The Villainess Makes Amends

Chapter 4

* * *

It took quite a long time for us to reach the empire. Despite the many acceleration magic tools I’d hung on the carriage, the distance between the Duchy of Lillony and the empire was simply too great. During the journey, Chirpy sprawled across my lap.

She asked, “Kiana, what are you planning to do at the capital? Are you going to launch a huge business, become extremely wealthy, then use your money to pressure Prince Heaton?”

“What are you talking about? I have absolutely no sense of economics, and I couldn’t do something like that. I know how to spend money, but I have no idea how to make it.”

“Then, are you planning to enter the political arena and interfere that way?”

“What? I can’t do that either. I have zero connections in the empire. Sure, I know how to insult politicians, but I definitely don’t know how to engage in politics.”

My sense of self-awareness was impeccable. To my wise, humble response, however, Chirpy gave me a look that seemed to imply she was losing faith in me.

“Wait, Kiana,” she said, sounding nervous. “D-don’t tell me you’re planning to tell your family the truth?”

“Why not?” I asked, blinking.

Chirpy’s beak fell open in shock, as though she had just heard the worst possible answer.

“Think about it, Kiana!” she said earnestly. “If you suddenly appear at home after six years away and declare, ‘I’ve come from the future and Prince Heaton is going to destroy the Freleys, but I don’t know why,’ do you honestly think that anyone would believe you?”

“Of course not. Given my insufferable personality and my habit of going into my room whenever I get annoyed, who in the world would believe me?” I responded casually. “Therefore, I am going to try harder once I return.”

“Um… Oh… You’ll try harder. I see…”

Chirpy shrugged, looking as though she completely lacked confidence. I had indeed been nothing but a source of trouble for my family while I was growing up. Until the age of sixteen, I’d been quite the example of a gloomy, brooding villainess. People had often said that within House Freley lived an angel, Melissa, and a devil, Kiana. Regardless, cooperating with my family was plan A. That was why my first destination was Freley Manor.

Chirpy tilted her head in concern and asked, “Even so, I can’t help but worry about your utterly disastrous reputation and your notorious past.”

“To be honest, it concerns me as well. That’s why I also have a plan B.” I rested my chin on my hands and gazed out the window. I explained, “The plan is to assist Prince Heaton’s greatest adversary, ‘that man.’ Before His Highness can charge us with treason a year from now, I’ll make sure that he meets his downfall by someone else’s hand.”

“Anyway, I think Prince Heaton felt he was being driven into a corner… I guess he thought we’d side with the crown prince.”

Melissa had said that in our shared prison cell. At the time, I’d had no understanding of the situation. However, thanks to the original story, I had come to a conclusion about what she had meant.

“Ah, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Chirpy mused.

“Exactly.”

My voice lowered as I contemplated the many things that would happen in the future.

“I intend to mend my relationship with my family and actively assist ‘that man.’”

* * *

In Rafahan, the imperial capital, a young man with jet-black hair received a report in his office.

“Ah…” He tilted his head slightly to the side. “Lady Kiana is returning to the empire so suddenly?”

“Yes. She has even withdrawn from all joint research projects at Lillony Academy, and submitted requests to revoke every patent she registered under its name. Apparently, they are in complete turmoil at the moment.”

The man’s eyes narrowed as he gazed at Kiana’s name on the report. He was tall and lean yet powerfully built with sharp, elegant eyes. There was something about him that exuded a chilly, remote aura, and all those who beheld him instinctively felt a sense of intimidation. His attire was neat and immaculate. Not a single pen in his study was out of place.

“Did something happen at the academy?” he asked, his tone holding a hint of suspicion.

His subordinate, a burly man from a foreign country, responded, “It’s difficult to say. It’s such an isolated place that we cannot know the details. At the very least, it does seem to be that they were entirely unprepared for such a turn of events.”

The rough-hewn man’s expression was utterly serious, even though he was not fully accustomed to the empire’s language and spoke with an accent.

“Given that her route is leading directly to the capital, it seems that she is headed for Freley Manor. Maybe she finally grew tired of being stuck in the remote countryside and doing nothing but research.”

The subordinate’s report concluded.

