Becoming the Villain’s Family - Chapter 337

Chapter 337

Elaina might have been a bit unusual, but she still felt like someone of the same age when talking to others. It seemed like she was trying to appear more mature and grown-up despite being just a child.

Ugo, who had made similar efforts throughout his life, understood this well.

However, Luca was a different story. Even Ugo’s own reckless older brother seemed angelic in comparison. The survival instinct Ugo felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced, like he might never see the sun again….

‘I wish I would never have to get involved again.’

Pine cicadas just have to eat pine needles and live.

Ugo realized the truth of the world at a young age. He hoped his father would give up on him, and hurried his steps. If he hadn’t noticed the black object lying on the sandy beach, he would have simply gone back.

‘Huh? What is this?’

Sunglasses.

Ugo stopped abruptly. Only that young lady would wear such an ugly design of sunglasses. They were so large they seemed like they would slide off with the slightest movement. Had she dropped them?

‘…’

Ugo pondered briefly. The poor craftsmanship suggested they were probably just a souvenir from a vacation.

‘They can’t be anything precious.’

But she wore them all the time.

‘Ugh… I really don’t want to.’

Ugo shut his eyes tightly. Ultimately, he bent down and picked up the sunglasses.

Through ‘education,’ Ugo knew that dropping something in front of a noble during social events was often a signal for them to pick it up and start a conversation.

But.

‘Lady Valentine wouldn’t do that.’

It was clear she’d probably just glare at him for picking it up. Noblewomen of her age wouldn’t worry about such things. Ugo had experienced a few times that they just dropped things carelessly.

‘So why am I picking it up?’

Is it because of the manners of a gentleman?

In the face of life-threatening danger, who cares about manners?

He could never afford to get on the bad side of a high-ranking and older Valentine noble.

He couldn’t understand his own actions at all. But before he could think it through, his body moved on its own. It was unavoidable.

“Uh… Lady Valentine.”

He had planned to have the servant deliver it if she wasn’t visible on his way, but—

‘Why does this always happen?’

Ugo scowled as he called out to Elaina.

“What is it?”

“You dropped this.”

“Oh.”

Elaina responded in a dazed tone, completely different from her usual confident demeanor that could skillfully manipulate him.

“Thank you.”

“Pardon?”

Did she just say what he thought she said? Ugo looked at her in disbelief.

“I said thank you.”

Did she actually know how to say thank you? Ugo was so stunned he could hardly think straight, but his mouth reflexively replied.

“It was just something I had to do.”

“…”

“Then I’ll be going.”

As Ugo, unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, was about to make his escape, he happened to notice tears under Elaina’s eyes.

“Uh…”

Had she been crying?

He couldn’t even bring himself to ask. While he fumbled with his words, suddenly Elaina reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

“Ugh.”

“Don’t say a word.”

“…”

“You didn’t see anything.”

Ugo was astonished, but when he met her tearful eyes looking up at him, he couldn’t utter a word.

The grip on his collar finally loosened. Seeing Ugo’s dumbfounded reaction, Elaina released him without a trace of her earlier threatening demeanor and turned her back.

But Ugo remained silent until she had completely left.

“…?”

What just happened? Ugo slowly lowered his hand and rubbed his chest area. He had felt a sudden jolt, as if something heavy had dropped from a height.

More than that, the contorted eyes, on the verge of tears, kept flashing before him.

To shake off the lingering image, he waved his hand in front of his face, but it wasn’t his eyes that were the problem.

The tearful, jewel-like eyes that sparkled brilliantly were etched in his mind, their color deepened by the moisture. Ah, no wonder it reminded him of a cursed pink diamond at first sight…

‘Am I cursed now?’

What is this? What is going on?

But there was no one to answer his questions. Ugo, unconsciously fumbling with the collar that Elaina had grabbed, slowly took his leave and began to follow her.

He felt that if he left her alone, she might cry again.

Despite knowing she would likely hate him for it, he found himself, without a plan, chasing after her as if in a daze.

“Don’t follow me!”

At those words, Luca felt as though he was shackled and couldn’t move a step.

‘Did she know all along?’

He didn’t think Elaina could be unaware. In fact, he knew she couldn’t have been. But she had never shown it, so…

‘She must have hoped I didn’t know.’

But perhaps Elaina had even read Luca’s hope that she would remain unaware of his feelings. If only he could show her only the memories and thoughts he wanted her to see.

But no matter how divine a dragon he might be, Elaina’s power was on a different level. She was destined to be the vessel for God’s feelings someday. There was no way he could control her abilities to his liking.

‘And I wouldn’t want to.’

And this was the result.

Perhaps it would have been better if he had thoroughly hidden everything. Luca remained rooted in place, stuck in a loop of the same thoughts like a broken record.

Endless, meaningless regrets replayed within him.

Dragons cherish and love their kind as their own lives. Because they are companions for eternity.