Surviving As The Villain's Childhood Friend

As I entered the restaurant, I found Marin drinking tea after finishing her meal. I walked up to her.

“Ack!”

Marin saw my face and started running away.

“Where are you going, my friend?” 

“I’m going to practice swordsmanship!” 

“You don’t do that, do you?”

“What do you mean? I’m a trainee at Agelisk too!” 

“I think you do more useless things than swordsmanship training.”

I guess you won’t be a trainee anymore after this.

There was no panting even though I was running like this. We went around the restaurant a few times without stopping to breathe or rest. It was past breakfast time, so fortunately there was no one in the lunchroom except us. I chased after her and as I ran and stepped on a chair, but Marin wasn’t an easy opponent.

“Calm down, Yuria.” 

“I’m very calm.” 

Only if I could just grab you by the neck. I seriously considered breaking one of the legs of the table and using it as a sword.

“I’ve been thinking about when to throw gloves at you for a long time now…”

The voting incident at the banquet gave me an opportunity.

“I think that time is right now.”

“Oh my, what are you talking about? I’m not ready to fight anyone yet.”

“It’s not that we’re going to practice fighting, we’re actually risking our lives to fight. Every knight should cut down a person at least once.”

I searched through my pockets as if I was going to throw my gloves at any moment.

“Oh, that’s not how knights’ gloves are used.”

It was when we were arguing over a table.

“Hey, ladies. Go out and fight.”

An old lady who appeared to be the chef threw rubber gloves at us.

* * *

Marin and Yuria sat facing each other.

“…”

Yuria’s eyes were so fierce that it felt like they could burn Marin. After being kicked out by the chef auntie and wandering around without a place to go, they settled in Yuria’s dormitory. Fortunately, Leniana was away.

“Hmm.”

Marin was fearlessly observing Yuria’s gaze. She thought her rich brown hair and round eyes looked so cute.

‘Like a poodle. Like a mini poodle.’

It reminded her of her baby she left at home.

So Marin tried to talk to her at the banquet first.

Rather than approaching her because she was the eldest Zeos or the older sister of Blandis, it was because she resembled a puppy.

Like her unique appearance, she also had an interesting personality.

‘But I found something more interesting.’

Marin’s heart pounded.

Marin, who had been nosy since birth, loved socializing and gossiping.

For her, Agelisk could have been like prison.

‘Fun is something you have to make yourself.’

Marin found something very interesting with her natural eyes.

What do you mean prison? There was twice as much bait here than the land where she lived.

Marin had to struggle to lower the corners of her lips that were constantly going up.

‘Who knew that Princess Poodle would shake Evelian’s heart.’

It was only natural that Roziel Evelian won the hearts of both men and women with his handsome looks and outstanding skills.

But his mind?

He was a man whose heart was rumored to be cold as ice. No one thought his heart could be stolen.

Even Marin herself.

However.

Marin’s gaze turned to Yuria Zeos.

She looked at Marin, arms crossed full of dissatisfaction. 

‘Your taste is very unique.’

Well, nothing was more fulfilling than discovering a reason for a man’s interest.

‘First of all, her personality was good and she was cute and funny.’

Marin concluded roughly and smiled at her. However, Yuria frowned.

“I have the auntie’s rubber gloves in my pocket right now, so if you want to make excuses, you’d better hurry up.”

“Rather than excuses…”

Marin opened her eyes and observed Yuria.

“Why do you hate it so much? It’s dating, it’s good. Besides, Roziel Evelian’s is a great accessory.”

“It’s not good.”

Marin was surprised by her resolute words.

“Why? You wrote your name on the paper!”

In response to Marin’s dissatisfaction, the rubber gloves from Yuria’s pockets flew towards her.

Marin clasped the gloves with one hand.

“….Do you mean it?”

“Mean what?” 

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

“Hehe.”

She knew Yuria wrote her name as a joke. But that was why Yuria and Zeos got a lot of attention, right?

‘On top of that, I received good results.’

A date. A date with Roziel Evelian! Marin wanted to write about the scoop in detail, but she endured it. The protagonist needed to be revealed late in order to receive more attention.

Besides, if the target was Roziel? 

‘Ah, it’s really fun.’

Wasn’t this why people attended social gatherings?

Marin coughed loudly and tapped Yuria on the shoulder.

“But thanks to the vote, I think Roziel thinks of you a lot. Even during the training last time, his gaze didn’t fall away from you. Really. What’s your secret?”

“Secret? A mindset to save the world? And the courage to cut people down.”

Yuria pulled out a sword from under the bed. Marin hurriedly removed her hand.

“No, that’s not what I meant! He really kept looking at you.”

“That’s because I’ve become so strange! Thanks to you!”

“Then why did you go on a date?”

“Because it’s not a date! It’s just that we met by chance and went to a cafe together.”

“…By chance?” 

Yeah. You could meet by chance.

But from Marin’s perspective. Roziel…

‘Ah, perhaps?’ 

For a moment, an idea flashed through Marin’s head.

“Then you two haven’t really met officially, have you?”

“Of course. Roziel is just a child.”

…Isn’t he a year older than you?

She wanted to say it, but she skipped it. This was because there were still more questions left to ask.

