Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

Lihid moved busily from early morning, his red hair fluttering.

His final destination was none other than the Tower Master’s study on the 80th floor.

In the well-lit room, the Tower Master was leisurely tending to plants.

He turned around with a calm face, as if he had been expecting the sudden visitor.

“Catch your breath, you rascal.”

“Master, Ria hasn’t come for an hour, could something have happened?!”

Lihid, who considered surprising Ria every morning when she came to work as his joy in life, was waiting for her in front of the magic circle as usual today.

However, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour passed, and there was no sign of the snow-cold silver hair.

“Ah, didn’t I tell you? Ria is on vacation today to attend the prince’s birthday celebration.”

“…A celebration, that’s a relief.”

Lihid muttered at the Tower Master’s words.

“Why, did you think Ria had already quit without saying anything to you?”

At the Tower Master’s words, Lihid shut his mouth tightly.

Then he suddenly raised his head and said:

“W-Wait a moment. If it’s a prince, could it be the 2nd prince?”

“It seems so.”

“No!”

Lihid’s face soon turned pale.

“Master, I’m taking a vacation too! I need to go to that birthday celebration! Ria might be in danger…”

“What…”

Before the Tower Master could ask why, Lihid immediately disappeared through the magic circle.

Left alone, he stroked his long beard and looked at where Lihid had disappeared.

“Hoho… So there’s someone else targeting Ria besides the snake-shaped demonic beast.”

The Tower Master soon turned his gaze to the sealed cage deep in his study.

Inside the cage, a large black snake was writhing, baring its threatening fangs.

[Do you think you humans can seal me!]

The snake shouting at the Tower Master was none other than Senia’s familiar.

However, the Tower Master knew that its identity was certainly not a familiar.

Not long after Ria became the Magic Tower’s healing mage, the Tower Master noticed a presence threatening Ria.

Traces of poison unknowingly smeared on clothes, faint magical formations caught his aged eyes, and he continuously tracked down the being that dared to touch his disciple, finally capturing it.

“How strange, why don’t you die?”

The cage in which the Tower Master had confined the snake was under a very powerful sealing magic, and most demonic beasts die instantly upon entering it.

Nevertheless, the snake had been alive for over a year.

Attempts to reveal its identity failed repeatedly. It would be easier to just get rid of it, but he couldn’t do that.

“You’re a snake that has lived for a long time. From a very long time ago…”

The Tower Master furrowed his wrinkled eyes.

He thought that such a being had threatened Ria, and if he hadn’t captured it in advance, something terrible might have happened.

“More importantly…”

Who else was threatening Ria besides the snake?

He didn’t know why Lihid had rushed off, but there was no need to worry too much since he had gone.

* * *

“I don’t want to go…”

Today, for the first time in a while, I wore a dress instead of my mage uniform.

At eighteen, considered an adult in this world, I was sure to receive a lot of attention.

Of course, since Luka had firmly shown that I was his person right before going to war, there were no direct suitors, but subtle appeals were considerable wherever I went.

There were even some rascals who tried to hit on me while Luka was away.

It was uncertain whether Luka would safely return alive from the life-and-death war, and even if he did return, the hearts of a couple who hadn’t even gotten engaged might have cooled over two years.

All their hopes were in vain, though…

Before going to the celebration, I sat on the sofa and read Luka’s letter once again.

[To Ria]

Below the neat handwriting, a heartfelt letter continued, seemingly having spent quite some time on it despite being busy.

“He writes this long, but there’s only one line about himself…”

Most of it was asking if I was doing well.

Just then, Garnett entered the room with a bright expression and said:

“Miss, look at this! It’s an article saying His Highness the Crown Prince has won another victory!”

“Ah, you mean the Battle of Debrina?”

“Yes! You already knew, miss?”

Of course, because that was the one line Luka had written about himself.

It said he had won this battle too, and the end of the long war was starting to come into sight.

Last time, I had subtly asked in a letter how his physical condition was, and it was written that he was in perfect health.

Despite the good news, I couldn’t relax.

