I Became the Villain’s Childhood Friend Chapter 20

 

“It seems that Sir Reynold has a secretly cute side to him.”

 

Thanks to this, I let out a small laugh without realizing it.

 

“I’ll get it for you. Please wait a moment.”

 

The distance between where we were and the store wasn’t that far, so I nodded to what he said.

 

It wasn’t long before Paul left us and suddenly crowds began to gather on the street.

 

We can’t miss Paul!

 

Reynold and I, who are relatively small, began to be pushed around.

 

“Miss!”

 

Paul’s voice was heard. But I was so suffocated among the people that I couldn’t speak.

 

‘I’m going to miss it!’

 

Then someone held my hand tightly.

 

“Danae!”

 

It was Reynold, who was connected to me by a string. When I saw his face, relief came over me.

 

“What about Paul?”

 

“…I don’t know.”

 

When I looked around, I couldn’t see Paul, but there were still a lot of people. We were short, so we were stuck in the crowd and couldn’t see anything.

 

Reynold whispered in my ear as if telling me not to worry.

 

“Let’s do what Paul said earlier.”

 

“…You know where to go to get to where the Harchen statue is?”

 

“Hmm….”

 

If I were just a little taller and could see my surroundings, finding directions wouldn’t be this difficult. Moreover, I couldn’t move because I was so tightly packed in among the people.

 

“Is something happening?”

 

I was about to reply quietly in Reynold’s ear. The sound of horses’ hooves began to be heard in the distance.

 

I heard people murmuring.

 

“Who is that?”

 

“They say it’s the Crown Prince. It looks like he went to the temple and is now coming back.”

 

I paused for a moment when I heard the people around me talking. As for the Crown Prince… he was definitely one of the main characters in this world.

 

Ah. I’d like to see his face.

 

“He’s the crown prince.”

 

“…I heard that too, you know?”

 

When I unconsciously smiled at the sight of Reynold conveying those words straight to me, Reynold lightly shrugged his shoulders.

 

“It will get a little better when the carriage passes by.”

 

Reynold’s hand holding mine gained some strength.

 

As he said, as time passed, our bodies, which had been unable to move, began to relax.

 

When we could no longer hear the sound of the horses’ hooves, we were finally free.

 

“Now let’s go find Paul.”

 

As soon as I could say those words, rain fell from the clear sky.

 

Really… It was a lightning strike in a dry sky.

 

This is the first time I’ve seen something so absurd. I looked up at the sky, covering the falling raindrops with my hand.

 

“….”

 

The good news was that the sun was shining and the raindrops were warm.

 

People also started running, covering their heads with their hands to avoid the rain. 

 

“Danae.”

 

I suddenly came to my senses when I heard Reynold’s voice.

 

“Run!”

 

Reynold held my hand and pulled me. Only then did my feet come off the floor. So we ran through the rain. In search of a roof to shield our small bodies from the rain. However, wherever there was a roof, people were already gathered and there was no room. In the end we had to run a little further to find the roof.

 

Every time I stepped on the slick floor, rainwater splashed here and there. The wet dirt invaded the inside of my shoes, making the soles of my feet sting a little.

 

My clothes were wet, but thanks to the sunlight, I didn’t run out, and I could feel the warmth in my hands as I held Reynold’s.

 

Fortunately, we were soon able to find a roof to cover us. As soon as we entered the roof, Reynold turned to me.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“It’m okay. How about you?”

 

After hearing what I said, Reynold seemed relieved and then let go of my hand. As the warm feeling disappeared, I felt a little cold.

 

Reynold carefully approached me and squeezed my wet hair. Rainwater fell randomly from my hair, which had soaked up a lot of rainwater.

 

“Do you think it will stop soon?”

 

“I think so.”

 

It seemed to be a sun shower. Before I knew it, the rain had thinned out.

 

Only the sound of rain pattering on the roof was heard quietly. Seeing as the Harchen statue wasn’t visible, it seemed to be quite a distance away.

 

“Paul will be worried…”

 

“Paul will be able to find us in no time.”

 

Reynold’s voice is strangely trustworthy. I felt like whatever he said would come true.

 

“You’re right. Only then can he confidently say that he’s a guard knight protecting the Princess of Lerdonia.”

 

Reynold chuckled softly after hearing what I said.

 

“Shit…!”

 

At that time, someone hurriedly came in under the roof where we were standing. I felt like I had seen this form of blowing out wet hair somewhere.

 

And he was someone I had seen quite a few times.

 

He, too, was shaking his head and turned his head towards me with a squeak, as if he felt something unusual.

 

“Geez! You surprised me!”

 

I was even more surprised by his voice. However, Rian was also quite surprised and flinched.

 

Ryan then looked back and forth between me and Reynold, then frowned.

 

“…Could it be that you two came out alone? Without an escort?”

 

“With Paul. But Brother is also alone.”

 

I was wondering if Rian would tell his father that Paul had missed us, so I deliberately brought up Paul’s story. Hearing me, he snorted and lifted his chin.

