I May Be A Villainess, But I Won't Live My Life That Way - Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Maria looked at me and slightly shook her head, as if telling me not to worry about her.

“If he had suspected anything, he would have tried to cancel the charity ball. But since he hasn’t stopped the preparations, I don’t think he’s figured it out yet.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Oh! Are you planning to attend the charity ball?”

“Do you think he’d like me to be there?”

I recalled the look in the Viscount of Wensbury’s eyes the last time I saw him. Not just dislike—he’d absolutely hate it.

“Oh! Now that I think he wouldn’t like it, I feel a strong urge to attend.”

“Pardon?”

Maria’s eyes widened in surprise at my joke, and then she burst into laughter. It was the first time she’d laughed today.

“I didn’t know you could joke like that.”

“Why? Does joking not suit me?”

“Honestly, you don’t seem like the type who’d make jokes or engage in idle chatter.”

Maria answered playfully, still smiling from her earlier laughter.

“We’re finalizing the guest list today or tomorrow, and we’ll be sending out the invitations soon.”

“That’s quick.”

“The date is set before the hunting tournament, so it’s a bit rushed.”

A ball before the hunting tournament wasn’t something mentioned in the book. In the book, the story jumped directly from the Marquis’s plot being exposed to him attempting to assassinate me during the royal hunting event.

Since this was a day with no mention in the book, I figured that probably nothing significant would happen. At least not to Maria or Ricardo, and if I stayed close to Ricardo, nothing would happen to me either.

The book had already determined that my death was scheduled for the day of the hunting tournament.

“It must be difficult to prepare.”

After deciding that I would attend the ball, I spoke to Maria.

Organizing a ball was no easy task. You had to consider the social dynamics when choosing the guests, and plan the music and food to match the tastes and atmosphere of the main guests.

The host had to think about every detail, from selecting the chefs and patissiers, to deciding on the menu, inviting the orchestra, choosing the order of the music, arranging the table settings, and even planning the décor.

Maria, who wasn’t yet familiar with high society and hadn’t attended many events, would undoubtedly find it challenging.

“But why such a rush with the date…”

I was about to ask her the reason, but the answer quickly formed in my mind, and I instinctively grasped the Viscount’s intentions.

He was trying to solidify Maria’s position before the hunting tournament.

The Visocunt of Wensbury’s current goal was to become a relative of the imperial family by marrying Maria to Asel, making her the Crown Princess, and eventually becoming the Emperor’s father-in-law.

But that was easier said than done, especially for Maria, who already bore the stigma of being an illegitimate child.

To remove that stigma, she needed to establish a much stronger position than an ordinary marquis’s daughter.

Even though marriage was often a matter of alliances between noble families, if the families were of a similar status, they might still consider the opinions of the individuals involved.

If, by some chance, Asel took a liking to Maria, the Viscount of Wensbury’s ambitions could be easily fulfilled.

If Asel thinks that a well-regarded and charitable Viscount’s daughter, devoted to helping the people and enhancing the royal family’s reputation, is a suitable future empress, then…

“That’s true. He didn’t seem like someone who would be in a hurry, but it does seem like he’s rushing a bit now.”

Maria tilted her head slightly, as if she hadn’t yet realized the Marquess of Wensbury’s intentions.

“When I asked him, he said it was to quickly show others that I’ve become a proper lady… but that must be a lie, right?”

Maria would have believed him in the past when she thought the Viscount was finally trying to be the father he never was. But now, no longer trusting his words, she shook her head and murmured softly.

A wave of sympathy for Maria washed over me again.

Just a few months ago, Maria was living happily in a rural village with her mother. Then, she suddenly discovered the secret of her birth and had to leave for the capital.

But now, all that remained for her was avenging her mother, who had been murdered without even leaving a will, and the fact that her target was her own father.

This must be the hardest time of her life.

“…”

I held her hand in silence.

I wanted to say something to comfort her, but I didn’t know what words could help ease the pain in Maria’s heart.

I wanted to call her name gently, but even that wasn’t possible in this situation.

So, I simply held her hand, doing what I couldn’t do at Megi’s funeral.

