The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 42

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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 42

 

[Ducal Territory Extraterritorial Special Provision Article 7]

 

[If an outsider staying within the ducal territory remains for more than 14 days without the explicit permission of the lord, the lord may render a judgment of ‘illegal residence’ against said individual.]

 

[However, this does not apply when the lord has officially permitted the visit.]

 

‘This is it.’

 

Carlos had never granted permission. If he had sent a reply to the letter that arrived from the Imperial Court, it might have been different, but his attitude when the envoy arrived—not even offering a welcoming greeting—was clearly far from ‘permission.’

 

“What is it, did you find something?”

 

Demian peered over from beside me.

 

I clutched the book tightly to my chest.

 

“Yes, I found it.”

 

A laugh escaped me.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, I went out for a garden stroll for the first time in a while.

 

The weather was lovely. The sunlight was warm, and a pleasant breeze was blowing. It felt like the tension that had built up over the past few days was gradually melting away.

 

That’s when I heard a familiar voice from behind.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

I saw the envoy bowing his head toward me.

 

‘Right, there’s no way he’d just pass by after seeing me.’

 

I sighed inwardly but didn’t show it.

 

If this had been a few days ago, I would have avoided him. I wouldn’t have even wanted to make eye contact. But now it was different.

 

‘There’s no particular reason to avoid him.’

 

I stopped walking and faced the envoy. Then I smiled, crinkling my eyes.

 

“You there, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you, hasn’t it?”

 

The envoy seemed slightly surprised.

 

I suppose he found it unexpected that I wasn’t avoiding him. He must know how much I’d been dodging him all this time.

 

“Were you taking a walk?”

 

“Yes, as you can see. The weather’s nice, isn’t it?”

 

Trivial pleasantries were exchanged.

 

The envoy approached to walk beside me. It seemed he meant for us to walk together.

 

‘How shameless of him.’

 

But I didn’t refuse. There was no reason to refuse.

 

We walked slowly through the garden.

 

After a moment of silence, the envoy spoke.

 

“Your Highness, please stop this wandering and return now.”

 

“Wandering?”

 

I looked at him with a genuinely puzzled expression and tilted my head.

 

The envoy turned to look at me and raised his eyebrows.

 

“It’s been well over a month since you left the Imperial Palace to stay here. His Majesty is deeply grieved.”

 

Grieved, my foot. He’s probably anxious because the purification stones are running low.

 

Since it had been a month since my private audience with the Emperor, the stockpiled purification stones would be running out soon. There would be more than enough for use within the Imperial Palace, but nowhere near sufficient to sell to the people.

 

Of course, there would be substitutes, but they wouldn’t be as pure as the purification stones made with my blood.

 

“Does His Majesty miss me that much?”

 

I spoke in a deliberately coquettish tone.

 

I could see the envoy’s eyelids trembling slightly.

 

“…Isn’t that natural? You know well that His Majesty is particularly fond of you, Your Highness.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“He’s already someone who worries deeply about Your Highness’s health, so how worried must he be about his daughter wandering outside?”

 

“Right, his daughter…”

 

I let out a small laugh.

 

How strange that the word ‘daughter’ should feel so odd.

 

“But that’s strange. Last time, he sent the First Prince to bring me back, didn’t he? Even knowing how uncomfortable the Prince makes me.”

 

“That was because His Highness the Prince is skilled at tracking…”

 

“Ah, so you weren’t looking for me but tracking me?”

 

At my cheeky question, the envoy’s mouth stiffened.

 

I’d hit the mark.

 

I continued speaking while innocently gazing at the flowers.

 

“It’s really wonderful here. The air is clean, and the garden is beautiful. I never had time for such leisurely walks at the Imperial Palace.”

 

“Your Highness, however…”

 

“The food is delicious too. The head maid here has incredible skills. I think she might be better than the Imperial Palace chefs.”

 

“…”

 

“Oh, this is a secret from His Majesty. We wouldn’t want to hurt his feelings unnecessarily.”

 

I smiled cheekily.

 

The envoy’s brow twitched. His face couldn’t quite hide his displeasure.

 

Only then did I clearly remember this bastard’s face. During the moment before my regression when I was abandoned by the Emperor, he was the one whispering cunning words from the closest distance. Someone from the First Prince’s faction who had never approved of my half-blood status from the beginning.

 

“I’m planning to stay here for a while longer.”

 

I stopped walking and looked directly at the envoy.

