The Villain Wants to Live a Quiet Life

Four days had passed since Sofia’s visit.

Having finished sparring with Emilia in the garden since morning, Ludwig collapsed on the spot, gasping for breath up to his chin.

It wasn’t the time to worry about his pride as a man or save face.

“Your movements are getting better and better. At this rate, you might be able to catch up to me.”

“Haa, haa… Thank you for saying so, Emilia.”

“I’m serious. It was really a hair’s breadth difference at the end there, wasn’t it?”

In her eyes, Ludwig wasn’t a natural fighter. His figure was rather thin for a man, and he didn’t have the constitution to build muscle easily.

Nevertheless, from their first sparring session, he seemed to follow her movements well, and in just a few days, his swordsmanship skills were improving by leaps and bounds.

For her, who had devoted herself to the sword almost since she could walk, his ease and learning speed felt almost unfair.

At this rate, he might be on par with her before long. Of course, he would need to supplement his physical strength a bit more.

“It was supposed to be my finishing blow… but it was blocked so easily.”

“Didn’t you say you hadn’t touched a sword since briefly receiving instruction? It’s remarkable talent considering that.”

From her perspective, this man seemed to tend to undervalue himself.

It was beyond the realm of modesty, sometimes to the point where it felt like self-deprecation, and right now was exactly such a time.

Of course, she had to consider that his self-esteem might be at rock bottom because his sparring partner was a swordswoman unrivaled among their age group.

In the past few days of sparring together, Emilia had also undergone a small change.

Originally, she disliked anyone watching her training, so she would spar without even a maid present, but now she allowed others to observe from the sidelines.

She had been thinking about it for a while, but it was just a habit that hadn’t been corrected. She thought it didn’t matter much since it wasn’t of great significance…

“Well done, Young Master.”

“Good work, my lady.”

Paula, with her serious, businesslike demeanor.

Greta, with her more lively, cheerful air.

The two contrasting maids approached their respective masters, handing them water and wiping away their sweat.

If something was interesting, it was how truly different their masters’ attitudes were in response.

Emilia expressed her gratitude plainly as she accepted the water, quietly hydrating herself.

Ludwig, who half-raised his sprawled body while expressing his thanks emphatically, gulped down the water while supporting himself with his hand on the ground.

This was the daily scene that unfolded in the mansion during recent training sessions.

“You seem very tired today.”

“I put in a bit more effort at the end… I’m a bit embarrassed.”

“Hehe, well, what does it matter? It’s okay to be a little weak during training. You’re still learning after all”

So it could be interpreted that way.

Ludwig was inadvertently reminded of when he first learned to ride a bicycle in that other world.

He was taught by a neighborhood friend in a nearby school playground, and although he was very embarrassed about falling and tumbling, his friend reassured him and helped him up.

Perhaps that friend’s feelings then were the same as Emilia’s now.

“Shall I help you up?”

“Ah, no. I can get up on my own just fine.”

Having wiped away her sweat cleanly at some point, she approached Ludwig and extended her hand.

But for some reason, Ludwig got up on his own, waving both hands with a quite flustered look.

At this, Emilia’s eyes widened for a moment as she extended her hand.

‘It feels like he’s avoiding me somehow…’

Emilia had been feeling that the distance between them had grown a bit since Sofia left.

It was the same now. In the past, he would have gratefully taken her hand and gotten up, but now he was avoiding contact with her to an unnatural degree.

Or was it simply because her hands were disgusting?

Her hands, blistered and callused from dedicating half of her daily routine to the sword.

He had told her they were pretty. He had said they were hands befitting her and liked them along with her. She had confirmed with her own eyes that there was no lie in those words.

Reading her strangely stiffened face, Ludwig hurriedly waved his hands.

“Ah, no! Emilia, that’s not what I meant at all.”

“Pardon?”

“Th-that… I’m sorry. For making you misunderstand… But I really didn’t refuse for the reason you’re thinking. Please believe me.”

The white lump still didn’t appear above his head.

Perhaps it was a lump that had no connection to him. Emilia smiled lightly with such thoughts.

It was amazing how quick he was to notice such things despite not having eyes like hers.

