I Possessed the Villain’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 5

“Market?”

“Yes. Mother asked me to.”

“If that’s the case, you could have just asked one of the maids to do it.”

“She insisted that she wanted to ask me personally…”

“….”

Reina frowned, clearly displeased. Well, it was true that Reina was a guest at the Akses Duke House. Of course, it would feel unpleasant to be asked to run errands.

“Alright, fine. If the Duchess said so, there must be a reason for it.”

“Thank you. In return, I’ll have the dessert you said was delicious prepared for next week.”

“Sounds good. Anna?”

“Yes, Milady. Did you call?”

As Reina called, a woman instantly appeared before her.

Over 170 cm tall, with dark brown hair and crimson eyes. A soft demeanor but an expressionless face.

Anna Magret, Reina’s personal maid, who was a character not present in the original work.

“Hello, Anna.”

“Yes, Lord Aike. I’m glad to see you’re looking peaceful today.”

Anna offered a slight smile and bowed her head to me before turning back to Reina.

“You heard our conversation, right? We’re going to the market in the Akses Duchy. Please prepare.”

“Of course, Milady.”

Anna nodded and vanished in an instant.

How on earth could she move so swiftly in a maid outfit? Just a slight movement seemed like it would make her outfit flutter tremendously. I wanted to ask her about it next time.

“Alright then, let’s go, Aike.”

“Huh? Doesn’t Anna need to wait for us?”

“Don’t worry, she’ll follow on her own. Just don’t be surprised.”

…What does that even mean?

I was curious about Reina’s last words, but judging by her expression, she didn’t seem inclined to share any explanations. I quickly resigned myself and departed the training hall with her.

★

“What a lively place.”

Reina’s first impression upon arriving at the market.

“That’s true.”

I quietly agreed with her. The truth was that it was my first time here too, so I had nothing else to say.

“Young Master. The item Madam desires is probably in the next block.”

A middle-aged man standing quietly behind me and Reina whispered in my ear. With his white hair brushed back and blue eyes, the black suit he wore exuded a sense of gravity. He was the kind of person you’d picture when you hear the term elderly gentleman.

He was Alex, the butler who came along to escort me. Of course, he was another character not present in the original work.

“Thank you. But is it really okay for you to follow me, Alex?”

Butlers are responsible for overseeing all affairs in the household, so they shouldn’t be leaving the house lightly.

“It’s fine. It’s a task the Madam has ordered.”

If that’s the case, then I guess it’s alright, but what on earth is my mother thinking? Sending Alex with me just to go to the market.

Moreover…

“Aike. Since you’re out for a change, don’t hesitate to enjoy yourself.”

That kind of incomprehensible statement. Was there something specific she wanted?

“I really don’t get it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

With my eyes slightly lowered and my lips unmoving, I felt a cold atmosphere. It was another side to her I had only seen once at the ballroom, the Ice Princess.

I thought it would be okay to be a bit more casual here, but I knew I couldn’t do that. She was the daughter of the Rozelia Duke House. She had been trained to act nobly whenever others were watching.

No matter the situation, she always comported herself with dignity to uphold the family name and status. Even if it involved family.

For Reina, that was one of her rules.

“They said the shop is in the next block, so I’ll go buy it quickly.”

“Alright.”

Knowing that, I had initially tried to use formal language when I first left the mansion.

“Don’t worry about it; just treat me like usual.”

But I was promptly rejected, as if I were an exception to that rule.

“Is it here?”

I stopped in front of a sign that read “Aria.”

“You said silk, right?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Was she planning to make a dress?

“Welcome.”

As I slowly opened the door and stepped inside, the female owner greeted me warmly. Looking around, the shop was adorned with numerous dresses.

“Oh! It’s you, Lord Aike. I heard about you from Nia beforehand.”

“Yes.”

The owner observed the emblem of the Akses Duke House attached to my left chest and bowed her head.

“Here is the silk.”

She pulled out various types of silk and placed them on the counter.

“Is this good enough, Lord Aike?”

She smiled at me and asked, but I had nothing to say. I didn’t really understand much about fabrics, nor had I heard anything specific from my mother.

In the end, I couldn’t say a word and stood there frozen, but Alex stepped in for me.

“Hmm, this seems fine. Let’s take all of it.”

“Thank you. That will be a total of 25 platinum coins.”

“Young Master.”

I received the pouch containing the platinum coins from Alex and handed it to the owner.

“One, two, three… that’s a total of 25 platinum coins. All checked. Thank you.”

