The Villain Wants to Live a Quiet Life

Suggesting that we drink together was a very impulsive action on my part.

Perhaps I was a bit stubborn.

A stubbornness arose in my heart, wanting to make him uncomfortable for telling a lie.

I pride myself on being able to suppress my emotions well, and yet my feelings easily become disheveled in front of him.

‘What was I thinking, suggesting alcohol… I must be crazy.’

Why on earth did I make such a suggestion? I can barely handle myself after a couple of glasses.

If I accidentally made a mistake while drunk, I’d be too ashamed to face the sun the next morning.

Should I take it back now? Say it was just a joke?

But what would Ludwig think of me? Would he consider me a frivolous woman who says things she doesn’t mean?

Even though I knew he was not that kind of man, my mind became increasingly troubled.

“…lia? Emilia?”

“Y-Yes?”

Oops. It seems I was too lost in thought.

Ludwig’s face had somehow come very close. His slightly furrowed brow, presumably out of concern, seemed strangely attractive.

And to think I find his eyes pretty even in this situation – I must really have it bad. Not that I mind, of course.

I smiled in response to his repeated inquiry about my condition, assuring him I was fine, and then asked about his sudden request.

Ludwig cautiously opened his mouth with an embarrassed expression.

I had to try hard not to burst out laughing at his appearance, which resembled a child asking permission from his mother after doing something wrong.

“Would it be alright if I offered you a meal instead of alcohol?”

“A meal… you mean you’ll cook it yourself?”

Flower arranging and cooking seemed like rather modest hobbies for the young master of the Aiphretz family.

Yet, why did it feel so fitting for him? Perhaps it was because I was seeing him as ‘Ludwig’ rather than ‘the young master of the Aiphretz family’.

How strange. Just changing the perspective can make a person look so different.

“My skills are lacking, but it should at least be edible. Of course, that’s if Emilia still has room to eat…”

“I’d like to eat.”

I answered quickly to not give him a chance to back out.

I can always drink with him another time. Whether at a meal or on another occasion.

But it might be difficult to be offered a meal personally prepared by him. Weighing the two opportunities carefully, the answer was simple.

Ludwig seemed to hesitate for a moment at my quick acceptance, but soon he extended his hand to me with his characteristic smile.

“Then, let’s go. I’ll guide you.”

“Yes, please.”

After informing Greta, who was by my mother’s side, we left the hall together.

Everyone else must be spending their time at the banquet. This is essentially a private dinner for just the two of us.

And with him cooking personally, too. I might end up overeating a bit today.

 *          *          *          *          *          *          *

To be honest, I was worried at first.

I was prepared to eat whatever he made, regardless of the taste, but I was still concerned about what I would do if it tasted strange.

Fortunately, those worries completely disappeared when I watched as he skillfully handled the utensils and continued cooking.

‘So this is what they mean when they say a man absorbed in something is attractive.’

Having been mostly confined to the house except during sword training, I often read books from my father’s study.

Among them were romance novels, possibly my mother’s, and I had seen this phrase there.

At the time, I didn’t quite understand what it meant, but recently, I found myself fully comprehending those words.

Humans really are creatures of experience. Stories that used to make my head tilt in confusion when I first read them started to make sense after meeting him.

“Ludwig.”

“Yes, Emilia. Did you call me?”

“Ah, no. I’m just excited.”

Even while focused on cooking, he quickly turned his head when I softly called his name, almost like a puppy.

Ah, I shouldn’t think like this. No matter how cute he seems, he’s a proper man who just had his coming-of-age ceremony today. Such thoughts are disrespectful.

‘But still…’

Even as I thought this, I found myself grinning as I looked at him.

Have the muscles in my face loosened? My cheeks won’t stop smiling.

It’s a good thing he’s not looking this way. If he saw me like this, he’d surely think of me as creepy.

– Sizzle.

Not long after, the scent of wine enveloping my nose made my eyes close gently.

Is he planning to use an entire bottle of wine to cook the meat? What an extravagant cooking method.

I had rarely seen others cooking when I was at home. Perhaps because of that, I realized for the first time how interesting it could be to watch someone else cook.

Maybe it’s just because Ludwig is cooking.

“You must cook often. Your movements are so skillful?”

“Haha, is that so? I’m glad I don’t appear like a novice.”

Ludwig continued cooking without a single mistake, even while laughing.

Although I’m no expert in cooking, I got the impression that he was quite skilled. Isn’t this too much skill to be just a hobby?

I thought his landscaping skills were also beyond what one would modestly call a pastime… 

It’s impressive.

Not long after, he seemed to finish cooking, as he plated the dish on the cart and slowly approached the table.

“I prepared something that might be hard to eat often… I wonder if it’s to your liking.”

“It looks delicious.”

The dish he brought was a rather ordinary-looking steak. From what I glanced at earlier, it didn’t seem like beef… Could it be lamb?

“It’s a steak made from venison. I hope it suits your taste.”

