Third-Rate Villain Of Fantasy Novel-Chapter 38: Time with Family

I wasn’t sure what I was really feeling.

Maybe I was unconsciously trying to rely on her because she was the main character of this world.

Or maybe I was simply being drawn to the side of Elena Edelweiss she had shown while spending time with me.

...Or perhaps it was both.

As I walked toward her, Elena turned her head.

The expression she wore was different from the one she had shown while speaking with Alphonse just moments ago.

It was softer.

More open.

Almost as if she had been waiting for me to approach.

I smiled before I could stop myself.

"Elena," I said, keeping my tone light, "do you remember when we talked about going on a picnic together last time?"

For a brief second, she looked surprised.

Then her eyes widened slightly, and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Of course I remember," she replied. "You brought it up so casually that I thought you’d forgotten about it already."

"I don’t forget promises that easily," I said, scratching the back of my head. "Well... not ones I actually want to keep."

She tilted her head, studying my face.

"And is this one of those promises?"

"Yes," I answered without hesitation.

Her gaze lingered on me, as if she were searching for something in my expression.

After a moment, she smiled.

Not the polite smile she used in public, but a genuine one that made her eyes curve slightly.

"That makes me happy," she said quietly. "I thought maybe it was just idle talk."

"I was thinking," I continued, feeling a bit nervous all of a sudden, "we don’t really get time to relax like that."

Elena let out a soft sigh.

"You’re right," she said. "Sometimes I forget what it feels like to do something just because I want to."

There was a hint of loneliness in her voice.

It made my chest tighten.

"So," I said, trying to sound casual again, "how about we actually do it this time? No schedules. No titles. Just the two of us."

She looked away for a moment, her fingers lightly gripping the hem of her sleeve.

When she looked back at me, her expression was calm, but her cheeks were faintly red.

"I’d like that," she said. "More than I expected."

Silence fell between us.

But it wasn’t uncomfortable.

If anything, it felt warm.

Whatever the reason behind my uncertain emotions—whether it was her role in this world or the person she was when she was with me—one thing was clear.

I wanted to spend more time with Elena Edelweiss.

And this time, I didn’t want to overthink it.

---

Yesterday, Elena and Damian went on an outing they had promised each other some time ago.

Perhaps because she had once casually mentioned that she liked flowers, the place Damian chose was a hill blanketed in blooming daisies.

It wasn’t merely a field of flowers—its wide, open scenery made it a famous spot in Sarham, one that could rival even the carefully cultivated flower gardens within the Lord’s castle.

Standing at the top of the hill, Elena felt a strange exhilaration, as though the view before her had pierced straight through her chest.

Countless white daisy petals swayed gently in the wind, stretching endlessly into the distance. It was a feeling entirely different from the refined beauty of the flower garden at Isilia Pavilion—less orderly, yet far more alive.

Damian, true to his word, had prepared everything. A neatly folded mat lay spread across the grass, and beside it were carefully packed desserts.

If it had been just the two of them, sitting there and talking beneath the open sky, it would have surely become another unforgettable memory.

Unfortunately, they were not alone.

"This place really hasn’t changed since back then."

Damian turned slightly at the familiar voice.

"Hmm? You’ve been here before, Father?"

Count Arthur Kraus gazed across the hill with a faint smile, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Well, this is my territory. Of course I’ve been here. It’s been a long time, but I remember clearly—this is where I first confessed my love to your mother."

Elena blinked in surprise.

"Really?"

Even Alphonse, who had been lazily kicking at the grass, looked up with interest.

"Wow... I didn’t know that."

"...That’s surprising," Damian muttered. "I always thought you and Mother were married through an arrangement. Otherwise, there’s no reason she would have agreed to marry you."

Arthur clicked his tongue in displeasure.

"I’m certain I had two sons, but perhaps I was mistaken. Alphonse might be my only real child after all."

Alphonse immediately grinned.

"I knew it. So I am the favorite."

"You’re enjoying this a bit too much," Damian said flatly.

Arthur let out a short laugh, clearly amused.

"Your mother loved flowers too. Especially daisies. When I brought her here, she said the wind made them look like they were whispering secrets to each other."

Elena unconsciously glanced at Damian. His expression softened, just slightly, as though he were imagining the scene.

"That sounds... romantic," Elena said quietly.

Arthur nodded.

"It was. I was young and foolish, but sincere. Fortunately, that sincerity worked."

Alphonse tilted his head.

"So this is a legendary confession site, huh? Brother, you picked quite the meaningful place."

Damian coughed lightly.

"I didn’t plan it that deeply."

Elena smiled, though her heart felt oddly complicated.

Count Arthur Kraus and his younger son, Alphonse Kraus, being present on what was supposed to be a quiet outing was... unexpected, to say the least.

She wondered why they had come along at all. No matter how much she thought about it, only one conclusion made sense.

Time with family...

Not long ago, Elena had told Damian—almost without thinking—that she felt he didn’t spend enough time with his family. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Since then, his behavior had subtly changed. He spent more time with Alphonse, joined his father for meals more often, and even now—

"I thought you said this was just a walk," Elena said, half-teasing.

Damian glanced at her, then away.

"I did. But Father overheard."

Arthur raised his hands innocently.

"I merely happened to hear my son preparing an outing. As a father, I felt obligated to accompany him."

"That’s not how obligation works," Damian replied.

Alphonse plopped himself down onto the mat Damian had prepared.

"Either way, the desserts smell great. Let’s eat before Brother’s mood ruins the flowers."

Elena laughed softly, the tension easing.

Watching the Kraus family bicker under the open sky, surrounded by swaying daisies, Elena realized something she hadn’t expected.

Even if this outing hadn’t gone the way she imagined, it still felt warm.

And perhaps—just perhaps—this too would become a memory worth cherishing.