Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

Rachel and I were returning to the Crown Prince’s palace through the gardens.

The breeze blowing under the azure sky seemed to offer consolation, urging Rachel not to worry.

“The day Luka disappeared, I wept alongside my sobbing mother, then from the next day onwards, I frantically searched for any trace of Luka.”

I couldn’t even imagine the hardships the young princess, barely thirteen years old at the time, must have endured.

“Whenever a rumor came, be it true or false, I would rush off without hesitation. Perhaps I lacked the resolve to remain by my mother’s side after losing Luka.”

Picturing them going through an ordeal not too dissimilar from Duke Rayes filled me with sadness.

Brushing aside her long black hair, the mirror image of Luka, Rachel spoke:

“Although we may have seemed like a sand castle on the verge of collapse, the truth was that Mother, Luka, and I leaned on each other to weather countless storms all this time. When Luka vanished and I departed for a foreign land, I had thought we had reached utter ruin…”

She turned to glance back at the towering spires of the Empress’s quarters visible not too far away.

“Being able to see my pathetic brother’s face after so long, and witness those two reuniting – it was all thanks to you, Ria.”

While I appreciated her acknowledgment, the reality was that I had done nothing.

If even one of them had harbored conflicted feelings, their reunion would have been impossible.

* * *

When we returned to the Crown Prince’s palace, Drehan was waiting for us.

Spotting me, he approached and inquired:

“Where have you been?”

“Just taking a stroll with the Princess after filling our bellies. Were you worried?”

“Worried, you say…”

“You’ve returned remarkably quickly, by the way.”

“We had said all there was to say. With both of us having urgent matters to attend to, we parted ways swiftly. Speaking of which, where did His Highness disappear to?”

He surveyed the surroundings, seeming vexed that Luka was nowhere in sight despite entrusting me to him.

Snapping open the red fan she held, Rachel remarked:

“Luka had some business to attend to, so he stepped away briefly. And since I have met with lord Drehan as well, it seems I should take my leave now. Rest assured, there were no ruffians causing trouble for your younger sister.”

“Ah… I see. Travel safely, then.”

Smiling faintly, Rachel bid Drehan farewell, then as she passed by me, she whispered:

“I don’t think I’ll be forgetting this day anytime soon, Ria. From now on, you’re one of my people.”

Startled by the breath tickling my ear, I turned to see Rachel grinning mischievously, her expression far more playful than when we had first met as she spun around.

“Farewell! I’ll see you again soon!”

* * *

As we rode back in the carriage, the setting sun painted the sky in hues of twilight.

“It seems you’ve made a friend of Her Highness the Princess.”

Drehan, whom I had assumed was napping up front, spoke up.

“A friend… Yes, that’s right. I’ve made a friend.”

Back at the orphanage, everyone had been either older or younger than me, making Rachel, whom I had just met today, the first peer my exact age.

Her lively, vibrant countenance resurfaced in my mind.

All this time, I had thought I lacked any desire for friends, but after finally meeting Rachel, I realized I may have been a bit lonely.

In my previous life, I had been a homebody who seldom ventured out, becoming even more reclusive after sustaining my injury. But there had been friends, whose names now eluded me, with whom I could occasionally meet to unwind, confiding my innermost thoughts…

Rachel was a child who had unexpectedly rekindled those long-forgotten sentiments of nostalgia.

“Since Her Highness the Princess will soon make her debut too, it was wise to establish a connection.”

Ah, so her mention of seeing me again soon referred to the debutante ball.

“By the way, it seems some unsavory rumors are circulating about you. While I am attempting to locate the source… you still have no intention of revealing the ancient text, I presume?”

“You know the ancient text is merely a book. Whether people choose to believe it or not is up to them. Some may dismiss it as mere legend, while others…”

I turned my gaze to meet Drehan’s.

The faded silver hair and birthmarks across my abdomen were unconvincing evidence of my lineage.

No matter what explanations I offered, there would be plenty of skeptics.

And yet, Drehan had recognized me immediately.

In fact, he should have been the most doubtful of all. Considering how many fake princesses he must have encountered in this manner.

I was grateful for that.

Ultimately, he had seen through to my sincerity, beyond the ancient text.

“Why did you trail off?”

“More importantly… it’s a big deal.”

“You need not worry. The full might of Rayes will protect you.”

“No, it’s that I can’t dance at all! That’s the big deal.”

I laughed playfully.

Rumors, gossip – such things meant nothing to me.

In my previous life, once I sustained an injury that ended my athletic career, rumors had begun slithering out relentlessly.

-Wasn’t she never that skilled to begin with?

-Why did someone so undeserving even participate in the selection tournament?

-Her parents were national representatives, so she got in through connections, they say.

For every supporter, there would inevitably be detractors as well.

Despicably, as I lost any means to prove my abilities, the rumors surrounding me only multiplied.

Back then, I had toughened up, just as my supporters claimed.

Their imaginary slanders became nothing more than laughable drivel.

My sole concern now was my utter inability to dance properly.

Miss Belly would resume her visits tomorrow… I regretted having taken those sick days for recuperation.

With the debutante ball merely a week away, the impending cramming filled me with trepidation.

