The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 2

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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 2

“Everyone out.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

At the brief command, the maids surrounding me withdrew in unison.

I barely managed to suppress a hollow laugh that was about to burst out.

Most of them were the ones who had been immersed in joy and let out exclamations of delight when I received my death sentence.

And yet here they were, acting respectfully again.

‘How ridiculous.’

In the now quiet room, after being lost in thought for a while, I picked up an eyebrow razor from the vanity.

After hesitating briefly, I made a shallow cut on one arm.

“Ugh.”

Along with sharp pain, bright red blood beaded up drop by drop, taking on a mysterious glow as it flowed down.

‘My ability is… sufficient too.’

Thirteen years old, the age when I was receiving the Emperor’s utmost favor.

A time when I could process hundreds of purification stones with just a few drops of blood.

I had been intoxicated by the sweet delusion that this Imperial Court, and furthermore this empire, was beneath my feet.

‘I need to leave.’

If it were my foolish past self, perhaps not.

But now that I had realized the truth, I couldn’t stay like this.

It was the moment I hastily rose from my seat.

Knock knock.

“Your Highness, have you finished preparing?”

My body instinctively froze at the voice from outside the door.

It was the voice of Edgar, the steward of the Sun Palace.

“His Majesty is waiting.”

After standing frozen in place for several seconds, I naturally straightened my body and adjusted my clothes.

When I opened the door, Edgar was standing there with his head respectfully bowed.

“…I told you not to rush me.”

“My apologies.”

“Move aside.”

Was this really proof that time had returned? Even though I had only tried to imitate my old way of speaking a little, a naturally cold tone flowed out.

Yes, these were the kind of times it was.

Leaving Edgar hastily bowing his head behind me, I headed to the Emperor’s Retreat.

It was strange.

Just moments ago I had been in the Underground Dungeon, but now I had returned through time and was in the form of a princess again.

Eventually standing before the door, I hesitated for a moment.

It was because the Emperor’s cruel face, laughing like a madman through the iron bars, flickered before my eyes.

‘…Let me calm down. I can’t let him notice that I’m in a different state than usual.’

The perceptive Emperor would quickly notice even if I showed the slightest different behavior. I took a deep breath to compose myself and opened the door.

“Your Majesty, Princess Lorea has come.”

“Oh, you’re here. Princess.”

And incredibly, in the retreat sat the Emperor with a benevolent face.

He extended his arms and welcomed me warmly.

“Sit down. It was good that I had refreshments prepared in advance.”

The fragrance of tea wafted from the table.

It was rosehip tea that I used to enjoy drinking around this time.

I bit my lips tightly as I felt like a hollow laugh would burst out.

‘Right, this was all an act too.’

Come to think of it, there was always a clear reason for the days when the Emperor around this time acted particularly affectionate.

As soon as I sat on the sofa, he smiled.

“We need to replenish the purification stones.”

There it was.

Without fail, it was about the purification stones.

“Has it already come to that?”

“Grand Duke Carter had his son buy up another enormous amount of purification stones.”

The Emperor crossed his legs and clicked his tongue.

“Seeing how the amount of purification stones the Grand Duke’s family purchases keeps increasing, it seems the Grand Duke’s rampage is unfortunately getting worse.”

Tsk tsk, there wasn’t even a hint of regret in his tongue-clicking.

“Uncontrollable magic power is poison indeed…”

Now that the continent’s magical energy was unstable, strong magic power gnawed at people’s minds.

There was only one means to free them from their suffering, even temporarily.

The purification stones monopolized by the Imperial Court.

This was the reason the Emperor could wield such powerful imperial authority.

I stared at him blankly, then came to my senses and smiled coquettishly.

“Your Majesty, really, thanks to that the Imperial Court can control dangerous elements, so isn’t it a good thing?”

“Yes, that’s right. My princess is truly clever. Since you’re playing such a big role, how could I not be proud.”

The Emperor smiled with a satisfied expression.

“It seems it’s about time to readjust the purified stone quantities again.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I can do it well.”

In truth, while living as a princess, I had never properly faced Duke Carter. He rarely showed his face even at official events, let alone in social circles.

