The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 113
After completing all of her mentoring sessions, Alicia set off for her hometown.
The memory of the day the mentoring ended was still vivid.
–I won’t be able to see my little sister for a while. Take care and let’s meet later.
Charlotte, the hero with a ponytail, hugged Alicia tightly, as if to hold on to her scent.
At some point, their greetings had been replaced by embraces.
Emily and Liam, standing a step away, watched with warm eyes and faint smiles. They waved.
Alicia had already said her farewells to Emily and Liam.
The village where they lived was too far to stop by, so they said they would return directly to the Academia.
Liam’s expression caught her eye.
It seemed that his once shadowed face was regaining some vitality.
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Sitting in a corner of the wagon, which also served as a cargo hold, Alicia listened to the sound of the wheels turning.
The wheels rolled over the dirt in a repetitive rhythm.
Occasionally becoming irregular when passing over gravel or uneven paths.
This sound caused Alicia’s gently closed eyelids to flutter open.
She took in the sight of her fellow travelers.
A child sleeping soundly in his mother’s arms.
A young couple whispering softly, leaning on each other.
An old man, wearing a hood, nodding off as his head bobbed up and down.
Their clothes, worn and patched, and the earthy smell of life clinging to them.
Amidst it all, Alicia savored a long-missed feeling of familiarity.
Everything in the Academia was pristine and orderly.
There was certainly a higher level of cleanliness and refinement there.
But Alicia was originally far removed from such things.
She was a simple country girl, more suited to dirt than pens or swords.
Perhaps that was why.
She felt such nostalgia for this humble, rustic scene.
She hadn’t even arrived at her hometown yet, but her heart felt as though it had already arrived far ahead of her body.
“Thank you. Take care on the road.”
Alicia said briefly to the coachman as the wagon reached the outskirts of her village.
The coachman simply nodded, and the wagon continued on its way without her.
Alicia watched it depart before turning and beginning her walk.
Though she was near her village, there was still quite a distance to go.
If she didn’t hurry, she would arrive after sunset.
As the wind brushed her cheek, she took in its scent.
The smell of home.
It was a scent she couldn’t describe—a countryside smell.
It filled her with excitement, bringing a smile to her lips.
This visit was her first since becoming a servant of the Schugenhartz family.
It had been about a year since she last returned.
According to her original contract, Alicia was allowed to visit her hometown only one day per year.
In reality, most of that time would be spent on the journey, leaving her only a brief moment to see her mother’s face.
But for some reason, her master had generously allowed her to stay as long as she wished this time.
Thanks to him, Alicia could visit her mother without worrying about time.
‘No matter how many times I thank master, it won’t be enough. How can I ever repay this kindness?’
As she walked through the forest, thoughts of Vargan began to fill Alicia’s mind.
Even though she was far from him, even though she was excited by the familiar atmosphere of her hometown, Vargan’s presence was like a solid pillar embedded deep within her.
Would he be pleased if she showed him how much she had grown over the summer break?
… she wanted to see him happy.
At the start of summer break, Vargan had given Alicia several small, single-use communication crystals, about the size of marbles.
Unlike larger crystals, these were meant for emergencies, transmitting only voice, not images.
It was a precaution so that Alicia could contact him immediately if she ran into trouble or needed advice.
However, such a moment never came. She had gone the entire two months without speaking to Vargan.
She couldn’t use the crystals without a good reason, and she knew he wouldn’t appreciate a frivolous call.
So, she could only continue to pray for his safety.
–Kkaah!
Suddenly, a scream echoed nearby.
It wasn’t far from where Alicia stood.
Expanding her senses and feeling for mana, she confirmed it was from an Altife.
Alicia’s eyes sharpened.
Her gentle gaze transformed into the eyes of a predator, ready to hunt. She quickly sprinted toward the source of the scream.
***
In the forest, a middle-aged man was chopping wood.
As usual, he was gathering timber.
When suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, and his hair stood on end.
[Grrraaah!]
A monstrous red creature with a pale face was drooling, making guttural noises.
Normally, monsters didn’t come into this area. Why was it here now?
The monster was enraged.
Hungry, and desperate.
