The Villainesses in the Romance Fantasy Novel Became Obsessed with me

Yuri limped towards the dining hall. No one she encountered on her way offered her any help. They didn’t even show a hint of pity, as if it was a regular occurrence.

‘So, is this just any other day…?’

It was a clear indication of how isolated Yuri was within her own family.

I followed behind Yuri, who had declined my help, and carefully observed her as she made her way to the dining hall.

‘Ivasten and his wife… And Yuri’s brother and sister, I presume.’

Yuri’s family was already seated at the table, eating. Despite Yuri’s noticeable limp, they did not spare her a single glance. However, perhaps because of my presence this time, Duke Ivasten looked our way and spoke.

“Young Master Damian. Come and sit.”

“… Alright, I will.”

Ivasten spoke without acknowledging Yuri. As if accustomed to this treatment, she moved naturally to the very end of the table. I took a seat opposite her, instead of the one Ivasten had indicated.

“Wh-what are you doing… Young Master Damian…!”

“I choose where I sit. Is that acceptable?”

“… You must be fearless because you’re young. Do as you please.”

Phew!

It seemed this much was within the allowable limits.

Although Yuri was wide-eyed with surprise at my actions, I paid no mind and placed my fork on the prepared food.

“It’s delicious. It must be the famous deer meat of the North. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude once again, Duke Ivasten.”

“… Yes, how long do you plan to stay here?”

“I’m thinking about a month or two. There seems to be a lot to see in the North.”

“Hah. A lot to see in a land with nothing but snow.”

Ivasten chuckled as if he couldn’t believe it and then gave me a sharp, red-eyed glare.

“I don’t know what your intentions are, but I hope you don’t cause any trouble in my domain. No matter how much of a Sinclair you are…”

“I don’t plan on letting people run wild in my domain.”

Ivasten’s words quickly dampened the atmosphere in the dining hall. At that moment, Yuri raised her voice and spoke.

“F-father…! I-I will thoroughly explain our family’s rules…! So, this rudeness-”

“Tsk.”

Ivasten clicked his tongue and spoke with apparent displeasure.

“Wait, Yuri. Come here and speak.”

“… Yes.”

Did she raise her voice because she thought I was being threatened?

Yuri’s intentions were clear to me, but it seemed that her sudden interruption would not end well for her.

“That foolish girl. How dare she open her mouth.”

“Useless and noisy. She should just sit quietly in the corner and eat.”

“She’s my daughter, but… What a disgrace.”

Yuri endured the verbal abuse from her family as she walked towards Ivasten. When she stood before him, Ivasten picked up his wine glass and spoke.

“You said you would teach him?”

“Y-yes.”

“Before that. What did I tell you last time?”

“T-to speak without trembling and with my shoulders back-”

“You remember.”

Crash!

When Yuri finished speaking, Ivasten shattered the wine glass he was holding. Then, with a tone filled with anger, he pressured Yuri.

“If you remember, why are you trembling today? Especially in front of another family member. Where is the honor of the Ivasten family?”

“I’m s-sorry.”

“I told you not to say ‘sorry’, didn’t I?”

Smack-!

“…”

“Straighten your back. Don’t show a lack of confidence. Is what I want so difficult?”

“N-no.”

Smack-

“Again.”

“N-no.”

“Good. Answer like that from now on. Return to your seat. I hope you understand, Young Master Damian. My daughter is quite foolish.”

“… Yes.”

Yuri returned to her seat with her head down and a gloomy expression. Even while eating, her face remained troubled.

‘This family is truly insane. They’re hitting their daughter in front of a guest.’

It seemed they didn’t care about others’ opinions because this was the land of Justia, where the views of outsiders were irrelevant. The rules of the North were always set by the Justia family.

‘… Poor Yuri.’

Despite being born into such a family, Yuri was not treated well due to her delayed talent development. While eating, she placed a hand on her aching cheek. Her family laughed at this sight.

No matter how I looked at it…

‘Everyone except Yuri is abnormal.’

Among the abnormal ones, Yuri stood out as the only normal one. It seemed there was no place in the Justia family for someone like her. She needed a warm place where she could feel at ease.

***

‘I failed again today.’

Justia Yuri felt dejected. Recalling the events in the dining hall, she couldn’t fall asleep even while lying in bed. She felt ashamed.

“How did Young Master Damian see me…?”

Being hit by her father, treated as a failure by her family, and with no one caring for her. He must think of her the same way others do.

“A failure that shouldn’t be in the mansion…”

Slump-

Sitting on the bed, Yuri buried her face in her knees. She was afraid of how his attitude might change by tomorrow.

“I used to have people who helped me like Young Master Damian… But after a few days, they all ignored me…”

Young Master Damian would likely ignore her too, just like everyone else. Because it wws all her fault. Yuri buried her face deeper into her knees. She didn’t want to lift her head. She felt like crying. The slap from the dining hall still stung.

