I Became The Villain’s Master - Chapter 2.6

For the past week, I had thoroughly ignored and disregarded Sugar.

Even when we crossed paths in the hallway, when he came to my room, or when he sent dolls and strawberry cake as gifts.

I treated him like a ghost, pretending he wasn’t even there.

Sugar, who had persistently tried to talk to me with a gentle smile, was gradually wearing out.

[Just get angry instead. You can hit me or curse at me, just…]

His voice was gloomy, as if he was about to collapse or explode, suppressing his emotions.

Sometimes, indifference can be stronger than malicious words or actions.

I could have handled it more easily by whispering lies to Count Hauser about Sugar hitting me, but remembering his swollen red cheek, I just couldn’t do it.

Count Hauser’s favoritism was more serious than I thought, and he was truly a cold-blooded man when it came to his sons.

It seemed like he might even banish Sugar.

It was only natural for Cream, who had witnessed everything, to make a different choice from his brother.

Cream confessed that filling the showerhead with flour was his idea and apologized to Rory.

Whether sincere or not, Cream made efforts to get along with Rory, and I naturally drew Cream in through various games, from childish hide-and-seek to card games.

“Hehehe! Got you! Bishop!”

“Ah! No way!”

As a result, they’ve reached the point of playing chess together amicably, heads close together, leaving me out.

Cream won this round dramatically.

He jumped up from his chair and knelt on one knee in front of me like a general returning victorious from war.

He stuck a fork in the ground, held up Rory’s white chess king piece triumphantly, and exclaimed.

“Your Majesty! I have finally taken the enemy commander’s head!”

Startled.

Ann and Sir Peanut, who were attending to me, jumped in surprise, their shoulders shaking.

They clutched their pounding chests and looked around nervously.

Sigh, what should I do with this thoughtless little one?

I hardened my expression and spoke deliberately.

“Cream. Impersonating the emperor is treason. Are you trying to get me charged with treason?”

“Huh? No! No way! I didn’t mean to! I was just joking…”

“That’s not the kind of joke you should make. It could lead to serious trouble.”

“Mmm. I understand. I’ll be careful.”

He seemed to be taking the joke seriously, but it was the truth.

They might not kill a three-year-old, but eight-year-old Cream would be scolded until he cried his eyes out.

Maybe this time it wouldn’t end with just a slap on the cheek.

If he said something like this elsewhere, the story could be distorted and the entire Hauser family might be accused of treason.

“Lady.”

“?”

Rory’s gentle voice softly wrapped around my ear.

His pleasant voice instantly melted the tense atmosphere.

“Lady. I have returned victorious from war for you.”

Rory looked at me, placing his right hand on his chest and bowing elegantly.

For a moment, I found myself holding my breath.

His playfully curved eyes and refreshing smile, as he met my gaze steadily, struck my heart.

“Isn’t this level of joking alright?”

Rory straightened up and turned to look at Cream.

Cream stared at him blankly for a moment before jumping up and shouting.

“Wow! You just looked totally like a prince! Where did you learn that?”

Cream tried to imitate Rory’s smooth and subtle pronunciation and intonation unique to the capital, amazed.

Moreover, for Cream, who hated strict etiquette teachers so much that he chased away everyone that came, Rory’s graceful gestures were a whole new world.

It must have looked quite cool and impressive to him.

“Teach me too!”

When Cream volunteered to learn etiquette, Sir Peanut, who was well aware of his notorious reputation, rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

***

“Wh… What is this!”

Count Hauser slammed the ledger he had been casually flipping through onto the desk.

He cleaned and put on his monocle, which was so polished that even dust would slide off and glared at the tiny numbers written in it.

When his face, which generally looked innocent with its overall round and gentle lines, showed intense anger, the air became so chilly that one could forget this was a desert.

“Philip! Philip!”

The Count threw down the ledger again and frantically pulled the bell rope.