I had only learned that he inherited Imperial blood, possessed magic powerful enough to threaten the Imperial Court, and was therefore someone who had to be suppressed at all costs.

‘To think I’m that man’s daughter…’

Could such a farce really exist.

I lowered my head and let out a bitter laugh.

“You’ll have to work hard again this time. I’ll call my chief administrator, so let’s proceed with the blood drawing…”

“Your Majesty.”

“What’s the problem, Princess?”

“I don’t want to do it today.”

I spoke with a deliberately innocent smile.

The Emperor’s face instantly hardened.

But soon he gazed at me with a gentle smile.

It was such a brief moment that I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t seen his true face before my regression.

“You don’t want to? What do you mean by that?”

“I’m not in a very good mood today. If I meet with the administrator on a day like this, I feel like it would ruin my whole day.”

I swung my feet that didn’t reach the ground and let out a deep sigh.

“Your Majesty knows well, don’t you? I’m quite sensitive.”

“…Is that so? Why might our princess be in a poor mood? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is making you uncomfortable?”

“Really, Your Majesty, who in the Imperial Palace would dare make me uncomfortable?”

“Then would your mood improve if I personally gave you jewels from the treasury? Shall I call the Empire’s finest tailor? There are plenty of jewelers in the capital, should I summon them all?”

At his tone as if handling a beloved child, I nearly let out a sneer.

Yes, there was a time like this too.

A time when I firmly believed I was an indispensable existence to this bastard.

But thinking about it, no matter how much purified stones were needed, how many times could he request blood drawing from his beloved child who was only thirteen years old.

I calmly shook my head from side to side.

“Hmm, no. I just want to rest for a few days.”

At my firm refusal, the Emperor’s mouth slowly closed.

A cold silence instantly filled the lounge.

I pretended not to notice and looked at him with bright, innocent eyes.

Eventually, the Emperor leaned back slowly against his chair with a deflated expression.

“…Well, if that’s what the princess wants, then so be it.”

He muttered in a displeased tone.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I knew you would understand.”

“Your whims are impossible to follow.”

“I’ll be fine after resting for a few days. You know me.”

“…Still, you mustn’t drag it out too long. My people need purified stones.”

“Of course.”

Lies.

As if he cared about the people at all.

I smiled sweetly while sneering inwardly.

“I’ll call the chief administrator myself in a few days for the blood drawing.”

“Very well.”

I stood up from my seat and curtsied modestly, lifting my skirt.

“The tea was delicious. Then I shall take my leave.”

“Go ahead.”

Click.

The lounge door closed.

I erased the smile I had been wearing and released my grip on my skirt with a soft thud.

After gauging what lay beyond the door for a moment, I eventually crossed the corridor with an expressionless face.

There was nothing left to offer the Imperial Court.

Nothing at all.

* * *

From that night, suffocating heavy rain began to fall.

I carefully slipped out of the Imperial Palace while everyone was asleep.

‘First, let’s go to House of Carter, Duke.’

That was what I thought of as soon as I realized I had regressed.

Going to find my real father.

Duke Carter’s Domain was beyond the Capital City Wall. It was a distance that required changing carriages twice over two days and walking for a full four hours on drizzling rain-soaked roads.

Though I had occasionally snuck out of the Imperial Palace under the pretense of outings, traveling for a full two days was a first.

Perhaps because of this, my stamina noticeably declined as we approached the Duke’s domain.

My body trembled violently, and whether it was due to the rain that had been falling for days or the pitch-black darkness, at some point even taking a step became difficult.

‘Was it too much for a thirteen-year-old body after all?’

Finally standing before the Duke’s Mansion, I straightened my swaying body.

“Is this the place…”

The Duke’s Mansion had a scale as grand as the Imperial Palace, but at the same time, an ominous atmosphere incomparable to the Imperial Palace hung around it.

Moreover, there wasn’t even strict security, let alone a single person guarding the front.

‘Even if no one visits, this is complete neglect.’

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a ruined house.

I carefully crossed the garden.

Finally reaching the front of the Main Building, I opened the heavy door and barely managed to step inside.

Shing.

Something cold touched my neck, and a low voice poured down from above my head.

“How strange. I don’t recall inviting a rat from the Imperial Court.”

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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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