How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

Camion walked down the hallway, looking around the familiar mansion. The Grand Duke’s mansion was still busy preparing for the wedding, but as the sun set, there was a quiet atmosphere. He heard that Lady Diane and Princess Sorel, who visited the mansion, have already returned. Now, only Princess Eve, who had called him here, remained in the mansion.

 

When he heard that the princess was calling him, he was very embarrassed.

 

‘If anything is necessary, she can just speak to me through His Highness, but why did she call me directly?’

 

Although he was a little surprised, he headed straight to the mansion. He had already received orders from lord Terence to treat the princess with great hospitality. He also said that if the princess told him to do something, he must faithfully follow it no matter what. Camion knew that his master had a good reason for giving such an order. In fact, the passionate love affair of lord Terence was like that. Those in their right minds guessed that there must be some special reason for that.

 

Camion also thought so. In fact, he took a little hint from Terence. On the day he went to the ball, His Royal Highness definitely asked that question.

 

‘If the princess suddenly dies now, who do you think will be suspicious?’

 

At the time, he thought it was a strange question. After that, after witnessing His Highness suddenly become a passionate lover with the princess, he understood why that question was asked. Perhaps there was a plot to frame the Grand Duke by harming the princess. When he thought about it that way, he could understand the Grand Duke’s sudden change in behavior.

 

‘I understand up to that point…’

 

The problem was that His Highness’s actions seem a bit too much to be considered acting. 

The part where the knights were confused was actually there.

 

‘Well, the princess has become very calm these days and doesn’t behave violently anymore.’

 

If you think about it, Princess Eve has also changed a lot. She was a princess and treated the knights who were with her at the temple kindly and politely. Not long ago, she heard that the princess jumped into the pond to save Master Lot. It was such an absurd story that most of the knights didn’t believe it. 

 

With that in mind, Camion entered the greenhouse in the garden where the princess was waiting. The glass greenhouse stood in the middle of the garden with a red sky in the background. A tranquil atmosphere prevailed between the flower beds and garden trees bathed in sunset light. Princess Eve was drinking her tea at a table in the greenhouse.

 

“Are you looking for me, Your Highness?”

 

Camion was polite and polite. No matter what her past actions were, she was a princess, and she would soon become the master’s wife.

 

“Ah, Sir Camion.”

 

Princess Eve put the teacup down on the table. A black cat was curled up next to the table, and she was looking at him closely. It was a cat that the princess had recently started raising. Among knights supporting the black magic theory, that cat was also mentioned as evidence of black magic. The knights at the temple said they had seen the cat several times hiding in the corner for long periods of time, as if it was eavesdropping on what they were saying. However, people who have raised cats say that it was a cat’s natural habit to hide in tight places and watch people. When he actually saw it, he felt like he knew why the strange words came out. The pitch-black cat was quietly curled up and observing the person, looking like an arrogant high-ranking nobleman.

 

While he was staring at the cat blankly, the princess’s voice woke him up.

 

“There is something you need to do on our wedding day.”

 

“Is there a problem?”

 

The princess looked at him with sparkling blue eyes, different from before.

 

“We need people to watch this place on the wedding day.”

 

* * *

 

After sending Sorel and Diane off first, she returned to this greenhouse. Bayan also walked here looking for her. Bayan disappeared somewhere as soon as he arrived at the mansion, as he always did. He must have gone somewhere quiet and taken a nap.

 

She explained to Camion in detail what he had to do on his wedding day. Camion listened to her explanation with a confused look on his face. In the original, this man was Terence’s right-hand man and competently handled everything from managing the Knights Templar to assassinating political opponents. Terence had her personally call Camion and give him his orders.

 

If you live in a mansion, there would be times when you would need to use it, so it meant that you should reveal your face at this time. Actually, it’s easier for her to tell Terence than to give it to him and cause trouble for him.

 

Would she be able to explain it more clearly?

 

“Excuse me, Your Highness, Princess. May I ask what is happening here?”

 

When Camion looked at her curiously, she quickly added an explanation.

