My Niece Is Not A Villainess

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the sparkling holy water flowed down her shoulder and go to her forearm, her red and swollen forearm instantly subsided.

 

“Wow.”

 

Rose’s eyes sparkled at the amazing sight.

 

Ian, who was smiling cheerfully, kissed Rose’s cheek and looked at the remaining holy water.

 

‘Should I drink what’s left?’

 

On the day Rose first arrived, the doctor who examined the child diagnosed that there was no major illness, but that various parts of the body were weak, possibly due to not being able to eat properly.

 

Although it was said that she would recover if she was fed well in the future, Rose in the original work hardly regained her health even after coming to the castle.

 

If she overexerted herself just a little bit, she would collapse or get a nosebleed.

 

The reason why Rose chose black magic was because she was afraid that she might die at any time.

 

If it heals the body’s injuries like a healing potion, it should show its effect when consumed.

 

Ian, after pondering, offered the remaining holy water to Rose.

 

“Let Rose drink what’s left.”

 

“Is it okay to drink?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

As she held the bottle, Rose looked at the sparkling holy water with fascination and brought it to her lips.

 

“It’s delicious.”

 

“Delicious?”

 

“Yes. It’s a taste where starlight bursts inside my mouth.”

 

What kind of taste is a burst of starlight?

 

Ian, amused by the imaginative answer, gently smiled and brought an empty bottle from Rose.

 

“It’s really delicious.”

 

Ian, with sparkling eyes, lightly touched Rose’s nose and said,

 

“Let’s change clothes and go have a snack.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Ian sighed as he opened the wardrobe to get new clothes.

 

In this world where clothes were handmade, the ordered clothes had not yet arrived.

 

Consequently, the wardrobe was filled with dresses of varying sizes, each adorned with beautiful jewels and lace.

 

‘Time to sort through the clothes.’

 

In this world, women were compared to flowers.

 

Fasting to become slim was a daily routine. No running, no laughter allowed.

 

The only way for a woman to succeed was to marry a man with high status.

 

Nevertheless, Yekhaterina, who grew up freely in a country estate, is welcomed as refreshing. On the other hand, Rose, who grew up in this environment and knew only such things, was criticized for being extravagant.

 

‘Maybe they just couldn’t stand Rose cause she’s being the villainess.’

 

Ian clicked his tongue and searched through his wardrobe, took out a dress without ribbons, lace, and jewels and put it on.

 

Although it had a simple design, it was made from the highest quality fabric and was very comfortable to move around in.

 

And after drinking the holy water, he tied her hair, which had improved in texture, into two pigtails.

 

The head, which stood out like a rabbit’s ears, moved as if it were bouncing every time Rose shook her head.

 

“Now, let’s go have a snack.”

 

After closing the door of the open safe and confirming the transformation into a painting, Ian, carrying Rose, stepped out of the room when Sebastian approached.

 

“My lord, I have completed the tasks you assigned. Also, Logan has arrived.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Nodding, Ian looked at Rose.

 

Though he wanted to take Rose, who had just become acquainted, there was still time before it was appropriate for Logan to hear certain discussions.

 

Under normal circumstances, he would have left it to a maid, but after the recent incident, Ian had decided not to entrust the child to anyone else.

 

‘Daring to speak such lowly words.’

 

Heidy was a strong-willed servant within the household. Although it was still in the early stages, there might be other servants who would harbor resentment towards Rose because of her.

 

Moreover, verbal abuse that hurt the heart was more terrifying than physical violence.

 

Wounds healed when holy water was applied, but the heart couldn’t be cured even with holy water.

 

He couldn’t let Rose hear such words again.

 

Sebastian, perhaps sensing Ian’s emotions, quickly responded.

 

“I will take care of her.”

 

Even though Ian couldn’t trust the maids and manservants, he could trust Sebastian, so he nodded and turned away.

 

“Rose, Uncle will meet a guest briefly.”

