The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 200

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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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Part 2, Episode 70
* * *
When Arma stepped outside, a carriage provided by the Emperor was already waiting—summoned at some point without his knowledge.
The Coachman emerged with his hair tousled from being yanked awake in the dead of night, pressing it down beneath his cap.
He bowed deeply at the waist and began driving with the two of them aboard.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence pooled between them.
In that silence, Arma could not speak a word, only his fingers fidgeting relentlessly.
He’d been caught.
If one asked what had been caught, the honest answer would be: everything.
‘How could she not have heard me arrive…….’
He’d naturally expected to hear the sound of the door opening or footsteps when he returned, but nothing had warned her.
“Al.”
“Yes.”
Rozelin called out softly to Al.
Al answered in his usual calm manner.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence fell again.
It was terribly awkward silence.
Arma watched for signs but didn’t dare speak first.
“Al.”
“Yes.”
“Arma.”
“……Yes.”
He’d hoped she hadn’t heard, but her quiet interrogation—delivered without a single slip—was quite frightening.
“Arma.”
“……Yes.”
“Arma.”
“……Mm?”
Wondering why she kept calling him, he turned his head slightly—and found Rozelin staring at him intently.
“You’re Arma?”
“Yes…….”
At his answer, she grew quiet once more.
“……Were you a Beastkin?”
At the unexpected question, Arma nearly laughed aloud but barely held it back.
“No, this is just a body I happened to borrow.”
Arma spoke carefully, gauging her reaction.
Rozelin sat motionless, her expression unreadable.
“……You’re our house’s Wolf?”
“…….”
A Beastkin, a Wolf, black fur and blue eyes.
Once those pieces aligned, it became strange not to recognize the connection.
“……Yes.”
Rozelin watched as Arma forced the answer through a throat that felt impossibly tight, and she closed her mouth again.
“So you’re our house’s Wolf.”
“Yes.”
“And that Wolf is actually Al?”
“……Yes.”
“And Al is Arma?”
“……Yes.”
Thanks to his perceptive betrothed, he could only manage “yes” in response. As if there were nothing left to explain.
From the start, there was no excuse—ten mouths wouldn’t have helped him.
“No wonder he understood my words so well…….”
Rozelin murmured quietly to herself, as if her voice had abandoned her, and let out a hollow laugh—thinking herself stupid for not having noticed sooner.
Every time Rozelin did that, Arma’s body gave a visible flinch.
“I twisted that chicken’s neck for nothing.”
“…….”
“Though I did think he ate human food rather well…….”
“…….”
“Even eating feed, how impressive.”
At Rozelin’s words, Arma’s head bowed lower and lower.
His earlobes flushed, then the nape of his neck, and soon his entire face began to bloom crimson as if it might burst.
“Are you… mad……?”
“Speak naturally. You’ve been doing it this whole time anyway.”
When she added that using formal speech with that face would only make things more awkward, Arma shrank into himself once more.
“How did you end up here?”
“……I made a contract.”
“With whom?”
“……With Marquis Wilbred.”
Sensing that Rozelin already knew Garren Wilbred’s true identity, Arma answered honestly.
“I see—Garren Wilbred knew about this too?”
“…….”
By now he’d lost all conscience to answer, so he simply nodded slowly.
Arma felt Rozelin’s sideways glance on him and fought down the sigh that threatened to escape. She wasn’t sighing—how could he dare to?
“So the two of you conspired to deceive me.”
“No, we didn’t exactly plan it—it just sort of happened…….”
Rozelin’s eyes rolled.
Just what had she done to the Wolf, and how often?
Whenever she felt bored, she’d climbed onto his back, stroked him, kneaded his tail, touched his soft paw pads, kneaded them again, embraced him, confided sad things, fallen asleep in his arms…….
And undressed so carelessly right in front of him…….
When she touched him, his tail wagged.
His hindquarters writhed, and he crunched his feed with vigor.
‘Oh, I’m dizzy.’
Rozelin couldn’t fathom how to manage this total catastrophe, so she finally released the sigh she’d been holding back.
“Why did you come?”
“……I was worried about you.”
“Ah, so it was you who processed the documents and cleaned my room for me.”
“…….”
“What about the other side?”
“When I fall asleep, I cross over to that side. I handle all the work waiting there, sleep again, and come back here…….”
Yes, that would be it.
Rozelin let out a dry laugh.
“……I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. Except for the part where I embraced you, kneaded you, stroked you, climbed on top of you, slept beside you, and gave you generous portions of feed.”
So every bit of it was a problem, then.
Arma discerned the essence of what she’d spat out with practiced ease…….
And said nothing.
Any attempt at excuse risked turning a small scratch into a festering wound.
“Arma.”
“Yes?”
“You don’t have to stay in wolf form anymore.”
At Rozelin’s words, Arma’s eyes widened, and he rubbed the nape of his neck. There was so much he had no words for.
“I’m grateful for that……, but Rose. I didn’t mean any harm.”
“I know.”
It was a relief that she understood, though for some reason his chest still felt unsettled.
“Arma.”
“What?”
“You’re banned from my room now. Sorry, but don’t let me see your face for a while.”
“Huh……?”
Rozelin couldn’t suppress the embarrassment of the memories flooding back, and so she declared it.
Arma, whose mouth had been hanging open, froze like a statue in that exact pose.
Soon the carriage came to a halt, and the two of them descended.
Rozelin opened the entrance quietly and stepped in, then stopped at the sight of a figure standing motionless before the foyer.
As she lifted the head she’d been bowing, Garren Wilbred gazed down at her with a smile both gentle and unsettling.
This time it was Rozelin who froze like a statue.
* * *
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?”
“I’m sorry…….”
Since I had no memory of ever speaking formally to Garren Wilbred, I opened my mouth to apologize, only to find the words dying before they could take shape.
The moment Arma laid eyes on Garren Wilbred, he fled under the pretense that he’d been here too long and his body was in no condition to continue.
‘……The coward.’
I could have caught him if I’d tried, but my conscience wouldn’t allow it. Besides, I had no stomach for facing him myself.
‘……But I’m not the only one who did something wrong here, am I?’
When I thought about it, Garren Wilbred had deceived me too, hadn’t he?
Still, it probably wouldn’t be wise to confront Garren Wilbred about it.
“It’s nearly dawn. Would it be alright if I asked where you’ve been?”
……No, if I pressed him now, it would be a disaster. I was sure of it—he’d talk circles around me without breaking a sweat.
I rolled my eyes about, rubbed the back of my neck, and flashed him a bright smile.
“Acting won’t work on me. You’re transparent as glass, my friend.”
“……I’m not transparent.”
“You are.”
“…….”
Faced with such unflinching certainty, I glared at Garren Wilbred with displeasure before letting out a heavy sigh.
There was nothing for it but to be honest. I’d racked my brain, and no plausible excuse came to mind.
“Well…… I took a trip to the Imperial Capital.”
“The Imperial Capital?”
“Yes, to borrow a Holy Sword. And I wanted to check on the Emperor—see if anything’s the matter. Thought I’d give him some advice about running the country, you know?”
Even as I answered, I stole a glance at his expression across the table.
‘Why do I shrink every time I stand before this man?’
To be honest, it stung my pride.
Garren Wilbred rarely gets angry. But when he does…… well, I genuinely can’t handle it. I learned that the hard way once, from an argument we had.
“A Holy Sword……?”
At that moment, Garren Wilbred, who had been resting his chin on his arm propped on the table, went very still.

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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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