The Villain Wants to Live a Quiet Life

After finishing dinner, Ludwig went to the lake near the mansion without a maid to accompany him.

Perhaps because of the brief shower earlier, the twilit lake was not only dark but also emitted a strong scent of grass due to the exhalations of the coniferous trees absorbing the moisture.

It had a different, calmer atmosphere compared to the mansion’s garden. On lucky days, one could see fireflies here.

The grass that densely covered the ground was already soaked.

Unable to sit down because of this, he could only wander around the lake with a wry smile.

“So it’s already that time…”

Ludwig muttered softly as he picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it into the lake.

The contents of the letter he had received from his father were about none other than Emilia.

To summarize, a reply had come to a letter Emilia had sent to someone, and accordingly, she had to return to her family home.

There were only vague sentences without detailed content, but Ludwig knew well what it meant.

‘It must be training.’

In the original story, Emilia decides she can’t improve her swordsmanship any further on her own and requests help from one person.

That person’s name is Rebecca Sternbaum, a woman who held the title of the previous Sword Saint and becomes Emilia’s master in the story.

In the original, it’s when she turns 18 that she becomes her disciple and receives training.

But Ludwig, who had already recognized that there were many distortions, could easily guess Emilia’s next destination.

‘How long was the training period in the original?’

He couldn’t remember exactly, but he estimated it was at least a year.

Realizing this, a short sigh escaped his lips.

‘What terrible timing.’

Emilia must have received the same letter, so she would surely be preparing to leave.

At the latest, she would depart in two or three days.

It was too short a time to create any meaningful memories with her.

‘Short if short, long if long, I suppose.’

As the differences from the original story had grown, there was a possibility that her training period under Rebecca might be extended.

Moreover, in the original, the male protagonist Christian makes his first and last request for her not to make him wait too long, which seemed to affect Emilia’s training period.

Indeed, the power of love is great.

He muttered with a self-deprecating smile.

He had neither the right nor the position to say such words.

After all, Christian had uttered those lines in a situation where they had realized their feelings for each other and had essentially become lovers.

It was too heavy a thing to say as just a friend, and he didn’t want to shackle her either.

What he wished for was Emilia’s happiness, not his own.

“What a strange feeling.”

Did the Christian in the original story feel like this too?

The only difference would be whether they had realized each other’s feelings or not.

It was the first change that had come to this man who had spent over 30 years indifferently. This is to say that he, who had been confused about whether this was spring or not, hadn’t even been able to determine his feelings.

And then came the parting. Unlike the short separation of three weeks prior, he wasn’t even sure if he could promise a next meeting.

“They say distance makes the heart grow fonder…”

Would Emilia treat him naturally again when she returned after completing her training?

After all, the bond they had built, while possibly deep, wasn’t long.

Everything dulls with time. Memories with lovers, promises with departed parents. Even tall mountain ranges are reduced to flatlands over time.

As he continued to worry, he stopped his hand from throwing another pebble, letting out a wry laugh.

This level of self-pity was almost artistic. Anyone watching would think he was Emilia’s lover.

In a way, it meant he was that troubled.

The man who couldn’t even face his own feelings properly had slowly opened his eyes and was able to look at the person across from him.

Just one more step and perhaps some small change might occur.

But this was impossible. He couldn’t burden her until the very end as she was leaving.

– Rustle.

“…?”

In the darkness where even flowing water was hard to discern, he heard the sound of grass rustling behind him as he stared blankly at the lake.

Perhaps because the rain had just passed, the wind was still quite sharp, so he thought it must be the sound of branches swaying and turned his head.

“So you were here.”

“E-Emilia? How did you…”

However, contrary to his expectations, standing there was not tall vegetation or thick grass, but a woman.

Emilia, holding her wind-blown hair, slowly approached him.

‘How strange.’

Until just a moment ago, he couldn’t even distinguish the lake water from the grass on the ground.

But what kind of magic was this? Under this pitch-black sky where even moonlight was obscured by clouds, her figure was shining nobly.

Perhaps something had happened to his eyes. That’s what Ludwig surmised.

“Paula told me. She said you would have come here.”

“I see.”

Well, there was no one else Emilia would readily ask about his whereabouts except Paula.

And, amazingly, Paula guessed correctly considering he didn’t even tell her where he was going when he left.

“Do you have something troubling you?”

“…Yes.”

If it were his usual self, he would have denied it.

