Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

As I made my way from the room to the dining room, I encountered several diligent servants who had been busy since morning. Among them were those who looked at me with curiosity and those who regarded me with suspicion.

 

And…

 

‘Who is that man?’ Unable to approach from a distance and holding onto the door, he gazed at me as if tears were welling up. Garnet explained to me as I looked at him.

 

“He’s Chef Shrimp.”

 

“Ah…! I finally got to see him in person!”

 

Somehow, after hearing Garnet, his neatly trimmed beard seemed to resemble shrimp whiskers, and his combed copper hair looked like a shrimp’s shell.

 

“The shrimp soup was so delicious yesterday!”

 

It truly was delicious. The topping made from fried shrimp heads was especially good. 

 

I gave him a thumbs up. Upon hearing my compliment, Chef Shrimp, who was hanging on the kitchen door like a caught fish in a net, let go of the doorknob and fell to the floor, shedding tears of joy.

 

Seeing my bewildered expression, Garnet chuckled softly and explained, “Fufufu. Chef Shrimp has worked for the Rayes family his whole life, but he rarely receives any compliments from the masters. Perhaps it’s the first time hearing one since the late madam.”

 

Unable to contain his emotions, Chef Shrimp, still on the floor, continued to sob, and Garnet, smiling at his unrestrained display, led me into the dining room after closing the door.

 

Father and Miller had already taken their seats at the breakfast table, which Chef Shrimp had passionately prepared since early in the morning.

 

“Good morning, Dad, Brother Miller.” I greeted them and took my seat.

 

Dad certainly looked tired, just as he did yesterday, but he still smiled at me.

 

‘It seems like his sharpness from before has already diminished?’

 

Miller, as if he had washed up after training, exuded a refreshing scent.

 

“Mmm, it’s delicious!” I said this as I ate the cocktail shrimp salad. The toppings and homemade sauce were outstanding.

 

At my words, someone in the kitchen let out a sobbing sound.

 

“I have gathered the knights. We will rescue the 20 or so children from the orphanage, then interrogate the orphanage director to locate the whereabouts of the children who have already left, and dispatch the shadow knights there.”

 

Dad had prepared and devised a strategy as per my request.

 

“At present, all nobles’ swords are pointed at us, so we cannot afford to expose Rayes’s involvement in this matter. It is known externally that Ravelia and the Crown Prince escaped from the orphanage, and then Rayes’s knights discovered and brought them back, so there should be no problems.” He said this to Miller. It was advice to him not to get too excited and make a big fuss about the situation.

 

“I understand, Father.”

 

From today onwards, every child must be guaranteed safety. We need to rescue them from the clutches of the infamous Kavlos. It was not an easy task at all, and for the sole reason of my request, the Rayes family was…

 

“Dad, elder brother, thank you. Really, thank you.”

 

In response to my words, both of them smiled at me.

 

“We are thankful that you safely escaped from the orphanage and came here,” said Dad.

 

Miller, who was sitting next to me, patted my head.

 

“I’ll go to the orphanage with you, too.”

 

“Are you sure about that? That woman you were afraid of might be there. Of course, she won’t be able to lay a finger on you, but just seeing her might be painful for you.” Miller’s words made sense. I was still scared to confront Raiolla.

 

I was still afraid to cry because of her enraged outbursts every time someone cried. But I had to face her—for the sake of the children and for myself.

 

“Yes, I’ll go. I have to break that vicious cycle.”

 

*      *      *

 

The knights were recruited, and the carriages were ready. I climbed onto the carriage with Miller and Dad. Seeing him fully dressed in high-quality attire—not the casual clothes he used in the mansion—made me realize he was insanely handsome.

 

“Miss, I will ride in the carriage behind,” Garnet said as she closed the carriage door. 

 

In the quiet carriage, Miller held my hand. The hand he held was shaking. Going back to the place where I had escaped a few days before was by no means an easy task. However, when I held his warm and strong hand, I felt much calmer. The high-speed carriage rushed past the scenery outside the window.

 

*      *      *

 

The distance that Luka and I had covered in half a day passed by in an instant. We briefly rested midway in the Gessila region and arrived at the front of the Camille Forest, where the Troy Orphanage was, not even three hours after leaving the mansion. 

 

‘I thought it would be this easy. I went through all that hardship…’ I sighed heavily, recalling the suffering of that time, and gazed around the lush forest. I returned to this forest two days after leaving, but it still felt new. 

 

I had lived here for 12 years, but I had no memories of leaving the orphanage, so this forest could only feel new. Papers, which I couldn’t tell if they were missing posters of Luka and me or wanted posters, were stuck all over the trees that led to the entrance of the forest.

 

To Kavlos, the Troy orphanage was nothing more than a prison, and he never would have revealed Luka’s or my true identities to a lower servant like Raiolla; thus, the place was left alone and unattended. I could imagine how bewildered Raiolla must have been when she experienced something like this for the first time.

 

She would scream at Luka that he was going to be sold as a plaything for a perverted nobleman, and to me, that I was going to be sold as the twentieth concubine of a local lord. So, how shocking must it have been for her when her “moneybags” escaped? Thinking about the bewildered Raiolla brought a sense of satisfaction.

 

I still didn’t know the way through the forest, but Miller, who had been here yesterday, guided us without hesitation to where the orphanage was. I thought I could endure it, but when I was faced with the orphanage again, I felt suffocated, as if I were being trapped inside once more.

 

“…That’s the door over there. It connects to the director’s office, and the children should be beyond that door.”

 

Dad nodded and drew his sword from his waist, swinging it like chopping wood as he smashed the door down.

 

Kwaang! 

