Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

The morning sunlight made me squint. The room was suddenly flooded with light.

Garnett had thrown the curtains wide open.

“It’s time to wake up.”

“Mmm…”

I curled up in the plush bed, unable to separate from it each morning as if we had become one.

Garnett then lifted me up.

“Today is the day you visit the Imperial Palace.”

Thump-thump-

Before I knew it, I had been delivered in front of the bathroom. Having read the ancient text until dawn last night, I was so groggy that I barely registered being thoroughly bathed by the maids and having fragrant oil applied to my hair.

It was only when the warm breeze from the hair dryer wafted over me that I finally came to.

“Why does the palace only receive visitors at this ungodly early hour…”

In response to my griping, Garnett explained as she dried my hair:

“The Imperial Palace receives over 1,000 visitors per day. The more esteemed the guest, the more they must be treated according to protocol. Hence, dignitaries are each assigned different time slots. The earlier one’s permitted visitation time, the more honored the reception.”

“I’m just going to see Luka’s face…”

“It seems the Crown Prince has secured a rather solid standing within the Imperial family, contrary to your concerns.”

Garnett smiled, going on to say that today was a day when princes from other countries visiting as guests of the other princes would also be in attendance, yet I had been assigned an even more esteemed time slot than those foreign royals.

Visiting the Imperial Palace meant this was essentially another debutante event announcing my presence.

One couldn’t show up to the gathering place of dignitaries from across the nation in just any attire.

Consequently, I found myself being elaborately dolled up by the maids who had rushed over upon hearing the news, including Sister Serine and Terry.

“Um… everyone? Which dress is this now?”

“The fifth dress, sister!”

Terry cheerfully replied.

I wasn’t actually asking you to count!

It had been a while since I last saw Serine and Terry, but they seemed to be getting along well with the other maids. Watching them collectively ponder which accessories to adorn me with next…

“Okay, okay this dress is fine. I like this one.”

In truth, each of the previous four dresses I had tried on exhibited exquisite designs, as if master craftsmen had toiled day and night for three straight days to create them.

The saying ‘clothes make the woman’ rang true – the emerald green dress I currently wore was simply breathtaking.

Even after pre-selecting dresses that would suit me, there had been too many options!

At Serine’s slightly disappointed tone, I firmly crossed my arms in an X to refuse, my slender waist seeming to protest the motion.

I gazed at the ruby necklace adorning my neck in the mirror’s reflection. Since Luka had instructed me never to remove it, I decided to keep the necklace on and simply style my hair in a ribbon ponytail.

Garnett was immensely skilled at hairstyling.

I recalled her mentioning it had been a pity that the estate only had young masters, never having the chance to style a lady’s tresses.

She seemed to be venting all that pent-up desire through my long silver hair.

The face staring back from the mirror resembled a young girl finally obtaining her coveted toy.

Ultimately, with just a velvet emerald ribbon studded with jewels, Garnett’s magic hands crafted a ponytail fit for a magazine cover.

“Sister, you look just like a real princess!”

Terry exclaimed, hands clasped together in delight, eyes sparkling.

“To me, you’re the one who looks like a princess.”

Terry was wearing one of the dresses the Ducal estate had newly purchased each year in anticipation of Laveria’s return.

A dress left without an owner, having become too small for me to wear.

Since she had always sung about wanting to try on the pretty outfits worn by storybook heroines back at the orphanage, I had gifted her with clothes tailored to her size.

“The two princesses should get going now.”

Sister Serine smiled.

Terry took my hand and led the way, with Serine and Garnett following behind.

In the vast garden before the estate, Drehan had already prepared a carriage.

“Good morning, Brother Drehan!”

He nodded at my greeting.

Taking the hand he offered, I boarded the carriage and waved to Serine and Terry.

“I’ll be back!”

I had assumed Garnett would accompany us, but she explained that only the invited guest and their equivalent proxy could enter the palace grounds.

Seated across from Drehan in the swiftly moving carriage, I met his penetrating gaze head-on.

“Thank you for coming with me today.”

Nod-

“It must have been a while since you last visited the Imperial Palace too, Brother?”

Nod-

“Won’t you say something, Brother?”

Nod-

‘This guy…!’

As my smile involuntarily twitched, Drehan finally let out a snicker.

Was he messing with me? So this was his usual demeanor…

“I also had someone to meet at the Imperial Palace.”

“Someone to meet?”

“A fellow graduate from the same academy as me.”

If it was a fellow graduate with Drehan… then he meant Essil Claire.

The same age as Drehan, as evident from his surname, Essil was the eldest son of the Claire Duchy. In the original story, he had been a villainous supporting character who carried an unrequited love for Senia.

Colluding with Laveria, he had attempted to drive a wedge between Luka and Senia, only to become embroiled in the poison incident and eventually exiled alongside Laveria.

An utterly forgettable character.

Since the Claire Duchy’s knight order was partially integrated with the Imperial knight force, Essil Claire must be currently overseeing them at the palace.

Following the will of the founding Duchess, the Sword Goddess Claire, the Claire Duchy had positioned itself as the Empire’s sword defending the nation, refraining from involving itself in politics.

