The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 13

“Young master, your bath water is ready…”

As I was about to leave the room, Merin spoke to me. She hadn’t initiated conversation before, so I wonder if she’s noticed my changed attitude and feels a bit more comfortable with me now.

“I’ll be out for a bit.”

“Shall I maintain the water temperature until you return?”

“Yes, I’ll bathe when I get back, so that would be great.”

“Understood.”

Merin clasped her hands politely over her lower abdomen and smiled gently.

Just as I was about to leave the room, I suddenly realized I didn’t know where Luwen’s room was.

“Oh, Merin.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Do you know where Luwen… I mean, where the servants stay? Where do they bathe?”

“If you need Luwen, I can send someone to call him. It’s not appropriate for you to visit the servants’ quarters, young master.”

“There’s something I want to check on without Luwen knowing.”

In the original story, most of Luwen’s childhood was omitted. Perhaps that’s why I keep worrying about it, with only brief flashbacks of major events. I felt I needed to see for myself to put my mind at ease.

“Please give me an order. I’ll check on it for you.”

Looks like she won’t tell me. The Duke’s mansion is unnecessarily huge with multiple buildings, making it impractical to search everywhere. Besides, I’m quite tired now and don’t want to walk much.

“…I guess it would be troublesome if I wandered around the mansion freely? Father wouldn’t like it, right? Merin, you’re my attendant, but you’re father’s person, after all.”

“N-no, that’s not it, young master. You misunderstand.”

Merin, turning pale at the mention of the Duke, frantically waved her hands in distress.

“What am I misunderstanding?”

“The Duke…”

However, she hesitated, unable to continue properly. Seeing this, I smiled bitterly and turned away.

“It’s okay, Merin. I’m used to it.”

Might as well pretend to give up. It’s a shame, we were just starting to get along.

At that moment:

“Young master, we usually stay in the west wing.”

Merin began to explain. I widened my eyes in feigned surprise, then quickly changed my expression to a slight smile and nodded. Merin, who had been staring blankly at my face, hastily bowed her head and continued.

“Among them, Luwen’s room is in the basement. It’s the fifth room on the right from the central water pipe.”

“The basement? Luwen’s room is in the basement?”

“I don’t know the details, but Luwen said he chose it himself.”

Did she think I was scolding her? Merin hurriedly spoke before I could ask further.

“Is that so? I’m just asking in case, but Luwen isn’t being bullied or anything, right?”

“Not at all. Everyone adores him. Luwen is diligent, cheerful, and speaks so politely that everyone likes him.”

Her voice sounded affectionate, as if talking about a younger sibling. As expected, he’s loved wherever he goes. Our Luwen will be popular when he grows up. I felt proud for no reason.

“That’s right. Plus, he’s cute.”

“Yes, he’s incredibly cute.”

I guess people’s taste in others is all the same. I nodded lightly in agreement and turned my back.

“Still, please return quickly. It’s not a good place for someone as precious as you to linger for long.”

Merin’s voice came from behind me. I understood her meaning, but I felt uncomfortable with her nonchalant attitude about a child staying in the basement. It must be because of my memories of living in a society without social classes. Here, this sort of thing is normal.

I’ll have to ask Irene later to get rid of all the basement lodgings. If it’s sister’s advice, even father will take it seriously. After all, a good workplace should have good welfare.

* * *

Since I had never been to this area before, I struggled a bit to find the entrance to the basement, but I eventually found it safely.

I thought it would be gloomy, but wall-mounted candleholders were densely placed, making the surroundings bright. Although the brightness was better than expected, the air was inevitably stale. I couldn’t help but think that living here for a long time would make one sick.

It was somewhat comforting that this was just a sleeping space where they spent most of their time upstairs, but I couldn’t let my small and precious Luwen stay in such a place.

‘It would be better to move Luwen to my room right away.’

I had planned to wait a few days since I had just given him the big carrot, but the environment was urging me on.

As soon as I finished descending the stairs with firm resolve, I heard a splashing sound of water being poured. Reflexively, I turned towards the sound to see Luwen pouring water over his shirtless body. The heat from his body was cooling down from the cold water, creating a faint haze.

