Chapter 121
Today, like any other day, I was sorting out documents with the help of Asena and Grandma.
My body felt uncomfortably heavy.
I must have fallen asleep at my desk while looking at the documents.
Although the fatigue hadn’t completely dissipated... it wasn’t unbearable either. As such, the moment I opened my eyes, I resumed my work.
Moreover, having Asena there to help meant I couldn’t really take a break.
If I paused the work for a bit of comfort, Asena would end up handling it instead.
We could only rest once all the tasks were completed. We were nearing the final stages of preparation. If we finished, it seemed likely we would be deploying very soon.
Thus, right after I opened my eyes, as dawn began to break, I relit the candle that had gone out and picked up my quill.
As time passed, Asena and Grandma came into the office, and now the current situation was finalized.
“Asena, could you please sign this for me?”
I handed her a sheet of paper.
It confirmed the troops and armaments supported by the family.
Asena took the paper from me, then... handed it back.
“You sign it.”
“Huh? Why should I sign it? You’re the head of the family.”
Asena replied indifferently.
“...I’ve been thinking, and it seems right that you represent me until the war breaks out.”
“...”
“...”
“Are you feeling unwell? Asena, this won’t do. Put it down and go rest—”
“No, that’s not it.”
Grandma also slowly approached us, lending an ear.
“...I want to rebuild the reputation that I’ve damaged for you.”
Asena spoke with a face full of guilt.
“........”
“Let’s not limit this to internal family affairs. Let’s announce it officially; that you’ve temporarily taken over as the head of the Pryster family in my stead.”
“Do we really need to go that far?”
No one had spoken it aloud, but we both knew how peculiar my position on paper was.
From a commoner in the Pryters, expelled from the family, to returning as the acting head of the Prysters.
There was no need to care about what others thought... but it was clear that the allied families were confused about how to react to it.
I wished I could restore everything to its original state.
That Asena would become the head.
She didn’t need to shoulder too much. All she had to do was move the pen and sign.
But Asena firmly shook her head.
“Trust me, Oppa. This is for your benefit.”
Her eyes met mine squarely.
Looking into her eyes, she harbored not a single doubt.
“We need to show that you are still closely tied to us. To ensure that this doesn’t happen again. It started with my mistake, but I want to correct it.”
Grandma, who had been listening to our conversation, spoke up.
“Do as Asena says. It will be better even when you go to war. Having the authority of the acting head of the Prysters will enable smoother command.”
“Hmm.”
“Moreover, it hasn’t been long since you were expelled. It’s hard to reverse a once-established perception. Whether you know it or not, you might be underestimated. That can’t happen in war.”
Asena also spoke up again, reinforcing the plan.
“We can think about what happens next after the war ends. For now, it’s right for you to continue as the head. Don’t worry too much... we must win the war without issues...”
I nodded in agreement.
“Right. The war... we must end it swiftly.”
Grandma nodded, then changed the subject.
“So. Asena, how are we justifying the war?”
Asena glanced at Grandma, then at me.
“The expulsion from the family... We spread rumors that it was a ploy to identify those who aren’t truly loyal to us. And that the Payne family took the bait.”
“That’s a bit clumsy.”
“Still, it’s better than having no justification at all.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Thus, the three of us seemed to be diligently preparing for war without any issues... but in reality, there was a desperate issue everyone was avoiding.
An extremely important matter that no one dared to vocalize.
What about me?
Yes, I had taken over as the head of the Prysters in place of Asena.
But that was only because there was no suitable alternative. The decision was made because it would be advantageous for the war, not because my official status had changed because I became the head.
I was still not a Pryster. Nothing had changed since my expulsion.
Everyone knew this fact.
Grandma seemed to respect my choice, so she didn’t bring up the topic.
Asena might have been afraid of my response, or perhaps, as she said, she had given up on me, so she didn’t cling to the issue.
And I...
I sighed.
For now, I decided to focus on the war.
****
Upon hearing that Keirsey’s condition had worsened, I left the office and headed to her room.
“What do you mean by ‘worsened’ specifically?”
I asked Thein, the head butler walking beside me.
“Her energy is declining. She... still cannot speak. The physician is examining her now; perhaps you could try speaking with her...”
I nodded.
As I entered Keirsey’s room, just as Thein had mentioned, the physician was there.
He bowed as I arrived.
But my gaze was fixed on Keirsey.
Her gaunt face managed a smile and she waved her hand weakly. Despite her frailty, it was heartbreaking that she still smiled only for me.
I thought she was getting better recently... but to hear she’s worsened. Now, Asena would start to worry too.
