When I Finished Playing the Terminally-Ill Villainous Omega C36

Chapter 36

The four of us followed the innkeeper upstairs to the fourth floor.

When I saw three grown men trying to squeeze into a tiny room, I quietly tugged on Locke’s sleeve.

He turned to look at me, so I lowered my voice as much as possible.

“Wouldn’t it be better if we split into pairs?”

“…Pardon?”

“You never know when I might get sick again. Someone has to stay beside me and look after me.”

I’d finally managed to say it while trying not to attract attention.

But Locke refused without hesitation.

“It is improper for a master and his servant to share the same room.”

I was dumbfounded.

You kissed me whenever you felt like it and even groped me without a second thought, but now you’re suddenly quoting etiquette?

What a sly fox.

“Etiquette also bends when circumstances leave no choice.”

“I’m a patient, remember?”

“What if I suddenly stop breathing in the middle of the night while I’m alone?”

“You’ve always slept alone.”

“Back then, the servants took turns checking on me throughout the night.”

“Now there’s no one to do that.”

“I’ll check on your well-being periodically.”

It felt like an unstoppable clash between spear and shield.

“I sleep lightly.”

“I’ll wake up the moment you open the door.”

“I don’t think so.”

Locke answered firmly.

This wasn’t going to be easy.

I decided to try a different approach.

“But we’re friends.”

“If Young Master and I walk out of the same room together tomorrow morning…”

“People will naturally assume our Young Master has finally found a friend to share a bed with.”

“…If you put it like that, I really don’t have a comeback.”

In the end…

The spear broke.

“Fine.”

I gave up with a grumble, slammed the door behind me, and told the three giants to somehow figure out how to sleep in that tiny room.

Hope you all sweat all over each other in this heat.

I stood by the door muttering to myself.

Then—

Thud!

The sudden noise startled me so badly that I rushed to the bed and buried myself beneath the blanket.

That night…

I swallowed the medicine Locke had given me and was about to go to sleep when the innkeeper brought dinner upstairs.

Two pieces of dry bread with butter.

Two per person.

It wasn’t a small portion for me.

But next door…

There were three enormous men.

I wasn’t particularly hungry, and no matter how I looked at it, there was no way that amount would satisfy them.

So I picked up the plate and knocked on the neighboring room.

The one who answered wasn’t Locke.

It was the coachman.

“Here.”

“I’m not hungry.”

As I handed him the bread, I peeked past him into the room.

Only the knight was visible, quietly sitting on the bed while polishing his sword.

“Where’s Locke?”

“He said he’d be sleeping in the stable.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“…You didn’t actually tell him to sleep on the floor, did you?”

“We did.”

The coachman tilted his head as though that was only natural.

Just because my relationship with Locke had changed didn’t mean the entire world’s social hierarchy had.

Since monsters roamed the land, even coachmen were expected to know basic swordsmanship and martial arts.

Compared to Locke, who was merely a low-ranking servant…

The coachman still outranked him.

Damn class system.

I told him to divide the bread among themselves before heading downstairs.

Then I immediately looked for the innkeeper.

Fortunately, I ran into his son, who said he’d fetch his father from the second floor.

Left alone in the hallway on the first floor, I waited.

Then…

A strange feeling crept over me.

It felt like someone was following me.

I quickly looked left.

Then right.

The hallway was empty.

There weren’t even any open doors or windows.

That’s strange.

Keeping my head facing forward, I rolled my eyes as far to the side as I could.

A moment later…

I caught sight of something black darting upward in the corner of my vision.

Startled, I hurriedly looked around.

There were no spider webs.

Then… don’t tell me…

“AAAH!”

“A cockroach!”

There goes any chance of sleeping tonight…

After paying the innkeeper a silver coin to borrow a blanket and pillow…

I headed toward the stable.

On the way, I shook out the blanket several times, terrified a bug might be hiding inside.

An inn with cockroaches…

Just thinking about it made my skin crawl.

By the time I reached the stable, I wandered between several parked carriages before spotting House Hestian’s familiar crest.

My face brightened.

I hurried over—

Then suddenly stopped.

…What’s this?

Is there a rose garden nearby?

A faint fragrance lingered in the air.

Lately, I’d been smelling roses far more often than usual.

Tilting my head in confusion, I slowly approached the carriage.

The closer I got…

The stronger the scent became.

Could it be…?

Curious, I leaned over and peered through the carriage window.

It was too dark to see anything.

Just as I reached for the door—

“What are you doing?”

“AAAH!”

I jumped so violently that my hand slipped from the handle.

I nearly collapsed to the ground.

Locke caught me before I fell, subtly shifting his body to block the carriage from view.

“Why are you so startled?”

“Feeling guilty about something?”

“I haven’t done anything!”

“Anyone would jump if someone suddenly appeared like that.”

“What are you…”

“You didn’t even make a sound.”

He glanced at the blanket and pillow I was still stubbornly clutching under one arm.

