I Thought I Healed the Villain’s Sickly Younger Brother

Soon after the sunset faded, the moon rose.

Ariel’s black hair gradually changed until it became a brilliant silver.

Unlike during the day when his magical power was unstably raging, he now possessed perfect control over it, but his mood had been particularly sour lately.

These days, once the healing was done, Merrien would leave his room saying she wanted to explore the mansion, as if she had no more business with him.

Without even looking at the butler, Ariel spoke in a low voice.

“Report.”

As if used to this sight, the butler calmly read from the documents.

“The Saint mentioned that after looking around the library, there weren’t as many books as she expected, and suggested purchasing about a hundred books to start.”

“Yes, do whatever Merri wants.”

“Understood.”

“Butler.”

“Yes, Master.”

Ariel fell silent for a long while after calling him.

As always, the butler waited steadfastly without moving, maintaining a peaceful expression.

Finally, he spoke.

“How can I get Merri to spend more time with me?”

“Perhaps she’ll stay longer once she’s finished exploring the mansion.”

“There’s still too much left to see.”

Dissatisfied with the answer, Ariel’s voice grew even lower. Soon, a murderous gaze fell upon the butler.

That gaze was so chilling that even the butler, who had known Ariel for a long time, found it difficult to bear.

“Then, how about touring the mansion together?”

“Tour the mansion?”

The menacing aura that had been swirling like a sharp blade suddenly vanished. Ariel’s blue eyes suddenly began to sparkle with interest.

“Since the healing has progressed quite well, it should be fine now.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

As if struck by an idea, Ariel quickly sat at the edge of the bed. His voice became somewhat excited, as if suddenly thrilled.

“If I collapse in front of Merri, she’ll have to heal me up close, right?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

Pleased, Ariel hummed lightly and lifted the corners of his mouth, his cheeks flushing red.

“I hope Merri likes ‘Christopher Alexander Montgomery Harrison.'”

“You’re planning to show… that to the Saint?”

“Yes.”

“…I see.”

The butler, who had prided himself on being somewhat used to his master, now truly thought he had gone mad.

Whatever thought had crossed his mind, Ariel suddenly jumped up.

“I need to bring Christopher right now.”

“…What? Right now?”

“Yes. I’ll come back with Seren.”

Before the butler could stop him, he vanished in the blink of an eye.

The curtains fluttered in front of the butler’s helplessly outstretched hand.

***

“…Mmm.”

Merrien, who had fallen into a deep sleep, frowned and opened her eyes at the noise tickling her ears.

GROOOOAR-!!!

‘That sounds like a common beast.’

…Wait, that’s not right, is it?

Her closed eyes snapped open again.

No matter how she thought about it, this wasn’t the cry of an ordinary animal but a magical beast.

‘…If I can hear it this clearly, doesn’t that mean it’s inside the mansion?’

Merrien tried to calm her rapidly beating heart as she tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it.

As if the magical beast’s cry she’d just heard was a lie, she could hear casual conversation.

One voice was familiar, but the other she’d never heard before.

“Really… you’re going to keep this magical beast in the mansion?”

“Don’t call him a magical beast, Seren. Be careful. My ‘Christopher Alexander Montgomery Harrison’ might get sad.”

“What’s with that ridiculous name? Aren’t those the names of kings the Tower Master killed in the past?”

“Yes. Isn’t it cool?”

“Just putting cool things together doesn’t make it cool, Tower Master.”

‘…Tower Master?!’

Why is the Tower Master mentioned here…?

There seemed to be some strange conversation before that, but that wasn’t what was important to Merrien right now.

The mention of ‘Tower Master’ made her too curious about what was outside.

While there was a rule about not going into the corridor after six in the evening, there wasn’t any rule about not opening the door.

‘…Surely it’s fine to just open the door for a moment?’

Perhaps due to her drowsiness, Merrien’s unconscious mind opened the door faster than she could think.

Creeak-.

But.

‘Ah, damn. Why are you right in front of my room?’

She immediately came face to face with a man wearing a mask under blindingly beautiful silver hair that sent chills down her spine.

Merrien, who had frozen stiff, slowly rolled her eyes.

“I believe you were told not to come out after six in the evening.”

The voice that reached her ears was so similar to someone she’d been hearing every day lately that it made her wonder.

‘…Ariel?’