Even Keirsey, who was thought to be relatively healthy, had relapsed to this state.
“Keirsey.”
I approached her side and looked at her with concern.
I didn’t know what to say.
The marriage with Judy, the rejected sandwiches... it seemed these things had contributed to her current state, which only made me feel worse.
Keirsey, perhaps embarrassed by my worry, scratched her cheek and laughed.
“Hehe.”
I couldn’t bear to look at her laugh.
Finally, I turned my gaze to the physician.
“Is there any... problem? Why isn’t she getting better...?”
The physician alternated his gaze between Keirsey and me, then rose from his seat.
Politely, he guided me outside the room.
My heart sank with his actions, fearing that she really might be seriously sick.
Once we were out of Keirsey’s hearing range, the physician spoke.
“As you can see, Miss Keirsey’s condition is not good.”
“Yes, it seems so.”
“She should be showing signs of recovery from her aphasia by now... but she still cannot speak.”
“...”
“Lord Kayden, Miss Keirsey is... still physically healthy. She is slightly underweight, but it’s nothing serious. No persistent coughs, no fever, no specific discomfort reported.”
“Then why...”
“It’s similar to what caused her aphasia...”
The physician hesitated, then spoke in a subdued voice.
“She is still experiencing significant stress. It could be suppressed anger, sorrow, or restrained desires. Miss Keirsey is showing symptoms that usually manifest in people who are hiding their true selves.”
“...”
“It’s, in layman’s terms, a sickness of the heart.”
I looked back towards Keirsey through the door. Our eyes met easily.
She was still looking only at me.
Her face kept bringing back the thought of her pitiful smile.
‘Hehehe,’ her strained smile.
It was evident that she was suffering, though I hadn’t expected it to go this far.
The physician continued to explain as I remained silent.
“This cannot continue. A mental illness can develop from prolonged emotional distress. Apart from that, it’s already affecting her physically. Her aphasia likely won’t improve either.”
I felt a chill in my heart, thinking of how she had to smile despite being pushed to her limits.
She still loves me that much. And yet, burdened by guilt, she had acknowledged other women with a smile instead of reaching out.
The physician kept talking.
“Aphasia should not persist for long. Even if it improves, there might be lingering effects. Normally, she should have started to recover naturally by now... It’s possible that although she can speak, her emotional distress is preventing her from doing so.”
“So, you’re saying... she should have started to recover from the aphasia by now?”
“Yes. At least, she should be able to say a word or two.”
Hearing enough, I walked back into the room.
I stopped beside Keirsey’s bed and looked down at her.
She was still smiling.
I could feel the pain behind it.
I had to restrain the sigh that I almost let out in front of her.
I shook off the distracting thoughts.
“Keirsey.”
“?”
“Let’s go for a walk.”
I forced a smile as well, as if nothing was wrong, just like her.
A spark of life appeared in Keirsey’s eyes... Then she hesitated before laughing.
“Hehehe.”
She waved her hands dismissively and picked up a pen and paper next to her, scribbling something.
‘Go with Daisy or Judy. Did you have a good meal with Grandma yesterday?’
I briefly looked at the paper she held up, then gently snatched it and tossed it behind me.
“Uh?”
Keirsey flinched in surprise.
I leaned over, sliding my arms under her back and legs, and lifted her up.
“Huh?!”
I then carried her out of the room. I knew what Keirsey liked.
After some initial struggle, Keirsey calmed down.
It seemed she knew where we were heading and actually wanted this walk. Her resistance had faded too easily.
As I looked down at Keirsey, her lips were pulled down in a semblance of a frown, a stark contrast to the awkward smile she had displayed earlier. It was unmistakably her true expression, unguarded and genuine.
Her face was flushed, a clear sign of her bashfulness.
It felt both familiar and strange, but at that moment, I also felt a sense of relief.
The heavy feeling that had clogged my heart seemed to lift. Despite knowing I should push Keirsey away, this choice felt overwhelmingly right.
Soon, we arrived at the stables.
The weather was perfect for a walk—blue skies dotted with white clouds, a cool breeze, and just the right temperature.
Keirsey’s eyes were now glancing around at the surrounding scenery.
I asked the stable keeper to bring out Storm.
While waiting, I looked down at Keirsey again.
When my gaze met hers, she buried her face in my chest, hiding her expression.
Maybe it was because it had been so long. I could feel my hands starting to sweat.
“Is there somewhere you’d like to go?”
Since we were set to head out, I posed the question to Keirsey.
She remained silent for a while, as if she wouldn’t answer... then slowly nodded her head.