“Venison?”

While I thought it wouldn’t be ordinary meat, I didn’t expect it to be gamey.

I’ve eaten rabbit before, but I’ve never tried venison, so I hesitated for a moment. How should I eat it? Wouldn’t deer meat be tough to cut…

‘Huh? It cuts easily?’

When I gently pressed the knife, the bright red flesh revealed itself along the blade. Was venison always this tender?

I’m not particularly skilled in fine dining, so I couldn’t express it well… but even before tasting it, I already thought it would be delicious. 

As a rule, when a dish is served, the chef’s explanation should accompany it to enhance the flavor.

Ludwig seemed to know this well, as he approached me and recited the ingredients and cooking methods used.

“…prepared it this way, and since Emilia graciously offered alcohol, I added plenty of wine.”

“Ah…”

So that’s why. Of course, wine is commonly used in cooking, but I thought the amount used was quite generous.

Perhaps because of this, the fragrant aroma of wine wafted strongly from the bite-sized pieces of venison steak.

After expressing my gratitude to him for preparing the meal, I immediately brought the steak to my mouth. It could feel the meat bursting with flavor.

He mentioned using apple confit… Could that be why? The sauce had particularly strong fruity notes.

It was delectable. Incomparably so.

“Ludwig, you’re really talented… I’m almost envious.”

“Such praise makes me feel embarrassed. Does it suit your taste?”

“Yes. It’s really delicious.”

To be honest, I hadn’t particularly enjoyed many of the foods I’d eaten since coming here.

I barely ate anything properly until Ludwig returned from finishing his conversation with my father.

But the food he made was truly succulent, beyond just satisfying hunger. I probably would have said the same even if I had been full.

“Are you feeling better now, Emilia?”

“I-I wasn’t particularly in a bad mood.”

It seems I had forgotten about his presence and focused solely on eating without realizing it.

Ludwig asked this while watching me contentedly with his chin resting on his hand. My face suddenly flushed, and I responded grumpily without thinking.

At that, he laughed as if soothing a child, saying he understood.

What does he understand? He doesn’t know anything.

Feeling inexplicably annoyed, I finished the remaining steak with a pout. I had no time to worry about etiquette.

“Eat slowly, Emilia. You might get indigestion… Huh?”

He, who was trying to calm me down, suddenly widened his eyes, just like when we first met.

The reason was simple. I made a move.

I grabbed his wrist with both hands and brought it close to my face.

It was very amusing to see his expression change in real time as his hand got closer to me. But it’s not over yet.

“What should we do, Ludwig? I think I’m a bit drunk from the wine in the food.”

“T-That can’t be. It should have all evaporated during cooking… Emilia!?”

His voice cracked.

Making such a fuss when we haven’t even touched. A true man should show composure in situations like this.

But it’s Ludwig after all. Even in this situation, the cloud floating above his head was filled only with confusion.

Couldn’t he think about something else, even a little? It feels like I’m the only one thinking about him. Well, it might not be just a feeling, but a fact.

“It was very delicious, Ludwig. So much that I want to eat it every day.”

“I-I’m glad you enjoyed it. But your hand…”

“Can’t you help a drunk woman? That’s too cruel.”

“W-Well, Emilia is weak to alcohol, so… No, even so, this is…”

I wonder how he knows I’m weak to alcohol. For some reason, he seems to know my likes and dislikes.

Of course, I know you well too, Ludwig.

How your face turns bright red when I suddenly approach you like this.

How you cherish me but maintain a pure heart without any ill intentions.

How you love flowers, are good at cooking, are polite and upright, yet view yourself with such humility

But I want to know you a bit more. This isn’t enough.

Your wrist that I’m holding tightly with both hands. I can feel your heartbeat pulse.

Won’t this thumping sound tell me something? I listened for a moment, then let go of his hand with a small laugh.

I didn’t think he would like it if I kept holding onto his hand.

– Grasp.

“Lud…wig?”

This time, his hand suddenly grasped mine.

It was quick, but was he being considerate so as not to make me uncomfortable? He had a rather delicate and careful touch.

He smiled gently as he looked at my hand, calloused from sword training.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I just thought it was a very hardened hand. It’s a hand befitting Emilia.”

“Befitting… me?”

“It’s a hand that has stubbornly gripped only a sword and charged forward, isn’t it? My hand is too shabby in comparison.”

He really is strange. He always says exactly what I want to hear and makes me discover things about myself that even I didn’t know.

As I thought about wanting to get closer to him, I also felt a bit scared.

What would happen if I became even more unfamiliar with myself?

I don’t know. But I felt that it surely wouldn’t be just a bad thing. It would mean that someone had appeared who could completely change the world I knew.

But eventually, I removed my hand from his grasp.

It couldn’t be helped. If I had kept my hand there any longer, I would have had no way to explain why it had become so hot.

My head is spinning. Maybe I really am drunk.

translator’s corner

…lightweight :T