Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

“Will tomorrow’s Claire festival proceed as normal?”

Although I had expected it, considering the significant incident that had occurred, it still seemed a bit surprising.

After hearing the situation from Dad, he explained that since royalty from other countries were visiting on a pilgrimage tour and had other schedules, and the Claire Duchy couldn’t keep their mansion decorated as a banquet hall indefinitely, given that there were no casualties or injuries, tomorrow’s follow-up festival would proceed as planned.

“Since everyone is safe. But my daughter directly faced five demonic beasts…”

Dad trailed off, turning his gaze to look at me, and I flinched, avoiding his eyes.

Like Luka, he too had told me to worry about my own safety first, and I had promised to do so in the future, but as always, I failed to instill confidence.

“You don’t have to attend tomorrow’s festival if you don’t want to. I can send a separate letter to the Claire Duchy. No one will blame you for not coming.”

“But I’ve ended up becoming the winner. I can’t not go.”

That’s right, until just before leaving the hunting grounds earlier, I was undisputedly evaluated as this year’s winner. Whether I used magic or not wasn’t important; there was only the newcomer who surprised everyone.

Don’t people get excited about once-in-a-generation heroes? That’s exactly what I’ve become.

A common-born princess appearing out of nowhere, defeating demonic beasts and saving people. It’s true that the nobles’ gazes changed because of that incident.

Moreover, Essil Claire said this to me before leaving:

-I should tell Father to prepare a merit award. You’ll be the first ever to receive a merit award at the hunting festival.

When I waved my hand and said it was fine, he insisted that I shouldn’t decline and that he would do his best to prepare for tomorrow’s festival.

Even if not for that reason alone, there was another reason why I had to go to the Claire festival.

-When should I give you the ring?

-The day of the Claire festival would be good. I’ll be going there too.

I had to give Carl the ring with the ancient magic stone embedded in it as payment for his successful request.

‘Well, my body feels refreshingly good for once. There’s no reason I can’t go tomorrow.’

“No, I’ll be able to go to the Claire festival tomorrow, so don’t worry and I’ll see you then.”

“But…”

To Dad, who seemed about to say something to hold me back, I preemptively threw myself into his arms.

“Good night, Dad. Please hold my hand and enter the banquet with me tomorrow. I should play the role of a proud filial daughter too.”

At that, he stroked my head with an expression that seemed pleased that I had hugged him first, and said:

“Ahem. Yes, you have a point. A banquet without the winner doesn’t make sense, so you should rest well for tomorrow.”

And so, I was able to gain his consent without much difficulty.

* * *

Tharo was waiting for me in the room.

“Tharo, thank you so much for helping earlier. This is a gift for you.”

Tharo, without even glancing at the snack I handed over, grabbed me and said:

[When the conversation was cut off earlier, I thought I might never see you again. I thought you might return with your body torn to shreds…]

“Don’t say such horrible things!”

As I exclaimed in shock, Tharo said with sharp eyes:

[You know it’s not just nonsense.]

That’s true. If Tharo’s magic had been dispelled just a little sooner… As I mulled over Tharo’s words again, goosebumps rose all over my body.

“I’m scared to sleep alone tonight. Let’s sleep together, Tharo.”

[Can you just casually fall asleep with strange men here and there?]

Tharo said with a disgusted expression.

“Strange men? Where are there any strange men here?”

I said that’s nonsense as I grabbed Tharo by the scruff of his neck and lay down on the bed. As I hugged him tightly, Tharo exclaimed in horror:

[You, you! You didn’t sleep like this with that Crown Prince at the orphanage, did you?!]

“Luka is my brother. We even decided to become sworn siblings by sharing a drink when we become adults.”

[I wonder if the relationship formed by sharing a drink is really sworn siblings…?]

Tharo looked at me with a meaningful expression as he spoke.

I could roughly guess what Tharo meant by those words.

The expression ‘sharing a drink’ meant spending a lifetime together.

Therefore, it was commonly used when becoming sworn siblings, but it was also used when forming marital bonds.

‘If Luka and I share a drink, it obviously means the former.’

Just as I was thinking this as if recalling a universal truth, it happened.

I suddenly remembered Luka looking at me with a face as red as the setting sun in front of me at the hunting grounds where twilight had settled.

Since it was the first time Luka had shown such a reaction, I too felt strangely moved at that moment, and as I recalled it, my mood became unsettled.

“…Is it puberty? Maybe I’ve been seeing him as too young.”

As I cooled my face, which was getting slightly hot, with the back of my hand, Tharo said indifferently:

[I don’t know what happened, but just go to sleep, Master. All your worries are unnecessary.]

“I’m quite serious, you know. Imagine if your younger sibling suddenly refused a cheek kiss one day.”

[Kissing on the cheek in the first place isn’t what siblings do. Thinking about the heartache that young boy must be going through makes me feel sorry for him.]

“Why does everyone only feel sorry for Luka? I’m the one who needs comfort…”

I trailed off, blinking my eyes slowly.

At the end of summer, with the sound of cicadas coming through the window, I was soon pulled into sleep, forgetting my feelings of injustice.

* * *

As morning dawned, I instinctively hugged Tharo, who was beside me. Feeling the fluffy and soft fur, I felt a strong desire to sleep a bit more.

Come to think of it, Luka also had a soft skin.

Being an only child in my previous life, I always had fantasies about having siblings.

My friends would say being an only child was the best, and when I said I wanted an older brother or sister, they would curse at me.

When I was young, I constantly pestered my parents to make me an older brother, saying even an older sister would be fine, it was my wish.

