I Picked Up the Precious Daughter of the Villain

At a distance of about two hands from me, the Duke bowed his head.

The smell of blood hit me.

No matter how strong the heart is, the body is bound to stiffen in this situation. Even more so for an ordinary person like me.

Thud.

The Duke knelt down on the floor.

I stepped back in panic.

“Your Grace, what is this……”

Before I could finish, the Duke raised his head.

Deeply sunken dark red eyes shone eerily.

‘……Dangerous.’

My palms were wet with cold sweat.

I opened my mouth to say something, but couldn’t find any words so I had to close it again.

While I hesitated, the Duke spoke again.

“Request. You are the only one to ask for this. Elodie…take care of Elodie until the end. Now, I can’t go near her……”

A feverish voice spoke incoherently.

“……So, so……I beg you. I will never appear in front of you or Elodie again. I’ll give you anything you want I’ll give up my life, so……please protect my daughter until the end.”

Even though my head was frozen with fear and I couldn’t grasp the situation properly, one piece of information stuck in my head.

‘You can’t meet Elodie?’

Duke Vanice loved his daughter dearly, but he said that he will never appear in front of Elodie again.

‘……no way.’

The sudden realization made me gasp and choke.

All of this points to only one fact.

The madness of Duke Vanice, worsened every time he used black magic in the novel, and the frenzied state of mind he is locked in when the madness reaches its peak.

The Duke in front of me was exactly the same as the Duke who ran amok in the novel.

‘It’s a side effect of black magic.’

I looked down in horror at the man who was still on his knees.

All puzzles fit.

Naturally, Duke Vanice wouldn’t go near his daughter as long as his madness got to this point.

If he did something wrong, he would hurt her.

In the novel, Duke Vanice also intended to commit suicide after saving his daughter.

However, the problem is…

‘Why?’

The terrifying conclusion was followed by a reasonable question.

In the novel, Duke Vanice studies and used black magic to revive Elodie, who had already died.

But now, on the contrary, the real Elodie is alive and well and her relationship with the Duke is improving.

It means that he has no reason to use black magic.

“……M-My Lord.”

I swallowed dry saliva.

There was a crucial difference between the Duke in the novel, who went mad because of the black magic, and the Duke in front of me now.

In the novel, the Duke was the one who took the lives of countless people for Elodie. But the Duke Vannice, who is kneeling in front of me and begging……

‘He said he would give up his own life.’

I caught my breath.

Maybe there is still hope.

No, there had to be hope.

Because Elodie needed Duke Vanice.

Because her biological father, who had pampered her since she was a baby and had searched all over the continent for four years, couldn’t collapse like this.

I knelt in the same way in front of Duke Vanice.

“My Lord.”

I called Duke Vanice slowly.

“Is there anything I can do for you?”

Duke Vanice’s flashing gaze was fixed on my face.

“……Nothing. Just, Elodie……all you have to do is protect Elodie.”

I nodded.

It was because I thought that I should first reassure this man who only cares about his daughter even in a situation where madness is seething.

“I promise. I will protect Elodie. Although I can’t risk my life like you……I will do my best to protect and raise her.”

“……”

I added a few words in the lightest tone possible. Although, the content was not light.

“And even if you can’t see Elodie, send her a letter. That’s my condition. Elodie needs to know that His Excellency still loves and cares for her.”

Is it an illusion?

The gloomy and eerie aura that had been felt emanating from the Duke seemed to have softened just a little bit.

“……Thanks.”

“No need for thanks.”

I said emphatically.

“So, are you going to stay here? You should get up now. You’re going to break your knees.”

The cafe floor was hardwood. Of course, it can’t be good if you’re on your knees for a long time.

“……No, I have to go.”

Sparks began to fly in the Duke’s eyes again.

“There is still work to be done. But……because I can’t stand it. Because it’s hard…… I came looking for you.”

I blinked.

What does hard work have to do with me?

Fortunately, the Duke got up right away, as if he had no intention of babbling more.

‘Yes, he’s done that before and he’s gotten better. It’s never been this bad, but…….’

