Becoming the Villain’s Family - Chapter 355
Chapter 355
Of course, the golden dragon didn’t blink an eye and took off, its booming voice slicing through the air before quickly fading into silence.
“Brother?”
And with that, Astin was left all alone in the desolate place.
“Why is there a little kid in a place like this…?”
Just as he was standing there, a woman who happened to be passing by picked him up.
For a three-year-old, Astin was unusually strong.
But that only goes so far.
Standing alone in a vast, unfamiliar forest, it was impossible for him to remain unaffected.
“…”
His Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother—they were all gone.
As he looked around, his lips quivered and large tears began to well up in his eyes.
With tears falling like raindrops, he puffed up his cheeks.
“Grrr…”
Just then, a large dog—though it was too large to be a dog in Astin’s eyes—charged toward him.
Without thinking, Astin gave it a smack on the head.
“Yip!”
“Bad! Oopid!”
He was sad and crying, after all!
Shouting at the dog, Astin let out his frustration and ran off.
Adults always told him to stay put when lost, but Astin was too agitated to remember their warnings.
As he ran forward without thinking, he collided with someone.
A figure, crouched and dressed in a dark hood, was knocked over by Astin’s impact.
“…!”
It was Astin who hit her with his whole body, but she was the one who flew backward.
She couldn’t even cry out, and collapsed like a paper sheet, her basket of herbs scattering in every direction.
‘What did I just bump into? It felt like a rock…’
Maya, clutching her sore arm, slowly lifted her head.
And she froze.
The midday sun’s light, shining like a jewel, pierced through her eyes—right in front of her.
“Why is there a little kid in a place like this…?”
She had collided with the child, yet the child stood there, perfectly still, while she had fallen.
It was an impossible situation to accept, and she unconsciously stepped back.
But as she retreated, the child moved right up to her.
With eyes too clear and large, and a piercing gaze.
“Gramma.”
“Hmm?”
And suddenly, the child called her that.
It was because he thought she looked just like his grandmother, Sabina.
Though they weren’t related by blood, she resembled Sabina enough for him to make the connection.
Of course, they didn’t share the same appearance at all.
Their age was different, and the only similarity was the sharply slanted eyes.
Even that wasn’t exactly the same, as the only thing similar was the long, sharp eye shape, while their overall impressions were completely different.
Unlike Sabina, who kept a healthy, active figure even as time passed, this woman’s skin was so pale it almost seemed sickly, and her eyes were dark and sunken, as though she hadn’t slept for days.
Yet, she had that same distinct aura that Sabina did.
Born with the blood of the Valentines, Astin, who had a particularly sharp sense, quickly picked up on the vague, subtle ‘feeling’ around him.
“Gramma!”
“Grandmother, huh… I hear that a lot…”
She muttered, absentmindedly fiddling with the edge of her black hood.
Like calling her the old witch, for example.
A kid headbutts her and starts calling her grandmother…
The herbs she had gathered were scattered, ruined, and she probably wouldn’t be able to salvage many.
Today really wasn’t her lucky day.
“See? I knew the outside world is dangerous. I should’ve just stayed home and worked on my research.”
Maya slowly blinked, her tired eyes scanning the unfamiliar child from top to bottom.
“By the way, where did you come from? You’re not some forest fairy, are you?”
“From home.”
“Where’s home?”
“Valetai Castle.”
“Oh… I have no idea what that is.”
A castle, huh?
Could this kid be from a noble family with a territory?
‘Well, his face could fit the bill.’
Maya quickly scanned his milky-white face, flower-petal-colored hair, and the innocent gleam in his eyes, which looked so pure it was almost mysterious.
She wasn’t kidding when she’d joked about him being a fairy.
Kids are usually cute, but this child had such an enchanting, lovable aura that she questioned if he was really human.
His clothes were unfamiliar, but that was about it.
‘Maybe it’s some trend among the latest noble kids?’
What stood out was how the fabric and condition of the clothes looked ahead of its time, almost futuristic.
How could the fabric have such a shine and smoothness?
And even the simple garments had jewels sewn into them…
‘No way, could that be diamonds?’
Her face scrunched up at the thought.
A child who barely learned to walk, dressed like this, would surely be sold as a slave as soon as he stepped into the village.
Maya clutched her head in her hands, troubled.
She knew it was none of her business, but she couldn’t just leave it be. The child’s bleak future was so clear.
Though she herself had lived a life filled with hardship and adversity, she was in no position to protect a child.
Unless, of course, she put him at risk by keeping him near.
‘But for a little while, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?’
With a deep sigh, Maya made her decision.
“This place is dangerous. There are wild beasts around.”
“Ung, scawy.”
Though Astin had just punched one of those beasts out of his way, he was completely unaware of it.
Instead, he was focused only on the fact that he had lost his parents, brother, and sister.
“So, I’ll take you home… Well, I can’t really be responsible, but… I guess I’ll take responsibility.”
Maya said decisively, though it was clear she wasn’t entirely convinced of her own words.
After all, she was just doing the right thing.
Hearing that, Astin started flailing his arms up and down, trying to explain his situation.
“Brother here, but gone. With dragon whoosh. Winnap? Kinnap?”
Maya had no idea what he meant.
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