I’m the Main Villain but the Heroines Are Obsessed With Me

51 – 24. Unworthy Person (2)

It was embarrassing.

“Can’t Ian eat seafood?”

The fact that their son had allergies, something they hadn’t known until becoming adults. Even feeling a rush of embarrassment at hearing it from their son’s friend.

It might sound ridiculous, but she had never considered Ian having allergies.

“How… is that possible?”

He hadn’t been fed seafood from the beginning. Kilian also preferred meat over seafood, and due to the high cost and time required to obtain seafood in the northern region, it wasn’t something they could afford to eat daily. So, unless it was a special occasion, they didn’t have seafood.

But their diet completely changed after learning that Arielle loved seafood, especially shellfish.

“I’ve always prepared meals focused on seafood since Ian was about four years old.”

Arielle adored seafood, especially shellfish. She went crazy for the seafood she encountered when dining out, and her joyous laughter at the sight made them adopt a seafood-focused diet from then on.

Eating meat was only occasional, mostly as a late-night snack with Kilian. In other words, Ian was eating foods that he shouldn’t have been eating.

“I had no idea. I truly didn’t know Ian had a seafood allergy.”

Some might argue that it’s unreasonable for a mother not to know her son had an allergy. Letitia genuinely felt that way because she never resisted or complained about what was served, assuming he liked it.

The reason for making a seafood-focused meal this time was that there was a stock of seafood set aside for Arielle’s visit, intending to create delicious dishes with it.

But it was a misstep.

“There was an allergy…”

Only then did Letitia recall how Ian had eaten during the times when they had a diet entirely based on seafood. How he ate just a little bit, nibbling here and there.

At that time, she attributed it to a child’s fussiness.

“Why are you like this?” If she had said something like that, it might have been resolved. But she hadn’t. Just seeing the child’s face made her melancholic, and when her anger surged, she could only scold him for behaving rudely at the table.

“How could I not know? What on earth have I done?”

In an instant, the atmosphere turned chilly.

Letitia froze without saying a word in response to Igor’s words, and the maids who had been watching the situation bowed their heads as if ashamed.

“That… I didn’t know if Ian liked seafood,” Letitia stammered in panic.

“I apologize for interrupting, but I have one thing to say. We cannot eat seafood. We have allergies! We can eat grass, meat, and insects, but not seafood!”

Igor did not care and continued to press Letitia.

A normal person would have understood the atmosphere and not spoken, but unfortunately he was not one of them.

The first reason was that besides the chieftain, everyone else had lived in the egalitarian Bishen and did not know the etiquette that a noble should uphold.

There was also a second reason.

“Igor! Why are you like this? Did you drink alcohol? Quickly apologize!”

“Alcohol? I had a little after working hard digging potatoes! What’s wrong with that! No, this is ridiculous! Ian has worked so hard to support the family! How can mother do this!”

The fact that he was drunk and less rational than usual was the second reason.

In the state of drunkenness, Igor’s face was flushed, and he spoke in a slurred tone.

“If I didn’t know what Ian liked, I wouldn’t have said anything! Bringing something he can’t eat… What is this.”

Igor let out a deep sigh.

At first, they had met as rivals, but after receiving a lesson from him and fighting together, he came to know what kind of person Ian was.

And he realized that this person was truly worthy of respect.

To see Ian being treated like this… It was so unfair that he couldn’t bear it just by watching.

Rhea, who realized that the atmosphere was not good, continued to try to calm Igor down, but it was a futile effort for Rhea, who was smaller in stature.

“It’s a mess.”

After making a decision, Ian shifted his gaze to Eri.

“Eri, tell Shulin to prepare a carriage heading to Ashran. And ride the carriage with Rhea for now.”

“A carriage… Where are you going?”

“There’s a tavern near the Cheongwol Pavilion. Let’s go there…”

“Alright, understood.”

As she whispered her reply, Eri nodded without a word.

In her heart, she wanted to say something too, but it seemed like causing a scene here would not be a good idea.

“I’ll be waiting. Take your time to come.”

Standing up from his seat, Eri led Igor out as if dragging him with the help of the spirits.

Ian, who was breaking through the tense atmosphere, approached Letizia slowly.

Letizia was crying.

She must be feeling terrible. She had prepared so diligently, but it seemed like she had ruined everything with a momentary mistake.

Maybe this incident was a chance for her to break free from their complicated relationship.

However, Ian was feeling just as bad.

“I was prepared, but…”

It was a slim chance, but he had hoped for Letizia.

