Please Leave The Sickly Villainess Alone

(Extra Chapter sponsored by Msteleo’s support on Ko-fi! Whenever we reach a certain amount, I’ll post two chapters in the following update! Thank you so much, Msteleo!)

 

*

Her eyes shook uncontrollably. I let go of her clothes as if discarding trash and took a step back, bending my waist to meet her eye level. I wiped away my tears and smiled as I spoke.

 

“Jake, Serin, and everyone else. There were sixteen in total; where are they?”

 

In response to my question, Raiolla finally opened her tightly closed mouth.

 

“It-it doesn’t matter anyway. You won’t find them.”

 

I pressed against Raiolla’s shoulder without mercy.

 

“Aaah!”

 

“Whether we find them or not isn’t your business. You better be precise in your response. If you do well, maybe I can spare your life. It sounds good, doesn’t it?”

 

“Ugh… In-in my desk drawer, there’s a note with adoption records.”

 

With a gesture from Miller, one of the knights entered Raiolla’s room and retrieved the note. As she said, inside the note that was handed to me, the whereabouts of the children were recorded. How much they were sold for, when they were turned into slaves, and where they were taken to—it was all there. The places the children were taken could be divided into three locations, including the illegal mine located in the east.

 

[Serin / 120 silver / Year xxxx, Month xx, Day xx / Diara Magic Ore Refinery]

 

Sending a young teenage girl, even if she pretended to be mature, to a magic ore refinery, where she had to wield a pickaxe every day with those delicate arms that once hugged me, was heart-wrenching.

 

I handed the note over to Dad, and Miller took over from there.

 

“Jerome Mine, Diara Magic Ore Refinery, Tephin Subcontracting Company. These are the three locations.”

 

Miller ordered the knights to split into three groups and rescue the children from each location. The knights weren’t the usual knights one would see at the Rayes manor, as Dad said. They concealed their faces with masks, and there were no family crests to be found on their black armor.

 

Miller joined the team heading to the Diara Magic Ore.

 

“I’ll be back, Father.” Miller and the knights left the forest.

 

Raiolla watched them depart with bitterness and muttered, “Facing someone like Kavlos… that Kavlos. Why would they be so reckless…”

 

Dad chuckled and personally enlightened Raiolla, who still seemed incapable of rational thought.

 

“We are Rayes.”

 

“Ra-? Rayes, you say?! That can’t be! Why would a high noble from the capital be in a place like this!”

 

It seemed Raiolla had thought of Dad as nothing more than a countryside lord. She should have been able to tell by his distinct silver hair. She was too ignorant of the world’s affairs.

 

“And this child is Rayes’ precious youngest daughter. My child, the one you abused with that hand.”

 

I looked at him. Judging by his willingness to kindly explain the situation, it seemed he had no intention of sparing Raiolla. And since we had already discovered the whereabouts of all the children who had been sold, I had no reason to stop him either.

 

“That’s nonsense! The-the young lady never said such a thing!”

 

‘Young lady, you say?’ I asked her.

 

“Tell me, who brought me?”

 

As I raised my hand to press on her wound again, Raiolla, trembling, finally opened her mouth.

 

“I don’t know who brought you here. I kidnapped the other orphans, but you were brought by someone of high status. However, as they wore a mask, all I could see was their blue eyes… *cough!*”

 

Raiolla couldn’t continue her sentence. Instead, she coughed up blood and then took her last breath. It was because she had lost a significant amount of blood.

 

“She’s dead,” Dad said, with a hint of regret in his voice. It seemed he was slightly disappointed that it had ended so easily. However, I decided to focus on the fact that it was over.

 

The notorious reign of Raiolla, the tyrant, had come to an end.

 

‘But, blue eyes…?’ I stood up. We had successfully located the whereabouts of the children for now. The details about the blue eyes and the masked person… well, it would have to be uncovered later. After all, now that I was returning to Rayes, I would have to find them myself.

