ICTV - Chapter 9

ICTV - Chapter 9

I Changed The Villain

 ‘Pale family? was there such a family?'

As soon as I heard those words, my future was spoiled. Until the end of the party, I could automatically predict what the people would say and do. Even though it was my first time attending, I ended up getting sick of the party.

“I didn’t know at the time. I never thought I would love Rose this much.”

Belial's hand is gone from my hand

“Rose is a truly amazing person. She instantly educates me and the other ladies.”

Eh. My eyes opened wide. 

“Me?”

My mother blatantly felt sorry for me.

“How can you don’t know what you did?”

“It’s okay. Isn’t being so indifferent and calm one of Rose’s strengths?”

“That too, but she's so dazed.”

So how can you stay sane when it’s not fun? I can't survive this boring world with a sober mind. I gave my mother a protesting look. However, my mother did not care and asked Belial.

“How did our daughter educate the ladies?”

“At a tea party we attended together, she said this to the ladies. 'I feel good because you all seem happy.'"

"Yes?"

Oh, that? I remember that. I nodded.

“Just because I’m bored doesn’t mean other people have to be bored at the party too."

Belial nodded.

“And I also said that I was worried because the self-esteem they gained that way would not last long.”

"Yes?!"

My mother's voice grew louder on its own.

I heard it once. People with low self-esteem look down on others to confirm their own status and have a sense of superiority. There's no way the self-esteem you feel that way will last long, but if the young ladies are happy, then that's okay. You cannot interfere with each person's way of living. More than anything, it was annoying.

“What did you do? What a scary place the social world is.”

"Yes. As soon as I finished talking, they got really angry.”

“That’s not something to say casually! Those ladies will definitely be sharpening their knives to bite you.”

As people live, they may criticize others or be bitten by others. And everyone dies anyway. Especially if I die young. I am different from my mother.

I was carefree.

“What does Mother think? I think it would be okay to take a bite before it dies.”

“What kind of kid are you? So carefree!”

 Belial chuckled.

“The ladies were shocked by Rose’s carefree attitude.”

Certainly, the ladies came to see me after the tea party that day. When I had just debuted in the social world, I also said that I didn't want to look like that.

“In some ways, those ladies are similar to me in the past. I think it’s better to bite than to be bitten.”

Mother also nodded.

“Not just you, but everyone has that thought."

Belial placed his hand on my right shoulder.

“Of course, there is one thing that is crucial for Rose and me to become lovers, but we will keep that a secret."

“Yes, I agree.”

Ah, that thing. Obviously, nothing good comes from telling your parents. I also nodded.

“The more I got to know Rose, the happier I became. But on the other hand, I became more confused. I wondered if I would ever be worthy of someone who would willingly give up her true self for someone else... So that's why I said goodbye to Rose."

"Yes."

 “Because the sins I committed in the past will not go away.”

Belial made eye contact with me.

“I still have that hesitation, but I can say this one thing clearly. I will make sure to make Rose happy. A person who cares for others like Rose deserves to be happy."

“No, my sister is not that big of a person.”

Suddenly, a palm touched my right shoulder. I looked up.

“Rather than giving it away because someone else wants it.”

When I returned, my brother was standing behind the sofa.

“It’s too bothersome to run away, so the bite feels stronger.”

Have you reconciled with your father? My brother brushed my hair with his other hand, which was not holding my shoulder.

“If you get bitten anyway, there is no damage at all.”

I continued to look at my brother and then raised my hand.

“There is absolutely no reason for our pumpkin flowers to avoid you. Even if she is bitten by a vicious snake, she is as fine as a badger - ouch!”

“Don’t act friendly, it's disgusting."

 I pinched my brother's palm hard. My mother also pointed this out.

“Why are you badgering your sister?”

"Why? Badgers are cute too, right?"

I also nodded.

“I like badgers too. It’s cute.”

"Right? You know it too.”

“But I don’t like you.”

I put more pressure on my pinched hand. My brother eventually had to take his hand off my shoulder. 

Mother asked, taking a sip of half-cold tea.

“Have you made up with your father?”

My brother nodded while holding his hand.

"Yes. But he said he felt that the tea was not tasty and would bring a new one.”

“If Father forgave you, I have no reason to scold you. Please sit down.”

Ah, mother. Just kick him out! 

Is there anything else that will ruin the mood? However, contrary to my feelings, my brother sat down again.

"Welcome back, Son. Now, the date of the engagement ceremony is coming soon. I was planning on catching it."

"Mother."

“I like Belial now.”

"..."

My brother didn't say anything. However, I could tell from his facial expression that he was displeased with the current situation. My mother comforted my brother.

“You say you like your younger sister, but it doesn’t make sense for you to keep interfering with her problem just because you're her older brother. Let’s stop now.”

