Failed To Abandon the Villain

***

The owner of the voice was a small boy who was as tall as her waist. His light green hair fluttered. The boy in a robe narrowed his eyes.

“Are you a newcomer? No, you don’t have enough mana. Don’t tell me, a Sokor? Crazy, how did a Sokor get in here?”

“Kid, is this real?”

At Valletta’s question, the boy’s dark green eyes frowned. He looks cute, but his personality is rough.

The boy crossed his arms and snorted at her.

“You stupid Sokor, this is the tower, how could that be real?”

“Ah, is that so?”

Then there’s no use for calling a spirit.

The eyes of the magicians who were looking their way were bothering her so she got up and turned away.

If she can’t summon a spirit, then there was no use being there.

“Good work then.”

As she approached the door again, it opened.

“Ha!”

Leaving the boy who let out a mocking smirk, Valletta left the room on the 82nd floor without any regret.

Magic is great. Being able to imitate nature to that extent…

The 81st floor was a strange laboratory, the 80th floor seemed to be privately owned since the door did not open, the floor beneath was a cafeteria, and below that was another library.

Valletta, who had been going down for a while, was exhausted and collapsed on the stairs.

“Call me anytime, Master.”

Valletta glanced down at the bracelet that Reinhardt gave her, then turned her head away.

‘I don’t want to do what he told me to do.’

Her legs slowly got tired and since there was no window, she had no idea how much time had passed.

… I don’t want to call Reinhardt.

There was only one person left, and she wasn’t too happy with it, but she still called for the caretaker.

“Caspelius.”

The moment that name left Valletta’s mouth, a magic circle appeared in front of her. Then a translucent body hidden in a dark green robe appeared from the magic circle.

That man, Caspelius, appeared.

She could not see his face, but a look of surprise was radiating from all over his body.

“How did you know that name…”

“I just suddenly thought of it and called it, but I didn’t know it was your name.”

“… That is a lie.”

“I’m not asking for much. Take me back to the Sky Room.”

Valletta requested with a tired look.

Caspelius was wary of her, but he still obeyed the command and reached out his hand.

A wounded, translucent hand caught Valletta’s eyes. On the palm and the back of his hands were bruises and had marks that seemed to be made from the sole of a shoe. It was clear how he was being treated.

Valletta placed her palm on the hand that had reached out.

“It’s funny how they let one of the twelve wizards, who built the Magic tower and was praised and admired, suffer like this.”

He flinched, his body trembling.

Caspelius slowly raised his head.

His crimson eyes that were usually hidden under the robe, shone in the darkened place. His eyes were wide open and were filled with surprise.

I wonder how ridiculous the present magicians are in his eyes?

On one hand, he was being hailed as a great magician, and on the other, he was simply regarded as a caretaker.

“… Just who on Earth…”

“So, how long will a dog be holding my master’s hand?

(T/N: I used dog but it can also be tled as son of a b*tch. I went for a dog cause that is probably what he meant.)

As Reinhardt’s cold fingers touched his nape, Caspelius hurriedly lowered his outstretched arms in surprise.

Valletta’s hand that was on his, also fell.

“I don’t remember calling you.”

“Did you not know that I was with that dog, Master?”

She never thought of that. Valletta clicked her tongue.

Reinhardt slowly wrapped his arms around Valletta. His breath touched the back of her neck.

“I told you to call me, why did you call that instead? You won’t even call my name. My cold-hearted Master.”

Reinhardt waved one of his hands, while his other arm remained around her.

Then a magic circle was drawn on the floor. Perhaps because of the sudden movement in space, her vision was slightly distorted.

Valletta frowned, feeling dizzy.

Reinhardt hugged Valletta and put her on the bed. He slowly knelt down and looked up at her, who was sitting up on the bed.

“So, did you call your contracted spirit?”

“Contracted?”

“I’m talking about Jin or something.”

Valletta closed her mouth at his smile and beautifully slanted eyes. She then shook her head.

“I didn’t sign a contract with Jin.”

“… Didn’t you summon it?”

Reinhardt asked with a rare, slightly startled look.

It wasn’t a contract.

In the first place, she had no intention of entering a contract, just requesting help for a price.

“There’s no contract, I just summoned him. To ask for help.”

“… A higher spirit?”

Valletta nodded her head impatiently.

Looking outside that had darkened without her noticing, Valletta swallowed a smirk. She thought it had been a long time, but she didn’t know it was already evening. It somehow took her a long time to go down.

‘If it’s difficult to summon them in the tower, can I summon them from outside?’

She got up from the bed and slowly walked towards the nearby glass wall. In this all-glass room, the outside could be seen very clearly.

She put her palm against the glass wall.

“Jin.”

She muttered in a low voice.