It was wounded, with thick skin pierced and bleeding, and it seemed to have come looking for food. Now, it had found its prey.
“Ahhhh!”
The man flailed his arms and fled.
Throwing all the wood and his axe at the creature, he ran for his life.
He didn’t want to be killed by the monster.
Nor did he want to become its breeding host.
But as he ran, his foot caught on a protruding rock, and he tumbled to the ground.
Panicked, he quickly turned his head to check behind him.
He had hoped the creature would still be far away, but that hope was quickly shattered.
“Guh… no!”
With his eyes wide in terror, he faced the monster.
The creature, drooling, grinned menacingly, baring its teeth. It was clear: it intended to devour him.
He was as good as dead.
The man was about to close his eyes and give up on life when—
[Keerrrgggh!]
The monster’s death cry rang out, followed by the sound of rushing wind.
Then, a soft female voice asked.
“Are you okay?”
The man, trembling, opened his eyes cautiously and saw a woman with white hair.
Even from behind, he could tell she was beautiful.
She sheathed her sword, which had just cut down the savage monster, and turned to face him.
The man blinked.
“Alicia?”
“Uncle Yaul…?”
They were not strangers.
They had known each other for quite some time.
“How are you here…?”
The man was still in shock, his eyes scanning Alicia up and down.
The ominous energy from the large black sword she wielded.
The monstrous beast, now in two pieces at her feet.
It was strange. He had heard Alicia had been sold to the Schugenhartz family a year ago.
Could it be…
“Alicia… have you become a hero?”
After that, Alicia helped him retrieve the wood and axe he had dropped.
They were able to catch up after so long, exchanging stories about their lives.
In that moment, the passage of time—one year—felt all too real.
While nothing much had changed in Yaul’s life, Alicia had transformed completely.
Yaul stared in disbelief, his mouth open.
“To think the girl who couldn’t even catch a rabbit has grown into such a strong hero.”
“I’m not a hero yet. I’m still a student.”
“Oh, right. You said you were at the Academia. Well, that’s still incredible. You’re amazing, Alicia. The pride of our village.”
The man smiled warmly, as if he were proud of his own daughter’s accomplishments.
He was the head of the family who lived next door to Alicia until Vargan took her away. He was someone who had shown kindness to Alicia when she was mistreated by her adoptive mother.
“When I heard you were sold, I was so shocked. I even thought about taking you back, even if it meant going into debt… but the amount was just too much.”
“Please don’t feel bad. Like I said, I’ve been doing really well at the Schugenhartz family. Thanks to that, I was able to attend the Academia and even visit my hometown like this, wasn’t I?”
Yaul openly shared the burden he had been carrying in his heart, and Alicia shook her head in affirmation.
It wouldn’t be right for Alicia to resent Yaul.
In the past, when Alicia was punished by her adoptive mother and left without food, one of his family members would secretly approach her and hand her a piece of bread. They even applied herbal medicine when she was injured.
Alicia’s adoptive mother was aware of these acts of kindness.
It was clear that their presence played a role in preventing Alicia from suffering more severe abuse.
Alicia recalled the past and gazed quietly at the man’s face.
“You haven’t changed at all, have you, uncle?”
“Haha, for someone my age, that’s the highest compliment.”
“I’m glad to see you’re healthy. Are the other family members doing well too?”
“Of course! Our kids are probably the healthiest in the village. Or wait, maybe it’s my wife.”
He chuckled heartily, and Alicia smiled as if she couldn’t help but join in his laughter.
As they continued their friendly conversation, the entrance to the village came into view.
… but something strange happened.
The closer they got to the village, the more awkward Yaul’s expression became.
As if he was hiding something, something he didn’t want to be discovered.
Alicia chose not to press him about it.
Though he said things were fine, he seemed to be hiding something he didn’t want to reveal.
Instead, she asked about something related to herself.
“How is my mother doing?”
Alicia’s adoptive mother.
The woman who sold her for 100 gold.
When the topic of that woman came up, Yaul couldn’t hide his expression. Like someone caught off guard, he looked flustered.
“Ah… well…”
Alicia gazed at Yaul with questioning eyes.