But no matter how she thought about it.

The menacing man before her who emanated an eerie aura that seemed ready to devour her whole, and the fragile Ariel who looked like he might collapse at any moment had absolutely nothing in common.

Then.

“!!!”

The man’s large hand, covered in a black glove, cupped Merrien’s face. Her vision was immediately plunged into deep darkness.

“You didn’t see anything today.”

“…Ariel?”

The words left her mouth before she could think.

No matter how different his aura and hair color were, she couldn’t mistake the feel of his hand and his voice.

Her instincts were screaming that the man before her was Ariel.

Just as her body was about to collapse, losing all strength, the man lightly picked her up.

“…You hate the Tower Master, don’t you.”

Soon the voice whispering in her ear was gentle as always, yet tinged with bitterness.

Almost as if it was wet with tears.

“Good night, Merri.”

And so, when Merrien closed her eyes, she remembered nothing the next day.

***

Merrien received word that the special meal she had ordered from the kitchen was ready.

“Ariel, I’d like to have lunch together from now on. What do you think?”

So as soon as the healing was finished, she immediately suggested having lunch together with Ariel.

“If you want, we could even have breakfast together.”

“It’s all for your healing… What?”

She had prepared what to say if she was rejected but unexpectedly received a smooth response.

“I said we could have breakfast together too. While we’re at it, you could stay in my room from morning until six.”

He even tilted his head and tried to act fatal.

“Yeah, stop saying weird things.”

Merrien replied calmly, not even giving him a glance.

She simply gestured to the maids with her cold gaze as usual.

“Ah, I thought I might get healed twice, what a shame.”

“What’s with you always finding things to be disappointed about.”

Soon the maids served meals for two in front of them.

Now it was Merrien’s turn to smile contentedly and relax.

Ariel’s expression suddenly crumpled as he looked down at the food.

“…What is this?”

His eyes sought an explanation as if he couldn’t understand.

“I asked them to prepare it.”

As if he didn’t need to hear anything else, Ariel put down his fork with a clatter.

“I won’t eat it.”

“Why?”

“I don’t eat without meat.”

What was laid out before them were various fresh vegetables and grilled fish.

“No. You have to eat it.”

Merrien firmly coaxed him like a mother raising a child.

Wondering if his condition had worsened due to his picky eating, she decided not to mention that this wouldn’t be his daily meal.

“Don’t want to.”

But where had his usual relaxed voice gone?

All that remained before her was a whining child.

No, what Ariel uttered while turning his head away was a rare, low, and deep voice like a carnivore’s growl.

To Merrien who was listening, he didn’t look like a toothless tiger, just Whitey.

‘His eyes are so pretty like they have lakes in them.’

Thanks to the healing’s progress, those blue eyes sparkling with vitality were so beautiful.

Now that he wasn’t Whitey anymore, she regretted not being able to say it directly.

Merrien forcefully opened Ariel’s clenched hand and placed the fork in it.

But like a real child, he dropped the fork to the floor with a clatter.

“……”

An awkward silence fell at his repeated behavior.

With neither speaking and only heavy air flowing between them, it was rather the servants who were dying of anxiety in that cold atmosphere.

Soon the butler cleared his throat, placed a new fork in front of him, and supported Merrien.

“Master. The Saint personally came to the kitchen and was involved in the menu selection. She said that not only healing, but diet is also important.”

‘That’s right, that’s right.’

Nodding her head, Merrien quickly lowered her eyes pretending to be sad. Until then, Ariel hadn’t even looked at her.

“I prepared this since yesterday thinking of your body, but if you won’t eat it, well, there’s nothing I can do. It’s your loss if your recovery takes longer.”

‘It’s not even my body, right?’

Nom-. Now deciding to change her persuasion tactics, Merrien stabbed the cabbage in front of her with her fork and put it in her mouth.

“Ah, it’s so fresh and delicious!”

She exclaimed unnecessarily, pretending it was tasty.

Actually, it wouldn’t help at all and was just meant to provoke him.

“……”

Only then did Ariel pick up his fork with trembling hands.

‘Don’t be picky and chew thoroughly like a good boy.’

Confident in her victory, Merrien proudly crossed her arms and met his eyes.

When he finally started gulping down the fish, she even clapped her hands and praised him.

“Oh my, eating so well!”

“…Already has me on a leash, I see.”