Startled, I quickly approached and placed my hand on Luwen’s shoulder. An ice-cold body temperature transmitted through my palm.

“Luwen!”

“Ah! You scared me!”

Luwen jumped in surprise and blinked at me. His gaze clearly asked why I was here. I let out a small sigh.

“Why are you washing with cold water?”

My tone became stiff due to my upset feelings. I knew I should treat him gently, but something that was usually so easy was not working well right now.

“Young master, please step back.”

“Why?”

“It’s cold. You’re delicate, you know.”

I was too dumbfounded to speak. Even though we were indoors, the basement was damp and cold. Cold enough to see our breath.

I quickly took off my outer garment and draped it over Luwen. Then I forcibly stopped the flustered Luwen from trying to return it.

“I’ll catch a cold if I wear wet clothes.”

“That’s why you shouldn’t… It’s cold, please go back up quickly. I’m done washing anyway.”

After carefully putting the half-fallen clothes back on him, I looked around. I needed to know why Luwen was washing with cold water. Luwen was rolling his eyes awkwardly, but his body was too cold for me to fully appreciate how cute he was being.

Perhaps because of the odd hour, there was no one passing by in the basement. Moreover, the brazier was too high and the pot too large to draw hot water. It was sized for adults.

“Why didn’t you ask someone else to heat the water for you?”

“I’m fine washing with cold water, so why bother?”

Looking at his innocent eyes, it seemed there really was no other reason, but I didn’t like it. I want to feed him only good things, dress him well. I want to raise him in the utmost comfort with nothing lacking.

‘I should have checked earlier. All this time… No, Irene too. Why did she neglect Luwen?’

Unfair resentment welled up, but thinking about it, it was probably for the same reason as me. After all, father was someone who took good care of the convenience and welfare of the servants working for the family. We probably thought he would be well taken care of.

You stubborn, slow-witted boy. If you had just said something to sister, you could have stayed comfortably in a better room. Did you not want to be a bother?

They say children who know how to consider others are precocious, but did he want to be precocious as a child? Wasn’t it that he had no choice but to mature while being conscious of those around him?

It was the same for me too. Thanks to that, I became an adult who could uncannily detect others’ negative emotions towards me. But this is a useless skill that Luwen doesn’t need to learn.

I’ve already ruined the child’s happy childhood, so I wanted him to live according to his age from now on. To be greedy, to whine, to get angry sometimes, to laugh without worries. Not to be a precocious child who unnecessarily holds back, gives up everything, and considers others too much like now, but just to be a proper twelve-year-old.

As I pursed my lips, feeling choked up, Luwen spoke with a faint smile.

“You’re looking at me just like the young lady did. When we first met, the young lady looked at me the same way you are now, young master.”

“…Is that so?”

That young lady again. She won’t understand your feelings and will even engage in romantic acts right in front of you. Even knowing that you’re destined to die protecting her, would you still like her?

…Damn it. He probably would. Luwen was the type of person who would say he’s happy if he could die protecting Irene.

But I won’t let that happen. You deserve to be happier. You deserve to live while being loved abundantly by someone who loves you.

I felt upset for no reason, but if I showed a distorted face now, the small castle I had built up until now would crumble.

My relationship with Luwen was like a sandcastle just before the waves reach it. If I showed even a bit of my previous self, it would disappear without a trace.

“Yes. These days, you look at me as if I’m a different person. And you’re letting me learn swordsmanship…”

Carefully, carefully. I had to build it cautiously. Build it solid enough to withstand any storm.

For that, I need to become a kinder and better person. At least as much as Irene. Only then can I hold onto the young Luwen. If I lose the child now, the future won’t change. He’ll fall in love with Irene again.

“You’re right, I have become a different person. The cold water woke me up. Thanks to you, Luwen.”

“Even now, you’re like that. In the past, you would have used such words to mock me, but now it seems genuine.”

“It is genuine, so you can believe it.”

After stroking Luwen’s wet hair a few times, I held out my hand. I was worried I might be rejected again, but his small hand landed on my palm. My lips quivered with the touching feeling of having tamed a stray kitten.