Becoming the Villain’s Family - Chapter 301
Chapter 301
Grand Duke Valentine let out a small, deflating laugh as he released Vincent’s chin.
“It is.”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
“You would have grown up like this if you had stayed with the family then…”
Vincent seemed lost, not understanding what he was talking about. However, Aria remembered Vincent’s future before the return.
Had he been exiled from Valentine, he would have lived in the gutter, addicted to alcohol and drugs, he surely wouldn’t have grown this much. Likely, he would have been small, emaciated, and sickly, barely clinging to life each day, not able to die.
Much like Aria herself had been.
‘Would the Grand Duke have taken care of Vincent’s body after his death?’
Considering his reaction now, it seemed likely. At least he would have gone to look for him later. He would find nothing but a deceased body, a grave, or just some bones.
“Are you making fun of my height now?”
Compared to such a grim future, Vincent’s current obsession with his height seemed trivial.
“You’re tall, why complain?”
“Ha, if I were just 2cm taller, I could have been the greatest masterpiece bestowed upon this earth by God. It’s just those darn 2cm…”
He was really worrying about nothing. That was proof of peace.
Aria felt the same way. She was anxious fretting over small, insignificant things but then she would feel happy again.
Because she was alive.
‘Has the Grand Duke ever cared about such small, insignificant things?’
That’s unlikely.
Aria swallowed a bitter feeling, and heard the sound of a baby’s babble.
When she turned her head, Luca was approaching, holding Elaina.
“Mya! Ddya ddya!”
Like Vincent, Luca’s face was smeared with paint, another one of Elaina’s creations.
Aria couldn’t help but wonder why both Vincent and Luca continued to parade around with their faces painted. Vincent might not have had time to wash his face, but Luca could have easily cleaned it off with magic.
“Both of you need to do something about your faces.”
Luca, who was holding Elaina tight, replied earnestly.
“I was thinking of getting it tattooed like this.”
“You’ll get in trouble.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to ask Drowe to capture my face just as it is right now.”
Luca mentioned the name of Valentine’s exclusive painter and smiled softly. Then, he kissed Elaina’s chubby cheek, adding.
“I’ll show it to Ella when she’s older.”
…Won’t it be embarrassing?
Aria wondered if she should stop Luca for future Elaina’s sake. But, it was too late.
By now, the entire Valentine family was already collecting ‘Ella’s collections’ – Elaina’s scribbles on the wall, her block towers, clothes she wore, and cute hand and footprints made with paint…
Aria could easily imagine a rebellious Elaina during her difficult teenage years because of her family.
‘Ella rebelling, it looks cute’.
Of course, Aria herself was an inescapable part of the Valentine family. Her own ‘Ella collection’ included a bouquet that Elaina had picked for her mom. It was still vibrant due to a preservation spell and was placed prominently in their bedroom.
“Ddya!”
At that moment, Elaina, who had been pushing away Luca’s face with her palm, sparkled her eyes and stretched her arms out. She clearly asked to be picked up.
“Ddya ddya!”
But then Luca’s expression darkened suddenly as he glanced at Grand Duke Valentine. The atmosphere around them tensing with a murderous energy.
‘Could it be that Luca has sensed something without needing to be told?’
Aria asked, hopeful.
“Do you sense anything?”
“What should I be sensing? Annoyance?”
But he was a sacred dragon. She had hoped that, by merely looking, Luca could tell a soul had been swapped. But even as God’s guardian, he seemed clueless.
‘It was just his usual wariness.’
Aria shook her head as if it was nothing.
“Ddya!”
Elaina continued to urge Grand Duke Valentine for a hug.
Aria glanced at him who was standing silently, then picked up Elaina, who was fussing, into her arms.
“Elaina, be good, okay? Mom will hold you today.”
“Mya, uhh. Ddya!”
Elaina was quite a fair(?) baby.
Due to the Valentine family members who almost died from her cuteness, she had established a turn-taking system for hugs. Since it was Mom’s turn just before, today was supposed to be Dad’s turn.
“Hmm, that’s what she says.”
Aria looked up at Grand Duke Valentine, who had Lloyd’s appearance, with a troubled face. She remembered his sharp retort about having a child. And also his dry muttering while looking at Vincent.
“Would you like to hold her?”
Aria hesitated before asking.
At that moment, Elaina, who looked exactly like a stamp of Lloyd, reached out to him again. Grand Duke Valentine couldn’t take his eyes off the baby. More precisely, her deep pink eyes that were the same color as Aria’s.
There was a child, indeed.
‘Did we really give birth to such a being?’
His initial reaction was rejection. A child inheriting the cursed fate of the Valentines.
He heard this world was different, where malice merged with goodwill, so there was no need for any burdens. But the deeply ingrained sense of duty couldn’t just disappear.
The sight of those delicate, petal-like eyes seemed to confirm the Siren’s contamination with malice, making him loathe it even more. He loathed the version of himself in this world.
“Uwee…”
As the Grand Duke openly showed his disgust, Elaina grimaced as if about to cry.
“…”
But, as if never distressed, she opened her bright eyes again without shedding a tear.
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