The Villain's Sister - Chapter 74

Giselle cried for him.

Not for Tristan Lindbergh, but for Johan Müller.

A strange exhilaration spread through his whole body with each heartbeat.

He felt like trash, yet Johan, as if possessed, reached out and brushed the reddened corners of her eyes.

When their skin touched, Giselle flinched briefly but didn’t push him away.

“Were you worried about me?”

“Is that even a question?”

His fingers slowly stroked from the skin near her eyelids to the corners of her eyes, then moved to cup her cheek.

The soft touch of her white cheek made his chest ticklish.

It felt like something was sprouting from deep inside his heart.

His gaze fixed on her tightly closed lips.

Had he not controlled himself, his hand might have slid across them.

“Even though we’ve only known each other for a few days?”

Just as he had felt uneasy seeing Tristan Lindbergh in the rain that day, he wanted her to feel uneasy because of him.

A vile desire crept up inside him.

Johan thought himself pathetic, but the presence of that ugly desire grew so strong he couldn’t deny it.

“Don’t say such foolish things.”

“So you really were worried about me?”

Seeing Giselle frown, Johan gave a faint smile.

The moment their eyes met, he quickly erased the smile, but it was too late.

Giselle shoved away the hand that had been stroking her cheek and stood up, fuming.

“What happened? Explain properly.”

“I don’t know either. As you said, it seems to be related to magic. But don’t worry too much.”

Whatever it was, he would get her out of here.

Johan swallowed back the rest of his words, keeping them to himself.

“Why are you making that face?” Giselle asked.

“What face?”

“You look happy.”

Johan, embarrassed, admitted honestly.

If it weren’t in this dream, he could never be this open with her.

“Because I feel like I’ve become someone who means something to you.”

Giselle had changed after meeting Tristan, and he had changed after meeting Giselle.

If asked what had changed, he would have to confess that he had become a man who harbored shallow jealousy.

“It’s not bad, being worried about by you.”

Giselle’s face blurred as she held both his cheeks.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, her white hands felt hot. Her slender fingers caressed his cheek, and her other hand brushed through his fine hair.

Johan liked that she touched him. He was glad that the person filling her eyes wasn’t another man.

He wanted to monopolize her. Even if it was childish, he couldn’t help it.

Whether it was right to harbor such feelings, he didn’t know. But by the time he realized it, it was already too late.

“Johan.”

“Yes.”

“Get a grip.”

“Ow.”

Giselle twisted his cheek mercilessly.

He tried to grab her hand to stop her, but hearing her roughened breathing, he obediently let her pinch his cheek.

When his body had frozen earlier, Giselle hadn’t just been surprised—she had been terrified. So his words must have sounded thoughtless to her.

“Do you even know how scared I was…”

“Sorry for frightening you.”

“You’d better be really sorry.”

With his cheeks pinched, his words came out slurred. It looked ridiculous, but he didn’t hate it.

“…Don’t get hurt. Don’t die…”

“That won’t happen.”

“If something goes wrong because I can’t use my ability anymore, I have no way to save you.”

Her breath, tinged with tears, brushed against him. He felt her faint trembling too.

Her voice, weary and exhausted as her tension eased, reached Johan.

That voice made his whole body itch. Johan steadied his breathing, trying not to get carried away.

Sniffling, she said as if upset, “You should experience not just meaningful things, but happy ones too.”

If he had met her without knowing she was Raphael’s sister, he might have loved her fiercely, more deeply than now.

Johan’s heart ached because of Giselle. Clumsily patting her, he thought again.

This moment, when she wished happiness for him, was the first happiness that had ever appeared in his bleak life.

***

While Johan was preparing food good for a hangover, Giselle groaned as if dying.

“It’s ready, come eat.”

“I can’t get up. Can’t you carry me?”

Giselle whined from where she lay collapsed on the sofa.

“Johan, I don’t have the strength to get up.”

At times like this, Johan realized just how much Raphael had spoiled Giselle.

