The Villainess Who Accidentally Stole Their Hearts - Chapter 13
Chapter 7.1
“Em—!”
Leonard stopped, hesitating as he tried to call out his lover’s name.
Emma shook her head slightly, her face pale.
“It’s best if we keep our relationship a secret.”
“Why?”
“The moment Lady Nikaearsha knows you’re my lover, she’ll start treating you like one of her servants too.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I don’t want someone as wonderful as you to be mistreated because of me…”
Emma’s voice broke, her eyes welling with tears. To comfort her, Leonard reluctantly nodded, though he was reluctant to do so.
‘Emma, you’re trying to protect me, even in this situation…’
Leonard clenched his jaw.
Emma always told him she was fine, even though she’d been looking more worn out each day.
“You haven’t been sleeping well, Emma. Is something bothering you?”
“What are you talking about? Nothing’s going on.”
“Emma.”
“More importantly… have you met Lady Mikarin?”
“Lady Telsi? No, we’re not that close…”
“I thought so.”
“Of course, I’m grateful that she brought us together, but… why? Would you like me to go see the lady?”
“No!”
Emma quickly interjected, insisting she hadn’t meant to burden him like that.
Even though Leonard assured her that he understood, he still made plans to meet with Mikarin in secret. The fact that Emma had immediately asked if he’d met with Mikarin when he’d only asked if something was wrong…
‘Lady Telsi must know what’s going on.’
When he met with Mikarin, he brought a gift and maintained proper courtesy before getting to the point.
“I’m worried because Emma has been looking really anxious lately, to the point where she can’t even sleep properly…”
“Oh… well, that’s understandable…”
“What do you mean, ‘understandable’?”
Mikarin quickly covered her mouth with a small gasp. “Ah!”
“No, I just meant… with the season change, people can have trouble sleeping, that’s all.”
“Please, be honest with me, Lady Telsi.”
At Leonard’s serious expression, Mikarin reluctantly began to speak.
“Well… it’s just… Nike—no, never mind. Forget I said anything.”
“Lady Telsi, this is about my lover.”
“….”
“I know you care deeply for your sister, but correcting her mistakes is also a way of caring for her, don’t you think?”
“….”
“Someone as compassionate as you surely wouldn’t sit by comfortably, watching someone as powerless as Emma suffer.”
Only then did Mikarin finally speak.
“The truth is, my sister has been…”
As Leonard listened, the story grew more shocking by the moment. He knew the Lady of Delosif was cruel, though he hadn’t realized she would go so far as to torture even those close to her to such an extent. Rumor had it she’d even broken a child’s leg.
“I want to help Emma, but I have no power.”
“….”
“Unlike my sister, who is a direct descendant, I’m just from a branch family. With no influence, how could I dare to interfere with her?”
She had no power to help.
Her helpless words struck a chord with Leonard. Fortunately, he had a way to give Mikarin the power she needed.
“If…”
“Pardon?”
“If you had power, Lady Telsi.”
“….”
“Would you be able to protect Emma then?”
“Emma is my friend, regardless of her status. If I had any power, I would have helped her long ago.”
With those words, Leonard made up his mind.
He would secure Akitane and place it in Mikarin’s hands so that the kind-hearted Mikarin, not the cruel witch, could gain power in Delosif.
He had come to the Grand Duke’s residence to fulfill that resolve, but—
“Emma. Do you want to be thrown out?”
He hadn’t expected to witness Emma being harassed so openly. The witch of Delosif brushed back her long hair, crossing her arms with a sharp, dismissive gesture.
“Why do you act so arrogantly when you have nowhere else to go? You’re a loner with nobody.”
“M-my lady…”
“Oh, are you planning to run to that lover you claim to love so much?”
Nikaearsha chuckled, covering her mouth.
“Do you seriously think he’d take you in? There’s no way. No man would propose to a freeloader like you.”
“I… I…”
“He’s just toying with you. Talking about the future is just giving you false hope. You’re nothing but a pastime for him.”
“Why are you doing this to me…”
“Am I wrong? He hasn’t even proposed, has he?”
“That’s just…”
“You can’t even reveal his name, can you? Why do you think he wants to keep the relationship a secret? It’s because he’s ashamed of you.”
Tears welled up in Emma’s eyes.
Leonard clenched his teeth.
Has she been putting up with this kind of treatment all this time?
If Emma had done something wrong, maybe a scolding was justified, but this was outright harassment.
Just as Leonard was about to step forward—
“S-Sister…!”
Mikarin came running over, her face pale.
“Please calm down. I beg you, don’t be angry…!”
Mikarin’s eyes, looking up at Nikaearsha, were filled with fear, yet her resolve to protect the vulnerable was evident.
Of course, that was just for show.
In reality, Mikarin was barely holding back her laughter.
‘What a lucky surprise!’
Seeing something firsthand was worth a hundred times more than hearing about it. With this, Leonard would be all the more inclined to support her. He might even give all the credit to Mikarin, believing that empowering her would make things easier for Emma.
‘Thank you, dear sister.’
Struggling to keep her smile hidden, Mikarin lowered her head and tended to Emma, making sure Leonard could see her concern.
“Emma, are you okay? Oh my…”
“I-I’m fine.”
“I would never presume to question how you treat your subordinates, but—”
“Then don’t.”
Nikaearsha tilted her head slightly, her red eyes gazing down at Mikarin with cold indifference.
“You said you have no right to say anything, didn’t you? Then keep your mouth shut.”
“S-Sister…”
“Or do I need your permission to discipline my subordinates?”
“I didn’t mean it that way… I’m sorry, sister.”
Mikarin bowed her head deeply.
Unable to watch any longer, Leonard stepped in.
“That’s enough, Lady Delosif.”
Nikaearsha turned her gaze to him. Seeing his own reflection in her blood-red eyes, Leonard felt as if he could hardly breathe.
“Why? Isn’t a witch supposed to act like one?”
“…I spoke out of turn.”
“Hm. You’re the one who said Mikarin would bring Akitane, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Let’s go inside.”
Nikaearsha led the way.
Leonard was dumbfounded by the way she treated him as if he were her guest.
‘At least it’s a relief that she’s shifted her attention from Emma.’
His gaze shifted to Emma.
Seeing her tearful expression made his heart ache.
At that moment, Mikarin sighed in relief and whispered quietly.
“To think my sister forgave Emma so quickly… It’s a relief.”
“Do you call this forgiving quickly?”
“Normally, she’d keep her kneeling until nightfall.”
“What…?”
“It seems she wants to make a good impression on you since you brought Akitane, Lord Leonard.”
Leonard furrowed his brow.
“As if that would make me think any better of her.”
“My sister has no idea what kind of relationship you have with Emma.”
Her words brought back Nikaearsha’s earlier taunts, mocking Emma as if she had nowhere to go, saying her lover only saw her as a passing amusement.
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