Is It So Wrong that I Like Seeing the Villain Suffer? - Chapter 16

“What does it matter?”

Naran, glaring at Arkle with lowered eyes, spoke coldly.

“Did Martha decide where Lize would stay? As far as I know, she didn’t.”

“That’s not the case, but….”

Arkle slowly began to speak.

“If her place is to change, it will be next to… next to me.”

Arkle mumbled in a low voice, stumbling over his words for some reason.

His ears seemed to have turned slightly red.

Naran looked at Arkle with icy eyes.

“You’re too late. I said it first. Lize will stay in the room next to mine.”

“No. Next to me.”

“Stop being stubborn, it’s annoying.”

“You’re the one being stubborn, Naran.”

“I said it first, didn’t I?”

“What do you want me to do about it?”

…Isn’t this just a petty sibling fight?

I felt a bit tense due to the unusual atmosphere, but their conversation was at a childish argument level.

—or so I thought

“Shut up—! Don’t say my name. It’s disgusting.”

Naran shouted with a chilling expression, and the atmosphere froze in an instant.

“……”

Arkle simply looked at Naran without any reaction.

“Aren’t you going to look away?”

“You’re still as fearless as ever.”

“You bastard….”

A cold air that couldn’t be compared to before filled the space. The pressure from the two was suffocating.

Naran and Arkle were glaring at each other as if they would pounce at any moment.

“……”

I swallowed dryly, glancing between the two.

‘This is…’

Incredibly intriguing.

Normally, one would think to intervene in such a situation, but I was different.

Sure, I should intervene, normally I should, but….

The opportunity to witness a fight between the Cayenne siblings up close was too tempting, and I couldn’t easily bring myself to speak.

“Step back, Lize, from this disgusting guy.”

“You shouldn’t get involved, step back.”

Naran and Arkle spoke almost simultaneously.

I willingly stepped back without hesitation.

It seemed like they were really about to charge at each other without any reservations.

I wondered if I should intervene again, but….

‘They say siblings grow up fighting.’

Not wanting to hinder their growth, I kept my mouth shut.

“Don’t pretend to care about Lize. Don’t act too familiar.”

“Are you done talking?”

“Ha. This is really—”

A chilling gleam shot from Naran’s eyes as he let out a small laugh. Just as he was about to pounce on Arkle,

“Young master—!”

Juan, who came running like mad, desperately spread his arms and intervened between Naran and Arkle.

“Calm down, please!”

“Move, Juan.”

“……”

“Are you planning to destroy the entire mansion?”

“……”

“……”

“You both know that if you fight, this place won’t survive…. So please calm down. Stop glaring at each other! When I count to three, look away at the same time. One, two, stop glaring…! I’ll try again. One, two, three…!”

Despite Juan’s desperate coaxing, Naran and Arkle continued to glare at each other, ready to devour.

Caught between them, Juan looked at me with pleading eyes.

‘Please help us, please…!’

It was as if I could hear his desperate plea.

I had no choice.

I thought I could enjoy an interesting spectacle, but I couldn’t ignore Juan’s face, which looked like he might burst into tears.

“Please don’t fight.”

At those words, the two turned their gazes towards me.

‘What should I say?’

Scratching my cheek, I pondered for a moment before speaking cautiously.

“Uh… what if you get hurt?”

Naran and Arkle flinched simultaneously.

“…Lize.”

“……”

The fierce expression on Naran’s face instantly brightened.

“You were worried about me.”

“No, it’s me.”

Arkle quickly added.

Naran glared at Arkle incredulously.

“Are you crazy? Why would Lize worry about you?”

Regardless, Arkle kept his gaze fixed on me and said,

“Understood. I won’t fight. I’m sorry if I worried you.”

“I wasn’t worried about you! Listen when someone speaks!”

Naran shouted angrily, but it seemed the fight had come to an end.

“Thank you.”

I clasped my hands together and smiled brightly, looking touched.

The two flinched once more.

“Lize is truly an angel!”

“…You’re too kind.”

Naran shouted with a bright smile, while Arkle muttered quietly, avoiding eye contact.

I simply smiled silently.

Only Juan seemed bewildered by the situation, looking between the three of us.

“I’m holding back because of Lize. I don’t want to upset her.”

“So am I.”

Naran and Arkle spoke coldly, glaring at each other and refusing to back down.

“Now, now. I have something to report to the master.”

Juan stepped between them again and spoke to Arkle.

“It’s about Duke Kaline.”

“……”

“……!”

At Juan’s additional words, Arkle and Naran’s expressions hardened.

“Is Uncle returning?”

Arkle asked, and after glancing at Naran, Juan answered cautiously.

“Let’s discuss it in the office.”

Arkle nodded silently.

He shifted his gaze to Naran.

“We’ll think more about Lize’s accommodations.”

“Are you still saying that? There’s no empty room except the guest room on the second floor—”

“Lize Allenheim is not a visiting guest. She’s a hostage.”

