When the Villainess Died, the Male Lead Went Crazy - Chapter 123.1
Anais felt genuinely grateful. She didn’t realize that Phileal had completely turned his back on the High Priest of Death. He had followed her instead of remaining with the High Priest, whom he had once revered like a father.
Before long, Phileal returned.
“Why did he call you?”
“The Emperor is coming this way soon.”
“What?”
“What do you want to do, Anais? Should we stay here, or go somewhere else?”
Anais felt conflicted. She wanted to see Kylian, but she didn’t want to experience the pain he had caused her again. He had rejected her, and no matter how hard she tried, he wouldn’t acknowledge the truth.
She had intended to show Kylian the falsehood created by Lilith. But to see him again so soon caught her off guard, leaving her confused about her feelings.
“Phileal.”
“Yes?”
“I want to see Kylian.”
After wrestling with her feelings, Anais finally admitted it. Tears of sorrow welled up in her eyes, and Phileal tightened his grip on her hand.
“I’ll be right beside you.”
At his words, Anais nodded. Feeling a bit guilty about the crumpled wish paper she had been holding, she gathered her thoughts and handed it to Phileal.
“Let’s hurry and investigate, so we can tell him everything when he arrives.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Why?”
“The Emperor already knows you’re the real Anais.”
“What?”
“It seems he tried to summon you last time, but you ran away. That’s why he’s coming here.”
Suddenly, Anais recalled the dream she had about fleeing from Kylian.
“Last time, your hair color returned briefly. The reason I didn’t mention it…”
Phileal lowered his gaze, looking apologetic.
“I couldn’t say anything because you were going through such a hard time. I’m sorry, Anais.”
Anais thought that if she hadn’t seen his wish, she might have doubted his words. However, the sincerity of what he had shown her made it clear that he was being genuine.
“No, Phileal. Thank you instead. I appreciate your concern.”
Phileal felt his eyes welling up as he noticed Anais’s unexpected reaction. He thought she would be angry at him for not saying anything, but instead, she seemed to understand his feelings instantly.
“Why are you crying?”
“I don’t know… I’m not sad right now, but the tears are coming.”
As Phileal cried, Anais began to cry as well.
“Show me what you wrote.”
Phileal gestured for her to hand him the paper. Anais passed it to him, and without wiping his tears, he checked her writing.
[Please help me correct all the wrongs caused by me.]
“You fool.”
As soon as Phileal saw those words, he cried even harder.
“The Goddess Julias is trying to get rid of you, and you’re wishing for this?”
“If I disappear and Kylian comes back, then that’s fine. I’ve always been a foreign presence.”
“Then what about me? What happens to me when you become so precious to me?”
Anais fell silent at Phileal’s words. She knew he considered her like family.
“I didn’t think that far. I’m sorry.”
Phileal crumpled the paper she had given him, tears streaming down his face, and then pulled Anais into a tight hug.
“You said before that you weren’t my mother.”
“…Yes.”
“You are that precious to me now. So don’t wish for something like this. It upsets me too much.”
At his words, Anais softly agreed, and they both continued to cry together.
* * *
After some time, when they returned to Duke Percival, their appearance was so disheveled that the Duke was momentarily at a loss for words. He glanced at the temple and then back at them before speaking.
“Did you two have a fight, Anais?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why are your faces so swollen? Did that ghostly priest hit you or something?”
“What do you mean it looks like she has been hit? She was just crying. Looking closely, you’re really quite oblivious, Duke.”
Phileal said this while holding Anais’s hand tightly. Anais smiled softly and replied to Duke Percival.
“There was something worth crying about.”
“Who made my daughter cry?”
“I just cried. I was talking with Phileal and got emotional, right?”
Phileal thought he should support her in omitting the details when speaking to the Duke, so he nodded in agreement.
“Don’t let anyone make my daughter cry for any reason.”
“If that’s the case, you should scold the Emperor. She has cried more because of him than because of me.”
At Phileal’s complaint, Duke Percival’s anger flared up again, and Anais laughed.
While it was true that his daughter had come back in tears, she seemed stable now, which allowed him to temper his anger quickly.
One thing was for certain: Phileal was a positive influence on her, which he could tell.
“The Emperor is coming this way soon.”
“Explain to me why I shouldn’t strangle that bastard.”
Hearing the Duke’s words, Anais looked at him with her swollen eyes.
“I know you won’t do that.”
The Duke sighed at her response, feeling powerless even after he had repaired the gate.
“Let’s head back.”
With that, the three of them returned to the inn where they had been staying.
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