I knew silk was a high-quality fabric, but actually buying it made that realization hit home. The last time I loosely calculated, one platinum coin was about a million won, so I just spent 25 million won.

If it were in the original world, that would be the cost of my medical expenses for a whole year, spent all at once!

“Shall we head back?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

After Alex neatly received the packaged silk from the shop owner, I turned away.

“Um, just a moment, Lord Aike?”

But the shop owner grabbed me.

“Huh?”

“I heard Lady Reina from the Rozelia Duke House came with you, is that not true?”

“…How do you know that?”

Reina was waiting outside the shop, having not even entered yet. How did she know about Reina?

“Nia mentioned that she had something to ask Lady Reina….”

Another request from Mother.

“Please just tell me. I don’t particularly want to call her.”

“W-Well, she said that no matter what, I should inform Lady Reina….”

What on earth is my mother thinking?

“…Understood.”

I opened the door and quietly called Reina.

“Reina.”

“Yes, Lord Aike?”

“They said they have a request for you. What should we do?”

“I don’t even have any connections with this shop.”

“It seems my mother asked for something.”

“Ugh.”

Reina frowned. I felt a bit sorry that I saw her like this so often today.

“Well then, I’ll hear them out.”

“Thanks.”

Though she sighed, she stepped back inside the shop.

“You were looking for me.”

“Oh, yes. You are Lady Reina from the Rozelia Duke House, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“Well, um….”

The owner hesitated to speak, even after bringing Reina in. For some reason, it felt like she was gauging my reaction.

“Lord Aike, could you please wait outside for a moment?”

Reina seemed to catch on as well, slightly bowing her head as she asked.

“Fine. Just to be cautious, Alex, you stay here.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

I felt a little lonely as I left the shop.

“What was the request?”

“I don’t know. It seems to be a secret from me.”

As I closed the door, someone spoke to me.

Dressed in the same neat black suit as Alex, with neatly combed ebony hair, while Alex was the elderly gentleman, this person was a young man.

“Is Anna not coming in with us?”

The person turned out to be Anna dressed as a male.

“Since Alex is here to take her place, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Yes.”

Reina mentioned that Anna dressed like this whenever she went outside with her.

“It’s because the lady hates having other escorts, and there are several issues with women moving around together.”

A simple yet undeniable justification.

“But how did you end up serving the Rozelia Duke House…?”

“Aike.”

“Ah, how did you end up serving the Rozelia Duke House, Anna?”

When I first greeted Anna, I used formal speech as usual, but she had rejected that.

She had her rules that I, as Reina’s friend, shouldn’t be using formal language with her maid, Anna.

While it didn’t seem to be an established rule, Anna appeared to have her own convictions about it.

“But your family has never served the Rozelia Duke House. And you’re even from a commoner background.”

Typically, maids are personal aides for high-ranking nobles, so it’s common for well-positioned noble young women to take on such roles.

In short, Anna, a commoner, being the personal maid of Reina, the daughter of a duke, would usually be impossible.

“Why are you asking such questions now, Lord Aike?”

“Just bored?”

Of course, that reason was far from true.

Anna never appeared even once in the original work.

Considering that she was a maid to a main character like Reina, she should’ve at least made a cameo.

I had no clue what kind of events these differences could lead to, which is why I felt compelled to clench onto even minor information.

“I have my own circumstances as well….”

“You do?”

“I think it would be better if you heard it directly from Lady Reina.”

“Come on….”

“Young Master, it’s all finished.”

Just as I was about to press Anna further, Alex opened the door.

That was an unfortuitous timing.

I quietly swallowed those thoughts.

“Shall we head back?”

Reina, emerging from the shop, said, and I simply nodded.

“What did you get?”

“There was something I asked the Duchess about last time. Anna.”

“Yes, Milady.”

Reina concluded her conversation by handing a box that had been packaged at the shop to Anna.

While I was curious about what was inside, it seemed she had no intention of answering me.

“Shall we go back then?”

“Yes, let’s.”

Although Mother said I could freely browse the market at my leisure, to be honest, time was tight.

Reina had to return by 12:30, and the current time was just past 11:30.

We promised to go see the lake today.

That left us with just one hour.

Going back to the mansion, heading to the lakeside, and having lunch all within that time.

No matter how I calculated, it was bound to end up being a close call.

So I had to hurry up…

“Ah?”

“Yikes!”

As I walked lost in thought, I bumped into someone running from the opposite direction.