 

“Preparations must vary depending on what kind of incident it is, so I’m asking in advance.”

 

“Someone is going to get attacked here. To be exact, they would get stabbed with a knife.”

 

“Did you say it was an attack?”

 

Camion’s eyes widened as if she hadn’t expected such an answer.

 

“I hope you show up right after the incident happens.”

 

Camion seemed to understand what she meant. It didn’t mean to stop it in the middle, but to watch it happen and then catch the culprit.

 

“All right.”

 

When she got there, she saw a familiar face beyond the glass door. Terence was coming here along the corridor leading from his mansion. He came early. She thought he would come home late. Camion followed her gaze and turned his head, looking surprised when he saw Terence walking towards her.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

After entering the greenhouse, Terence came to the table and took her hand.

 

“Is the conversation over?”

 

“Yes, we’re almost done now.”

 

Terence lightly kissed the back of her hand with a satisfied smile. The purple eyes that looked directly at her were full of warm and deep affection, like the setting sun.

 

“Then I guess I can monopolize the princess from now on.”

 

Her cheeks got hot without her realizing it because the words were overly embarrassing and unfamiliar. Behind him, Camion was seen blushing and looking away, as if embarrassed. Bayan lay down on the table and turned his body to the side as if he was disgusted.

 

“Okay, then I’ll just leave.”

 

Camion quickly greeted the two of them and went out. Now that she thought about it, why were they acting in front of Camion? Wasn’t that person Terence’s most trusted associate? Terence seemed to sense what she was thinking and spoke calmly.

 

“There is nothing wrong with being thorough in everything. Even if it’s not the case, there’s no need to show my subordinates that we’re in a contractual relationship.”

 

‘I see…?’

 

Well, Camion was Terence’s henchman, so it was up to Terence to decide how much to tell him. 

 

After Camion left, Terence immediately returned to his usual self. She had seen this change often and now she felt like she was used to it.

 

“Are preparations going well?”

 

“Well, I think I’m perfectly prepared.”

 

She told him what she told Camion. Terence also checked her plan and said he thought it would be okay.

 

“It looks like everything is going as expected.”

 

“I prepared as hard as I could.”

 

She suddenly turned her gaze to the glass window of the greenhouse. In her vision, Sorel continued to look out into the garden with her back to the corridor. Maybe it’s because she was worried about who wasn’t coming from the garden. And the Empress appeared from the right side of the greenhouse. The greenhouse was located far away in the center of the garden, but there were areas a little further away that were overgrown with grass or obscured by garden trees. The Empress might also be trying to hide in a place like that.

 

‘She said that the Empress’s maid was also watching over there.’

 

Small flowers and blades of grass were also planted near the greenhouse. Although now it has almost all dried up to a gray color.

 

“Bayan.”

 

Bayan, who was sprawled out on the table, heard her call and perked up his ears.

 

“Would Sorel notice your location if you were nearby?”

 

When they first met at the temple, Sorel clearly did not notice the sacred power in Bayan’s body at first. Then she said that while they were riding together in the carriage, she felt a faint divine power from Bayan. So, if Bayan got close, would Sorel notice Bayan’s presence?

 

[It might happen if I get very close. Of course, it depends on how much holy power I have left.]

 

“So, if you don’t have any holy power, Sorel won’t notice you even if you get close?”

 

[…If I don’t have any holy power, I die.]

 

Bayan asked her how she could think such a thing. He looked at her blankly. No, she was just asking.

 

[Well, it’s not wrong. Because the blonde sensed the holy power I had before too, belatedly. At that time, I was gathering my own sacred power. Even though it was nothing but dust…]

 

Well, right before that meeting, she fed Bayan the sap of a sacred tree, so he must have had some holy power at that time.

 

[I have less holy power now than then.]

 

“Then, if you use more holy power and reduce it as much as possible, Sorel will never be able to sense you even if you come close.”

 

[I guess so.]

 

Bayan nodded his head.

 

Terence, who was watching them, spoke quietly.

