued his words.

“You will never be kidnapped. I will protect you with my life.”

“……”

My expression and heart turned cold.

I shook off Marquis Hauser’s hand and said.

“Leave.”

***

After the Marquis left, our timid young master was again lost in some thoughts, his head nearly burrowing into the ground.

“Rory. Come here.”

Rory, who had been standing far back next to Sir Peanut when the Marquis came, immediately approached me.

When I stretched out both arms, he understood perfectly and came to embrace me.

Or rather, given my small stature, I ended up being embraced by him.

“Don’t mind what Father said.”

“I didn’t.”

“Don’t lie either.”

“How did you know?”

“I know everything. This is a secret, but……”

With a meaningful smile, I put my lips close to Rory’s ear and whispered quietly.

“Sometimes I see things that others can’t.”

“Things others can’t see?”

“Yes.”

Rory blinked, tilting his head in confusion.

I parted my lips once more.

“Rory’s parents are desperately searching for him. I saw it.”

After whispering that and grinning, Rory’s eyes widened as if they might pop out.

His long eyelashes, long enough for a butterfly to land on, fluttered incessantly.

“Really?”

“Mhm. I don’t tell lies and such.”

I lied shamelessly without even wetting my lips.

Well. Although I haven’t seen it, it must be true that the Valliet Ducal family is searching for Rory.

It’s half true.