After the king leaves the parlor, I sigh in relief. Ahh, that was bad for my heart. But I suppose I passed my villainess aptitude test with flying colors?

“Were you nervous?” Duke asks me gently.

Like father, like son. I can see clear traces of the king in him, right down to how handsome they both are.

However, I seem to remember Duke despising Alicia in the original game. All his kind words and smiles were reserved for the heroine, and the heroine alone. I never dreamed the day would come when Duke would show those smiles to me. But I suppose the choices I make can change the story in some way.

I guess the king really did come all the way out here to ask for my opinions. But why? I’m just a little girl… And why would he come to Finn’s house? I guess it’s best not to read too much into this.

“You must be tired after that. Come to the back garden and have some tea with us!”

Finn tugs on my hand, his eyes glimmering. And I let him drag me out to the back garden.

No way! It’s a spread of all my favorite desserts! Everything smells amazing. Does this mean I can eat anything I want?

Finn smiles. And as if he’s read my mind, he says, “Go ahead. Have anything you’d like.”

I load my dish with cookies and cakes. After overworking my brain, I could really use some sugar.

This is so delicious my cheeks might just melt off. I could eat plates of this. I know it’s unsightly, but I can’t resist the allure of food.

Without a care for the people around me, I eagerly cram pastry after pastry into my mouth. It’s the best feeling in the world.

That’s right. This is the main reason I came here in the first place! That chat with the king was just a bonus, right?

They might think I’m a glutton with the way I’m stuffing my face. But I couldn’t care less. A villainess must indulge in her desires. Tea parties are the best! The phrase “two birds with one stone” was made for moments like this.

And just like that, my lips melt into a goofy grin without me noticing.

Little did I know how closely Duke was watching me.

***

I mentioned Roana Village to the king, but I don’t actually know what the conditions there are like. It’s a bad look to make proclamations without knowledge of the truth. Seeing is believing, as they say. Perhaps I should go pay it a visit.

But Father would never allow it. Neither would my tender mother nor my doting brothers. They would all be against it for sure. It’s not a place suitable for the nobility, and whenever I leave the house, I always have an attendant.

I guess I’ll just have to sneak out, then!

I start carefully drawing up a plan. Roana Village is in a forest beyond the town, so it’s pretty far away. As I spread the map on the table, something catches my attention.

What’s this? The forest behind our property is connected to Roana Village. That’s quite a shortcut. No proper roads seem to lead there, but at least it’s still reachable by foot.

But I seem to recall that Roana Village is protected by magic walls. I’ve read in books that these walls were erected to keep the villagers from leaving, but I think those with magic power should still be able to pass through them.

I’m not sure, though. And it’s not like I can ask anyone. And I haven’t found any books on magic, either—yet another obstacle in my way!

My only choice is to break through with force. If I can’t get through the walls, I’ll just have to find another way in. Let’s say I pretend to go to bed at nine PM, then sneak out the window. It’s about ten kilometers away. With my current endurance levels, I can get there in about an hour if I run. That would leave me with plenty of time to explore Roana Village.

I finish supper and immediately start getting ready to depart for Roana. But then…

“Ali! Duke came to see you!”

I think I hear Albert saying something, but surely, my ears are playing tricks on me.

“Oh, Aliiii!”

Okay, maybe they aren’t. I leave my bedroom and head to the parlor.

Why would Duke visit me? And this late in the day, at that? This makes no sense.

I enter the parlor to find Albert and Duke waiting for me.

“He has something for you, Ali,” Albert says, skipping pleasantries.

As I stand there staring blankly, Duke approaches me with a gentle look in his eyes. Yeah, this guy’s dangerous. If he comes any closer with that sweet face of his, my heart is going to fly out of my rib cage. I can feel my pulse quickening already.

“A bit late, but happy birthday,” Duke says, handing me a tiny box.

I’m so surprised I just stand there like a statue. I never dreamed Duke would give me a birthday present. There wasn’t even an event in the game where he gave the MC one.

For a fleeting moment, I let myself imagine he might have feelings for me. But then I remember—there’s a five-year age difference between us. If anything, I’m probably like a little sister to him. Still, I can’t understand why he’d give me a birthday present when we’ve barely talked before.

“Thank you?” My mind is filled with question marks, but I thank him anyway and take the tiny box. “May I open it now?”

“Sure.”

With Duke’s permission, I carefully open the box…then immediately shut it from the sheer impact of what I’ve seen. Um, are my eyes playing tricks on me?

“Is it not to your liking?”

“N-no, it’s just… What is this?” Doubting my own eyes, I have to ask Duke like an idiot.

