A Fairy Tales For The Villains

  

“Sasha, Sasha.”

 

The air was hot and dry. My mouth was so dry that it felt like cracked ground. I was awakened from sleep by a hand gently shaking my shoulder. As my blurry vision gradually focused, I saw Estelle’s pale face dyed in the bluishness of dawn.

 

“Sasha, I think my brothers are fighting again.”

 

Again? This early in the morning? I rubbed my eyes and tried to shake off my sleepiness, and as expected, I heard vague sounds of a loud quarrel coming from downstairs.

 

“I will go. Estelle, you should sleep more.”

 

The atmosphere felt unusual, so I immediately staggered up, grabbed the candlestick, and headed downstairs. The bedroom, with the bedspreads ruffled, was empty, and the sound was coming from inside the library.

 

“…The eldest of us is me! I have no interest in your thoughts!”

 

“Are you saying you’ll be a fool for the rest of your life?”

 

Thud! I heard a sound as if something was thrown. I think it was a book. I pushed the half-closed door and went inside. As soon as that happened, the main culprits behind the inter-floor noise at dawn turned around. Aiiish, both of you have such a fierce expression on your faces.

 

“What is going on?”

 

“…This bastard keeps saying nonsense, and it’s scratching on my nerves!”

 

“Ha! You can’t understand because your head is only full of flowers.”

 

“This as- for real!!”

 

Lettis was about to rush straight at Venya, but luckily, he managed to hold himself back, trembling in anger. Since that fight that went physical and I intervened-and got injured— there had not been any more fistfights. At least not yet.

 

“I really can’t see you right now.”

 

While Lettis was groaning and trying to release his anger, Venya stared at him coldly, but he spat out those words and retreated toward the forest of bookshelves. After that, I barely held up his arm and blocked Lettis from chasing him.

 

“That’s just…!”

 

“Please calm down. Why are you doing that again?”

 

After a while, Lettis finally calmed. Although he did not explain exactly what caused such a quarrel at dawn, instead, he grumbled that it was his sixteenth birthday today and that he had been in a ruined mood since morning.

 

We had already stopped marking every day we spent here on the wall. But how did you know that it was your birthday? The answer was in front of the mirror door that I had not seen earlier. Tray cart and gift box. As on Estelle’s birthday last spring, a birthday table including a cake and a birthday present had arrived. 

 

Since last winter, through spring and summer, Viscount Ipolit had not visited this place even once. Until now, all we could see as at least a trace of him was the crystal music box that arrived on Estelle’s birthday and the card placed there. (We found out that day was Estelle’s birthday thanks to that.) Well, Estelle really liked the music box with sad accompaniment. And, apparently, Lettis, too, seemed to like his birthday present very much.

 

“Sasha, look at this.”

 

“It’s a nice fountain pen. But don’t you think it’s a bit… outdated?”

 

“It’s natural. My father used to use it.”

 

Yeah. Lettis’ birthday present was none other than a keepsake of the deceased Duke. Wouldn’t it have been better to just return the whole household if you were going to give him something like that? After all, it’s what Lettis inherited anyway. Of course, I couldn’t make any conclusions about Jerome because I didn’t know the detailed background behind our current situation. His attitude of sending gifts from time to time was doubtful, as if he was treating little children, without giving any explanation to his mid-teen niece and nephews.

 

Hoo, I, too, wish I could get one of my mom’s belongings. The things that my mother gave me and the things that she made, I will never be able to see them again…

 

“I didn’t know I’d see this again…”

 

Faint water glimmered in Lettis’ eyes as he fiddled with the fountain pen engraved with a golden snake on the pen stand. Hair the same color as his eyes, was randomly cut from around his nape. It was the result of a hair salon play. His chin line was getting thicker and turning slightly bluish from his vellus, and he had grown taller, so it was difficult to find clothes to fit him. Neither he nor Estelle were the kind of children who would like those birthday presents. Nevertheless, I decided to keep my word. Lately, this guy had been quite sensitive around trivial things. Originally, he was the opposite from that, but it seemed that his personality was gradually changing while living here. At this rate, I am worried that it will turn into a hot-tempered personality wrecker as in the original novel. Even if I wanted to think that he was just going through puberty, it was not easy to keep a good personality while living in confinement. Besides, wasn’t he a noble young master without anything lacking?