While he nervously tapped his foot, irritably tying back his curly hair that covered his shoulders and flowed down to his waist.

Knock knock.

With the sound of knocking, the assistant Philip hurriedly entered.

The Count clicked his tongue at the assistant’s bewildered face.

“Philip! What is all this?”

“P-Pardon?”

“I clearly ordered to reduce the miners’ wages to 2 silver and the craftsmen’s wages to 1 silver 6 copper from this month! How on earth could you pay them 10 times the amount?”

“Huh? Didn’t Your Grace revise it?”

“What?”

“Aren’t the miners leaving every year due to the ridiculously low wages? The men are leaving the estate to become mercenaries, and the women are too sick to come out. Now, only slaves cheaply brought in from foreign countries and children remain in the mines.”

“Ridiculously low wages! They should be grateful that I’ve been regularly giving my precious money to such useless fellows.”

“But… it’s barely enough to live on. The situation is the same for the craftsmen. The skilled ones have already left the estate, and the quality of goods is declining, reducing sales. Don’t you know this, Your Grace?”

Philip, though trembling with fear, squeezed out what little loyalty he had left to finish what needed to be said.

But who is Count Honey Hauser?

“The decline in product quality is because I’ve been too merciful for a while. They dare to slack off.”

His eyesight was so poor that he needed thick monocles, making him practically blind to what was in front of him.

“I will go on an inspection. I’ll punish the slowest and clumsiest one as an example. Also, collect back the incorrectly paid wages.”

“Your Grace! Didn’t you write a pledge not to use violence against anyone, as the young lady requested…!”

“Ha! How would she know if you keep your mouth shut? Quietly prepare the carriage.”

Isn’t he the epitome of a typical and undisputed villain, foolish and greedy?

***

Sugar stared blankly at the strange sight of his younger brother learning etiquette from a slave.

It was quite comical to see him imitating the elegant capital accent, and he could hear Merchen’s giggles.

‘Even her laughter is the same.’

His sister, who would usually get upset but couldn’t last a day before accepting him back with a haughty expression.

Even when she spoke curtly and bluntly, she had never ignored him like this, treating him as if he didn’t exist.

“Merchen. Merchen. Merchen.”

Even when he hovered around distractedly and clung to her, she ignored him without so much as blinking, making Sugar feel as if he had really become a ghost.

“Merchen. Let your big brother give you a piggyback ride.”

When he reached out to lift her up, she quickly dodged as if by chance.

Then she ran with quick steps to Ann and hugged her.

She used to love piggyback rides.

Sugar stared blankly at the strange sight of his younger brother learning etiquette from a slave.

It was quite comical to see him imitating the elegant capital accent, and he could hear Merchen’s giggles.

‘Even her laughter is the same.’

His sister, who would usually get upset but couldn’t last a day before accepting him back with a haughty expression.

Even when she spoke curtly and bluntly, she had never ignored him like this, treating him as if he didn’t exist.

“Merchen. Merchen. Merchen.”

Even when he hovered around distractedly and clung to her, she ignored him without so much as blinking, making Sugar feel as if he had really become a ghost.

“Merchen. Let your big brother give you a piggyback ride.”

When he reached out to lift her up, she swiftly dodged, making it seem accidental.

Then she ran with quick steps to Ann and hugged her.

She used to love piggyback rides.

The image of her laughing brightly was still vivid in his mind.

“Ouch ouch. Oh my. I tripped over a stone and fell. Look, my knee is bleeding.”

Though she acted prickly, she was a child who loved her brother more than anyone.

She was a child who couldn’t be cruel enough to ignore her injured brother.

She was easily fooled, and when he pretended to be sick, she would look at him with her big eyes full of worry, saying “Does it hurt? Where? Here?” and blow on it gently.

“Ugh. It hurts so much. I can’t walk at all.”

Even when he scraped his knee on the ground several times to make a real wound, she didn’t even glance at him.