Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

I looked up at Luka, who was following Sion with a chilling gaze that truly made my blood run cold.

“Did you properly finish your lunch before coming?”

No matter how I looked at it, he seemed dressed as if he had rushed out upon hearing the news that I had disappeared.

“Of course. They’re all invited to the banquet at the Marquis’s mansion this evening anyway, so I’ll see them again.”

It was a statement that didn’t quite add up.

As I looked up at him with suspicious eyes, Luka soon softened his sharp demeanor that had been directed at Sion and smiled at me.

I glared at him with all the strength I could muster in my eyes, but Luka stroked my head as if he had seen something very cute.

“You really…”

Somehow, it felt like our relationship had reversed at some point, despite me being the older sister, and I couldn’t help but grumble.

I felt piercing gazes on my back.

I muttered ‘No way’ and quickly turned my head.

Just like last time, I saw my two brothers with fierce expressions as if they were about to push Luka away, Sarah covering her mouth with her hand and eyes shining brightly, and Garnett with a very calm expression as if she was now quite used to this.

Luka smiled at the corner of his mouth, as if enjoying their reactions, and looked down at me.

No matter how many times I tried to explain that it wasn’t what they were thinking, no one believed me.

But in this utterly confusing situation, what confused me the most was something else.

‘Why, why don’t I dislike this…?’

The warmth left by his gentle touch as he stroked my head lingered for a long time.

The boy with black hair as brilliant as the night sky captured me with warm eyes like the crimson sun, as he always did.

The moment our eyes met briefly, I felt my heart pounding fully, unaware that even my breath was trembling slightly.

* * *

Back at the mansion, I headed straight to my room, leaving behind Luka who had suggested we stroll in the garden together.

I didn’t even look back until his voice calling out to stop me faded away.

‘Have I finally gone mad?’

Feeling my heart racing madly, my chaotic mind seemed to have finally stopped thinking.

I sat down heavily in a chair set up on the wide-open terrace and looked down at the incoming waves, thinking.

‘Right, who wouldn’t like being involved with Arzenluka? Who would dare not to.’

I forcefully organized my jumbled thoughts, telling myself it was as natural an emotion as the sun rising and setting.

Luka was as perfect as described in the novel, no, even more so.

Appearance, ability, personality… He was undoubtedly a being who had reached the pinnacle in everything without lacking anything.

So anyone, not just me, would feel similar emotions towards Luka’s unconscious kindness.

‘Luka is handsome, I suppose. Enough to charm even me.’

With a complicated expression, I folded one of the five fingers I had spread wide towards the sky.

“And he’s equally good at academics, swordsmanship, and magic… This is really unfair.”

Saying that, I folded the next finger.

“He has a good personality too. Strangely, others don’t seem to agree, but for now. Where in the world is there a kid as kind as Luka…”

Pushing aside the sudden doubt that arose, the third finger was folded.

“I like his way of speaking. Come to think of it, his voice too.”

His beautiful voice calling my name was truly pleasant to hear, as if my name had been created to be held in his mouth.

“His embrace is warm. In the old days, when he was smaller than me, hugging him to sleep made even cold winters bearable. And now…”

Now that our physiques had changed to the point where I would be the one being embraced by Luka, his embrace had become even warmer.

“Next, he really takes good care of people. I wonder if he does this to others besides me when he’s out somewhere?”

As that thought occurred to me, I suddenly felt a burning sensation in my stomach…

‘Huh?’

As I listed the reasons why people couldn’t help but like Luka, folding my fingers one by one, I felt something was off.

‘Wait a minute. This isn’t the reason why people can’t help but like Luka…’

These are the reasons why I can’t help but like Luka.

After going round and round, finally reaching this conclusion, I felt as if my heart had dropped to the ground.

Heat rose to my face, and my mind was instantly filled with question marks.

The sun was setting beyond the sea, so I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone catching my flushed face.

‘I’m crazy. I must be crazy!’

Whether I looked at the pink sunset or the sun peeking softly over the horizon.

I couldn’t think of anything but Arzenluka’s kind eyes I had just seen.

Something must have gone wrong with my head.

“This is dangerous. Very dangerous!”

I muttered like a madwoman.

I tried to question the compulsiveness of the original story, and I thought about whether I had missed something in the content I had twisted.

Yet I couldn’t find an answer.

It was natural.

Emotions don’t arise with calculated reasons.

‘Did I really not expect it to come to this in the end?’

That wasn’t it. I had known for some time that a red flag was raising in my heart, and I had ignored it, thinking surely nothing would happen.

“Ha, to think this is the result…”

I muttered dejectedly.

It seems a flower bud has finally formed in my murmuring heart.

It was the result of overly consuming the nutrients that Arzenluka had unconsciously scattered.

The sea breeze blew coolly, disheveling my hair, but it couldn’t cool my face that was filled with heat.

For a while, it was a continuous process of organizing the memories that popped up and the emotions derived from them.

Was it because I knew well how Laveria, who had loved Luka in the original story, had ended up?

I couldn’t be entirely pleased with this feeling.

It might still be a fresh emotion, but what if it turns into obsession and desire?