As I grew older and accepted the fact that it wasn’t something that could be achieved through effort, I was so heartbroken.

In that sense, Luka was a special child. Although he was younger, wasn’t he the picture-perfect sibling I had only dreamed of?

Recalling the memories of falling asleep with my forehead against Luka’s, my lips, which had risen high, soon dropped at the sound of an indignant voice.

[Master, what’s with that perverted expression first thing in the morning?]

“I was just recalling a pleasant memory, and you had to interrupt.”

I got up from the bed, pouting. Tharo, who had been in my arms, seized the opportunity to escape from me.

“Oh my, my whole body aches.”

As I moved, muscle pain that I hadn’t felt yesterday was now stuck all over my body. I straightened my creaking back and finally put my feet on the floor.

[You’re already groaning at such a young age? When I was your age, I could run all day chasing prey and still be fine.]

I put my feet into slippers and asked while moving busily:

“Tell me now, your real age. How old are you exactly?”

Despite looking younger than Terry and Ben to anyone’s eyes, every word he spoke was like an old man’s nagging.

[Hmm, maybe about five times your age.]

“Five times… 75 years old?”

[Have some conscience, Master. You’re not fifteen years old.]

“Ah, right. Then… Wait, how do you know that?!”

I turned to Tharo with a startled face.

The fact that I was lying about my age was treated as a secret I had to keep for life while living as Laveria, so I couldn’t help but be surprised at Tharo speaking as if it was obvious.

[Isn’t it strange to not know everything about the contractor you’re bound to by soul? Of course, I was quite shocked when I found out that fact right after the contract.]

“Just how much do you know?”

[Hmm, up to what you consider a secret to take to your grave? Of course, I don’t know about your previous life. I’ve only considered the age of your soul.]

“…That sounds plausible all of a sudden. Okay, I get that you’re like my great-grandfather’s father. This is a secret for life, as you said.”

[Of course, don’t forget that once I’ve contracted with you, I can’t go against your will.]

Right, that’s true. I really thought my heart was going to stop…

I calmed my startled heart and chose one of the displayed potions, opened the lid, and quickly drank it. With the bitter taste, the effectiveness spread, and the aches all over my body quickly subsided.

“Ah, right. I almost forgot this.”

I took out the ring contained in the jewelry box. It was the reward for the request I had to give to Carl today.

‘More than that, being the veiled information guild master, would he really reveal himself to people so readily?’

-You should be able to find me easily as my hair will stand out anywhere.

The only hint he left me was a single strand of red hair.

He didn’t say he would appear as he did when he met me.

I put the ring on my finger. I put aside unnecessary worries, as he would find me first anyway.

As if yesterday’s commotion had been a dream, a peaceful morning began as usual.

* * *

With even more people gathered than at yesterday’s hunting grounds, and with the heads of families also attending this time, the Claire festival could be said to be an even more formal event.

The fact that the heads of families applauded the year’s winner meant standing at the starting line of a smooth entry into high society.

The Claire Duchy, which closely guards the imperial palace, wasn’t far from the familiar imperial palace.

Carriages could be seen lined up entering the majestic castle, different in style from the Rayes mansion.

The Claire Duchy could actually be seen as the sword and part of the imperial family, but it was known to have little desire for power in that it stepped back from politics and didn’t take sides.

One of the procedures of the victory ceremony prepared by the Claire Duchy, the procession of knights, pleased the eyes of the nobles who had alighted from their carriages.

Until the moment I stepped into the ducal residence with my hand on Dad’s arm, I couldn’t help but receive the gazes of those who vividly remembered yesterday’s events.

Young ladies who viewed me like a magical girl hiding her powers sent admiring glances.

While it was better than the mocking and hateful gazes I used to receive, would it be ungrateful to say this was troublesome in its own way?

When Drehan and Miller, following behind, finally entered the hall, the servant’s voice rang out:

“This year’s winner, Lady Laveria Jenne Rayes and her relatives, Duke Rayes and the young lords, are entering!”

My name being called before Dad’s seemed to be the most burdensome point of today.

However, Dad was smiling with the proudest look of all.

After completing my entrance like that, I sat in my designated seat, deliberately averting my blurred eyes from those cheering for me.

The inside of the castle was adorned with red flags bearing the imperial emblem and blue flags bearing the Claire Duchy’s emblem everywhere.

I looked around for Carl amidst the gazes sent from here and there, but not a single strand of the red hair that should have been noticeable anywhere was visible.

At that moment, there were people entering the hall across the threshold. With their entrance, the music that had been flowing leisurely changed to a majestic tune.

The Emperor led the way towards the prepared imperial throne, with the Empress by his side.

“What change must have occurred between them for today as well, following yesterday…”

“Although Lady Jeria wore the hat, wasn’t it actually the Empress’s all along?”

“Lower your voice. Marquis Croia is close by.”

It felt strange to see the Emperor’s face, which was exactly like Luka’s. He would undoubtedly become such a cold-looking handsome man when he grows up, wouldn’t he?

However, people couldn’t hide their shock at the woman appearing behind him.

The woman trailing behind Lady Jeria and the imperial grandchildren was undoubtedly the Emperor’s mistress from a foreign land.

From what I heard, even her name was exotic. Her name was Creya.

Voices could be heard among the people, sounding exasperated, saying things like, ‘Does she not know what kind of place this is, following so ignorantly?’

Her exotic appearance with green hair caught my eye as she passed by.

“Father, that person… surely not.”

At that moment, Drehan growled with an angry look in his eyes.