The Villainess is Tired of Everything

Chapter 29

The events leading up to Darcy seeking out Marceau unfolded as follows.

Darcy was well aware that Ryan would not leave Marceau alone. Concerned for her safety, Darcy kept track of her schedule, although he hadn't assigned someone to spy on her like Ryan had. He made sure to know all of her public engagements, one of which included her visit to the theater where Pitoll's troupe performed.

Pitoll, deeply impressed by Marceau’s help, had proudly announced that he had invited her to the play. This news naturally reached Darcy's ears. Although Darcy had successfully blocked Ryan’s attempts to spread malicious rumors, many still speculated about why Marceau had withdrawn from public life.

Marceau’s position in society was peculiar. She was both envied and despised—receiving admiration for her wealth and newly developing charm, while also facing jealousy and scorn. Her polite and refined demeanor contributed to this complex perception.

Yet, despite her efforts to present herself well, few were willing to accept the changes in her. It was easy for people to feel inferior to someone who seemingly had everything, and this resentment prevented her image from shifting positively. If Marceau had acted more assertively, perhaps others wouldn’t have dared to treat her so poorly, but she didn’t. She was trying to show her best side to people.

The theater would likely be similar.

Darcy remembered how she seemed exhausted by human relationships. But staying cooped up in her home would not bring Marceau happiness. This, he knew from personal experience, from someone who had lived through similar circumstances.

From the moment Pitoll had mentioned it, Darcy had been waiting for Marceau to ask him to accompany her. He even felt relieved that there were no men around her at that time. But Marceau said nothing to him. Why? Darcy began to feel anxious.

It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced since he pressed the muzzle of a gun against the Emperor’s temple, assuming everything would go his way.

He quickly changed his thoughts.

“If she doesn’t invite me, I’ll go myself.”

Marceau wouldn’t mind if he showed up… probably.

Putting aside his faint doubts, Darcy headed to her mansion.

They were supposed to meet the next day, but he figured it wouldn’t hurt to visit her a day earlier. After all, this was for Marceau’s sake.

The occasion of Marceau’s return to the public eye had to be perfect.

And he was confident he could make it so.

The door of the carriage opened, revealing someone I never expected to see here.

What was Darcy doing here?

For a brief moment, I was in a daze, but then I looked at Darcy, impeccably dressed, and remembered how he had looked at the palace.

His hair was neatly groomed, and he was wearing a suit—different from his usual appearance.

Even standing still, he could easily enchant those around him. The man who usually exuded an aura of perfection lifted his head and looked at me.

A faint smile spread across his lips. He seemed relaxed.

As he strode towards me, his hair flowing like willow branches, his face, almost too beautiful to be real, was captivating.

Darcy, now standing in front of me, extended his hand.

“When watching a play, one needs a partner.”

“…I was planning to go alone.”

I knew how exhausting people’s gazes could be.

Though Darcy offered his hand, I couldn’t easily take it.

There was something oddly unfamiliar about his face as he reached out to me.

I felt heat rising to my face.

I shook my head. Calm down, Darcy and I are just friends.

I didn’t want to ruin the good relationship we currently had over uncertain feelings. He was one of the few people I had befriended.

After pushing aside my hesitation, I finally placed my hand in his.

Had we ever touched hands before?

My heart seemed to skip a beat at the sudden difference in sensation.

“Let’s go.”

Snapping out of my daze at his words, I stepped into the carriage with him.

It wasn’t until the carriage was on its way to the theater that I could finally ask the question that had been on my mind.

“How did you know I was going to see the play today?”

“The playwright has been proudly spreading the word. The rumors have already reached everyone.”

Pitoll, who had a strong personality, tended to charge forward with what he wanted, regardless of what others said. His life was no different.

Perhaps he had taken a liking to me for providing the scandalous material and giving the actors opportunities; Pitoll had been defending me to others.

…But Pitoll probably didn’t know if I would actually come. I had been debating whether or not to go until this morning.

So how did he know to come here? I was lost in thought when Darcy’s voice broke through.

“Marceau.”

Darcy suddenly called my name, his expression serious. I became serious as well.

