The Villain Wants to Live a Quiet Life

Thanks to the common ground of Emilia, the two quickly became close, and the next day arrived rather swiftly.

If not for yesterday’s events, Tanya would have been devising various means to gauge Ludwig’s character, but how many things in life go as planned?

Watching him water the flowers in the garden, resting her chin on her hand, she spoke in a blunt tone.

“Is tending to flowers fun?”

“It varies from person to person. For me, it just suits my taste.”

“Really? That’s interesting.”

Unlike Emilia, who had devoted her life almost entirely to the sword, Tanya didn’t dislike looking at flowers.

However, that didn’t mean she enjoyed cultivating and nurturing them with her own hands like he did.

If anything, she greatly disliked getting her hands dirty with water and soil.

Judging by their appearances alone, one might think Tanya was the one tending to the flowers, and Ludwig was the one sitting and watching.

Setting personality aside, in terms of looks, she was a noble lady with a delicate, flower-like aura, and he was a noble son with sharp facial features and a cool aura.

But the reality being the opposite was quite amusing.

“When will you be done?”

Ludwig’s lips curled into a small smile at her sudden question, reminiscent of a little girl pestering her father who was busy with official duties to play with her.

This was so different from the Tanya Ansberg he had imagined. He had expected a more sharp-tongued and distant image.

Although the impression of her being an immature young lady remained, that wasn’t necessarily a negative point for Ludwig.

Tanya swung her legs, openly displaying her boredom.

Why did she follow him when he said he was going to water the flowers? Wouldn’t it have been more interesting to tour the mansion or annex instead?

“Hmm… Soon? If you’re bored, shall I ask Paula to show you around the mansion?”

“No thanks. I had enough of touring yesterday.”

Yesterday, while the soldiers were receiving treatment, she had only her minor scratches treated and then briefly toured the mansion under Carl’s guidance.

Although she hadn’t visited the annex or other places on the grounds, that was enough for her, and she had no further interest.

At this moment, Tanya’s only concern was when Ludwig would finish this boring activity and pay attention to her.

“Hey, Ludwig.”

“Yeah?”

Tanya, still resting her chin on her hand and staring at him intently, cautiously called his name.

Perhaps due to her voice dropping an octave, Ludwig momentarily couldn’t distinguish if it was her voice.

“Aren’t you angry?”

“…Angry about what, all of a sudden?”

Stopping his watering at the unexpected question, Ludwig turned around, blinking his eyes.

Has something happened just now? He couldn’t understand why he should suddenly be angry.

“It’s not for me to say, but… I feel like I’m being too annoying.”

As if to quell his confusion, Tanya mumbled twirling the ends of her pink hair around her finger.

Finally understanding her words, Ludwig stared at her blankly before letting out a small laugh.

How should he put it? It was amusing because her words matched so well with the image of ‘Tanya’ he had imagined.

“Pfft. You’re right, it’s not for you to say.”

“Hey, don’t laugh!”

Tanya protested vehemently, her face turning as red as the roses blooming nearby.

He immediately apologized, but couldn’t erase the remnants of laughter from his face and had to turn his head away.

It was quite strange. How could they feel such deep familiarity in essentially half a day?

There was a likely explanation. 

For Ludwig, who had read the original work, she didn’t feel like someone he had just met yesterday.

Moreover, if Emilia was his favorite heroine, Tanya was the character he liked most as a person.

In the original work, Tanya Ansberg felt real and showed a most vibrant charm.

“Shall we finish up?”

Ludwig put down the watering can, pretending to dust off his hands exaggeratedly.

Tanya looked around at the remaining flower beds and, realizing there were still areas that hadn’t been watered, tilted her head.

“Already? You haven’t watered that part yet… Is it because of me?”

A rising sense of unease.

Was he trying to finish because he was distracted by her constant presence and whining?

If that was true, she wouldn’t be able to face him. Although she had been a bit sulky, she never intended to go this far.

As her pink eyes to match her hair wavered, Ludwig’s lips curved into a smile again upon seeing this.

If she was going to be so considerate now, why had she been grumbling until just a moment ago?

He felt tempted to tease her a bit, but refrained, fearing she might burst into tears.

“The gardener will take care of the rest. I may be the young master, but you don’t think I’d do all this by myself, do you?”

Watering and tending to flowers was just his hobby.

He only does what the gardener can handle because leisurely tending to flowers suits his personality.

It’s not that he’s particularly kind-hearted or noble, wanting to help the gardener.

As he revealed this unsurprising fact, Tanya’s eyes widened, and she clapped her hands with an audible sound.

“…Oh? That’s right. I forgot you were the Young Master of the Aiphretz family.”

“Isn’t that a bit harsh?”