“That remains to be seen, but…”

After a brief silence, the young man slowly stood. He was as sharply honed as a fine-edged blade. Unlike his languid movements, his gaze was piercing and intense. He resembled a predator, well-accustomed to dominance.

“Regardless, we shall finally meet,” he murmured to himself, grinning with an unmistakable look of anticipation on his face. “After all this time.”

* * *

We traveled tirelessly for days on end. It was the middle of the night by the time we finally arrived in Rafahan, the capital city of the Taylize Empire.

“Wow, we’ll be at Freley Manor soon!”

Chirpy was wiggling her fluffy backside as she peered eagerly out the window. I reached out and grabbed her with one hand.

“Wait,” I said.

“Huh?”

I produced a small note and tried to put it in her beak.

“I have something I need you to do. You need to deliver this somewhere.”

“What? You… want me to work? Now?” Chirpy immediately flapped her tiny wings in protest. “You must think of a summon as your friend, not your assistant! Chirpy does not want to work! I can’t believe I have to work as soon as I get to the capital, without even being able to explore!”

“Chirpy.” I poked her plump cheeks and kindly enlightened her on reality. “You’ll do as you’re told, right? Melissa isn’t your master anymore. I am.”

She groaned in response. I kindly offered her another piece of advice on how she would live life under my command.

“Don’t expect to slack off under me.”

Chirpy looked me in the eyes, then she flinched and wailed, “Kiana is too cruel a master!”

“I know. Anyway, take this note secretly to P.O. Box 1135.”

“Secretly? But that will take me a whole week!”

“I’m aware of that.”

Each summoned creature possessed a unique ability. Chirpy’s particular ability was being able to use something called Secret Transport. It allowed for the transportation of small objects to a designated location without being detected, but it was impossible to send items long distances, and the process required a certain amount of time. According to Melissa’s memories, it typically took about a week.

“Poor Chirpy is already being overworked!” She put on a disgruntled expression. “I’m so wounded by my new owner that I feel like my soul has been deeply bruised!”

“Chirpy,” I said, entirely seriously. “The soul does not have capillaries. It cannot bruise.”

She listlessly took off through the window, muttering, “I hate magical engineering.”

It was an audacious remark, but she was murmuring it to herself, and I paid it no mind. Chirpy could curse it for the rest of her days, but magical engineering would stay. Once I was left alone in the carriage, I drew in a deep breath.

The empire… Rafahan… Freley Manor.

It was the first time I was returning home after I’d left on my own at age sixteen. It was home, but it hardly felt like it. My heart pounded with trepidation. I had no fond memories of the place, or rather, I had no memories of the place that I could be proud of. Whenever I envisioned the grand, elegant manor, I could feel cold sweat practically dripping down my back.

It’s fine… It’ll be fine. I just need to try. I’ll try my best from now on.

As I fought to settle my roiling stomach, the carriage arrived before the main gates of the manor at last. Although it was the middle of the night, the grounds were buzzing with activity. Earlier that evening, one of the maids had attempted to assassinate my grandfather with a poisoned dagger. Naturally, her attempt had failed—members of House Freley were not easy targets. The important thing was that the entire manor was still clamoring by the time I arrived. When I appeared in the garden, the servants all gasped in shock.

“L-Lady Kiana? Is that you?”

“My lady! You’ve arrived so suddenly, without any notice…”

“My apologies, Lady Kiana! There was an assassination attempt this very night and the entire household is in upheaval. If you could wait just a moment, His Grace will…”

Their abject shock was not a surprise, considering the fact that I’d suddenly turned up after a six-year absence.

“There’s no need to raise a fuss. Everyone seems quite busy. I’m weary from travel and I want to sleep immediately. I’ll pay my respects to Grandfather in the morning.”

I delivered my remarks coolly and strode past them at once. Part of me was relieved that the chaos in the house had provided me with an excuse to delay greeting my grandfather, but I knew that I couldn’t delay a meeting with him indefinitely.

I can’t just avoid him because it’ll be awkward and uncomfortable.

I took another deep breath.

Grandfather is the head of our family and the only one I can trust. I must find a way to get closer to him so that I can warn him of danger, and we can prepare for it accordingly.

With measured steps, I proceeded into the vast halls of my family home, where I had never belonged and had vowed to never set foot again.