I'm Being Raised by Villains - Chapter 15
<Chapter 15>
I glanced at the hologram for a moment with my eyes wide open, then turned my head and saw Duke Mirel.
“Gwandpa!!”
When I came to my senses, I was already clinging to his leg with my eyes shining brightly.
“W-what are you doing, you fluffy feather?!”
“Hehe, thwank you!”
I’m ready to leave the house with this.
“My daughter.”
It was then that I realized I was still clinging to Duke Mirel’s leg.
Without me noticing, Erno Etam bent down, then placed his hands under my armpits to lift me up.
“That’s not polite.”
He put his index and middle finger on my bracelet while smiling gently.
Shine~
This time a small group of lights spread out, then disappeared.
A hologram floated.
[Withdrawal amount: 100,000,000 Lo
Remaining balance: 10,000,000 Lo]
The one hundred million that just came in, went out and vanished.
‘What the-?!’
I stared at Erno Etam with my mouth wide open when I saw the money evaporating before my eyes.
“If you pick up food carelessly, you’ll get an upset stomach.”
“What? This immoral bastard is seriously…!”
Listen here, listen here!
You psychopathic madman!
‘Come to think of it; this person is an 8th-circle magician.’
In other words, he’s one of those mad mages who could break through the Magic Tower system.
‘That’s so scary.’
Who knows if the magicians at the Magic Tower would be able to track him.
While my mind was in turmoil, he took out a bracelet made of diamonds and put it on my wrist.
‘Diamond?’
Obviously, diamond surpasses platinum, and there are only 5 pieces in the entire empire…
Shine~!
This time the group of lights appeared brighter than before.
[Deposit amount: 1,000,000,000 Lo
Balance: 1,010,000,000 Lo]
I was so surprised to see that there was another 0 added to the amount.
How much is this?
One billion?
“You understand, right? My daughter.”
Right, all your words are true.
“Yes, I love you Fatwher!”
I hung on Erno Etam’s neck with sparkling eyes and rubbed my face on the nape of his neck.
For some reason, his waist felt a bit stiff. It’s just my imagination, right?
“Thwank you vewy much, Fathwer! Fathwer is the best! Genius! Awesome! The kuul demon kwing!”
I kept pouring out the best compliments I could think of for him.
‘At this rate, I can live quietly even if I don’t work myself to death.’
Is this an indirect signal that indicates the end of the game?
‘I don’t know if this much money can for certain buy an island.’
Should I behave indifferently?
When I looked down from Erno Etam’s arms, there was the heroine who was looking at me with her eyes wide open.
Her hair is as black as ebony, and her honey-like eyes are so beautiful that anyone would believe that her relationship with Erno Etam is that of father and daughter.
She put on a bright face filled with curiosity and the fresh energy of a young girl.
I realized something the moment I saw this child.
The reason as to why this little girl has to be the heroine.
The reason as to why all the dark parts of the heroine and extras were removed and why everyone remains by her side; she was as bright as the sun.
In this place, I’m a complete supporting character.
I’m an extra.
When our eyes met, the heroine smiled with her pretty face.
There was a light that could never be defeated.
“Erno Etam!”
“Did the patriarch not hear what I said? I will send you food that is good for your hearing soon.”
“No need! As I said before, this girl is your older sister’s child, so I’m ordering you to adopt her. She will be of help to you.”
Erno Etam’s eyes curled into a rounded shape. It was a dazzling smile.
In the novel, his appearance is described as such.
<Be careful when Erno Etam, the demon, smiles.
He never smiles sincerely. His essence is nothing but madness and pleasure.
If he smiles sweetly, then the feeling surrounding him becomes a little uncomfortable; and if the corners of his eyes are curved, then it’s best to be careful of how you breathe. When he captivates his surroundings with a bright smile on his face, just keep quiet and leave that space.
When he smiles like this, something will definitely disappear from the face of the earth, whether it’s a person that dies, a family that falls apart, or even a mountain peak that was there just yesterday disappearing without a trace.>
I swallowed my saliva and felt tense.
“I already have a daughter. So, I have absolutely no idea what you mean.”
“This is not about playing house. This child has the power to calm ‘that’.”
There was an interest in Erno Etam’s eyes, who had just been speaking half-heartedly.
“…You mean, that child?”
“Right. You don’t want to hurt your children either, do you?”
“…Hmmm.”
He stared at me for a moment as if pondering, then looked at the child hiding behind Duke Mirel’s legs.
“Fathwer, I wanna go back to my rwoom!”
The intruder should leave in a situation like this.
I never thought I could be Erno Etam’s real daughter anyway.
‘I’ve earned a lot of money too.’
I also know a good orphanage, so now all that’s left is to safely leave this place.
‘Yes, perfect and fine.’
At my boisterous voice, Erno Etam obediently dropped me off.
“There’s something I want to talk with you about a little more. I’ll pick you up for dinner.”
“Okay!”
I smiled broadly and waved for our next appointment.
When I came out, Myla, who had been waiting for me, immediately approached me.
“My Lady!”
