Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

It was a moment when no one dared to move, blankly watching the miraculous event that had unfolded before their eyes.

“L-Lady Rayes saved us!”

It was the same girl who had been looking at Ria with admiring eyes while sitting at the same table earlier.

With her exclamation of admiration as a starting point, the surrounding people began to open their mouths one by one, still dazed.

Those voices soon gathered into a stream of praise and cheers.

Rather, those with expertise in swordsmanship found it harder to accept this astonishing sight.

While they were clapping along with others, the questions overflowing in their minds remained unresolved.

A mere fifteen-year-old young lady single-handedly defeating five second-grade demonic beasts…?

What was that purple magic circle that suddenly appeared?

Moreover, lights celebrating a new first place were twinkling in the sky.

Lady Rayes had risen to first place jointly with Crown Prince Arzenluka.

People who were familiar with the Crown Prince’s expressionless face and cold demeanor unsuited to his age doubted their eyes as they saw the unmistakable boy now embracing Lady Rayes.

As the wave of cheers began to subside, Drehan and Miller rushed to Ria.

Seeing their trembling eyes that seemed to show the entire situation, Ria smiled awkwardly.

She had impulsively done something unplanned, and it left her feeling no less bewildered.

Ria remained tightly embraced in Luka’s arms until he calmed down and she regained her composure.

* * *

After checking several times that I had no injuries, Luka let out one more sigh of relief.

I didn’t need to think deeply to understand how the sight of me rushing towards the moving demonic beasts must have looked in his eyes.

Although they weren’t such formidable opponents for someone of Luka’s skill level, they were monsters that could have taken my life in an instant.

Tharo’s contribution was tremendous, so I decided to give him lots of his favorite snacks when I returned to the mansion.

I couldn’t forget that anxious voice I heard just before the connection was cut off.

‘I should let him know that I’m safe.’

Only after the situation had settled somewhat was I able to move my feet.

My steps were directed towards where the Nabel village residents were gathered next to the collapsed fence.

There were many young children among the residents, and one of them carefully walked up to me and said:

“Thank you, big sister…! For saving us, really… sniff…”

Seeing the child start to cry as they tried to speak, I was flustered.

“Come here.”

I soon used the method I had used to comfort crying children at Troy Orphanage.

I embraced the girl who had finally burst into tears, so shocked by what had happened.

It wasn’t good for the villagers, including many young children, to stay in such a dangerous place.

These people were like illegal residents not registered in the Empire.

That’s why they were living in this illegal village operated by Duke Kablos, with nowhere else to go.

But now that its location had been publicly revealed, they could no longer stay here secretly.

As I patted the crying child’s back, I murmured:

“What will happen to these people now…”

Sensing my troubled expression, Luka approached my side as I was holding the child and said:

“There’s Archduke Gruben’s territory near the capital. Although he’s dead, his will is being carried out and the territory is still being managed, so it will accept people like these with nowhere to go.”

“But to become part of a territory, wouldn’t they need legal status…”

“I’ll vouch for their status in my name. It should be enough if I prepare the documents for them to be incorporated into the territory without any issues.”

“Th-then we won’t have to live in front of this dangerous cliff anymore…!”

At an old man’s voice, the villagers looked at Luka with one heart, desperately.

Soon, he nodded as if making a promise, and people shed tears while expressing their gratitude to us.

“I’m so glad, really.”

At my words, the child in my arms nodded while sniffling.

“I’ll bring the imperial knights to lead you. For now, pack your essential belongings.”

As I turned to look at Luka, he placed his red cape over my shoulders.

“Don’t worry.”

I silently watched Luka’s retreating figure as he left after saying that, clutching the cape that felt warm.

A middle-aged woman, embracing her child, said in a trembling voice:

“Can we really leave this place?! No more… seeing those terrible demonic beasts…”

Her husband, it seemed, hastily covered her mouth at her incoherent words.

Talk about Kablos was a lifelong taboo for them.

Since I already knew the content, I didn’t try to pry further.

I gently stroked the head of the child whose trembling had subsided, and moved to see the trap below the cliff that the Imperial Guard was searching.

It was such a deep cliff that I could barely see what was at the bottom.

The Imperial Guard didn’t bother to search thoroughly either.

Only Senia and I in this place would know about the spikes Kablos had installed at the bottom of the cliff and the corpses of demonic beasts.

To others’ eyes, it would just look like an endless cliff.

As I was looking down at the cliff that gave off an eerie feeling, I sensed someone’s presence behind me.

For a moment, I felt an inexplicable tension and quickly turned around.

What came into view was luxurious purple hair like a violet.

“Lady Senia?”

As if proving the urgency of the earlier situation, she was covered in dust but smiling as she faced me.

Of course, I probably didn’t look much better.

Fortunately, we were both wearing hunting attire.

Senia’s gaze briefly touched the red cape covering my shoulders before falling away.

“Lady Laveria, thank you so much for earlier.”

Seeing her grab my hand with a bright smile, I smiled awkwardly.

‘Senia and the prince were going to be safe anyway…’

In the unclear situation of whether the demonic beasts’ attack was directed at Senia or the villagers, I somehow ended up taking action.

People seemed to think that I had undoubtedly tried to save Senia and the prince, and I didn’t bother to correct them.

Not only would no one believe that I risked my life to fight for commoners, but I also couldn’t say ‘Actually, you would have lived even if I hadn’t saved you’ when she came to express her gratitude like this.

This was the first time I had encountered Senia at such close range.

Come to think of it, it was also the first time we had exchanged words.

Senia was a likable person, enough to understand why villains were tamed by her.

