This Villain Is Mine Now

Chapter 86

Elaina sat on the sofa. Hugging a pillow tightly to her chest, she had been half-asleep until the sound of the door startled her awake.

Lyle walked in through the open door. His tired expression made Elaina momentarily forget that she was supposed to be upset.

“Where have you been? And why are you coming back so late?”

It had been almost half a day since he went out. Sarah had reported that he’d rushed off recklessly despite being told to take knights with him. Knowing this stubborn man, he likely hadn’t eaten properly either.

“Why are you here?” Lyle asked as he removed his coat, speaking without turning to face her. His reaction made Elaina raise her voice in disbelief.

“Because I have something to say! What’s the deal with that one-sided declaration? I’m not one of your knights! Actually, let’s talk about that later. For now, let’s eat first.”

Her sleepiness evaporated. Elaina placed the pillow she was holding onto the sofa and stood up.

“I’m not hungry.”

“But I am. And don’t you know I hate eating alone? Even if you’re not hungry, just sit with me. Who do you think made me skip my meal in the first place?”

Elaina grumbled at Lyle. Finally, he turned to look at her.

“You skipped your meal? Why?”

“Because you said something so sudden and then didn’t come back! How could I not worry?”

Sarah had assured her that there was no need to worry, so she hadn’t sent anyone after him. Still, his return was far too delayed.

“Come on, let’s go downstairs. Let’s eat something.”

Elaina grabbed Lyle’s arm and pulled him. She should have been angry, but the moment she saw his weary face, her irritation disappeared without a trace.

Lyle gazed blankly at Elaina’s slender, delicate hand pulling his arm. He could have easily shaken it off with his strength, but her words were absolute to him. Like a tamed beast, the wild man obediently followed his wife’s lead to the dining room.

***

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I mean… I don’t know how to cook anything.”

She had confidently brought him to the dining room, but the problem was that there were no staff left to prepare a meal.

Not wanting to wake Sarah, who was likely asleep by now, Elaina was left to her own devices.

Although the kitchen was well-organized, it felt like an unsolvable maze to her, as she didn’t know where anything was kept. Additionally, the only light source was a single lamp, and she struggled to see in the dim room. Her height also made it difficult to check inside the cupboards.

In the end, it was Lyle who ended up cooking. He lit the fire skillfully and fried eggs and bread in a pan. Elaina quietly watched him as he worked.

“Here.”

Lost in a trance watching him, Elaina was startled when Lyle handed her a plate, as if waking up from a dream. She quickly accepted it.

“Thank you.”

The distance back to the dining room was long and cumbersome, so the two sat on the kitchen floor and ate their meal.

Was it because she was starving, or was it the atmosphere? Compared to their usual meals, it was a humble dish, but it tasted amazing.

“Should I make more if it’s not enough?”

The thought of Elaina skipping her meal because of him weighed heavily on Lyle’s mind. His concern for her was evident in his voice. Elaina’s face broke into a smile.

“This is enough for me. But what about you? Should I wash an apple for you? I can at least manage that.”

Elaina’s awkward attempt to be helpful made Lyle chuckle softly.

“No need. This is enough for me too.”

The conversation lapsed into a brief silence. It was then that Elaina remembered why she had been waiting for him all day. Clearing her throat, she tried to change the mood.

“What’s the deal? Telling me out of nowhere to return to the capital. Don’t bother thinking up an excuse—I already heard everything from Drane.”

She shot him a stern look. Drane had told her that as soon as the safety of the newly established mountain route was confirmed, there would be no more work left for Lyle in Mabel.

“To be honest, Your Grace, I believe it’s better for you to return to the capital. For me, it’s the right decision.”

Overseeing the estate was important, but the Archduchy’s standing as a central noble family was still precarious.

In the previous archduke’s case, his son had lived in the capital to fill this gap. But Lyle currently had no such counterpart. Knox was too young, and there was no heir yet.

“I can handle the estate matters, but only Your Grace can attend the noble council meetings.”

Drane’s reaction had been almost a plea for Lyle to return.

“Frankly speaking, I’m not confident that Your Grace’s condition will improve after the Archduchess leaves.”

He clasped his hands in a gesture of earnestness. Although he didn’t know what had transpired between them, he implored her to resolve the situation.

When Elaina insisted that nothing had happened, Drane reacted with disbelief.

“Nothing happened, yet Her Grace moved out of the room she had always used, and His Grace told her to return to the capital?”

After weeks of emotional turmoil, Drane had reached his limit. Tired of walking on eggshells, he spoke plainly to Elaina.

“Do you remember how His Grace once asked me to serve as his vassal? I can’t work under these conditions. For the sake of the North’s well-being, please! Make sure to take him back to the capital.”

“I will return to the capital. I can’t stay here forever. We can’t keep leaving the estate empty, and even though Knox seems to be doing well, I still worry. But,” Elaina said, pointing her finger directly at Lyle’s chest, “we’re going back together.”

The word “together” seemed to echo in Lyle’s ears. He stared blankly at Elaina before speaking in a low voice.

“I don’t understand. Weren’t you uncomfortable being with me?”

Elaina’s mouth shut tight at his words.

“You moved out of the room and have been avoiding me ever since.”

“That’s because… there were reasons for it.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

Ever since she became conscious of him, she could no longer interact with Lyle as casually as before. How she had once treated him felt like a distant memory. Sharing the same bed and spending all day together was now unthinkable.

“I have my reasons too.”

As he spoke, Lyle tucked a strand of Elaina’s hair behind her ear, the action gentle and deliberate.

In the heavy silence, Elaina uttered words even she couldn’t understand.

“Do you remember? What you said in the carriage during our honeymoon?”

Lyle didn’t respond, but Elaina knew he was recalling the same moment.

“When I joked about what you’d do if you fell for me, you said not to worry.”

She could still picture the smug grin on his face as he dismissed the idea.

It felt surreal. How could she have developed feelings for a man like him?

Elaina gazed at Lyle. The flickering lamplight cast shadows on his face, and she could see the turmoil in his eyes.

In the suffocating stillness, Elaina found a small measure of courage.

“Do you still think that?”

“No.”

The rapidity of his response made the prior silence feel like a lie.

“I should have listened to your warning back then.”

“…Why?”

Her heart pounded as her tense voice quivered.

“Because if I had, I wouldn’t be thinking about kissing you right now.”

Oh.

Lyle realized it again. He would never win against Elaina.

Despite his resolve to keep his feelings hidden and avoid troubling her, the simple fact that she had waited for him all day had made all his promises dissolve like mist.

In the flickering light, he could see Elaina’s face flush red.

“If you don’t want this, tell me. I won’t do anything you dislike.”

Slowly, he leaned toward her. He truly meant it. If she resisted, even for a moment…

But Elaina didn’t push him away. Instead, she closed her eyes.

This time, it wasn’t an illusion like in the forest. Her lips met his—dry, yet burning with heat.