Favored By The Villain

Levisia’s lips quivered without making a sound.
Pel was waiting silently as if he must hear her reply.

It was such a burden seeing him wait like that.
The heaviness of the gaze he threw at her came closer than usual somehow.

“Why… all of a sudden?”

His eyes, staring longer and longer, rested on her face and then soon shifted to one side.
This was his habit when he had something to hide.

“It’s nothing.
Just pretend you didn’t hear it.”

“Hold on, Pel -”

“I’ll get out of your way so you can rest.”

It wasn’t until Levisia reached out to him that he turned his back.
As he left, the door which slammed shut behind him seemed to say: “Do not follow me!”

Clumsily standing up from the chair, she squeezed her empty hand.
Unlike Pel, who seemed to have turned away after finished thinking, Levisia’s head was a mess.

Why…?

Why hadn’t she given a direct answer? Why hadn’t she answered Pel’s question and ask his intention—she who was only thinking of leaving the imperial palace and preserving her life?

What in the world?

Had she changed her thoughts without even realizing it? Was it relief or something after having hung out with the Kraidens?

Am I nuts?

Levisia’s priorities had always been her people.
Pel, Sheila, and herself.
There was no margin in the world for only three people.

Pel and Sheila were overwhelming enough, so she didn’t have the heart to give more to anyone.

That’s what I thought…

She recalled the faces of all the Kraidens one at a time, starting with Elizabeth.

The way they would childishly argue in front of her; the way they suspiciously asked her for favors; the way they laughed and smiled in her vicinity as if they were having fun or feeling comfortable.

And she remembered how she had taken a catnap while reading a book.

That day was an afternoon filled with warm sunlight and the scent of dried roses decorating the table.

Merril, Lidan, and Siaphyl, who sometimes came looking for her when they had nothing to do, had each taken their seats with open books to imitate her.

Ironically, from one point they had gone from giggling and making fun of Levisia to reading the books.

While turning over the pages, she suddenly realized that they were too quiet.

Strangely, even though they had fallen into their worlds in the same space as her and didn’t say a word, the time didn’t feel awkward.
Rather, it was only comfortable as if they had been that way from the start—without the giggling and mockery.

At that time, Levisia felt relief staring at them.

She had thought that being with all of the Kraiden siblings at the same time was uncomfortable and awkward, but at that time, it was not.

Cupping her chin in her hand and staring at them, at some point she had dozed off at the sound of turning pages like it was a lullaby.

Her eyelids, unable to overcome the stillness, had come down, and she had fallen asleep because of the smell of roses that had tickled her nose.

“I think Levy is falling asleep.”

The one whispering directly in front of her was Siaphyl.
Levisia had heard all of their whisperings, probably because it was only a light nap.

“Oh, my, you’re right.”

“Uh, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I think I know.”

“Hey, look.
She seems to be awake with just her eyes closed.
Isn’t it normal for anyone to be leaning when they sleep?”

A smile formed on Levisia’s face at Merril’s mumbling.

“You’re wrong.
Levy isn’t leaning at all.”

“Hey, this is the first time Levy has ever relaxed in front of us like this.”

“You’re right.
So I think this is as comfortable as possible for her.”

“How surprising…”

Levisia couldn’t help but frown as she could hear footsteps moving away from her.

She thought that she ought to open her eyes, but it was difficult to lift her heavy eyelids.

“Leave her here to sleep, stop being so loud.”

“Siaphyl, grab that blanket.”

Levisia soon felt a soft warmness over her shoulders.

“Goodnight, Levy.”

That whisper flowing into her ear was the end of the memory.

Thinking absently, she collapsed.

The Kraidens had been the only strange thing.
Their weirdness had become contagious.

Otherwise, she couldn’t have felt so nauseous just by recalling a memory.

No.
That can’t be…

Levisia shook her head, dusting off her thoughts.

Want to forget it.
Whatever it was, she shouldn’t think about it.
She would leave this place, and it was foolish to give affection to the place she was planning to leave.

Just like that, she tried her hardest to ignore the remaining emotions in her heart.