This Villain Is Mine Now - Side Story 5

“Father!”

Bella beamed with a wide smile and ran toward her father, who was on the training grounds. Kyren’s body was truly strong. Even running like this didn’t make her short of breath at all.

‘So unfair.’

It really was unfair.

They were born on the same day, at the same time, yet the gods had given everything good in the world to her brother. A healthy body, the right to be the heir.

Their parents insisted it wasn’t simply because Kyren was a boy. They said that since the land they had to protect was the harsh North, the heir had to be strong enough to lead the knights.

But to Bella, that amounted to the same thing. Just like being born without strength, being born female was something she had no control over.

“You’re late.”

The first thing that felt strange to Bella was her father’s expression. The man who always smiled when he saw her now looked as cold as ice.

“Father…?”

“Bring your wooden sword.”

His reaction was unfamiliar, but Bella’s face lit up at the word wooden sword. It had always been her brother Kyren who got to spend time with their busy father. Now, all of it was hers. The smile just wouldn’t leave her face.

Her lazy older brother always belittled her, saying that what she did was just “play.” But to Bella, everything Kyren did looked incredibly fun. Sword practice with Father, riding horses together—Kyren had always had these privileges and acted like he was the one doing something difficult.

He even complained about being the heir, not realizing how fortunate he was.

‘Now it’s mine.’

Bella picked up the wooden sword and skipped over to Lyle, brimming with excitement.

“Stand.”

***

“Huff… huff…”

Her lungs felt like they were collapsing. No matter how she gasped, it wasn’t enough. Sweat dripped onto the ground, leaving little splashes. Her heart felt like it was about to shoot up through her throat and out of her mouth.

“E-enough… please…”

“It’s only a hundred horizontal swings. You’ve still got a long way to go if you’re going to make up for being late.”

Her arms trembled. Bella couldn’t believe it. This was Kyren’s strong body. And yet, just swinging a wooden sword a hundred times made her feel like her heart would burst.

“You haven’t even done half of what you usually do. Stop whining and get up.”

At the word whining, Bella looked up at her father.

She had never once in her life been told she was whining.

The adults had always treated Bella like a candle that might blow out at the slightest breeze. Her fragile body would quickly get nosebleeds or collapse with exhaustion.

“It’s too hard…”

Bella hated complaining to adults more than anyone—but this was just too much. She couldn’t move even a single finger more.

“Get up.”

“I… I’m serious. It’s too hard.”

“And would you say that in front of the enemy? ‘It’s too hard, so please let me rest’?”

At his cold voice, tears sprang to her eyes. She knew Lyle had seen them. But his response was still as cold as ever.

“Kyren. Train properly. The heir of House Grant does not show tears.”

Knox had arrived at the training grounds and approached them. Bella was stunned. Knox, who always greeted her with a smile, now coldly rebuked her.

“The ruler of the North must be stronger than anyone. The people of the North believe in absolute strength. Just like the previous Archduke did, and like your father does, you too must defend the North with unwavering power. With skills like this, not a single knight will follow you.”

She had heard it before—that the heir of the North must be a hero capable of leading the knights. She always believed that if Kyren could do it, she could too. It was just that he was lucky enough to be born strong. If they were in the same situation, she believed she could do even better.

But she was wrong.

Only now could Bella feel the weight Kyren had carried on his shoulders. The brother who had always seemed pathetic before her eyes.

Bella clenched her teeth and stood. She remembered how she had mocked Kyren, warning him not to tarnish her reputation.

“Add a hundred more horizontal swings. Then fifty diagonal strikes.”

All those “precious” moments with her father had been an illusion. As she continued swinging with trembling arms, tears streamed down her cheeks.

***

As soon as training ended, Bella dashed to Kyst’s room without even showering.

There was someone already there—Kyren.

Kyst smiled faintly, unsurprised.

“[And here I thought you’d be too busy enjoying the swapped bodies.]”

“There’s nothing fun about this!”

“Change us back! Please change us back!”

Kyren glanced at Bella. Covered in dirt, she clearly had rolled around a lot today. Her face was so dirty that the tear streaks down her cheeks were still clearly visible.

She had probably never held anything heavier than a feather pen, yet had endured harsh training under their father. He didn’t even need to ask how hard it had been.

Bella, too, glanced sideways at Kyren. Today was a particularly busy day filled with lessons. No one knew her terrible stamina better than herself. She was surely exhausted to the point of collapsing even now.