Their territory was the frontier Teora province bordering foreign countries, befitting their Ducal lineage.

I asked Drehan:

“What business do you have to meet about?”

“Regarding the upcoming Grand Nobles’ Council. This unrest occurring after two years is also partially our Duchy’s responsibility, so it would be wise to secure a firm foothold.”

The Grand Nobles’ Council. While ordinary Nobles’ Councils had 100 attendees, the Grand Nobles’ Council was stipulated to have only 30 participants.

It was a council convened to decide matters of national importance, the last one having been held two years ago after Luka’s disappearance.

And this upcoming Grand Nobles’ Council was being held due to Luka’s return. But at the center of this was not only Luka, but also the Rayes Duchy that had brought him back.

Originally, it should have been Senia’s responsibility to hold it a year later, but the contents had changed.

Currently, a storm was brewing between Luka’s Crown Prince faction and Consort Jeria’s faction. With the Rayes unavoidably at the vanguard of Luka’s faction, the aid of the fellow Claire Duchy had become necessary.

The Kablos Duchy was a representative of Consort Jeria’s noble faction, having originally conspired with her to kidnap Luka.

‘Honestly, it’s ridiculous what lengths these adults are going to over a single child.’

I turned my gaze towards the window.

“More importantly, did you have any dreams during those two days you were unconscious?”

“Dreams…?”

“You kept muttering incessantly, as if constantly apologizing to someone despite being unconscious.”

“Ah.”

I smiled, recalling the fleeting memory that had surfaced.

“Yes, I dreamt of bidding farewell to those I wished to see.”

“Those you wished to see?”

I nodded. Drehan regarded me with a perplexed expression.

But I offered no further explanation to his inquiring gaze.

I couldn’t. Telling him I had come back after parting words with my previous life’s family.

The carriage swiftly sped towards the Imperial Castle.

* * *

The Rayes Ducal Territory was located on the outskirts of the capital, so the journey didn’t take as long as expected.

Alighting from the carriage, I could behold the overwhelming grandeur of the Greffin Imperial Palace.

While the Rayes Ducal Estate had already seemed immensely magnificent, the palace simply rendered me speechless.

In one aspect, it resembled a divine temple where deities dwelled. In another, an earthly paradise where fairies frolicked.

I could somewhat understand why people caused such turmoil vying for the Imperial throne – to become the master of this opulent palace.

“We have been awaiting your arrival. It is an honor to welcome the descendants of the Rayes Duchy.”

Three palace attendants greeted Drehan and me.

“The honored guests of His Highness the Crown Prince, please follow us.”

Striding in unnervingly synchronized movements akin to triplets, we followed the attendants, affording glimpses of the palace grounds’ grandeur I had failed to fully appreciate from the outside.

Perhaps due to us being the Imperial Palace’s first visitors today, the labyrinthine gardens that would normally teem with various nobles and foreign royals were traversed solely by Drehan and myself.

Even after strolling through the vast main gardens, we had to proceed further by boarding another carriage prepared within the palace grounds.

Far from feeling tedious, each moment sparked constant wonder. The open-topped carriage created the sense of touring the sights.

Our destination was the front courtyard of a pure white marble palace.

“Ria.”

Luka’s voice rang out.

“May the brilliant glory of the Great Greffin Empire be with you. Our lord, another sun.”

Drehan bowed formally to Luka.

Amidst the countless watchful gazes, I curtseyed as I had been taught, grasping the sides of my skirt and slightly bowing my head as I began:

“May the brilliant glory of the Great Greffin Empire…”

Before I could finish the courteous greeting, Luka took my hand.

“A simple ‘hello’ will suffice.”

“But this is the Imperial Palace…”

At my words, Luka let out a mischievous laugh, assuring me it was alright.

Even while fully decked out in regal attire befitting nobility within this vast palace, the sight of him ultimately reminded me of that same little boy who had once held my hand at the orphanage, prompting an involuntary smile.

“Hello, Luka.”

He grinned innocently in response.

* * *

With the attendants dismissed, the abruptly promoted eldest brother tasked-with-taking-care-of-his-younger-siblings Drehan plopped down on the plush red velvet sofa of the outdoor tent Luka had guided us to.

The pleasant weather had prompted the decision to have breakfast outside.

I nearly teared up.

A melancholic memory from Troy Orphanage had resurfaced.

-Luka, are you uncomfortable somewhere? Why are you sitting so stiffly?

-Ah, it’s nothing. The chair leg is about to break, so…

-What?!

Watching Luka haphazardly seated, I realized he was propping himself up on one leg to prevent the chair from collapsing under his weight as he ate.

Now, being able to dine at a table set up like an earthly paradise amidst the lush green meadow felt incredibly moving.

The dishes presented before us looked like platings where the chef must have trembled, carefully dripping each dollop of sauce with painstaking precision.

My only regret was having no phone to capture and share such visual delights on social media.

“It is an honor to prepare a meal for such esteemed guests.”

“Ah!”

I jolted at the voice suddenly beside me.

“Head Imperial Chef Gaori, at your service.”

“Ah, you’re the renowned…”

The very chef Luka had previously raved about.