I May Be A Villainess, But I Won't Live My Life That Way - Chapter 78

Yesterday was a tiring day.

That must have been the reason why I overslept, which was unlike me.

As I opened my eyes, I immediately noticed that it was much later than my usual waking time, seeing the sunlight pouring in through the window. Still groggy, I glanced beside me. 

The spot where Lara had lain last night, sleeping like an angel in my childhood pajamas when I returned from seeing off Ricardo, was now empty.

“Lara?” 

Startled by the absence of the child, I sat up abruptly. 

“Oh! Princess!” 

The voice came from the opposite side of where I was looking. I turned my head to see Lara, with her eyes half-opened, her hair tousled and lying down with a bright smile on her face.

“Lara, when did you wake up? Lara!” 

Relieved to find out that Lara hadn’t disappeared somewhere, I was about to smile in relief when I noticed what she was holding.

“That book!”

I quickly got up and approached Lara.

“Princess was sleeping peacefully, so Lara was quietly playing alone.”

Smiling broadly, Lara answered, holding the cursed book in her hands. The dreadful book didn’t suit the child’s white and plump hands.

“Lara, you should read books suitable for your age. That’s my book, but you’d be better off with a book more appropriate for you.”

Trying to sound natural not to startle Lara, I reached out my hand. Lara obediently handed me the book.

“Like a fairy tale?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

I scrutinized Lara carefully to make sure there was nothing wrong. There was nothing noticeably strange.

Her hair was still a bit damp, but that was probably because she didn’t completely dry it before sleeping. It would return to normal if I sprayed it with water and combed it. Her forehead was smooth and round; her bright hazel eyes, small and adorable nose, and a mouth that seemed like it would smile at any moment were all normal.

“Shall we get up, wash, and have breakfast?”

Suppressing a sigh of relief, I suggested it to Lara.

“Yes, yes! I want to eat the chocolate pudding I had yesterday!”

“Okay. If it’s there, we’ll have it. If not, we can go out and buy some.”

I rang the bell lightly to call Panya and looked at the book in my hand.

To think of it, I hadn’t experienced any oddities after looking at this book. It was just the content inside the book that was the problem; outwardly, it seemed like an ordinary book.

“Lara, did you read this book?”

I asked Lara, wondering if she might find it strange to see the names of people she knew in it.

“I’ve seen it a little. It was an interesting book.” 

Lara answered with a big smile. It seemed she hadn’t noticed anything unusual, which was a relief. 

“Pudding~ Pudding~ Delicious chocolate pudding~.”

As the thought of eating pudding crossed her mind, Lara began to swing her legs and hum happily.

Seeing that scene, the anxious feeling I had because of the book disappeared, replaced only by a contented smile.

***

“Lara!”

“You!”

“Lara, I missed you!” 

As the carriage arrived in front of the Sprendo Orphanage, even before the carriage door opened, I could hear Lara’s name being called out, and as soon as the door opened, I could see children running towards us from afar. 

No, it wasn’t just the children. The director and the teacher, who had been teaching classes, were also there.

“Where on earth have you been? 

“Wow! Lara, your clothes are pretty!” 

“Hey! We were worried about you; why did you come back looking so pretty?” 

“Hehehe!”

While the children surrounded Lara and each said something, Lara just smiled. 

It was unclear whether it was because there were too many questions or because she wanted to show off the sight she saw in the mirror, wearing the clothes I wore as a child and with Panya styling her hair beautifully, feeling like a little princess.

“Thank you so much for finding Lara.”

The Sprendo director approached me quietly and bowed deeply.

“I was really relieved to hear that Lara was found and sent back last night. The children must have felt the same way.”

With warm eyes, the director looked at the children, who were chattering happily. Despite her words, her face looked tired, as if she hadn’t slept well last night, but I could pretend not to notice.

“There’s no need to thank me. I did it because I wanted to.”

I also turned to look at the children. They were just happy to have their sister back, excited about her transformation, and delighted to be together again. 

“Would you like to come in and have some tea?” 

“No, I should go. There are still things I need to take care of.” 

“Things to take care of?” 

