Is It So Wrong that I Like Seeing the Villain Suffer? - Chapter 19

Naran’s complexion darkened.

Clenching his teeth, he calmly replied.

“Alright.”

Calain raised an eyebrow, surprised.

“What’s gotten into you? You used to just whine like a child….”

“I need power.”

“Don’t speak carelessly when you lack the ability to stop it.”

“They’re sending Lize Allenheim back.”

Naran murmured with a sunken gaze.

“Stronger than Arkle… strong enough to defeat all the knights of the empire if they invade.”

Calain stroked his chin, intrigued.

“Why does our little one need such power?”

“There’s no reason for me to tell you that. I’m not just a child anymore, Uncle.”

Naran’s crimson eyes, looking at Calain, gleamed coldly.

“I don’t believe nonsense like ‘all those experiments were for me’….”

“…….”

Calain’s brow furrowed deeply.

“You little brat, you think you can just—”

He roughly grabbed Naran by the collar.

“Are you ignoring me like your siblings do? Do I look easy to you?!”

Without changing his expression, Naran grasped Calain’s wrist.

“I’ve never ignored you, Uncle. I just told you.”

In the blink of an eye, Naran pulled a knife from his sleeve and pressed it against Calain’s wrist.

“I’m not just a child anymore.”

“You little brat….”

Calain swallowed dryly.

“Didn’t you teach me that a person dies if you cut here, Uncle?”

A chilling smile appeared on Naran’s beautiful face.

“I haven’t forgotten anything you taught me directly on my body.”

“What… what do you want?”

“I told you. I need power.”

Naran withdrew the knife. Calain’s grip slackened, and he let go of Naran’s collar.

“I remember very well what you did to me.”

Naran spat out, glaring at Calain.

“You had fun using me, didn’t you? This time, I’ll use you.”

To prevent Lize from leaving.

For the first time in his life, he had something he didn’t want to give up. Even if it was an ambition unbefitting someone like him….

‘I can’t lose her.’

Calain, watching Naran with an inscrutable expression, nodded.

“Fine. Whatever the reason….”

Calain’s eyes glinted with greed.

“If you provide the test subject for free, I’d be grateful.”

“…….”

He placed a hand on Naran’s shoulder. Naran’s body stiffened.

“Then let’s go. It’s been a while since I’ve played with my little nephew.”

“…….”

“But this time, since the nephew asked first, you shouldn’t act spoiled like before, alright?”

His grip on Naran’s shoulder tightened slightly.

“…….”

Expressionless, Naran moved first without responding.

“Tsk, so rude to your uncle.”

Calain clicked his tongue, his lips curling crookedly.

‘That brat doesn’t know his place. You think you can use me? Ridiculous.’

He only tolerated it because he didn’t want to lose a test subject that came around after a long time.

‘My dear nephew needs a stern lesson.’

Calain started walking, staring intently at the back of Naran’s head.

❖ ❖ ❖

An hour had passed since I asked Juan for the investigation.

I wandered around the room slowly, recalling information about Calain.

Since the protagonist of the original work was Jean Allenheim, Calain was mentioned far less than the Cayenne siblings.

‘The only thing mentioned was how he angered Martha by leaking the Cayenne family’s secrets….’

No matter how much I thought, I couldn’t recall anything more.

‘Was it just my imagination?’

It definitely felt like there was something more.

I felt uneasy.

‘For a change of pace, should I go tell Naran to have breakfast with me tomorrow?’

I imagined Naran’s face lighting up as if he had the world when I invited him to eat together.

‘Cute thing. He’ll probably love it again.’

When I flung the door open, Sylvia, who was standing guard, flinched.

“Where are you going?”

“To see my baby.”

Sylvia’s eyes widened at that.

“B-baby?”

“You’ll see.”

Sylvia followed me, not understanding.

When I arrived in front of Naran’s room, Sylvia looked bewildered.

“‘Baby’ was referring to Young Master Naran…?”

“Of course. He’s a complete baby angel.”

Sylvia stared at me with her mouth agape, but I ignored her and knocked on the door.

“Naran, it’s Lize.”

I was waiting for Naran to appear with his lovely smile, but the door didn’t open.

“Do you want to have breakfast together tomorrow?”

Thinking he might be in a situation where he couldn’t open the door, I called out my intention, but there was no response.

‘Did he go to the workshop?’

But the workshop door was also firmly locked. There was no trace of Naran anywhere.

“He’s not here either…?”

Sylvia also looked puzzled.

As Sylvia and I exchanged confused glances, a maid passing by with laundry noticed us.

“Oh, Miss Lize. The third young master left early in the morning.”

“Do you know where he went?”

“He seemed to be heading to the annex… with Calain.”

