Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

“Where have you been hiding! You useless slave who was already weak and feeble, I fed and housed you, and this is how you repay me?!”

A loud roar echoed through the middle of the street.

The man gripping Serine’s thin wrist looked as if he was about to strike her cheek.

At his actions, Serine trembled as if remembering the treatment she had received at the factory.

She recalled what had caused the scars that remained on her body like traces.

Serine felt her tightly closed eyes growing hot.

There were times when she had to hold back because crying would result in more punishment.

Until just a few months ago, when those miraculously sent by Ria rescued her.

The vivid fear that seemed etched into her bones still couldn’t be shaken off.

“Not answering?! Shall I make you speak?”

Soon, a hand like a pot lid would fly.

Then her body would be thrown, and she would have to crawl around on the cold floor avoiding kicks.

Her frail body, shrunk into itself, prepared for the impending blow.

‘…Huh?’

However, even as time passed, she didn’t feel the harsh hand that had always hurt her.

Serine raised her trembling eyelids.

The sight that entered her view was truly surprising.

“…!”

Ria had summoned a sword and was blocking the factory owner’s arm.

It was hard to believe even seeing with her own eyes that she was subduing the violent factory owner that all the factory slaves feared with just a thin sword, and even without unsheathing it.

“Ria…!”

People passing by also started gathering due to the commotion.

“Eek, who’s this little brat! Do you know who I am!”

“I really don’t know, so could you tell me? You pig-looking fellow.”

Ria smiled sweetly.

That smile was as fresh as midsummer grass, but it contained an anger that was hard to express in words.

“W-What, pig?! You tiny thing not even worth a fistful dares to be cheeky!”

“This kid ‘not even worth a fistful’ almost made your arm fly off just now.”

Ria said, tapping the sheath touching his arm.

It was as she said.

If it had been the blade instead of the sheath, the factory owner’s arm would not have been intact.

“Y-You…!”

The factory owner seemed to have forgotten the obvious fact for a moment blinded by anger, and showed signs of hesitation at Ria’s words.

Despite his bluster, he was indeed intimidated by the fierce emerald eyes glaring at him.

‘To think I’d be intimidated by a mere child!’

Nevertheless, if he could find a small opening and subdue her at once, he could kick her several times and render her helpless.

“W-Wait…”

At that moment, the factory owner saw a few strands of silver tresses flowing out from between Ria’s hat.

Silver hair was truly rare.

Most people living in the capital knew the characteristic that symbolized ‘that family’.

“It can’t be!”

Ria took off her wide-brimmed hat that was blocking her view as if it was bothersome.

At the same time, dazzlingly brilliant silver hair fluttered in the wind, enough to make one’s eyes ache.

“Wow…”

Someone watching the commotion involuntarily let out an exclamation.

It was the moment they first felt that a halo could shine from a person.

“L-Lady Rayes…!”

“Yes. Now that you’ve one-sidedly learned my identity, you should reveal who you are too.”

Her face was like the incarnation of an angel, but her voice was chilling as if about to bring down divine punishment.

Ria struck the factory owner’s abdomen with the enhanced sheath.

“Ugh!”

She still didn’t know the power of the enhanced Crimson Blade, but judging by the factory owner staggering and collapsing on the spot, she guessed it was quite painful.

“How dare you try to hit someone while calling them a slave?”

It hurt so much that if he received another blow, he might faint.

‘By the way, how did my slave become a person of Lady Rayes?’

The factory owner felt a burning pain in his abdomen and became dumb as if he had eaten honey.

Rumors about the young lady were abundant enough to form mountains, but if he had to pick one that was particularly unfavorable to the current situation, it was that she was skilled enough to beat down demonic beasts.

More than fearing the name Rayes, right now he felt like he might be finished by this small girl if she found out how harshly he had treated that slave.

It was more than enough.

“Should I find out one-sidedly, just as you found out about me…”

With those chilling words, the sheath of the Crimson Blade in Ria’s hand slowly disappeared.

The forged red blade was now ready to cut off the factory owner’s neck in one go.

The moment the sharp blade touched his neck, the factory owner felt a sting and his skin crawl at the same time.

“Eek- S-Stop!”

Even though it had just grazed him, hot blood was flowing from his neck where it had touched the sword.

