I Became The Villain's Master

If he becomes the Duke, he’ll inevitably have frequent exchanges with the imperial family, and if he kept meeting Cinnamon who’d later become the Princess, how would he feel? 

Thinking to herself, she wasn’t confident he could handle it.

“……How could I call you by your name or nickname? I’m a slave, my lady.” 

“Huh?”

“Please take it back. Casually calling your name isn’t allowed for someone like me. Thank you very much, but you’ve already done too much by being kind and protective of me.” 

The child’s expression was sullen. 

He had a crestfallen expression, and his shoulders sagged. 

Even though he lost his memory, he still retained pride, given how he was raised. 

As the young Duke, he humbles himself too much. 

But I think it’s what he’s used to.

He seemed to have lived under a lot of pressure because of his scary and strict father, despite being only five years old. 

“Rory, don’t be like that.”

“……”

“You awe a child who should be pwotected, and you desewve to be loved. I… I hope you wewe be happy with the time you spent with me.” (You are a child who should be protected, and you deserve to be loved. I… I hope you will be happy with the time you spent with me.)

I looked into his eyes, hoping that my sincerity would be conveyed. 

Rory gently removed the cheek he had leaned against my hand and looked at me with wet eyes.  

His wet eyes blinked once, and the tears dropped one by one like pearls. 

His pink eyes stood out to me. 

“So, call me Mel.” I smiled and continued, “Okay? Rory.” 

Rory gazed at me blankly and mumbled with his dainty lips.  Then he said timidly, with a red face, “Mel…” 

“Huh? What? I can’t hear you.”

“Mel!”

He called me a little louder once again and lowered his head shyly.  The little boy, who had initially hesitated, plucked up his courage once more. 

“Y, your name and nickname are so pretty.”

“Really?”

“Yes… Mel…”

Oh my, he’s adorable. It felt strangely good to hear his lovely voice, even though the nickname wasn’t mine. 

This lovely child, just love me instead of Cinnamon, that heartbreaker of men. 

I murmured that repeatedly in my mind, like a witch casting a spell. 

Rory lifted his head and smiled as I chuckled. 

His innocent smile made me sad. 

I felt a lump in my throat remembering how he died, and I kept pondering about the ending after reading the last page of the novel.

* * * 

Anne decorated the empty room that would be Rory’s room, next door to the left of mine. 

The maids, who were watching the workers come in and out with furniture, rolled up their sleeves and helped in cleaning the room. 

The room was prepared in an instant, and it gave off a cozy and inviting atmosphere. 

The fluffy ivory carpet encapsulated the warm atmosphere. 

The furniture was also thoughtfully chosen to suit a child.  

The color of the curtains was a light yellow. 

There was a layer in the curtain to prevent sunlight and a fireplace to prevent the cold at night.

“Do you like it?” Rory smiled and nodded at my question. 

His dimples looked beautiful while smiling. 

I looked around the room and looked at Rory, who was also looking around his room, then my body suddenly flew into the air. 

“Ahh!”

“Merchen, what are you doing? Did you have this room decorated?” 

Unlike the friendly tone, the question wasn’t exactly the friendliest. 

It was Suga Hauser who asked as he looked at her with a gentle expression.

“I was going to fill this place with jewelry and shoes for when you grow up later.” 

Suga was the one who suddenly picked me up. 

Despite what he said, I only shrugged my shoulders with a wholly dissatisfied look. 

Rory, meanwhile, was fidgeting with his hands clasped together, appearing bewildered. 

I gave Rory a look and said, “Rory said he’s unhappy sleeping with me.”

“No owner makes a room for slaves. It’s enough having him just sleep in the barn.”

Oh my god. A barn.

“Rory isn’t a pile of gwain or straw. He’s a child in need of cawe.” (Rory isn’t a pile of grain or straw. He’s a child in need of care.)

“Child or not, you don’t need to care about them. Merchen, you don’t have to worry about others.”

I wanted to brush him off and kick him away, but I kept silent. 

I had to use another method because he wouldn’t listen to me.

“Come on. Don’t distuwb me while I’m pwaying.”

“Playing?”

“I was pwaying doll house.” 

I struggled to get down from Suga’s arm. 

“As the youngest daughter of the richest family in the Empire, should I pway with a doll that smells like a dirty barn? I should only have the pwettiest and cleanest things.”

“……”

Though I said that, it felt awfully cheesy, and worse, I sounded like a psychopath. 

I couldn’t help but sigh at my fate. 

I waited for Suga’s reaction, but then he smiled broadly as if he loved what I said. 

Either way, I didn’t like him.

“You’re right. What else do you want? I could make a bed of gold for you.”

“Hmm, just don’t lay a finger on Rory.”