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

Her younger brother, Liel, moved out upon graduation. Liel’s independence was almost a one-way notice to Dioletta.

Time and time again, Dioletta tried to talk him out of leaving the house without a single servant in tow.

But Liel was stubborn and refused every offer she made to help.

When asked later, Lucy seemed to have known all along, but she didn’t seem to mind too much about Liel’s independence.

“He has a surprisingly independent side, doesn’t he? Maybe that’s why he wanted to live alone.”

To relieve Dioletta’s worry, Lucy spoke in a cheerful, clear voice. Of course, she knew that it was a white lie meant with good intentions.

That makes sense, as Liel had a personality far from being independent. Isn’t it obvious just by looking at how he follows Lucy around?

And yet, after more than a decade, she found it hard to believe that she could dismiss Liel’s feelings for her as mere friendship.

“Dioletta dear, which color do you think suits me better?”

While she was lost in thought, a cheerful voice came from up ahead.

Dioletta quickly made a face and turned to Bella, who was picking out her outfit.

“Well, I think you’d look better in spring colors than either of them, because when I look at you, it’s like you’re stuck in spring and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”

Dioletta continued in a casual tone, pulling out other clothes with similar designs.

As Bella watched Dioletta, who didn’t bother to answer even the smallest question, she realized how different the siblings were.

‘No wonder Lucy has such high standards, she’s been surrounded by beauty every day since she was a little girl.’

Bella shook her head in disbelief as she looked at Dioletta, who was just as beautiful as her younger brother.

‘Maybe I was meant to be with Dioletta, not Liel.’

Sometimes, when Dioletta would look down and smile, she would feel like her heart would plummet down with it.

“You’ll look better this way—-”

Suddenly, Bella was listening intently to Dioletta’s words.

Of course, Dioletta was completely oblivious to what Bella was thinking, and was diligently picking out clothes for her.

Then.

“I am planning to buy everything from here to there, alright? Are you, Your Grace, going to buy that outfit? Then, please exclude that one from the calculation.”[1]

Bella’s heart dropped to the floor once more when she caught sight of a very handsome man.

Automatically, Dioletta’s green eyes shifted to the man with lighter pink hair than Bella’s.

For a brief moment, Dioletta and Dailor’s gazes met.

⁂

Dioletta felt a bit embarrassed by the man who had appeared out of nowhere and started hawking the store’s wares. She hadn’t even decided what she wanted to buy yet.

“I’m sorry, but would you mind waiting a bit before making a purchase? We haven’t decided what to buy yet.”

She even added that if there was something in particular that he had in mind, he could take it off the shelf.

The man smiled a friendly smile, took a step back, pointed from here to there, and replied.

“I’ll wait for you to pick then, because honestly, I don’t care what you buy.”

He hummed a tune and stood with his back to her.

Maybe it was his nonchalant demeanor, but Dioletta couldn’t help but wonder why he bought so many women’s clothes.

It was just a question out of pure curiosity.

“……May I ask why you buy so many things? If it’s an important gift, um, I mean…….”

“Dailor.”

“Sir Dailor.”

At the sound of his name, her attention was suddenly drawn to the uniform he wore and the epaulettes on his shoulders.

“I’ve given you my name, why don’t you give me yours?”

His words could be misunderstood at first glance, but he was smiling so brightly that Dioletta realized it was his way of speaking.

“I’m Dioletta Marsen, and this is Lady Bella Guidon.”

“I see. Since you answered my question, I suppose I should do the same, right?”

Dailor scratched his chin and spoke in a playful tone.

“Actually, I was just picking out a gift for the person I’m going to propose to.”

His eyes didn’t look excited at all for someone who was about to propose. For a moment, she wondered if he was lying.

“I see.”

But she doesn’t reveal her thoughts. She didn’t dare reveal her thoughts, because she felt that her questions had been answered and it was none of her business.

“But I don’t know what women like, since there are only men around me. I didn’t know what to do, and then I got bored and decided to just buy them all.”

When he chuckles at the idea, Dioletta asks again, puzzled.

“Why don’t you just pick out something based on what your lover usually wears, never mind what’s trendy?”

That shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

But contrary to Dioletta’s expectations, it was more difficult for Dailor than anyone else.

After a moment, he replied coolly.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Dioletta reflexively repeated, wondering if she had misheard.

“Yes, how should I know, we’re not even lovers.”

He was about to say more, but the look on Dioletta’s face made him close his mouth in reflex.

“If you’ve never spoken to her, then why do you intend to give her this gift? No, I thought you were proposing to her earlier.”

Dioletta blurted out. Dailor looked at her incredulously.

“Honestly, I’m not sure why you’re so surprised.”

“Of course I’m surprised…….”

“As a member of the Duke of Marsen’s family, I’m sure you’re aware. Isn’t this a common occurrence among nobles? Arranged marriages, betrothals, etc. I’m not a noble, of course.”

“Ah…….”

So that’s what he meant by a marriage proposal. Dioletta shook her head as if she finally understood.

It took her a moment to comprehend Dailor’s words, as she had never paid much attention to such matters in the first place.

After covering her mouth for a moment, Dioletta hesitated, then spoke up.