The factory owner’s mouth moved instinctively to survive.

“I-I’m the owner of the Diara Magic Ore Factory! I just happened to run into a slave who ran away from the factory and was asking what happened…”

“Diara Magic Ore Factory…?”

Ria repeated those words once, then spoke in a voice incomparably fiercer than before.

“It was you?! The one who made Sister Serine’s hands like that?”

Serine’s wounded hands still showed no signs of healing.

Ria was even careful about holding those hands.

The factory she had been in was truly vicious.

Layola must have sold Serine to someone as twisted as herself.

She had thought many times that if she ever encountered him, she would take bloody revenge on Serine’s behalf, but who would have thought he would walk into danger on his own feet like this.

“How convenient that you came. I didn’t expect to take revenge here.”

“R-Revenge…?!”

Judging by Ria’s changed demeanor, it now seemed like she would stab that sword anywhere.

Wouldn’t ordinary girls be scared just by seeing blood?

However, the child before him looked ready to willingly stain this ground with blood.

It was then.

The murmuring sounds gradually grew louder, and soon a tall man walked through the crowd.

“Petrick, what are you doing here? I thought you were following well, what’s this unsightly scene?”

A man with distinctively noticeable platinum blonde hair. He was none other than Duke Kablos.

His blue eyes, like a concentrated overwhelming atmosphere, were snake-like.

It was natural for people to naturally avoid his surroundings.

Even in front of such a Duke, Ria didn’t remove her foot from trampling mercilessly on the factory owner who seemed to be his companion.

“Well, if it isn’t the precious young lady of House Rayes. What brings you to trample my subordinate?”

The factory owner Petrick had been planning to attempt refining and development at his magic ore factory, seeing Rayes’ highly successful magical tool business recently.

On his way to find a renowned mage from the capital to help with magical tool development along with the Duke, he discovered the runaway slave.

“This person is your subordinate, Duke?”

Though she knew well, Ria didn’t remove the sharp blade from Petrick’s neck.

How truly audacious.

Duke Kablos smiled coldly.

“Yes, why is the young lady so angry?”

“I was teaching him a lesson for daring to try and hit my person.”

“With a sword?”

It was completely different from how noble children her age usually taught lessons.

Like a well-trained knight, she mercilessly struck down an opponent with an obvious difference in build.

Ria slowly withdrew the sword that had cut near Petrick’s thick neck.

During that time, Petrick could do nothing but blink his eyes in chilling fear.

The damp feeling in his pants was probably not an illusion either.

“If you had been a little late, Duke, this person’s head might have flown off.”

She speaks her words to the end, even against Duke Kablos.

Ria kindly expressed the meaning ‘If you thought I would apologize because he’s your subordinate, you’re mistaken.’

She said, lightly trampling on Petrick’s massive body:

“If we meet again, there won’t be a next time.”

Then she left with Serine, who had been standing like a statue, trembling.

The remaining Duke Kablos walked to the appointed place with the mage, leaving behind Petrick who was still shaking, not knowing what to do as if he had faced death.

For a moment, he had the unpleasant thought that what had slipped through his fingers like a tadpole might have returned as a dragon.

But that was all.

It was a worthless life that couldn’t even follow in his daughter’s footsteps.

It was like that in the past, so why would it be different now?

“What a waste of time.”

To think he would grovel like that to a mere fifteen-year-old girl, he’s such a pathetic fellow it’s hard to believe he’s a branch of Kablos.

As soon as this magical tool development matter is over, he will discard him immediately.

The sharp green light in Ria’s eyes was soon forgotten in the Duke’s mind.

* * *

“Sister…”

I carefully wrapped Serine’s hands.

Her hands had countless scars.

Not only wounds from the hard labor of striking magic ore, but also scars caused by other things.

“Thank you, Ria. For getting angry and taking revenge on my behalf.”

“It’s only natural.”

“Nothing is natural. You did that for me.”

“Well, was it natural for you to take care of me when I was three years old?”

I burrowed into Serine’s embrace.

Yes, I endured that cold reality in this warm embrace.

“I love you, Sister.”

“I love you very much too.”

Tears had already welled up in Serine’s eyes.

If I had a guardian, it would undoubtedly be this person.

Twelve years ago today, we were warmly embracing each other just like now.