Sylvia and I exchanged looks at the same time.

That suspicious man, Calain, is with Naran?

‘And they’ve been together since early morning? Even putting off the workshop cleaning he loves so much…?’

If Naran put off cleaning the workshop in the morning, there must be a good reason.

‘It doesn’t make sense that he likes his uncle that much. Naran didn’t seem to welcome that man.’

I vividly remember his eyes darkening when he heard from Juan that Calain was returning.

Sylvia, looking at me, also seemed to sense something was off.

Suddenly, I recalled Calain’s expression when he showed interest in my healing ability.

“What’s in the annex?”

“It’s where Calain used to stay. I don’t know much because access is restricted, but… I’ve heard there are many curious tools. Like a magic tower…!”

“An ability I’d like to experiment with….”

I felt a chill run down my spine.

‘Surely not.’

I turned to Sylvia.

“Sylvia, take me to the annex immediately.”

“……!”

After hesitating for a moment, Sylvia nodded.

“Alright. I’ll protect you.”

Hearing her reliable voice, I smiled at her.

Just as I was about to follow Sylvia’s lead, I stopped and spoke.

“Oh, there’s somewhere we need to go first!”

Sylvia turned at my words.

“Lead the way. I’ll guard the rear.”

I gave her a thumbs-up and hurried my steps.

❖ ❖ ❖

Bas*ment of the annex.

“Damn it, failed again….”

Calain, looking down at Naran lying on a large bed, turned away and muttered curses.

“…….”

Naran slowly sat up.

His skin, visible through his shirt, was covered in red and blue scars.

Despite his injured body, Naran’s face showed no expression.

His usually vibrant crimson eyes were dark and sunken.

“You really don’t feel anything? Hey, kid—Naran…? Naran Cayenne!”

He didn’t even hear Calain’s voice calling him again.

Naran was trapped in the past.

“Naran. This is all for you.”

Calain said he was helping because Naran was lacking.

“Martha is sharp and smart. Arkle has monstrous strength. But you, Naran….”

Calain approached him with a bottle of unknown liquid.

He roughly grabbed the young Naran, who was stepping back in fear, and forced his mouth open.

“Don’t you want to be strong like Arkle? Don’t you want to be acknowledged like Martha? Come on, it’s a potion to manifest your magical power. It’s all for you. Drink it quietly.”

“No, Uncle—if I throw up like last time…!”

When Naran shook his head, Calain’s gaze turned menacing.

“You useless brat! If this potion succeeds, Cayenne will become even richer—! I raised you with difficulty, so you should be helpful!”

Calain shouted threateningly, gripping Naran’s cheeks.

Tears welled up in young Naran’s eyes.

Seeing that, Calain clicked his tongue disdainfully.

“Tsk—fine. It was wrong to expect anything from trash like you…. You’ll never live any differently.”

With a cold gaze, Calain turned away from Naran. The child, curled up silently, spoke with difficulty.

“Wait, Uncle. …I’ll drink it.”

Calain’s face brightened as he turned back.

“Yeah, yeah. You can’t just be a burden forever.”

Calain hurriedly poured the liquid into Naran’s slightly open mouth.

Naran closed his eyes tightly and swallowed the liquid.

Calain watched Naran’s reaction with tension….

“Ugh—blech…! Cough, cough—”

When Naran began to cough up blood painfully, Calain grimaced.

“Damn, damn! Should I change the test subject? I thought it would work since he’s Arkle’s kin…!”

Naran, struggling to cough, silently watched his uncle’s back.

His uncle, who was ranting, never said the words he wanted to hear.

That he wasn’t trash.

And now, just like in his childhood, Naran was quietly watching Calain’s back.

The same experiments to manifest magical power.

Now that Naran’s body has grown, Calain has increased the intensity of the experiments.

He conducted grueling experiments that his body couldn’t have withstood before.

It’s not that it wasn’t painful.

Tearing flesh, drinking potions, injecting unknown liquids—it was painful enough to wonder if he’d die.

But….

‘We were supposed to have breakfast together….’

Thinking about that strangely brought him peace.

Initially, it was to use her.

A saintess with healing abilities would surely be useful somewhere.

But to think the result of using her was simply having breakfast together….

Even he found it absurd and laughed.

As Naran faintly smiled, Calain, who had been glaring at the bottle, muttered.

“It seems it’s no use. I should bring her.”

“…Her?”

“You know, the Allenheim girl. I need to find out more about her healing ability….”

Calain didn’t finish his sentence.

Naran, who suddenly stood up, grabbed him by the collar.

“Her name is Lize Allenheim, not ‘that girl.’ And if you say her name one more time… I’ll kill you.”

Naran’s eyes, filled with murderous intent, were sincere.