“No, Lady Senia…”

I suppressed the question rising within me and smiled as I spoke.

“You drew the demonic beasts’ attention on our behalf in that urgent situation.”

Why did Senia, who was said to not discriminate against people normally… weigh lives?

I couldn’t bring myself to voice this doubt.

Or, like when she declared she couldn’t cure the Empress’s illness, did she have another reason this time too?

“I knew there was a cliff somewhere around here. Feeling responsible as the only one who knew about it, I acted.”

Senia said, looking at me with clear blue eyes.

“But I never imagined there was a village beyond the fence. I thought if I ran towards the cliff visible at the edge of the village, surely the villagers would avoid it on their own…”

“For some reason, they all ran towards the cliff.”

Senia nodded vigorously at my words.

Did she know that there was nowhere to escape within the village?

After all, it was a village designed by Kablos.

Recalling the village entrance we had mistakenly entered earlier, there were numerous stones embedded in the ground.

That must have been a barrier to prevent villagers from leaving the village carelessly.

Otherwise, there was no reason for people not to run towards the normal entrance.

And even now, looking around, steep cliffs surrounded all sides of the narrow village.

The fence that Senia had broken through was the only passage, but no one would run towards a place where demonic beasts would arrive instantly.

Senia didn’t know that there was nowhere to hide or escape in the village like this…

‘She didn’t know, this time either.’

I gently removed my hand from Senia’s grasp and said:

“Thanks to your courage, I was able to strengthen my resolve as well.”

Just as I was about to leave after expressing my gratitude, Senia’s trembling voice stopped my steps.

As if she was very nervous.

“I really want to repay you for saving me this time. Would it be alright if I send you an invitation later?!”

The girl speaking with flushed cheeks and clasped hands suddenly seemed cute.

“Gladly.”

So I nodded with a faint smile.

However, I still couldn’t shake off the sense of discomfort lingering in a corner of my mind and the tension I had felt for a moment.

Ignoring the gaze following me as I left, I bid her a brief farewell and departed.

The numbers twinkling in the sky soon announced the final rankings with a splendid effect.

The predetermined time for the hunting festival had come to an end.

Due to the appearance of demonic beasts, hunters had returned to the campsite during the hunt, and in the end…

“Ria, you’re tied for first place with Luka!”

Rachel, who had approached my side, embraced my shoulders and said.

“It somehow turned out that way.”

In fact, I had broken the rules by using Tharo’s magic, but no one objected to the fact that I had become the winner.

At that moment, I felt a faint hand grasping the hem of my clothes.

When I turned around, it was the child who had been in Senia’s arms earlier, which meant…

“Your Highness?”

“His Highness wishes to express his gratitude to the lady.”

A retainer from the Duchy standing next to the child spoke on his behalf.

“Big sister.”

‘…Huh?’

I was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected form of address.

After hesitating for a moment, the pretty-looking prince seemed to make up his mind and opened his mouth.

“Big sister, please marry me!”

“What? Does that make any sense, Philip?!”

The answer that represented my feelings burst out from Rachel beside me.

“You two know each other?”

“Greffin and Deos are relatives. I met him a few times when we were young… He’s grown up quite precociously.”

“I’m serious, Sister Rachel!”

“There’s someone even more serious than you, so it’s better to give up early. It’s all for your own good!”

“Someone more serious? Who are you talking about?”

“…Well, if you look around carefully, you’ll be able to tell.”

The cryptic answer added to the already intriguing statement made it even more incomprehensible.

Ensia approached, her auburn hair fluttering, between the children holding me on both sides and bickering.

Her followers who had been shadowing her were nowhere to be seen.

Because I had shot aura to attack the demonic beast targeting Ensia’s back earlier, a part of her beautifully styled hair had been cut off horribly.

I felt a bit tense, wondering if she had come to complain about that incident.

Ensia came close to me.

She had a look in her eyes as if she had made a firm decision about something.

‘This is going to be troublesome. I should ask Jen if there’s a hair regeneration magic…’

“I’m sorry about earlier, Lady Rayes!”

“Pardon?”

Even Rachel, who had pushed me behind her and taken a protective stance, looked up at Ensia with a dumbfounded expression.

“I… gave you a nasty rebuke, but you saved my life. The more I think about it, I felt I had to apologize now, so I came here like this, risking rudeness.”

As I silently looked at Ensia, she lowered her head once more, which had been hesitant, to apologize again and turned to leave.

I walked behind her and took her hand.

Seeing Lady Ensia who turned around at the sudden touch, I said awkwardly:

“Um… I’m glad you’re safe.”

As if she hadn’t expected me to accept her apology, she stood there like a statue. I bid her farewell and left with Rachel.

Ensia, who had been staring at her hand that I had held for a long time, soon moved away with the young ladies who had come to find her.

“It seems like both Luka and I are getting more and more rivals. Ria, are you listening? What are you looking at?”

“…That person.”

Among those cleaning up the demonic beast corpses, a handsome man with brilliant golden hair appeared.

Standing out among the many people, he was none other than Duke Kablos.

He hadn’t been invited to today’s hunting festival, and he hadn’t been seen during the opening speech earlier, so why was he here?

His deep blue eyes lingered on me for a moment, and soon I felt a chill spreading through my body, even worse than when facing the demonic beasts.

‘He’s appeared again because I’ve invaded his domain.’

I met his gaze, which was chilling to the point of being emotionless, without avoiding it.

Soon, he raised the corner of his mouth as if amused.

And as he moved his feet to leave the spot where he had been standing like a statue…

‘No, why is he coming this way!’