“Mhm, let’s go to my loom.”
“Yes. What’s going on inside? You came out sooner than I expected.”
“Hmmm… I got pocket money!”
I called it pocket money, even though it’s a lot of money.
The hologram popped up when I tapped on the bracelet. The numbers that showed up made me happy.
“I’m gonna take a nap, bye!”
“What? A nap all of a sudden? In that case, I will prepare the bed.”
“No need. I can do it awone.”
After talking with Myla, I immediately went into my room and shut the door. Luckily, Myla didn’t ask anything further and left.
It was time for me to get ready to leave quietly.
I crawled under the bed and took out the things I had carefully collected thus far.
They all appeared before me as I opened the cloth wrapper.
In the eyes of the other nobles, it would probably look like useless things, but…
“This one… shall I return it first, then leave?”
I’ve earned a lot of money, so to bring stolen goods from the annex hurts my conscience.
‘I have to return to the annex.’
However, Erno Etam asked me to have dinner together, so I should be back before then.
I pulled up a chair, opened the doorknob, and looked outside. Luckily, there was nobody out there.
I slipped out of my room and moved my short legs excitedly toward the annex.
It was quieter here than in the main house.
“This was here…, then this one was there, right?”
After returning the items I stole to their original places one by one, I headed back to my room.
I met the knights on my way, but they didn’t really pay much attention when I greeted them warmly.
I saw something when I was safely returning from the annex, after placing the things I stole to their original places.
Someone was running while hugging a white cloth.
‘…Eh? Isn’t that Myla?’
Myla’s face looked tense, different from usual.
She looked around with a nervous face, then disappeared behind the annex.
“…What’s she doing?”
Is she busy?
‘Ah, I have to get back before Myla comes!’
It just so happened that she was here, so at least I wouldn’t be late.
I took advantage of that gap to return to my room as quickly as possible, then threw myself onto the bed.
As if nothing had happened, I fiddled with my legs by tapping them with my fists as I waited for dinner.
It’s already 5 o’clock.
‘Hmm, is he coming slowly?’
I rolled around on the bed, feeling a little bored as I tensely waited.
It’s already 6 o’clock.
‘It seems he’s running a bit late…’
I forced open my eyes, trying hard not to close them.
It’s already 7 o’clock.
Erno Etam hasn’t come yet.
Slowly, I felt uneasy.
Usually, I have dinner with Erno Etam no later than 6 o’clock.
‘Something must have happened.’
I took the stuffed tiger that was next to me and hugged it while thinking hard.
However, Erno Etam still hadn’t appeared even though it was already 8 o’clock.
Suddenly, I realized something.
‘Ah, this is the end.’
I forgot; maybe he isn’t interested in me anymore.
“It’s okay…”
Yes, I’m fine.
This is something that always happens.
[Why haven’t they come…? Mother said that today we’re eating together as a family outside…]
Even that day, I only recall my father at the dinner table saying, “Tomorrow, we will eat outside together.”
So, after school, I changed my clothes and waited.
But…
I turned around. The clock showed past 9, and I was giving up on waiting for Erno Etam.
Unlike the past me who waited for dinner until midnight without changing my clothes, I now tried to shut my eyes and count some sheep as I tried to fall asleep.
Sure enough, Erno Etam didn’t come that day.
Just like my previous family that left me behind and went outside to eat on their own.
* * *
“Oh my God, my lady. Have you heard? Yesterday Lord Erno Etam received a probationary order.”
Unlike usual, I woke up earlier and sat blankly as Myla entered with a bright face.
‘As I thought, something urgent came up yesterday.’
Having thought as much, I slowly rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and replied, “… Fathwer did? Why?”
“I’m not sure… I don’t know the rest. From what I heard, His Grace was so furious.”
If that’s the case, then it’s not that he didn’t come on purpose because he didn’t like me.
I shook my head in surprise at my unexpected expectations and hopes.
‘What am I thinking.’
I shook off my thoughts.
“Can I go there to meet Fathwer?”
“Yes, maybe My Lady will be allowed to go in.”
“I want to go thwere!”
I jumped out of bed.
It took a little more time as Myla blocked my way with a grim face and said I couldn’t wear my pajamas even if I died.
‘Should I ask if it is okay to have breakfast together?’
I arrived at his room with a pounding heart.
Fortunately, the bedroom door wasn’t tightly closed, so anyone could open it. And strangely, there were no knights outside guarding.
“Myla, naw you can go!”
“Sorry? But…”
“It’s ‘kay, I’m gwoing to have a meal with Fathwer!” When I made a fist and said that, Myla covered her mouth as if she was proud of me.
“M-Myla…?”
“Ah, yes. If that’s the case, I shall excuse myself first.”
“Mhm.”
Contrary to her behavior, Myla kept looking at me as if regretting something before nodding and taking her leave.
I reached into the door’s gap to open it silently.
“It’s confirmed now, it really works.”
“Yes, so I shall leave it in your care…”
If it weren’t for the voices coming from inside, I wouldn’t have known that there was someone else there.
<To be continued>