This Villain Is Mine Now - Chapter 81

“Wow…”

Elaina’s mouth slightly opened. Just moments ago, she had been standing in the mansion’s backyard, but in the blink of an eye, the location had changed.

The surroundings were wide open, and the sky seemed so close that it felt as though she could touch it if she reached out her hand.

As Elaina marveled at the sights around her, Lyle found a suitable spot to lay out a picnic mat, as though he were accustomed to doing so.

The air, filled with the scent of the forest, was a bit chilly. Elaina thought it was a good decision to wear thick clothes, as Lyle had suggested, and quickly ran to join him.

Inside the rattan basket were apple pie, wine, and warm meat dishes.

“Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

These were the dishes prepared by the chef, who had rolled up his sleeves early in the morning after hearing that Lyle and Elaina were going on a picnic.

The steaming hot meat dishes looked delicious. Elaina sat down and accepted the plate Lyle handed her.

“It’s my first time eating like this.”

She burst into laughter, finding herself amusing as she placed the plate on the ground and began cutting the food with a knife.

“Did the chef misunderstand the word ‘picnic’? Meat dishes seem a bit excessive.”

After all, when one thinks of a picnic, isn’t it usually light refreshments?

“Is that so? I’ve never been on a picnic, so I didn’t know.”

Elaina widened her eyes at Lyle’s response.

“Oh, then…”

“I asked them to prepare it. After all, descending the mountain is quite strenuous. It’s easier to get exhausted when you’re hungry.”

Elaina alternated her gaze between Lyle and the plate in disbelief.

“Why?”

“Oh, it’s just… I’m surprised you put so much thought into today.”

Not knowing how to express her feelings, Elaina mumbled her words.

Surprised? No, it was something a bit more…

‘Happy…?’

Elaina furrowed her brow slightly, unable to explain the emotions she felt. What she had initially thought was merely a funny situation now felt like it would leave a lasting memory.

“Next time, I should ask them to prepare a proper dining table.”

Noticing Elaina’s uncomfortable posture, Lyle swapped the plate with one he had already cut into bite-sized pieces.

Goodness.

A dining table on the mountaintop?

Elaina ended up bursting into laughter.

***

After their meal, the two finished an entire bottle of wine while snacking on apple pie. Normally, Elaina would feel tipsy after just one glass, but perhaps because of the cold air or the woody scent surrounding them, the alcohol didn’t seem to affect her as much. Moreover, the sweet wine paired perfectly with the apple pie. As a result, she drank far more than her usual limit.

The alcohol finally started to affect her after a slight delay. Her cheeks cooled in the cold air, but her body felt warm. Soon, a drowsy feeling took over, and Elaina’s eyes began to flutter closed. Eventually, the two lay down and took a short nap, staring up at the sky.

“Drane said…”

While gazing at the blue sky, Drane’s words suddenly came to Elaina’s mind, and she chuckled to herself.

“Drane told me that if I asked you to just lie down and stare at the sky, you would readily agree.”

Back then, she thought there was no way that would happen. But here they were, lying side by side, staring at the sky, just as Drane had said.

“How is it?”

“What do you mean?”

Unlike the slightly tipsy Elaina, Lyle’s voice was perfectly clear.

“Time spent as a family.”

“…It’s nice.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

After a moment, Lyle’s voice came again.

“As you said, it seems like this kind of time is necessary.”

Elaina smiled brightly. Using a soft hat as a pillow, she turned toward Lyle.

“Then next time, Lyle, think about what you’d like to do with me and let me know.”

She murmured, talking about how much she had to think before deciding to climb the mountain.

The intervals between her blinking grew longer and longer.

“For now, just sleep a bit.”

Lyle’s large hand covered Elaina’s eyes. His hand was so warm that it felt pleasant against her cold cheeks.

Elaina’s long eyelashes fluttered against the palm of his hand. Soon, the movement stopped. When Lyle removed his hand, Elaina had fallen asleep. Watching her slumbering face, Lyle muttered to himself.

“If you knew what I wanted to do, you’d probably be horrified.”

What he wanted to do with Elaina were things she would never agree to. Things he would never tell her.

Suppressing impure thoughts, Lyle silently stared at her sleeping face.

Their married life was perfect with this level of closeness. Neither getting too close nor too distant, their days were warm and gentle, like a child’s play.

She was a good person.

Lyle recalled the first day he saw Elaina. At the ballroom, Elaina had been the brightest presence. The people gathered around her were desperate for even a single glance from her.

Back then, he had scoffed at the sight. He thought it pathetic that people were vying for the affection of a duke’s daughter who lived comfortably thanks to her fortunate birth.

But he was wrong. Elaina was a woman anyone would fall in love with.

What he was doing now wasn’t much different from those who had hovered around her at the ball. Wanting to monopolize Elaina, he kept repeating these ridiculous actions.

He felt a wave of self-loathing. Doing all this wouldn’t change anything.

“But at least for now, you’re my wife. This much should be okay.”

His possessiveness, which he hadn’t even realized himself, was almost grotesque. Quietly, Lyle brushed a strand of hair from Elaina’s face. Her soft cheek touched his fingertips.

***

Elaina woke to the gentle shaking of her shoulders. Rubbing her eyes and looking around, she realized she had fallen asleep.

“You must have been very tired.”

At Lyle’s words, Elaina felt embarrassed as she stood up. It was Lyle who needed rest, but she had ended up resting more comfortably.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Well… more or less?”

In truth, she felt refreshed. Thanks to her warm clothing, it had felt like being wrapped in a cozy blanket, allowing her to sleep deeply.

Lyle smiled slightly at her words.

“Now, let’s get to work. Mapping, remember?”

Elaina coughed awkwardly to hide her embarrassment. At her words, Lyle showed her the map he had already drawn.

“Oh, when did you draw this?”

“While you were sound asleep.”

“I wasn’t sound asleep… I just dozed off for a bit.”

“If saying that makes you feel better, then so be it.”

Elaina asked Lyle several questions as she looked at the map he had drawn.

“How do you draw maps? And what’s this mark?”

“This represents a village.”

Lyle patiently explained her questions.

“The first step in making a map is marking the important locations. Then, you represent the terrain’s elevation.”

“Oh! So this flag-like symbol represents a village. And this is… hmm, I see.”

Lyle explained a few symbols used on maps to Elaina.

“It’s also important to know directions when making a map. Having a compass would be ideal, but if you don’t have one, you can use the sun’s position to calculate.”

Although he had used the excuse of preliminary research, it was impossible to create a proper map in such a low mountain range. Unlike Elaina’s well-prepared meal, he had brought only paper and pencils for the mapping.

Had Elaina known even a bit about this, she would have realized how crude his map was. Fortunately, she lacked any military knowledge.

Curious as always, she and Lyle spent a long time talking, even with his hastily sketched map, until it was time to head back down the mountain.

“We should head back. It might actually rain, as the dragon suggested.”

With that, Lyle stood up and extended his hand to help Elaina up.

“Will it rain on our way down?”

“No. At this distance, it will probably rain much later. But it’s better to head back quickly since the temperature in the forest can drop rapidly.”

The dark clouds they had seen in the distance when they left the mansion were still far away, just as Lyle had said. However, they seemed to be approaching faster than expected.

What had seemed like a refreshing forest now swayed ominously in a dark green hue, giving an unsettling feeling.

As she started to feel uneasy, Elaina felt the strength of Lyle’s grip on her hand.

“Let’s go.”

At that moment, her anxiety subsided. She felt certain that Lyle would protect her no matter what. With that thought, Elaina held his hand and began walking toward the forest.