This Villain Is Mine Now

Chapter 48

“Oh my. So? Are you two finally sharing a room?”

“Yes… I still don’t understand why, but apparently, the materials we ordered for my room haven’t arrived yet.”

A week had passed, and Elaina was still living in Lyle’s room.

“At this point… I guess I’ll just let things be.”

Honestly, the whole situation was absurd. At first, she believed the excuse about delays for a day or two, but as time went on, it became clear there was more to the story.

Though she saw through the servants’ schemes, Elaina said nothing, mainly because the household staff, particularly the butler, seemed genuinely happy about the arrangement.

It wasn’t as if sharing a room meant sharing a bed. Plus, they were both so busy with their respective duties that they barely saw each other during the day.

Elaina spent her days interviewing new staff members and overseeing the countless renovations needed for the estate. Lyle, too, became increasingly busy after the paperwork passed through the House of Lords. It was only during dinner that they ever really crossed paths.

Elaina found herself feeling awkward seeing Lyle in the mornings, so she pretended to stay asleep whenever he left for his early training sessions.

The bed, tailored to fit Lyle’s tall frame, was large enough for three people, just as the butler had said. Even though she could hear Lyle getting ready in the mornings, Elaina remained under the covers, feigning sleep until he left.

After several days of this routine, it became impossible not to notice what Lyle was doing. Even if she didn’t want to know, the faint sounds of his morning routine became familiar. And because of the memory of seeing him shirtless on their wedding night, her mind constantly replayed the image of him changing clothes, even when she shut her eyes.

Elaina shook her head vigorously, as if doing so could clear the image from her mind.

“Enough about me. There’s nothing particularly interesting happening anyway. How are you doing, Diane? You are leaving for Hennet soon, right?”

“Yes, most of my belongings have already been sent ahead to Hennet. I’ll be taking the rest with me in a few days.”

Diane smiled brightly, like a flower in full bloom.

“The academy dorms… It feels like it’s going to be a memorable experience.”

“You were right, Elaina. Every day has felt like a dream.”

The two women were walking through the academy’s campus as they spoke.

Since Nathan and Diane had nowhere to stay in the capital, the academy had offered them a dormitory to use during the break. They had declined several times, insisting it wasn’t necessary, but the headmaster was adamant. The accommodations Nathan had been using were old and rundown, and the headmaster wasn’t about to let the daughter of a marquis stay in such a place. After much persuasion, Nathan finally gave in.

“Honestly, I would have been fine staying in Nathan’s old quarters,” Diane said, smiling awkwardly. Compared to the dilapidated annex where she had lived before, any place would have felt like an improvement.

“If the academy had treated the Marquis of Redwood’s daughter poorly, it would have weighed on the headmaster’s conscience. It was a good decision for everyone. When else would you get to live like this?”

“That’s true.”

Diane laughed softly in agreement.

“Won’t you get lonely?”

Once the semester started, Nathan would return to Hennet, a small, rural estate where most of the residents were farmers.

The reason he became a botanist in the first place was to help his impoverished land prosper. Spring was a critical time for planting, and many of the herbs necessary for his research began sprouting then. He should have returned to Hennet long ago, but wedding preparations and research delays had postponed his departure.

While Nathan would be engrossed in his research, Diane would likely spend a lot of time alone in the dormitory. But when Elaina expressed concern, Diane shook her head.

“No, I’m so busy I don’t even notice the time passing. And besides, Nathan makes a point of coming home early for dinner every day. Just having dinner together and falling asleep beside him… it makes me incredibly happy.”

Diane’s radiant smile was a picture of genuine happiness, and Elaina couldn’t help but smile back, pleased for her friend.

Afterward, they toured Diane’s dormitory. Since space was limited, the dorm itself was small: a modest reception room, a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom.

Despite its simplicity, Elaina’s attention was drawn to the bed.

Diane had said she was happiest simply sharing meals and falling asleep together with Nathan. In the past, Elaina would have accepted that without much thought. But now, the phrase “falling asleep together” lingered in her mind, circling round and round.

Elaina’s visit to the academy wasn’t just to see Diane. Before Nathan returned to Hennet, she needed to discuss sponsorship with him. When Nathan heard that Elaina was coming, he hurried back to the dormitory after finishing an urgent experiment. Like Diane, he seemed truly happy.

“What I want to say, Nathan, is that I’d like to sponsor your research.”

Caught off guard, Nathan looked bewildered. “Sponsorship? My research isn’t grand enough to warrant something like that.”

Elaina shook her head at his modesty.

Although she no longer had the dream, the contents of “Moonshadow” were etched in her memory. Nathan’s research might seem insignificant to some, but to Lyle, it was crucial.

“I know what you’re researching, Nathan. A substance that can increase crop yields. I want to support that work.”

Nathan stared at her in surprise, trying to recall when he had ever mentioned his experiments to Elaina.

“Lyle will soon be heading to the Mabel Mountains to exterminate the monsters there. Once the threat to their lives is gone and the lord proves capable of protecting them, people will return to the area. Your research will be of great help to the residents of Mabel Mountains.”

“I see…”

Nathan nodded. In fact, his reasons for beginning the research were not so different from what Elaina described. He had started this work to help the people of Hennet, hoping to improve their impoverished lives.

“In exchange for sponsoring your research, Nathan, I’d like exclusive rights to the use of your substance for several years.”

In “Moonshadow,” it took Nathan many years to develop the substance. He only had time to work on it during the less busy seasons of summer and winter. But Elaina didn’t have that luxury. She needed him to complete the research within a year.

As the saying goes, “a thirsty man digs his own well.” Elaina needed Nathan’s research more than anyone. She had no choice but to help him meet the deadline.

“I’ll provide a research lab for you in Hennet. You can buy any materials you need, and I’ll hire assistants to help with the work. But I expect the substance to be completed within a year.”

“A year?”

“Can you do it?”

Nathan’s expression grew serious, a stark contrast to his usual indecisive demeanor. He muttered quietly to himself, calculating whether it was feasible.

After a few moments, he spoke again, “I think I can do it. It’ll take some time, but if I can continue my experiments in Hennet and have some help, it should be possible. But finding assistants might be a challenge.”

“Why?”

“As you know, Hennet is a very small estate, and everyone is busy working. Most people are farmers, so even if I wanted to hire someone, they wouldn’t be available during the busy spring and summer seasons.”

At that point, Diane raised her hand hesitantly. “Would it be difficult work?”

“No, not at all. There’s nothing technical. I just need help with simple tasks.”

“Then… could I help?”

Nathan’s eyes widened at the unexpected suggestion. But Diane’s offer was the most practical solution.

“I can’t possibly ask you to do that, Diane.”

“Why not? It’s much better than sitting around alone all day. And once we move to Hennet, I won’t have many people to meet besides Elaina. If the work isn’t too hard, I’d love to help.”

“But still…”

Nathan hesitated, reluctant to make his wife take on such tasks. But Diane gently took his hand.

“Please. I want to help however I can. And that way… I can spend more time with you.”

Elaina had expected Nathan to refuse again. But Diane’s desire to be by his side made him waver. Unable to say no to his wife’s earnest request, Nathan finally nodded.

“Wow…”

Elaina, unintentionally witnessing the couple’s intimate moment up close, couldn’t help but shiver a little.