Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

At my question, Luka immediately gave a bright smile. This guy, he enjoys being fretted over too.

“I’m doing well.”

I didn’t expect an honest answer. Luka rose from his seat and approached the sofa where I was sitting, leaning his body towards me.

“If Ria is worrying like this, I can’t have anyone causing me trouble, can I?”

I tugged his necktie, pulling him closer.

Luka’s eyes widened as our faces neared enough for our noses to touch.

“What if there are people bothering me when I visit the Imperial Palace?”

The beautiful crimson eyes rolling before me wavered slightly.

“Since I told a lie… I should be punished. I’ll become a dog devoted to Ria for life.”

Immediately breaking into a sly grin, his remark made me flinch as I abruptly pushed his shoulders back.

“Ugh, enough already! What punishment? I said I’d be the one disciplining you.”

I grabbed his reddened ear.

“Owwowow…”

“Tomorrow, I’m going to the Imperial Palace.”

“Are you coming to see me?”

Right, I should check on how he’s really doing. That innocent naivete meant he was undoubtedly being taken advantage of somewhere without realizing it.

“But even after being registered as the Princess Rayes, everyone still knows I’m a commoner… Come to think of it, I’m worried unsavory rumors might arise surrounding you…”

The sudden concern made Luka smile wryly. Then, his face inexplicably exuding a faint menacing aura despite the smile, he replied:

“There’s no need to worry about that. I’ll have it thoroughly cleaned up, so please come without concern.”

Have it… cleaned up? I nodded in understanding.

When Luka mentioned being unable to join me for dinner due to another matter, I saw him off at the main gate.

“Thanks for coming today. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes. I should get started on that cleaning I’ve postponed. I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow.”

I wondered just how messy it must be for him to be in such a hurry. Back at the orphanage, there had been no child as tidy as Luka.

Just before boarding the carriage, Luka suddenly approached and swiftly planted a brief kiss on my cheek.

“Uh, uhh? Luka, you!”

It was only after he had already boarded the carriage that I protested, raising a hand to the cheek still tingling from his warm touch.

“You readily accepted it when we were younger.”

That was only because you were shorter and looked like a real younger brother back then!

Now is different!

With a flushed face, I abruptly turned away.

Resolving to promptly repay him with a clobber to the head the next time we met, I returned to the estate.

The estate had already become bustling with preparations for dinner. Even the daily meals were always this grandly prepared for nobles.

Come to think of it, I had heard Dad and my brothers were away today due to matters concerning the lineage branch’s titles.

‘Does that mean I’ll be dining alone tonight?’

With that casual thought in mind, I arrived at the dining hall, where Garnett opened the door wide.

“Huh?”

At the long table sat Dad, Miller, and even Drehan, all waiting for me.

“Ria, are you feeling alright?”

Miller swiftly rose and rushed over to ask.

“I’m fine. But I was told everyone would be away from the estate today…”

“We just arrived. Did anything happen at the estate while we were gone?”

Dad inquired.

‘Something did happen…’

I recalled the events at the training grounds.

“No, nothing happened.”

Since it wasn’t yet the right time to discuss it, I smoothly lied without further elaboration and took my seat as guided by Miller.

Drehan stared intently at me.

Over the past two days, after confirming I had awakened, Drehan and Miller had gone ahead to the lineage branch’s territory on Dad’s behalf to handle matters there first.

Only after ensuring I had fully recovered did Dad depart for the territory.

“I heard the Crown Prince visited. And you said you will be coming to the Imperial Palace tomorrow?”

Since I hadn’t expected them to return today, I had asked a messenger to inform Dad that I would visit the palace tomorrow.

“Yes, I felt I should directly confirm Luka’s well-being.”

“Hmm… Tomorrow, I will be away to address the remaining issues from today.”

“Can I go alone?”

He shook his head. I could likely surmise his concerns – even visiting as the Crown Prince’s guest, the Imperial Palace remained an unstable environment, unsafe.

Not that my status itself was in danger, but rather the risk of rumors tarnishing my reputation.

As someone who had yet to even memorize the faces of nobility, if I mispronounced a single letter of someone’s name, that incident could very well appear in the salacious gossip columns nobles loved reading the next day.

After all, what could provide better fodder than the soon-to-be debuted, adopted common-born Princess?

Seeing Dad’s troubled expression, I was about to suggest postponing and arranging for us to go together another time when an unexpected voice spoke up.

“I will accompany her.”

‘Drehan?’

He had volunteered unexpectedly.

“You?”

Dad and Miller alike turned stunned gazes towards him.