For a moment, I imagined myself hiding in the closet of Luka and Senia’s bedroom, consumed by manic obsession when they became connected by love.

‘First, let’s hide it as much as possible. I must. I’ll sort it out on my own.’

Fortunately, I decided it was still at a stage where I could do that.

From below the terrace came the sound of busy preparations for the party.

I resolutely made up my mind several times until Garnett knocked on the door to prepare for the party.

* * *

“My goodness. You look so lovely, Laveria.”

Sarah, who had reached Ria’s front from the end of the corridor in one step, said with sincerity.

She had thought so since she first saw Ria, but seeing Ria wearing a fluttering pink western-style dress and her fine silver hair decorated with flowers, she couldn’t help but praise her as an infinitely lovable girl.

“Sarah, you look truly beautiful today too. Undoubtedly, today’s party will be for you.”

As Ria said, Sarah too looked even more beautiful in her radiant golden dress.

Today, most of the western nobles would gather at the Einhasil Marquisate.

Externally, it was said to be a party for exchange and friendship, but in reality, it was also the day for the official marriage announcement of Damon and Sarah.

“Sarah, there you are.”

At that moment, Damon, who was passing through the corridor, walked over to where Ria and Sarah were together.

He was wearing a white suit that matched Sarah perfectly, like a painting.

Both of them, facing a major announcement today, couldn’t hide their excitement despite their nervousness.

Ria smiled faintly and moved her steps to allow them to have their own time before entering the party.

“I think Dad will be waiting, so I’ll go to the hall first. See you later!”

Then she added playfully with a grin:

“You two look really good together today.”

At those words, Damon and Sarah’s faces, holding hands, turned red.

Ria nodded and left as they asked if it was really true with faces full of happy smiles.

Walking down the corridor lined with red carpet, Ria pressed her tingling chest firmly.

For a moment, she recalled feeling envious of them.

Until breakfast time, she hadn’t felt that way looking at the beautiful couple, but they say love is like magic, and it was true.

The moment you become aware, the world looks different.

As Ria hurried her steps towards the hall where guests were entering, a voice calling out to her was heard from behind.

“Ria? There you are.”

It was the gentle voice that Ria had just listed as one of the reasons she couldn’t help but like Luka.

Having encountered the very person she should avoid, Ria turned her head unnaturally, like a wooden doll, to look at Luka.

It was exactly the same line Damon had said to Sarah earlier, so Ria was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

‘There you are,’ he said, so does that mean Luka too had been looking for her all this time, just as Damon had for Sarah?

“I’ve been looking for you because I wanted to escort you. Would you entrust your hand to me?”

At those words, Ria tremblingly raised her hand and placed it on Luka’s outstretched hand without thinking.

There was an illusion of electricity flowing between the two hands folded together.

As they walked towards the hall together, Ria was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of unfairness.

While she was so confused because of him, Luka had his usual calm expression.

Annoyed by this, Ria detached her hand and pulled Luka towards her to link arms.

Surprised by Ria’s sudden contact, Luka looked down at the delicate arm linked with his, eyes wide.

“…”

Seeing his flushed face, seemingly greatly affected, Ria thought it was finally fair and smiled with satisfaction as she opened her mouth.

“What are you doing, why have you stopped? The party’s about to start, let’s go quickly.”

Ria laughed playfully as she led the arm touching Luka’s.

Although it wasn’t a forceful touch, Luka had no choice but to be helplessly led by Ria.

Luka couldn’t even think to hide his reddened face, finding Ria, who seemed somehow different from usual, unfamiliar yet new.

* * *

“His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Rayes are entering!”

As the servant’s voice announcing Luka and Ria’s entrance echoed through the hall, the nobles all focused their attention on the entrance.

Among them were imperial faction nobles who had already had lunch and conversed with Luka, and noble faction nobles who were glancing with rather displeased expressions.

Regardless of which faction they belonged to, the nobles couldn’t help but acknowledge what a well-matched pair the two entering the hall were.

Moreover, their linked arms as if flaunting their intimacy, and their faces that somehow seemed to be hiding careful emotions, made people notice that there was a subtle current flowing between the two.

Wherever Luka’s footsteps landed, the western nobles bowed their heads to introduce themselves.

And they were trying to leave a good impression on Ria beside him as well, smiling amiably.

Soon, as Damon and Sarah, the protagonists of today’s party, also entered the hall, the full-fledged banquet began to unfold.

When the atmosphere was at its peak, Damon took Sarah’s hand and walked to the center of the hall, cleared his throat, and drew everyone’s attention.

Ria watched the romantic moment, as if all the world’s spotlights were pouring only on the two of them, swallowing hard.

“With heartfelt gratitude to all who have attended today’s banquet, I would like to share joyful news.”

Damon exchanged smiles with Sarah, facing each other, and then spoke with a trembling voice.

“I am soon to marry my fiance here, Lady Sarah Lechel. If you could all give a round of applause with blessings in your hearts…”

“No, marriage?! What nonsense is this?!”

A cold and sharp voice was heard, throwing cold water on Damon and Sarah, who were smiling broadly as they delivered the happy news.