 

He followed the movement of his chin and turned his head to see a knight hurriedly running toward us in the rain holding an umbrella.

 

“My competent guard went to get an umbrella. So, where is your guard?”

 

“Why is Brother here?”

 

I asked, avoiding Rian’s question and staring at something he was wearing under his coat. Then Rian hid the bundle in his arms behind his back.

 

“You don’t know anything, do you?”

 

“…Is that a gift for Mother?”

 

As if I was right, Lian’s pupils visibly shook.

 

“N-No?!”

 

“…”

 

Is there anyone else that is that easy to understand?

 

I sighed inwardly and looked away. It was because I could feel Reynold’s gaze staring at me.

 

But Reynold lightly shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing.

 

As we expected, the rain stopped as quickly as if it had never stopped.

 

“Miss…!”

 

And soon Paul, who was a complete mess, ran to me and pulled me into his arms.

 

“I was worried. Neither of you are injured, right?”

 

Paul hurried out and took a quick look at Reynold.

 

We quickly nodded to show that we weren’t hurt.

 

“…What is this, that guy really lost his master.”

 

Rian, who was standing next to him, muttered quietly. I glared at him quietly, yet Rian just stared at me with a shameless look as if asking what was the problem.

 

“It’s true that I lost the Miss. I will await for your punishment.”

 

“…Do you even have to be punished?”

 

And it was Rian who answered me.

 

“Of course he should.”

 

You shut up!

 

“Let’s go back first. If we both get wet and catch a cold, it’s a big problem, right?”

 

Paul nodded his head at Reynold’s words.

 

“I’ve prepared a carriage. Let’s go back quickly.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Paul hurriedly guided us to the carriage.

 

“Hey.”

 

Rian, who was walking next to me, gave me a shout out.

 

“…?”

 

“…”

 

However, even if he called me, he stayed silent as if he had nothing to say.

 

“…That,”

 

“Speak quickly and don’t make me frustrated!”

 

Rian paused for a moment. But even for a moment, he soon whispered softly in my ear.

 

“Can I tell Mother that I bought this gift with you?”

 

“…Why?”

 

I asked because I was really curious, yet Rian’s scalp even turned red as I wondered what on earth he was thinking.

 

“F-Forget it! I was just asking.”

 

Then Rian increased his walking speed and walked ahead.

 

“…Why is he like that?”

 

“By the way, Danae.”

 

Then Reynold called me.

 

“Serik Detwin.”

 

Ah, now that I think about it… I guess the reason we went out today was because of my influence.

 

I nodded my head carefully at his words.

 

“If you think something is wrong with him, ask him again or at least write a letter.”

 

Reynold, who gave serious advice about Serik, was very unfamiliar.

 

“Because he might be waiting for you too.”

 

“…Thanks.”

 

Reynold smiled at my words.

 

Then, following Reynold’s advice, I wrote a letter to Serik as soon as I got home.

 

But there was no reply from Serik.

 

***

 

“Paul, last time you said you were waiting for my punishment, right?”

 

Paul nodded with a determined expression.

 

“Could you please find out more about Viscount Detwin?”

 

Paul paused for a moment.

 

“…Is that your punishment?”

 

“Is it too heavy? Shall I change it to a lighter punishment?”

 

After hearing what I said, Paul opened his eyes wide for a moment, then shook his head and opened his mouth.

 

“I didn’t mean that. Please wait a moment!”

 

Just like that, Paul left the room and returned to my room exactly 10 minutes later. He handed me the papers.

 

“His Grace has already investigated and I sneaked it out of the office, but then the punishment you have given is…

 

“It’s over.”

 

“But…”

 

I quickly skimmed through the documents, trying to ignore Paul’s hesitation.

 

But the more I read the document, the more it seemed like there was content in it that I shouldn’t have read. I narrowed my eyes for a moment.

 

…Serik won’t be angry because I’m secretly given his information behind his back, will he.

 

As I was reading the document, I paused at the part about the viscount’s debt. I think this was definitely solved by Father, though.

 

Why does it feel like there is more debt on it, I wonder.

 

I frowned and flipped through the papers.

 

And as soon as I checked the contents of the next page of the document, I completely froze.

 

Paul, who was looking at me next to me, asked curiously.

 

“Miss, is there anything that’s bothering you?”

 

“Serik went to study abroad without telling me?”

 

“Sir Serik went abroad to study?”

 

I couldn’t believe it.

 

This was Paul’s first time hearing this story, so his expression didn’t look good. But my face must have been more serious, so Paul made an effort to adjust his expression.

 

“When we’re young, we’re all clumsy, so there are times when we suddenly become distant from our friends. Even if that isn’t the case, it may be because it’s not the time to tell you.”

 

“….”

 

“Or maybe Sir Serik didn’t think he was as close to the young lady as she thought….”

 

When I glared at Paul silently, he quickly shut his mouth.

 

I let out a small sigh and went back to carefully reading the letter that the viscount had sent to Father.

 

Paul carefully opened his mouth again to comfort me.