Seeing my serious fretting over my clumsiness, Drehan burst into laughter.

“Don’t fret unduly. Even if Rayes dances like a frog, you will receive only praise.”

‘Nobles, honestly…’

And yet, coming from a Rayes like him, I found his words strangely reassuring.

I hadn’t been part of this noble society for long, but the estate staff’s conversations I overheard were always brimming with pride for the Rayes name.

From his laughter alone, Drehan was the spitting image of Dad.

How could someone capable of such warmth be known solely as cold and aloof?

“If you are still concerned, I could be your partner for the first dance.”

“Really?”

There was no one more suited as a first dance partner than Drehan.

Typically for debutante balls, the first dance was with family or a childhood friend akin to an unofficial fiance.

I had considered Dad or Miller, but Dad had stopped dancing after the Duchess passed away, and Miller was just as clumsy as me.

Asking Luka made me worry my commoner origins might tarnish his reputation, so having Drehan, a direct family member, as my partner was a relief.

“You used to be quite flexible, so I had assumed you would dance well when you grew up.”

“Me? Why is that not the case now…”

Seeing my conflicted expression, Drehan smiled wryly as he opened the window.

Closing his eyes, he seemed to be recalling distant memories spent with his entire family.

* * *

Upon returning to the Ducal estate, I was utterly drained, leaving myself in Garnett’s care.

She deftly undressed me from the heavy gown and tidied my hair.

“Did you enjoy your time in the capital? Will you worry less about the Crown Prince now?”

“Yes, he likely won’t be alone in the capital any longer.”

Recalling Rachel’s words about the three of them banding together to weather any storm, I replied.

Not understanding my meaning, Garnett tilted her head quizzically.

“Oh, and the dresses have arrived, Miss.”

Garnett’s words made me turn towards the boxes piled like a small mountain in one corner of my room.

“Ah… it would seem so.”

How could I possibly overlook that overwhelming presence?

The dresses and matching jewelry from the so-called ‘Laveria Shop’ only grew more and more exquisite with each box I opened.

“They’re too beautiful!”

As I unveiled yet another box, revealing an enormous diamond necklace studded with a topaz the size of my palm, I blinked back tears of wonderment.

Not only were they breathtaking, but this was practically an entire fortune, was it not?

The extent of the Rayes’ wealth was truly beyond my comprehension.

Still, judging by the dresses that appeared to be masterpieces requiring months of dedicated craftsmanship, they were clearly no ordinary affluent family.

Leaning against the doorframe, Miller watched me euphorically buried beneath the mound of dresses and remarked:

“If I had known you would be this delighted, I should have acquired that shop as well.”

“I don’t think I’ll even be able to wear all of these?”

Estimating the sheer number of dresses, I responded.

I had even heard that maintaining a Princess’s dignified appearance required considerable expenses, so at least I wouldn’t starve for funds when eventually journeying to distant lands years later.

As Garnett carefully hung each dress in the newly acquired wardrobe, she asked while holding up a crimson red gown:

“Is this the dress you will wear for the upcoming debutante ball?”

It was one of the three dresses Miller had commissioned from the shop owner specifically for my debutante ball.

Even to my untrained fashion eye, the exquisite design instantly captivated me at first glance.

Matched with a gorgeous tiara set, the box also contained a small card.

Penned in elegant golden ink was a short message – a common happiness incantation used in this world.

[Serunibeti]

The shop owner had quite the sense of propriety, it seemed.

In any case, from his perspective, I had essentially become his savior, so he likely put in that extra thoughtful touch.

* * *

That night, as I lay in bed tossing and turning, I eventually opened my eyes to gaze up at the blue moonlight filtering through the window.

Unable to fall asleep for some reason, I walked over towards the windows and spotted a silhouette strolling through the gardens visible outside.

“Dad…?”

It was the dead of night, yet he wandered alone through the vast gardens, the palace guards at the main gate being the only others present.

Taking a shawl from the wardrobe and lightly draping it over my shoulders, I made my way down towards the gardens where he was.

The tranquil night air caressed my ears as I went.

His silvery hair, accentuated under the moonlight, soon came into view.

Spotting me from afar, Dad feigned a startled look.

Approaching him, I asked:

“Couldn’t sleep either, Dad?”

“I don’t usually enjoy nighttime strolls at this hour. Why have you been unable to sleep until now?”

“Just…”

“You should have called for a servant if your leg was bothering you.”

“…Huh?”

At those words, the strength suddenly drained from one of my legs, causing me to stumble.

What was…?

A jewel-studded cane had somehow appeared in my grasp.

In contrast to moments ago when I had been able to move it normally, the leg I was now using the cane to support had lost all sensation.

Faintly emanating mana, the cane helped stabilize me once I properly leaned my weight onto it.

Seeing me abruptly lose my balance, Dad rushed over with a concerned look, catching me as I nearly fell.

“Are you alright?!”

A self-reproaching expression crossed his face as he spoke.

“If only I had found you a mere month sooner…”

“What…?”

At that moment, I realized – this was a continuation of my previous dream.

I had been pulled back into that dreamworld once more.