Becoming the Terminally-Ill Villain Who Torments His Disciples - Chapter 9.2
Ryan babbled while he clattered the medicines off the shelf. Among them were some of the same ones from Cielo’s room.
“This was the first suppressant ever sold, and this one’s what sailors usually take. And this one…”
As Ryan rambled on, Cielo unconsciously opened his mouth in surprise.
‘Now that I think about it…’
In “All I Wanted Was to Be Loved”, there had been a fleeting mention of suppressants.
It said something like, “The person who first created suppressants once lost control due to pheromones. To prevent repeating the same mistake, he invented the suppressant and hoped no one else would make the same error.”
‘So that was Ryan…’
Then the one he lost control with—was that supposed to be Cielo?
“You don’t have to forgive me. It’s okay if you don’t trust me. Just… Please understand this. I’ll never do anything you don’t want ever again… I’ll never scare you.”
The hand that had been gripping his shoulder slowly slipped down, threading between Cielo’s slender fingers.
Even though he worried Cielo might pull away or feel uncomfortable, Ryan calmly said all the things he had long wanted to express.
‘Suppressants, huh…’
Maybe the original “Cielo” had already known who created them. The Esteban family was one of the top duchies in the empire, and Cielo belonged to that family.
And being one of the empire’s only two known healers, he certainly wouldn’t have just taken any old medicine.
So the real Cielo probably knew of Ryan’s efforts.
‘But his personality… he probably never gave him a chance to explain.’
If they had had a proper conversation, maybe their relationship would’ve been different. Cielo was an awful person, but not incapable of a rational conversation.
It was just that his sharp nature never allowed him to accept others’ mistakes. He believed if someone had failed once, they were bound to fail again.
‘Even if Ryan would’ve helped Oscar regardless of my relationship with him…’
Being the student of a friend and being a friend’s student are not the same.
If Cielo could get just a bit closer to Ryan, maybe he’d support Oscar more proactively in the future.
‘Besides…’
Something deep inside told him to forgive Ryan. Maybe the real Cielo had wanted to forgive him too, just didn’t have the courage to face him and talk.
At least from what Cielo knew of himself, that’s the kind of person he was.
‘If this unease is really the emotion of this body’s original owner…’
Then it was best to resolve it now—before hesitation twisted things further.
“I forgive you.”
“…What?”
“With how hard you’ve tried, who am I to keep saying no?”
As soon as Cielo finished, Ryan’s eyes widened. It wasn’t just because he had been forgiven—something else hit deeper.
“…Ha.”
Ryan stared at Cielo in a daze.
To check if it was real, he pinched his own cheek and even let out a faint laugh. Then suddenly, he gripped Cielo’s hand tightly.
…Eh? Without even time to brace himself, Cielo’s balance faltered.
Ryan opened his arms and pulled him in. Because of the height and build difference, Cielo ended up half-buried in Ryan’s chest.
“Thank you…”
Ryan’s voice was thick with emotion.
‘Well, that should do it.’
Cielo thought to himself and lightly patted Ryan’s back.
It was then—
“…Master?”
Oscar stood with a shocked expression as he saw the two so close together.
“Oh, is the treatment done?” Cielo asked casually as he gently pushed away from Ryan and walked over to him.
“Yes, I received it. But…”
Oscar looked quietly at Ryan.
Without saying anything, lips tightly pressed together, he slowly approached Cielo, then gripped his sleeve and clung to his leg.
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