He didn’t want to worry her, and he thought it would only make both of them uncomfortable if he said anything.

Yet, why did he readily agree? Even when he asked himself, there would be no suitable answer.

She carefully approached Ludwig’s side and stared at him as if trying to look into his eyes.

The fact that he calmly met her gaze, which he would have avoided as burdensome before, might also indicate a small change in him.

“Shall I guess?”

“Guess what?”

“What’s troubling Ludwig.”

Emilia asked him to answer yes or no to her questions.

Was she suggesting they play twenty questions? Amidst his confusion, Ludwig gladly agreed to participate, thinking it might be an interesting game.

It seemed he didn’t have the right to refuse anyway.

“Is your worry related to me?”

“…Yes.”

The first question was quite sharp. At this rate, she might guess the answer soon.

“Hehe, I knew it. Can I say what the answer is?”

“You can ask more questions if you’d like.”

“Actually, I had expected it. I was just teasing to lighten the mood because your expression didn’t look good.”

Not twenty questions, but one? Ludwig was surprised to learn that she had seen through his thoughts from the beginning.

Perhaps his expression was visible even in this darkness. Emilia chuckled and moved closer to him.

“Ludwig. Will you look at me for a moment?”

“You’re too close.”

“In times like these, it’s virtuous to look without saying anything. Anyway…”

As he mumbled with a playful smile, her response was tinged with gruffness.

In the past, he wouldn’t have even been able to joke. This conversation proved how much closer the two had become.

“You’ve heard, right? I… I’m leaving this place for a while.”

“It’s unfortunate. We didn’t even get to make many memories.”

“I know. Part of me wants to ignore the letter and stay here longer.”

If that happened, Rebecca would be beyond bewildered.

Sending a letter asking to be taken as a disciple, but then going silent when she received an acceptance reply.

Given her near-wild temperament, she might even think she had been insulted and raid Emilia’s family home.

Ludwig held back a laugh as he imagined this scenario.

While it would be welcome for him, it was clear that it wouldn’t have any positive impact on Emilia’s future.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

“I know. Because it’s you, not anyone else. I was certain you’d care more about my future than our parting.”

Emilia didn’t seek him out hoping he would ask her to stay.

Rather, she had already resolved to leave.

Because she wanted to become a woman worthy of him above all else, she had decided to hone herself and accept this temporary parting, looking forward to the day when she would face him again.

However, the reason she sought him out was simple.

“Ludwig. When I finish my training, I’ll definitely return here. I’ll come here first, not to my home, the Bayemühren family.”

Why? She didn’t know the reason. It was just her instinct that cried out so.

Just like how she couldn’t endure their brief parting before, this time she thought he might be smiling sadly, unable to soothe the regret of parting.

The moment she opened the letter and was told that a reply had come for her, rather than worrying about parting with him, she first thought of him being sad about the parting.

His heart, his voice that had always comforted her.

She thought that just for today, he may cry alone.

“I’m sorry, Emilia. I wanted to hide it… but it’s not as easy as I thought.”

“Why should feeling sad about parting with a friend be a sin? I’m rather grateful for it.”

“…”

He wanted to say that wasn’t all he was sorry for, but the words that barely failed to pass his throat circled in his chest.

Nothing has changed at all. He felt like cursing at himself for being so pathetic.

“Ludwig.”

“Yes, Emilia.”

“This time, will you reassure me? That you’ll look forward to our reunion, but never be sad while waiting.”

“…I swear.”

This was all he could do for her at present.

Nothing but reassuring her as she gave him a firm promise like a noble knight pledging loyalty to their lord.

Perhaps because he had bitten his lip deeply, the taste of blood filled his mouth.

He felt grateful that the moonlight could not have revealed this. Otherwise, Emilia would surely have noticed.

“I promise.”

Emilia took his right hand and raised it, interlocking their pinky fingers.

With a benevolent smile, as if a mother reassuring her only son before embarking on a long journey, she said:

“I won’t make you wait long.”

She turned what should have been her request into a promise and gave it to Ludwig instead.

As the moon, hidden behind clouds, slowly revealed itself, her pastel blue eyes shone brilliantly.

Not the colorless lake flowing in the darkness, but a lake as blue as the open seas.

Ludwig, unable to think of anything, dove and started swimming, hoping time would pass quickly.

Perhaps the only regret was that he couldn’t show her the fireflies.

Well, he could show her when they meet again. They had plenty of time, after all.

translator’s corner

woo chapter 30 -w-