 

“The Grand Duke kindly said I could stay. It wouldn’t be polite to refuse, would it?”

 

“But.”

 

“I’ll write to His Majesty myself. ‘This place is so comfortable that I’ll stay a bit longer.’ How’s that, sounds good?”

 

“….”

 

The envoy couldn’t say anything.

 

His face showed he was at a loss for words.

 

‘I had this much nerve even when I was at the Imperial Palace.’

 

The old Lorea, the real Lorea, was this kind of child. Fearless, confident, a tomboy princess who didn’t read the room and said whatever she wanted.

 

Of course, she was hated because of that personality.

 

But now that actually helped. Instead of making an enemy of the Emperor, I could just act like ‘this is how she originally was.’

 

“Have a good day, sir.”

 

I gave a light greeting and turned around.

 

I could feel the envoy’s gaze on my back, but I didn’t care.

 

Several days later.

 

The 14th day dawned.

 

The envoy was summoned.

 

His face showed he still didn’t understand the situation. He sat down with an expression wondering what was going on.

 

Carlos sat across from him. I sat next to Carlos, and Demian stood by the door.

 

The envoy spoke first.

 

“Are you finally giving me a satisfactory answer?”

 

“You could say that.”

 

Carlos placed a document on the table with an indifferent expression.

 

“What is this?”

 

“You’ll know if you read it.”

 

The envoy picked up the document and began reading. Before long, his expression gradually hardened.

 

“This is….”

 

“Fourteen days have passed.”

 

Carlos spoke calmly.

 

“You have stayed in this territory for more than 14 days without my permission. According to the extraterritorial clause, this constitutes illegal residence. Even Imperial personnel can be forcibly expelled without exception.”

 

The envoy’s expression became completely distorted.

 

“G-Grand Duke! This is…!”

 

“Have I ever once permitted or welcomed your visit?”

 

Carlos smiled coldly. Meanwhile, the envoy couldn’t hide his flushed face.

 

“This clause is over a thousand years old. To bring up such an ancient clause…!”

 

“Are you saying you want to disregard the Empire’s ancient constitution? I recall it’s still a valid law that has never been abolished.”

 

The envoy, who had been glaring at Carlos in disbelief, suddenly stood up.

 

“His Majesty will not let this stand!”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Carlos calmly picked up his teacup.

 

“Tell His Majesty this: next time, choose your envoys more carefully.”

 

The envoy gritted his teeth. But he couldn’t argue back. The law was written that way. No matter if he was the Emperor’s envoy, he was the one who had broken the law.

 

“Demian.”

 

Carlos called his son.

 

“Please see our guest out.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Demian opened the door.

 

Then he smiled smugly and said.

 

“This way, please. I’ll kindly escort you to the main gate.”

 

The way he emphasized ‘kindly’ was completely sarcastic.

 

The envoy looked back and forth between me, Carlos, and Demian, then left the reception room trembling with rage.

 

Bang!

 

The door closed with a dull sound.

 

And only then did I burst into the laughter I had been holding back. Though it was just for a moment.

 

“You look quite satisfied.”

 

“He’s not someone I particularly like. I had many personal grievances with him.”

 

“Is there anyone the Princess does like?”

 

A sarcastic response came right back.

 

At any other time, I would have narrowed my eyes and glared at him, but right now I was in such a good mood that I could easily let that much slide.

 

Around that time, the faint sound of a carriage departing could be heard through the window.

 

Before long, Demian returned to the reception room.

 

“I’ve seen him off.”

 

“Good work.”

 

Carlos nodded.

 

Demian plopped down next to me.

 

“His face was quite a sight. He looked like he was going to die of frustration.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. He kept looking back even while getting in the carriage, I thought his eyes were going to shoot fire.”

 

“…That’s good to hear.”

 

A small laugh escaped me.

 

It felt good that we had gotten one over on that snake-like man, but there was something that made me feel even better.

 

‘It felt like family.’

 

That thought suddenly occurred to me.

 

The fact that Carlos and Demian had taken my side in front of others.

 

Of course, I knew it wasn’t born from affection or emotional bonds. Carlos and I had made a deal, and he simply fulfilled his duty to protect me because he was obligated to do so.

 

Still, I couldn’t help but feel my heart racing.

 

It was because I was feeling the sensation of having ‘someone on my side’ for the first time in my life.

 

I pressed my small hand firmly against my chest.

 

I could feel my heart pounding for a long time.

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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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