 

Garnet and the remaining knights helped each child onto the carriage. Just as Dad and I were about to turn and head towards the carriage…

 

—You admirably said what the other kids are good at earlier.

 

“…?!”

 

I was startled by the voice that came from behind. However, when I turned to look, I could only see the lifeless body of Raiolla. Her lips were moving, and she was addressing me, but it wasn’t her voice. Someone else was using the already lifeless Raiolla’s voice to speak. I stood still in astonishment, and my dad approached me.

 

“Did you hear that voice just now, Dad?” I asked.

 

He just tilted and shook his head. It seemed that the voice was only audible to me.

 

—So, what do you want to do, and what do you want to become? 

 

The mysterious voice continued, speaking words I couldn’t understand.

 

—…Then try to do better this time. 

 

It added before Raiolla collapsed to the side.

 

The neutral voice echoed in my ears until I boarded the carriage.

 

‘Who on earth…?’ In such an unforgettable voice, I could sense a glimpse of affection. 

 

‘I’m just full of questions.’ 

 

I pushed aside my curiosity and began to think about whether Miller had successfully rescued the children. The sky had turned dark beyond the carriage’s window, and I hoped that we would all reunite without any harm.

 

With those thoughts, I continued the journey, eagerly awaiting our reunion.

 

*      *      *

 

It had been about four days since that day. On a morning when the weather was unusually sunny, my heart was tickling with an inexplicable sense of anticipation. I heard the news from Garnet and rushed down the stairs like crazy.

 

“Sister Serin!!!”

 

I ran towards the golden hair that I could see in the distance.

 

“Le-Leah! Is it really you?”

 

We embraced each other. It had been almost 7 years. Serin had grown thinner but taller since the last time I saw her; she had become more beautiful, and she looked mature. But the hands I held were in a pitiful state.

 

“Serin, your hands!”

 

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

 

I couldn’t control the tears that flowed freely. She was the first person to smile at me and care for me after I fell into this world. She was the first person I was attached to.

 

They had successfully rescued all sixteen of them, according to Miller’s words, and because the children were of the age to be considered young adults under imperial law, they were given a choice before being brought to the Duke’s estate.

 

Most of them refused to come to this hell-life capital because they, who had already been mobilized at the crime scene following Duke Kavlos’ orders, were at risk of encountering Kavlos’ vassals who knew their faces if they came. Instead, they were sent to the countryside, where their status and safety were guaranteed, so they could start a new life.

 

Among them, sister Serin…

 

“She came to the capital alone because she wanted to see you.”

 

I looked at her, hearing Miller’s words.

 

“Leah is still young. I think I should be by her side.”

 

Even though her safety wasn’t guaranteed, Serin firmly said so. We had developed a bond with each other, like true sisters.

 

“Can sister Serin live with us in the Duke’s castle?” I asked.

 

Miller nodded casually. I smiled widely and hugged Serin tightly. Now that I thought about the children at the safe Troy Orphanage, my heart felt much lighter, like wet cotton.

 

*      *      *

 

“In order for me to understand, you must be precise in your words. Otherwise, no matter who you are, I can cut off that lifeline.”

 

The study of Duke Kavlos, covered with blackout curtains, was darker than night, despite the bright morning outside. The duke leaned back in his chair, his black shoes resting on the desk. He swirled the wine in the glass with one hand, a usual gesture for him. However, his blue eyes, which looked down at his vassal, held intense anger even in the darkness.

 

Mendes, who knelt before him, staring into those chilling eyes, noticed that the relaxed demeanor he had usually had was now gone.

 

“The Troy Orphanage, under the jurisdiction of Viscount Louis, was attacked. When we arrived at the scene, the young slaves were already gone, and the orphanage director was dead from the attacker’s assault. Simultaneously, former Troy Orphanage slaves have escaped the same way.”

 

Under the icy gaze that loomed over him, Mendes continued with a voice trembling with fear.

 

“It is presumed that they received help from someone. According to the account of the witness, there were no crests on their clothing that could identify them, and there is no evidence of any information that could be used as proof.”