Naran flinched at Arkle’s words.

“The reason our sister brought Lize Allenheim here, ready for war, is… because of me.”

Arkle, speaking softly, looked at me with a peculiar gaze.

“So I have to take responsibility and protect her until we safely return her.”

“…You’re going to send her back?”

Naran’s eyes trembled slightly.

“As I said, Lize Allenheim is a hostage. We kidnapped her.”

Arkle spoke with a nonchalant expression.

“Even if the imperial family holds Cayenne accountable, or if Allenheim attacks, we have no excuse. There’s even a rumor that Allenheim is gathering mercenaries.”

“Ha—Martha really is a fool. Doesn’t she know you’re such a coward? Are you scared of those small fry—”

“Naran Cayenne—”

Arkle’s red eyes glinted with murderous intent.

The pressure was incomparable to before.

“Get a grip. It seems like you’re seeing nothing because you’ve been spoiled.”

“……”

Naran gritted his teeth with a grimace, unable to speak.

Indeed, confronting him now instinctively felt like it could cost one’s life.

“Of course, they can’t touch me. But it’s different for you.”

“……”

“No matter how much Cayenne resists, there will be bloodshed if we face the imperial army. Haven’t you considered that you might be the one to bleed?”

“…You’re so full of yourself, it’s disgusting….”

Naran mumbled through clenched teeth.

The veins on his forehead bulged as if he were desperately holding back his anger.

Arkle looked at Naran with indifferent eyes.

“Don’t speak carelessly when you don’t have the power to stop it. War isn’t what a child like you imagines.”

“……”

“Lize Allenheim will be returned. I’m sick of unnecessary bloodshed.”

Arkle muttered to himself and turned his gaze back to me.

“It’s ridiculous for a kidnapper to say this, but… I’m sorry. I’ll send you back soon.”

“But you, the magical resonance….”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Arkle replied as if it were nothing.

“I never expected to completely escape it anyway.”

“……”

“That expectation was never there. It’s just something I have to live with.”

Arkle spoke nonchalantly, but I vividly remembered his pained expression from before.

“Please have mercy, saintess.”

He looked at me with such desperate eyes.

‘Still, if they’re going to send me back, I have to go.’

I liked staying at Cayenne, but if they didn’t want me, there was nothing I could do.

I had decided to endure until Jean Allenheim came to get me anyway.

I accepted the situation without much emotion, but Naran seemed to feel differently.

His gaze, still fixed on me, trembled slightly.

“Lize is leaving…?”

His muttering resembled a frightened child.

I had seen many sides of Naran, but this was the first time I’d seen such an expression.

The carefree smile he always wore like a mask had vanished, revealing pure fear.

Naran mumbled to himself.

“…Is there nothing I can do again this time?”

“……”

“Is it because I’m powerless?”

Neither Arkle nor Juan spoke.

I couldn’t easily find words to say either.

It was true that I was someone who would eventually leave this place.

“Yeah, it was foolish of me to step in without any power.”

“Naran.”

Turning away, Naran left without responding to my call.

I looked at Arkle and Juan, but they seemed to have no intention of stopping him.

I sighed deeply as I watched Naran walk away.

I thought life at Cayenne would be glamorous and fun, but it seems appearances aren’t everything….

Juan adjusted his glasses and spoke to Arkle.

“Then let’s head to the office. I’ll give you a detailed report on the recent matter.”

“…Let’s do that.”

“Wait a moment.”

Arkle and Juan, who were about to leave, turned to me.

“Just now, you mentioned Duke Kaline returning?”

“That’s correct.”

Kaline Cayenne was a figure I knew well.

“When is he expected to arrive?”

“According to the telegram, he’s expected to arrive tomorrow morning….”

Juan looked at me curiously.

His expression seemed to ask why I was interested.

“Are you interested in my uncle?”

Arkle, who had been standing silently, suddenly asked.

‘Kaline Cayenne? Of course, I’m interested.’

If things go well, I might be able to make some money again.

❖ ❖ ❖

Back in his room, Naran was still half out of it.

Lize Allenheim is leaving.

It was inevitable that it would happen someday. The reason he treated Lize well in the first place was to gain Allenheim’s favor after she left.

The plan only worked if she left.

But why on earth….

‘No… No, no.’

Why did he feel such fear?

Naran himself couldn’t understand why he was so agitated.

He unconsciously pushed aside the inexplicable chaotic emotions and focused on one clear fact.

That he had to stop Lize Allenheim from leaving.

“If only I had power….”

Naran muttered, clenching his fists tightly.

Then, Arkle and Juan’s conversation flashed through his mind.

“It’s about Duke Kaline.”

“Is Uncle returning?”

Naran’s deeply sunken eyes wavered.

‘If it’s Uncle… with that method.’

With that, he could gain power comparable to Arkle’s.

In the deep night, two different plans were being formed.