This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 46

Elaina awoke with a start, surprised by how bright it was around her. The last thing she remembered was sitting on the sofa, waiting for Lyle to finish his bath, but now she found herself in bed.

“You’re awake?”

Sarah was drawing the curtains open. Elaina glanced around the room and realized that Lyle was nowhere to be found.

“Where’s Lyle?”

“His Grace left early this morning for sword training. He’s already had breakfast too. He told us not to wake you since you seemed very tired, but I thought sleeping too long might not be good for your health.”

At Sarah’s words, Elaina checked the clock. It was well past the time that could still be considered morning.

“Did I really sleep that long?”

“What on earth did you do to be so exhausted? You’re not someone who usually sleeps in.”

Sarah chirped happily. She had initially tried her hardest to convince Elaina against marrying the Archduke, but now that it was done, she genuinely wanted the couple she served to get along well, as any loyal servant would.

Elaina shot a sharp look at Sarah in response to her teasing. “Nothing like that happened, so stop it, Sarah.”

“Oh, but His Grace said otherwise.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“He told me, ‘Thanks to you, we had a lovely night.’ You don’t expect me not to catch on to what that means, right? You know how quick-witted I am!”

Sarah bobbed her head proudly, thinking back to how clever she had been to push Elaina into the Archduke’s room last night.

“A lovely night?” Elaina blinked in disbelief, staring at Sarah’s flushed face.

“And look at that! No nightmares, and you, who are so sensitive when it comes to sleeping, managed to sleep soundly even while sharing a room. Isn’t that proof enough of how wonderful the night was?”

Sarah giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. “You don’t need to explain how great the night was. No need to be embarrassed.”

“I told you, it’s not what you think! I haven’t had nightmares for quite some time now.”

“Yes, yes, I believe you. Anyway, I’ll go prepare breakfast now, so wake up properly, okay?”

With a humming tune, Sarah left the room. Elaina sat up in bed, still bewildered.

‘What on earth was he thinking, saying something like that?’

A “lovely night”—could he have chosen a phrase more prone to misunderstanding?

***

“Why would you say such a thing?”

After finishing her meal in the room and going downstairs, Elaina found Lyle reviewing documents related to the formation of the Knights Order, all while sipping coffee. The servants, seeing the two of them together, looked on with satisfaction.

“What do you mean?”

Elaina lowered her voice, afraid someone might overhear. “You told Sarah we had a lovely night!”

Lyle glanced up at her, looking puzzled, as if he didn’t understand why it was an issue.

“Did you not think that could cause a misunderstanding?”

“I’m not sure what kind of misunderstanding you mean.”

“Well, it’s…!”

It was too embarrassing to explain in detail, so Elaina clamped her mouth shut.

Lyle, seeing her reaction, furrowed his brow, as though he couldn’t quite grasp what was wrong. “I thought it was a perfectly good night. We talked while walking, had a pleasant meal. Did you feel something was lacking?”

“No, that’s not what I meant… Never mind.”

Sighing, Elaina shook her head, recalling how Sarah had blushed after hearing his words.

There was one thing Elaina had learned during the few months she had spent with Lyle:

Lyle was incredibly smart when it came to strategy and planning. His ability to anticipate every possible outcome was likely a survival instinct honed on the battlefield. But when it came to other matters, he knew remarkably little.

Things like adjusting his attire or dancing at a ball could easily be taught, but reading people’s emotions or managing social interactions? That was where he was sorely lacking.

This situation was a perfect example. Elaina could tell from his straightforward reaction that Lyle had genuinely meant his “lovely night” comment to Sarah as nothing more than a polite morning greeting.

“Can I have a cup of coffee, too?” Elaina asked the maid and then sat down across from Lyle.

“If I said something wrong, it would help if you explained.”

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

His confusion over what could possibly be wrong with the phrase “lovely night” left her feeling a bit exasperated. On reflection, it seemed silly to be so flustered over something so simple.