 

‘What just happened?’ Fifteen years of reincarnation, and it finally felt like I was experiencing fantasy. How did such destructive power come from that thin sword? The door was shattered into nothingness.

 

“Oh my! What’s happening? What’s going on?!”

 

Inside, Miss Raiolla was sitting in the attic, as usual, reading the newspaper. Her unfamiliar room was nothing like the inside of the orphanage. The shockwave had thrown the teacup she was holding far away, and it was now embedded in the wall.

 

She spotted us and yelled loudly. 

 

“Who are you, people?! Do you know who owns this orphanage? You all, I won’t let it slide!”

 

With an angry voice, Raiolla pulled out a sword that had been decorating the wall. It was a brutishly thick and large sword that couldn’t be compared to Dad’s sword. Being a former mercenary, Raiolla skillfully wielded the enormous sword and walked out of the orphanage.

 

With a resounding battle cry, she swung the sword towards Dad, but Dad effortlessly blocked it. His stance was as steady as if he were catching a piece of paper.

 

“Didn’t you say not to kill her until we find out where the children are?” 

 

Thankfully, Dad recalled the plan in my words. Although the look in Dad’s cold, navy blue eyes seemed like he could tear Raiolla apart at any moment, he appeared willing to heed my request.

 

Clang! The sound of the two swords clashing started, and within just three minutes, the battle was already decided. I couldn’t see the process because Miller blocked my view when Dad’s sword pierced Raiolla’s side, but I could tell who had the upper hand just by hearing her screams.

 

‘The mad wolf of the North.’ Until the Duchess became pregnant with Ravelia, he had undoubtedly been known as such on the battlefield. The flow of his sword was clean and smooth, as if he considered even a challenging opponent wielding a longsword like Raiolla as nothing special.

 

I had learned about his swordsmanship in my previous life, so I could understand what kind of person he was. It had been over ten years since he retired from the battlefield, but he was still in excellent shape.

 

When Miller lifted his hand, Raiolla was fortunately still breathing and leaning against the outer wall of the orphanage. 

 

The 12 years I squeezed my heart in fear every time I had to face that dictatorial director, and the time I had to look up to her, felt like nothing as I saw her crumble in front of me.

 

“You— Leah?!” Raiolla finally recognized me when I approached her.

 

In contrast to the old me, who always had milk spills or stains on my clothes due to taking care of children and toddlers at the orphanage, she was now confused to see me in the perfect appearance of a noble lady.

 

“You, punk! Where have you been? And what’s with those expensive clothes?!” She ranted at me as if she had forgotten her own dire situation, where she could barely move her mouth. “Did you bring those people?!”

 

“Yes,” I calmly replied.

 

“You—you ungrateful brat! After all the care and food I’ve given you…”

 

Slap! With a loud noise, Raiolla’s head turned to the side. It was because I had exerted a lot of force in the slap.

 

“Do you really think that?” I asked persistently, looking directly into Raiolla’s trembling eyes. She just huffed without answering.

 

While I was dealing with Raiolla, Miller and the knights had rescued the children inside the orphanage.

 

I quickly glanced around to count the children. Terry, Paul, Darren, Ben, Calik… I had taken care of the children at the orphanage, so it didn’t take me long to figure out their numbers. Including the infants, there were twenty children in total, and they had all come out. The children seemed to be in a mix of confusion due to the sudden situation and wonder at seeing the world for the first time in several years.

 

“Oh? Big sister Leah!” Terry, who had spotted me, called out.

 

“Hey—hey, you! Nobleman!” Raiolla shouted towards Dad. “What in the world is this…? More importantly, those children over there! What are you planning to do with such useless brats? They’re just parasites who eat and do nothing!”

 

‘Who are you to say that?!’

 

Slap! I couldn’t bear it any longer and ended up striking Raiolla’s cheek again. This time, my hand tingled from the impact.

 

“Don’t make me laugh.” My voice was surprisingly icy. Anger was engulfing me from head to toe. 

 

“What do you know?! Ben is such a good cook. You liked it too. Darren is good at math, so he can be an accountant later. Terry is a great nurse and always takes care of the children with utmost care. ” I spoke relentlessly.

 

‘Useless brats who only eat? Who are you to pass judgment over children who have the potential to shine above all else?’

 

My frustration erupted, and the tears poured out against my will. Miller, who had been observing, seemed concerned about my state. It was because my anger had reached its peak.

 

“Jake, who you sold as a slave to the mines, dreamed of becoming a warrior! And Serin, she was good with her hands and wanted to open a clothing shop when she was free; she said it every single day!”

 

These children had the right to sail freely toward their dreams. They had each cultivated exceptional talents to help each other within this wretched orphanage.

 

I grabbed Raiolla by the collar and spoke directly in front of her.

 

“Do you remember five-year-old Eliah, who accidentally stepped on you?”

 

On a day when Raiolla was in a bad mood, Eliah was scolded and even punished severely for being an annoying brat because of that small mistake. 

 

“Because of you…”

 

Eliah had been frail and an epileptic patient, and the shock that day seemed to have exacerbated her condition. She didn’t receive treatment on time, and unbelievably, she passed away. Every year, when Eliah’s anniversary came, everyone at the orphanage would make origami flowers and place them on her bed. Even that small gesture was precious to the children, who couldn’t even see real flowers inside the orphanage.

 

The face that used to scare me now looked at me in fear. My tears finally fell onto Raiolla’s contorted face.

 

“You’re the most trash-like and parasitic person here.”

 

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I really cried while translating this ;-; my poor Leah baby.  Also, I love how she calls the duke ‘dad’ all the time <3