In the end, Johan picked her up as she pleaded.

Seeing her pale face up close, he could hardly breathe.

While he was tense from such a trivial act, Giselle just groaned.

“I’m dying.”

So I’m the only one trembling like this.

After seating her in a chair, Johan stifled a deep sigh.

“Why drink when you can’t handle alcohol…”

He hadn’t known since he’d never seen her drink before.

Giselle was weak to alcohol. That morning, he had cleaned up only two beer cans.

As she drank the soup with onion, clams, and tomato, Giselle raised her voice. “Do you know why I drank yesterday? I was so scared I thought I’d die!”

“Yesterday won’t happen again.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I’ll make it that way,” replied Johan as if it were nothing.

Giselle didn’t ask further. She didn’t have the strength to pry into everything.

“I have to go out later. I have a fitting schedule. Do you want to come with me?”

“Fitting?”

“The award season is coming up. I’m choosing a dress to wear then.”

He didn’t know much about fashion, but he could tell what looked good and what didn’t.

Johan nodded indifferently.

To him, the fitting schedule was less important than telling Giselle the truth.

‘The world resists, so I must be firmly prepared.’

Today, he had to tell her everything.

While looking at Giselle drinking her soup, Johan hid his heavy thoughts behind a calm expression.

After finishing the meal, exactly an hour later, Johan seriously considered whether Giselle was taking revenge for being startled yesterday.

Because the fashion of this strange world was utterly abominable.

***

In a world without gods, sins and screams of the corrupt thrived.

The dress Giselle wore seemed like something only worn in such a world.

“Which one looks better on me?”

Unable to bear looking straight at her, Johan shut his eyes.

Earlier, she had worn a slip that bared her chest and called it a dress, and now her side was completely exposed.

For him, this had crossed the line.

“Personally, the one I’m wearing now looks better.”

“If you want my opinion, get rid of clothes like that and wear something proper.”

“That’s a good opinion too.”

“You don’t mean that seriously, do you?”

“Of course not. If I have to wear something ridiculous, I’d rather go all out—”

“Please stop.”

Hoo.

Johan let out a sigh from the depths of his chest and rubbed his face.

At least on Mist Island, she had dressed decently, so why now…

While Johan struggled, the stylist flipped through photos of Giselle in the dresses and evaluated them.

“In the photos, this one looks more appealing.”

“The velvet matches the season well too.”

“Still, let’s try one more. It’s a vintage dress I worked hard to get.”

“Vintage is good. Wow, I like the feel of this one.”

While Giselle went into the dressing room with a new dress, Johan pressed his brow with his fingers.

It seemed there wasn’t a single decent outfit in this world. They were all worse than canned ham.

Was there really nothing more proper? What kind of dream was this?

“Emma! This is it!”

Giselle strode out confidently, and Johan only checked her shadow.

This time too, the silhouette revealed everything.

Hoo.

On Mist Island, Giselle had seemed trendy, but she hadn’t worn such revealing clothes.

‘What kind of experience changes someone’s taste like this?’

While Johan grumbled inwardly, Giselle discussed earnestly with the stylist.

“Perfect. If we add gloves, it’ll be complete.”

“We should tone down the accessories. They might make her look older.”

“Good. The concept this time is simple and classic.”

The dress for the award ceremony was decided.

Johan’s eyes, darkened with despair, brightened slightly at the thought of finally being able to leave.

“Wait. I have earrings that match this dress perfectly.”

When the stylist left, Giselle walked up to him.

The hem of the purple dress caught his eye.

“Johan. Tell me what you think.”

“You won’t need my great-great-grandfather eye for this.”

“You still haven’t forgotten I said that? You’re more petty than I thought.”

“I’m tired. Please go.”

“How can you say you’re tired when you’re out on a date with your girlfriend? Do you actually want to get dumped?”

He pretended not to hear her childish provocation, but Giselle was more persistent than expected.

She grabbed both his cheeks and forcibly lifted his head.