I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 1.3

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I carefully reached out to the sleeping child.

The fine silver hair slipped in and out between my chubby fingers.

Red marks remained on the child’s delicate wrists and ankles where they had been tightly bound.

I recalled a passage that had troubled my mind while reading the novel.

<Sitting by the window, Rory gazed at the night sky, whispering to the stars as he had in his childhood when he believed souls dwelled in the stars.

“Even though I’ve always been alone, I still can’t get used to being alone. Although my body and mind are already full of scars and nothing should surprise me anymore, I’m afraid of new wounds and new scars forming.”>

Gulp. The tip of my nose stung.

<“I didn’t choose to live as a slave for 14 years, nor did I choose to become a devil, yet God has abandoned me and the world throws stones at me. Do you, dear star, understand this feeling?”

Rory reached his hand out the window, silently sobbing.

“If you take pity on me and send down just one person. If you send down just one person to hold my hand, I will love everything in this world.”>

Having a good memory has many advantages, but sometimes it makes you recall things you don’t want to remember.

My crazy memory, which could reproduce Rory Valliet’s lines without missing a single letter, once again stirred and rummaged through my heart.

It forcibly made me face the loneliness hidden at the bottom of a deep well, and made it impossible to turn away from the small child before me.

Guilty of knowing his desperation all too well, I had to shudder at the pity for a child with nowhere to lean on.

“Ugh……”

Rory groaned, tossing and turning.

His mysteriously silver eyelashes, drooping downward, trembled slightly.

Soon after, his clear eyes were revealed.

Eyes tinged with a pink as delicate as pink muhly grass.

Perhaps this is what Eros, the son of the goddess of beauty and god of love, might have looked like.

I stared at him as if enchanted.

“Are you okay?”

“Who……”

“I’m Merchen.”

Seemingly unable to grasp the situation, he frowned.

I briefly explained the situation to him.

“My Father bought you from a slave trader.”

After some thought, I added shortly.

“I’ve become your master. Call me Young Miss.”

Rory had a confused look in his eyes.

It must be funny and absurd that a little child who can’t even pronounce properly claims to be his master.

I pretended not to know and asked.

“Why were you at the slave trader’s?”

“I don’t… remember.”

“Nothing at all? Your name?”

“I don’t know my name either.”

Rory lowered his head dejectedly.

I held his hand and patted it.

“It’s okay. Your memory will come back soon.”

Rory looked at my small, chubby hand comforting him, and nodded slightly.

It was fortunate that he showed no signs of fear or wariness.

In the novel, when he opened his eyes, it was Count Hauser and his thugs who were there, not me, so he was terrified.

“Your name is Rory. Remember that.”

Rory.

He mulled over his name for a moment.

“Yes, Young Miss.”

How obedient.

Even though he had reason to be suspicious or rebellious, he calmly answered with a smile.

As if he recognized that this girl smaller than him was his only lifeline.

“How old are you?”

“I think… I’m probably five years old.”

Rory tilted his head as if confused.

The sight of the child pondering with his big eyes blinking was adorable enough to make me want to nibble on him.

I smiled and held up three fingers.

“I’m three!”

In Korean age, I’d be about 4-5 years old, but in the book, they use Western age, so three was correct.

“This is the Hauser Count family of the desert.”

“The Hauser Count family?”

“Yes. Have you heard of it?”

“No. I don’t know.”

Rory shook his head glumly.

Knock knock.

Ann, my nanny and dedicated maid, knocked on the door.

“Young Miss. It’s dinner time. His Grace and the young masters are waiting.”

“I’ll eat in my room today. Bring something simple here.”

A comical commanding tone to the servants.

Rude and snappy to family members, but a kind attitude to a few specific people, including Ann.

This was characteristic of the three-year-old Merchen.

It wasn’t mentioned in the book, but I learned this by observing the people around me for three weeks after the possession, and I tried to imitate Merchen a little.

Being young has unexpected advantages; no matter what I say or do, I receive more cuteness than suspicion.

“Oh my. Is that so? Then please wait a moment. I’ll bring it right away.”

“Bring enough for two!”

“Yes. I understand.”

I seemed calm, but in fact, right after the possession, I was quite bewildered.

How should I put it?

Everything, people and scenery alike, felt both familiar and strange, both new and tiresome, making me flounder like a scarecrow that had lost its supporting pole.

Not knowing how to control the pace while acting as the temperamental little Merchen, sometimes my true feelings that I had kept bottled up would burst out.

After Ann withdrew, I made eye contact with Rory.

“You have to be careful of Father and the thugs, I mean, my older brothers.”

“You mean Count Hauser and the young masters?”

“Yes. They’re dangerous people.”

Rory tilted his head and smiled broadly.

“But they’re your precious family members, Young Miss. I’m sure they’re all kind…”

At his harmless smile, I puffed up my cheeks.

He’s just the type to get scammed or dragged off to strange places.

Is that why he was taken by slave traders?

The Valliet Duke’s household was strict in child-rearing and very conservative.

As a result, Rory had to endure studying and training all day long.

He snuck out of the house because he wanted to see a festival, then was caught by slave traders and lost his memory.

And then he ended up in my hands.

What should I do with this naive little one?

“No, that’s not right.”

I really can’t just leave your misfortune alone.