‘Well, it’s certainly much better than having a bad relationship.’

As Sarah had said, even if it’s just a one-year marriage, it’s far better to have a good relationship than to be constantly at odds. Rumors about her close relationship with Lyle would only be beneficial and wouldn’t harm him in any way.

Elaina propped her chin on her hand and looked at Lyle. She suddenly became more aware of his height and how impeccably straight his posture was as he sat.

It was a strange feeling. Just a few months ago, they hadn’t even known each other’s faces, and now they were sharing a room, spending time together as husband and wife.

‘Is this what marriage feels like?’ she mused, feeling a little dazed.

Just then, Lyle finished reviewing his documents and looked up at her. Their eyes met.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Just because. Am I not allowed to?”

“Not exactly,” Lyle replied, raising an eyebrow as he brought his coffee cup back to his lips.

The morning after their peaceful and uneventful wedding night was serene, in contrast to the tension of the previous day.

***

“This looks perfect. There’s nothing missing from these documents,” the Duke of Winchester said as he nodded, reviewing the documents Lyle had prepared.

“The documents should be processed by next week. There’s nothing urgent at the House of Lords right now, so I’ll make sure they handle it quickly.”

“Thank you for taking care of it.”

“It’s only natural.”

“And I should also thank you for looking after Knox.”

At the mention of Knox, a smile spread across the Duke’s face.

“Not at all. He’s a very intelligent and bright boy. My wife and I enjoyed having him.”

Lyle raised an eyebrow, curious about the Duke’s story. The Duke then told him about playing chess with Knox the previous evening.

“He was interested in the chess set in the study, so I taught him the rules. We played several games late into the night.”

Initially, Knox had seemed out of place in a house that wasn’t the Archduke’s residence, but his interest in the fine chess set had drawn him in. Once he was taught the basics, he quickly grasped the rest on his own, making it enjoyable to teach him.

“It would be nice if we could visit each other more often. Since you’ll be leaving for the Mabel Mountain Region once the Knights Order is ready, feel free to send KKnox to my estate whenever you need.”

The Duke, his face warm and generous, made the offer.

Having someone to discuss the future with provided a sense of reassurance. Since Lyle’s parents had passed away, he had never had anyone to turn to for such guidance. He had always handled everything on his own.

Even the unyielding ice of the northern territories eventually melts under the spring sun. As the Duke smiled kindly at him, Lyle found himself smiling faintly in return.

On the way back with KKnox, a second carriage followed behind them, packed full of wedding gifts for Elaina. The gifts included ornaments, dresses, and jewels—an assortment of items.

KKnox couldn’t take his eyes off the Duke and Duchess, who were waving goodbye as they departed. Watching this, Elaina felt a pang in her heart.

Children exist to be loved. The thought that Leo’s younger sister, Marion, and KKnox were the same age suddenly struck her.

As she gently patted KKnox’s head, who had clearly grown attached to the Duke and Duchess after just one day, Elaina spoke, “Come visit often, KKnox. My parents said they’d love for you to visit more.”

“…Really?”

For the first time, instead of his usual gruff response, KKnox answered with a slightly excited tone. But as soon as he realized it, he quickly rolled his eyes and changed his tone to seem indifferent.

“I mean, they might get tired of me.”

“What? No way. My mother specifically said next time you visit, we should have strawberry cake together. She doesn’t say things she doesn’t mean. If she didn’t like you, she wouldn’t have invited you again.”

“…Really?”

Elaina nodded enthusiastically. “Of course! Our chef is really good. You’ll come to love our strawberry cake, too.”

KKnox glanced at Lyle, as if seeking permission. His gaze seemed to ask whether it was really okay to accept the invitation.

Lyle also gave a nod of approval. “The Duke of Winchester praised your chess skills. He said you’re very talented and asked that you play with him again next time.”

KKnox hung his head. It seemed like he was trying to hide his expression, but the slight grin on his face was impossible to conceal.