 

Not only Lettis, but Venya, too, was changing. It would have been better if he had made a bit of a fuss or expressed his feelings like Lettis, but Venya seemed to be going the other way. The number of pranks and sarcastic jokes decreased significantly, and he was often lost in himself and quiet all day. Even if I tried to talk about something, I felt like I was talking to the wall.

 

“Venya? Venya, are you there?”

 

Of course, the library was the only place where he could be alone. After checking the spaces between the piles of bookshelves one by one, I finally approached the window. As expected, it seemed that he went again to see Mr. Gargoyle. It must have been difficult to squeeze his body out through that tiny window now, but anyway, it’s great. No matter how many times I called, there was no answer, so I eventually climbed the ladder. As I peered out the window, I could see his gray hair cut in a really messy way.

 

“Venya.”

 

No matter how much I called him, he didn’t look back. ‘This arrogant bastard? If you want to act as a wonderful master, you should do something with that hair first.’ I whimpered and poked myself out the narrow window. I’ve been in and out a few times so far, so I wasn’t scared like the first time. Venya still didn’t turn his head even after I skillfully landed on Mr. Gargoyle’s wing.

 

“Gosh… If we were adults, we wouldn’t have been able to get out of here.”

 

“…”

 

“Venya, are you okay?”

 

“What.”

 

Well, that’s an answer that leaves me speechless. I neatly adjusted the skirt of my pajamas and sat down with my knees wrapped around it. Summer mornings come early. Suddenly, the sky was getting brighter. The sun was rising over the mountain range that was visible over there, spreading a brilliant light in all directions. At the same time, a hot wind blew and scattered our hair. After a series of awkward silences, it was unexpectedly Venya who spoke first.

 

“Sasha.”

 

“Mmh?”

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

I couldn’t say I am seriously concerned that he’ll turn black and a crazy murderer, so I thought of something else.

 

“I was thinking about it when I went on a trip to Vibrato in the past. At that time, Estelle insisted that she wanted me to go too, so my mother and I went together thanks to that.”

 

It was already three years ago. Estelle, who had always missed family trips due to illnesses, was stubborn, and I boarded a ship for the first time since I was born here. I remember being completely overwhelmed by the appearance of the luxurious passenger ship.

 

“Right. I remember that you were frustrated by seasickness back then.”

 

“When did I do that? You were making a fuss about what to do if the boat sinks!”

 

“Because it wasn’t me? It was Hyung.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“It was a mess until father said snakes don’t fall into water.”

 

It was a pretty cool joke to say to comfort his young son. At least I felt that way at the time. It was something like pride in the family, something that only noblemen of noble blood could feel. The Duke and Duchess of Serpente were the perfect example of nobility for me in every way. The same was true for the two children. Then, then… 

 

Venya, who had been sitting stiffly on Mr. Gargoyle’s back, finally turned and looked straight at me. Perhaps because of the mood, dark clouds seemed to cast over the bright sky-colored eyes.

 

“Aren’t you upset? Your birthday passed by without anyone knowing when it was.”

 

It was a completely sarcastic voice.  I deliberately responded calmly.

 

“I’ll get double later, so take note of it. Anyway, since it’s Letty’s birthday…”

 

“Since we’re talking about it, why don’t you make a doll as a birthday gift for him? Just like I gave it to Estelle.  It’s perfect because they’re on the same level.”

 

“Hey, don’t be like that.”

 

I knew what he was trying to say, but I added carefully as I adjusted my posture.

 

“Well, if a person is mentally struggling, they may close their eyes to protect themselves… You only see it the way you want it to… I think Oppa is also–” 

 

“Let’s say other people can do that. Estelle or you can do that. But Hyung can’t.”

 

I shut my mouth and tried to listen intently. Aside from the fact that it was true, it was because this guy was starting to convey his feelings after a long time.

  Gina’s Corner: Happy New Year guys!!