Becoming the Villain’s Family

age.

[Soft, white clouds floating on top.]

‘…whipped cream?’

[Melon is delicious.]

She must have liked it.

‘Though it’s not melon.’

[My name is not bitch.]

As he went further back, the cards had traces of time.
All of them were yellow, and the edges were completely torn.

[I was wrong.] 

[It’s all my fault.]

[Don’t hit me.]

[I will try to speak.]

[I’m sorry for being a mute bitch.]

The cards were wrinkled.
There were traces of Aria taking them out and reading them over and over again.

The ink was smeared with tears.

[Please love me.]

That card was the last.

Lloyd’s gut clenched.

He stood still as if he was paralysed.

Suddenly, one of his jaguars bit his leg, making him lose his train of thoughts.

They pointed towards the palace.

That could only mean one thing.

Aria was there.

“……”

The boy, who had been silent for a while, let go of his grip on the broken quill and dropped it to the ground.

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* * *

Even from under the sheets, Aria was radiating heat like a brick right out of the oven.
The fever was burning her up, both body and spirit.

She could hear the chatter of voices getting louder and louder.

Those were the voices of the nobles who came to see the Siren.

“Sing for me, my angel.”

“Is that it? Are you kidding me?”

“I spent all of my fortunes to see you.
Don’t you dare pretend to be sick! Get up now!”

“If you don’t want to die, then sing.
Right this instant!”

Aria couldn’t distinguish the voices from imagination and reality.

Her head felt as if someone had shaken it until her brain was thoroughly bruised, when suddenly… a nudge to her ribs jerked her awake.

Aria’s eyelids blinked open to the ceiling of the room, her breathing rate beginning to steady.

“Young Miss! Are you awake?”

Aria glanced upward, her mouth slightly opened.
She blinked and tried to refocus her vision.

On her left was the Head Lady-in-Waiting Diana, and on her right, was the Head Maid Betty.

Both servants stared at her anxiously.

Diana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and spoke, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

‘That’s right…’

She was in the Grand Duchy.

Aria had almost forgotten.

‘Were they the ones who took care of me?’

Aria was suffering from a fever.
She laid still as her skin reddened from her blood’s heat.

However, there was always someone beside her, running to and from her room with cool cloths, and wiping her body with a wet towel.

Aria felt weird because their actions seemed to tell her that she didn’t have to take care of herself anymore, even if she was sick.

‘Oh no, I’m tearing up.’

Diana stroked Aria’s head.

She didn’t falter this time.
She had gotten used to Diana’s warm touch.

Her strokes and hugs brought a feeling of peace she had never known before, calming the storms in her heart, as if telling her she was safe within these walls, protected.

The world around her melted away as her touch made the room warmer.

“Oh, my,” Diana beamed.

“How lovely.”

While patting Aria’s head frantically, Diana remembered that she was still a patient.

She scratched the back of her head.

“You have to eat this soup before taking the antipyretic,” Diana said as she scooped the soup and blew the heat away.

Aria flushed red in embarrassment, but she still took every spoonful of soup diligently.

‘Ah!’

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As the spoon went to her mouth, she realized something.

Aria scanned her surroundings, searching for her bag.

She couldn’t find it.

Worried, she wrote on her hands.

[Grand Duchess?]

“Fortunately, she has crossed the hurdle.”

‘Phew.’

Aria breathed a sigh of relief.

It seemed that the Grand Duchess had not passed away yet.

“Oh, and the Prince came to see you.
But milady was sleeping at that time.”

‘Lloyd?’

“He wanted to return this to you.”

It was Aria’s bag.

‘When did I drop it?’

Aria rummaged inside the bag to write on her card, but she could not find her quill.

Instead, what she found was a luxurious fountain pen.

‘….Huh?’

She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was actually hallucinating because of the fever.

It was a fountain pen with gold trim in black ripple.
The nib was gold and adorned with diamonds, and it was decorated with Catalonia’s signature, the world’s most famous craftsman.

Even if it were displayed in a museum, the fountain pen would still be considered priceless.

Aria stared at Diana with a worried look.

Diana shrugged and replied, “He must’ve picked it up from the office.”

That’s right.

The Valentine’s fortunes were so vast that they could never be topped.

‘When the empress got one of Catalonia’s works, she boasted all night at the banquet.’

Suddenly, Aria found a note in her bag.

[Leave when you’re all better.]

This was a farewell gift.

If Aria did not disappear after she was healed, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

Aria turned to Diana for advice.

[Does Lloyd hate me?]

Aria touched her neck, which was wrapped in a bandage.

‘I thought I could live as long as I hid my abilities as a Siren.’

“I’m afraid I don’t know… I am not able to figure out what’s in His Highness’ mind.”

Diana replied.

“He ordered us to let you try every kind of dessert,” Diana muttered, briefly showing signs of trouble.
“Even though such a thing isn’t possible…”