A Villainess Should Be Strong

Estelle took a fearful gulp. Lylia's countenance worried her.

"What happened?!" Estelle questioned.

"The Duke went out in search of a cure for young miss," Lylia answered. By the looks of her face, the place Alan went to was not an easy location to scour through.

"...Where?" Estelle frowned. Alan certainly sounded like a man that would do that for the sake of his beloved family, but Estelle found it hard to believe how he could leave the Dukedom when it was in such a dire state.

"I'm not too sure as well. The Duke instructed for no one to ask nor look for him once he went on his journey,"

"That sounds like a stupid case," Estelle rebuked. "If I can't recover by myself, there's only the littlest chance of me surviving with external aid. Unless it's an item completely unheard of that can produce miracles,"

Estelle was confident in her power, even though she recognized that there were stronger figures than herself. However, those who had the power to oppose her did not remain in the Surface. If anything, they should be beyonders who invaded her realm.

She was also knowledgeable in the arts of healing and regenerative abilities, and as such, she knew that her powers alone would single-handedly beat all the medicinal properties in herbs the world could provide.

Lylia stayed silent, no longer replying to the girl she served.

"How stupid. How utterly stupid. Who instilled such a dumb idea into his head?"

"We are unsure. The Duke summoned us and

"And you're telling me that no one obstructed him? Not even my own mother?" Estelle questioned.

Something clearly wasn't adding up.

Alan Clareste could be rash at times, but he wouldn't do such a thing that would risk an entire community as a whole. His existence was not something the people of Clareste could go on without.

At least not before a new head sprouted.

Estelle's eyes gleamed as she recalled the figure of her overprotective father.

Everything was her fault.

Her rash actions, her confidence in solving the matters with ease, which ultimately landed her in the trip to Eterna.

For her, she was able to tolerate it all.

But even when she was in the Eterna, she always had a fear of this kind of thing happening. Outside from her, everybody else would view her condition as that of a strange coma that was unable to be cured.

She new how much everyone will be worried.

"The Duke disappeared without notice right after he left from the assembly. As for the madam... I believe that the Duke did not inform her," Lylia bit her lips. As someone who frequently tended to Sheila on top of Estelle's daily chores, Lylia must've known.

She must've known that Sheila was kept in the dark while everything was happening.

"What excuse did he give? Father wouldn't part with mother before a long goodbye. If he truly disappeared just like that, there must be something that father told her,"

"We tried to pry into madam's understanding of the Duke's absence, and it seems like she thinks the Duke is on a subjugation event in the east," Lylia answered, her tone shaking.

Estelle's presence was also starting to be unraveled. Her overflowing emotions were harsh on the surroundings.

Estelle was a child loved by the world. Before, she didn't notice just how much change she brought, but now she was starting to see it.

If she had rage and anger built up inside herself, then her environment would also deteriorate. The winds would shake

As far as she recalled, this effect did not happen this severely in the past. Estelle restrained her emotions to prevent further damage.

"Haah. Forget it. Please go back and do your chores like usual. I will find a way to restore everything back to normal. For now, do not inform anybody of my return," Estelle instructed.

"What about miss' body? Wouldn't someone come into the room and find you missing?" Lylia was worried, but she trusted Estelle and her plans. In this sort of dire situation, Estelle was the only one they could depend on.

Thus, Lylia wasn't shaken at all when she heard Estelle's words.

The Clareste family wasn't a patriarchic family, as their family morals were simply too good and harmonic for it to turn that way. Alan himself had repeatedly announced that he wouldn't mind if Estelle became the Dukedom's future head if she truly wished for the power.

The entire Dukedom treated her as the informal heir apparent. Her words had enough authority to shake the place.

"I will create a lifelike doll. Remember, you must treat that doll as Estelle,"

"Understood, miss. I shall act accordingly," Lylia bowed and assisted Estelle in getting out of the bed.

"Then, go forth and proceed like normal. Thank you for your help, Lylia," Estelle made a little wave at the departing maid, missing the feeling of being cared for by the lovable Lylia.

