I Became the Villain’s Childhood Friend - Chapter 9

Reynold, who tapped his bag with a confident expression, grabbed Paul’s hand again.

 

Paul’s expression when he saw Reynold like that had already softened.

 

The thing is, my feelings weren’t that different from Paul’s.

 

…I think it’s a little cute.

 

Looking at Reynold, it was a feeling I had never felt before.

 

Is it because I received an apology three times from someone who didn’t seem to apologize at all?

 

An overwhelming feeling of guilt began to weigh on my heart.

 

My heart, which had been beating thump before, started beating more and more full of anxiety.

 

It’s just that if I don’t go to the Academy, the problem will be solved.

 

Yeah, I guess that would work.

 

…Could it really be that way?

 

The errands the Madam had asked him to do were just enough for Reynold to carry.

 

One potato, one green onion… Only this much?

 

It seemed to me that he was asked to run an errand to look cute, but it was right.

 

Seriously, it was so cute that it drove me crazy.

 

Originally, kids are cute for no reason, but a child with a handsome appearance was carrying a plump bag and walking around like a puppy, so it was even cuter.

 

I forcibly clenched my teeth.

 

Let’s not be fooled. I’m on the verge of death.

 

Yes, Danae. Come to your senses if you don’t want to die.

 

We wandered around the market like that, then took a seat at a nearby cafe terrace.

 

And for dessert, we ordered chocolate cake, crepe cake, and several macarons.

 

I watched Reynold closely as I sucked my strawberry juice through a straw, and Reynold diligently avoided my gaze, perhaps feeling burdened by my gaze.

 

Isn’t that kid-like appearance actually a great acting?

 

Yeah, why are you suddenly awkward? You even pushed me into the lake on the first day.

 

This, is him pretending to be cute, right?

 

Isn’t it strange that he was fine when he was young, yet he suddenly became a villain?

 

To be honest, the setting of being twisted since childhood is much more probable.

 

Of course, there’s no certain probability in that dead end novel!

 

“I’ll go to the restroom for a while.”

 

At that time, Paul got up from his seat with a wink at the escorts who were hiding.

 

At his words, I nodded roughly and rolled up a piece of crepe cake with a fork and put it in my mouth.

 

The sweet custard cream was very good.

 

However, unlike me, Reynold never touched dessert.

 

Do you hate sweet things? But apparently Madam Collin said Reynold liked it sweet.

 

I looked at him like that and opened my mouth unconsciously.

 

“Do you perhaps, still want to be friends with me?”

 

Reynold paused for a moment at my question.

 

But for a moment too, and he nodded slowly.

 

I asked him back.

 

“Why?”

 

When I asked why, Reynold blinked as if he didn’t understand my question.

 

I spoke to him with a serious face.

 

“I don’t like you very much and even openly avoid you, so it’s strange that you one-sidedly like me and want us to be good friends.”

 

“…You avoid me?”

 

“It was empty words.”

 

Gosh, the truth went out while I was talking.

 

I recoiled quickly.

 

Then I rolled up another crepe and put it in my mouth.

 

Reynold, who was staring at me blankly, started fiddling with the water cup with water droplets on it.

 

Then he suddenly burst into tears.

 

As soon as I saw those tears, I froze cold. All my actions have stopped.

 

Reynold wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and opened his mouth sadly.

 

“…You hated me.”

 

“N-No, that’s not it… ”

 

“Indeed, even if we’re similar, you won’t like me. Because, the other kids also pointed at me as a, a monster… ”

 

Reynold’s throat was choking, and he blurted out the end of his words.

 

At those words, I was completely frozen.

 

No… Author, you didn’t tell me that Reynold had that kind of wound.

 

Of course, I didn’t even think I’d know.

 

With me rolling my brain hard in front of him, Reynold only shed tears.

 

…Yeah,i’m crazy

 

What am I, an adult, doing childishly against such a child?

 

I calmly reflected on my past actions and realized how trash I was.

 

Wow, you mean you’re acting childish like that to an eight-year-old?

 

When I finished thinking that far, I started to feel indescribable in words.

 

There were a couple of things I was disappointed in myself for.

 

“L-Let us g-get along!”

 

In the end, unable to overcome my guilt, I jumped up from my seat and shouted like that.

 

Then Reynold raised his head with watery eyes.

 

The moment I met his completely reddened face, I was overcome with the feeling of being irreplaceable trash in the world.

 

Mmm, yeah. I’m trash.

 

What did you do so wrong?

 

All I have to do is avoid entering the Academy, right?

 

There is still a lot left until the time of entering the original story, and in the meantime, there will be many crossroads to avoid my fate.

 

I tried to turn the positive circuit in my head.

 

“…Really? Then you won’t hate me anymore?”

 

Reynold looked at me blankly and asked.

 

I nodded urgently at his watery voice.