‘Members of the Justia family must never cry…’

As she buried her face for a long time, there was a knock.

“What…?”

She started to hear a sound, like someone knocking on a door. Yuri called out towards the door.

“Wh-who is it?”

“…”

“What…?”

Someone knocked on the door, but why isn’t there a response? Yuri gulped nervously at the strange situation and cautiously opened the door.

Creak!

“Wh-who is it! …Huh?”

Why was there no one here?

“I’m sure I heard knocking… Was I mistaken? I must have misheard…”

‘It must be my ears playing a hallucination game for me.’

Yuri thought that, turned her head, closed the door, and turned around. But as she turned her head.

“Kyah, Kyah-!”

Something big was stuck to the window. It was Damian, who had knocked earlier.

-Miss, could you please open the window?

“Ah, ah…! Y-yes…!”

Rushed-

Yuri quickly ran and opened the window.

“Whew, I almost died. Maybe I wouldn’t have died since it’s snow outside?”

“No, you would have gotten hurt. But, what are you doing here at this time of night…”

Yuri stepped back cautiously, eyeing Damian with suspicion. Even though he had been kind enough to treat her before, it was only natural to be wary of someone entering a lady’s room alone in the middle of the night.

Contrary to her expectations, Damian’s demeanor was clear.

“I came to have a little fun and maybe chat.”

“Wh-what? Chat with me? Through the window, at this hour…?”

“It seemed like we didn’t get to finish our conversation earlier.”

“I see…”

In truth, Yuri didn’t understand at all. Climbing through a window in the middle of the night just to talk to someone like her?

‘Does he… not think poorly of me?’

‘I do want to talk, but…’

Refusing might make Young Master Damian upset…

“O-okay, let’s talk. I’m not very interesting, but… What should we talk about?”

Damian gave her a gentle smile in response to her hesitant question.

“Hmm, I didn’t have anything specific in mind. How about you choose a topic, Lady Yuri?”

“M-me? What kind of topic would be… interesting to you, Young Master Damian…?”

“No. Not something interesting to me. Talk about something that interests you.”

“Something that interests me…?”

“Yes.”

Something that interests her.

Yuri’s mind froze at the thought. She had never talked about what interested her because she had always grown up in an suppressed environment.

“Uh, um… Well…”

“If you don’t know, should I go first?”

“Yes! Please go first!”

Saved.

Yuri sighed in relief, escaping what felt like a torturous moment. But her relief was short-lived as she felt something cold on her cheek.

Just as she was about to scream in surprise,

“Shh, keep the ice on your face. It will help the swelling go down.”

Damian covered her mouth and placed ice on her face. Yuri felt the cold soothe her stinging cheek.

“Sorry for the trouble… Th-thank you…”

“No need to thank me. It’s only natural to provide treatment.”

“Only natural…”

Yuri felt a lump in her throat at those words. Because it meant her family was failing to do what should be natural.

“… I keep getting things from Young Master Damian that I should be getting from my family.”

“That can happen.”

“D-did I say something dark again? I’m sorry—”

Damian interrupted her before she could apologize again.

“No need to apologize.”

“… What?”

“Just speak comfortably. You don’t have to apologize every time. Should we speak casually? We’re the same age, after all.”

“D-do you mean… You want to be friends…?”

Friends.

Yuri had only read about it in books and had never experienced it. The high walls of her family kept people away from her, making the concept of friendship seem like a fantasy.

‘But… Young Master Damian wants to be my friend…?’

So, would he be her first friend?

The one who first treated her would be her friend?

A friend who talks, shares feelings, listens, and finds happiness together?

“This must be a dream…”

“What?”

“N-nothing… Sorry. Let’s be friends! I’d love to be friends!”

Suddenly, Yuri grabbed Damian’s hands tightly with both of hers.

“I really want to be friends! Let’s be friends!”

“Alright, let’s be friends. But… Is your arm okay? It was broken last time—”

“Ah, it’s fine…!”

Hehe.

Yuri smiled happily.

“It hurts, but I’m happier…!”

“… I see.”

Hearing that, Damian realized one thing. Among the abnormal, those who seem normal must have something broken within them.

‘Should I call it blind faith…? Should I say it’s a good thing?’

While Yuri was kind and pure, she also had a broken part within her.

“Once friends, always friends…! Oh, no, sorry…! I got too excited, hehe…”

“…”

Watching her, Damian felt the same sticky feeling he had with Nadia. However, for Yuri’s sake, Damian decided to be her friend, talking with her until the warm morning light came, so she could feel happiness.

“Let’s talk again tomorrow, if we can…!”

Being friends was harder than he thought.