 

“A guest?”

 

“Yes, he’ll be here soon.”

 

As Ian arrived in front of the reception room, he handed Rose over to Sebastian.

 

“She’s having a snack.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Ian gently stroked Rose’s cheek as if expressing regret, then opened the door.

 

The warm smile disappeared in an instant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The living room of a mansion.

 

Logan, an old man wearing shabby clothes, rolled his eyes.

 

Although Logan knew the dukedom better than anyone else, the living room was an awkward space.

 

On the day Ian was crowned duke, Logan was kicked out by the dukedom for letting his collateral do all the work.

 

At first, he had hopes that he would be called back as time passed because there would be no one as loyal to the family as he was, but that hope also opened up as time went by.

 

He tried to blame him, and cursed him for abandoning him and waiting to see how well he would fare, but that only lasted for a moment…

 

As someone who has worked with the duke all his life, he knew what the current duke had been through and how he lived under the previous duke, so he just wanted to live a peaceful life.

 

Therefore, even when many nobles extended their hands, they refused and returned to the estate to help with the affairs of the estate… He never thought that he would suddenly be called by the duke.

 

“Is there any issue.”

 

Although he heard rumors that the daughter of Lady Marienne had entered the Duke’s residence, he didn’t think it would concern him.

 

“Is it related to the former Duke?”

 

“It’s not.”

 

At the sudden voice, Logan stood up.

 

“Du… Duke?”

 

“Have a sit.”

 

Ian, gesturing to the old man who was staring blankly at himself, sat on the sofa first.

 

“I-I apologize. My greetings were delayed. Logan Leoni, at your service.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Ian nodded, and there were no further words.

 

Logan looked at Ian with eyes filled with disbelief.

 

The last time he saw him, Ian struggled to interact with people and utter a single word.

 

But where had that frailty gone?

 

Before the Ian in front of him, an indescribable majesty could be felt.

 

‘Why did he suddenly change like this?’

 

As he sat down, lowering his head in anxiety, Sebastian brought in tea.

 

When the steaming tea and snacks were placed in front of them, Ian raised his teacup and spoke.

 

“You must be wondering why I called you.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’ll be honest. I intend to break free from under the Emperor’s control.”

 

Ian realized this after the recent incident.

 

As a duke, there were limitations in disrupting the established flow of this world.

 

Even if he continued to stay by Rose’s side, there were too many enemies from the original work.

 

Even a mere extra, a maid, revealed malicious intent towards Rose while avoiding his gaze.

 

If more significant characters emerged in the future, it might become unbearable.

 

In this world, it was possible to kill someone with a single word from a high-ranking person.

 

Ian wanted to place Rose in the highest position, where no one could threaten her.

 

Even if one climbed high under the One Empire, they were still beneath the Emperor.

 

If the path is blocked, breaking through or finding a way out is the answer.

 

However, breaking through was troublesome.

 

Last life, he had kept things to himself for the child’s sake and ended up losing.

 

Having learned from that mistake, rather than breaking, he chose to find a way out, allowing more flexible movements.

 

“Finding a way out? What do you mean?”

 

“I will establish a principality.”

 

Logan’s eyes widened.

 

Despite merely listening, his heart pounded as if it would burst.

 

Principality.

 

It was something every duke, except the current Duke, had wished for, an unattainable dream.

 

“But to establish a principality, many things are lacking.”

 

The lands of Loenbaum were vast enough to establish a principality.

 

However, over half of it was frozen in severe cold, and the remaining half was a borderland constantly threatened by unpredictable monster invasions.

 

Additionally, unlike the mild climate in the south, cultivation was not even smooth.

 

Thanks to the expensive purchase of monster byproducts from the demon tower, the people in the territory could at least make a living.

 

In this situation, creating a principality was more challenging than finding pearls in a desert.

 

Ian, having heard Logan’s response, buried himself in the sofa and asked.