“But it’s so different from the impression I got when I first saw you yesterday.”

Her preconceptions about Ludwig Aiphretz had changed twice, yesterday and today.

Until she met him, she thought he would be a weak, lecherous man with a dark heart.

After being saved by him, she thought he was unexpectedly manly and trustworthy.

After conversing with him, she realized he was upright and kind-hearted, but also a bit naive.

How could one’s impression of a person change so drastically in just a day?

It was a strange experience for her, but she didn’t feel it was unpleasant.

“Hmm, is that a compliment?”

“Maybe…?”

Tanya tilted her head to the right a couple of times, like a broken wooden doll.

Though there was a slightly unsettling aspect, Ludwig nodded, saying nothing, thinking she wouldn’t outright insult him.

“Oh, right. Ludwig, did you also receive a letter from Emilia?”

“A letter? Of course, I did.”

Ludwig was slowly approaching her after tidying up the watering can, and Tanya suddenly changed the topic.

She hadn’t noticed it when he was focused on the flower bed, but as the distance closed, a strange awkwardness arose, making it difficult to choose a conversation topic.

The easiest subject for two people who had just met yesterday to discuss was none other than Emilia.

Although the question came out unconsciously, Tanya felt proud, thinking it was a pretty good choice.

“Of course, she wouldn’t not send one to you.”

Tanya, firmly believing the two were a couple, nodded to herself, realizing it was such an obvious question.

‘She speaks as if it’s obvious… Does she think Emilia and I are that close?’

And due to misunderstanding piled upon misunderstanding, even Ludwig, the person in question, misinterpreted her words and nodded in agreement, making it a settled fact at that moment.

“Come to think of it, when did you start learning swordsmanship? I was too surprised to ask yesterday, but I’ve been curious.”

“I haven’t been learning for long. I benefited a lot from Emilia’s teaching before she left.”

“Emilia taught you? That’s surprising.”

As her childhood friend, she knew better than anyone how passionate Emilia was about the sword.

That’s why it was surprising. To think that someone so focused on her own path would spend time teaching someone else.

Does love change a person that much?

For Tanya, who had never even experienced her first love, the emotion of love was an unknown, further away than the stars in the night sky.

“What was your impression of Emilia?”

“Hmm… Well. It’s hard to express in words, but maybe like a sword? A sword too beautiful and sharp to touch? Something like that.”

That was very similar to Ludwig’s impression when he first encountered Emilia.

Tanya’s perception probably referred to the Emilia of the past.

Both of their perspectives on Emilia would have changed considerably by now.

“You and I have something in common.”

“What common point?”

As Tanya, who had been staring at him intently, spoke with a playful smile, a question mark appeared above his head.

“It’s surprising that we both became friends with Emilia.”

“Haha, that’s true.”

Finally understanding the meaning behind her words, Ludwig nodded vigorously in agreement.

Not in a bad way, but neither Ludwig nor Tanya had the kind of personality that would easily become friends with a girl like Emilia.

All three of them were not very sociable, and Ludwig and Tanya’s inherent personalities were, to put it nicely, cheerful, or to put it bluntly, frivolous.

On the other hand, Emilia was closer to being quiet, calm, and serious. They didn’t have much in common to talk about.

Nevertheless, both of them were able to become friends with Emilia, and now they were even conversing about her.

Realizing this fact, they both burst into laughter.

Indeed, how wonderfully strange the ways of the world can be.

“Actually, I’m not good at becoming friends with people quickly. But strangely, I feel very comfortable with you.”

“That’s an honor, isn’t it?”

“Hey, listen seriously when someone’s being sincere!”

She thought she had said something uncharacteristically cheesy, but he dealt with it so nonchalantly.

As Tanya exploded with frustration, stomping her feet, he calmed her down with a playful smile.

Tanya was indeed Tanya. Though she seemed subdued for a moment, her capricious young lady persona hadn’t gone anywhere.

Even Emilia wouldn’t have expressed her emotions so openly and honestly.

Before feeling comfortable with him, it was her diverse and honest emotional expression that allowed for such behavior.

“So, what did you want to say?”

“N-nothing in particular!? J-just saying that’s how it is!”

Why did she go through the embarrassment of saying it if that was the case?

Maybe she was caught up in the mood in her own way. Thinking this, Ludwig stopped pressing further.

– Sip

As he took a sip of the now cold tea and looked at her sitting across from him, Emilia’s face strangely overlapped with hers.

Thinking that his condition might have worsened, Ludwig smiled bitterly.

Did Tanya not feel a strong sense of déjà vu from his expression?

Both of them were picturing the same girl in their minds, but there was a subtle difference in the time flowing between them.

That’s how an ordinary afternoon passed by.

translator’s corner

two simps sipping tea is what i see -w-