“Yes?”

I responded calmly, and Darcy frowned as he asked.

“But why didn’t you invite me? You didn’t have to go alone.”

…Huh? That was an unexpected question. The face that had seemed so serious just a moment ago now looked rather sulky.

Was he upset that I hadn’t invited him?

“I thought you wouldn’t like the main content of the play.”

“We’ve seen it before, haven’t we?”

He was referring to the draft of the play we had seen together. I nodded immediately.

“Yes. I didn’t think you had reacted very well back then.”

“…Seems like you were observing me more closely than I thought.”

I agreed with Darcy, whose face had softened a bit.

Yes, it seems I was paying more attention to him than I realized.

There was another question I wanted to ask.

“But I didn’t tell anyone that I was going out today.”

“That’s right. I didn’t know either.”

Darcy admitted it so readily that I was stunned. Despite being all dressed up and arriving in a carriage to escort me?

Was my question so evident on my face? Darcy laughed.

“It didn’t matter if you didn’t go. As long as I came here, I could see you.”

…Am I the only one embarrassed by those words?

I subtly looked away and waved my hand, feeling strangely hot.

“We were going to see each other tomorrow anyway.”

He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, without a hint of embarrassment.

“Then why not a day earlier? And it doesn’t matter what the content is.”

“Oh, really?”

If I had known that, I would have asked him first.

When I seemed pleased by his response, Darcy spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Because you’re beside me.”

I stared blankly at Darcy. It felt like those words had hit me over the head like a hammer. No, it was the same with my heart.

Since deciding to stay, Darcy had become more honest in expressing his feelings.

It wasn’t in a romantic sense. In fact, that made it even more troubling for me.

…But I’m his friend, so I should be able to say something similar, right?

In a soft voice, I said,

“Darcy, I think you should be more careful with your words like that.”

They’re very bad for the heart. I swallowed the latter part of my sentence.

Darcy looked at me as if he didn’t understand.

“There’s no one else I would say this to but you.”

“There could be in the future.”

“There won’t be.”

Seeing Darcy’s face as he instantly dismissed the possibility left me speechless. What could I say in response to that?

Sweating and unsure of how to reply, I was saved by the carriage coming to a halt.

“Wow, I guess we’ve arrived!”

I jumped up from my seat, but then hesitated.

Today, Darcy had come in a carriage bearing the royal emblem. That meant…

“…So, the fact that you’re a prince is already out?”

“People know. The official ceremony will be next week.”

“You’re talking about it like it’s someone else.”

“Maybe it feels that way.”

Darcy rested his chin on his hand and smiled.

“But there’s something more important right now.”

“Something more important?”

Darcy tilted his head slightly and stared intently at me.

“We’re going to see a play together. In front of everyone.”

“….”

“I put a lot of effort into my outfit for this. I even considered using my powers.”

Darcy’s smile was genuine today, not just a hollow mask. His mood seemed genuinely good.

His smile was even more beautiful than I remembered.

So much so that I could almost fall under his spell.

“We’re going to be late, let’s get out.”

I took a deep breath and stood up. Darcy nodded and got out first.

Standing in front of the carriage, he offered his hand to me again.

His eyes crinkled softly.

“And I wanted to escort you in the daylight like this.”

…The word “daylight” particularly resonated with me. For someone who had to live as if he were dead, even his meetings with me had to be kept secret.

What must it have been like to live a life that had to be hidden from everyone? I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

Instead, the only thing I could do was hold his hand tightly.

I hoped that the warmth of my hand would bring him some comfort.

I took Darcy’s hand and lifted my head.

…Only then did I notice the gazes fixed on us.

Some faces were familiar, while others were strangers.

At first, all eyes were on me, but soon they shifted to Darcy. Considering his dazzling appearance, it was only natural.

Unbothered by the stares around us, Darcy’s gaze remained solely on me. The almost blind devotion in his eyes gave me a strange sense of satisfaction.

His deep voice resonated in my ears.

“Let’s go, Marceau.”

Hearing those words, I suddenly felt like everything was going to be okay.

I nodded.

It was time for my world, which had been at a standstill, to start moving forward again.