“Roziel might like you.”

“Does that make sense?”

She didn’t know if it was sincere, but the look on Yuria’s face crumpled.

“His taste is very firm. He likes blonde beauty. And she’s already… No. That’s what it is.”

“….I see.”

The corners of Marin’s lips rose little by little.

So, you don’t know how Roziel feels?

Marin covered her mouth with her palm.

Oh my.

Roziel was pitiful.

It seemed that the prince in the greenhouse fell in love with the girl who looked like a puppy.

The other person didn’t know anything.

“Don’t worry, Yuria. I won’t reveal who you are dating.”

“You must have been scared of the rubber gloves. Give them to me. If you mess with me, I’ll use them again.” 

Marin meekly handed the gloves over to Yuria. If it was for fun, she could get hit by the gloves any number of times.

“But why do you keep smiling?”

“Oh. I’m just so sorry.” 

Marin smiled brightly and it shook Yuria. 

“I learned how to sharpen a sword from Leniana, and the weather looks pretty harsh right now.”

“…I’ll leave now.”

Marin stood up like a spring bounce. However, as he left the room, Marin was still smiling.

‘Now I’m going to sit back and watch with some popcorn.’

As expected, other people’s relationships were the most fun.

‘Well. Would it be okay if I give it a little push?’

Chicks who started their first love without knowing needed stimulation.

‘Stimulating…’

Heh. Marin smiled confidently.

This wasn’t too difficult for her.

‘Hang in there, Yuria.’

After all, the world didn’t always go as planned, and the end was always different.

The legend of zero votes. Marin decided to support her.

* * *

Today’s training was also basic training.

Now I was able to train in a form I was used to.

Sometimes Teacher Kiles corrected my posture.  I thought there would be a strange rumor if I refused again for no reason, so I accepted it gently.

Thanks to this, my skills were much better than before. It was the same with the other children.

Perhaps because my foundation was already solid, he was able to make good use of his personality and melt it into swordsmanship.

After all the training was over, I didn’t leave the training grounds and looked around.

Throughout the training, the children’s eyes followed me.

…It was a different perspective than before. 

If in the past it was a mixture of disdain, envy, and pity, now…

In general, it was a gaze full of interest.

Perhaps it was because rumors spread that I was in a “dating relationship” after meeting my “fated love”.

However, except for one person. There was someone avoiding me…

Roziel Evelian.

When our eyes met, he turned his head away.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

He suddenly felt awkward with me.

‘You didn’t hear the rumors, right?’ 

The main character in the picture was my destiny.

I didn’t think he was carefree enough to care about such rumors.

“Roziel, why can’t you look at me?”

“I-I-I’m looking?”

…You must have had free time.

“Fate.”

Whew.

What I said scared him.

…This was going to put the brakes on my world peace operation.

I was the one who started this by confessing… Since I even said fate. 

It was understandable that you were uncomfortable and avoiding me again. 

You can’t do that. I have to open your heart.

First of all, I decided to sneak a peek and see how uncomfortable he was about this.

“Roziel, do you know what fate is?”

Roziel’s body stiffened at my question. The way his eyelashes trembled was very pitiful.

“…I know.”

I opened my eyes wide.

“What is it?”

“Something that inevitably happens…? A relationship from heaven?”

The dictionary meaning was accurate. However, I was genuinely embarrassed by the following words.

“And I like fate.”

“What…?”

“I want to believe it…” 

I had to struggle not to show surprise.

‘No.’

In romance, fate was almost invincible. And it plays a huge role in connecting the male and female lead.

‘If that’s how it is then…’

He would feel Luena is fate, and of course, he would think it would continue with her.

Do not be ridiculous. There are infinitely many variables in the world.

Just as I came here, anything could change!

“No, Roziel. Don’t believe in things like that.”

At my words, he opened his eyes wide and looked at me. Blue eyes mixed with confusion.

“Fate… It’s not that big of a deal.”

“Huh?”

I grabbed him by the shoulder. 

Ack! I felt sorry for his small trembling body.

“Something like fate? You can overcome it with willpower. No, actually, fate was created by adding plausible words to a trivial coincidence!”

Roziel’s face turned pale. No, he must have really believed in fate.

“Well, then, why did you say fate to the other kids in a romantic way…?”

“That? It was all just lies. Everyone is strangely misunderstanding me.”

“L-lies…?”

“Yes. I was involved in a misunderstanding with Roziel… Shouldn’t we solve it somehow?”

What do you think? You’re grateful, right?

I went further and said with a friendly smile.

“So you don’t have to worry too much. I believe in people’s will, but I don’t believe in fate.”

If I say this much, Roziel will understand, right?

But contrary to what I thought, Roziel became contemplative.

His lips trembled and tears welled up in his eyes.

“…Roziel?”

I was taken aback by the look on his face that looked like he was about to burst into tears.

As I was about to wipe his tears.

Slap.

My hand stayed pitifully in the air.

Roziel yelled at me. 

“I-I hate you!”

Clatter.

I stared blankly at him as he disappeared with his back turned in the distance.

You hate me? Me?

Why?

TL/N: Let’s give a round of applause for our clueless-heartless female lead