“It’s a pendant.”

“Well, yes, I can see that, but what’s the gemstone in the center?”

“Oh, that’s a diamond.”

I thought so. I don’t care that he’s the king’s son—this feels way too extravagant for an eight-year-old girl’s birthday gift!

I curtsy deeply and thank him again, just to be safe. A true villainess would never get flustered over receiving something valuable, but a diamond is far beyond anything I could have imagined.

“Well, I’ve done what I came for, so I’ll get going.”

And just like that, Duke leaves the parlor.

Did he really come all this way just to give me a birthday present? Isn’t he going to stay and chat with Albert? I’m so stunned I forget to say good-bye.

I open the box again and look inside. Yep, that’s definitely a diamond. Diamonds are even more valuable in this world than in my old one, and Duke gave one…to me, an eight-year-old.

I still can’t fully process what just happened. The only thing I can think of is how the diamond’s sparkle reminds me of Duke’s crystal-blue eyes.

So much happened today that I ended up canceling my trip to Roana Village. As I lie on my bed, examining the pendant Duke gave me, I find myself getting lost in how beautiful it is.

Duke is supposed to fall in love with the heroine, and I’m supposed to bully her, right? What am I going to do if Duke demands I return the pendant?

Well, a true villainess would never return a gift.

I jump out of bed, stand in front of the mirror, and secure it around my neck. It’s small enough that it won’t get in the way of my sword practice, so I can wear it all day if I want.

And with that, I go to bed with Duke’s pendant still on my neck.

***

Today’s the day—I’m going to Roana Village.

After putting my plans into motion, I find myself on the outskirts of the forest behind our family mansion. Escaping undetected was so easy, I almost felt betrayed by how simple it was. And wow, forests at night really are creepy, huh?

But girls are strong. I’m not going to let some stupid forest freak me out.

I force my shivering body to attention and take my first steps into the forest.

Wow, it’s pitch-black. Bringing a lantern was definitely the right call.

The trees are starting to look like giant monsters, but I won’t be intimidated. I’ve decided to go to Roana, and I’ll see it through. The trees aren’t going to attack me—they’re just trees. Just trees. I keep telling myself this as I run through the dark woods.

I trust my instincts and keep running in the direction I think I should go, even though I’m not entirely sure if it’s right.

After about an hour of running, I finally spot a wall of fog up ahead. Why is the fog only covering that one area? Wait, is that the edge of Roana Village? Did I arrive already? Wow, I’m awesome! Since no one’s around to praise me, I do it myself.

Okay, now the important question: Will I be able to pass through that wall? I can’t use magic yet, but I do have magic power. Let me get a little closer…

I can’t see anything beyond the thick fog, but Roana Village must be on the other side. I just have to find out for myself. My heart slams against my rib cage as I take a deep breath in and let it out, then step into the fog.

The moment I emerge on the other side, I’m hit by a stench so foul it nearly knocks me over. It invades the deepest part of my nose, making me gag. Voices wailing in agony echo around me, and for a moment, I feel like I might faint.

I just stand there, speechless.

I’ve never seen such miserable conditions in my life. I quickly pull my cloak’s hood over my face and extinguish my lantern. If anyone realizes I’m nobility, I’ll be attacked for sure. Trembling with fear, I can’t believe how bad things are. I knew, from the books I’d read, that Roana’s conditions were poor—but not like this.

In the game, what was the heroine supposed to do about Roana Village? My thoughts are cut off by another wave of the unbearable stench. I…I can’t even begin to imagine how anyone could improve these conditions. And I’m not a merciful person. I only care about myself. That’s what a villainess does.

But for some reason, my legs keep moving. I keep walking, even though my instincts scream at me to run. Through the dim light, I can barely make out figures lying here and there in the streets.

I arrive at what might be the village commons. There’s a fountain in the center, but no water flows from it. Instead, a stagnant pool of dirty water has collected at its base. People are lying around the commons, too, and I realize how many homeless there are in Roana. Candles provide the only light—there are no streetlights, and the moon isn’t visible, as thick clouds cover the sky. Even the air feels filthy.

“Li’l miss.”

My spine freezes at the sudden voice. Is he talking to me? Did he notice I don’t belong here? I’ve improved my sword skills, but I didn’t bring one with me… Could I outrun him if I tried? The thought of dying in a place like this terrifies me.

“Li’l miss,” he repeats, this time patting my shoulder.

Villainesses don’t cry, but I can’t stop the tears from welling up. I glance down at the hand on my shoulder. It’s large and slightly wrinkled.

Slowly, I turn around.