Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 110.3: The Girl with Red Hair III

Chapter 110.3: The Girl with Red Hair III

Kaldera, having finished her lengthy talk, sat contentedly on the floor.

Rofus sipped his coffee, looking a bit tired.

Kaldera bowed deeply to Rofus.

“I am most grateful that you took the time to listen to me. I cannot thank you enough for your valuable time, my lord.”

“Indeed.”

Rofus grumbled openly.

However, there was a certain lack of energy in his words.

Feeling somewhat fatigued, Rofus gazed thoughtfully at Kaldera, who had her head bowed, and sighed.

“Still, I never thought we’d have such a long conversation, Kaldera. I thought you disliked me.”

Kaldera froze at Rofus’s words.

Until now, there had been very little direct interaction between Rofus and Kaldera.

However, Rofus’s words were not entirely incorrect.

Kaldera had always harbored ill feelings towards his grandfather Carlos, Rofus, and by extension, the entire Lightless family.

This stemmed from the fact that Carlos had devoted himself to the Lightless family, neglecting his relationship with his own granddaughter, Kaldera.

Thrown into the world of swords merely because she was the granddaughter of the former sword saint Carlos.

No matter how hard she trained, it was always dismissed as expected because she was Carlos’s granddaughter.

While she didn’t deny the advantages of his lineage, she disliked how those around her, including Carlos, didn’t see her for who she was but only as the sword saint’s granddaughter.

This was an undeniable fact.

But she had never voiced it.

Kaldera was about to deny it when Rofus gestured for her to stop.

“If it’s just a surface denial, there’s no need. I have some understanding of the Coldvark family’s situation. Considering your circumstances, it’s not hard to imagine what kind of feelings you might have towards me. Of course, I don’t hold it against you. Speak frankly.”

Carlos had devoted his life to the Lightless family, neglecting his own family.

Carlos was also an attendant to Rofus, who was not much different in age from Kaldera.

One could say that Rofus had taken away the time Carlos should have spent with his granddaughter, Kaldera.

For this, Rofus felt a slight sense of guilt towards Kaldera.

Receiving Rofus’s words, Kaldera remained silent for a moment before slowly raising his head and speaking.

“You are right. I did not think well of my grandfather or you, my lord…”

However, Kaldera continued.

“But I don’t resent you. You personally haven’t done anything to me. Besides, I met Lady Fol thanks to my grandfather and you.”

“I see…”

Rofus, dropping his gaze, saw Kaldera resolutely speaking.

“If you feel even a slight sense of guilt towards me, my lord… I have a favor to ask.”

Kaldera spoke with a serious look, a hint of tension in her voice.

Rofus narrowed his eyes and listened quietly.

“Speak.”

“Before that, I have a question. I’ve heard that you, my lord, refused the ‘instructor’ prepared by your father.”

“What…?”

Rofus frowned deeply at Kaldera’s unexpected words.

The ‘instructor’ arranged by Lord Rudens.

A woman of high status selected to provide sexual education for Rofus.

Not just anyone, but carefully and strictly chosen.

The criteria included a certain status and discretion.

Often, young widows from distant relatives were selected.

Noble boys were generally instructed by these ‘instructors’ before reaching adulthood.

It was considered a necessary learning to ensure the continuation of noble bloodlines.

Rofus had stubbornly refused this instruction.

“Instruction by an ‘instructor’ is a noble duty. Why did you refuse it?”

Under Kaldera’s serious gaze, Rofus looked away uncomfortably.

“While it’s a tradition, it’s not mandatory. More importantly… I have no desire to share a bed with a stranger.”

Though it was a personal whim, Rofus added dismissively.

Kaldera pointed to herself.

“This brings me to my favor… if you wouldn’t mind, please use me for that role.”

Kaldera said this with utmost seriousness, making Rofus narrow his eyes.

“That’s not funny.”

“I’m not joking. It’s too late to find a new ‘instructor’, and I am the most suitable… Considering the future, this is necessary.”

“The future…?”

“When you and Lady Fol might become intimate. Naturally, Lady Fol will be inexperienced. Unlike men, a woman’s first time can be painful. I want Lady Fol’s first time to be a happy memory.”

“I get it, stop repeating ‘first time’.”

Rofus grimaced at Kaldera’s extreme devotion to Fol, looking taken aback.

Kaldera touched her chest and began to make her case.

“I have no experience, but I’ve studied thoroughly. I’m free from venereal disease concerns. I wouldn’t misunderstand your intentions, my lord, and wouldn’t interfere with your relationship with Lady Fol. I am the most suitable for this role.”

Kaldera’s strange self-promotion made Rofus hold his head in exasperation.

“… Stop it. Don’t throw away your chastity for something so ridiculous, fool.”

“It’s all for Lady Fol. Otherwise, I wouldn’t make such a request.”

“… Hah.”

Rofus sighed deeply, looking at his pocket watch as if to escape reality.

He had an outing planned.

Remembering this, he stood up.

“My lord…?”

“Sorry to cut this short, but I’m not idle. We’ll continue this conversation later tonight. I have something I need to confirm with you.”