"It is my duty to serve you," Lylia simply smiled before opening the door and leaving.

Estelle laid on her bed, zoning out.

Her father's disappearance was too comical, too nonsensical for it to be done by his own accord.

But how? What caused him to run away?

Something that could heal Estelle. What would it be if there was even something like that?

Just as Estelle was deeply invested in her thoughts, an intruder broke into her home.

Estelle's eyes were immediately drawn to the window, from where the intruder came from.

"...Heine,"

It was the fae she had known since birth.

"I knew you've woken up," Heine got inside the room and dusted his clothes.

"You know what, I'm not even going to question how convenient your arrival is, because there's clearly something that you've been hiding from me," Estelle stated.

"Family problems?" Heine asked, ignoring Estelle's remarks.

"Family problems indeed," Sighing, Estelle looked at the mirror as she observed her frail body that looked like it could collapse the moment she got hit by a strong gust of wind.

"The Duke.. was it? I know where he went to," Heine suddenly dropped the bomb just like that.

Estelle turned around immediately. Albeit feeling shocked, she also couldn't help but recall the times when Heine helped her every time she came across a blockage. When it was a couple years ago, she hadn't suspected anything.

However, she couldn't ignore the clear discrepancy here.

Heine was clearly something much more than the Fae King she used to know.

She didn't know when the change happened, but it happened.

"Tell me. Tell me like you always do," Estelle said, facing Heine and looking at him straight in the eye. "At the same time, try telling me who you really are,"

Estelle tried to provoke the man slightly, but no aggravated response came.

"No can't do. I will tell you, but you have something much more important to do before that," Heine chuckled.

"..What can be more important than saving the Clareste Dukedom's pillar?" Estelle narrowed her eyes.

Going by Heine's words, Alan Clareste's disappearance was deemed as an insignificant thing despite his actual worth that elapsed over the entire Dukedom.

[What is he playing at?] Estelle glared at the fae, who still had a bright smile plastered on his face.

"You and your duties as the world's beloved child. You do know that your body will be destroyed if you don't become the Constellation's leader, don't you?" Heine said, raising the option up.

Estelle's brows furrowed. As she thought, Heine really had a strange grip onto every single matter. He even seemed to know what went on during her coma.

As if answering Estelle's thoughts, he then began to say. "It's glaringly obvious who you are, and what your soul's condition is,"

"..I suppose so. To obtain the world's acknowledgement, right? Just like the Sage? I will. I will do that," Estelle shook her head in an attempt to dispel her suspicions for the time being.

The current Heine was an important asset to her, someone she couldn't progress without.

Not to mention, the Ruler also pointed him out to be a potential Constellation member. Heine never wronged her.

"..Yes. Just like him, the Sage," Heine turned his head to the side as he mumbled.

"Even so, I can not shake off the matter of my father. My father.. the Duke is important for the territory's longevity,"

Lylia had told her that the man already left for more than a week. A week without the head, without power. Estelle couldn't let this slide.

"No. You are more important. Don't worry, I can assure you that he is safe," Heine debated.

Estelle snorted. Heine was getting awfully complacent with his actions. "On what basis am I supposed to entrust this matter upon you?" She chided the man.

"On the basis that I am someone to be trusted. Estelle, just follow me. For peace's sake,"

"I will not be at peace unless I retrieve father,"

"...I will not allow that, my dearest," Heine's look was somehow creepy to Estelle's eyes. Intimidating and dangerous.

"HEINE! DON'T TEST MY PATIENCE!!" Estelle defended, getting into her stance. She felt unsafe even though it was Heine.

"I must apologize for what's about to come," Heine whispered.

Estelle gritted her teeth, not knowing what to expect next.

In the next second, Heine disappeared into the air. Then, she was overtaken by a powerful push from behind that subdued her, followed by a set of collars with chains that restricted her.

The restraints clasped around her limbs and attacked.

She didn't feel pain, as Heine was so skillful that she didn't feel anything.

"This is-" Estelle recognized the restraints.