“Is that not permitted?”

“No, of course not. Then Drehan will watch over Ria at the palace tomorrow.”

“Yes. I shall excuse myself first.”

As Drehan rose from his chair, our emerald eyes met. For a fleeting moment, it seemed he wished to say something, but he soon departed.

“Did something happen between you and brother recently?”

I shook my head at Miller’s question. I couldn’t mention Drehan arguing on the stairs, nor our encounter in the library housing the ancient text, so I could only awkwardly smile.

Observing my reaction, Dad spoke:

“Still, it seems fortunate. It appears that child has made up his mind to accept you.”

I nodded in agreement as well.

More importantly…

“Dad, there is something I wish to request.”

“What is it?”

“I would like to learn swordsmanship.”

“What?”

The reaction came bursting from Miller. He seemed to have something caught in his throat, frantically gulping down water.

“Swordsmanship. Why the sudden wish to learn swordsmanship?”

“There are countless reasons, but the most significant would be due to that incident some time ago.”

By ‘that incident,’ I was referring to the two days I had spent unconscious. Dad and Miller seemed to realize what I was alluding to.

“I realized that my body has become quite frail from being unable to consume nutritious meals at the orphanage, nor having a wide activity range to build stamina. Neither the physician’s prescribed medicines nor the potions Luka brought can serve as a true solution.”

Dad’s expression suggested he was halfway convinced. Inwardly smiling, I delivered the final blow.

“It is my wish!”

This was the first wish I had ever expressed to him. All this time, I had never voiced anything I wanted to have or do.

Even when he prompted me, I would simply reply that I didn’t know. There was nothing I truly desired within this ducal estate, for everything was already provided.

Hence, this request held special significance.

In the novel, Laveria had made her first earnest plea to him, wanting Luka, not merely a request.

Her gaze was described as filled with disdain, yet her mouth likened to a parrotlet as she finally called out ‘Dad’ to make her entreaty.

But not me. Luka wasn’t an object to be possessed. I hadn’t the slightest desire to have him then, nor would I in the future. 

Instead, I expressed my wish to learn swordsmanship.

With such sincere intentions and motivations, I could expect an affirmative response from him.

It wasn’t even a world where it was strange for a woman to become a knight.

While uncommon, it wasn’t entirely absent. Above all, the Empire’s legendary knight had been a woman.

Since arriving at the Ducal estate, I had occasionally studied the Empire’s history and current world affairs.

Building foundational knowledge could always prove useful someday, no matter the subject.

Thus, while reading biographies of historical figures, I came across the knight who had led the great war that gave birth to the current Empire 700 years ago.

The Sword Goddess, Claire. A commoner without a surname, she had lived peacefully in a rural village, training children, until war erupted and the corrupted nobility fled, emerging as an unprecedented heroine.

From the regular army ranks of corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major… The more victories she achieved in the war, the more crucial missions were entrusted to her, which she flawlessly accomplished each time. The war’s eventual turning point was entirely due to her efforts.

Having led the final Battle of Gailen to victory, Claire became the first commoner in history to hold a general staff position commanding the military.

And as she prepared to return to her homeland with the army to establish the new nation, an enemy soldier feigning death ambushed her from behind, firing an arrow into her back.

Tragically, the arrow pierced a vital point, and she fell from her horse, meeting her demise at the blossoming age.

Diogrius I, the then-King of the Greluphien Kingdom that preceded the current Greffin Empire’s Imperial lineage, mourned her death by bestowing a Dukedom to her descendants, with Claire as the founding Duke.

This established the origins of one of the three Ducal families upholding the present Empire – the Claire Duchy.

In any case, with such a precedent, there was no reason I couldn’t take up the sword.

Dad seemed deep in contemplation for a moment. But he soon granted his permission.

“If it is your ardent wish, then I shall allow it. The physician did mention your physical strength was severely lacking, and above all, this is the first time you have expressed a desire to me. This is practically blackmail.”

Dad smiled as he spoke to me.

As someone who rarely smiled, he seemed to place special meaning on his daughter finally voicing her wants.

Miller grinned as well, seeming to accept the situation.

Miller held the position of Vice-Knight Commander directly under his mentor Hewt. When Drehan eventually became the Duke, Miller would simultaneously rise to the rank of Count and command the Rayes knights.

“I will take responsibility for Ria’s sword training, Dad.”

Unaware that I had disarmed a knight’s practice sword today, Miller ruffled my hair.

Observing his overly cautious gestures, it seemed his idea of sword training differed from mine, prompting an involuntary laugh.

“Thank you, both of you.”