Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

In the original work, the hunting festival was held before Senia took Luka out of the orphanage.

It was an event that appeared right at the beginning, so I had to accept the fact that the original story had truly begun now.

The debutante ball and the Grand Nobles’ Council had already been held, but recalling how they had shown similar aspects to the original content, this hunting festival seemed likely to be no different.

The hunting festival held in the Ias Forest next to the Dark Forest.

Despite the danger of the Dark Forest covered in demonic energy, the location was chosen because many rare animals inhabited the Ias Forest.

This is where the incident occurs – a few demonic beasts from the Dark Forest take advantage of a weakened barrier and appear in the Ias Forest.

When beasts appear in the camp after the strong ones have left for hunting, people panic and face a great crisis.

At that time, Senia uses her wit to lure the demonic beasts into a trap and save people.

Not only were there people from the Greffin Empire, but also royalty from other countries and princes from duchies, and through this incident, Senia made her presence known both domestically and internationally.

After this episode, she ends up rescuing Luka from the orphanage, and Luka studies imperial studies and then takes the ‘Monarch of the Battlefield’ trial…

I thought as I put the paper with the now faded contents of the original work that I had read so many times back into the drawer.

‘This means a very unfavorable situation will unfold for Laveria.’

At that time, it was shortly after Laveria had left the orphanage before Luka and become Princess Rayes.

For her, who couldn’t use one leg at all and the other wasn’t fully functional either, the Duke had specially made a magical staff.

I think it’s what I was holding in my dream before, it had a magic for maintaining balance, so it could be said to be like another leg for Laveria.

Laveria attended the hunting festival with her imperfect legs.

Not only was she adopted from humble origins, she didn’t even have the silver-white hair that was the symbol of Rayes, and she even limped.

People couldn’t hide their shock.

Rather, the illegitimate girl who had recently come to the Duke on her own, raging that she was the Princess Rayes, seemed more plausible.

It turned out that illegitimate girl was a distant bloodline with one of the illegitimate children of Gasent, who had been the Duke’s grandfather, as her father, but the girl adopted as Princess Rayes was even worse than that.

The incident occurred while Drehan and Miller were away hunting.

Young ladies around Laveria’s age mocked her to her face, and Laveria, finding strength from somewhere, grabbed one lady’s hair and shook it vigorously, as described.

In the end, only after the young lady burst into tears did Laveria throw her hair away and, panting, utter vulgar curses used by lowly people – that was Laveria’s introduction.

At the time, Senia considered Laveria a ‘pitiful child’.

Unable to contain her anger, Laveria left the camp and became the first to spot the demonic beasts.

Laveria, who was using a cane, couldn’t run far away, but fortunately, Senia appeared and saved her.

She might have died there if not for Senia.

She was seen as an even more detestable villainess for later repaying that favor with enmity.

Later, unverifiable rumors spread like wildfire, saying that it was Laveria who had brought the demonic beasts.

Looking back now, it was an absurd claim, but when reading the novel at the time, it seemed plausible, and the comment section was completely filled with insults towards Laveria.

Of course, I too… was one of those who wrote such comments.

Even thinking about how different the situation is now from the original work, the hunting festival had too many worrisome variables.

The appearance of demonic beasts was one such thing. I should just quietly observe Senia’s active role, but there’s always the possibility of something unexpected…

‘Should I pretend to be sick even now?’

While I was seriously considering this, the door swung open and Garnett entered.

“Good morning, Young Miss! The imperial palace just sent badges for the participants.”

The thumbnail-sized golden badge Garnett brought was bestowed by the Emperor to those attending the hunting festival.

Having received the Emperor’s gift, I had to go and show my face somehow.

I smiled while shedding a single tear.

* * *

Before I knew it, my appearance, prepared by Garnett’s quick hands, was reflected in the mirror.

“Looking at you like this, you’re really beautiful, Young Miss. You’ve been gaining weight and growing taller day by day, so your clothes fit beautifully.”

I somewhat agreed with Garnett’s pure exclamation.

Since I wasn’t directly participating in the hunting festival but just going to keep my seat, what I was wearing was hunting attire close to a banquet dress.

Moreover, with my long hair tied up high and decorated with pins, it looked like a painting.

My silver hair shone like the moon goddess often appearing in this world’s fairy tales.

“It’s thanks to Garnett dressing me up so prettily.”

When I smiled brightly and said this, Garnett muttered:

“I dress up our youngest like this too, but why…”

“Garnett’s sibling? How cute, why?”

The sibling of Garnett I met last time was a pretty boy who resembled Garnett in appearance.

However, his ferocious temperament prevented that beauty from shining…

Garnett shook her head as if recalling her troublesome brother, then left the room saying she would inform my brothers that preparations were complete.

I summoned the Crimson Blade onto my palm.

After confirming the well-forged sword that didn’t need separate maintenance, I put it back in its sheath and moved it to the subspace.

‘Just in case, I should check if the Crimson Blade can be summoned well…’

I picked up one of the dozens of potions displayed on one side of the room and drank it in one go.

Even though I tried not to taste it as much as possible, the extreme bitterness made my tongue feel like it would go numb.

‘But this is effective, so…’

It was a potion that the imperial physician had prepared while holding back tears at Luka’s order.

Since I had coughed up blood again last night, I needed to take this potion to replenish iron to get through today safely.

It tasted terrible, but after drinking it, I could feel strength starting to circulate through my body.

