The Villainess Carries a Strategy Guide - CH 13

“Gan, Gusha.”

As I was walking down the hallway, suddenly a flower pot fell right next to me. I looked up and for a moment saw several female students running away on the floor above.

It’s surprising that fear was defeated.

“T-That was what I’m supposed to do!”

That’s what I, villainess, would do to Emilia!

“No way? You, the fiancé of the Crown Prince in the Duke’s house, are being bullied with criminal-like harassment? Who is the reckless person on the other side?”

That’s what Melinda told me an hour later, explaining the situation.

I don’t intend to tell this to His Highness. I don’t want to add any unnecessary work. If it’s just a prank like that, as long as I’m careful, I can handle it if it happens again. I also have a short sword hidden in my skirt. But, I can’t let Melinda get hurt. I asked her to stay away from me for a while.

“I don’t like it. You’re telling me to leave you alone because of my attractiveness?”

Melinda, who says that to me, is a friend worth a million. I am a lucky person.

“It’s okay, I’m not alone. I’m thinking of walking with Emilia.”

Emilia has a higher pure combat ability than clumsy men and if I were to get hurt, she would be able to heal me immediately. This situation is perfect.

But when I told her that, Melinda showed an unusual hesitation.

“I was told not to tell you… probably that girl is also receiving harassment. And it’s been going on for a while.”

It took me a few seconds to understand.

“Ahh.” A small scream came from Melinda. She saw my face, which had lost its blood, turn red with anger in a world that was also dyed red.

***

The next day during lunch break. As I was walking down the hallway as usual, I felt a bad presence and gaze.

At that moment, a bucket of water appeared above my head, so I dodged by turning my body. When I looked back, there were people hiding in the shadow behind a pillar. They threw knives at me, aiming for my neck. One, two, three. Three female students. They were sitting down, looking at the knives stuck in the wall and me, unable to say anything or understand what had happened.

The situation suddenly became chaotic. Even though the teacher had come running, I wondered why they weren’t moving.

Well, it doesn’t matter.

“You know, even if you’re about to get drenched with water or hit with a flower pot, it’s okay if it’s just an attempted attack. I don’t mind small things.”

I slowly approached them.

“But, I want to ask you one thing. You guys…”

As their pale faces came closer.

“Did you do something to Emilia?”

It’s always the person who’s laughing that’s in a position of advantage. For me, who was smiling so much that it was sickening, the answer that the girls who were trembling couldn’t give me was enough.

In my chest, a black emotion that’s been bubbling up like a spring since yesterday.

I had one foot in that spring. The spring had a color as black as my hair (metaphor). If I took just two or three steps forward and threw myself in, I would become [Rebecca].

Somewhere in my heart, I was disappointed in myself for that. But I couldn’t suppress my feelings.

Unforgivable. Unforgivable.

I can’t forgive those people who hurt Emilia. I can’t forgive the people around me who forgave them.

Most of all, I couldn’t even notice that my friend was fighting alone, and I even made them worry about me.

While giving up trying to suppress my emotions with just a bit of reason, I thought, no matter how much I try to be kind to the people around me, no matter how much I try to enjoy every day.

Villainess Rebecca has always been in my heart.

The me in my heart and the me in reality took a step that couldn’t be taken back.

——And tried to take that step.

“Rebecca.”

That voice blew away all evil.

Suddenly, my vision cleared and I realized that the person who was most important to me was there. He was calling me by my name as his fiancée, not as a villainess, with his usual kind face and gentle voice.”

It felt like the day we first met. On that day, he called out my name and brought me back.

And look, he’s holding me like this, spreading his arms wide and looking at me. The only difference from that day is that I can feel at ease when I look at him.

I ran towards him and saw the blue sky in front of me and thought that.

How many times will this person have to save me before he’s satisfied? Surely, at this very moment, the villainess inside of me will disappear. When I am wrapped in happiness in the arms of His Highness, I am convinced of that.

***

With his fiancée in his arms, Llewayne Huaverdon calmly told the female students.

I know what you’ve done. I also know who instructed you. The punishment will be discussed with the Duke of Slutarch and I will inform you later. I will pass on a stern punishment under the name of the Huaverdon family.

The hearts of the students who had watched everything from start to finish were in agreement.

Is that all there is to it?

The power of the Duke of Slutarch is immeasurable and not only is his fiancée, the gem of the Slutarch territory, a target. Another person, a valuable human with rare healing magic abilities, even though she is a commoner.

Most of all, they have heard the rumors. The prince loves his fiancée.

As a result of considering everything, the female students could have their noble status stripped and be expelled on the spot, and it wouldn’t have been strange for their entire family to be demoted.

But the prince said, “My kind fiancé does not wish for harsh punishment. Instead of punishment, I expect you to atone for your sins through service to this country from now on.”

The audience trembled. The Crown Prince, who had revealed and forgave the sins of the wronged without any emotional involvement, and his fiancé. If they were left in charge, the security of this country would be guaranteed. The event closed with numerous praises to the prince and his fiancé.

***

The next day, Emilia came to see me with tears in her eyes.

“I was saved again. I’m sorry for being quiet. I didn’t want to cause any trouble.”

She said that and shed tears. As expected, the hero’s tears are beautiful, but thinking that way is pointless now.

“I’m glad I could save an important friend.”

The girl crying in front of me is my friend, and I, who am worried about her, am just her friend.