The director asked me as if to say, “Isn’t it enough now that Lara’s back?” Instead of answering, I just gave her a bittersweet smile. 

She didn’t need to know everything. 

Known as a great knight in the world, respected in society regardless of status or age, and described as having a boisterous personality, the scandalous talk about Lord Wensbury was like a dark cloud over everything. 

***

“It’s truly a delightful story that the two of you want to accompany me.” 

As Ricardo and I waited in the reception room of Wensbury Manor for about ten minutes, Lord Wensbury entered the reception room with his characteristic hearty laugh. 

“The two of you have come to see me; what’s the matter? Of course, even if there’s no specific reason, I would welcome the two of you wholeheartedly.” 

The warmly smiling face suddenly contorted, and the welcoming tone vanished in an instant, as soon as he saw the kidnapper kneeling in his reception room. 

Of the two kidnappers, Ricardo had dealt with the one who seemed more proactive in kidnapping Lara and showed no hesitation in killing her if necessary, as Ricardo had informed me. 

Furthermore, he had sent his mansion’s soldiers to capture the subordinate who had fainted. Although he had wanted to deal with that side too, the reason he had kept them alive was for this moment. 

“You must know him, right?” 

Ricardo asked with an expressionless face. 

“The one who hired those men to kidnap an innocent child.” 

“… “

The Viscount turned his head to look at Ricardo without saying a word. He was not smiling.

The expressionless faces of both Ricardo and the Viscount faced each other. Like it was essential for knights to have such expressions to enter the knighthood, the two knights looked at each other.

No, more precisely, one knight and one fallen knight.

Wensbury, who had shattered the oath of the Sprendo Empire’s knights to protect children, respect the elderly, and honor women, was now no longer qualified to be a knight.

“We know everything now.”

As the final nail in the coffin, I shouted at Viscount Wensbury. 

“… ” 

The expressionless face of the Viscount turned to me this time. His expression, which I had always seen as warm or hearty, felt eerily alien to me this time. 

It was like meeting a completely unfamiliar person for the first time today.

“Bianca, my dear.”

Suddenly calling my name, Viscount Wensbury smiled broadly, pulling his eye wrinkles to the point where they were about to crease. 

“And Lord Winkaiser.” 

He slightly turned his head towards Ricardo and showed him his smile too. 

It was the smile of Viscount Wensbury that I had often seen. Kind, affectionate, and warm. But knowing that all those smiles I had seen were nothing but pretense, I couldn’t help but shiver. 

“I have no idea what you two are talking about.”

He naturally laughed and pretended not to understand, still smiling.

“I wonder… let me see…”

Viscount Wensbury frowned as if he were examining the man more closely. 

“Well, I don’t recognize him.”

“This man says he knows you very well, Viscount.” 

“Me?”

The Viscount of Wensbury repeated, bringing his hand to his chest exaggeratedly. 

“How does he know me?” 

The Viscount of Wensbury asked, turning to face the man with a friendly yet creepy smile. 

“This man has already confessed, Viscount; come clean. That’s what preserves your honor, Viscount.” 

Ricardo’s voice trembled slightly at the end. Knowing he was not a man to be afraid to stand up to the Viscount of Wensbury, I turned my head to look at him. 

What I saw in Ricardo’s eyes was sadness and disappointment. To see the man he once admired rolling around in the mud. 

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.” 

“Didn’t the Viscount have this man’s men kidnap the orphanage child?” 

I take a step forward, not wanting to watch Viscount’s disgusting performance any longer. 

“An orphanage child? Why on earth would I kidnap such a child?” 

“Shall I tell you everything? From Megi’s death to controlling Lady Maria?”

“Wait, Bianca, it seems there’s a serious misunderstanding here.” 

Looking truly embarrassed, the Viscount lowered his head. 

“Did this man say I ordered to kidnap a child under my name?”

“Yes. He told me everything…!” 

It was that moment. Viscount Wensbury drew a dagger from his bosom.

And it was that moment. His smiling expression, even if it was fake, turned cold as he glared at me. 

“Bianca!” 

And it was a moment when Ricardo hugged me and pulled me towards him.