I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 640

Chapter 21: No Need to Be So Gentle with Me

To Douglas, Roy’s efforts to ingratiate himself with various factions already put him in his debt.

Now that it seemed Roy was facing some trouble, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to repay him?

“Mr. Roy, feel free to ask me for help. As a prince of the kingdom, I can offer some assistance.”

“Well…”

It wasn’t that I doubted my senior’s sincerity.

It’s just that asking a prince to find his lost maid seemed a bit excessive!

But that thought lingered for only a moment, as I remembered that maid was our little darling, the future Destined Saintess. Suddenly, Roy felt that the prince before him wasn’t so high and mighty after all.

Rounding up, you’re looking for the missing future saintess; the church should be thanking you!

So Roy replied seriously, “Do you remember my maid?”

“I remember her name is Alice.”

“Yes, she’s currently missing. Could you help me find her discreetly? Please keep it low-key.”

Otherwise, it would seem like I’m making a mountain out of a molehill!

“Leave it to me,” Douglas nodded solemnly.

Being smart people, they didn’t need to spell everything out; Douglas saw through the whole situation!

Since Roy cared so much about the girl, it seemed she must indeed be someone important to the church!

If a high-ranking external faction had a problem on his turf, that was no small matter.

It seemed it was time for the Shadow Guardians to step in again!

With that thought, Douglas hurried off.

Roy felt pretty good about Douglas handling things.

But why did that guy look so serious, even more anxious than himself, as if the one missing was some bigwig…

——————–

Outside the bonfire.

The flames were gradually dimming, and the evening breeze brought a chill.

The temperature difference between day and night in the Kingdom of Goldsand was significant; daytime was like hot summer, while nighttime felt like deep autumn.

In the fading light, Alice noticed quite a few couples walking together.

The girls wore light dresses, which were inevitably a bit cold at this time; they didn’t need to say much, as the men beside them would, out of courtesy, offer their coats to shield them from the cold.

She couldn’t understand; it was something she could do herself, so why trouble others?

Taking a thousand steps back, couldn’t they just wear something thicker?

If it were her, not only would she not trouble her master, but she’d also take care of her master in return.

I wonder if my master is cold right now…

In that fleeting moment, Alice froze.

Anyway, with Charlotte and the others around, there’s no way my master will catch a chill, right?

Her worries were completely unnecessary.

The little maid unconsciously pulled her cloak closer but still felt a lingering chill that wouldn’t go away.

As a maid, all she needed to do was silently watch over her master’s happiness.

When not needed, she ought to retreat.

Staying there shamelessly only meant self-inflicted misery.

Lost in thought, images of intertwined young figures rushed into her mind, a bitterness unbearable to comprehend.

The bonfire cast layered shadows of couples, resembling a cage of thorns.

Alice bit her lip, as if trying to escape this cage, and quickened her pace.

However, just as she was about to leave the outer circle of revelers, an unexpected figure blocked her way.

“Alice, are you leaving so soon after just arriving?”

“Master? Why…”

“Don’t underestimate your master; how could I possibly leave my beloved maid unattended?” Roy said with a playful grin, but then scratched his cheek, his voice trailing off, “Though I want to say that, it seems I haven’t done enough yet.”

After all, they were on Douglas’s turf; the reliable prince quickly located Alice, and upon learning her location, Roy rushed over.

But he hadn’t expected that Alice wasn’t lost nor late; she was just returning alone.

Her reasons for doing this were certainly important, but before that, he had more pressing matters to attend to.

Roy stepped closer to the little maid, placing his hand on her delicate shoulder, drawing her cape near as he sighed softly, “I’m sorry for making you feel lonely for so long.”

Alice’s breath hitched slightly, “You don’t need to apologize, Master.”

“It’s Alice who arrived late; I’m sorry my master came specially to find me.”

“It’s okay, just being here is good.”

“Well, since you’re here, how about we dance?” Roy asked.

The blonde girl lowered her eyes, “Actually, Alice isn’t really interested in dancing.”

Her tone was as calm as water, but what about her true feelings?

Looking at her meticulously styled, flowing golden hair, the high heels that wrapped around her fair feet, and the faint gold visible under her cloak, Roy felt a twinge of helplessness.

“Really don’t want to dance?”

Simply echoing it lightly, the girl couldn’t utter the same refusal again.

She had to change her wording: “No need to worry about Alice, Master can just go and be with Charlotte and the others.”

“But I’ve already spent time with them. Charlotte said they were tired from dancing and told me to find you first.”

“So…”

With his hand lowering, Roy tried to reach out toward her delicate, petal-like hand.

But to his surprise, Alice recoiled as if shocked.

“You don’t need to be so gentle.”

Alice looked up, as if struggling with some kind of conflict, gathering all her strength to voice: “Even if my master doesn’t need to be so gentle, he really doesn’t need to!”

“Alice is just your maid, not like them, there’s no need for such gentleness. As a maid, Alice is already content, so no need to give me more gentleness.”

“Otherwise…”

With tears welling up, Alice trailed off.

Otherwise, she couldn’t suppress the emotions that would overflow, and she wouldn’t know what to do either.

And as the blonde girl hovered on the edge of tears, it struck Roy hard.

Even after being wounded and bleeding from a monster, Alice had never shed a tear.

He had never imagined she would show such an expression because of him.

Had he done something wrong?

Was Alice that kind of person who enjoyed suffering?

No, that wasn’t right.

Recalling all those moments Alice had unwittingly revealed her happiness, Roy confidently concluded that his gentleness was certainly not a mistake.

Rather than saying Alice didn’t want that gentleness, it was more like she didn’t dare to want that gentleness.

“Otherwise, Alice wouldn’t be able to be your maid anymore.”

Facing the suppressed sobs of the girl.

In that moment, Roy finally understood what bound Alice.

When he first took Alice as his maid, he hadn’t thought too much about it because it was how the original story unfolded.

The villainous scumbag and the righteous maid.

The doomed cultist and the destined saintess who would ultimately shine.

He had been thinking of changing his own fate and indeed had done so. But all along, he had overlooked Alice‘s situation.

Indeed, Alice‘s circumstances were so much better than in the original story.

But was that enough?