I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 1.11

“Sniff……”

Rory pouted his lips as if holding back tears, his eyes welling up, then wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

And then he smiled bravely.

This innocent little one would probably believe me even if I said I was making soybean paste with red beans.

Though he probably doesn’t know what soybean paste is.

Due to the unsettled atmosphere in the mansion after the commotion, I once again had my meal in my room.

I had portions brought for Ann and Sir Peanut as well, and we ate together.

After finishing dinner comfortably, Rory headed to his room with Sir Peanut to take a shower.

Feeling anxious, Ann and I followed and occupied the sofa in Rory’s room for tea time.

“Urgh!”

“Gasp! Cough! Cough!”

We heard Sir Peanut shouting and Rory coughing from the bathroom.

Ann, startled, knocked on the door, and Sir Peanut opened it.

“Cough! What in the……”

The bathroom was filled with white powder.

Sir Peanut’s clothes were covered in a haze of flour, and in his arms was Rory, wrapped in a large towel.

His hair was caked with water and flour, and his fair skin was pale, kneaded with flour.

“The… shower…”

Every time the child spoke, flour puffed out.

I stared at the scene with my mouth agape.

“When I turned on the faucet, flour poured out.”

“Ah……”

Ann sighed at Sir Peanut’s explanation.

Sir Peanut first put Rory down on the bed.

Rory, seemingly embarrassed to come out wrapped only in a towel without clothes, wriggled into the blanket.

“Ouch!”

“What! What’s wrong now? Rory!”

Ann jumped up, approached to check, and pulled back the blanket.

Long cacti were spread out under the blanket.

Rory was sitting at the edge of the bed, so he wasn’t badly hurt, but a few thin thorns were stuck in his hand.

Surely the servants had cleaned thoroughly just a moment ago.

Why didn’t they find it……?

“Ann. Call the doctor. Sir Peanut. Let’s move Rory to my room.”

Before I died, I was a person with a lot of patience.

Of course, this doesn’t mean I had the kind of personality that would let myself be pushed around or taken advantage of.

I don’t know exactly how temperamental the original Merchen Hauser was, but I won’t be outdone by her either.

I’m merciless to anyone who causes me even the slightest harm.

What I mean is that I exercise superhuman patience only for things that benefit me.

But today, I heard the sound of my patience not just shattering, but being ground to dust multiple times.

***

Rory was sitting at the edge of the bed, so he wasn’t badly hurt, but a few thin thorns were stuck in his hand.

Surely the servants had cleaned thoroughly just a moment ago.

Why didn’t they find it……?

“Ann. Call the doctor. Sir Peanut. Let’s move Rory to my room.”

Before I died, I was a person with a lot of patience.

Of course, this doesn’t mean I had the kind of personality that would let myself be pushed around or taken advantage of.

I don’t know exactly how temperamental the original Merchen Hauser was, but I won’t be outdone by her either.

I’m merciless to anyone who causes me even the slightest harm.

What I mean is that I exercise superhuman patience only for things that benefit me.

But today, I heard the sound of my patience not just shattering, but being ground to dust multiple times.

After removing the thorns, washing him clean, and finishing the treatment, Rory was completely exhausted.

Having barely eaten dinner, Rory and I lay side by side on my large bed.

Feeling that we absolutely shouldn’t be separated, we decided to stay together in my room.

“Ann. Bring a tent and rope.”

I had Ann set up a white tent on the bed and spread blankets inside it.

Then I tied the rope around Rory’s waist.

“Miss. Why the rope……”

Rory and Ann looked at me with bewildered eyes.

I smiled sweetly and tied the rope around my waist too.

Rory and I were connected by the rope, so if one moved, the other would be pulled along.

“Tie it tighter!”

Ann carefully tied the rope knots securely, making sure not to hurt us.

The sun set late today, so I was able to remain human until after 9 o’clock.

It was truly fortunate.

If I had turned into a fox earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to communicate and give orders calmly.

“Ann. Did you find out about the cacti?”

“Well…… It seems the First Young Master called and threatened the chambermaid before cleaning. He told her to only replace the top blanket and keep quiet about the cacti. He probably placed them before releasing the bugs. The same goes for the flour.”

“Sigh. I’ll need to have a chat with my brothers tomorrow morning.”

I gritted my teeth and gripped the rope.

“Shall I ask them to come at snack time?”

“Yes.”

I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek.

I had to settle this somehow.

“They say children have flexible thinking, but I don’t know why they’re all so stubborn.”

“Oh my. You even know the phrase ‘flexible thinking’?”

“I tell you, there’s nothing I don’t know.”

This phrase, which I used habitually, was meant to lay the groundwork.

To make me appear like a little one putting on an adorable show of bravado.

Then, even if mature words and actions unconsciously slipped out, it would plant the thought, ‘Our young miss is smarter than others, but still a child after all.’

Ann tucked me in well, kissed my forehead, and smiled warmly.

“Young miss is the hope of the Hauser family.”

Poof!

At that moment, I turned into a fennec fox.

Ann, startled, stepped back, then took me out from inside the pajamas, placed me on the pillow, and retied the loosened rope.

“I’ll come to untie you before sunrise tomorrow. Sir Peanut is outside, so don’t worry. If anything happens, quickly pull the bell rope.”

Ann gave earnest instructions and was about to leave.

“Kyu!”

I urgently pointed at the tent entrance zipper.

Ann then closed the zipper.

“Kiu. Kyu.”

I looked back at Rory triumphantly, as if now safe.

He smiled drowsily and covered me with the blanket.

“Thank you. Baby, no, Mel……”

Huh?

“I feel secure. Because Mel is here with me.”

To say thank you after going through all this.

If anything, I should be the one apologizing.

Although they’re characters in a novel, it’s still my family who did wrong, isn’t it?

He could have resented me in his young heart, but Rory didn’t.

“I want to be helpful to you too, young miss. When I grow tall like the young masters, will I be able to become strong too?”

He looked somewhat gloomy.

I wriggled over and licked the wound on his chin.

It was the only comfort I could offer in my state as a speechless animal.

“Haha. It tickles. Are you comforting me?”

I nodded and rubbed my nose tip against his nose.

He burst into laughter once more.

“Good night, young miss……”

Rory mumbled as if sleep-talking.

I nuzzled the cheek of the half-asleep child with my nose.

His cheek, plump and covered in soft down, was smooth.

Looking at the child’s hand covered in bandages, I let out a deep sigh.