Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 53: A Heartless Existence

Chapter 53: A Heartless Existence

《Kiru’s Side》

From the moment I was born, I felt nothing for this world.

I never once thought about being loved. I never understood why being needed was considered so important.

I simply followed orders, moved as commanded, and killed when told to.

That was all. That was how I survived.

Anyone who hesitated—who wasted time on unnecessary thoughts—died.

That was the world.

The first time I killed someone, I was seven years old.

It was another child from the same guild, someone I had trained alongside.

During practice, we were told to fight to the death.

Just a simple command: “Kill.”

So I did.

That was all.

The moment my blade sliced through his throat, warm blood splattered across my hands.

Even as I watched him collapse, I felt nothing.

Or maybe—I had forced myself not to feel anything.

The only thing that mattered was survival.

Those who showed emotion were weak.

Those who were weak died.

That was all there was to it.

“You’re broken, aren’t you? But that’s okay… because from now on, I’m your big sister. We’ll live together.”

I didn’t fully understand how it happened, but one day, I met Emma—the woman who called herself my sister—and started following her.

Just like before, I killed when I was told to.

By the time I turned fifteen, I had perfected my role as a tool. There was no hesitation, no regret. The only thing that mattered was eliminating the person in front of me as efficiently as possible.

The weak died.

And now, I was weak.

Wounded and bleeding, I had no choice but to run, stumbling deeper into the forest. No matter how far I went, my vision kept fading.

I’m going to die.

I knew it. This was the end.

I had always remained calm, emotionless. Yet, in the final moments before losing consciousness, the only thing that surfaced in my mind was… nothingness.

And then, a voice reached me.

“Are you okay?”

It was soft—unexpectedly gentle.

When I forced my eyes open, I saw a girl with chestnut-colored hair standing before me.

Her gaze held no fear, no suspicion—only pure concern.

“…”

My body refused to move, weakened by pain and fever.

And yet, she didn’t hesitate. She simply helped me. There was no calculation behind her actions, no ulterior motive. She just… wanted to save someone in need.

For days, she took care of me.

She hid me away in an abandoned house, brought me food, and treated my wounds.

“Liese, why are you helping me?”

I couldn’t understand her.

So I asked.

“Because my master would have done the same.”

“…Master?”

“Yes! My master is a wonderful person! He saved someone as filthy and worthless as me, gave me a place to work as a maid, and even taught me how to study!”

Liese spoke so happily, full of admiration for this master of hers.

Her words stirred something strange inside me—something unsettling.

It felt as if the kindness that had always been directed at me was suddenly taken away.

“Do you like your master?”

“Eh?!! U-Umm… yes!”

“I see…”

The moment she admitted it, the unease inside me turned into something darker—something heavier.

A few days later, my wounds had completely healed, and it was time for me to leave.

“…I have to get back to work.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I understand what went wrong, so I won’t make the same mistake again.”

“So it’s an important job to you?”

She asked with genuine curiosity. I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head slightly.

“It’s for my sister.”

“Your sister? Fufu, you must be close.”

“Yeah.”

That was a lie.

Emma didn’t matter to me.

I just wanted this suffocating, twisted feeling inside me to disappear as quickly as possible.

“Thank you, Liese. I will never forget your kindness.”

Hearing my words, Liese’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Stay safe, Kiru. I’d love to see you again someday.”

As I walked away, I felt an emptiness I had never known before.

Returning to the hideout, I handed over the information I had stolen from the duke’s estate to Emma.

But somehow, it all felt… meaningless.

“You’re late.”

“I messed up along the way. But I got the information.”

“I see. Then, here’s your next job. This time, go to the royal capital and uncover the truth behind this incident. Why did the Margrave order this investigation? And why was Lady Clarice of the Duke’s family stripped of her title? If we figure that out, we could make a lot more money.”

Emma was what you’d call a money-grubber.

She was obsessed with wealth.

But her knowledge and cunning were worth respecting. That’s why I followed her.

It wasn’t like I had anywhere else to go.

For some reason, Liese’s face suddenly popped into my mind.

“Something wrong? Where’s your response?”

“Understood.”

“Good boy. You’ve been eating, right? I gave you enough money for food.”

“Yeah.”

“Then make sure you eat properly. You look pale.”

Lately, the only meals I had eaten were the ones Liese had brought me.

I was definitely low on blood.

“Yeah.”

“Hey, Kiru. Once we’ve made enough from this job, why don’t we leave this life behind and go somewhere quiet? The Duke and the Margrave will both pay a hefty price for this information—we could make a fortune.”

Emma always talked about leaving everything behind and living somewhere peaceful.

But ever since I was a child, all I had known was killing.

Even if I went somewhere new… the only thing I was good at was murder.

“I’ll help you regain your heart, even if it’s just a little.”

“Heart?”

“That’s right. So one day, you’ll be able to fall in love, smile naturally, and experience all the things you should.”

I couldn’t understand Emma’s words.

But… when I thought about Liese smiling, just picturing it made my chest feel strangely warm.

“Alright, off you go to the royal capital. Do your best.”

“Yeah.”

I bolted out of the hideout.

I didn’t care about Emma.

But if I could go somewhere far away with Liese…