“So…”

“You’ve come to sleep with me?”

“You really don’t know when to give up.”

“What ridiculous nonsense are you talking about…?”

“If that’s not the case, then hurry back to your room.”

Without another word, he snatched the blanket and pillow from me.

Then he firmly pushed me toward the inn.

He didn’t even give my racing heart time to settle before chasing me away.

He could be unbelievably heartless.

“But…”

“Are you really sleeping out here?”

“What if monsters show up?”

“Even if you say that…”

“I’m still not going to your room.”

“I wasn’t inviting you anymore.”

“It’s late.”

“Please return to your room.”

“I worry about you and this is the thanks I get.”

“Fine.”

“I’m going.”

Reluctantly, I pulled the magic artifact tucked into my belt and held it out to him.

“Take this.”

“I won’t be able to leave unless you do.”

Locke silently stared at it.

“Why aren’t you taking it?”

“Are you worried I’ll die to a monster?”

he asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

“Did you think I brought it so you could peel fruit in the carriage?”

“Of course I’m worried.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Even though…”

“It would be better for you if I died?”

I froze.

“What are you talking about?”

“What exactly is my point of view supposed to be?”

“And you said we’re friends.”

“Who wishes for their friend to die?”

“You aren’t particularly affectionate toward me.”

“And sometimes…”

“You seem excessively afraid of me.”

“I’m troublesome.”

“I’m in your way.”

“I irritate you.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier if I simply disappeared?”

Again…

He was saying something strange.

Almost as though he believed I wanted him dead for no reason at all.

“I really don’t understand the things you say sometimes.”

“If someone wished another person dead for reasons like that…”

“Wouldn’t that person just be insane?”

“…Insane.”

Locke quietly repeated the word.

For some reason, his expression darkened.

After a moment…

He accepted the magic artifact from my hand.

“I must be tired today.”

“I spoke carelessly.”

“It meant nothing.”

“Please don’t worry about it.”

“You should go get some rest.”

His face looked genuinely exhausted.

So I reluctantly turned to leave.

“If you change your mind…”

“You can come upstairs anytime.”

As I brushed past him…

Our shoulders lightly touched.

In that brief instant…

I took a deep breath.

There was no scent of roses coming from him.

Was I mistaken?

I looked back one last time.

Locke remained standing alone in front of the stable, clutching the blanket.

His face looked unusually flushed.

Something’s definitely going on…

The thought lingered in my mind.

But in the end…

I returned to my room alone.

❖ ❖ ❖

By the time the morning sun began warming the earth…

Our carriage arrived at the territory of Marquis Albre.

The vast land stretching across the frontier felt less like a noble estate…

And more like an independent kingdom.

Fields of lush green reeds swayed across the rolling hills.

Beyond them stood the Marquis’s grand residence in solemn majesty.

The difference in territory between noble ranks is much greater than I expected.

It was my first time visiting another noble family’s estate.

Everything about the Marquis’s immense domain fascinated me.

As we approached the mansion perched atop the hill, enormous iron gates entwined with trumpet vines slowly opened to either side.

It felt as though we were entering another world.

Even after passing through the gates, the carriage continued forward for quite some time.

Soon…

A massive courtyard came into view.

Countless carriages already lined the grounds, waiting their turn before entering the carriage house.

Every carriage proudly displayed its family’s crest.

The nobles’ jewelry and elaborate clothing glittered beneath the sunlight, each proclaiming its owner’s status.

Our carriage finally came to a stop among them.

“Sir Wheldon!”

“Lord Carlos! It’s been far too long!”

“Elena! I heard marriage talks were underway with Count Persia’s second son.”

“Didn’t he come with you?”

“Don’t even mention that womanizer.”

Groups of nobles gathered together, exchanging greetings and laughter.

The lively chatter sounded almost like music announcing the beginning of the banquet.

But no matter the gathering…

There was always someone who couldn’t naturally blend into the crowd.

That person…

Was me.

Ah… this is awkward.

I’d never attended anything that could honestly be called a social gathering.

Not in this life.

Not even in my previous one.

At least now Cedric had the excuse of poor health.

Back then…

I couldn’t even visit a public bath because I had to hide the bruises left by my father’s abuse.

As an adult, I was always too busy working to meet old classmates.

I couldn’t attend company dinners because another part-time job was waiting afterward.

I’d always been alone.

The older coworkers at my part-time jobs were practically the only people I had.

So naturally…

An event this large made me nervous.

Made me feel suffocated.

If I get out now and can’t find Eclat or Ciel…

I’ll just end up wandering around under the blazing sun by myself.

Guess I’ll wait here until one of the Marquis’s servants comes to escort me to my room.

I should’ve brought a fan.

As I absentmindedly fanned myself with one hand—

The carriage door suddenly swung open.

Locke jumped down first.

He lowered the step, took his place beside the carriage…

Then naturally extended his hand toward me.

“Take my hand.”

I looked up at him with surprise.

I’d never expected him to do that.