The Villain Wants to Live Quietly

Chapter 4. Small changes (1)

Four days have passed since Sophia left.

Ludwig, who had been sparring with Emilia in the garden since morning, collapsed on the bed, breathing heavily to the tip of his chin.

It was his pride as a man, and he was nabal.

“Movement is getting better. I’m really going to catch up with this.”

“hahahaha… Thank you for your words. Emilia.”

“I am serious. Was it really the difference in the end?”

In her view, Ludwig was not born invulnerable. The lines of her body were thin for a man, and she wasn’t the type to build muscles easily.

Even so, he thought he was following his movements well from the first pairing, and after only a few days, his swordsmanship skills were improving.

From the moment she took her first steps, she devoted herself to the sword and hung on to it day by day.

At this level, wouldn’t it be long before he was put on the same line as himself? Of course, in terms of physical strength, I need to supplement a little more.

“It was a bit of a conversion, but… It got clogged so easily that it gave me goosebumps.”

“You said you haven’t touched swordsmanship since you were trained for a while, right? Considering that, it’s a great talent.”

It seemed to her that a man named Ludwig tended to underestimate his self-worth.

Rather than being a realm of humility, there was a time when it was excessive enough to feel like self-deprecation in a sense, but it was just like that now.

Of course, it should be taken into account that his self-esteem hits rock bottom because the opponent he is facing is a swordsman who is unmatched in his age.

While sparring together for the past few days, a small change has occurred in Emilia as well.

Originally, she did not want anyone to see her training, so she practiced sparring with even the ladies-in-waiting bitten, but now she is allowed to watch the game while watching.

I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but it’s a habit that hasn’t been fixed, so I just kept it. It didn’t matter because it didn’t mean much… … .

“Thank you for your hard work, young master.”

“Good job, ma’am.”

Paula has a serious and businesslike feel.

A little more lively and lively Grita.

Two contrasting ladies-in-waiting approached their owners, handed them canteens, and wiped away their sweat.

It was interesting that the owners’ attitudes were also very contrasting.

Emilia quietly quenched her thirst after accepting the water bottle while expressing her gratitude plainly.

Ludwig gave thanks quite loudly, half-raised his body, and drank water with his hands leaning on the floor.

This was the daily scene in the mansion that occurred during recent training.

“You seem very tired today.”

“I put in some effort at the end… You have no face, Emilia.”

“Huh, what is it like? Not wanting to show weakness is the law of training. That also means that it’s okay to look a little weak when practicing.”

It could be interpreted that way.

Ludwig inadvertently remembered the first time he learned to ride a two-wheeled bicycle when he was on the other side of the world.

I was taught by a friend in the neighborhood at a nearby school playground, and I was really embarrassed to see him fall and fall, but he said it was okay and helped him up.

Wouldn’t that friend’s feelings at that time be the same as Emilia’s now?

“Can you stand me up?”

“Oh, no. It is enough to get up with my hands.”

Wiping off the sweat before she knew it, she approached Ludwig and held out her hand.

But for some reason, Ludwig stood up with his own hands, waving his hands in a panic.

The eyes of Emilia, who had reached out to him, widened for a moment.

‘It seems that he is avoiding me for some reason… … .’

Ever since Sofia left, Emilia felt as if the distance from him had grown a little.

It was like that even now. If it was in the past, I would have been able to hold hands and raise my body saying thank you. He was avoiding contact with himself to an unnatural extent.

Or is it simply because his hands are disgusting?

His hands were covered with blisters and calluses from spending half of his day on swords.

I was told it was pretty. He said he was my own hand and liked it together. He even confirmed with his own two eyes that there was no lie in those words.

Ludwig, who read her mind in the strangely hardened face, hurriedly waved his hand.

“Oh no! Emilia, I never meant that.”

“Yeah?”

“That, that… sorry. Made me misunderstand… But I didn’t really reject it for the reason Emilia thought. Trust me.”

A white lump still did not appear above his head.

Maybe it’s a lump that has nothing to do with him. Emilia smiled lightly while holding that thought in mind.

It was amazing how quickly he could notice this even though he didn’t have the same eyes as himself.

