The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 2

It doesn’t seem too difficult. Luwen just needs to not love Irene. If we can break the bond formed by their shared experiences, perhaps Luwen won’t have to go through a painful love.

‘Someone like Luwen should be happy.’

He’s still only twelve years old. Although he’s with Irene, it’s before romantic feelings have sprouted. If we separate them, and Luwen falls in love with someone other than Irene…

‘I can change Luwen’s ending.’

Instead of a future where he dies after experiencing unrequited love in a fairy tale-like novel where everyone else is happy, we might be able to see him living happily with someone who loves him back.

‘Wow, thinking about it makes me a bit excited.’

Deciding to give it a try, I turned my gaze back. My eyes met Luwen’s, who was tightly holding onto the hem of Irene’s skirt. He was watching me with a wary look, as if monitoring what crazy thing I might do next.

‘Luwen, I want to change your life’s genre to a happy ending.’

It might be an arrogant thought. But I’m originally a selfish person who only cares about myself. So I’m going to do as I please.

The Luwen I loved most in my life is here in reality. Moreover, this isn’t a novel where I can only watch knowing he’ll die. So I want to cheer him on up close, watch over him, and help him.

‘Honestly, I don’t want to be hated either. Since it’s come to this, it would be nice to become friends.’

To do that, I first need to take on the role of guardian from Irene… Will Luwen be willing to rely on me?

…It doesn’t seem like it will be easy. After all, Luwen is the one who pushed me into the lake.

While arguing with Irene, the female protagonist, by the lake, I was body-slammed by Luwen. He must have intended to fall in together from the start, as we both plunged into the lake with a splash. It was a case of jumping in to save his benefactor.

Even so, that’s going too far. Pushing the eldest son of a duke’s family into a lake in the middle of winter. Not caring about his own life, it was an action solely for the female lead. Even as a child, Luwen is still Luwen, I suppose.

It was three years ago that Irene discovered Luwen stealing a piece of bread because he was starving. She paid for the bread and took in the child who was being beaten by the shop owner at the time.

I didn’t like that for various reasons. I sneered that she, who came from outside, had picked up another beggar like herself. Whenever she was bullied, I threatened to gouge out the eyes that lit up with anger, and I even tried it once. Irene desperately stopped me, so it ended up being just an attempt.

At the time, I was so frustrated I stamped my feet, but looking back, I’m really glad. I wonder how much I tormented them. I realized that the reason he pushed me into the lake might not have been just because of Irene.

…Is this really okay?

Luwen clearly has a sense of gratitude and resentment. Irene is his benefactor, and I’m the villain who torments both his benefactor and him. It seems unlikely to gain the favor of Luwen, who has been upright and principled since childhood, but… he’s still a child, so if I treat him well from now on, won’t his impression of me change?

‘Yes, I just need to treat him well from now on.’

To do that, I’ll need to stick close to Luwen. To hang around Luwen, who has become Irene’s attendant, I’ll need her permission.

‘I should hurry.’

As I thought that far, I became anxious. Once Luwen grows up and realizes what romantic feelings are, it’s over. He never changes his mind once he falls in love with someone. I needed to separate them before Luwen starts the same love again.

While I was gauging what to do next, we arrived at my room. Irene, watching my reactions carefully, gently sat me on the bed and pulled up the blanket. Then she reached for the familiar white paper-wrapped medicine on the bedside table, but hesitated.

The series of actions seemed so natural that it didn’t look like something done only once or twice. When I was unconscious, was it Irene who gave me medicine?

As I stared at her, Irene suddenly turned her head.

“Luwen, could you do what I asked earlier?”

“Do I have to do it right now?”

“Yes, please.”

Luwen looked at Irene and me alternately with uneasy eyes, then answered with puffed cheeks.

“Alright. I’ll be back.”

Luwen, who had been glancing at me, left the room. It was obvious that Irene had sent him away for fear that I might mistreat him again if he stayed. I won’t do that anymore, but Irene doesn’t know about my change of heart yet, so it’s understandable.

“Did you give me medicine when I was sick?”

“Ah, no? It wasn’t me? Faye, why would I come here?”

She’s panicking too obviously. To think I have to pretend to believe such a clumsy lie.

“If you say so.”

