A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 166

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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 5
‘Huh?’
Black hair similar to Edmund’s, golden eyes like his, and at first glance, orange eyes that seemed somewhat alike. Though considerably shorter than Edmund, the young man had a cat-like face with a sharp, displeased expression.
…Was he a young man? His features were quite youthful, but looking closer, he seemed more like a youth.
‘What.’
Those slightly upturned eyes and the clearly displeased expression… oddly resembled Edmund’s in some way.
‘…Why is he so cute?’
The same black hair and similar eye color—anyone would think they were real brothers. As I blinked for a moment, Edmund smiled faintly and spoke.
“It’s been a while, Fernando.”
Ah. So this youth-or-young-man was Fernando. I’d heard he was approaching adulthood soon, and now that I looked at him, he seemed exactly that age.
“….”
Yet no matter how casually Edmund treated him, his gaze remained sharp. Considering Edmund was the Crown Prince, it was excessively disrespectful.
Staring like that must hurt his eyes. Feeling oddly concerned, I spoke to him kindly first.
“No matter how many days you glare, there’s no physical damage. Your eyes will just get dry, Young Duke.”
Fernando gasped and stared at me intently. The boy, who resembled Edmund, was cute enough that I greeted him with genuine warmth.
“I’m Kiana Prelai. It’s nice to meet you—you don’t seem like a stranger at all.”
Fernando breathed roughly for a moment, then stammered his reply.
“F-F-Fernando… Levin. D-Do you perhaps know me…?”
“Ah. Of course not. I’m seeing you for the first time.”
“F-F-First…time?”
“Yes.”
Watching Fernando’s expression darken further, I conveyed my sincere feelings warmly.
“I was just being friendly because you remind me of my younger self—someone who couldn’t help but harbor pointless hostility and ended up looking foolish in front of others.”
At my words, Edmund made a stifled laughing sound and gripped my arm more tightly. Fernando snorted, then suddenly cried out with a pitiful expression.
“I’m not a child!”
And he rushed between Edmund and me.
“…Huh?”
Worried he might collide with me, Edmund quickly released my arm, and Fernando squeezed through the space between us, then dashed away with rapid footsteps.
I stood there bewildered, watching his retreating figure, then tilted my head and murmured.
“Perhaps comparing him to my childhood was a bit harsh when he’s approaching adulthood soon? Actually, I didn’t call him a child—he just made quite a leap in interpretation. He must have been very upset, acting like a child…”
“Only a child gets angry at being called a child. He’s exactly that—a child.”
Edmund chuckled leisurely and added with a question.
“Quite cute, wouldn’t you say?”
“Ah, yes. Well, at least in appearance.”
“To be honest, after growing so tired of types like Rodrigo and Hitten… he seemed quite endearing.”
Indeed, from Edmund’s perspective, Fernando might feel far more comfortable than those who smiled to his face while stabbing him in the back. Looking at him, he seemed utterly incompetent, yet displayed nothing but wariness like a kitten, which was rather amusing.
“And young, at that.”
Edmund, as if unbothered, wrapped his arm around my shoulders again and spoke with ease. I shrugged and asked.
“Young? There’s only a three-year age difference.”
By that logic, Joshua and I had a four-year difference, yet I’d never once thought I was mentally younger than him.
Now that I thought about it, if Joshua treated me that way, I would have been genuinely furious. Suddenly considering things from someone else’s perspective, I felt newly apologetic toward Fernando.
I’d only heard secondhand rumors and assumed he was Edmund’s wretched rival, but seeing how adorably fluffy he looked, I’d reflexively treated him as younger than he actually was.
And what’s more… he looked far too similar to Edmund. The young Sezare Levin I’d never seen probably looked exactly like him.
“Three years is quite young, after all.”
Edmund spoke casually, yet his face carried the serene composure of an elderly sage who had transcended worldly concerns.
“He must be struggling greatly right now, constantly comparing himself to Sezare Levin. I feel unintentionally sorry about many things… Perhaps that’s why I find myself wanting to be lenient with whatever he does.”