“…! I apologize! I forgot you were heading out…”

“It’s fine. You’re ‘Carlos’s grandson’. I can’t just ignore you.”

Rofus’s casual remark made Kaldera stiffen for a moment.

He quickly hid it and bowed.

“I’m honored. I’ll take my leave now.”

“…Hey—”

Kaldera left Rofus’s room quickly.

Pretending not to hear Rofus’s voice calling after him, Kaldera ran for a while before turning back to check that Rofus wasn’t following and sighed in relief.

Touching her still stiff cheeks, Kaldera sighed again.

He wondered if he had been acting strangely.

“The granddaughter of the sword saint Carlos.”

That title still filled him with disgust.

Kaldera slapped her cheeks to reset herself.

“I need to prepare for tonight.”

Determined, Kaldera’s eyes glinted with resolve.

*

Night—Kaldera stood in front of Rofus’s private room.

She wore only a thin lace garment.

She had purified her body and even wore perfume she wouldn’t normally use.

Her body was tense, and she could hear her own heartbeat loudly in her ears.

Though she had offered herself, Kaldera was inexperienced and nervous.

Having come this far, she hesitated to knock.

However, this was the boys’ dormitory of the academy.

Even though it was the upper-class nobles’ floor and there were few people around, she couldn’t stay there forever.

After staring at Rofus’s door for a while, Kaldera steeled herself and reached out.

Just as he was about to knock, the door opened from the inside.

Startled, Kaldera met Rofus’s eyes.

“How long are you going to stand there? Come in.”

Rofus, having detected Kaldera’s presence with his magic, was impatient.

Kaldera, looking down, replied softly, “Y-yes…” and entered.

Rofus, sitting on the sofa in the main room, looked at Kaldera standing stiffly and spoke.

“What’s with that outfit?”

“Y-yes. I thought it would be more… smooth.”

“Smooth…?”

“I thought clothes would be unnecessary for the ‘instruction’, so I wore the minimum…”

“Instruction…”

Rofus’s eyes widened as he realized something.

“Wait a minute. I didn’t call you here for that.”

“Eh… really!?”

Kaldera’s eyes widened in surprise.

“B-but calling me at night surely meant that…”

“No way! Me and you… That’s impossible!”

Their voices echoed in the room, but the soundproofing prevented it from leaking outside.

Kaldera, undeterred, placed her hand on her chest.

“I came prepared. Please accept me.”

“What preparation… It’s your misunderstanding.”

“It’s for Lady Fol! If you had proper ‘instruction’, this wouldn’t be an issue!”

“Don’t use Fol as an excuse! You’re practically family! Carlo’s granddaughter! How could I share a bed with you!”

The argument escalated.

However, hearing the term “Carlos’s granddaughter” from Rofus made something snap inside Kaldera.

“Grandfather—Carlos has nothing to do with this!”

Kaldera’s gaze was filled with hostility, causing Rofus to pause.

“…He does. Blood ties can’t be severed.”

“I am Kaldera! Not ‘Carlos’s grandson’ or the ‘sword saint’s grandson’—that’s not my name! If being treated like a tool is what it takes, I’d rather be discarded as one!”

Kaldera’s emotional outburst made Rofus listen silently, then he sighed lightly and nodded.

“I understand. Kaldera, I get your determination. I also understand your reasoning about Forl…”

But, Rofus continued.

“First, let’s deal with my matter. Your request comes later.”

“My lord’s matter?”

Rofus threw two books onto the floor in front of Kaldera.

Kaldera’s gaze naturally fell on the two books.

One was a black-covered book—“The Dark Noble and the Sailor Girl.”

The other was a small notebook labeled 

“Sequel Notes.”

“…Ah.”

Kaldera’s face, previously flushed with excitement, quickly turned pale.

“That novel… I found it recently in a bookstore in the royal capital. It was advertised as a ‘bestseller in the Lightless territory’ or something like that.”

Rofus’s monotone voice echoed.

Kaldera’s blood drained from her face as she couldn’t look up.

Rofus’s words continued.

“And that notebook—I believe you dropped it earlier today.”

Rofus’s dark magic began to fill the room.

Kaldera, moving like a rusted gear, slowly looked up at Rofus.

Rofus was smiling.

“Coldverk family—especially you, Kaldera. I felt some guilt towards you. I realized that I had taken away time that your grandfather and you, his granddaughter, should have spent together.”

But Rofus continued.

“Never did I imagine you were involved in writing this novel. A project between ‘grandfather’ and ‘granddaughter’. It’s good to see you two getting along.”

Despite his gentle tone, the air felt like a blade grazing Kaldera’s neck.

Kaldera instinctively took a step back, only to be stopped by the wall.

Rofus approached Kaldera slowly.

He slammed his hand against the wall, just missing Kaldera’s cheek.

“Well, the night is long. You’ll explain everything to me—until I’m satisfied.”

“…Yes.”

Kaldera, resigning herself, sank to the floor.

After this, Kaldera was forced to divulge everything she knew about the novel.