As she thought about summoning Jin from the outside, a tornado suddenly materialized outside the glass wall, and before long, a colorless and transparent hawk appeared.

-What is this? This unpleasant place.

“Oh, I can summon him from the outside.”

“… You normally can’t, Master.”

Reinhardt approached her and said.

Rarely did he seem a little taken aback. It wasn’t long before Reinhardt grinned and ran his fingers around the back of her neck.

“How much do you plan to increase your value, Master.”

Valletta narrowed her brow as the warmth that touched the back of her neck.

“What are you talking about?”

“It is basically impossible for a normal spirit user to summon an uncontracted spirit, and it is even more impossible to summon a spirit in a separate space.”

Impossible means it can’t be done, but Valletta obviously just did it. Her gaze met with Reinhardt’s that was reflected in the window as she narrowed her brow.

“Did you know that the Imperial Palace is making a noise, Master.”

Reinhardt hugged Valletta again and returned her to the bed and said.

He sat under Valletta’s feet and looked up to her. Reinhardt always liked this posture. A posture that looks up to her from below.

“Imperial Palace?”

“Yeah, they have been asking for cooperation for the traces of magic that were found in the Count’s mansion. If they find out that Master is here, the prince will ask you to return right?”

“Of course, since I was going to be the Crown Princess.”

Even so, it is now just nominal. Since Count Delight is already dead. Reinhardt smiled at her as if he had noticed Valletta’s thoughts. He stretched out his arms and placed his hands on Valletta’s cheeks.

“Nevertheless, Master is valuable. The Imperial Family will not let you go easily.”

His hand rubbed Valletta’s cheekbone with his thumb. Reinhardt’s lips parted with a smile that seemed to melt beautifully.

“Shall we kill them all?”

“What?”

“Even if they are from the Imperial Family, if I break their neck they will still die. Since they will try to take you away from me, wouldn’t it be better if I kill them before that ever happens?”

“Are you going to start a war?”

Crazy b*st*rd, Valletta thought to herself.

No matter how crazy he was, she never expected that he would be crazy enough to have the intention of wiping out the Imperial Family.

“War?”

Reinhardt tilted his head. His long hair trickled to the side. Confusion was reflected in his red eyes.

“It even has such a grand name.”

He shrugged. In other words, even if they go to war with the other side, even if they attack him in a swarm, they wouldn’t even get close to him. She had been familiar with his formidable abilities in the novel, but she did not expect him to underestimate a war.

“Ah, but there are also quite a few bugs in the tower.”

“You mean that Bartio or whatever his name is?”

“Did Master also learn mind-reading? How admirable.”

His eyes opened wide and there was a hint of playfulness in his questioning expression.

It was strange that Reinhardt, who was always wearing a mask made of lies, would make such an expression again. He certainly has a brighter expression than when he was in the mansion.

“I heard about it in the library.”

“Ah. Should I pull out all of his teeth? Or should I rip his mouth open? Which one do you think is better, Master?”

“Don’t ask me.”

“Well, pulling out his teeth is just playing around, so I think it will be quicker if I just pull out his tongue.”

At Reinhardt’s cruel words, Valletta bit her lips.

“Are you afraid of me, Master?”

“…”

She turned her head away at Reinhardt’s outrageous question and slowly returned her to her original position. He had a serious look on his face, without the smile he always had on his lips.

“When I treat you with kindness, even now, the master alway avoids me.”

“I…”

“Why?”

She shut her mouth at his question.

“My master has avoided me right from the beginning. Just why?”

“…”

“You tried to kick me out right from the beginning. You showed sympathy and kindness to mere beasts, but not for me.”

“No, I’m not the only one.”

Valletta pondered for a moment at Reinhardt’s words, and then opened her mouth.

“I’m afraid of you,” she said frankly.

Valletta was afraid of him.

She was terrified of the Reinhardt portrayed in the novel, and was terrified of him who never truly smiled.

She was afraid that her neck would break at once by being grabbed by his hand.

“You think I’m going to kill you?”

Reinhardt asked, getting up from his seat. His cold gaze reached Valletta.

It wasn’t common to see Reinhardt not smiling, but he would often do so in front of her.

As Valletta thought, this expression… was the closest to the real Reinhardt.

“… That’s right.”

“How can I understand you?”

Reinhardt’s arm reached out slowly and gently grabbed Valletta’s neck. He then gently squeezed the neck wrapped in his large hands and pushed her back.

He pushed Valletta onto the bed and tucked his knees between her legs.

Reinhardt moved closer to Valletta’s face, still holding Valletta’s neck.

Their noses touched and their breath mixed.

“Even if I’m like this, I can’t kill you.”

Valletta narrowed her brow.

Am I mistaken that he looks a little nervous?

She opened her mouth as she held her breath, but didn’t say a word.

“How can I make you look at me, Master?”

***