 

“The last remaining preparations have been completed.”

 

Even though Terence couldn’t understand Bayan, he seemed to understand their conversation just by her words.

 

“I know, right.”

 

She poured tea into an empty teacup and pushed it to him. Fortunately, the tea left in the teapot was still warm. The tea she had filled her cup with was half cold.

 

“So, I see you came early today.”

 

After visiting the mansion a few times, she learned that Terence came back late every day.

 

“The job was completed faster than expected.”

 

“Good for you. I hope it continues like this in the future.”

 

This guy must have been just as tired as she was, and he deserves some rest. In fact, when she didn’t have anything special to do, she just hung out at the temple, but Terence worked every day without even taking a day off. When she was happy that it went well, Terence looked a little surprised.

 

“The wedding…”

 

He looked at her for a moment and then suddenly changed the subject.

 

“The wedding is finally four days away.”

 

“I know, right.”

 

How much had happened on the way to here… After overcoming all kinds of hardships and adversity, they finally would get married. She felt like doing it. Of course, there was still one final obstacle left. But Terence asked an unexpected question.

 

“I need to prepare a wedding gift. Is there anything you’d like?”

 

“A wedding gift?”

 

She also received a gift, but were they exchanging gifts again after the wedding?

 

“You gave so many gifts. I don’t need wedding gifts. You don’t have to give it to me.”

 

“If I don’t give anything, people will look at you strangely.”

 

Was that really true? They had been acting like they were passionate lovers, so if they didn’t give gifts after they got married, there might be rumors that their relationship has worsened.

 

“If there’s nothing in particular you want, I’ll think about it.”

 

She nodded. Since she didn’t really want anything, it seemed like a good idea to do that.

 

“What about Terrence?”

 

She turned the question to him in the opposite direction.

 

“I just received it every time. Is there anything you would like as a wedding gift?”

 

It would be nice to find and give Terence what he needed based on the information in the original work. But if the person in question wanted something, she wanted to give it to them. 

It’s a bit strange to exchange gifts during a contract marriage that would soon lead to divorce. But she thought it’s a way to thank him for his help so far. However, Terence said, a little embarrassed, as if he had not expected to be asked this question.

 

“Well. I’ll think about it.”

 

“There’s still time, so think slowly.”

 

Since it’s a wedding gift, she could find it and give it to him after they got married. While thinking that, she sipped the lukewarm tea.

 

Bayan, who was lying on the table, opened his eyes for a moment and looked at the two of them. When Bayan made eye contact with her, he closed his eyes again and rolled over.

 

* * *

 

After entering this world, she experienced all kinds of accidents and had hectic days. However, she could assure you that she had never been as busy and hectic as the morning of the wedding day. The wedding day started at dawn.

 

Nell woke her up before dawn.

 

“Princess! Wake up!”

 

It was a struggle to even open her eyes before dawn. After coming here, she lived a life where she slept a lot every day and woke up late. But Nell desperately woke her up. She couldn’t help it. She had to prepare for the wedding from now on.

 

She rubbed her eyes and went into the bathroom and soaked in warm water. She was looking forward to this day. When the wedding day arrived, she was filled with fatigue and sleepiness.

 

‘Well, I barely got any rest until yesterday…’

 

The morning before, she went to the mansion for a final inspection, and after returning to the temple, she made preliminary preparations for the wedding. Nell and Chloe smeared something on her face and massaged her nails and hair for hours, saying they needed to take care of her skin. Thanks to that process, her skin felt soft even though she couldn’t sleep well. After she finished taking a bath and came out, she sat down at the dressing table and started dressing up in earnest.

 

Bayan, who was sleeping on a cushion, slowly moved to the next room because it was noisy. Nell, who was taking out the cosmetics, looked at it and said with a smile.

 

“It looks like Bayan is tired today too.”

 

She knew full well why Bayan was down on her energy, but she pretended not to know anything and had a worried look on her face.

 

“I know. I need to take him to the mansion quickly and let him rest.”

 

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