He knew she had allergies, but he had deliberately prepared a meal full of seafood, thinking of Ariel.

No matter how much he disliked his child, as a parent, he thought that if there was even a trace of maternal love left, she would know what he couldn’t eat.

So, perhaps she would prepare a different meal if she weren’t here… He had harbored such expectations.

“Was I being too optimistic?”

Could he not hope for even that much?

While feeling the heartbreak, Ian held gratitude in his heart for someone who must be somewhere.

For the fact that he had possessed him. That the original owner’s emotions had almost disappeared so quickly.

Even now, it’s so difficult. If not for that…

“I might not have been able to endure.”

Unknowingly, Ian had come up to Letizia.

He spoke in a steady tone to the tearful woman.

“I won’t be able to eat the food, but I’ll accept your sincerity. Thank you.”

“Ian… I-I’ll do it again. So, please don’t go.”

“No… It’s okay. You’ve worked hard, haven’t you? Now, please rest.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. If I had known, I would have used different ingredients! Ian! Please, just once more…”

“Take Mother to her room. Leave the food… use a preservation spell and give it to Ariel when she comes. Clean it up.”

Letizia was hanging on desperately. The more she did, the more determined Ian became.

Hadn’t they already made their respective commitments?

A life without love, this pitiful and unmatched reality, he had foreseen it all, so he could only look at the maid indifferently.

“Understood… and I’m sorry, Master.”

“Apologies are accepted. Please take good care of Mother.”

With those words, Ian turned away and headed out of the dining room.

“Ian… no, my son! I’m sorry, Mom is sorry! So please….”

Although Letitia’s voice could be heard from behind, echoing with sorrow.

Ian left the restaurant without turning back.

***

Even after moving to a pub near Cheongwol Hall, Igor, who was still angry, gulped down strong spirits.

“He must have a strong tolerance for alcohol, considering how much he drinks even when he’s drunk. But it’s strange to say that after only a few cups in the field.”

It wasn’t certain, but the thought occurred to Ian that Igor had experienced such a disaster while drinking spirits while farming or showering.

Many people have had such an experience.

After finishing work and having a few cans of beer, taking a shower, and suddenly feeling drunk.

Although there was no scientific evidence, Ian thought that Igor might have ended up like that.

“Well, luckily he didn’t drink himself into a worse state.”

It would have been terrible if that body had to be given a shot. But Igor’s drunkenness ended with his rambling.

“…How can someone like that be our mother? Even our mother didn’t force me to eat what I didn’t like. What should we do, Ian?”

“Damn, this is so tiresome.”

“Huh? You say it’s tiresome? Of course! My convictions are heavy. What does a nobleman or anyone else know? I have to live and speak freely! hahahaha!”

“Alright, I understand. Grow up a bit now.”

After grabbing Igor’s shoulders, which were constantly in motion, as if dragging him, Ian sighed deeply only after roughly putting him in the lingering room at Cheongwol Hall.

In the meantime, Lía could be seen walking from afar.

“Ian. You’ve been through a lot.”

“Did you take care of Eri well?”

“Yeah. Who would’ve thought Eri would be so weak against alcohol?”

Lía patted her hair, looking stylish.

Indeed, Eri getting completely drunk was an unexpected variable.

“It was all just a game for Igor.”

It wasn’t even strong alcohol, but he ended up pounding his head on the table and falling asleep.

As she was always flawless, it was unexpected that she would be weak against alcohol.

“There could have been a mistake in how she drank. It might have been because she was tired. She’s been working on paperwork all the time.”

“Um, now that I think about it, that could be true. I was already worried because she kept summoning spirits, and it seems like she overdid it.”

Lía forced a bright expression. But she was also worried.

“You worked hard helping Eri too. You must be tired, so go inside. You’ve had a tough day today.”

“No, the suffering, Ian, you endured more… I should have stopped Igor there.”

“It was my fault that I couldn’t stop it before it happened. It’s even stranger for a guest to stop it, not the landlord. I guess I had expectations, but I ended up disappointed.”

“No! We had drinks together earlier. That’s enough for me.”

As he watched her waving her hand, a faint smile formed on his face.

Even though he felt bad seeing her in such a pitiful situation, she was still considering him in that circumstance.

There was no choice but to be grateful to her.

“Well, then, go inside and rest now. You’ve had a hard time.”

“Yeah…”

With those words, as he turned away, that was when it happened.

“Oh, Ian!”

“What’s up?”

“Would you… like to take a walk together? The weather is nice.”

Blushing with embarrassment, she smiled, and Ian lightly nodded his head.