I Thought I Healed the Villain's Sickly Younger Brother - Chapter 24

The elegant dance instructor, who hadn’t even told Merrien her name, had her smile twist subtly.

She clicked her high heels deliberately while following the butler, making her displeasure known with each step.

She even bit her lower lip so hard with her sharp canines that blood welled up, turning her already red lips an even brighter shade of crimson.

Even as she made her displeasure so obvious, the butler had no choice but to keep walking, pretending not to notice the cold sweat running down his back.

What felt like hours to the butler was actually just a moment before the two finally arrived at Ariel’s door.

Creak-.

The door opened.

Whether he had ordered everyone out beforehand, there wasn’t a single servant in this spacious room.

Only the back view of a thin man sitting on the bed was visible.

“Then, I shall take my leave.”

To his relief, the butler quickly bowed and closed the door without a sound.

“……”

The dance instructor, her elegant and dignified appearance nowhere to be seen, immediately leaned against the wall at an angle and crossed her arms.

Her jet-black eyes hidden beneath the black veil glared at the back of Ariel’s head as if ready to pierce through it.

“It’s been a while, Agnes.”

Even after feeling that intense gaze, it took quite some time before Ariel’s gentle voice was heard.

Though he didn’t even bother to turn around.

“You don’t look happy to see me at all.”

One corner of the instructor’s mouth twisted upward.

Unlike the soft voice used with Merrien, this voice was androgynous and alluring, so low it could be mistaken for a man’s.

The dance instructor’s voice turned sharp, dripping with disdain for the entire conversation.

At last, Ariel turned his head to the side, resting his chin on the windowsill.

“How disappointing. Do I have to summon you for you to come when I invite you? Was our love only worth that much, Agnes?”

Despite her sharp attitude, the other party was making frivolous jokes.

The instructor called ‘Agnes’ quickly erased all expression and sat on the sofa, crossing her legs.

Her behavior was composed, as if she was more used to Ariel’s nonsense than anyone else in this mansion.

Her long fingers removed the black veil, revealing her face.

Luxuriant wavy red hair and black eyes that seemed to swallow darkness itself. In contrast, the skin so pale it seemed inhuman.

The black eyes that had been hidden until now pierced through Ariel with a sharp gaze.

Ridiculously, the recipient of that gaze waved his hand as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.

“Ah, put that face away. Quickly.”

Was this really the same person who had just been speaking smugly about ‘love’?

Ariel shuddered with revulsion. As his face scrunched up in disgust, Agnes snapped her fingers impatiently.

Her face transformed instantly.

The wavy hair shortened to Ariel’s length as if it had never been long, and the bridge of her nose became thick and sharp.

Her height and build grew until the sofa she sat on looked small, and even her delicate face and eyes changed to become more masculine.

Though similar enough to the original face to be considered siblings, this current appearance was undoubtedly male.

“So why did you call me? Surely you’re not going to say you can’t give me Cerberus now.”

This was the reason why Agnes had been wary and uncomfortable with Ariel all this time.

She, no, he scratched at the sofa’s armrest with his nails anxiously, unable to hide his sharp demeanor.

But what came back wasn’t the answer he wanted, but rather a serious tone correcting the name.

“It’s not Cerberus, it’s Christopher Alexander Montgomery Harrison.”

Ariel had promised to give him his magical beast companion(?) if he became Merrien’s dance instructor.

But Agnes was trembling with anxiety, worried that Ariel might suddenly say he couldn’t give it to him, promise or not.

Finally, as if having made up his mind, Agnes shot up to his feet.

“I absolutely need that magical beast. This won’t do. I should cast a death spell or something…”

“Let’s go now, then.”

Ariel cut off his words as Agnes’s pupils trembled with suspicion.

As Ariel stood up and shrugged his shoulders readily, Agnes followed him out as if in a trance.

***

Kuooo-!

 The three-headed magical beast howled loudly as if welcoming its master who had come after a long time.

“Yes, yes. Have you been well, Christopher?”

When Ariel scratched the magical beast’s chin, it purred contentedly and closed its eyes.

For some reason, Ariel’s eyes grew distant as he lowered his gaze. The blue eyes visible beneath his long eyelashes seemed to be moistened.

“……”

Agnes, who would normally have been staring at Ariel with cold eyes, stood far back by the door, staring intently at the magical beast.

“Say hello, Christopher. This is your new master.”

And when Ariel introduced Agnes to the magical beast.

Kuooo—!

Suddenly, the magical beast let out an ear-splitting howl and flew upward.

The walls of the large room crumbled helplessly whenever the magical beast’s wings touched them. In an instant, it charged at Agnes with its huge mouth open.

At that moment, Agnes’s pupils narrowed vertically like a hunting snake.

Shhik-.

He showed his sharp fangs as he raised both corners of his mouth in apparent pleasure and reached out his hand.

Bang-!

A tremendous noise erupted. His hand had pinned the magical beast against the wall at the far end of the room.

It all happened in less than a few seconds.

“…Keeng, kung.”

The magical beast that had challenged him now acted innocent under the man who had mounted it, whose eyes were gleaming.

This intelligent creature could at least understand that those fierce fangs might be turned against it if it wasn’t careful.

“How interesting. It shows hostility as expected.”

Finding it truly fascinating, Agnes licked his lips and casually jumped off the large magical beast’s body.

“With this magical beast, I’ll be able to find out where the magical beasts originate from. We can also clear the dragons’ name of their alleged connection to magical beasts.”

Agnes dusted off his hands and faced Ariel proudly with peculiar eyes.

Ariel, who had been covering both ears as if he’d expected all this to happen, smiled mischievously.

“Where did that arrogant dragon go?”

“Well. I guess getting beaten to a pulp by a certain Tower Master knocked some sense into me.”

Agnes flinched momentarily as if getting chills from remembering some day in the past. Meanwhile, one of Ariel’s eyebrows twitched as he looked down at his clothes.

“Ah, my clothes are all dusty now.”

It was dust from the aftermath of the recent fight.

Though it was so little that even Agnes’s animal-like vision could barely see it.

“…Is it okay about the collapsed walls?”

Agnes belatedly became concerned about the walls and looked around while speaking.

The walls had crumbled here and there from pushing back the leaping magical beast.

Moreover, everyone in the mansion must have heard all the thunderous noises.

Then surely even Merrien…

“Ta-da.”

Ariel, who had been carefully dusting off his clothes, raised his hand as if it were nothing. When Ariel snapped his fingers, instantly all the walls were restored as if nothing had happened.

“…You.”

Agnes’s black pupils were tinged with surprise.

He wondered if it had already become nighttime, but that couldn’t be.

It was still bright daylight before lunch, and Ariel’s hair was black.

“There’s a soundproofing spell cast, so no sound will be heard outside.”

Ariel even mentioned that he had prepared for this as if reading his thoughts.

The Ariel that Agnes knew was someone who, despite being unbeatable at night, would groan from magical power overflow during the day.

‘…Is the Saint’s healing really this powerful?’

Agnes ran his large hand over his face.