“Wow…”
I gazed up at Edmund’s sculpted face with genuine admiration. I felt anew just how magnanimous his character truly was.
“You seemed really mature just now.”
“Did I?”
Yes. I was actually scheming about how to deal with some petty baroness’s daughter who said she wouldn’t leave me alone… but you, despite being the Crown Prince, show such generosity toward a small boy. That’s impressive.”
“Hmm, I don’t need anything else… does this earn me points with you?”
“Of course. The Prelai Family doesn’t have any characters with such compassion and magnanimity. They’re all just petty.”
“How fortunate. Then I’ll have to continue being generous with Fernando.”
Edmund gently kissed my cheek as he spoke, and without forgetting, he asked.
“By the way, who is this baroness’s daughter? Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle it myself.”
“Oh, no.”
I shook my head and answered immediately.
“I have a hypothesis I want to test further. This is an experimental environment I couldn’t create in the Capital, so let me handle it.”
“Hmm?”
“Ah, but I do have one request. Ed, I need you to act a certain way from now on.”
I rose on my tiptoes and whispered something to him, and Edmund’s face immediately showed reluctance. So I ended up pleading with him, acknowledging his displeasure but asking him to grant my request for the sake of our relationship.
“Fulfill your duties and cooperate smoothly with the experiment, assistant. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Edmund finally sighed and nodded.
“…Yes.”
* * *
Everything is orderly and peaceful now, but just a few years ago, the Levin Domain was a place where daily life meant constant battles due to barbarian raids.
The barbarians made no distinction between commoners and nobility. The commoners had no trust in nobles who couldn’t protect them. Therefore, the nobles of the Levin Domain trained their bodies rigorously from childhood.
Gisel Iloa was no exception. With her exceptional physical abilities evident from a young age, she had made great contributions fighting alongside Sezare when he subjugated the barbarians. And even now, freed from barbarian attacks, she took the initiative in Castle Town affairs by utilizing her abilities.
“Come on, tear it out with effort! Hold it! Once decay starts, we need to replace it quickly!”
Gisel shouted as she personally tore at the wooden underside of the Victory Memorial Hall’s roof. The servants below kept insisting they would do it, but she wouldn’t listen.
“That’s enough. This is work for someone strong. You’re all weaker than me! This is something I do every year after the rainy season—why are you being so fussy about it?”
The Victory Memorial Hall in the Castle Town was a wooden structure built in the style of the Levin Domain’s indigenous traditions. But every year after the rainy season, water would accumulate under the roof and rot, requiring removal.
…She had learned this way of taking initiative and stepping forward where her abilities were needed from Sezare. No, not Sezare Levin anymore. He was now Edmund Tailyes, the noble Crown Prince who would become the master of this Empire.
Gisel’s eyes dimmed.
What had been the nature of her feelings for Sezare Levin? It was closer to reverence than romantic affection. A person with remarkable abilities who always carried an ease and languor about him. Despite being her contemporary, he always seemed like a profound adult.
Sharpness, eeriness, coldness, oppressiveness… only such words suited that man, yet the occasional glimpses of his composure were captivating. A man who never grew impatient in any situation, never clung to any matter, and never lost himself before anyone.
‘Especially how he generously accepted everything even when Fernando whined incessantly.’
That was something Fernando himself acknowledged. Even when he acted foolishly, being understood completely while maintaining boundaries seemed impressive.
‘How could he act so composedly in a situation where he might lose what was his?’
Though he displayed an attitude of equanimity toward all matters, he advanced toward his goals without hesitation—a man of such vast capacity that she had never encountered his like anywhere else.
‘But why is Fernando like that? He clearly promised the Crown Prince they would get along well from now on, yet ever since he saw the engagement invitation last time, he’s been openly showing his displeasure whenever he even hears his name.’
Moreover, he had apparently rushed out rudely after encountering Edmund and Kiana earlier. Gisel, watching from the rooftop from a distance, saw Fernando roughly wiping his eyes with his arm, which made it seem like he had been crying a little.
‘Does he hate him so much that he cries the moment they meet? No, he’s almost an adult now, not a child….’
While Gisel was groaning and lost in thought, working diligently, it happened.

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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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