I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 1.5

After the meal, with Ann’s assistance, I finished brushing my teeth and bathing, then curled up on the bed.

Receiving my unspoken signal, Ann tried to help Rory brush his teeth too, but Rory said he could do it himself and came back after brushing alone.

“Kee-uu!”

I patted the spot next to me.

Rory approached and sat on the bed beside me.

When I urged him to lie down by tapping with my front paws, he hesitantly looked back and forth between me and Ann.

“You want to sleep with Rory?”

I nodded at Ann’s question.

Then Ann told Rory that he could lie down.

Rory hesitated but carefully lay down, and I snuggled into his side.

If he didn’t sleep here, Rory would have to sleep in a cold, dusty place since there wasn’t a prepared room for him yet.

Ann lit the fireplace and then covered us with a blanket.

“Have you heard that this is a desert? Desert nights are very cold. The temperature difference between day and night is extreme.”

“Miss Ann. Where exactly is the desert?”

“Oh, child. Why are you adding ‘Miss’ to a maid’s name? Just call me Ann. This place is at the edge of the border. It’s the southwestern-most part of the Empire.”

Ann closed the curtains and turned off the lights.

One fortunate thing after the possession was that this novel’s world had electricity and plumbing facilities.

It’s as if the author took inspiration from some point in the early 19th century and mixed in fantasy elements to create this world.

Moreover, although they were the villain family, the Hauser Count’s household was extremely wealthy.

They would be second to none in the Empire.

The Hauser Count’s territory, while a barren desert, was incredibly vast, with seemingly endless mineral deposits hidden underground.

Not silver spoon, not gold spoon, but diamond spoon, you could say.

***

The finances of the Hauser family were on a continuous upward trajectory.

However, as the saying goes, the rich get richer, and the greedy Count Hauser was a bad man who collected excessive taxes under various pretexts and didn’t even pay proper wages to the miners used for extracting minerals.

Even in my desperately poor life before the possession, there were often bosses who tried to deceive part-time workers to pay them less somehow.

To think that I, who always stood on the side of the weak, would become the youngest daughter of such a person. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Thanks to that, though, I’m living without hunger, being served in a soft bed and a spacious room.

“Kee-uu.”

I rested my chin on Rory’s arm.

He let out a small laugh and leaned his face towards me.

“Young Miss. Can’t you sleep?”

“Kyuu.”

“Shall I pat your back?”

A gentle voice, as if soothing a fussy baby.

When I nodded, Rory’s hand rhythmically patted my back.

Pat. Pat.

A touch so warm it could bring tears to my eyes.

Even I, who was often alone, had received such warm pats in the distant past that I could barely remember.

I didn’t know that the two people who used to pat me so lovingly would come to hate each other terribly.

‘Rory Valliet. How can I protect you? Right now, I’m just a powerless baby.’

I thought about sending a letter to Duke Valliet.

But a child’s body lacks strength, making the handwriting crooked.

Ann couldn’t write and could barely read, stumbling over words.

I considered telling my family about Rory’s identity and asking for help, but Count Hauser and Duke Valliet were on very bad terms.

I had to consider the possibility that it might put Rory in danger.

That’s why I didn’t tell Rory that he was a young duke either.

If he accidentally opened his mouth and told the truth, it would be a big problem.

Moreover, if we just sent a child who had lost his memories to the Duke’s family, he would have to live hearing things like ‘weakling’ or ‘fool’ from his father until he regained his memories.

Because that’s the kind of person the Duke is.

‘Do you want to just stay here? With me?’

I stared into his eyes in the darkness, asking inwardly.

Wouldn’t it be at least a little better here than in the bleak Valliet Duke’s household?

It seems there’s no one here to scold him for not studying…

But soon I shook my head.

The Hauser Count’s household is only safe and comfortable for me, not for Rory.

For now, let’s focus on regaining his memories as soon as possible. Once he remembers, I’ll send him back right away.

“Young Miss.”

What?

“I wish I could sing you a lullaby, but I’m sad that I don’t know any songs.”

Oh dear.

If it were daytime, I could have sung for him.

Why am I a fox that can’t even sing?

“Kee-ing…”

I wriggled and climbed onto his stomach.

It’s easier to fall asleep when your body is warm.

“Puhah. It tickles.”

Rory giggled and squirmed.

After I pressed down on his stomach to settle in and curled up, he hesitated, unsure whether to place his hand on my head.

“May I pat your head too?”

“Kee-u.”

There’s no need to ask for permission every time.

He seemed worried that if he reached out carelessly, I might be startled.

Desert fox shapeshifters are already a small race, and I, as a baby fox, was even smaller and more fragile.

After I nodded a few times, a pleasant weight gently settled on my head.

His small hand softly scratched and stroked my head and neck, with a skill that wasn’t amateur.

Do they raise dogs in the Duke’s household?

As sleep gradually overcame me from his drug-like touch, I opened my mouth wide and yawned.

Laughter poured down from above my head.

I felt all warm and fuzzy.

Where else could there be such a peaceful night? I took a deep breath, enjoying the soap scent coming from the child.

My eyes blinked drowsily as I fell into a deep sleep.

***

Early in the morning, when I opened my eyes, I had returned to human form.

“Huh? Did the sun rise a bit early today?”

I tilted my head, noticing Rory wasn’t in the bed and fumbled to put on my dress.

After struggling to dress with my short, chubby arms, I climbed down from the bed with a grunt.

“Rory! Where are you?”

As I came out to the corridor and looked around, an ominous feeling made my heart sink.

Without even thinking to call a maid, I scampered down the stairs.

“Who are you to dare sleep in our Merchen’s bed?”

Sugar’s cold voice struck my ears.

Then came Cream’s angry shout.

“I haven’t even slept with Merchen yet! I was kicked out just for trying to read her a storybook!”

Thwack!

“Oomph……”

Are they hitting the child now? Despite my urgent feelings, my fumbling body was frustratingly slow.

‘There are too many stairs!’

As I was going down, holding onto the railing, I ran into a maid carrying a laundry basket.

“Hey! Carry me! I need to go down quickly!”

“Yes, Young Miss!”

The maid tossed aside her basket and, carrying me, quickly descended the stairs.