A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

Chapter 282

The two of them stood up and headed for the spot with the best view.

Cairn would probably feel lost when he returned to find them gone, but oh well. It was his fault for leaving his spot unattended.

Bright fireworks exploded across the night sky, filled with stars like the Milky Way. Though they were illusion spells, they were indistinguishable from real fireworks.

In fact, they were even more vivid in color and form than ordinary fireworks. It was a sight that could only be seen in the capital, where mages were available.

Staring blankly at the sky, Violet suddenly turned her head.

And there, right next to her, Aldin was focused on the fireworks as he looked up at the sky.

Under the night sky, his profile, illuminated by the light, was beautiful. If Violet’s hunch was right, she now understood why Cairn had left them alone.

She asked,

“Sir. Why do you like me?”

It was an incredibly unexpected question. While he was still watching the fireworks, Aldin froze up at the suddenness of the topic.

But Violet’s expression was dead serious. Aldin’s face flushed red.

“W-Well, that’s…”

“You’ve given me your reasons before. But I don’t remember any of it. It’s strange to think someone would like me after such trivial words. Besides, we didn’t even meet again after that.”

“…It’s alright as long as I remember.”

Violet’s words were sharp, but Aldin remained unfazed.

“More importantly…”

Aldin paused for a moment before continuing.

“It left a deep impression on me, how someone like you, someone born noble, said such things.”

He briefly closed his eyes before opening them again with a small smile.

“Back then, I was very different from how I am now. I hated everything in the world, acted out rebelliously… I thought it was ridiculous to measure a person’s worth based solely on their bloodline. That’s why I hated the very existence of nobles.”

Except for his last words, Violet could relate to much of his story. She had felt something similar before.

Aldin spoke slowly, as if he knew that she understood.

“But then I heard what you said. Someone who had no reason to envy anyone, saying that you, too, needed to hone your worth and stand in a place where no one could look down on you.”

“…I see.”

Why she had said such things back then, she didn’t know. Was it out of sympathy for him, or was it because she related to him?

“Those words changed my life… Even if you don’t remember them, and even if you’ve changed since then, the fact remains that you were the one who said them to me.”

His expression, as he said this, was purely sincere.

Faced with this unexpected confession, Violet was silent for a moment before asking,

“If that’s the case, how much would you be willing to give up for me?”

“…Everything.”

Despite the sudden question, Aldin answered without hesitation.

“Would you even give up being a knight?”

“If it’s for you, nothing would be too much to sacrifice.”

“But wouldn’t that be a shame? You’ve worked so hard for it. Even with talent, it’s not a position you could have reached without effort…”

“It’s fine. Even if I’m no longer a knight of the Imperial Order, my existence doesn’t change, nor does my skill disappear.”

His words were filled with such confidence that they almost seemed arrogant.

He had always been this way. Even when he seemed to lack self-esteem, he possessed an unwavering pride in his abilities.

“If you can give up everything like that, is there nothing you desire from me?”

“Nothing. As long as I can protect you until the end…”

Violet slowly closed her eyes at his answer.

“If you think of me so much, why won’t you ask for anything?”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve saved me multiple times, so you could have asked for something in return.”

“…Well.”

It was a simple question out of curiosity. Aldin hesitated briefly, his ears turning red as he averted his gaze.

Finally, he gave an honest answer.

“…Saying I don’t desire anything would be a lie. But if my feelings make you uncomfortable or become a burden, it would be better to sever them. That way, I can still stay by your side.”

It was a desperate response from someone who would rather remain by her side as a friend than ask for anything more. It was a profound, pure-hearted devotion that Violet couldn’t quite understand.

And so, she couldn’t help but laugh. A soft chuckle escaped her lips.

“Is that so?”

If there was one thing she always appreciated, it was honesty.

“Shall we go for a short walk?”

“…Yes.”

At Violet’s smile, Aldin blushed again.

Nevertheless, without complaint, he obediently followed her lead.

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