 

I won’t do anything mean to a child anymore.

 

I raised my eyebrows and said.

 

“Yeah, I will.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I… promise.”

 

As soon as I finished my words, Reynold jumped off the chair and threw himself in my arms.

 

I ran a rough stroke through his black hair, retracing what I had just done.

 

Um, so I acted like the original story even though I knew I was going to die?

 

I thought it was right to say that the fate of the land was twisted.

 

***

 

Three days later, Reynold apologized to Serik, who visited our house.

 

“I’m sorry about what happened that day.”

 

Of course, I didn’t think Reynold wouldn’t apologize, but I suddenly realized that he was very different from my first impression of Reynold.

 

“…Y-Yeah.”

 

And Serik seemed to be thinking the same thing as me.

 

As if he hadn’t expected it at all, he continued to look at me while accepting his apology.

 

No, in fact, it was actually like he was staring at me.

 

I don’t think I remember paying attention to Serik. Rather, Reynold was the one who did that.

 

Looking back on my past, there were so many bad things.

 

I approached him with the intention of apologizing to Reynold as well.

 

Reynold then put on a puzzled expression.

 

“I’m sorry too.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

It looked like he didn’t expect me to apologize.

 

Yet even for a moment, Reynold smiled a little.

 

Seeing his smile made me feel relieved.

 

Yeah, so there’s nothing built up between us anymore? Can’t you say something else later? Shouldn’t you be smiling like a rare villain from behind when I turn around?

 

I proceeded with the final stage of reconciliation, asking the future Reynold many unanswered questions.

 

I ran up to Reynold and gave him a tight hug.

 

Of course, since we were about the same height, it would be more accurate to say that we hugged each other rather than I hugged him.

 

When I put my hand up and stroked Reynold’s little head, he completely dared to throw it away.

 

Serik, who had been staring at us, suddenly frowned and said,

 

“Straighten your face. You embarrassed Danae.”

 

I couldn’t see Reynold’s face, so I couldn’t tell what expression he was making.

 

Oh, did I stick to him too much without consideration? There could be children who dislike sudden physical contact.

 

As soon as I heard Serik’s words, I hurried away from Reynold.

 

And immediately issued a second apology.

 

I tried hard to make excuses like, I didn’t know you hated hugs, yet Reynold was dumbfounded and didn’t listen to me at all.

 

Then Serik suddenly grabbed my arm and grimaced. It was the same arm that Reynold had spilled the tea on.

 

Is there a blister or something? Frightened, I took Serik and ran to the duchy’s doctor.

 

Reynold stood there with a blank look on his face.

 

***

 

After that, it was when Serik and Reynold went back to their respective homes. As I watched the carriage pulling away, Paul quietly spoke to me.

 

“Miss.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“That… The day Sir Serik was injured.”

 

I nodded my head to indicate that he should continue speaking. Paul hesitated for a moment.

 

“At that time, the maids standing next to the Young Lords said…”

 

“…?”

 

“That it wasn’t Sir Reynold who spilled the tea on Sir Serik.”

 

“Whaaat?”

 

As I involuntarily raised my voice, Paul urgently added his words.

 

“O-Of course, there’s a possibility that the maids got it wrong because they’re quite far away.”

 

“So, Paul, are you saying that the teacup that was sitting still overturned by itself?”

 

“Is that possible?”

 

Paul, who glanced at me pitifully, scratched the back of his head and continued.

 

“Anyway, there’s something a bit odd about it.”

 

“Ah, Serik spilled the tea by himself on his arm? What does Serik have to gain by doing such a thing?”

 

“That’s true.”

 

Paul shrugged his shoulders lightly.

 

And because of Reynold’s personality, there was no way he could have just watched it. Moreover, he even apologized to Serik.

 

…Or was this what you wanted to tell me then?

 

I closed my eyes tightly.

 

It was too hopeless for me to die gracefully.

 

***

 

Four years have passed since then, and I have turned twelve.

 

During that time, I have changed quite a bit. There are also rules that must be followed.

 

First of all, the most important thing is to either pretend to be stupid to live or die.

 

This was a means to avoid admission to the Academy.

 

Anyway, the ending for me and Reynold was ‘On the day of the Academy graduation, Reynold Collin kills his childhood friend, Danae Lerdonia.’

 

I had already crossed the line of cutting off the connection with Reynold, so I had to make sure nothing else was applicable.

 

In the Empire, the Academy could be said to be a microcosm of society, because all connections in the social circle were connected at the Academy.

 

In particular, it was common for children who didn’t inherit the title to enter the Academy and lay their foundations.

 

Of course, even if that wasn’t the reason, there were many cases where special institutions like the Magic Tower directly scouted magicians among academy graduates, so many students entered the Academy targeting him.

 

What is certain is that being unable to enter the Academy and dropping out will in itself bring great disgrace to the family.