She did want to go out after all.
“…Aiden Lake?”
Keirsey shook her head in response to my query.
“…Lear River?”
Again, she shook her head.
“…Then it must be Mels Plains.”
At last, Keirsey nodded.
I nodded along with her and said, “Yes. The flowers must be in full bloom there.”
****
Storm galloped smoothly, his mane gently stroked by my hand as I whispered thanks to him without Keirsey noticing.
Keirsey sat on Storm with her legs extended to the right side.
Unlike when I had carried her out of her room, now she was holding onto me.
As if my embrace had signaled her, she began to act spoiled like she used to.
Of course, part of the reason she clung to me so tightly might have been to ensure she didn’t fall off Storm, but since he was running so smoothly, I could sense the comfort and ease in Keirsey’s heart.
Soon, we arrived at the familiar plains.
The landscape viewed from atop Storm felt different than it had on foot, as usual.
Ensuring that Keirsey, who was burying her head in my chest, wouldn’t fall, I wrapped my arms around her back and encouraged her to look around.
“Keirsey. Look up. We’re here.”
She followed my suggestion.
A panorama of brightly colored flowers greeted us.
Even amidst such beauty, my gaze was fixed solely on Keirsey. I ignored the flowers, focusing instead on the emotions blooming on her face.
Keirsey’s eyes slowly closed and then opened again, repeating the motion.
She didn’t exclaim with energy as she might have in the past.
She simply absorbed the beautiful scene in a daze.
This change, too, stirred something within me.
With a light tap, I urged Storm towards a large tree in the distance.
Keirsey and Asena used to love sitting under the shade of that tree, quietly enjoying the tranquility.
Butterflies, dragonflies, rabbits, birds, and other lively creatures buzzed around.
Upon reaching the tree, we even spotted a squirrel holding an acorn with a comically serious expression.
Keirsey laughed softly at the sight of the squirrel—a smile that was neither awkward nor painful for my heart.
I jumped down from Storm first, under the tree’s shade.
Then, I carefully lifted Keirsey from the horse, supporting her waist as I helped her down.
Once on the ground, Keirsey took a deep breath of the fresh air, warming my heart as I watched. She moved forward with a smile...
...and then she stumbled almost immediately.
Without hesitation, as before, I scooped her into my arms.
Once again, she was cradled like a princess in my embrace.
Keirsey’s face flushed with embarrassment. The smile vanished, replaced by a serious, apologetic expression. After swallowing hard, as if ashamed of her own expression, she buried her face in my chest again.
.
.
.
As the evening wore on and the sun began to set, Keirsey and I remained still.
I sat leaning against the tree, while Keirsey sat on my lap, her arms wrapped around my neck.
Naturally, like lovers, she held onto me, and I did not push her away.
But now, it was time to return. I hoped her stress had eased somewhat.
“Keirsey.”
It was the first time I had spoken her name in a long while. At my call, Keirsey looked up at me.
“Were the flowers beautiful?”
She nodded.
“Let’s go back now.”
As I started to rise, Keirsey shook her head. She wanted to stay longer. After conceding so much recently, she was finally expressing her own desire.
And at her response, my body froze.
The strength drained from me as I gazed at the fading sunset.
Yes, just a little longer. Let’s stay a bit more.
Time passed once again.
It was truly getting late now.
But the words I wanted to utter weren’t about returning. It was a question that had been weighing on me.
“Keirsey.”
“...”
“Is it really impossible without me?”
Keirsey remained still. I couldn’t move either. I waited, fixated on how her head might shake.
But it didn’t shake. Instead…
“Impossible… impossible.”
Keirsey spoke, for the first time after my ‘death’.
--- End Of The Chapter ---
[TL: 📢 Important Alert!
Hello @everyone! 👋 I’m Matt — hope you’re all doing great!
I’m thrilled to share some exciting news with you! I’ll be taking over the translation of the remaining chapters of “Why Are You Becoming a Villain Again?” due to Dylan’s prolonged absence. I hope you will look forward to it.
Also, I’d really appreciate it if you could check out my new novel too! 😊
— Matt
----
✨ New Novel Title: I Became the Dark Knight the Empress is Obsessed With
🌟 Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Misunderstanding, Possession, Growth, Training, Obsession, Reverse Pursuit, Soft Angst
📖 Synopsis:
I became the Guardian Knight of a fragile Empress in a Raising Sim game.
To reach the happy ending, I must protect her from death.
But the character I’ve possessed… there’s something strange about him.
🕐Schedule: Monday and Thursday
----
Happy reading! ❤️ ]
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