When would he know? She was just waiting for that moment.

As she extended her hand again, slightly sulking, he was already standing, so it ended up becoming a request for a handshake.

As Ludwig grasped her hand, his smiling face came into view again, melting the unpleasant lump that formed in her chest.

Like winter passing and spring coming. It was a truly mysterious sensation.

 *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Recently, Ludwig’s feelings had been complicated.

It was as if the single pebble Sofia had thrown and left behind had caused a huge ripple in his heart.

“…wig? Ludwig?”

“Yes? Wh-what is it, Emilia?”

Lost in thought, he hastily responded to Emilia’s call.

In her hand was a paper bag filled with fresh fruit.

Today, at her request, they had gone out under the pretext of inspecting the territory ruled by the Aiphretz family.

The Aiphretz family is a considerably large count family managing multiple manors.

Among them, the land around the lord’s castle centered on the mansion had quite a vibrant local economy, and this marketplace was one such example.

“You weren’t answering no matter how much I called. Are you not feeling well? Perhaps it would be better to rest at the mansion today…”

“N-no, I’m fine, don’t worry. More importantly, the fruit looks very fresh.”

He barely managed to change the subject while hiding his flushed face.

Indeed, the fruit in the paper bag was quite fresh.

Federbarn, the territory of the Aiphretz family, is located in the southern region where the soil is fertile, so the fruits produced here are larger and more robust compared to crops from other regions.

Emilia also smiled brightly, saying she had never seen such large apples before, and the moment Ludwig met that smile, his heart beat violently.

This is all because of Sofia. Those words she left behind have driven him to this state.

He tried to smile back, reciting such impossible excuses to himself.

“It feels nice to come out for once. Maybe it’s because I came out with you, Ludwig.”

“I… see. That’s an honor.”

Emilia, who smiled casually as if unaware of his feelings, even added comments that made his heart sink.

It was truly a troublesome attack. Wouldn’t it be easier on his mind to be hit by her wooden sword instead?

Of course, in that case, the problem would be that he might physically die.

‘Why is she so pretty? It’s driving me crazy. No, there should be a limit to prettiness… Wow, that was nonsensical just now.’

Inwardly spewing out sappy lines that not even a doting husband or affectionate father would say, Ludwig shook his head left and right to clear his confused mind.

Those parting words from Sofia were the problem. If it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t have fallen into such confusion or changed his view of Emilia.

Sending inaudible protests to Sofia who had already returned to her barony, he stiffened his body as Emilia slightly leaned against him.

He must have been like a prize catch if he had been subject to “playing the field” in that other world.

He found it ridiculous that he was suddenly conscious of her every move and his heart was pounding.

The biggest problem was that he was inwardly giggling at himself despite being aware of it.

‘Something is definitely strange…’

Meanwhile, Emilia guessed that there was something amiss as she looked at him.

Unfortunately, her eyes couldn’t see emotions like lies or affection.

The range of what her mystic eyes could perceive was quite limited. Lies, lust, regret, anger, and so on.

So she only noticed Ludwig’s recent movements to distance himself from her, and that he had something he needed to hide.

What was truly strange in all this was that even though his attitude towards her had changed somewhat, his lack of even a single grain of falsehood remained the same.

‘What could it be? This sense of discomfort…’

When she looked at him, she felt like he resembled someone a lot. It was just frustrating not knowing who it was.

When she approached, he would become strangely flustered, distancing himself.

Sometimes he would show odd reactions,

And there were times when his face would turn bright red and he couldn’t even raise his head.

She was sure she had seen someone like this recently… but who could it be?

As Emilia looked up at Ludwig, who was taller than her, lost in thought, a sigh suddenly escaped her lips.

“Ah.”

“Hm?”

Ludwig expressed his puzzlement at the sound that came out of her mouth, but she had no time to make excuses.

She had realized it. Who his recent behavior resembled.

‘Me…?’

It was certain. The one he resembled now was none other than herself not too long ago.

Herself, who thought only of someone, recalled them even in her sleep and spent nights as if she had returned to her pure childhood self.

The moment she recognized this fact, a deep smile formed on Emilia’s lips.

translator’s corner

i want fruit now ;w;