ICTV - Chapter 80

ICTV - Chapter 80

I Changed The Villain

The day Edgar first met Violet was a particularly gloomy day. It seemed like it was going to rain heavily at any moment, so he decided not to move and just rest at home.

However, a customer came and said that it had been a while since he made his resolution.

“Young Lord. Please meet my daughter.”

"Ma'am. Calm down and take it step by step. Tell me.”

That person was Violetta, the mistress of the Seneta family.

The Seneta family was a very famous family for brokerage trade. A family that accumulated enormous wealth by exporting specialty products found only in the Avalon Empire to other countries at high prices. Edgar had also received donations from the Seneta family several times.

Violetta cried and confided in Edgar. She says that not long ago, her only daughter, Violet, started to look like a different person.

She did not go near her father's workplace, which she often visited, and did not have tea time with her mother. Violet locked herself in her room and just wrote something like crazy. The sight of her daughter skipping meals and only moving her quill on a bad day was passionate and yet somehow bizarre.

Violetta couldn't even tell her friends about her daughter's problem and just suffered. Violet was already not interested in marriage, so she hasn't been able to find a husband, so what if it becomes known that she's become strange? 

It was only a matter of time before the marriage route was completely cut off.

However, as her daughter did not come out of the room for a long time, she came to Edgar, who was the loudest of her acquaintances, as a last resort.

After finishing the conversation, Violetta immediately asked to go to the Seneta family's mansion to check on her daughter, and since Edgar happened to have some free time, he readily agreed.

“Violet. A guest has arrived.”

“I don’t have time.”

Edgar was startled by the dying voice.

It was clearly the voice of someone who doesn't go out much, eat much, and doesn't sleep well. Edgar didn't know it would be this serious. 

What on earth was wrong with Violet that made her look like that?

Edgar became serious, and Violetta knocked on the door once more and pleaded.

“Don’t do that, just come out and see me once. It is your mother’s one and only wish.”

Sigh. 

The door opened. And Edgar's serious face instantly relaxed. A woman with black hair and purple eyes who looked just like Violetta glanced at Edgar through the crack in the door.

“Who is he?”

“Say hello. How many times have I told you this before? This is Young Lord of the Cridrian family..."

Edgar also looked at the woman. Her long hair was twisted up haphazardly and held in place with a quill, and her cheeks and fingers were covered in ink. Edgar immediately realized why Violet was like that.

Violet didn't become strange. She was just immersed in creation.

“Then please feel free to talk.”

Violetta said her best wishes to Edgar once more and then had the maids prepare tea. 

Cake and tea were set out in front of Edgar as usual, but soup, a glass of cold water, and toast were set out in front of Violet. 

Violet said with a sigh.

“I ate a cookie earlier.”

“That’s not a meal, Miss.”

The maid spoke firmly and then stepped aside. Violet is blatantly annoyed, but then quickly speaks out.

“It’s an honor to meet you like this. I’ve heard of Young Lord’s reputation many times.”

“It’s just that other people have given me generous evaluations. There are still many shortcomings.”

Violet ate a spoonful of soup. Edgar also took a sip of tea.

“I’m sorry for my untidy appearance. I never dreamed that my mother would suddenly bring a guest.”

In a hurry, she put on other accessories instead of a quill and changed into a clean dress, but she could not hide the dark shadows under her eyes and the ink marks on her hands. 

Edgar shook his head.

"No. It does not matter."

"Thank you."

Violet ate the soup again. After eating half of the soup, Violet rinsed her throat with water and opened her mouth.

"Excuse me."

Edgar immediately nodded

“I’m sorry for coming so long, but can you just go back? The Lady, no, my mother is in trouble. There’s nothing wrong with me. I just didn’t go out because I had something to do.”

Edgar said kindly.

“It’s okay. I know. There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“… How do you know that? We met for the first time today.”

“I’ve met a lot of people.”

The desire to create suddenly ignited,

Writers with tight deadlines were almost as miserable as Violet. Edgar asked vaguely.

“Are you writing a novel?”

"..."

Violet did not deny it. Instead, she asked for it.

“Could you please teach me how to keep the two of you, that is, this person’s parents, from being interested in my novel?”

This person's parents? Edgar is curious.

He looked at Violet with one eye, and Violet corrected herself her face becoming even more stern.

"Sorry. I worked all night long for three days and I couldn't stay sane. My words keep coming out in vain. Please teach me how to keep my parents from being interested in my novels.”

Violet's voice as she said that was full of moisture. He guesses Violet really wants to hide it. 

Edgar asked cautiously.

“The two will find out soon, right? No, maybe they already know."

Violet shook her head resolutely.

“I guarantee it. They can't even think about it this way. I think they still think of it as a love letter, but I can’t hide it forever.”

“That too.”

Violet nervously pulled on the fragile tablecloth.

