I May Be A Villainess, But I Won't Live My Life That Way - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“This can’t be!”

I threw the book I had in my hand. With a loud noise, the book hit the wall and tumbled to the floor.

“Miss, what’s the matter?”

“Get out!”

“Yes!”

Upon hearing the loud noise from my room, the maid who rushed in closed the door and left, understanding that it was better not to ask.

“Why are there books like this?”

I glared once again at the book that labeled me as the ultimate villainess.

*The Story of the Sprendo Empire*

I thought it was just a simple history book when I picked it up at the bookstore. It wasn’t until today, while leisurely opening the pages with a fragrant cup of tea, that I realized it was not a history book.

Although I usually didn’t read romance genres much, my curiosity was piqued by the fact that the name of the male protagonist was the same as my fiancé, Ricardo. So, I continued reading.

Later on, when a character with the same name as mine appeared, my eyebrows unknowingly raised a bit.

Having the same name as me. Moreover, with the same blonde hair and blue eyes. The character in the book was even a Marquis like me?

“Of course, she must be the female protagonist if she has the same name as me. The woman named Maria who appeared earlier is undoubtedly just a supporting character.”

But it wasn’t.

My name is Bianca Croft.

I am the esteemed, legitimate daughter of the high-ranking Croft Marquis in the Sprendo Empire.

A beauty of the empire with dazzling golden hair, eyes more beautiful than jewels, and lips redder than roses.

However, in that stupid book, I was the villainess ‘Bianca,’ whose throat was cut.

***

“The weather is really nice, isn’t it?”

The man, who had been casually looking out the window, turned his head to look at me in response to my words.

Intense black eyes, as deep as his black hair, stared straight at me. His well-defined nose firmly closed lips, and flawless face left nothing lacking.

It wasn’t just his face. The meticulously sculpted neck, firm shoulders, and chest muscles made any woman in the empire want to embrace him at least once. His long legs accentuated his tall stature even more, and being the acknowledged heir of a prestigious Duke and a skilled inspector only added to his allure.

“I suppose so.”

Even his deep voice was enchanting.

Ricardo Winkaiser, a perfect man in every aspect.

He is my fiancé.

Or rather, the male protagonist of that stupid book I read. I had no intention of disputing that he was the male lead.

Ricardo was perfectly suited to be the protagonist, with a background and character that were impeccable.

And even compared to such a Ricardo, I was not a deficient counterpart. While not reaching the level of a Duke Winkaiser, the Croft Marquis was a distinguished family, and I, too, was a renowned beauty in the empire.

Not only my appearance but also my manners, etiquette, and education made me the perfect female lead.

But… No.

The female lead in that book was opposite to me. She was suddenly revealed as the illegitimate daughter of a Marquis from the countryside, uneducated and uncultivated, making her debut in the capital.

Of course, there was no trace of etiquette or refinement, and she was an uneducated woman who had not taken care of herself properly.

What was her name in the book? Maria, was it?

She was described as pretty and kind in the story, but since I had never seen or heard of her before, I couldn’t accept it.

“I have one question.”

Ignoring the contents of the book I had read, I spoke to Ricardo.

“What is it?”

His slow gesture of putting the teacup to his lips was incredibly elegant as if he were painting a picture.

Since our engagement, he had rarely shown me warmth, but there had been no indication that he disliked or ignored me either. He was simply a silent man, like a calm lake.

Come to think of it, the book was strange in that regard too. It described this restrained Ricardo as an incredibly passionate man.

Moreover, the intimate scenes in the bedroom were so intense that, as an elegant noblewoman, I found them difficult to accept.

But in my pursuit of scholarly inquiry, I had repeated the process of accepting new facts…

“Bianca?”

“Yes?”

“Your face seems a bit flushed. Are you feeling unwell?”

“Oh, no. I just got lost in my thoughts for a moment.”

Unknowingly, my face had turned red as I thought about that intimate scene.

Get a grip, Bianca. Now is not the time for that.

“You said you had a question.”

“….”

In response to Ricardo’s words, I simply closed my mouth. I had no words to apologize for thinking about something else in his presence. Pride prevented me from uttering an apology. I had never apologized to anyone before, as I had never caused trouble for anyone, and it was not something to be taken lightly given my status.

I didn’t want to get used to the unfamiliar act of apologizing.

“I have a question.”

Instead, I casually made the statement I wanted to make.

“If you were to kill someone, under what circumstances would that be?”

“It would be during a war.”

Ricardo replied without hesitation. Despite being only twenty-three years old, he had fought in two wars and returned, establishing himself as a skilled swordsman.

Perhaps I didn’t know, but he must have killed someone. No, there was no doubt about it.

When he returned from the first war, he behaved like a person whose soul had left for a while. After returning from the second war, I knew that his black eyes had become emptier.

“What if it’s not during a war?”

“If it’s not during a war, and I killed someone?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a strange question.”

Ricardo spoke without pause. Despite his young age of twenty-three, he had fought in two wars and returned, establishing himself as a skilled swordsman.

“Why are you suddenly curious about that?”

“….”

I couldn’t answer his question.

‘Because you’re going to kill me.’

That’s what the book said.

Bianca, Ricardo’s former fiancée who loved him too much, couldn’t accept being rejected by him. Because she loved him so much.

Her anger, driven mad by jealousy, was directed at Maria, whom she thought had taken away his love. Because she loved him too much.

Bianca, driven by the desire to regain Ricardo’s love even at the cost of killing Maria, attempts to poison Maria. Because she loved him too much.

Ultimately, Bianca’s actions led to Ricardo cutting her throat.

Bianca died like that, in the hands of the one she loved so much.

“It’s nothing.”

Yeah, let’s not worry about it. Who would play such a cruel prank?

No one who doesn’t know Ricardo and my name would write our names to play such a malicious prank.

Maybe someone who knows well about the empire’s situation and our relationship wrote it like that.

Yeah. If I go to the bookstore where I bought the book tomorrow and find the owner, I’ll be able to figure out who wrote this nonsense. Then I’ll find that person right away and give them a good scolding.

“If I ever have to kill someone privately….”

Even though I said it was nothing, Ricardo seemed like he wanted to respond to my words.

I looked at him with a bit of tension.

His expressionless and seemingly indifferent black eyes were looking at me.

“Probably when someone messes with my person.”

Ricardo’s answer sent shivers down my arm.

And the content I saw in the book was replaying in my mind again.

Those indifferent eyes stared at me. And grabbing the sword with that rugged hand, piercing my throat with it.

Saying something about salvation while killing me.

“Bianca?”

“….”

“Bianca?”

“…Yes?”

As I was imagining the content of the book, Ricardo’s voice calling me brought me back to my senses.

“You’re acting a bit strange today.”

Is Ricardo worried about me?

Is he going to show a concerned expression, like the ‘Ricardo’ in the book, and kindly put his hand on my forehead?

“Rest early today. I’ll be going now.”

Ricardo got up from his seat as if he had no more business.

No concerned expression, no affectionate touch.

An engagement relationship is formed by the pact between families. He was always there, at just that distance.

Visible before my eyes but out of reach in my hands, at just that distance.

“Yes. Goodbye.”

I answered with a bright smile.

As if to say it doesn’t matter if we don’t touch.

“Smile Love”