When I think about it, the day he came to me and tried to kill me was also the day he suffered from the side effects of black magic.

It was embarrassing to realize such an obvious fact only now.

Anyway, since he suffered from madness then and got back to normal, he will recover after enough time.

It had to be.

It would be very sad if he lost his reason forever like this.

Duke Vanice walked to the door without saying a single farewell.

Me and Ian didn’t stop him.

Although, I couldn’t take my eyes off his back……

“Miss Bertin.”

Suddenly, he stopped and called my name.

I blinked.

Did he mean to wish Elodie’s well-being for the last time?

“……Lastly, may I ask for a handshake?”

There was a sound of Ian gasping and inhaling.

“No, Miss Aria.”

“……”

I hesitated for a moment.

Of course I was afraid.

It wouldn’t be strange if my arms were torn apart the moment we held hands because we are talking about black magic.

But I walked towards Duke Vanice as if possessed. Maybe it was because his voice contained more desperation than when he asked for Elodie.

Or was it because the Duke’s eyes, filled with all sorts of emotions, showed a glimpse of hope that hadn’t been there before?

I firmly held the right hand of the Duke and shared the most sincere handshake in my life.

“……Thank you.”

A faint smile appeared on the Duke’s lips.

I stared blankly at his face.

Was it an illusion that the madness that surrounded him thickly like fog seemed to have dissipated for a moment?

Tak.

It was only after hearing the sound of the door closing that I realized that the Duke had completely left the cafe.

“Miss Aria, are you okay?”

Ian ran frantically, but I didn’t say anything.

I don’t think I can say it’s okay or not.

* * *

Theodor Vanice quickly exited Café Aria, breathing heavily while leaning against the wall of a dim back alley.

His whole body was drenched in a cold sweat.

The confrontation with the vassals, who believed that they had already completely swallowed the duchy, was beyond imagination.

Even most of the Duke’s privates were stolen, and Theodor had to cross swords with the knights he once cherished and raised.

The traitor, who was once his right-hand man, used only the most strangling of tactics and even Theodore Vanice had no choice but to be cornered.

Naturally, he used black magic.

In great intensity, very often, more naturally than breathing.

He couldn’t help it.

Black magic was the only solution in the current situation.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know the price.

Two types of offerings can be used in black magic.

One is the caster himself, and another is to offer a person as a sacrifice.

Theodore clenched his teeth.

No matter how much he fell into the abyss, he swore that he would never drag another human into black magic.

All that was left was himself.

It didn’t matter.

As it was originally, madness itself faded over time, and only physical side effects such as loss of sensations or extreme pain followed.

But this time it was different.

Was it because he took the lives of an exceptionally large number of people? Even during the rest period, the black magic ran amok and did not let him go.

In the end, one thing came to his mind.

Elodie.

I have to ask someone to take care of Elodie.

With that thought alone, he himself went to visit Aria Bertin.

Even though he doesn’t have the confidence to spit out the right words even if he meets her.

And……

‘…. I didn’t expect that.’

The closer he got to Aria Bertin, the more he felt freed from the oppression of the black magic that engulfed him.

Thanks to that, he was able to entrust Elodie to her.

It was questionable whether he would have said it properly, but seeing that Aria Bertin accepted and comforted himself, it seemed to have worked.

Satisfied with that fact, just before leaving the cafe.

An inexplicable urge arose.

The urge to hold, hug and cuddle Aria Bertin……

Asking for a handshake without putting any other thoughts into action was his last remaining piece of self-control.

As a result……

‘I can’t believe it.’

Theodor closed his eyes.

Aria’s hand was warm and cozy like a spring day.

His madness slowly faded as I focused on her warmth.

Although I was embarrassed at that moment and hurriedly left the place, I could tell now that I had calmed down.

He now knew that what happened a little while ago had never been accidental and that it was not because of Aria Bertin’s exceptional culinary skills that he had regained his sense of taste.

Time passed and passed again.

I knew I had to leave, but I couldn’t move a single step until everything was clear.

How long has it been?

In the middle of a moonless night, Theodor concluded.

Aria Bertin was his last remaining salvation.