“[I refuse.]”

“Huh?”

“What did you say? You refuse?”

“[That’s right.]”

Kyst set his teacup down.

“[The contract is binding. Do you remember what you both said when I asked if you’d regret it?]”

The children immediately shut their mouths. Kyst was right. They had solemnly vowed they would never regret it. Seeing their silence, Kyst’s pupils narrowed vertically in satisfaction.

“[Return to your places.]”

But even at Kyst’s order, the children only hesitated, not moving a step. At the arch of his brow, Bella flinched. Then someone stepped forward—Kyren.

He stepped ahead as if to shield his sister, or rather, the Bella who now wore his body. Though the height difference made it impossible to actually hide her behind him, the intention was clear.

“…Brother?”

“We can’t go back.”

Kyren stood his ground, legs firm.

“We didn’t know back then. I thought Bella just played every day and had fun. But that wasn’t true. Becoming the Crown Princess’s playmate is… really hard. I can’t do it. Only someone as stubborn as Bella Grant could handle it.”

Perhaps encouraged by Kyren’s words, Bella raised her hand quickly.

“Me too! I feel the same way! Father spoke to me with such a scary face—it made me so sad. I didn’t know how hard Brother’s training was. Everyone is so harsh with him. The wooden sword is so heavy and the training is so hard. Even when I cried, Father didn’t let up. I hate it now! I really do! Only Brother can do those things.”

“[Hmm.]”

Kyst tilted his head to one side.

“[No. That still won’t do.]”

“Why not?!”

“[Think of the past. If I return your bodies, you’ll just go back to fighting again.]”

“We won’t! Not anymore!”

“That’s right!”

Bella had realized it. That even when they fought, her brother had never actually used force against her.

And Kyren had realized it too. That Bella was far too weak to be fighting him.

“[I’ll say it again—the contract is absolute.]”

Kyst’s voice echoed like a cave. Kyren and Bella swallowed nervously and looked up at the long-lived dragon.

“[If you’re willing to make a new promise, I might allow a one-time exception.]”

“We promise!”

“Me too!”

“[Even though you don’t know what the promise is?]”

“What is it?”

“Whatever it is!”

Kyst gave a slight laugh. “[You’ll stop fighting. That’s the promise. Can you grow into a pair of loving siblings?]”

“We can do it!”

“We really can!”

Even before the sentence ended, the two children were already jumping up and down with hands raised.

***

They awoke from a long sleep. Rubbing his eyes, Kyren sat up and saw the sunset bleeding across the sky outside the window.

Kyst’s room. But its master was gone.

Kyren carefully turned to the side. His younger sister in a pink dress was sleeping peacefully.

“Bella, wake up.”

The hand that gently shook her was full of care—afraid his strength might hurt her. Under his soft touch, Bella rubbed her eyes and sat up. The moment she woke, she felt her shoulders and limbs and turned to look beside her.

“Brother!”

As if she had forgotten how they always growled at each other when their eyes met, Bella threw herself into Kyren’s arms. Startled but careful not to hurt her, Kyren embraced his small sister.

“We’re back!”

“Yeah.”

Dazed only for a moment, laughter soon bubbled from both their lips.

“You’re really amazing.”

“What?”

“Ugh… Everyone nags so much.”

“That’s nothing. You were amazing too. I cried during horizontal swings.”

“What? That’s nothing! Your form must’ve been off. Once you get used to it, it’s really not that bad.”

Their chatter went on endlessly.

They had no idea someone was listening just outside the door.

“[I should have used this method sooner.]”

Leaning against the door, Kyst chuckled as he listened to their muffled conversation.

“[The god of sleep from Arashan was quite capable.]”

It was something Elaina had once said after returning from a distant country.

“At Nunu’s request, Kalim brought the twins back to life. But even after being revived, they killed each other again.”

The god of sleep, who had mediated the twins’ fights countless times, had eventually resorted to one final solution. And after that, the twins stopped fighting and were reborn as loving siblings.

“What could that method have been? No matter how much I search, I can’t find an answer.”

Kyst now had a story to tell Elaina, who had once pondered that question.

He gazed lazily at the ring on his left hand. A keepsake left by a dear friend, he had used it again after a long time. The gemstone embedded in it caught the sunset light and sparkled beautifully.

<Side Story – The End>