“I think it’s best not to bring a gift if it’s like that…… it can be overwhelming for the other person.”

At least for her, it was embarrassing whenever someone she’d only met a few times confessed to her with an expensive gift.

Sometimes she’d be forced to dispose of the gifts, which was understandable, since she’d often refuse.

Drawing on her own experience, Dioletta sincerely offered advice to Dailor, whom she had never met before. Not for him, but for someone who might be the recipient of an overpriced gift.

“Is that so? It seemed like a good idea…….”

“It depends on the person, at least it does for me.”

Having said that, Dioletta gestured to Bella, who was still looking at her and Dylan with dreamy eyes.

Bella, who had been watching the two of them with bated breath, nodded.

Now that two out of three were saying yes, he wasn’t so stubborn anymore.

“I suppose it is, then.”

Dailor gave her a friendly smile and relented.

“Well, thanks for the advice. I could have gone with two hands full and been looked at like a freak.”

He brought his right hand to his heart and bent slightly at the waist in gratitude.

As if it were no big deal, Dioletta returned the favor, dipping her neck slightly as well.

Then Dailor hummed a tune and strode out of the shop, and Dioletta’s brow furrowed slightly as she watched him go.

“I’ve heard rumors of the free-spiritedness of the Knights of Filia, but they’re not exaggerating in the slightest.

With that brief comment about Dailor, Dioletta cut off her thoughts about him.

‘We’ll probably never meet again anyway.’

⁂

From yesterday, there was suddenly an unplanned increase in work.

“Marquis, there’s more here.”

Sarah dumped a stack of letter envelopes onto her desk. Well, more accurately, it was a stack of envelopes that could fit in both of her arms, all at once.

I glared at the letters that blocked my view through narrowed eyes.

“How come the number of nobles seems to have increased more than when I was memorizing their names……?”

“Ah, Marquis, you only memorized the names of Imperial nobles, but this includes nobles from other countries, so it’s not surprising.”

Yeah, of course it is…….

I rubbed my forehead and muttered in frustration.

“Seeing as you’re a marquis, I suppose it’s a task to send a reply…….”

Recognizing the weariness in my voice, Sarah glanced back and forth between me and the letter, as if she were seeing something unfortunate.

For now, I was glad for her sympathetic gaze.

I turned in the chair I was sitting in to relieve my fatigue and walked over to the window.

Beyond the window, the knights who had taken the entrance exams were lined up before Liel.

Like me, Liel had been busy lately. I couldn’t whine about how busy I was. Not that we had time to talk in the first place.

Still, I was jealous that he was able to be outside on a sunny day, while I was stuck in my office working.

As I stared at the back of his head in wistfulness, I saw a strange man approach him and start talking to him in.

‘Here we go again.’

It was a familiar sight lately.

It didn’t take me long to realize that he was about to give Liel a good beating for his arrogance.

The way the man drew his sword, it was clear that he had requested a duel.

It wasn’t long before he couldn’t even get a decent strike off, and Liel had him beaten.

The last knight to take a blow to the shin was slumped in his seat, a dumbfounded look on his face.

Occasionally, a knight would come to an initiation test like that and underestimate Liel’s skill and challenge him.

Even the most patient of men, Liel would not put up with this, and he would demonstrate his skills.

But I didn’t like the idea of Liel even granting their impudent request for a duel.

When I asked him if he couldn’t just ignore them, he shook his head, saying that would bring a complaint directly to the Marquis of Seywint.

Futile sincerity.

I shook my head, echoing Liel’s past, and turned away, slumping back into the chair in my office.

Then I glared at the mountain of envelopes.

“Sarah, I smell a strong perfume.”

Sure enough, a foul smelling perfume was filling the room. It was so strong, like a mixture of flavors, that I covered my nose in panic.

“I think it’s coming from the envelope.”

Sara also turned up her nose just like I did. The people who came yesterday seemed relatively normal, but it looks like peacock-like people flocked here in just a day.

The reason for this outpouring of letters had nothing to do with anything else, but with my marriage.

As soon as I came of age, offers of marriage came flooding in from various families, as if they had been waiting for this moment.

Since I had no intention of getting married yet, I was busy sending out rejection letters with a light in my eyes. I didn’t forget to look at the sender carefully, just in case.

In case a proposal came from a family or upper-class that could cause trouble if neglected, I had to set them aside separately.

I had to say no to them in person, not in a letter, so I wouldn’t lose face.

But now that I think about it, it’s ridiculous. They can send me a piece of paper and I have to say no to them face to face. Of course, they didn’t ask me to confess in person.

Grumbling to myself, I moved my hands diligently, and gradually I could see the end. When I finally reached the bottom of my desk, I saw the pink envelope.

I opened it, vaguely wondering if the sender liked the color pink.

“Filia, Dailor…….”

I recognized the name.

My pondering didn’t last long.

“Agh!”

I was so startled that I swiped the envelope out of my hand.

Tuk—

The envelope, which was fluttering from side to side, landed gently on the desk.

Why the hell is the name of the original male lead appearing here?

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[1] Dailor is most likely talking to the shop’s attendant here.