I thought I had tamed the villain

I thought I tamed the Villain Chapter 9

[Theo]: I was happy with this. They didn’t despise me anymore.

Theo said with an unusually friendly smile.

[Theo]: Now that Iris has purified a dangerous demon, they didn’t have to be scared. Theo was just a good pet. That was how it went, didn’t it?

[Iris]: But….You were human, not a pet or a demon.

I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. If you look like that, I don’t have anything to say.

So our operation was….

My villain regeneration project ended with subtle results. We were stuck together every day after that. We were together every day without missing a day. People now thought of me when they said Theo, and Theo when they said me. By chance or fate, we became best friends.

It wasn’t smooth from the start.

Although the perception of Theo changed a lot thanks to the rumors, there were still children who hated him and shunned him. But even so, we didn’t bother to confront them.

Theo had learned to “flexibly avoid difficult situations” during his time with me.

Of course, behind the scenes, I pounced the kids who cursed Theo, but…After all, he skillfully let the situation go so as not to hurt me.

So our daily lives were slowly and warmly stabilizing.

[Iris]: Did you have wishes already for the new year?

Before we knew it, we were getting ready for a new year. I and Theo each wore a scarf woven from fur and were blowing ho-ho in their hands. The shawl was given to each child at Hyllis Nursery School.

In the Latras Empire where I live, January 1st had great significance. It is said that that day was the day when a goddess saved this world that was full of demons in the beginning. Therefore, it was a day of obligation to thank the goddess for giving freedom to man.

But now that was just a thing of the past.

People were excited about the national anniversary, serving delicious food, drinking, and dancing. Also, on New Year’s Day, people would each make a wish to the goddess.

This was because there was a legend that the goddess grants a wish to the people every January 1.

[Theo]: Not quite. I didn’t think about it.

Theo replied with a little whimper.

Somehow, he was offended when he mentioned January 1. Maybe Theo was already tired of the goddess and demon talk.

[Iris]: I was worried about it too much. Oh, Theo can granted me one of my wishes.

I said with a smile on my face. From now on, I hoped Theo wouldn’t hate January 1 either.

[Theo]: Iris, you don’t believe in the devil, but you believe in stories about goddesses?

Theo said in a voice full of dissatisfaction. From his vertically wrinkled brow, I could see how annoyed he was now.

I panicked. I hadn’t expected Theo to hate Goddess Day so much.

[Iris]: I didn’t think Theo was the devil. Besides, Theo, you know, it was just a game.

Theo didn’t answer my words. But after months by his side, I could see that Theo was just acquiescing.

Note: acquiescing = accepting something reluctantly but without protest.

[Iris]: I was going to beg her to make me very rich. It was not just rich, well, enough to run 100 of these Hyllis nurseries!

Note: I’ll be changing the name of the nursery from Hailis to Hyllis.

[Theo]: That was what I was going to did.

[Iris]: What were you doing? Take care of kids like us, and play with you?

Theo smiled wryly.

[Theo]: You can play without money.

At Theo’s words, I shook my head firmly. Are you still young and unaware of the horrors of capitalism?

[Iris]: Theo. Over time, everything we breathe will be money.

I said, putting one hand on Theo’s shoulder. I wanted to protect Theo’s heart, but he also needed to know the grim reality.

[Theo]: You mean you had to buy air so you can breathe?”

[Iris]: I didn’t have to buy air, but it means that even one space for me to stand and breathe costs money. You didn’t need to know the details now, but you need to be aware.

I finished speaking and sighed softly. I would soon be eleven in a few days, so I couldn’t be like a child. I would have to think about how I could survive without sitting on the streets. It was mandatory to leave at the age of fourteen in the nursery school, so there were only a few years left.

If I was playing and eating casually, it was easy to become a beggar from an orphanage. Wherever I went, I would have to have my own skills to avoid starvation.

[Iris]: I can read and write letters, and my hands are savvy, so I can at least be a maid of a small castle.

I was not bragging, but I was smarter than my peers, and I used to study letters by myself while other kids were playing ball. There were no educators in the nursery, so I had no choice but to do it alone.

[Iris]: And Theo you….

I touched my chin and turned to Theo.

Speaking of which, what did Theo know how to do? I seemed to have seen Theo read. But what else?

[Iris]: Theo, what did you know how to do?

I asked with a serious face, and Theo replied:

[Theo]: Were we arguing now?

[Iris]: It was not like that! Let’s think about our survival in the future.

I said, clapping my hands.

[Iris]: Think about it. We’ll have to leave this nursery school when we’re 14, and we’ll no longer have a place to sleep and food for free. It means we have to make money on our own.

[Theo]: You’ve got three years left.

[Iris]: Nope. It was only three years. If we didn’t make progress in these three years, we’ll either become orphanage beggars or just go to the Temple of Hyllis and live off of chores.

I shook my head. I didn’t want to do that.

[Theo]: What was wrong with that?

[Iris]: Working in a temple means you’ll never go out into the outside world again. You were born here, you grow up, and you’re here until you die.

Children who choose not to leave the nursery school get a job as workers at the Temple of Hyllis, which sponsors the orphanage. In some cases, they could become apprentices or trainees, but that was not always the case.

The director told me that it was natural and that we should be thankful to go into the temple to work, but I disagreed. This was because the nursery school didn’t give the children options.

As I said, there were no educators in this nursery school. Moreover, due to the nature of the nursery, it was not free to go out. Therefore, it was not possible for children who did not even have a basic education to go out into society and find decent jobs. As a result, the children who grew up here were pushed aside to become the property of the temple.

I wanted to go out into the wider world.

Even if it was only a maid’s job, at least it can be done outside of here. And one day, I wanted to be a traveler around the world.

[Theo]: You know the outside well?

[Iris]: That was….

I was speechless at Theo’s words. In fact, I had never been outside of this orphanage. I just relied on memories from my previous life.

[Iris]: You can imagine. The world would be much bigger than this little nursery. How amazing would it be to see everything you only saw in books in front of you?

But I could assure you. I’m sure I’d be much happier to leave here.

[Iris]: Okay, let’s get out!

I grabbed Theo’s hand. Theo asked, his eyes widening disapprovingly.

[Theo]: Where were we going all of a sudden?

[Iris]: Outside the nursery.

This was the only way to move Theo’s heart. To show the wider world in person.

I rolled my little eyes and started making plans to sneak out of the nursery.

[Iris]: If it was the way I see it on the map, the most important thing is to go through the forest, and then all you have to do is follow the path that people have made.

I decided to escape the nursery through the back mountains. It was a small aberration to give the grand name of escape, but I chose the word escape, not outing. That way, you’ll feel more liberated.

For today, I also studied the map of the Empire of Latras. No one was looking for it, so we made an escape route using the dusty map.

[Theo]: Hey

[Iris]: …?

[Theo]: Did we really have to hold hands?

How much did he bet like that? We still held hands so as not to lose each other.

[Theo]: Did we still have to hold hands?

Theo, who was pinching his fingers in frustration, suddenly asked.

[Iris]: Yes!! It was a big deal if the two of us fall apart on a dark night like this. Why? Didn’t you like holding hands with me?

[Theo]: …….. I didn’t say that.

I asked, looking back, and Theo turned his head to the other side. His roughly grasped hands were intertwined.

[Iris]: Even if you didn’t like it, bear with me.

Having said that, I diligently stepped forward. It was easy to get to the cave that became our hideout. Just like the day we became friends, a round full moon was shining on the cave.

[Iris]: I was glad the moonlight is bright. At least we won’t get lost.

I and Theo decided to rest for a while in that cave before going.

[Theo]: Iris, by the way. What were you going to do when you were fourteen? What did you want to went out of your way for?

Theo, who was sitting still next to me, spoke. I lifted my head at the sound of his slightly
depressed voice and looked at Theo.

[Iris]: Why all of a sudden?

[Theo]: It was not bad to live in a temple as it was. Wasn’t it?

Theo looked somewhat uneasy. I couldn’t read his mind at the moment.

[Iris]: What did you mean? That was what we had been talking about all along. I want to stay outside, not in a temple, but more spacious. And it’s not just me, but Theo I hope you do too.

Theo didn’t answer my words. He just turned his gaze away and stared at the moon.

[Iris]: Good. I think I’ve memorized all of this. Let’s go again.

[Theo]: Yes.

We decided to leave before any further delay. I walked down a dark mountain road with Theo, who somehow had a gloomy face. But was it because he was so excited?I unexpectedly fell forward.

[Iris]: Ugh!

[Theo]: Iris!

With the merciless pain of breaking my ankles, I slumped to the floor. I turned my head and looked behind me, only to find a stone that I hadn’t noticed.

[Iris]: Ouch….

[Theo]: Were you okay?

I nodded to Theo, who hurriedly examined me.

[Iris]: We were almost there though…

For a moment I thought I was really a ten-year-old. Before I knew it, I was in tears.

I wept in chagrin. It was a shame that I was caught by a stone, but I felt pathetic to see myself with tears in my eyes.

[Theo]: I’m sorry. I should have held my hand tighter.

Theo furrowed his brow and apologized to me. I pursed my lips. I wanted to show Theo some great scenery but…

[Theo]: Were you very sick?

But Theo seemed to have misunderstood my feelings. As I silently wept, Theo became worried.

[Iris]: No, I just wanted to show it.

Theo pondered something. He showed his back in front of me as if he had made up his mind.

[Iris]: What were you doing?

[Theo]: Up.

[Iris]: What?

I stared at Theo’s back, dumbfounded. Climb on that little back? Of course, my body was small, but I was still an adult in my mind!

[Theo]: Come on.

[Iris]: Oh no! It can’t be!

The last remaining piece of my conscience was poking at me with its corners.

[Theo]: It was better to do this than to see you upset.

But Theo was adamant, too. And once again, he uttered words that were surprisingly ticklish to me.

[Iris]: Really?

[Theo]: Of course. Come on.

I squatted and gently landed Theo’s back. When I saw it with my eyes, I thought it was a very small back, but when I was lifted up, it was warm and reassuring.

[Theo]: Where should I go? Show me the way

[Iris]: Uh-huh.

Theo carried me and began to walk away. Every now and then, as he fixed me, I felt a strange nervousness creeping inside me.

[Iris]: Theo, what was wrong with you?

[Theo]: What?

I asked, leaning my face against Theo’s back.

[Iris]: Did Theo wanted to stay at the temple as it was?

[Theo]: Not really.

So why did he ask me that question? Theo walked silently without explaining why.

[Iris]: It was all here. You can went up there.

By the time the drowsiness began to set in, we had reached our destination. Theo, despite the cold, has a drop of sweat on his face, and headed to where I was pointing.

[Theo]: How was that? Could you see everything around here?

[Iris]: Yes, I do.

As we reached the end of the hill, we were able to get a glimpse of a nearby village rather than a temple.

“It was like a toy town”

It was dark and the sun was about to rise.

[Iris]: How was that? Don’t want to get closer? It would be more exciting to go in person.

Theo stared blankly ahead. It was probably the first time he had seen such a large place.

[Theo]: But, I….

Still, as if something was on his mind, Theo hesitated and said to me.

[Theo]: Iris, I didn’t want to break up with you.

There was sadness in his voice. I couldn’t help but be surprised by that. He was more troubled that he would have to part with me when he was fourteen than his own future.

[Iris]: Theo….

[Theo]: When you leave the nursery, you had to live your own life. Correct? You and I did other things.

I came down from Theo’s back. Then he stood in front of him and said:

[Iris]: It was sad, but it was a no-brainer. We can’t stay together forever.

It might be cruel to young Theo. But lying was much worse. I tried to explain to Theo that the breakup wasn’t that bad.

[Iris]: But just because we can’t see each other every day as we do now, that doesn’t change the fact that we’re friends. I’ll be able to write to you or meet you when I feel like it.

[Theo]: Really?

[Iris]: Yes, it was hard to stick around every day unless you were a family.

Theo seemed lost in thought.He seemed to be looking further afield, not at me in front of him, nor into a distant village.

[Iris]: What were you thinking?

[Theo]: Nothing. Let’s go back.

Theo picked me up again and went back to the nursery. I talked to Theo the whole time I came back, but he only answered me dryly.

For a few days after I returned safely to the nursery, I simply could not see Theo.

[Iris]: Where the hell were you?

I was sure we were in the same space, but how could we not be able to meet each other like this?

‘It was like going back to the beginning.’

Had I said something strange to Theo that day? I wandered the hall and pondered.

[Iris]: Have you ever seen Theo?

[Children]: Oh, no!

I grabbed the children passing by and asked them, but they only shook their head with a bright blue faces.

If Theo wasn’t threatening, there was no way I would take this attitude.

‘But if it wasn’t…….’

It means that Theo was deliberately avoiding me.

‘Why the hell were you doing this’

No matter how much I tried to wrap my head around it, I couldn’t figure out why. Did he feel betrayed by the word of breaking up and decided not to be with me anymore?

‘This was too much anyway.’

I sighed and walked alone. My ankle, which had been injured that day, had already healed.

[Ms. Hailey]: So where does it hurt?

[Iris]: My ankle feels throbbing….

[Ms. Hailey]: Iris. There was nothing wrong with your ankle, right?

Ms. Haley said with furrowed brows. But I sat on the chair and shook my legs back and forth. In fact, no matter what the teacher said, I had no intention of leaving this place.

[Ms. Hailey]: I know you were worried about something. So why didn’t you confide in your friends? Our Iris has a lot of friends.

Ms. Haley was basically kind to me. But that was only her role as a health teacher.

She shook her hand sheepishly at the little child who was bothering her.

“Friend. Friend….”

I muttered weakly and clenched my jaw.

Surely I had a lot of friends. Before, in my previous life, I was surrounded by a lot of kids. But now it was different. I had already recalled my previous life, and I couldn’t go back to being a naïve child who knew nothing more.

That meant I couldn’t hang out with girls who asked me to play childhood games or boys who blushed shyly at me. Suddenly, I turned around and saw no one next to me.

Precisely, there seemed to be no one around me who could deal openly and casually with everything.