 

“What do you think is the most necessary thing to establish a principality?”

 

“Funds.”

 

Logan answered without hesitation.

 

The covenant between the Emperor and the invited Duke, who had asked the Duke to protect the empire, lasted up to the third generation.

 

Starting from the fourth Duke, they could establish a principality at any time.

 

However, no one had ever considered leaving the empire and gaining independence.

 

‘It meant preserving the legacy of the first Duke.’

 

However, the sixth Duke was different.

 

Persecution from the royal family, impoverished territories.

 

Only the sixth Duke, who wanted to escape the absurd orders from the royal family to go to war in the unpredictable situation where monsters might attack the territories anytime, dreamt of establishing a principality.

 

The reason he couldn’t do it was due to the lack of funds.

 

Despite taking a neutral stance in the demon tower, they wouldn’t want to jeopardize their most significant source of income with the empire.

 

As soon as the duke became independent as a principality, the Magic Tower could see the empire’s intentions and cut off business with the duke.

 

If they couldn’t sell the only source of income, monster byproducts, the Duke could somehow survive, but the people in the territory, unable to hunt monsters, could starve to death.

 

“Alright. Money. What if you have money?”

 

“Then it would be military strength.”

 

Ian nodded.

 

“And if there’s military strength?”

 

“Then it would be legitimacy.”

 

Yes, legitimacy.

 

No matter how poor they were, it wasn’t always the case.

 

Despite the failures of the 9th Duke, the 7th and 8th Dukes earned a considerable amount of money with excellent commercial abilities.

 

The reason the Duchy had prospered without failing until now was because of the fundamental businesses established by the 7th and 8th Dukes.

 

The Dukes who simultaneously fulfilled financial and military strength couldn’t establish a principality for one simple reason.

 

It was simply lacking legitimacy.

 

No matter how much money and power one had, without legitimacy, it was no different from rebellion.

 

What Ian desired was a peaceful independence, not a throne stained with blood.

 

“Alright. If you were to establish a principality with everything in place, would you join me?”

 

“I…”

 

Ian spoke to the hesitant Logan.

 

“I acknowledge the wrongs I’ve done to you.”

 

“Duke.”

 

“Back then, everything frightened me. Don’t you know? How the previous Duke treated me.”

 

Logan lowered his head at the Duke’s bitter smile.

 

“What the previous Duke did was wrong.”

 

“Even so, I shouldn’t have acted that way. I should have faced it and overcome.”

 

“Duke.”

 

“Now, I won’t run away anymore.”

 

Logan carefully observed the Duke’s determined expression.

 

The current Duke was vastly different from before. His once hunched posture stood confidently, and his speech, once mumbled, had changed.

 

Moreover, the cloudy gaze had been replaced by sharpness and determination.

 

“…Why did you change?”

 

The Duke’s transformation and the fact that he had come to find him were welcoming. However, Logan couldn’t fully trust the Duke.

 

Nevertheless, he couldn’t let himself be swayed by mere capriciousness.

 

Despite knowing it was an irreverent question, he had to ask, even if it angered the Duke and resulted in his dismissal.

 

“You’ve heard about Rose, haven’t you?”

 

“Rose, the daughter of Lady Marianne, right?”

 

A smile appeared on Ian’s face.

 

“Yes, she’s my niece.”

 

If she’s Lady Marianne’s daughter, Logan silently nodded, acknowledging that she would indeed be the Duke’s niece.

 

“I won’t marry. Ever.”

 

“Duke! That’s an unreasonable decision!”

 

Ian raised his hand to silence Logan, who stood up and shouted.

 

“No matter what you say, nothing will change.”

 

Logan couldn’t comprehend it.

 

Declaring celibacy without stating the reason.

 

Nobles had the obligation to produce heirs, especially when the Duke aimed to establish a principality.

 

In that case, it was even more important to produce successors and strengthen the principality.

 

“My successor… will be Rose.”