“I’m aiming to get it published, but you know what, my family will see my writing. I hope I don't lose. My maid says my parents will see it anyway when it is published, so just close my eyes and show it to her. But I don't want to die. It may be difficult to understand Young Lord.”

Edgar shook his head.

"No. I understand."

Violet's eyes widened.

"How?"

“I told you. I’ve met a lot of people. A painter said that. You can talk to your friends, your parents. You can think of it as something similar to what you can’t do.”

“...I have bad memories.”

Violet's body went limp. The more he talked, the more nervous her tone became. It's a good thing he came today. Violet must have had a hard time holding back her anger. 

Edgar looked at Violet with sympathetic eyes, and Violet spoke rapidly.

“I once wrote a short story with a kissing scene, and I read it out loud. Both of my parents are very knowledgeable about literature. Mom especially likes this part. My dad said he liked this part and edited it one by one.”

Violet washed her face as if she felt terrible just thinking about it.

“After that, I never wanted to show it to everyone. That’s why I decided to hide the fact that I was writing novels in this world from the beginning.”

Violet's words trailed off. Edgar, who was listening to Violet's story, looked at her with puzzled eyes.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I’ve been so hectic these days that I made a mistake. Can you forget what I just said?”

Edgar readily accepted.

“If the lady wishes.”

"..."

Violet narrowed her eyes.

“Aren’t I strange?”

“Not at all. I’m just grateful that you’re talking to me.”

Violet said something strange to a stranger, but no one asked or questioned her. And just the answer. If she asks him to forget this person, Violet really thinks he will. No matter how famous he is, this is the first time she met him today. What is this sense of friendliness and stability?

Violet asked while stirring her bowl of soup.

“Can you tell my parents?”

"What?"

“There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“Of course you should say that, Young Ladu. Because there really is no problem. But if I go too early, your mother will be suspicious.”

Edgar pointed to the cuckoo clock hanging on the wall.

“I’ll be gone in about an hour.”

"...Yes. I have to wait an hour.”

Even though she said that Violet's face was sullen. Edgar quickly realized the reason.

“Do you still want to work now?”

"Yes."

"Alright."

Edgar took out a portable quill, an inkwell, and paper from the bag he had left next to the chair. Violet's eyes widened.

“I always carry a writing utensil and paper with me. If this is okay with you, please write it.”

"...Thank you."

As soon as Violet received the paper, she started playing with her quill. Edgar thought while looking somewhere else. It's good to focus on something

He feels a sense of accomplishment and his skill level increases.

She might forget something.

Edgar also tends to focus on work when he wants to forget something. However, it is difficult to concentrate without taking proper care of meals and sleep.

It was the moment when Edgar was about to open his mouth.

“How can you approach others so easily?”

"Yes?"

“In the past, I tended to approach first."

Edgar looked at Violet. The hand that was playing with the quill stopped.

“I don’t know anymore. How to approach others first.”

There was not a single glimmer of light in Violet's eyes as she said that. As expected, there was a reason why she had to be engrossed, so Edgar immediately took a listening stance.

“I am...”

“Yes, My Lady lady.”

“I think one-sided relationships are okay. I did it. I thought it was enough as long as it was good for me. Because it ended like that, I couldn’t help but feel resentment.”

Violet looked down at her stained hands.

“I was so sad. My legs were so bent that I collapsed.”

"..."

“After that incident, I couldn’t act like I used to. I'm scared to approach others. I’m afraid I’ll lose it like that again.”

“Do you want your old self back?”

Violet thought about it and then shrugged.

"I don't know. Honestly, there are pros and cons to both then and now.”

“Can you tell me what the difference is between before and now?”

Violet answered quickly.

“In the past, I was the type of person who just waited for that girl to say something.”

Violet stared straight ahead.

“Now I feel like I can ask right away what’s going on.”

He doesn't know who 'that kid' is, but from beginning to end, she's speaking only thinking about her. 

Edgar observed Violet carefully.

“But if possible, I want to become a person who is trustworthy enough to tell the truth before asking. Just like you in front of me right now.”

Violet sincerely calls Edgar.

“I appreciate that you think highly of me, but you don’t need to look like me.”

“Why? It's natural to want to be like him. You made the person you met for the first time today into such a gentle sheep.”

Edgar can make people calm just by his atmosphere.

No matter how wary people are, if they sit face to face and have a brief conversation, it's over. No matter what you do, it's not enough to listen to you, but he will understand and even keep your secret.

Because it instills confidence in the other person.

Violet clenched her fists. Oh, no matter how hard she tries to understand her, she feels so angry and so sad. And she kept thinking about this.

If she had been like Ed, things might have been different.

Edgar spoke at the moment when Violet was gritting her teeth.

"No. You really don’t have to look like me. In fact, you should consider yourself lucky that you’re not someone like me.”

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