I Was Reincarnated as the Villain in an Eroge, but I’ll Live Honestly ~Because the Protagonist Was Useless, I Ended Up Making the Heroines Smile and Somehow Built a Harem~ - 36

Chapter 36: Noah and Layla

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“Noah-sama~! Freya-sama will be arriving soon. Are you ready?”

“Sorry, Layla. Could you bring me some other clothes? These got too small too.”

Laughing with a kind, easygoing smile was Noah Maycraft. Seeing Noah like that, Layla smiled happily in return.

“You really grew a lot in just these two years.”

It had almost been two years since the incident involving Freya. During those two years, Noah had been able to spend surprisingly peaceful days.

“Yeah. Even I was surprised when I suddenly started growing taller. My eye level’s completely changed.”

“That’s true. Before I knew it, you’d already grown taller than me, Noah-sama.”

Layla narrowed her eyes gently as she spoke while looking at Noah.

“I don’t know why, but being able to watch Noah-sama grow makes me feel incredibly proud.”

“Ahaha… That’s a bit much. And isn’t that usually something you’d say about family growing up, or—”

Mid-sentence, Noah hurriedly shut his mouth. When he glanced at Layla, she was frozen with her mouth slightly open.

Crap! Talking about family is taboo for Layla…

“S-sorry. I brought back bad memories, didn’t I…?”

As Noah apologized with drooping brows, Layla’s expression softened slightly.

“Please don’t worry about it. In truth, the moment my stepmother sent me to this mansion as a manners trainee, it was practically the same as being cast out of my home. More importantly, it’s strange that a mere baron’s household even had the connections to send someone to a marquis’s estate in the first place. In reality, they probably don’t have any interest in me anymore.”

Layla spoke in a gentle voice, but Noah couldn’t see her expression. That was because she kept her head lowered the entire time.

“After meeting Noah-sama, this place became my home. I have no lingering attachment to my father or my stepmother at all… Because this is where I belong.”

As she said that, Layla lifted her face, but Noah couldn’t feel reassured. Layla was wearing a smile that looked pasted on. And when he looked closer, her clenched hands were trembling.

Layla…

Because he understood Layla’s family circumstances so well, Noah couldn’t lightly say, “Yeah, that’s right.” Born from an affair, she had been resented by the legal wife. Her father, while showing some concern, never tried to protect her. There was no way he could casually say things like, “That must’ve been hard, or I’ll save you.”

But there’s something even I can say…!

“…I’ll never leave you alone, Layla. Until you can say those same words with a genuine smile, I’ll stay by your side.”

Saying that, Noah took Layla’s hand. Two years ago, her hand had been larger than his. Now, it felt completely small. Those small hands had supported him all this time. So now, he wanted to become someone who could support her instead.

※※※

A little while later—

“Noah-sama, thank you. That’s a promise, okay? Please stay by my side forever.”

Layla spoke softly as she rested her head against Noah’s chest. Noah’s heart pounded, but it didn’t feel unpleasant. If anything, he found himself wrapping an arm around Layla’s shoulders. One of the changes that had occurred over these two years… From the day he decided he wanted to protect them, after the incident involving Abel, he had been changing little by little.

“I was so happy about what you said earlier, I thought I might die.”

“That’s an exaggeration…”

“It’s not an exaggeration. Hey, Noah-sama. May I ask you one thing?”

Layla looked up at Noah, speaking with a serious expression.

“I want to kiss you. Is that okay?”

“────!”

Because it wasn’t said in her usual ‘please let me serve you tonight’ tone, Noah reflexively tensed up. But…

I’ve been dodging Layla’s feelings for these two years… It’s about time I made up my mind.

Turning his body to face her properly, Noah spoke.

“Listen, Layla. I—”

At that moment…

“Hey, how long are you planning on keeping me waiting?”

“Hwaaaaah!”

At that instant, a scream that barely qualified as a scream escaped Noah.

Led by Noah’s maid Flora, the guest Freya entered the room. Flora gave a wry smile and whispered, “My apologies.”

“Honestly, you’ve got some nerve keeping me waiting!”

Spotting Noah, Freya’s expression instantly brightened as she energetically walked toward him. But when she noticed how close Noah and Layla were standing, Freya froze.

“S-sorry! I kept you waiting!”

Noah rushed over to Freya in a panic. But sensing something was off, he spoke to her worriedly.

“What’s wrong, Freya?”

“Huh!? I-it’s nothing, so don’t worry about it! And anyway, you’re too close!”

Freya’s face turned bright red as she hurriedly put some distance between herself and Noah.

“S-see, I came to visit you and all…”

“Yeah, you did. Then shall we go?”

The moment Freya started walking and left the room, Layla leaned in and whispered to Noah.

“This time we were interrupted, but I’m looking forward to hearing the rest later, okay?”

“Y-yeah…”

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At the same time Layla whispered to Noah… Freya, who had left the room ahead of them, couldn’t calm the unease stirring deep in her chest. She couldn’t properly recall the lighthearted banter from just moments ago. Only the distance between Noah and Layla refused to leave her mind.

“…Why am I this shaken just from seeing the two of them…? I should be used to it by now.”

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It happened while Layla was pouring tea for Noah and Freya.

“Excuse me, may I come in for a moment?”

The one who entered the room was Flora. In her hand, she held a letter.

“It’s a letter addressed to Layla-san.”

At those words, Layla’s eyes widened.

“Who on earth could it be…? Who’s the sender?”

“Um… It says ‘Oswald.’”

At that moment, Layla dropped the teapot filled with tea. The dishware shattered with a sharp crack, but that wasn’t the issue. Layla’s face had gone deathly pale, and she was trembling.

“…Father.”

At the same time, Noah was frozen in place, unable to move. More accurately, he was shaken. Because of that, he couldn’t even hear Freya’s voice beside him.

“W-why now…”

The words that barely escaped him were these.

“The letter from her father shouldn’t come until later…”

This was an event from Layla’s route in the Quilover game. But in reality, it was supposed to happen when the protagonist turned sixteen… In other words, next year. At that moment, Noah realized…

“Could it be…?! It’s because Abel and I have been reincarnated…?”

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T/N: Hello! I accidentally missed tl-ing the chapter between chapter 31 (Freya Realizes Something Important) and 32 (Freya’s Story Part 1). I’ve added the missing chapter in chapter 31 (Freya Realizes Something Important). Please read chapter 31 (Freya Realizes Something Important) again if you missed it. Thank you!