The Villainess Does Not Want to Die

Chapter 22: Lake

The carriage traveled for quite some time.

When I had ridden a carriage to the Duke’s estate, it hadn’t been a pleasant memory. But this carriage was soft and didn’t make me nauseous.

It was probably a higher-class carriage.

We stopped at an inn along the road, and whenever we passed through a village, I bought cheese or anything else that looked delicious.

In a small but bustling town, I bought a ukulele on a whim. I wasn’t sure why they even had one there.

A young knight saw me buying the instrument and muttered something about traveling performers, but I pretended not to hear.

I wasn’t brave enough to argue with someone holding a sword, especially outside the Duke’s estate.

I considered playing a tune from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, but I couldn’t quite remember it. The ukulele ended up being tossed into the back of the carriage.

Maybe someday I’d take it out again, if the thought ever struck me.

Anyway, we eventually arrived at the lake.

Whether it was because of the carriage’s quality or the horses pulling it, the journey was much faster than the trip from the slums to the Duke’s estate.

The first thing we did upon reaching the lake was secure accommodations.

It wasn’t exactly a wealthy area, so there were no luxury inns. The servants rented a house and began decorating it to make it suitably elegant.

“Alina, stay by my side. There’s no need for you to help with the work.”

“Oh, no, Miss! I enjoy decorating houses!”

“…If you say so.”

After some time, I decided to have a cup of tea and then head toward the lake.

The two knights assigned to me followed at every step. Initially, the servants wanted to accompany me too, but I managed to shake them off.

I wanted to bring Alina with me, but for some reason—perhaps external pressure or simply her own desire to stay—she didn’t follow.

When I arrived at the lake, the first thought that struck me was how shabby the place seemed.

When I had come here once from the slums, it had seemed so grand and magnificent.

A couple holding hands crossed a quaint little bridge.

A family spread a picnic blanket on the grass, eating sandwiches.

Children played with their friends, running around joyfully.

It was like a snapshot of an ordinary, happy life—a kind of life I could never have.

Stop thinking like that, I told myself.

It would’ve been nice to let the people enjoy their happiness, but the knights assigned by the Duchess were more intent on clearing my path.

They claimed it was to ensure my safety.

It felt like I was just inconveniencing everyone, so I deliberately took a less crowded route, walking around.

The lake shimmered with a reddish hue as the sunlight reflected off it.

It was beautiful, but I felt it would be more beautiful if shared with someone else.

It had been far more stunning when I saw it with my mother.

It would’ve been nice if Alina were here.

What exactly did I feel about Alina?

It wasn’t sexual attraction but more like familial affection—an older sister kind of bond.

I couldn’t define it precisely, but I was certain she was precious to me.

Anyway, my mother’s grave was in a forested area a bit farther from here.

It wasn’t a place where many people passed by. If someone had tried to bury a body in such a crowded spot, people would’ve immediately come running to kick the orphan from the slums.

After walking for a while, a beggar approached me, holding out a half-broken plate.

“Well, what brings such a lofty-looking young lady all the way out here?

I’d be mighty grateful if you could spare a coin for this poor soul.”

The knights reacted with disdain, as if to say, How dare someone like you?

One of them looked genuinely disgusted, while the other seemed almost gleeful, as if he’d been waiting for an excuse.

It was a familiar scene from the slums—idiots who couldn’t even pick their targets wisely would end up getting beaten for it.

The knights, now visibly angry, seemed ready to draw their swords.

The beggar, oblivious to the danger, didn’t notice.

I stopped the knights and asked for a single coin.

The brown-haired knight, whose name I thought was Kesel, pulled a coin from his pocket and handed it to me.

I placed the coin on the beggar’s plate.

“Do you think I stopped you just for this?” the beggar said, glaring at me.

He must’ve calculated that if he intimidated a soft-hearted young lady, she might give him more money.

Despite his long beard, he looked to be in his mid-20s. He probably didn’t have much experience asking nobles for money.

What should I do?

I thought a single coin was kind enough for this impudent man.

Deciding it wasn’t my concern, I turned away and started walking.

“Miss, would you mind if we stayed behind to teach this insolent fellow a lesson?”

The younger knight, who looked far younger than Kesel, asked with a sly grin.

