The Villainous Me Turned the Losers into Blackened Bosses-Chapter 278 - Springtime for the Beastkin Maid (2)

“I have no more questions.”

“You did very well, Eir.”

“...!”

Eir’s eyes widened as the Young Master reached out and gently ruffled the fur between her beast ears. Standing there, in front of the old Hysterm family home, he looked just like he used to, always reaching to pat her head when she did something right—like petting a cute little puppy. `He hasn’t changed at all.`

Eir remembered her first day here—though the memory was hazy, likely embellished by her later self, polished with descriptions from others. But... back then, her hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were rags. She’d been ‘picked up’ from the forest by hunters hired by the Hysterm family. She stood at this very same gate, small and thin, craning her neck as high as it would go, still unable to see the top of the towering house. She couldn’t even stand steadily, her frail arms looking like they’d snap with the slightest pressure. She couldn’t understand the murmurs of the people around her, what they were saying...

Then, Will, whom she didn’t know at the time, emerged from the crowd. He was just a child himself, still a bit clumsy on his feet. Everyone seemed to hold him in great awe, parting to let him through. The first time he saw her, his eyes shone with a certain light. As if knowing she couldn’t understand his words, he said nothing, just came closer. He reached out his hand, and when he saw her flinch, he firmly patted her head, especially the spot between her ears.

Just like today.

Eir’s eyes widened. She was taller now; she didn’t need to crane her neck quite so high to see the roof, though she still had to tilt her head up slightly to meet the Young Master’s gaze. His hand slowly withdrew.

On that day, her endless, freezing winter had ended, replaced by a warm, gentle spring.

“Thank you... Eir. Thank you for saving me.”

And on this day, it felt like she had brought that ‘spring’ to her Young Master.

`Yes!` `How could her Young Master ever betray her? Even if he left without a word, even if he suddenly disappeared, even if he announced his engagement to another woman...` `He was still her most precious Young Master.` `The Young Master who would give her...` `The ‘love’ she needed most.`

Just as written in the ‘300 Questions on Blackening’, the first thing she had to believe... was that he loved her deeply.

`Yes, this... this was the Young Master she relied on, the one she loved—`

“N-No... Eir didn’t do well! Eir should have followed Young Master from the very beginning! Eir still... still let Young Master get hurt...” The words tumbled out. Only then did she realize she had practically thrown herself at Will, hugging him tightly.

“Wai-Wait... T-Too tight.”

Even though this should be a happy moment, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

“Eir, Eir really... really, really, really missed Young Master. Every time I thought of that night Young Master left on the train... I... I couldn’t stop trembling.”

“I wished that one day... I could... could return to Young Master’s side...”

“I wanted Young Master to be safe, by Eir’s side...”

As Eir spoke, she felt Will’s arms wrap around her in a return hug.

“Mm,” he murmured.

A smile bloomed on her lips, and she added softly—

“...Forever.”

***

How long had it been since such a peaceful day?

How long since he’d felt such hope?

“Hooo... It feels like being reborn!” Will exclaimed quietly. “Not many people get to return to their home from four or five years ago and live like they did back then, I imagine.” fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Standing before the desk where he often wrote, he lifted the hem of his shirt, polishing his glasses. Though many thoughts still needed sorting, many tasks awaited, for now, he felt a sliver of genuine relaxation.

Perhaps it was because... after being ambushed in a dungeon and taken away by the little witch Leah, and then trekking to the capital only to fall into Princess Treya’s trap... he found that Eir hadn’t become like ‘them’. She hadn’t stained him with her blood, making him gradually addicted to her presence from a physical level. She hadn’t altered his memories, controlled his mind, or turned him into her pet canary.

She had simply... rescued him. Brought him to this old house. Waited for him to wake up.

He looked out the window—the sky wasn’t clear, but overcast, threatening the first snow of the year. Paradoxically, it felt exceptionally peaceful, serene. The house itself was empty, dilapidated. But... he genuinely felt like he had returned to the ‘past’. It didn’t even feel like heading towards ‘winter’, but rather like stepping into a hopeful ‘spring’.

Waking up in his mahogany bed as the Hysterm Young Master, practicing swordsmanship a bit in the morning, then sitting at his desk in the afternoon, quietly reading magical texts. That was enough! This was the ‘hope’ he desired. Not endless escapes and recaptures, but the ‘hope’ of standing here, with his own free will. The hope... Eir had brought him.

As for the ‘mysteries’ and unresolved issues, he had plenty of time to think. For example...

He put on the newly cleaned glasses.

“As I thought. It’s not the lenses, it’s my eyes.”

With the glasses on, his left eye became blurry, while his right eye was clear. Taking them off and looking into the distance with each eye individually confirmed it. Somehow, the nearsightedness in his left eye had miraculously improved—which was why, when he first woke up, ‘reality’ had felt like a dream with no sense of distance. With one eye severely nearsighted and the other normal, his brain hadn’t adapted yet, making it difficult to perceive depth.

“Mmm... A bit disappointing, couldn’t find a mirror in here.” Will had searched the room but found no mirrors—most had probably been discarded or taken away? Understandable, given how fragile they were. So, he had to use the reflection in the window glass to carefully examine his left eye.

“Just as I suspected. Though it’s not very obvious because my irises are naturally dark, compared to my right eye, this one is definitely... a bit more purple.”

“...And it’s this eye that can see that strange aura on Eir.”

He had his suspicions. Treya’s purple eye was also her left one. Could it be, just like Leah mixing witch’s blood into his, enhancing his magical aptitude... Treya’s ‘contract with the demons’, which had progressed two-thirds of the way before Eir interrupted... Had it actually granted him a tiny bit of demonic power?

But, if this was demonic power, what exactly was it seeing on Eir...?

“Young Master, the tea is ready. Please try some. Though, unfortunately, the quality of tea lately hasn’t been very good.”

!!!

Will whipped his head to the side in surprise...

Without a sound, Eir had appeared behind him, her voice seeming to whisper right next to his ear. She was holding a steaming cup of black tea, placing it on his desk from behind his waist.

He hadn’t noticed her approach at all, even though the desk was some distance from the door. He hadn’t detected her opening the door or walking towards him.

And... the current Will, his intuition and alertness... were much sharper than before.

—