The Villain Wants to Live a Quiet Life

As Ludwig was about to head to his room, he was called by his father Carl, and redirected his steps to the study.

It was a space that existed more for reading books and accumulating knowledge rather than a personal space to catch one’s breath.

With the books densely packed, it was enough to give an eerie air to the room, even considering it was his father’s collection.

There’s always a peculiar smell that tickles one’s nose when entering this place, a mix of old paper and wooden furniture.

It wasn’t particularly pleasant, but Ludwig found his mind strangely calm whenever he smelled it.

“Father, you said you had something to say?”

“Yes. It’s nothing grand, I just thought I’d have a chat with my son since it’s been a while.”

Carl chuckled softly, stroking his rough beard.

At that sight, Ludwig relaxed and sat down on the sofa, to the right of where he was sitting.

“I hope I’m not inconveniencing you by calling you suddenly?”

“You’re saying too much. There’s no one I’m more comfortable with than you, Father.”

“I appreciate the sentiment.”

There was some exaggeration in that. If anything, it would probably be his maid Paula who he was most open with.

But he didn’t find his father difficult to approach either.

‘No one understands me as well as Father.’

His father was close to being a free-range parent. By family head standards, he was a man with an unusually rare educational policy.

From childhood, aside from basic etiquette and common sense, he never imposed any education on his son compulsorily.

Even martial arts were only taught because Ludwig had wanted it on a whim, and a teacher was invited to teach him.

However, this didn’t mean he was indifferent. If anything, he was quite attentive to his only son.

Compared to the children of other prestigious noble families who were swayed by their parents’ educational policies from a young age, Ludwig grew up fishing with his father by the river.

Although he wasn’t the real ‘Ludwig’, he was able to build a bond with his father through this.

Therefore, he never found Carl difficult or uncomfortable to be around.

Rather, compared to Diana who still saw him as a child due to her excessive doting, he felt more comfortable with his father Carl.

“I heard about there being a small incident with Emilia today.”

A blunt question that struck like a dagger. It was quite sharp just to be asking about recent events.

Moreover, Ludwig was curious about the source of this information.

Paula wouldn’t have revealed this fact. Although she was a maid who liked to tease him, she knew when and where to draw the line.

If so, the number of suspects narrows down considerably. Among them, if there was one person particularly suspicious,

“…It must have been Nilia.”

“Haha, what politician would reveal the identity of a spy? Just assume that’s how it is.”

Ludwig remembered encountering Nilia on the way back to the main building of the mansion after that incident.

Ludwig muttered, having keenly deduced the culprit, but was Carl truly as experienced as he seemed?

Carl burst into laughter without even raising an eyebrow. He didn’t seem to have any intention of denying it, as he didn’t refute it separately.

“Even if you’re smitten, try to restrain yourself a bit in front of others.”

“Father, you know. You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Ahem. What do you mean?”

He, who had been managing his expressions well until just now, started clearing his throat while avoiding eye contact.

“Sigh…” 

A short sigh escaped Ludwig’s lips.

He knew better than anyone that he had no intention of advancing his relationship with Emilia any differently.

Nevertheless, saying such things seemed to be purely to tease him.

Or perhaps it was just probing. Either way, it wasn’t a particularly welcome conversation for him.

“Are you feeling unsettled after rejecting one girl?”

Although he hadn’t revealed the details, Ludwig had already mentioned that Sofia had confessed her feelings to him.

Since Adolf had made such a fuss about it, he had considered the possibility that his father might ask him about an engagement with Sofia later.

“I’m not sure myself.”

“Oh? A man who would normally deny it saying it’s not like that… How unusual.”

From what Carl had observed of his son all this time, he was a child who seemed detached in many ways.

A child who didn’t have much interest in relationships with women, building his reputation, grand ambitions, or anything else, but wasn’t stupid either. That was Ludwig.

Recently, this child has started to change little by little.

Although the change wasn’t dramatic enough to be noticeable at a glance, as a father who had watched him for a long time, it was a change that felt quite distinct.

Even without asking, it was clear what had triggered this change.

‘It’s still a tender time…’

From what he had briefly seen, the eldest daughter of the Bayemühren family seemed to be making her efforts actively, but she was equally naive.

Perhaps it was natural. From what he heard from her parents, she had lived her life dedicating herself solely to swordsmanship…

In a way, they were truly a well-matched pair.

Although there were times when it felt like the positions of man and woman were slightly reversed, if one thinks that this is possible because they are truly meant for each other, it could be called a fateful encounter.

“Watching you reminds me of my younger days.”

“I’ve heard that story to the point of being sick of it, Father.”

“Ahem, just listen. My son cutting me off like this…”

Carl, who seemed embarrassed, let out a sigh and retrieved the story bundle he was about to unfold.

While he might listen to other stories, Ludwig had no intention of hearing more about this particular topic.

After all, even without hearing more, he could sufficiently predict what would come out of his mouth.

Although he didn’t show it much in front of others, his father was quite uxorious.

This time too, he was probably planning to unfold the grand epic starting from his first meeting with his wife Diana.

Ludwig thought it was quite an interesting and touching story when he first heard it, but after three times, it had worn out its welcome.

He might even be able to recite the content by heart.

“Father, what was it you actually wanted to say?”

Surely he hadn’t called him out just to tell such a trivial story?

“I told you. I just wanted to see your face. Seeing my only son walking around love-struck was quite boring for me.”

“Please, I beg you not to say such things in front of Emilia. It’s enough to make my face burn.”

Although he didn’t think his father would actually say such things in front of someone else’s daughter, there’s always a possibility in this world.

Carl grimaced at his son’s actions, who was frowning with a somewhat stern expression.

They say there’s no use in raising sons, and that saying fits perfectly. 

He himself belonged to that category of ‘sons’ as well, after all.

‘I should stop joking around.’

While there was an intention to probe, it was largely to tease his son with whom he was having a one-on-one conversation after a while.

There was something else he needed to convey, so he tried to lighten the mood with a joke.

Although it wasn’t clear if it had worked out well.

Carl pulled out a letter from his breast pocket and tossed it onto the table.

The red seal stamped on the envelope containing the letter showed a crossed sword and rose.

It was none other than the emblem representing the Bayemühren family, Emilia’s home, who was currently staying with the Aiphretz family.

“It’s a letter from the Bayemühren family. It seems one came for you and Emilia each.”

“For me… you say?”

“Open it. You needn’t tell me the contents.”

Ludwig’s eyebrows twitched for a moment.

What reason would the Bayemühren family suddenly have to send him a letter?

As nothing particularly came to mind, he had no choice but to check the contents of the letter.

Ludwig carefully unfolded the letter inside, pushing aside the envelope that had fallen with a flutter.

Soon his eyes widened as he gradually read the content, then carefully placed the letter on the table, meeting his father’s gaze.

“The content doesn’t look good, judging by your expression”

“……”

Although he knew it was rude, Ludwig answered with silence.

Sometimes silence reveals emotions more clearly than any words. Ludwig was exactly in such a case now.

Carl quietly stood up without a word.

After all, that letter had come for his son, not for him. It was up to him whether to speak about the contents or not, so there was no reason to probe further.

Whatever the content, he just hoped his son wouldn’t be too shaken. That was all a father could wish for.

The warm atmosphere from just moments ago had disappeared, leaving only a cold silence lingering inside the study.

Even the smell of paper and wooden furniture offered nothing but discomfort to Ludwig.

translator’s corner

😮 wut was in the letter oooo~