The Deeds Of An Extremely Arrogant Villain Aristocrat - Chapter 23: The Story He Drew

Mia woke up with a snap.

There was no in-between with sleep and waking, and she was already in the center of waking up when she opened her eyes.

But maybe because of the many things that happened yesterday, her body still seemed to be tired.

She wanted to stay in this comfortable drowsy world for a little while longer.

But she didn’t think it was a good idea.

At once, she raised her upper body and leaned against the wooden frame of the bed.

Then gently put her hand on her chest.

(… still the same.)

She slept through the night and her will did not waver on that.

Then let’s act.

It is a fool’s errand to make a late decision and miss an opportunity.

Mia made up her mind.

“…”

At that moment, she suddenly saw Luke’s image in her mind.

No amount of good interpretation will ever lead to the assessment that he was a “good guy” yesterday.

Mia knew that.

She knew that… but, for some reason, she was still attracted to him.

Emotions she couldn’t even comprehend herself.

Inside her, Luke’s words ruminate over and over.

“───Will you be my pawn?”

She understands.

This is the devil’s whisper that you should never listen to.

Perhaps she’s just being deceived.

She understands that Luke’s words and actions do not come from good intentions.

However,

“… Mou, I can’t do this anymore.”

It was irresistible.

She just can’t resist it.

It was as if once it was dyed black, no matter how many other colors were added, it would remain black.

Her heart could no longer be overturned.

Mia quickly got dressed.

Not in a chaotic sense.

Each of her actions were efficient and yet she did it quickly.

Finally, she stood in front of the mirror and brushed her hair.

She then carefully arranged her bangs, and done.

She opened the door.

She walked briskly toward Luke’s room.

It was good at first.

Gradually, however, she lost her speed.

“W-what am I going to say…”

Her emotions involuntarily made her speak.

It was at that moment that she came to herself.

(A-am I crazy?! To visit a man’s room so early in the morning, what am I thinking!? Asking to be his “pawn”…!? People will think I’m crazy!!)

Mia felt the urge to scream out.

She touched her cheeks with both hands, they were very hot.

She felt her heartbeat spread throughout her body.

In inverse proportion to the heat of her body, her head was sure to cool down.

Her calm, clear thinking was punctuated by the fact that she was not a sane person.

Just her emotions were jumbled.

Still, she half-heartedly calmed down once again.

(But I feel like if I don’t keep up the momentum, I’ll forever lose the opportunity to say it…!)

Yes, she reminded herself.

If she just showed up at the breakfast table without saying anything after what happened yesterday, what would happen?

That would be much more uncomfortable.

Mia tried to convince herself.

“…!”

She took a step forward.

It was heavy as if it was dragging one along in chains.

If she were to stop again, this time she would run back to her room.

That’s how she felt.

So Mia casted magic on herself.

───”Flight”.

At that moment her body softly floated and then accelerated.

She had to get to Luke’s room as soon as possible.

With that one thought in mind, she flew down the corridors.

If she didn’t have any logic left that this was a dormitory and there were still students sleeping because it was still early in the morning, she might have screamed “Whoa!” out loud already.

Coupled with her amazing magic skills, she arrived in no time.

Mia then dispelled her magic and got to her feet.

“…”

Luke’s room was right in front of her.

All she had to do was knock.

But it was difficult for her right now.

Mia then gripped the edge of her skirt tightly.

(Do it, Mia! You’ve already decided! Come on! Come on! … uuu)

She kept repeating these thoughts and stood still in the chilly hallway for 5 minutes.

But then she realized.

Why did she lose yesterday’s battle?

Although Lloyd was definitely strong.

There should have been a clear difference in their abilities.

But the biggest cause of her defeat was, and still is, her weak heart.

Isn’t that why you are here now, to change yourself?

“… Fuu. Fuu… okay.”

And so she made up her mind.

She took a few deep breaths.

Then she slowly reached out and then weakly knocked a few times.

She knocked and then waited.

For Mia, it was a time when a second was stretched tens of times longer than a second.

Eventually, the door slowly opened.

A boy peeks out from the small door.

Luke.

The moment she recognized this, Mia’s mind was stirred as if to say that this was just the beginning.

Her heart was beating awfully fast.

Of course, she didn’t have the luxury of being able to say “good morning” now.

So she said the words she had repeated over and over in her mind that she had to say.

As if reading a manuscript.

“Well… I’m ready. ───To be one of Luke’s pawns.”

“…”

Luke opened his eyes just a little.

This was because of a combination of various unexpected events.

In addition, he just woke up to this knocking sound.

His thoughts were blurry.

For these reasons, Luke was speechless for a few seconds.

However, Mia couldn’t possibly know that.

She had no response from Luke, even though she had voiced her intention to do so.

That’s all she has in mind.

Again her heart was beating faster.

“───I see.”

Finally the word came back.

“I’m glad you made up your mind.”

“… aa”

Luke’s words, “I’m glad”.

It hit Mia’s brain like a drug.

An uplifting feeling, as if everything that had been done up to that point had been affirmed, pervaded her entire body.