“…”

Maria looked at our clasped hands and then raised her head to meet my gaze. She gave me a faint smile, a smile that seemed to say she understood everything in my heart.

“Let’s make sure we clear her unjust death.”

“I really hope we can.”

“We will.”

Maria nodded.

I silently wished that everything would turn out well.

For Maria, for me, and for Megi’s soul.

***

The orphanage courtyard was quiet on the rainy day.

There was no sound of laundry flapping in the wind from one side of the yard, no shouts from the backyard where sword training usually took place, nor the cheerful laughter of children playing.

“We should pave the courtyard of the new orphanage.”

I carefully stepped through the mud as I spoke.

I planned to visit more often after the move, so I wanted to ensure that I could easily walk in long dresses, even in rain or snow.

What should we pave it with? Marble? Gravel?

I preferred marble, but it might not match the new orphanage building. After all, the orphanage wasn’t a noble mansion or an art gallery.

“Be careful, my lady.”

Panya, who was holding an umbrella for me in front of a puddle, said.

Yes, at least we should avoid having puddles like these. And there should be grass on both sides so that the children won’t get hurt if they fall while playing.

Finally, as we entered the building and Panya folded the umbrella, I used a handkerchief to wipe away the raindrops that I couldn’t avoid.

Even as I did that, my ears were tuned in, eager to hear what the children were up to. It wasn’t class time, and since it was raining, they must all be inside.

I had purposely come after class. Although observing a class might have been interesting, I didn’t want to disrupt the lesson with my presence.

Creak.

The old door made a loud noise as Panya opened it, causing me to frown instinctively. The children must dislike that sound as much as I did.

I should make sure the doors in the new building are of the highest quality. While I’m at it, the windows should be top-notch as well.

I was contemplating whether to revise the blueprint a little, but then I thought it might be better to hire a building manager instead.

Although the older girls help out, it’s still difficult for the headmistress to take care of all the children on her own, so hiring more staff might be a good idea.

Or perhaps, I could employ some of the older children who haven’t yet found suitable jobs?

Especially for the girls, who often have to make a living doing odd jobs. If I offered them a generous salary, it could be beneficial for both sides…

“…So the princess decided to fight the evil villain!”

Suddenly, the sound of a voice made my thoughts pause. Instead, my ears perked up even more.

“Our beautiful, beautiful, beautiful princess was unbeatable, so she went ‘hiya! hiya!’ and defeated the villain!”

It was my favorite voice.

The cutest little voice in the world—our sweet Lara!

I tiptoed toward the source of the voice and peeked inside. A group of young children, around Lara’s age, were sitting together, and Lara stood in front of them.

The older children were nowhere to be seen, so they were probably off doing something else.

“Shall I open the door?”

“Shh!”

I hushed Panya, who had spoken beside me, and peeked in again.

There were about six or seven children seated, most of them appearing under ten years old.

And Lara was wearing a pretty dress that had once been mine, which she borrowed after staying over at our house and getting her clothes dirty.

In that dress, Lara didn’t look like an orphan but rather like a beloved little lady from a noble family.

“Take the gifts we brought in the carriage to the dining hall. And inform the headmistress that I’ve arrived and brought snacks for the children.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After instructing Panya to bring the pudding and cookies I had ordered from our pâtissier the day before, I turned my attention back inside.

“…And so, the princess lived happily ever after with the knight~”

Lara nodded with a very satisfied smile, as if the story had just ended.

“Wow, that was a fun story!”

“Yeah! Yeah! Lara, your story was great!”

“Lara! So what happened to the villain?”

“Hmm? I’m not sure about that.”

At one child’s question, Lara tilted her head, looking both cute and a little puzzled, making me smile softly to myself.

It seemed she had been telling the children a story she’d read from a princess book, but the book must not have detailed the villain’s fate.

When the villain’s end is too gruesome, children’s books often leave out the specifics.

“Well, I’m sure the villain received a very scary punishment.”

Since Lara’s story had ended, I felt I wouldn’t be interrupted, so I confidently opened the door and entered, providing a conclusion to the tale.

Most fairy tales end that way, after all.

The villain is punished, and the protagonist gets a happy ending.

“Oh, Princess!”

Just like that radiant smile—a very happy ending.