The Villainess’ Kindergarten

“Hello, princess.”

 

The title princess was still awkward. So, could I be called teacher instead of princess? She wanted to tell him what was on her mind, but since they weren’t that close yet, I thought it wouldn’t be too late to tell him after we got a little closer, so I held back.

 

“Good morning, Thomas.”

 

Thomas bowed his head in response to my greeting and extended his hand to me. When I saw that, I thought of Baridas and thought that the two were very similar. As I held his hand, Thomas kissed the back of my hand. I thought it was cute, but I felt a little uncomfortable because it seemed like a child imitating an adult. Thomas’ eyes turned to the table we were sitting at, and Greenley, noticing this, slowly got up from his seat.

 

“Brother, sit down. I’m going.”

 

Greenley ran quickly without us having time to catch him, and Lima, who was looking at Greenley, also jumped up from his seat.

 

“Princess, my dog ran away, so I’ll go first.”

 

Were they finished playing princess yet? Ren covered her mouth and started laughing at Lima’s words, and Lima ran off somewhere to chase Greenley. So there were two seats left at the tea party. The moment I was about to tell Thomas to sit down, Jasmine pulled his clothes up.

 

“Prince.”

 

Anyone could see that it was a request to play the role of a prince. When Thomas didn’t move, Jasmine hit the chair Lima was sitting on with her palm. That was an unspoken pressure to sit down. Still, when Thomas stayed still, Jasmine jumped up from her seat, pulled out the chair, and shouted.

 

“Brother, prince!”

 

I once heard somewhere that among brothers with a large age difference, the youngest was the one with the highest rank, and it seemed to be true. Thomas, who seemed like a stubborn person, was now calmly sitting next to Jasmine and pouring her tea. After a while, Jasmine started playing tea party with the teddy bear the attendant brought her, and Ren and Thomas started talking. It was something about history, and although I didn’t know anything about it, I also enjoyed listening to their story. However, I was a little worried that the conversation between the two of them expressing their thoughts about history seemed too adult for their age. While Ren and Thomas were having a heated discussion, Jasmine’s body, which had been dozing off in a chair, momentarily turned inward. I was startled and got up, but I was too far away to reach Jasmine. At that moment, fortunately, Ren, who was next to Jasmine, took her into her arms and we simultaneously let out her sigh of relief.

 

“I’ll take you there.”

 

Ren must have woken up a little and stood up, holding Jasmine’s hand as she dozed off. I was a little worried about sending the two of them alone, so I got up to follow them, but when I saw one of the maids holding Jasmine, I felt relieved and sat down again. So only Thomas and I were left at the table. Perhaps it was because he was the second child, but he seemed to resemble Baridas the most among his siblings, even if his appearance was not included.

 

“Princess.”

 

I was momentarily taken aback by his sudden call. I looked at Thomas, who tilted his head. He was looking at me with red eyes that looked exactly like Baridas. At that moment, I knew, the emotion in those eyes was clear hostility. But why? When I looked at Thomas, feeling aggrieved, he wrinkled his expression a little and clenched his fists. After a while, he chewed his lips once before opening his mouth.

 

“Why are you approaching my younger siblings?”

 

I couldn’t reply to the unexpected words that came out of his mouth. I was able to understand the identity of the feeling of discomfort I had heard earlier. That little boy was now pretending to be an adult to protect his younger siblings from me. I felt sad that such a thing would come from a child, and I wanted to hug him.

 

“Why are you saying that?”

 

Thomas closed his mouth in response to my question and his small fists tightened. His lips softened again.

 

“I know. This family no longer needs us.”

 

It had only been half a year since the children’s parents, the former Duke and his wife, disappeared from the world. And now, it was Baridas, the children’s half-brother, not their biological brother, who inherited the dukedom. It was clear that if the children grew up, they would become an eyesore to Baridas. But he did not kill the children or send them somewhere else. He may not have been loving and caring, but he was there for you. Because the children knew this, they did not hate Baridas. But I was different from him.

 

“Don’t you, princess, know that if you marry our brother, we will become an obstacle to your children?”

 

Because I was someone who could threaten the children’s position by coming to them to secure an arranged marriage with their half-brother. That’s why he was keeping me in check. When I realized that, I felt sorry for Thomas and was proud of him, so I wanted to hug him.

 

“We are not interested in the dukedom. So please don’t come near me and my younger siblings.”

 

When he didn’t hear any answer from me, Thomas chuckled. For some reason, that smile seemed painful, which made me even more worried about him.

 

“We are the children of commoners. There is no need to approach us.”

 

My expression hardened at his words. I tightened my fists. And I slowly approached Thomas. Then his eyes began to tremble. As I raised my arms, Toma closed his eyes tightly.