Though she noticed his change in demeanor, she remained silent, signaling that she wanted to hear the truth.
There was a sense of anxiety growing inside her.
“Alicia. Don’t be too shocked but listen carefully.”
Yaul knew there was no avoiding this.
He faced Alicia and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
After taking a long, deep breath, filled with tension and mixed emotions, he finally spoke.
“Your mother is very ill.”
The reason Yaul held her shoulder was because he was worried that Alicia might collapse from the news.
“She likely doesn’t have more than a few days left.”
—
The Portlet estate, in one of the mansion’s bedrooms.
It was the room used by the lady of the house, Erica’s mother.
The lady of the house, Lilians Troa Portlet, was known for her cheerful personality and was a well-regarded figure in social circles.
Her room always had a light, floral fragrance that she loved, creating a bright atmosphere.
“……”
But now, the heavy silence pressed down on the once brilliantly adorned room, filled with luxurious ornaments and patterns.
Erica’s mother, Lilians, laid asleep on the large bed.
She repeatedly muttered something under her breath, looking as if she were tormented by a nightmare.
Erica sat quietly by her side, holding Lilians’ hand tightly.
Her eyes were red from crying for so long, and her trembling hand, which held her mother’s, seemed as if it belonged to someone who was sick themselves.
A faint voice escaped from Lilians’ slightly parted lips.
“I can’t hear the voice… the voice…”
Erica couldn’t understand what her mother was referring to.
Her mother had started showing signs of mild anxiety a few days ago.
At first, it didn’t seem severe, and she continued with her daily activities.
Even just before Erica’s father, the head of the family, left for the capital of the Empire a few days ago, it hadn’t been this bad.
However, from a certain point onward, her mother began to utter that word.
⎯How strange… I’ve never had trouble hearing the voice like this before.
Since saying those words, her condition had rapidly deteriorated.
As if she were suffering from poisoning.
Her breathing became labored, and she expressed extreme anxiety.
Though they had called in a doctor to check if she had been poisoned or if it was a disease.
The doctor found no signs of drug use and said it wasn’t an external illness.
⎯This is a psychological issue. Her dependency on something specific has grown to the point where it’s affecting her physically.
But what that specific thing was, no one could guess.
Though her mother kept mentioning the word <voice>, it was unclear if she was referring to a person or the voice itself…
Erica felt the coldness of her mother’s hand.
Perhaps due to her anxiety, her mother’s fingertips were cold.
Although she wasn’t suffering from a terminal illness, Erica feared she might do something drastic.
Holding her mother’s hand, Erica lowered her head.
Trying to calm her anxious breathing.
Then.
Knock, knock⎯
The sound of knocking could be heard.
Erica had instructed that no one enter or knock, but the sound was unmistakable.
She didn’t look toward the door.
She stayed close to her mother, letting her tears fall.
⎯… you can’t disturb them… not now.
It was noisy.
The noise outside started to bother Erica, who was enveloped in silence.
Who could it be, at a time like this…
“I’m coming in.”
The door swung open.
The darkness in the room was suddenly interrupted by the light from the hallway, and that light reached both Erica and her mother.
“I apologize for the intrusion, Erica.”
The man opened the door as if it were his own home and casually offered an insincere apology.
Erica glanced at the man, wiping away her tears before he could notice.
With a weak voice, Erica spoke.
“… I thought I sent a letter canceling the invitation.”
“I received it. I got plenty of teasing for it from the immature ones.”
“Then why did you come?”
Erica couldn’t get angry.
She didn’t have the strength to be angry.
She just didn’t want to deal with anyone right now. She just wanted to stay by her mother’s side.
Vargan spoke to Erica.
“I came because it was necessary.”
“What…?”
Erica couldn’t understand his words.
“I came here because it was necessary.”
The sentence lacked a clear subject.
Was it for himself? For Erica?
Or perhaps for someone else entirely?
He didn’t specify.
“This isn’t the best place for a conversation.”
He walked over to Erica and extended his hand to her.
Erica slowly turned her head to look at it.
Just like the time they went to the theater; he was acting so nonchalantly.
“Shall we take a walk, my fiancée?”