 

Duke Kavlos lowered his feet from the desk and pressed Mendes’ head down firmly, without lifting it.

 

“Whether those slaves disappear one by one or a hundred at a time, it doesn’t matter. We can always fill their places. What I want to know is…”

 

His blue eyes shone fiercely.

 

“Explain the return of the Crown Prince and Lady Rayes. That’s what I want to hear. After all, it’s likely that one of them was involved in the attack on Troy Orphanage.”

 

“The child adopted as Lady Rayes and the Crown Prince were the children who escaped from Troy Orphanage a few days ago. It is believed that they were discovered by the Rayes knights and were protected at the duke’s mansion for a day. The following day, the Duke brought the Crown Prince to the royal palace. Lady Rayes’s adoption seems to have taken place during that process.”

 

Duke Kavlos tapped Mendes’ head with his foot and spoke.

 

“They found Lady Rayes and the Crown Prince. Well, we can confirm that later. What’s important is…” The duke’s eyes glinted with a sinister light as he continued in a menacing voice. 

 

“Why is Lady Rayes still alive? Don’t you think? It’s highly unusual for Kane to adopt a child who has only been with him for one day unless it’s truly her daughter.”

 

He was quite a perceptive fellow. Duke Kavlos might not be completely certain himself, but it was highly probable that the child was the real Lady Rayes.

 

“You kidnapped Lady Rayes 12 years ago, and she should have been dead by now. Why was she living comfortably at the orphanage? Putting the Crown Prince there might have been my order, but whose will was it to send Lady Rayes there?”

 

Mendes had no place to back down now. He had served as Duke Kavlos’ closest confidant for a lifetime, but that meant he understood the duke’s temper even better. 

 

He wouldn’t leave this room alive. He had expected a situation like this to come one day.

 

He closed his eyes tightly, offering a short prayer for his true master, and bit down on the prepared poison hidden in his mouth with all his strength. It took just seconds for the lethal dose of poison to spread throughout Mendes’ body. He collapsed to the side, not delivering the answer the duke wanted.

 

“Your loyalty is truly remarkable. I’ve always considered you my dog, but I was really fooled.”

 

The Duke looked down at Mendes’ lifeless body with a chilling smile.

 

And right at that moment,

 

Knock. Knock.

 

“Father, may I come in?”

 

It was his beloved daughter, Senia.

 

Normally, he would have welcomed her with open arms, but this was not the right time. His daughter, unlike the usual Kavlos temperament, was kind-hearted and very delicate, so she might faint if she saw Mendes’ body, whom she had treated like family since she was a child.

 

“I’m still attending to business, so please return to your room. I’ll be done soon and come to you.”

 

“Yees…”

 

With a somewhat dejected voice, along with the sound of her footsteps growing distant, the duke knew she was leaving.

 

He signaled his shadows, who had been hiding in the dark, to remove the body. Then he, who had no interest in anyone other than his daughter, asked for his other children’s well-being.

 

“By the way, when is Enoch returning?”

 

“Young Master is expected to complete his studies and return next week.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

The Duke rolled his pen, watching Mendes be carried away on a stretcher. And soon, he slowly began to write a graceful reply in elegant handwriting to the letter that had been placed in front of him. It was a letter that the royal concubine—who had been involved in the Crown Prince’s kidnapping—had written in an urgent and angry state.

 

In the letter, she questioned why the Crown Prince, who should have been dealt with long ago, was still alive back at the orphanage and had returned. He carefully crafted a somewhat plausible excuse for the matter, given the urgency of the situation. Mendes, who had just died in front of him, was mentioned multiple times in the Duke’s letter. 

 

In the letter, it was Count Mendes who had saved the Crown Prince and placed him in the orphanage.

 

---

 

Gotta say, I’m scared thinking that maybe Serin is evil now T_T what if she betrays Leah? Also, why Senia and Serin? It confuses me lolol

I’m sorry I haven’t updated the advanced chapters. I’m having trouble with Moondust system; I’ll fix it and do some updates~