The curse’s effects appear suddenly, and in the original story, it was described as a disaster that struck when Luka had gained the upper hand in the war.

“More importantly…”

A disaster had also struck me.

The 2nd prince’s birthday celebration, an invitation sent to me as if it were natural.

A blue shoe gift sent to the mansion a week ago.

What could this mean?

“Miss, His Highness the 2nd Prince has arrived.”

Just then, the butler’s polite voice was heard from outside the door.

I knew this would happen.

The rascal who was hitting on me while Luka was away was… the 2nd prince.

To me, the 2nd prince hadn’t been very noticeable compared to the 1st prince.

I didn’t know, but it seems it was only that way for me.

Publicly, the 2nd prince was mentioned as a potential replacement in case something happened to Luka on the battlefield right now.

He was a handsome man who had inherited Lady Jeria’s beauty intact.

Also, he was more capable than the 1st prince in that he handled magic well enough to serve in the imperial magic department.

Always with a smile never leaving his lips, he was of a friendly nature and received everyone’s favor.

People don’t know. His true nature…

I trudged down to the first floor where the prince had his carriage waiting.

To think he would target a time when Dad and my brothers were all away from the mansion.

I could see right through his intentions.

Last time too, he had come like this forcefully and volunteered to be my partner.

Then, Dad had stepped in and sent him away, but now he couldn’t do that.

“I greet Your Highness the 2nd Prince.”

“Laveria, I told you it’s okay to call me by my name.”

He was a handsome man with black hair, the symbol of royalty, and blue eyes impressively resembling Lady Jeria.

The same age as Luka, he was much taller than the Luka in my memory, so I had to look up quite a bit.

‘I wonder if Luka has grown this tall now too…’

Of course, I thought of Luka.

“Please call me Teni.”

This wet-behind-the-ears brat…

The prince brought his face close to mine, demanding that I call him by his nickname.

Teniel had an outwardly sociable personality, but inside he was wrapped tightly in extreme inferiority towards Luka.

Princes of the same age, but their abilities were worlds apart.

Unable to catch up to Luka in anything, he was now targeting none other than me.

“Your Highness Teniel, what brings you here?”

Feeling like he wouldn’t move aside unless I called his name, I reluctantly uttered his name.

While inwardly spitting, ptooey ptooey.

Teniel seemed satisfied just by having his name called, as he smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“Of course, I came to escort you. The shoes I sent you…”

He looked down at the white shoes I was wearing and muttered.

“You didn’t wear them.”

The shoes Luka had given me when asking to escort me had magic on them that mysteriously kept changing size to fit my feet.

Thanks to that, they still fit me perfectly now.

Teniel smiled neatly and held out his hand to me.

“Next time, I’ll gift you shoes you’ll like more. Now, shall we go together?”

If I don’t take that hand, my feet will be tied for a while.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness…”

I quickly racked my brain for an excuse to refuse that hand.

However, there was nothing suitable.

Until now, I had used the excuse of training at the Magic Tower to not attend most celebrations, and on the rare occasions when I had to attend like this, Drehan had escorted me.

But now…

“Ria, here you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Just then, someone’s hand landed firmly on my shoulder.

“Lihid?!”

It was Lihid’s hand.

Lihid was wearing a tailcoat instead of his usual mage uniform.

Dressed up like that, he seemed to exude a noble aura like an aristocrat.

“You asked me to be your partner today, didn’t you? I used my one and only vacation for you, where have you been?”

I realized that Lihid had come for me.

And even wearing a tailcoat, unlike him who hates the extravagant celebrations of nobles.

Lihid smoothly greeted Teniel as if he had just noticed him.

“Ah, I greet Your Highness the 2nd Prince. The Tower Master sent me as a representative of the Magic Tower to congratulate you on your birthday today.”

The Magic Tower occasionally sent representatives to celebrations hosted by the imperial family, and Lihid used that as an excuse.

“Lord Lihid is Laveria’s partner?”

“Yes, that’s right… Then I’ll see you at William Palace later, Your Highness.”

Before Teniel could add another word, Lihid smiled slightly and left with me.