I Thought I Healed the Villain's Sickly Younger Brother - Chapter 17

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His gaze alternated between Merrien and Ariel, trembling violently as though he might collapse at any moment.

‘…Yes. It’s definitely Forcite.’

Though it was a face she’d never seen before, one thing was certain – he perfectly fit the image of a protagonist.

He matched the male lead’s description from the few details she remembered of the original story.

While Merrien silently observed Forcite, the butler carefully approached, perhaps thinking she was deep in contemplation.

The butler slowly raised his monocle and whispered quietly enough that Forcite couldn’t hear.

His peculiar glances suggested he was gauging the situation.

“As you can see, His Highness Prince Forcite de Vergne has come without notice, requesting to meet the Saint…”

“…It wouldn’t be proper to leave His Highness outside. Open the gate.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The mansion’s main gate opened easily at Ariel’s command.

‘That’s strange.’

Merrien nearly gaped at this sight.

Given what she knew of Ariel’s temperament, she’d expected him to challenge Forcite to a duel right there, prince or not.

Especially considering his previous attempts to investigate the Tower Master.

Though admittedly, his voice remained razor-sharp.

When the seemingly immovable gate opened, Forcite strode forward purposefully, only to halt abruptly before Merrien.

“…”

His melancholic gaze suggested he had much to say but couldn’t find the words.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Not waiting for that moment, Ariel stepped in front of Merrien and spoke first.

“However, Your Highness, arriving without an appointment is improper, even for you. Surely you haven’t forgotten the contract between the Imperial family and House Hartez.”

Wow, he must be truly angry. From his icy expression to his ceaseless words.

Merrien swallowed nervously while watching Ariel’s demeanor.

Forcite seemed deaf to Ariel’s words, staring like a broken doll at Merrien where she was partially visible behind Ariel.

Finally noticing his penetrating gaze, Merrien offered an awkward smile and greeting.

“Greetings, Your Highness…”

But that seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Forcite’s previously rigid face suddenly began to crumble.

“Merri…. Why are you greeting me like that? You must have been brainwashed. There’s no other explanation…”

He stammered, then pulled something from his br*east pocket with trembling hands.

“I brought an ancient magical item that can break death magic cast on someone you know. Using this will completely break any spell cast on you.”

Forcite had reached the point of mumbling to himself, unable to properly meet Merrien’s eyes. His pupils were visibly shaking.

Merrien hadn’t expected Forcite’s condition to be this severe. Seeing him in person made her heart ache, and she furrowed her brow.

“…Your Highness.”

“Forcite.”

Seeing how he yearned to hear his name, Merrien let out a bitter laugh, feeling close to tears herself.

‘I really don’t know anything…’

She ran her fingers through her hair, gathering her thoughts.

She realized how sincere Forcite’s feelings for her were. But she couldn’t accept them.

She would have to return to reality once she completed her healing quota.

Besides, even if that weren’t the case, she had no intention of accepting Forcite. He was meant to end up with the original story’s female lead.

“…Forcite.”

“Yes.”

Only when his name was called did some of his anxiety seem to fade, and he faced Merrien with softened eyes.

But her next words would be utterly cruel and cold.

“I’m not under any spell.”

Merrien slowly took Ariel’s hand.

Forcite’s eyes lost focus the moment they fell on their clasped hands.

“No, you are under a spell.”

Then, seemingly resolved, Forcite completely denied Merrien’s words and approached her with the magical item he’d mentioned.

When Merrien glanced at Ariel in response to this forceful behavior, Ariel silently nodded for some reason.

Forcite deliberately made Merrien and Ariel release their hands. Then he wrapped the bracelet-like magical item around Merrien’s wrist.

As he waited anxiously, biting his nails, the magical item flashed once, lost its color, and became an ordinary bracelet.

For a moment, Forcite’s eyes, tinged with a hint of madness, met Merrien’s.

“Merri, it’s done. Now… shall we go back?”

His voice was full of expectation, clearly assuming the spell had been broken.

“No.”

“…What?”

But his face turned pale at her firm rejection.

“Forcite. As I said in my letter, I’m neither under a spell nor brainwashed.”

Merrien firmly grasped Ariel’s hand again. She felt him flinch but paid it no mind.

“We’re in love, and I’m staying at Ariel’s mansion of my own will.”

“No, no…”

Forcite’s body trembled slightly, seemingly unable to accept this. He pointed at Ariel.

“But… but he’s the Tower…!”

“Yes, I know. But what can I do about being in love?”

Ariel’s lips curled into a smirk at Merrien’s unwavering determination.

Or perhaps it was due to the words Forcite couldn’t finish.

“…”

After her composed and cold response, delivered with clear resolve, Forcite stood still for a long while, looking lost.

Then he began muttering, either to himself or hoping for a response.

“Merri, remember? When we were young, we said that. That the world was too cruel and dirty to trust. That’s why we needed to comfort each other.”

…Ah, so that’s it.

Merrien, who had been going along vaguely, internally blamed whatever god or system of this world that hadn’t given her any of Merrien’s memories, making her hear this for the first time.

“Was it… Was it because I came too late? Is that why you’ve come to hate me?”

Seeing Forcite blame himself while seemingly on the verge of giving up made her heart ache.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Once the original Merrien died and the female lead comforted Forcite, Merrien should have been completely forgotten by him.

No, looking at Forcite now, it seemed unlikely that Merrien would ever be completely forgotten.

Had Merrien always been someone who could disturb Forcite’s heart this much?

Finally, Merrien took a step forward.

When she approached, Forcite flinched and took a step back.

Yet he didn’t forget to slightly raise his lowered head to look at Merrien.

“Forcite, you’re a precious friend to me. I still think that way.”

Merrien carefully took Forcite’s arm, thinking that pushing him away completely might be counterproductive.

Forcite’s flinching grew more pronounced.

“When we were young, we only had each other to rely on.”

Merrien continued speaking vaguely, guessing that must have been the case.

She needed to somehow get him to follow the original story’s path. Of course, the story had already deviated with Merrien being alive.

“Now we have many precious people around us. Like the other Saint by your side.”

“…”

When Merrien deliberately mentioned the ‘other Saint,’ Forcite fell into thought, something seeming to dawn on him.

Merrien didn’t miss this opportunity and stroked his arm while giving him a warm look.

“Forcite, love and friendship are different. I want you to understand that too.”

Forcite, who had been firmly and coldly rejected by her until now, seemed to miss her warm voice after so long, and his eyes grew moist again.

As she gazed into his tear-filled eyes, Merrien felt she could almost see their childhood that she knew nothing about.

‘But I can’t accept him anyway. Forcite needs to be with the female lead. And once Ariel’s healing is complete, whether I like it or not, I…’

Must return to reality.

Though she’d thought about it earlier, for some reason she didn’t want to acknowledge it, so she just swallowed the thought.