I Couldn’t Stop my Childhood Friend from Turning Into a Villain

“You know, your grandmother was very reckless when I was younger.”

“Well, not so reckless as…….”

“Well, in a good way, I was reckless, but to tell you the truth, I was a very self-righteous, self-important human being.”

The smile faded from my grandmother’s face as she reminisced about her youth.

“It was meeting your dead mother that brought me to my senses, but before that, I’m pretty sure I was a…….”

She shook her head slowly.

I stood still, listening to her words.

“Strange, isn’t it, that my grandchild resembles me more than my own daughter.”

“It’s …… strange, but I like it, and being told I resemble my grandmother is the highest compliment I could ask for.”

“I’m really…… blessed with my grandchild.”

Grandma’s voice trailed off.

“Lucy, my dear……. I sometimes wonder if I might have  cut off your talents prematurely…… I often regret it.”

“…….”

“Lucy…….”

“…….”

“I’m sorry I didn’t utilize your talents, but I…… didn’t want you to grow up lonely.”

I was happy that she was my grandmother. There was no reason for her to be sorry for me.

“Being too competent sometimes isolates people.”

Grandma’s voice trailed off.

She looked like she wanted to say more, but I knew she needed to rest.

“Grandma, I am so happy that…… you are my grandma, and honestly, even now, I don’t understand everything you say, but I know that…… you have nothing to be sorry about. Really.”

My grandmother’s eyes widened at my answer. Then, with a gentle smile, she slowly closed her eyes.

I immediately put my ear to her chest.

I could hear a faint heartbeat.

Thank goodness.

Every time my grandmother closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, I was grateful to hear the faint sound of her heart.

⁂

Grandma couldn’t swallow any more food; the end was coming.

“Grandma, can I…… ask you a bad favor?”

I asked, my head hanging low, not daring to look at her face.

“I’m so curious when you say that, so go ahead.”

“Mom and Dad are going to see you soon, but…… can you stay with me for a little while longer?”

“Sure. …….”

For the first time, my grandmother showed tears in front of me. I immediately apologized to her for asking such a selfish favor.

She didn’t answer.

She just kept crying.

⁂

As usual, I held her hand and we talked about random things.

I would tell her stories about what happened at the Academy, or about Liel, and she would smile and listen.

“Grandma, so that’s when Melissa…….”

“Lucy.”

Suddenly, Grandma interrupted me and released her grip on my hand. Her hand slowly moved up to my cheek.

“Don’t get too wrapped up in the …… family name. I just want you to be happy.”

Tuk—

The hand that had been hovering in the air crashed down, and her hand landed on the white comforter without even touching my cheek.

At the same time, the tears I thought would never come fell down the back of her dried hand.

Grandma passed away.

Sarah was the first to run to me, followed by Dioleta unnie, who pulled me into a hug.

It’s okay— it’s okay, it’s going to be okay…….

She kept whispering to me that it was okay, even though I didn’t feel okay at all.

Her voice was watery as she said that. I couldn’t say anything in response to her words.

I didn’t want to think about anything.

I felt like I was alone in the world.

⁂

Overhead, I heard the voice of a priest mourning the death of my grandmother. My grandmother was lying beneath a stone statue of Ophelia, covered in white flowers, her eyes closed.

I kept my head bowed, staring off into the distance with my hands on my thighs.

The sound of the priest’s voice in my ear and the mourners’ voices lamenting my grandmother’s death filled the shrine.

Each time I heard their voices, I realized my grandmother’s death again and again.

“Goddess Ophelia, bring blessing to the end of the life of the Marquis of Anis Seywint.”

Finally, the priest’s prayer ended.

“May the glory of the gods be with you.”

One by one, the people rose from their seats.

I was the only one who hadn’t risen from my seat.

I heard the sound of footsteps.

“Lucy.”

Then the footsteps faded away.

“Lucy.”

When the footsteps stopped, I felt a shove next to me. But I didn’t look up.

“……Liel will be here soon.”

Only the word “Liel” sounded different.

⁂

Not even Liel himself dared to think that the day would come when he would come here on his own feet.

But Liel’s movements were unflinching.

Quickly dismounting from his horse, Liel pushed open the temple’s gates without looking back.

Behind his back, sunset light poured in.

The temple was empty.

Lucy sat alone, shivering beneath the statue of Ophelia.

Throwing off his sweat-soaked school jacket haphazardly, Liel walked quickly to her.

