The Villainess Who Was Dumped Got Married into My Family, a Mob Noble from the Frontier, and Turns Out, She's an Amazing Capable Wife? - Chapter 64: Alicia Gran Oldwood - So Close Yet So Far

Chapter 64: Alicia Gran Oldwood – So Close Yet So Far

“Guhyohohohoho! Two males and two females for me! What do you think you’re doing, summoning me with such a worthless offering? I’ll kill you all, hahaha!”

“This one’s creepy.”

Perhaps because a goblin’s head was used as an offering, a small demon, resembling a goblin, appeared. 

With black skin, pointed ears, bat-like wings, and a whip-like tail, the little demon became furious at Ragna’s words and pointed a trident spear at him.

“Looks like you called death upon yourself, huh?”

“Kind of lame, huh?”

“Dieeee!?”

The spear stopped in mid-air before it could reach Ragna.

“Is this weapon made of magic too?”

“Seems like it.”

“A conjuration type, huh? Demons are really something else.”

Ragna, seemingly uninterested, snatched the spear from the demon and stabbed it into its head.

“I, I, I won’t die from just that—nebaaah!?”

Though the demon tried to act tough, Ragna ignored it and shoved his hand into the demon’s mouth. 

The demon’s condition drastically changed.

It looked like it was being torn from the inside, rolling its eyes back and convulsing.

“Uhyaa… what’s he doing…?”

“Who knows? Absolutely no idea…”

Though she was covering her eyes, Mariana was clearly peeking through her fingers, and I stared intently along with her. 

We could tell from his expressions that he was investigating something, but what exactly was happening remained completely unclear.

“Ah, I see.”

After Ragna muttered that, the demon disappeared without saying a word.

It faded into the scene, vanishing as if turning into dust.

“Well, that was well done.”

“What did Sir Ragna do just now?”

Mariana asked Sebas, who seemed to think that what happened was only to be expected.

“The young master is skilled in perception. He found and destroyed the core of the demon.”

“I had no idea! So, that was happening… Sir Ragna is amazing!”

While listening to their conversation, I looked at Ragna, who was still deep in thought, staring at his palm as if trying to remember something. 

I wondered what he could see.

Mariana was praising Ragna, calling him amazing, but I couldn’t honestly do the same since I didn’t fully understand what had just happened.

I wanted to praise him, though.

He always looks out for me, treats me kindly, and puts me first. 

I wanted to praise him with a genuine smile, from the bottom of my heart.

But I just couldn’t understand what he had done, and I felt like mere superficial words of praise wouldn’t really reach him.

After spending these past few months with him, I’ve realized one thing clearly.

—We’re just too different.

Not only did he just make a demon vanish in front of my eyes, but even before that, his gaze always seemed fixed on something far away. I’ve always felt a wall there between us.

“Alicia, we’ll be fine even if demons come again.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled back at his smile.

At first, I thought he was a rude guy, but then I realized he was just being honest with me, seeing me for who I really am.

Now, looking back, I feel like I was just convincing myself that I understood him. He seemed so distant.

I used to think his unusual actions were because he hadn’t interacted much with people his own age, but now I believe it’s something else. 

I didn’t understand what that difference was, and I hoped that spending time with him in the Brave territory would help me figure it out, but it didn’t.

Even though Ragna was right beside me, he always seemed far away.

I’ve always felt that way.

Sometimes he says incredible things, but when you talk to him, he seems like a normal person who can communicate with others, and his hand is warm when you hold it. 

He should be no different from me, but why does it feel so different?

Maybe it’s because of his life experiences in the Brave territory, something I might never fully understand. 

It would have been so much easier if I could just separate those thoughts.

But I’m afraid that by leaving things as they are, I might end up repeating the past mistakes, like I never saw Edward for who he was… That fear of repeating the same thing scares me.

“Let’s go back, Alicia.”

“Yeah.”

He’s holding my hand.

Right now, we’re in this awkward phase where we’re neither too close nor too far apart. But what happens if we get closer in the future?

Right now, he’s holding my hand, but what if he lets go? 

How would I feel then?

When I look at him, I become acutely aware of my own weaknesses, and it makes me anxious. 

Mariana has the ability to heal his wounds with her magic, but I don’t have any magic like that. At best, I can only till the soil right now.

Engagements can always be broken.

If I become a burden, what then? 

I don’t want to just be there by his side without contributing.

He values pride and sees virtue in never giving up and always moving forward.

If I stop trying, I’ll probably end up ignored, like his mother and brothers’ fianceés, whom he never talks about.

But maybe keeping things simple is best, right?

Acting rather than overthinking is more befitting his fiancée.

Still, sometimes I can’t help but think about it.

I just don’t want to disappoint him―.