Taming The Villainesses novel Chapter 349

Ayra's head was turned toward the window.

Beyond the window, one could see the clear sky and tall trees. She gazed at the birds chirping on the branches, like a girl suffering from a long illness watching the last remaining leaf.

I spoke to Ayra, who looked like that.

"Good morning."

For now, I figured it was best to cautiously test her condition.

From everyone working together the previous day to get her to take the sleeping potion, to defeating and ripping out the Ars Nova that had taken root inside her—

It was hard to predict how Ayra would respond to all of it. Would she realize everything and get furious? Or would she feel relieved and happy to be freed from what had been oppressing her?

Or maybe she wouldn’t notice anything at all?

Nothing would have been surprising.

Just as I was quietly gauging the situation, Ayra reached her hand out into the air. Then, the birds chirping outside the window fluttered in and perched on her finger.

"......."

They were birds with red feathers. As Ayra stared at them for a while and moved her other hand to stroke the underside of the beak, the bird flapped away again.

“...It flew off.”

“I’ve heard taming birds isn’t easy.”

At my mild reply, Ayra yawned with her mouth slightly open. She still seemed not fully free of the drowsiness lingering on her face and body.

Then, Ayra stretched both arms out in front of her.

I'd seen it many times already, but watching her stretch so broadly in all directions was always a curious and entertaining sight. She was the very embodiment of the word "lithe."

Ayra sat on the bed for a while, stretching out her arms and legs. Watching her like that, I figured it was about time to start some kind of conversation, so I casually asked,

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you sit on the bed for so long, Ayra-nim. Did you perhaps have a good dream?”

“A good dream, huh... I’m not sure. Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. I think I remember splashing around in the water with everyone.”

All that remained seemed to be a blur.

Should I consider that a relief? I had worried about what I would do if she started asking detailed questions, but thankfully, that didn’t seem to be happening.

I mean, even if I appeared in her dream and flicked her on the forehead, it’d be weird if she started scolding me in real life for it. _{freewēbnoveℓ.com}

Seeing her now, Ayra didn’t seem all that different. Even though Bael, who had been lying dormant inside her, had been extracted, the lazy queen’s day was proceeding just like always.

Maybe it was because I’d been expecting something dramatic, but I found myself questioning it a little. Could things have not gone well after all? Was everything we did maybe... meaningless?

“Teo-ya, allow me the honor of being supported by you.”

Shff.

Just then, Ayra reached her hand out toward me. Her arrogance, as if being supported by her was some grand reward, was no different from before.

Maybe Ayra truly believed that any action allowing someone to make contact with the woman known as the most beautiful in the kingdom was itself a tremendous gift.

Just the same as always.

“Thank you.”

I offered a polite thank-you as I took hold of her slender hand. It was more delicate and dainty than I had imagined. That soft skin. From the touch of her palm, I could feel a faint pressure.

Slide.

Ayra pulled her legs out from under the blanket and placed her feet on the floor. Just as she was preparing to rise—

“Ugh.”

—she suddenly swayed heavily.

Worried that she might fall and hit her face or something, I hurried to brace her body with mine.

But the weight—what you could call the weight—was heavier than I had expected, and I ended up tangled up and falling with her.

Crash.

“Hieeek...!”

I let out an embarrassing squeal because Ayra had ended up landing on top of me, sitting on my back with her rear. I could feel a heavy pressure on my lower back.

Like a sheet of paper crushed under a hunk of iron, I was completely flattened.

Was Ayra always this heavy?

I was sure I’d carried her in my arms several times recently. But now, she felt so heavy that I couldn’t even imagine doing it.

Can weight suddenly change like this?

Could it have something to do with what happened recently?

Just as I was puzzled, Ayra spoke.

“I vaguely remember you lifting me up in a dream, Teo. But I guess reality is different, huh?”

Her tone sounded like she was trying to provoke me. So I instinctively tensed my muscles like someone fired up.

Even if Ayra was heavier than before, she still had a slim woman’s body. Someone like me could lift something like half a sack of rice—about 40kg—with both hands.

Let me show you the strength I’ve built up lately.

With that mindset, I pushed against the floor with both arms, lifting Ayra on my back. Slowly, my field of vision rose. Ayra let out a soft murmur of admiration.

“Hooh...”

She hadn’t been that impressed even when my magic prowess suddenly increased. But now she was impressed just because I managed to lift something about the weight of half a sack of rice. So in the end, muscles > magic?

Since I was at it, I hoisted Ayra up and carried her on my back.

Well—saying I “hoisted” her up sounds easy, but truthfully, my arms and legs were shaking a little. Still, I spoke with as much confidence as I could muster.

“Did you see that? This is the strength of Teo. Someone as light as Queen Ayra, I can easily carry on my own.”

My face, as I said that, was flushed even to my own awareness. Not from embarrassment or affection—but because the exertion was forcing blood to rush to my head.

“In a room this size, I could walk around with Ayra-nim on my back more than ten times.”

I spoke proudly, but Ayra, who was being carried, would no doubt notice my legs were trembling.

Maybe that’s why, but after I made one full turn around the room, Ayra burst out laughing.

“Yes, that’s impressive. But you can put me down now. I asked you to support me, not to carry me. They’re different things.”

Ayra’s voice held a certain familiarity—and a hint of loneliness.

It felt like if I put her down now, that loneliness would deepen even further.

So I put more strength into my legs.

“I won’t put you down. Not until Ayra-nim has truly awakened and can stand firmly on her own two feet. Until then, I will carry you.”

Shff.

Ayra pressed her face against my back. I could feel her soft hair and breath tickling the nape of my neck, and the sensation was oddly funny.

“Teo, now that I see it, you really are the biggest fool in all of Angmar.”

A fool? I felt like I’d heard that from someone else not long ago. Hearing it twice in a row like this couldn’t just be coincidence. It made me curious—what exactly was the reason?

“And why am I a fool?”