The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

“Whoa, it’s a knight’s call. Sister, go to the bakery first! I’ll catch up soon.”

Sylonne hurriedly responded to the call and quickly left her seat, leaving me alone in an instant.

When we were together, I didn’t notice because we were chatting, but the bustling street was crowded with many people.

Come to think of it, it felt relaxing for the first time in a long while since I reincarnated.

Walking this path alone.

The sights of the passing people were very intriguing.

‘People’s lives seem the same everywhere. Whether it’s Korea, Castien, or Felosite.’

The sight of a noble couple seemingly on a date but arguing, the backs of children crowded around a toy store, a child throwing a tantrum asking for ice cream and her mother, and then…

“Ouch!”

Distracted by watching the people, I eventually bumped into someone and fell.

“I’m sorry, lady. Are you okay?”

It was a man dressed as a commoner, his hat pulled down low. He offered me his hand to help me up.

“Oh, no. I was just distracted. I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“Did you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine…”

Upon seeing the man’s face, I was rendered speechless.

“How… How are you here?”

If my memory serves me right, I recognize that face.

‘Gebino Augusto.’

Round eyes, deep brown hair, and even for a man, such delicate features. A face as pretty and handsome as his wasn’t a common one.

“Do you know me?”

The man asked as if he didn’t understand my question.

“We met recently at the Castien palace. You even came to my room and we greeted each other…”

“I think you might be mistaking me for someone else. I’ve never left this Felosite territory since I was born.”

“What? But…”

“I apologize, but I have an urgent matter. I must go.”

The man nodded and quickly walked away down a side street.

‘It’s suspicious. It’s like he’s deliberately running away.’

I ran after the direction where the man disappeared.

From afar, I could still vaguely see his figure, and I chased him mindlessly.

However, the man kept slipping away and eventually disappeared.

‘I lost him.‘

After wandering for a while, not only did I not find the man, but I ended up at a dead-end.

Looking around, I noticed a group of burly thugs with menacing vibes, glancing at me.

‘Forget Gebino Augusto, this could get dangerous for me.’

Feeling the danger, I tried to turn around, but the situation had already taken a turn for the worse.

‘…This is bad.’

A group of obvious delinquents was approaching me, snickering.

“You, the young lady from a prestigious house, seem to have lost your way? Want us to show you around?”

The men closed in, surrounding me from all sides.

“No, I’m fine. I can find my way. Please move along.”

Trying to ignore them and pass by, a hefty hand whooshed past my face and banged on the wall next to me.

“I’d love to escort you to your home. Let’s also find out which house you’re from.”

A man who looked like the leader made a sinister expression and reached out, brushing my hair away. I felt a shiver down my spine from his creepy gesture. 

Then, he swiftly untied my neatly tied hair, and soon, my hair flowed down like a waterfall.

“Wow, your hair is as glossy as silk.”

The guy, sniffing my hair, looked like a hyena scavenging on refuse.

“How dare you, what are you doing!”

I stepped back to avoid his unpleasant touch, but it was no use. I was already surrounded, with nowhere to run.

Then, suddenly.

“Ah!”

“Ugh!”

With a thud, someone appeared out of nowhere and took down all the thugs in a blink. He then grabbed me, startled, and pushed me against the wall.

“Yikes!”

“Why on earth are you following me!”

It was the man from earlier.

Upon closer inspection, he resembled Gebino Augusto even more. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say they looked like the same person.

‘Why did he come back at this moment? He could have just left.’

Over the man’s shoulder, I could see the fallen thugs. They all lay on the ground, writhing in pain. It didn’t seem like he had to exert much effort to defeat them. His strength was immense.

‘Did he come back on purpose because of me?’

He couldn’t meet my eyes, looking lost.

‘It seems like he’s uncomfortable around me.’

Mustering some courage, I glared at him and responded firmly.

“I clearly saw you in the palace.”

“I told you it wasn’t me.”

He responded emotionlessly and definitively.

“I remember your face very clearly.”

A slight tremor passed through his eyes. He was shaken by my words.

“You… remember my face?”

His voice trembled. He seemed like a completely different person from before.

“What are you doing, Conrad?”

A familiar deep voice came from behind.

A voice full of authority.

“Your Highness!”

Although he was still holding my wrist, the man named Conrad quickly responded. Just as when I first saw him at the palace court, the Archduke looked at me with unwavering eyes.

‘Those eyes again.’

His red eyes, just like Sylonne’s, felt different. A sharp glare that seemed like it could swallow you whole if you stared for too long. The grip on my wrist tightened as he saw the Archduke.

“Ouch…”

Standing between two tall men felt like being sandwiched between two walls.

“Let go of her.”

“Huh?”

“Let go of my wife.”

The Archduke slapped Conrad’s hand away.

My wrist was red and swollen from his tight grip.

“Don’t cross the line.”

“But, Your Highness…”

“Never hurt my wife, no matter the reason. And certainly don’t grab her, Conrad.”

Conrad turned and bowed deeply to me.

“I apologize for my rudeness, Your Highness.”

“Leave now.”

Upon the Archduke’s command, Conrad quickly left the scene.

It was just the Archduke and me in the alley. The thugs who were previously knocked down had vanished, leaving an uncomfortable silence.

The Archduke, who had been looking at me intensely earlier, was now only staring intently at the tip of my fingers.

“You should get that treated.”

“What?”

“Your wrist. We should return to the palace. I’ll call a doctor.”

“No, it’s just a minor injury. I’m fine.”

Ignoring my words, he took out a communicator and sent a message to someone.

“Who was that man just now?”

The movement of his fingers that had been tapping the communication seat stopped, and his gaze, which had been looking down for a long time, returned to me.

“Who is that man? Why do you know that man?”

“…Conrad Augusto.”

His unexpectedly quick answer took me aback. And I couldn’t help but be surprised by the unexpected information.

His last name is Augusto?

“He’s a trainee of the Felosite Knight Order. It’s understandable that you might get confused. Conrad’s twin brother is Gebino Augusto, a priest of the Julius Altar.”

‘Gebino Augusto’s twin brother?’

The fact that they were twins was completely new, a deviation from the original work. In the original, Gebino Augusto wasn’t a priest either.

Everything in this world was progressing differently from the original story. Then, what are the chances that the Archduke, who had killed my brother in the original story, didn’t do it this time?

“Then let’s go back downtown.”

The Archduke escorted me to the bakery without uttering a word during the journey.

Upon reaching the bakery, Sylonne lectured me continuously about how dangerous the route I took was.

“That dark alley is where guys like my brother can roam freely! It’s dangerous for someone like you. You’re lucky my brother was there.”

But one question kept revolving in my mind.

‘What’s the connection between the Felosite-born brothers, the Archduke, and me? Why did the Archduke bring me here?’