“……Lucy.”

Liel cautiously called out to Lucy. Lucy slowly raised her bent waist.

Lucy’s empty eyes looked up at Liel. Her face was covered in tears.

Looking at her, Liel bit his lower lip. He didn’t know what to say to her.

He knew better than anyone how she felt, and he didn’t dare open his mouth.

Lucy’s disheveled hair slipped through her ears. Liel sat down beside her and smoothed her hair.

He could see tears forming in her dry eyes. Gently, Liel pulled her into a hug.

Anise’s death came as a great shock to Liel.

Still, he had no time to be in shock. He was urgent to comfort Lucy.

But Lucy didn’t feel Liel’s body heat.

“Grandma…….”

Burying her face in Liel’s chest, Lucy longed for the dead Anise.

It was the first time he had ever seen her so broken.

At this moment, Liel resented his helplessness to do anything for her.

⁂

After Anise’s funeral, Lucy locked herself into her room.

“Miss, miss. Please have something to eat…….”

Each time, Sarah cried and knocked on Lucy’s door.

Lucy never opened the door.

Looking sadly at the unlocked door, Sarah sighed heavily and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

Then she silently blamed herself.

Then, as if he’d been waiting, Liel took her place.

“Lucy, it’s me.”

He said, knocking on Lucy’s door. Unsurprisingly, there was no answer from Lucy.

Liel waited, unhurried. Then, from beyond the door, he heard a crack.

Squeak—

Lucy’s door opened, creating a narrow gap. Sarah hobbled over and handed Lucy’s meal to Liel.

Lucy, dressed in her pajamas, stood in front of Liel as he entered the room, her face blank.

After locking eyes with her, Liel closed the door.

At the same time, the shawl that had been draped over her narrow shoulders fell to her feet.

“Lucy, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

Carefully wrapping his arm around Lucy’s shoulders, Liel led her to the bed. Lucy obediently let herself slip into Liel’s hands.

Lucy’s heels touched the bed.

Slowly, she sank down on the bed and Liel sat down beside her.

He moved his hands diligently to cool the steaming soup.

“You…… academy?”

Lucy asked as she stared at him.

It had been a week.

It had been a week since he’d heard Lucy’s voice.

Since Anise’s death, she hadn’t spoken at all.

When Liel spoke to her, she would at least nod, but today was the first time since the funeral that she had answered him directly.

Startled, Liel stopped stirring the soup and looked at Lucy, but her eyes were still unfocused.

Even though she was clearly looking at him, her pupils were empty.

Liel smiled bitterly and replied.

“It’s okay, I informed them…… in advance.”

He didn’t elaborate, though it didn’t make up for lost class days.

Lucy must have been wondering the same thing, because she shook her head and turned her gaze back to the front.

“Take a bite.”

Liel scooped up a spoonful of soup and held it out to Lucy. Lucy’s mouth slowly opened.

Gulp—

The process of accepting Anise’s death must have been as painful and agonizing for Lucy as falling into hell.

Perhaps that was why she was slowly dying.

And it was Liel, and no one else, who was trying to save her.

It’s a good thing too.

Lucy wasn’t confined to her room. 

Sometimes in the dining room, sometimes on the bed in her room.

Once, she was lying on the desk in Anise’s office.

Liel went looking for Lucy every day. When he found her, he would sit by her side and quietly wait for her to wake up.

Servants marveled at how easily he found her every time.

Even if she was confined to the manor, the Marquis of Seywint’s manor was as spacious as a ducal palace.

Despite that, Liel never got lost.

Once, Sarah had asked him how on earth he could find Lucy.

He laughed, perplexed, and said, “I just knew she was there.” It wasn’t a lie.

He wasn’t lying.

Ever since he was a kid, it hadn’t been hard for him to spot Lucy when she wasn’t too far away.

“Liel.”

Lucy called to him from her bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Lighting a candle, Liel blew out the match and leaned toward Lucy to answer.

“Yes. Do you need anything?”

Lucy wordlessly held out her hand.

“……..”

As if on cue, Liel took Lucy’s hand. He sat down on the edge of the bed and gently held it out to her so her hand wouldn’t go numb.

You still have me, yet you became so lifeless as if you had nothing left.

Night fell, and a small breath escaped Lucy’s lips.

By then, Liel had fallen asleep into Lucy’s bed and closed his eyes.

Drowsiness overtook him.