This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 76

“Thank you for making the long journey.”

It was Drane who awaited their arrival. He looked quite exhausted, his face gaunt. Seeing Elaina glance around as if searching for someone, Drane answered her unspoken question.

“His Grace the Archduke has stepped out for a while. He knows your carriage was arriving today, so I expect he’ll return soon.”

“Oh, I wasn’t specifically looking for Lyle…”

Only then did Elaina realize that she had unconsciously been searching for him. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she darted her eyes.

“No, I was just looking around the village. So much has changed since I last visited.”

“Ah, I see.”

Drane nodded, though his expression showed he wasn’t entirely convinced. Despite his tired demeanor, a faint hint of pride crossed his face.

“Understandable. Of course, it’s quite impressive.”

He began leading the three of them to their lodging while giving a brief explanation.

“Thanks to Your Grace the Archduchess’s efforts, everything proceeded smoothly. The timing of the autonomous monster district’s approval aligned perfectly with the situation here.”

The northern region had long been stricken with famine. For the residents of Mabel, things had been dire enough that many had abandoned their homeland.

However, this also meant that if they saw enough hope of being able to make a living, there was potential to draw people back.

Drane quickly spread word to nearby areas that Mabel was being redeveloped. Before long, people flocked to Mabel, eager to earn a living, and they found themselves coexisting with the monsters who had already settled there.

Rebuilding a village usually took a significant amount of time, but the monsters’ efforts made a remarkable difference. They worked tirelessly, chopping down trees and leveling the land, and each day brought visible change.

The transformation of Mabel into a bustling village spread by word of mouth, drawing not only former residents but also newcomers to settle.

“That’s a bakery over there, and that’s a tailor shop. The building under construction is an armory, and just behind it is the market.”

As Drane explained, Knox looked around with wide eyes, his mouth agape. Monsters moved naturally among the people, who showed no fear of them. It felt like they had entered a fantastical land, straight out of a fairy tale.

“Where is Nathan now?”

At Diane’s question, Drane pushed his slipping glasses up his nose. “He’s with ‘him.’ They’re in the final stages of adjusting the effects of the medicine. You should be able to return to Hennet soon, Diane.”

Elaina immediately knew who Drane meant by “him.” The news that Nathan had found the perfect herbal mixture for the dragon lightened her heart considerably.

“Still, the dragon’s magic is unstable. Given how long he’s been in pain, recovery will naturally take time.”

Magic was a mystery to everyone. By this age, wizards had already vanished, leaving only the old dragon Kyst as a magic-bearing being. Drane was merely relaying what Kyst had explained.

According to Kyst, once he could wield his magic without pain, he would be able to spread his energy throughout the Mabel mountain range.

“That means the monsters, who have so far lived only in the vicinity of his lair, will be able to roam freely throughout the Mabel mountains.”

“Then we can begin the business we discussed earlier.”

“Yes, exactly.” Drane nodded in response to Elaina’s words.

Drane shrugged and continued, “We’ve already started mapping out the mountain region. Personally, I thought we could take our time, but His Grace the Archduke is rather adamant about it.”

Kyst’s magic would eventually cover the entire mountain range, allowing him to perceive everything happening there in vivid detail, as if it were right before his eyes. They could have waited to create the map with Kyst’s help—it would have been far more efficient. But Lyle insisted on climbing the mountain on his own, starting right after sending a letter to Elaina, and he hadn’t stopped since.

Besides mapping, he seemed determined to keep busy, though Drane—who had no interest in physical labor—couldn’t quite figure out what Lyle wanted.

‘Well… I think I understand now.’

Drane stole a glance at Elaina.

His Grace the Archduke and Her Grace the Archduchess.

Individually, they seemed so different. Nathan and Diane, with their similar gentle auras, seemed the more compatible pair. In contrast, Lyle and Elaina had completely different vibes.

Lyle was like a dark ocean at night—unpredictable and unknowable, a place where one couldn’t discern the line between sea and sky. He instinctively felt dangerous, like something that could swallow you whole.

Meanwhile, Elaina was like a brilliant sun—so overwhelmingly bright that it seemed one might go blind from gazing at her for too long.

Could there be any more starkly opposing concepts in the world than light and darkness?

Yet, somehow, when they were together, it all made sense. Though their individual personalities might seem to clash, together they appeared to form a perfect whole.

Drane couldn’t help but admire Lyle for climbing that rough mountain alone every day, all because of Elaina. No matter how much he might love a woman, Drane knew he could never do something like that.

Lost in these thoughts, they made their way past the bustling village center and arrived at the lodgings where the Grant Knight Order and Lyle were staying.

“We’ve arrived.”

Standing before them were buildings made of black bricks, slightly larger than the surrounding structures. There were three in total—the mansion Lyle used, the knight’s quarters, and a building for guests.

At Drane’s signal, the large, blue-skinned monsters that had followed them began unloading the luggage in front of the mansion.

“They’re a species called Manrav. They’re incredibly strong and have delicate fur on their feet, allowing them to move without making a sound.”

“I saw you use hand signals earlier. What was that about?”

“Ah, those were simple signals I created. Since we can’t communicate verbally with the monsters, I’m developing a basic sign language for them.”

Knox’s eyes lit up at Drane’s words. The curiosity typical of a child drove his interest, and Drane smiled faintly.

“Would you like me to teach you a few?”

“Yes!”

“Alright.”

Knox, fascinated by the monsters, began peppering Drane with more questions. Despite his gruff appearance, Drane answered each of Knox’s incessant questions with patience.

As Elaina watched the two getting along so well, a loud cry suddenly echoed from high above. Everyone looked up, seeing a small bird circling overhead, crying out.

“A bird?”

“Ah, it seems His Grace the Archduke has arrived.”

Upon seeing the bird, Drane announced Lyle’s arrival. Elaina looked at him with a puzzled expression, not quite understanding.

Drane simply shrugged, as if to say she should see for herself.

A moment later, the bird let out another long call as it descended. Elaina followed its swift descent with her gaze. The once-small bird grew larger as it neared the ground, revealing sharp claws and a menacing beak.

“It’s quite the noisy one; it’ll surely make your sleep difficult,” Drane remarked to Elaina with a joking tone.

The bird gracefully slowed its descent, flapping its wings before landing softly on someone’s arm.

“…Lyle?”

The one holding the large bird was none other than Lyle. Elaina’s surprised gaze met his, and seeing her astonished face, Lyle’s lips curved into a pleasant smile.