When do you plan to raise your eyes on the other side? He’s just waiting for that time.

When I held out my hand again in a slightly pouting state, he was standing up, so I ended up asking for a handshake.

When Ludwig’s laughing and holding hands came into view again, the unpleasant lump in his chest melted away.

As if winter had passed and spring had come. It was a very mysterious feeling.

* * * * * * *

Lately, Ludwig’s feelings have been complicated.

The reason was no different, because a stone that Sophia had left behind caused a big ripple in his heart.

“… Behi? Ludwig?”

“Yes? uh, what’s going on? Emilia.”

Lost in his thoughts, he hurriedly responded to Emilia’s call.

In her hand was a paper bag full of fresh fruit.

Today, at her request, he was about to go out under the pretext of inspecting the estate ruled by the Aifretz family.

The Ipretz family is a sizable county family with numerous manors.

Among them, the direct management area around the castle centered on the mansion had a fairly active local economy, and this low street was one of those examples.

“No matter how many times I call, there is no answer. Are you feeling unwell? After all, it’s better to rest at the mansion today… … .”

“Okay, it’s okay, you don’t have to worry. More than that, the fruit is very fresh.”

He managed to change the topic while hiding his flushed face.

Not to mention, the fruit in the paper bag was actually quite fresh.

Pederbarn, the estate of the Ipretz family, is located in the southern region where the soil is generally fertile, so the fruits are bigger and stronger than crops produced in other regions.

Emilia also smiled brightly, saying that she had never seen an apple this big.

It’s all because of Sophia. A single word she left behind drove him to this point.

He made an effort to smile while reciting excuses that didn’t work for him.

“It feels good to come out after a long time. Maybe it’s more like Ludwig and the two of us.”

“Yes… ok That is an honor.”

Emilia smiles nonchalantly, whether she knows her feelings or not, and even adds a comment that makes her heart sink.

It was a truly embarrassing attack. Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to be beaten by her wooden sword?

Of course, in that case, it would be a problem that he could die physically.

‘Why are you so pretty? I’m really going crazy. No, even if you’re pretty, you have to be pretty enough… Wow, that just made absolutely no sense.’

Ludwig shook his head from side to side to awake his confused mind as his beloved wife spat out a series of twists and turns that even her husband or father would not do.

Anyway, Sophia’s words were the problem. If it hadn’t been for that, he wouldn’t have been so confused, and he wouldn’t have changed his gaze towards Emilia.

Sending an inaudible protest to Sophia, who had already returned to the baronial domain, he stiffened his body against Emilia’s behavior, which was quietly leaning on him.

Perhaps, if he had been managed by a fishery in the other world, he would have been a great fish.

At some point, I thought that I was so funny that I was conscious of each and every one of her actions.

The biggest problem was with myself who was giggling inside even though I was aware of it.

‘It’s also strange… … .’

Meanwhile, looking at him, Emilia definitely sensed something.

Unfortunately, she did not have the eyes to see through other people’s emotions such as love or crush.

What her mind’s eye could detect was a fairly limited range, such as lies, lust, apologetics, and anger.

That’s why he noticed Ludwig’s recent move to distance himself, and only realized that he had something to hide.

Even in the midst of this, what is truly amazing is that even though his attitude towards himself has changed somewhat, his appearance without a single lie is the same.

‘What? This sense of incongruity… … .’

Whenever I see him, I get the feeling that he resembles someone a lot. It’s just frustrating because I don’t know who it is.

When he approaches, he gets strangely flustered and distances himself,

Occasionally reacts strangely,

There were times when I couldn’t even raise my head because my face was so red.

I remember seeing someone like this recently… Who is that?

Looking up at Ludwig, who was taller than herself, a sigh escaped from Emilia’s mouth, who was deep in thought.

“ah.”

“yes?”

Ludwig expressed his curiosity at the sound that came out of her mouth, but he couldn’t afford an excuse.

it was noticed Who has his recent behavior resembled?

‘me… … ?’

sure What he resembles now is the self he had a while ago.

The self who stayed up all night thinking only of someone and even in his sleep, as if he had returned to his innocent self when he was young.

The moment she recognized that fact, a deep smile formed on Emilia’s lips.