“Haaah…”

Separately from that, I let out a deep sigh and staggered out of the room.

* * *

Drehan and Miller were standing in front of the carriage waiting for me.

I waved to Drehan, who was emitting a black aura from the morning, and Miller, who was very excited.

Father didn’t come along because there was an age limit for participating in the hunting festival.

“Brother Drehan, Brother Miller. Good morning.”

“Ria, your big brother will definitely become the winner today and gift you the ‘Crown of Glory’!”

According to imperial law, only the imperial family can wear crowns, but the Crown of Glory given to the winner of the hunting festival was an exception.

In the original work, seventeen-year-old Luka, who had formed a deep bond with Senia on the battlefield, hunted the largest white lion at the hunting festival held before his imperial succession and gifted it to Senia, along with placing the Crown of Glory on her.

“Hmph, what’s the big deal about that crown that they’re calling all the noble children of the capital?”

I smiled in sympathy at Drehan, who was as unwilling to go to the hunting festival as I was.

“The rain-making doll we made together yesterday was useless.”

“It must be because this guy hung up a clear weather doll.”

Ignoring Drehan’s reproach, Miller, who had been looking forward to the hunting festival for a while, smiled freshly and offered his hand to me.

Reluctantly taking that hand, I boarded the carriage heading towards the Ias Forest.

The carriage, which had been speeding along using high-speed movement magic, stopped in front of a village near the Ias Forest.

‘Where is this?’

All that could be seen through the window were shabby houses and discarded trash.

A sign erected near the village entrance read ‘Nabel Village’.

‘Village? There’s not a single person in sight to begin with…’

At that moment, I saw someone peeking at us from the window of a shabby house, then quickly closing the curtain when our eyes met.

‘Wait, looking again, people were hiding in every house.’

It seemed they had hidden in their homes at the sudden appearance of visitors.

Children who hadn’t managed to hide were crouched down, hiding their bodies next to barrels on the street.

I could see the mothers of these children watching from afar with anxious faces.

‘They’re afraid of nobles…’

Just then, the coachman who had been driving the carriage knocked on the door and said:

“I apologize, Master. We took a wrong turn on the way to the Ias Forest and stopped at the village next to the campsite. I’ll turn around now.”

“We don’t have much time until it starts, so hurry.”

“Yes, it’s right next door.”

The coachman drove the horses out of the village again.

The village visible through the window as we moved away was desolate.

“Nabel Village… I heard that poor people driven out of the capital settled on abandoned land with nowhere else to go, so this was it.”

“With the Dark Forest so close by, why…”

“That’s why they settled here. The area around the Dark Forest isn’t anyone’s private property, so they can avoid the management of the security forces that regulate them.”

The houses visible behind were gathered right in front of a cliff.

I shuddered at that eerie atmosphere.

The place where the carriage arrived was a vast plain.

Following Drehan and Miller from where hundreds of carriages were parked, I walked towards an area set up like a campsite.

‘Wow… The scale is huge.’

It seemed to be showing off the Empire’s majesty, as nobles from friendly countries and vassal states of the Greffin Empire were all in attendance.

“I wonder who last year’s winner was?”

Miller said in a boastful voice at my words:

“It was me last year. The Crown of Glory is displayed somewhere in the mansion.”

“It was you, Brother Miller?!”

“Haha, are you that surprised? But this year, powerful winner candidates have returned from the academy, so I’m not sure how it will turn out. Not to mention the Crown Prince…”

Starting from early spring this year, strong winner candidates including Drehan, Duke Claire’s son Essil, and Duke Kablos’s son Enoch had graduated from the academy and returned.

In the original work, Essil became this year’s winner and gifted the Crown of Glory to his childhood friend Senia, but with the variable of Luka this time, I found it difficult to gauge the winner.

The moment we three appeared at the campsite, the attention of those engaged in conversation turned towards us.

I could feel the sound of conversations speeding up like a swarm of bees.

Some young nobles were staring this way, forgetting their manners.

Seeing this, Miller approached my side with a face colder than midwinter and blocked their view.

“Bugs are bound to swarm no matter where we go.”

When I asked what he meant by Drehan’s brief remark, he didn’t answer.

Unlike the day before yesterday, the weather is cool and windy today, so there aren’t many bugs?

Pure white tents were endlessly erected like an earthly paradise, and silk curtains tied to golden pillars fluttered in the north wind.

People were divided into those who would actively participate in the hunt and those who came to watch as a formality.

Rachel was among them.

“Ria! Over here!”

I walked towards Rachel, who was waving her hand big while carrying a jeweled crossbow bought from a weapons shop on her back.

‘I’m glad Rachel is here, at least.’

The young ladies had already formed groups with their close friends, and some of them didn’t look at me kindly, so Rachel’s presence was very welcome.

Drehan and Miller were already surrounded by numerous people.

As they were perfect silver princes befitting the name of Rayes, it was natural for people to gather around them.

“Rachel, you were here early.”

“Yes, I’ve been waiting for so long.”

“Where’s Luka?”

It was when I was looking around asking about Luka’s whereabouts.

Just then, familiar black hair entered my view.

But.

Someone’s figure was walking towards Luka, who was visible in the distance.

With soft purple hair braided into one, dressed in simple hunting attire…

‘It’s Senia!’

Enoch Kablos was nowhere to be seen.

Luka was walking from the opposite side towards her.

Luka’s vivid red eyes and Senia’s blue eyes met in midair.

‘Th-they met.’