Even if I said no, he seemed likely to stay and do what he wanted.

“Do as you wish,” I said before leaving.

The two knights didn’t even draw their swords. They simply clenched their fists and began beating the beggar mercilessly.

I tried not to look back, unwilling to get closer to such senseless violence.

When I reached the forested area near the water, I found the slightly raised ground where I had placed a stone marker. It was still there, untouched.

The knights were probably still busy beating the beggar, as they hadn’t caught up to me yet.

Rolling up my sleeves, I dug into the earth myself.

I placed the blue gemstone the Duke had given me into the grave.

“Mother, the Duke asked me to tell you he’s sorry.”

I began covering the gemstone with dirt.

“Honestly, I don’t even know why he’s apologizing.

I don’t know why he brought me here.

Or if he’s even truly sorry…”

My words faltered as a wave of emotion surged within me.

I couldn’t even catch my breath as the words spilled out in a rush.

Was it because I was confessing before someone already died that the words poured out so quickly? Or was it simply because I was standing before my mother that my true feelings flowed freely?

I wasn’t sure.

My childhood hadn’t been particularly happy, but aside from a few memories, it hadn’t been terribly miserable either.

“Did you love me, Mother? No, of course you did. It must have just hurt a little too much.”

I spoke softly, making sure no one else could hear.

My voice was thick with emotion, and I wanted to wipe it clean somehow. Instead, I ended up wiping away the tears I hadn’t realized were falling, smearing dirt on my face in the process.

It soured my mood slightly.

By the time I finished covering the grave and my hands were thoroughly dirty, the knights arrived, their faces smeared with blood and sweat.

Kesel glanced at me with a somewhat awkward expression, while the younger knight wore a mocking smirk.

Well, it wasn’t surprising. I hadn’t bothered answering their questions properly, brushing off whatever they said. It wasn’t hard to see why they wouldn’t like me.

They’d probably been assigned to me on purpose.

Honestly, I would’ve preferred if they just openly mocked me or slapped me. At least that would feel more genuine.

“…You should have left this task to us,” Kesel said.

“How could I call for knights busy teaching a beggar a lesson? It’s already done. Go rest somewhere else. You can return to the inn with the servants if you’d like.”

The younger knight’s face lit up at my words.

“Then I’ll head back first!”

He left eagerly, but Kesel stayed, standing firmly by my side.

When I looked at him with a puzzled expression, he scratched the back of his head and began to speak.

“That guy is trouble, even within the knight order.”

He made a small gesture, touching his thumb and forefinger together as if signaling something minor but irritating.

“But his parents are filthy rich.

And as for me… I grew up in the same kind of place you did, Miss.”

“The slums… you mean?”

“Yes. I stayed in an orphanage until a conscription officer noticed me and dragged me to the battlefield. There, I awakened to magic by chance, and the Duke took me in.”

The story felt all too familiar. The Duke had taken him in but must’ve shown little interest afterward.

Being from the slums, Kesel was likely relegated to the fringes, forever out of place.

Typical of the Duke.

Come to think of it, Raphael’s dream of becoming a knight didn’t seem so far-fetched now. 

Before I realized why his name sounded familiar, I’d thought he was just a foolish boy whose head wasn’t screwed on right.

“Let’s go back,” I said.

Kesel nodded.

On the way back, we passed the beggar. He was still alive, trembling violently, his face swollen beyond recognition.

I glanced at him briefly and kept walking.

I thought I might feel guilt or something similar, but all I felt was a vague discomfort—a lingering unease.

Damn it.

“Kesel, take this man to a physician,” I said suddenly.

The knight looked startled.

Before he could argue, I pulled a crisp banknote from my pocket and handed it to him.

Normally, you’d have to exchange this at a bank, but surely a high-ranking person like Kesel would get the man treated without issue.

“But this man might—”

“You said you grew up in the slums. Is that a crime worthy of death?”

He hesitated, mumbling slightly, before finally picking up the man and carrying him off.

I watched him take the man to a small clinic, hand over the money, and arrange for his treatment.

As he left, he added, “Once he’s recovered, feel free to throw him out.”

With a faint sense of heaviness, I began walking back to the lodging.

When I looked up at the sky, the twin moons seemed to be laughing at me.

As if to say, Who are you to think you can help anyone?