I reached out my hand towards Irene with an indifferent response, and she stared at my hand with wide eyes.

Give me the medicine. Why aren’t you giving it to me?

“Will you… actually take it if I give it to you?”

Irene’s voice was trembling. Normally, I wouldn’t have taken it. In fact, I should have yelled at her to get out, saying I didn’t even want to be in the same room, and thrown a pillow at her.

But now I know what kind of person Irene is. She’s kind, gentle, and diligent, but she can become quite scary if you cross the line of her people. Gentle to her own, fierce in revenge.

In other words, in the current situation where I could become a target of revenge, it’s unavoidable to lower my tail a bit. I didn’t want to be a moth flying into the fire knowing I would die.

‘I could end up being an extra in a scene where she tortures me for Luwen’s revenge.’

Although the details were omitted in the novel, there was a passage where someone begged to be killed, promising to confess everything they knew. What on earth did she do? I’m curious, but I don’t want to experience it. Fortunately, now that I’ve realized my past life, this is still a favorable situation for me.

Irene has a weakness for family and the weak. The less someone has, the weaker they are, the more she tends to protect them. And I can be said to fall into both categories.

“Is that poison?”

“Of course not! It’s prescribed by a doctor. I got it myself… Ah…”

So Irene got the prescription.

“Give it to me.”

Father didn’t come this time either, I guess. Because he doesn’t love me. No, it would be fortunate if that was all.

Father hates me.

That’s why I became twisted. Because I wanted Father’s attention.

I thought everyone hated me because Father hated me, that I just needed to be acknowledged. Who could like someone that even their parents don’t love?

‘In reality, it was because my personality was awful.’

No one likes someone who torments them. It’s a simple principle, but I didn’t know it before. No one taught me what I shouldn’t do. As a result, I ended up alone.

Actually, being alone was comfortable. I wondered why I fantasized about being this kind of person, but maybe it’s because there are similarities with my past life.

‘Is it like fate?’

Living a similar life, dying lonely in a similar way.

‘The cause of being alone is different, but the result is the same.’

With a newfound feeling, I rolled the dark green pill that Irene had placed in my palm.

“Are you not going to take it? Your cheeks are red…”

Irene’s fingers twitched. As if she was itching to check if I had a fever. I looked at her calmly and said,

“Why do you look like that? You look as if you’re actually worried about me.”

“Is it wrong to worry? I’m your sister.”

“If you knew how much I hate you, you wouldn’t be able to casually call yourself my sister.”

Irene gave a bitter smile and poured water into a glass to hand it to me. In the past, I would have knocked that hand away, making the glass fall to the floor. Irene didn’t seem to be expecting much when she handed it to me either.

“Huh?”

“What? Why are you surprised? Wasn’t this for me?”

When I took the glass, Irene stared at me with wide eyes.

“Y-yes, it was!”

“My lip is split and it hurts.”

“Should I put some medicine on it?”

Irene’s face brightened as she fidgeted. Is she that happy that I accepted the glass? Her violet eyes, identical to mine, were filled with expectation.

Despite having the same hair color, our atmospheres were quite different. We inherited our hair and eye color from our father, but our appearances took after our respective mothers.

The only woman Duke Vinter ever loved, and the child he didn’t even know existed.

And my mother is the one who drove the woman the Duke loved out onto the streets to die. I’m just a child produced out of noble duty. It was obvious which one was more precious.

Of course, in the past, I disliked her even though I didn’t know any of these circumstances, but not anymore. I don’t dislike Irene. Having cheered for her life while reading the book, I rather like her now.

But what’s most important to me right now is Luwen. My sister will be happy anyway.

Who cares about Father’s love? The heir to the duke’s family? I’m not interested in that either. All I want is Luwen’s happiness.

That’s why I intend to become the sibling she wants. As long as she doesn’t turn evil, she’s a caring and kind person who will help me maintain my life as a young lord. And now, she’ll hand Luwen over to me.

It probably won’t be easy. First of all, Luwen is likely to refuse. How much does he hate me? Why would he come willingly?

Moreover, Irene isn’t the type to force someone against their will. If she were that kind of person, she would have already turned evil and finished me off. It’s fortunate that she’s still a good person. It seems like I just need to set things up well.