The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 12

I reflexively turned my head and froze in place.

“I asked what you’re doing here.”

Demian stood at the entrance to the annex, glaring at me with a hostile expression.

How long had he been there?

Cold sweat ran down my back.

I hastily hid my bandaged arm behind me and turned around.

“It’s nothing important.”

“Your Imperial Highness being here is quite important. The guest rooms are in the main building, not the annex.”

His sharp tone, making no effort to hide his hostility, pierced my ears.

The tension that arose made my previous contemplation seem meaningless.

I had tried so hard not to run into him, yet here we were meeting like this.

The fact that the sole heir of House of Carter, Duke hated the princess was openly known throughout the Empire.

Even at the moment he was finally driven out of the Empire under my command, Demian had cursed the Imperial Family.

‘Back then I thought I had won.’

But in the end, I was the one who lost.

At that moment, Demian cast his gaze over my shoulder. Simultaneously, the boy’s face contorted with rage.

“Don’t misunderstand. I came here just…”

Before I could finish speaking, Demian strode across the corridor and roughly grabbed my arm.

It was the bandaged one, of all things.

The flesh beneath the bandage was crushed, and dizzying pain washed over me.

“Ugh…!”

“Where did you go in? How dare you, do you know what that place is?”

Demian’s green eyes glinted menacingly.

I desperately tried to shake off his hand. But Demian didn’t budge.

‘Why is he so strong!’

I gritted my teeth and twisted my wrist.

It hurt. It felt like the wound was reopening.

I was barely managing to twist my wrist when—

“To think that Her Noble Imperial Highness would now personally scurry around the Duke’s Mansion like a little rat.”

With a mocking tone, Demian released my arm with a sharp motion.

I hastily clutched my arm.

It throbbed. There might be more bleeding.

But I couldn’t show it.

“That room is not a place someone like you can set foot in.”

“…I didn’t enter on purpose.”

“Of course you’d say that. When has Her Noble Imperial Highness ever done anything intentionally?”

He sneered openly.

‘Endure it. Nothing good will come from talking back here.’

If this were my days as princess, I would have had dozens of ways to silence that mouth.

But now I was living off the charity of the Duke’s Mansion.

Barely finding words to respond, I answered in a small voice.

“I was just looking for the apothecary. And I’m a guest your father permitted.”

“Ah, a guest.”

Demian lowered his head and chuckled.

“Since we’re on the subject, let me make something clear.”

He bent down to meet my eye level.

A threatening low voice flowed out.

“Your Imperial Highness, whatever scheme you’re plotting, you’d better conduct yourself well. I won’t willingly let myself be deceived by you like my father does.”

I kept my mouth firmly shut and met Demian’s glinting eyes directly.

Murderous intent rippled through them, as if he wanted to cut down the princess standing before him right now.

“Never again come near my younger sibling’s room.”

His words pierced my ears like a well-sharpened blade.

“It’s not a place that someone of the filthy, cunning Imperial Family bloodline can set foot in. Do you understand?”

I swallowed dry saliva.

My throat bobbed.

Perhaps Demian hated the Imperial Court even more than Carlos did.

‘He said “my younger sibling’s room.”‘

Those words strangely caught in my chest.

Younger sibling.

There was once a time when I was this boy’s younger sibling.

But to him now, I was nothing more than the daughter of the enemy who took his sibling away.

“Leave quickly. Before I become even more suspicious of you.”

Demian glared at me and took a step back.

His look clearly said to get lost.

After staring at him for a moment, I obediently began to walk away.

‘I should avoid running into him for a while.’

My arm hidden beneath the long sleeves throbbed.

In the end, I couldn’t even apply the medicine.

* * *

Ever since encountering Demian, I had been holed up in my room like a dead mouse.

Apart from being scared, it felt awkward to face him.

Before my regression, I don’t know how much my blood pressure rose every time I encountered that man. Sarcasm would pour out whenever he opened his mouth, and he had a talent for getting on my nerves even when he stayed quiet.

However, back then I had thoroughly recognized Demian as an enemy, and now it was different. I couldn’t even begin to figure out how to respond to Demian’s sharply honed words.

The only time I came out was when preparing lunch. I carefully made my way to the kitchen every meal to cook food with Mia that we would deliver to Carlos.

All of it was food made with ingredients good for detoxifying magi.

At first I was clumsy, but now I had gotten quite used to it. Though Mia did most of the work.

Still, what was fortunate was that Carlos accepted my food obediently each time, even while making subtle faces.

I thought that alone was fortunate.

Today, as usual, I knocked on the study door.

“I’m coming in.”

When I opened the door and entered, Carlos was looking at documents as usual. There was no particular reaction even when I set down the tray. He seemed to have gotten used to it in his own way too.

I set the tray down on one side of the desk.

“Today it’s detox juice made with carrots and kale, and sandwiches.”

Detox juice that helped manage magi and sandwiches with herbs.

It was a recipe Mia and I had chosen together.

There was no answer.

It was a familiar reaction.

I was about to quietly arrange the tray and withdraw.

Suddenly Carlos raised his head and spoke.

“Demian will accompany you to the West, Princess.”

“Pardon?”

What did he say?

I paused and looked at Carlos.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Didn’t the Princess request an escort first?”

Carlos answered matter-of-factly as if asking what I was questioning.

Wait.

I certainly did request transportation and an escort to accompany me to the West.

But for that to be Demian.

What I meant was a few suitable knights.

‘Even if it’s surveillance personnel disguised as escorts, does he want me to suffocate to death before even reaching the West?’

My mouth fell open.

“But… isn’t the Grand Duke’s son still a minor too?”

“Is that a problem?”

“That’s not what I mean…”

What should I say?

I couldn’t say I disliked Demian.

But if I meekly agreed, the upcoming journey flashed before my eyes.

While I was looking for words to respond, the study door opened behind me.

“Did you call for me, Father?”

It was Demian who entered.

His gaze met mine. His expression became thoroughly cold.

“What are you looking at?”

It seemed like I was doomed.

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