A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 165

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Side Story Episode 4
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In one corner of the Levin Estate, a young woman with cascading brown hair was fuming with indignation.
“Just look at her—she’s nothing but a hothouse flower from the Capital, content to smile prettily while sheltered from the world!”
The woman’s name was Gisel Iloa, the eldest daughter of the Iloa Barony, a vassal house of Count Levin.
Count Levin had long lacked young people with interest in the Capital’s social circles. Had the Levin household sent someone to advance in the central social scene, the vassal families would have accompanied them—but the Levin Domain had not been in such a position for ages. Naturally, the nobles surrounding the Levin territory were slow to receive news from the Capital. Especially regarding gossip rather than official proceedings, they remained woefully uninformed.
“She created a magical artifact to change eye color and helped Sezare? Ha! As if that’s anything remarkable! She merely dabbled in the Academy as a hobby and didn’t even complete her studies, abandoning her degree!”
Gisel ground her teeth as she spoke.
“She did nothing but idle away while Sezare suffered most. Yet somehow, this woman who lazed about without consequence gets to be his first love simply because of that connection….”
Finally, a friend standing beside Gisel sighed and offered a word.
“Well, I suppose she does seem rather gentle. Still, she is the Princess of House Prelai. You shouldn’t speak of her that way, Gisel. And since Sezare cares for her, what right do you have to criticize?”
“I still don’t like this situation!”
“What does your opinion matter?”
“I’ll humiliate her one way or another. Let’s see that timid face of hers stammer and fumble, then burst into tears!”
* * *
The next day.
Exhausted from the long journey, I didn’t wake until the sun was high in the sky.
“It feels wonderful to finally take things at a leisurely pace!”
The Spy Maid dressed me with evident delight.
“You were always so busy in the Capital. It’s been ages since you’ve had time to prepare yourself so carefully….”
I had certainly been occupied in the Capital with the establishment of the Imperial Academy. Now that construction had begun, things had settled into a more manageable rhythm until completion. The timing of this journey was perfect.
“You were constantly busy, so I was always so frustrated having to dress you so hastily all that time.”
“Well, when I was at the Academy, I barely bathed at all.”
If the Spy Maid had seen me during those days, she would have been truly shocked. Unwashed experimental robes, ready-made clothes splattered with reagents everywhere, hair tied back carelessly, and a hollow complexion…. My appearance then was vastly different from now.
“Still, you’ve gained some weight recently, so your clothes fit better now. I’m truly relieved.”
My weight gain was entirely Edmund’s doing. With him constantly at my side insisting I eat this and that, I had no choice but to maintain healthy eating habits.
The Spy Maid touched my hair and smiled softly.
“I’ll dress you so you look like the beloved youngest Princess of House Prelai.”
It seemed my comment yesterday about wanting to live as an ordinary noblewoman had made an impression. She was determined to do her best to make that happen…. Moved by her sincerity, I eased her concerns.
“Yes, thank you. In that case, please use the checkered ornament instead of those other hairpins.”
“…Checkered again, even after coming all this way…. It was checkered yesterday too….”
The Spy Maid sighed deeply with a sorrowful expression, but still worked diligently to prepare me. Finally, as she fastened the large diamond brooch Edmund had given me, she whispered.
“By the way, Princess.”
“Yes?”
“Your strategy seems to be working perfectly.”
“Why?”
“Yesterday, I overheard the daughters of vassal families talking, and they said they don’t like you because you’re just a woman living a carefree life.”
“What?”
“They said you merely dabbled in the Academy as a hobby and didn’t even complete your studies?”
I opened my eyes wide in surprise.
“Spy Maid, how on earth did you find that out?”
“I was heading out for exercise and got bored, so I hid myself for fun and happened to overhear it.”
It seemed the Spy Maid had truly made espionage her hobby. Without me even asking, she brought me such delightful information. Piyak, who had been doing wing exercises by the window, suddenly flew over and added his own comment.
【The Spy Maid and I went together and eavesdropped! Kiana apparently looks so meek and innocent! Ahahahahaha! So that Gisel girl said she’d try to make you cry, ahahahahaha!】
“Wow, unbelievable…”
I brought my trembling hand to my lips. And I murmured with genuine emotion.
“I think I succeeded…”
Back in the Capital, no one would have dared to say they’d try to make me cry. Because everyone had witnessed me extracting Melissa’s soul before.
“So I really did look like a delicate flower raised in a greenhouse with no hardships… How remarkable.”
I was so delighted that I grabbed Piyak’s wing and smiled broadly. I couldn’t contain the surging joy. Piyak giggled along and spoke with shared happiness.
【Kiana, you’re really that happy people are talking behind your back about being the youngest princess who’s never suffered? You like it way more than I expected?】
“Huh? No?”
【…What?】
“I did want to appear that way. But I never told them to talk behind my back and defy me from day one. Who are they to judge who I like or dislike?”
I wiped the smile from my face and blinked as I spoke.
“It’s their freedom to curse me behind my back, so I don’t care about that. But if they actually try to make me cry, I won’t just sit back and take it.”
【Then why were you so happy just now? You seemed to really like it?】
“That was because my hypothesis was tested and proven far more quickly than expected.”
I cheerfully explained the research methodology I had hastily devised last night.
“Problem statement: Can I transform my image in front of people I’m meeting for the first time?”
【…】
“Hypothesis: It should be possible if I just keep my mouth shut and smile.”
【…】
“Testing and verification: This morning…”
Piyak quietly withdrew the wing he had been holding my hand with and interrupted my explanation.
【I hope magical engineering fails.】
* * *
“Did you rest well last night?”
As soon as I stepped out, Edmund greeted me with a gentle smile. I told my beloved, who was inquiring about my well-being from the previous night, that I had slept soundly.
“Yes. It was the first time in a long while that no one touched me, so I could sleep deeply.”
Throughout the journey, someone kept touching me at every opportunity, which had made my nights exhausting. Edmund laughed without showing any surprise at my words.
“Are you certain I didn’t touch you?”
“Huh? You said you were catching up with your old colleagues…”
“That was only for a moment.”
Edmund traced his finger lightly across the soft inner side of my arm. There, in a place I hadn’t noticed, was a small reddish mark.
“You were sleeping so peacefully that I only touched you carefully so as not to wake you.”
“…Wow.”
“You skipped breakfast, didn’t you? Let’s go have lunch right away.”
“I’m not hungry… I’d prefer just a simple cup of coffee.”
“That won’t do.”
Her refusal was delivered with a gentle tone, yet it was remarkably firm.
“The Palace Garden is quite worth seeing. We could enjoy some sunlight and have a meal there.”
“Too much sunlight will darken my complexion.”
“That concern hardly applies to someone like the Princess, who avoids even the slightest bit of sunlight.”
“Now that I think about it, I suppose I’d rather go inside and rest for a while.”
“Are you truly suggesting to me, right here, that you wish to lie down while avoiding others’ gazes?”
He laughed as if amused.
“Do you have any idea what might happen to you, given how much desire I’ve accumulated since last night?”
“…Yes. I’ll have my meal outside in the sunlight instead…”
Before I knew it, he had linked his arm through mine. Walking beside someone so much larger than myself, I felt almost as though I were being escorted away.
“And from now on, I’d prefer you not adorn yourself quite so beautifully.”
“Ah, is it because all the men on the street might suddenly become enamored with me?”
“And you’re saying such things here, so brazenly… Hmm…”
It was just as we emerged from the building, conversing pleasantly with one another.
“Oh.”
We encountered a Stranger before the Castle Gate.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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