It was Mia’s turn to be speechless next.

She just kept her mouth open and made no sound.

I have to say something.

Anything quickly.

And as she was thinking about it───

“───You say the funniest things, Mia.”

She heard another woman’s voice.

The door that was slightly opened by Luke was opened wider by this third party before Mia could understand who the voice belonged to.

“… ababababa.”

Mia’s thoughts stopped there completely.

Why do you ask?

Because she had seen it.

───The sight of Alice, who was completely naked.

Why is she in Luke’s room?

Why isn’t she wearing any clothes?

Why is she making such a triumphant face?

All kinds of questions rushed in her brain, and yet the information she was getting from her vision was truly shocking.

It was something that Mia, who was too shy to look directly at even the part where some couple kissed, could never understand or accept.

Hence she made a choice.

The choice to let go of her consciousness.

Thud, and Mia collapsed.

Alice had no shame whatsoever.

She was absolutely confident in her beauty.

There was not a single thing that made her feel embarrassed when being watched.

“… Why did you come out?”

“Because she said something ridiculous, I just can’t help it.”

Luke sighed and decided that he can’t leave Mia like this.

He held her gently in his arms and laid her gently on his bed while biting back the frustration of having to move her body in the morning.

＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋＋

───Gilbert’s City “Gilbadia”

With its aspect as a trading city, the city was lively and crowded even at night.

Merchants and adventurers from various countries visit this city.

This day was no exception.

Everyone was finding satisfaction in the busyness, and there was a brightness in their faces as well as fatigue.

There was a luxurious and majestic mansion that everyone who lived in this city knew.

It was Claude’s mansion.

Then, the door to the mansion was opened in secret.

Four men came out from inside.

“Watch your step.”

First, Alfred, who was the butler of this household.

“Yeah, thanks.”

“…”

Next was Yolande.

He was followed by a taciturn man named Goldova, the head of the magic division.

“───Kuku.”

Finally, there was Claude, the current head of the Gilbert family himself.

Alfred thought at that moment when the man named Yolande asked him about this place.

—This man is ‘evil’.

Moreover, it was the kind of “evil” that he detested the most.

But───

(─── Tch, I feel sick.)

That aversion was now abated.

Alfred was somewhat uncomfortable with it.

And Yolande thought.

(S-so easy… Marquis Gilbert, he was ridiculously easy. At first he was so wary of me, but as soon as I told him about Luke, things went smoothly.)

Yolande’s reason for visiting Claude was to fulfill the story he had painted “that day”.

It was a story─── a story of making Luke the “King”.

(Fufu, Luke. If there is one thing I have won over you, it is that I was born in this world just a little bit earlier.)

Luke was bound to the academy and Yolande had some freedom.

Otherwise, this situation itself would not have been possible.

Yolande met Luke, a being of equal or greater status than himself, for the first time.

How much joy it was for him, who had been truly alone all his life.

How bright he looked.

He, too, was fascinated by Luke.

(You─── are most worthy of the title of King.)

And that’s not all.

This plan also includes Yolande’s own desire to remain by Luke’s side as his “pawn”.

(By the time you graduate from school, I’ll show you the reason why you can’t let go of me.)

The story was also accelerated when Claude agreed to Yolande’s plan.

So why did Claude agree with Yolande?

Of course, one of the factors was that his love for Luke as a parent was out of the ordinary.

But that was not all.

Yolande’s story had awakened Claude’s inner ambition.

An ambition that vanished as fleetingly as a bubble with the birth of Luke.

It was the “usurpation of the throne”.

When he was young, he too had a burning, arrogant ambition that he was worthy to be the king.

And Yolande’s plan evoked it again.

“You make the military and I will make the factions strong. Is that clear?”

“Yes, I will. I’ll make Luke’s power grow, centering on the magic division. I will ask you to organize the nobles.”

“I heard you were incompetent. It seems I was just talking to a bunch of blind people.”

“Haha, I’m afraid so. ───So, how much can you do in three years?”

Yolande looked just a little challenged.

“Kuku, don’t make me laugh. Who do you think I am? I’ll make an unshakable faction that can’t be surpassed anymore. You’ll be the one to disappoint me.”

“Yes, you can count on me. Well, I can’t stay too long, so I will leave you now. Thank you for your time today, Marquis Gilbert.”

“Yeah, come again anytime.”

“Thank you.”

Yolande bowed deeply and then took off into the sky.

Goldova followed suit.

They flew quietly for a while, and then───

“Hahahaha! Oh, I’m going to be busy!”

He let out a feeling of joy that exploded in his chest.

“If there is anything I can do to help, anything at all.”

“Yeah, I’m going to make sure you work hard, Goldova. Be prepared.”

“Ha!”

Goldba’s reply was filled with genuine determination and confidence.

(Luke, I want to see. What will you do as the King? How will you lead and change this outdated country that relies on magic and promotes human superiority? Hmm, but if I take away your freedom, I may anger you. I also need to bring in excellent bureaucrats. Ah, this is really going to be fun───)

Thinking about the future, where many fun things will happen, Yolande chuckled like an innocent child.