 

Crnt.

 

Instead of a strong sound like a crack or a thud, there was a sound of something soft being pressed. I grabbed both of his cheeks. His eyes opened. My face was reflected in his red eyes.

 

“I didn’t come to you for that purpose.”

 

My voice was already shaking like crazy as I spoke to him. I didn’t know what to do to comfort him. I knew how much the children had been hurt. Tears began to well up in my eyes and eventually flowed down my cheeks and onto the floor. And when Toma saw that, his eyes widened. I relaxed my grip on Toma’s face and opened his mouth.

 

“It’s okay if you don’t trust me. But why are you saying such things to disparage yourself?”

 

His gaze, which had been looking at me, turned to the floor. A tear or two fell from his eyes.

 

“…Because it’s all been like that until now. Because they told us so.”

 

I knelt down there and made eye contact with Thomas.

 

“No, I’m not. I don’t think of you that way. I don’t think you are half-hearted or a threat to my position. You are just children. Children who deserve to be loved, not the Duke’s illegitimate children or half-pawns.”

 

I hugged Thomas, hoping that my sincerity would be conveyed. I felt his small hand on my neck tighten. But soon he pushed his body away from me.

 

“Who will love me?”

 

I thought about Thomas’ words for a moment. I wasn’t familiar with Thomas yet. If I shout, ‘I’ll love you!’, he won’t believe me. After making my decision, I smiled softly and met Thomas’ eyes.

 

“You have family.”

 

But Thomas smiled and looked up at me. I was momentarily intimidated by his eyes, which were sparkling with an eerie red light.

 

“Family, who’s left? Dead mother and father?”

 

With those words that made me feel pain, Thomas completely slipped out of my arms and glared at me with a bitter expression uncharacteristic of a child.

 

“Or are you treating us like invisible people?”

 

While saying that, I grabbed the small hand that fell from my shoulder.

 

“You have younger siblings.”

 

Thomas chuckled at my words as if it were absurd. And he looked me straight in the eyes and tried to shake off my hand. But I didn’t let go of his hand. Thomas eventually gave up on escaping from my grasp and opened his mouth.

 

“My younger siblings are still young.”

 

“What age is there for love? Don’t you love your younger siblings?”

 

I saw Thomas visibly shaken by my words. He avoided my eyes, but when I pursued his gaze persistently, he eventually squeezed his eyes shut.

 

“…No way… Is there…”

 

To him, his younger siblings were people he had to protect. But I knew it, having read the original. That all children were strong. The children had to be protected, but that was the responsibility of the adults. Thomas, who was also a child, had no obligation to protect the children. Because he was just a child who needed to be protected as well. At that moment, I heard footsteps. Jasmine and Greenley were running towards us.

 

“Brother!!”

 

Jasmine ran and hugged Thomas, glaring at Greenley.

 

“Fourth brother is bullying me! Scold him, Joe!!”

 

Something happened while Thomas and I were talking, but Ren, who said he would take Jasmine, disappeared, and Greenley and Jasmine were together. Greenley approached Jasmine with an evil expression.

 

“Where are you running!”

 

Greenley started tickling Jasmine, and Jasmine smiled cutely and pushed Greenley away. At that time, Lima and Ren, who arrived late, also ran to Jasmine. Among them, Lima gasped and opened her mouth.

 

“The witch of the Eastern Forest has kidnapped the princess! Prince, please save the princess!”

 

Were they still playing that princess game? Lima’s words drew everyone’s attention to Thomas, so I let go of his hand. The children smiled mischievously, and Jasmine, remembering what Thomas’ role was, hid behind Thomas’ back and said,

 

“Please save me. Prince!”

 

But Thomas didn’t move, and Greenley slowly approached Thomas and Jasmine. Then Ren opened her mouth.

 

“That won’t work, Lima. The prince is stupid. Let us save Jasmine.”

 

Saying that, Ren and Lima ran to Greenley and started tickling him, and Thomas eventually burst out laughing at their actions.

 

“Who is being stupid?”

 

Thomas, who became playful after hearing his younger siblings’ words, started running around the garden with the children and playing with them, and I watched them with a smile. The game of tag that started like that continued until the children, except Thomas, collapsed from exhaustion, and the sun was already setting. As I was looking at the children blankly, Thomas approached me and opened his mouth.

 

“I don’t completely believe it. Still, since my younger siblings believe in the princess, I also believe in you.”

 

Still, I was glad that he trusted me, so I smiled and took his hand.

 

“That’s enough. Let’s get along well, Thomas.”

 

Thomas’ cheeks turned a little red at my words.

 

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Translator Note: