To the Villain I Loved
Chapter 3
The winter social season in Hiboé, the capital of the Yuzuraeni Empire, had fallen into an unusual silence.
Locking the windows to prepare for the approaching cold was the same as every previous winter, yet all the parties and outings that had once been lively, regardless of the season, were now canceled.
Rumors spread across the empire that the Duke of Hymenwor—long slated to become the next emperor upon the imperial wedding—had suddenly fallen ill and remained in his chambers.
Princess Astrid, known for her madness and rarely appearing in public, was no surprise to anyone when absent. Yet, with the Duke, the de facto heir, suddenly cutting off all public appearances, speculation naturally arose that he was truly ill.
In reality, since the previous summer when the palace gates had been tightly closed, the only people allowed in were doctors, healers, priests, and other practitioners associated with illness.
“Sir Caleb.”
Caleb looked up when a servant called his name at the bedroom door. His expression was grim, as if he had just received a scolding from Duke Hymenwor.
“What is it?” he asked.
“A mage has arrived.”
“Hello?”
Before the servant could introduce her, Tatiana stepped forward into the room and greeted him.
“My name is Tatiana Henesi, and I possess a magical tool equivalent to an eighth-circle mage.”
“Magical tool?”
Not even an eighth-circle mage, yet she carried a tool of that level? Caleb frowned, as though he’d misheard. Tatiana nodded confidently.
“Yes. I am the only mage capable of saving His Grace, Duke Hymenwor.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean I can cure His Grace, who suffers from a grave illness, using the power I possess.”
Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose. The young mage seemed to be firmly mistaken about something.
“How do you propose to do that?” he asked.
“That can only be explained before His Grace.”
“Don’t play games. Even if he’s indiscriminately summoning doctors and healers, do you really think he’d let someone unqualified stand before him?”
With the emperor dead and Astrid in a coma, nearly all power within the palace rested in the hands of her fiancé, Lindel Hymenwor, the real power behind the Laquin dynasty—the Golden Hawk.
Those titles, a mixture of awe and derision, described a man who might have gone mad at any moment—but hadn’t yet.
“It’s foolish to waste time with a critically ill patient. If he dies, I can no longer guarantee the outcome,” Tatiana continued firmly.
“What do you mean?”
“I can make it as if His Grace’s illness never existed. That’s all I can say for now.”
Caleb, about to scold the audacious young girl daring to speak of Duke Hymenwor, was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a knight.
“Sir Caleb!”
“What is it?”
“His Grace has awakened. He is seeking a new healer.”
Caleb groaned, pressing his palm to his forehead. Astrid had been kept barely alive for over half a year. Poison had been part of the ordeal, but even after her attempted suicide, she remained in a hopeless state, rejecting all medical intervention.
The flicker of life in her was weak and unstable, yet as long as his superior refused to accept it, she would never be allowed to rest in peace. The same days would repeat until Astrid’s life finally faded.
Even recently:
‘What is the issue? If you marry the illegitimate child, she becomes your wife and the throne is yours. Why obsess over the dying Princess Astrid?’
‘…Silence.’
‘Your behavior is contradictory!’
‘Shut up, Caleb.’
‘Or is there another feeling you have for the princess?’
Hearing this, the Duke had left the room with a cold expression. Caleb couldn’t help but wonder if Lindel Hymenwor was blurring the line between personal feelings and duty. Had he grown attached to the princess during the long preparations for revenge? Let’s hope that sentiment wouldn’t ruin his long-cultivated ambition.
Caleb pinched his forehead in exhaustion and introduced Tatiana to the knight.
“This is the new healing mage. Take her to His Grace.”
Tatiana, stiff-lipped and nervous, followed behind the knight. The palace, though bright as day, radiated an unnerving chill. Noise seemed unnaturally suppressed.
Entering the room, Tatiana found it completely dark and desolate, resembling a massive coffin. A large bed and a single chair sat empty, heightening the eerie atmosphere.
On the bed lay a frail woman, motionless and with her eyes closed, appearing almost corpse-like.
‘Is she really alive?’ Tatiana swallowed hard and examined her.
Her black hair, scattered over the pillow, looked dull and brittle. Her body was unnaturally thin, and her pale complexion seemed pitiful. Beside her, a man sat, expressionless and cold.
His sculpted features might have drawn admiration, but first, Tatiana noticed his frozen, impassive demeanor. The woman on the bed seemed to have stolen all emotion from him; there was no life in his gaze.
“Your Grace, this is the healing mage sent by Sir Caleb.”
“…A mage.”
His voice, deep and ominous, made her shiver involuntarily. Tatiana swallowed and gripped the strap of her bag across her chest.
This man was the famed Duke Lindel Hymenwor. She had never heard mention of a sister—so the woman lying down must be his fiancée, Princess Astrid Laquin. A mad princess, stripped of her external supporters by the Duke and reduced to his puppet. Pitiful as her life had been, she had been forgotten by all, overshadowed by the Duke’s overwhelming presence.
‘But why is she lying there? Wasn’t it the Duke who was ill?’
The rumors of his illness had been false. Tatiana bit her lip but quickly composed herself.
‘No, there must be a significant reason he wants the princess alive. Not all is lost yet.’
Lindel regarded Tatiana coldly, then stood and gestured for her to examine the princess. His approach was careful, almost reverent. Tatiana felt compelled to move with equal caution.
“Can you wake her?” he asked.
“Uh… first, there’s something I need to explain,” Tatiana replied, suppressing her fear.
Posing as a healing mage had brought her this far. Yet she, like her grandmother before her—a great mage—was not truly versed in healing magic. She was only a beginner. To survive in front of this formidable man, she needed certainty.
“You asked if I could wake her,” he said, his voice heavy and chilling.
“Yes? Wake her?”
“I asked if you can awaken this woman.”
Tatiana swallowed and spoke with a trembling voice.
“What I propose is not treatment but turning back time.”
“What?”
“I can… return her to before she became ill.”