“...It’s natural for the family to be worried.”

My brother glanced sideways at Belial. It's not about rewriting people. You never know when that guy will change again. He might slap my older brother. It's clear that's exactly what he's thinking. 

Of course, it doesn't mean that I don't completely understand my brother's feelings. But...

“No matter how much I think about it, my sister has many shortcomings. Even if a stone gets in my eye, I am against you getting engaged this year.”

I really want to die. I don't want to live in this boring world anymore. I opened my mouth to persuade my brother but stopped. Wait, that statement just occurred to me.

“You finally said that.”

Belial immediately put his hand on his bosom. My brother became puzzled when he didn't get the reaction he expected at all.

“… Why are you doing that?”

“I was waiting.”

When he opened the pocket, a green magic stone glowed brightly. Belial stood up.

“Wait just a moment, Rose. I hope he will acknowledge our relationship now."

My brother’s mouth dropped open as if he didn’t know that he would bring real rocks.

“No, only a crazy person came up with such an idea...”

“I am crazy. It's not wrong. I’m crazy about Rose.”

My brother got up and tried to run away, but Belial was faster. Belial pressed my brother's shoulder with a force that was incomparable to when he placed his hand on my shoulder earlier. As he is a sharpshooter, my brother is also very strong, so I can't believe Belial was able to subdue him so easily. How much is Belial strength.

“Let go of me!!”

As my brother struggled and desperately resisted, Belial stopped.

“Then will you accept me as Rose’s partner?”

“No, that’s not it!!”

“Then I can’t help it.”

“Aaaah!!!”

And just like that, the room became a mess again. My mother and I looked at them in silence. My brother told me to stop Belial, but why should I? 

We watched the two fight while drinking the new tea that Father had brought. It was a thrilling match.

***

After a scuffle, Belial succeeded in completely subduing my brother. Just before the magic stone reached my brother's eyes, which were crumpled like sheets of paper, my mother came out. 

"Now stop."

A black fan firmly blocked the space between my brother and the magic stone.

“I will take responsibility for convincing Beryl, so you can at least go for a walk with Belial. The roses bloomed so beautifully.”

Yes, brother lived. 

My brother hugged my mother's waist while breathing heavily. After all, in times like this, there is no one but your mother.

I was embarrassed as I was wondering if the magic stone would actually fall into my brother's eyes. Belial placed the magic stone on the table and held out one arm. I put my hand on it. 

“It doesn’t matter when the engagement ceremony date is set. There isn’t one yet, right?”

"Yes."

“Then come back.”

My brother looked back and forth between me and Belial, then lowered his head. A hint of resignation was evident. I stared at my brother. It's finally clear that he is crazy. I suddenly felt sorry for my brother.

I don't know if Beryl was this much of a sissy in the original, but it's clear that she was an older brother who loved her younger sister extremely much. Because he risked his life and cooperated in killing Belial for nothing else but for his dead sister.

Beryl refused the money that the female lead offered to give him. It was written that they were content with simply dedicating a single red rose to Rose's grave.

"Brother."

My brother’s head shot up. I said.

“I’ll be back.”

"..."

My brother looked at Belial and me alternately and then opened his mouth.

"Okay. Please come back.”

After saying those words, the corners of my brother's mouth, who had not said anything for a while, went up.

“Our family’s official pumpkin flower.” 

“This guy until the end.”

My mother suddenly hit my brother's head with a fan. It's annoying, but now I feel more at ease because he's like my older brother.

“You too, Master Beryl. You speak too harshly. Where is the pumpkin flower? How could you say such a thing to the Lady who is the rose flower of the Pale family?”

I shrugged my shoulders at Mera's whisper.

“If you look at pumpkin flowers, they are just as good as roses. It's pretty."

"Yes?"

Mera asked while putting on a hat to prevent the sun from burning my skin. I gestured with my hand to Mera and then held her hand under the chin. She Tighten the hat strap tightly. 

“Aren’t you going to take the servants with you?”

“Yes. I want to walk alone, just the two of us.”

Becky covered her mouth like lightning at my words. Also, it is clear that her intention is to cover up the corners of her mouth that are high in the sky. 

Belial and I left the mansion side by side. The sun wasn't strong and there wasn't much wind. It's perfect weather for a walk. Belial and I walked with narrow strides.

“This is such a beautiful place."

The garden was in full bloom with roses. From the beginning, the garden was not only full of roses. It is said that after Rose was born, the existing flowers were removed and various varieties of roses were planted.

“We plan to decorate the Serenity family’s garden like this. Every time I look at roses, I think of you and I feel happy.”

I can't believe he's happy. I tilted my head. I have never felt happy looking at roses. Roses are beautiful, but they are also common flowers.

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