The Villainess Is Too Difficult

After Theodore’s visit, Ariel’s daily life changed somewhat. It wasn’t that her lifestyle pattern had changed. She still lived with the routine of studying, training, eating, resting, and sleeping. But that routine began to change subtly.

“Haaah!”

Crack!

With a powerful shout, the sword struck and shattered the dummy’s body into pieces. The one who destroyed the dummy was none other than Ariel. While it was known throughout the mansion that she trained with a sword in the training ground, today she was not alone.

“That’s enough for today. Good work.”

“Thank you.”

At Theodore’s words, who was watching from the side, Ariel gave a light bow and then sat down on the spot. It was a shocking sight that was hard to believe for a duke’s daughter, but Theodore was gradually getting used to it.

At first, even he couldn’t hide his bewilderment, but humans are animals of adaptation. Although he was initially shocked internally, he became accustomed to it after seeing it repeatedly.

Of course, apart from getting used to it, it’s true that seeing his only sister sprawled out like that still gives him complex feelings. But there’s no need to worry about that. Because there was already someone to scold her.

“Young Lady, in that posture again!”

“Isn’t this much okay? There’s no one watching.”

“Please maintain your dignity even inside the mansion! If you do this here, you might unconsciously do it outside too!”

Muriel’s storm of nagging came with the basin and towel she brought. But Ariel was used to it too, so she let it in one ear and out the other without a care.

“Thank you.”

“Sigh…”

Ariel naturally thanking her and Muriel sighing. Theodore could inwardly feel relieved at the sight of the two becoming less formal with each other.

Ariel had always been isolated. Heinrich lacked emotional leeway, and Theodore lacked practical leeway, so they couldn’t take care of her, and because of that, Ariel always lived in solitude.

When Theodore heard that Ariel had started to go astray, he sighed but understood that it was inevitable. Even he thought that growing up in such an environment would inevitably lead to becoming twisted.

He had intended to visit the mansion sometime to talk with Ariel, but his sister had already gone to a point of no return.

[Go away. I don’t even want to see your face.]

Faced with the gaze of resentment and hatred directed at him, Theodore left the mansion as if fleeing, and never visited again after that. Although they shared the loss of their mother, the wounds experienced by Theodore and Ariel were completely different. At least Theodore wasn’t ignored by the Duke.

It was, in a way, natural for Ariel to become increasingly violent, having grown up without receiving proper love from her family.

But Ariel, whom he met again after a long time, had changed. It wasn’t simply that she had lost her memories; the person herself had changed.

The loneliness that had been visible since childhood was no longer felt, and she had eyes that looked straight ahead at some goal.

She was studying for the Academy entrance, training in magic and swordsmanship. She treated those around her kindly and had grown unrecognizably mature.

The girl who had been crying from loneliness had somehow become an adult.

Theodore thought as he watched such an Ariel. That he wanted to help her with all his might, as a way of atoning for not having helped her until now.

Having made his decision, he proposed to Ariel. Since she was already training in swordsmanship, he would do his best to oversee her training. This was the best he could think of for now.

And Ariel gladly accepted that proposal. Objectively speaking, someone who had entered the Imperial Knights was offering to personally oversee her sword training. There was no reason to refuse this.

However, Theodore drew the line at overseeing sword training and physical conditioning, but not magic. That area was not his domain to step into.

‘It’s my selfish desire, but.’

Looking down at Ariel wiping her sweat, Theodore thought. When it came to magic, there was someone in this mansion who could oversee it much better than himself.

I’m dying of exhaustion. When we first met, Brother proposed to oversee my sword training and physical conditioning for some reason, and I seized the opportunity and readily accepted.

To be honest, there was no reason to refuse. Brother is a skilled person who entered the Imperial Knights at a young age. If I missed this opportunity of him personally overseeing my training, I’d be a fool not even worthy of being called a fool.

And naturally, the training menu became incomparably more systematic and challenging than when I was training alone.

“Ugh, I’m dying…”

“Young Lady. Please, your dignity…”

“I told you it’s fine since no one’s here, right?”

As soon as I sprawled out on the bed after washing, Muriel’s nagging flew in. Hmm, even Muriel seems to be treating me more casually compared to when we first met.

Of course, I think this change is very good. Since Muriel is my personal maid, we’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the future, and the thought of continuing to be awkward with each other makes me feel sick just imagining it.

But if you ask me if I like being nagged at, I can answer without any hesitation that I absolutely do not.

But my laziness didn’t last long.

“Ariel. Are you there?”

“The Young Master has come. Quickly…!”

As Muriel was about to scold me, I reluctantly got up from the bed. Ah, but isn’t it human nature to want to sprawl out after exercising and showering? I barely resisted the urge to take a nap right there.

“Yes, I’m here.”

“Excuse me.”

As I answered while roughly tidying my disheveled hair, the door slowly opened.

“Is there something you need?”

Brother was quite dressed up compared to earlier. It’s not an extremely serious formal outfit, but it’s maintaining a certain level of propriety, I guess. Anyway, that kind of feeling. What do I know?

“His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived.”

“What?”

Wait a minute. Who did you say came?

“He’s waiting in the reception room now. Hurry and get ready.”

“Y-Yes… I understand.”

“Then I’ll go ahead. Don’t keep His Highness waiting too long.”

As soon as Brother left, I was caught by Muriel’s excited hands. The Crown Prince came? Why so suddenly? No, he did say he’d come again when we first met, but… this soon?

“I’ll make you so pretty that His Highness won’t be able to take his eyes off you, Young Lady!”

“No, there’s no need to go that far. Just keep it simple like usual…”

“Young Lady?”

Her mouth is clearly smiling, but why do I feel a shadow? I know that look. It’s the look she gives when I’m being excessively sloppy. But I can’t give in on this one.

Let’s say meeting the Crown Prince is fine. After all, we’re still engaged, and we’re also going to take the Academy entrance exam together. Moreover, the Imperial family and the Walpurgis have never ceased their interactions. There’s nothing strange about it.

Yes, meeting is fine. Just ‘meeting’ is fine. But I have no reason to look good for him. Especially not as a woman.

Alright, it’s better to settle this clearly now.

“Muriel. This might seem sudden, but I have no intention of becoming the Crown Princess.”

“What?! What are you saying all of a sudden, Young Lady!”

It might be a bolt from the blue for Muriel. But I need to say this clearly while I have the chance. I have no intention of marrying a man at all. My thoughts might change later, but at least the subject won’t be the Crown Prince. It’s common sense that the Crown Prince ends up with the protagonist, isn’t it?

Although she’s a commoner now, she’ll soon enter the Academy, show her skills, and grow rapidly. Later on, she’ll become more suitable as a Crown Princess than me. For Reinhardt too, a real woman would be better than a fake duke’s daughter with a dark man inside.

“I have no thoughts of marriage yet, and above all, His Highness could find someone much better than me. His Highness probably accepted the engagement more for the family than for me, so a marriage without mutual feelings is meaningless…”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, Young Lady.”

“Muriel?”

I thought she would get angry or surprised, but to think she’d deny reality? This isn’t the reaction I was expecting.

Muriel, as if she really intended to forget the conversation from just now, started moving here and there to dress me up, opening the wardrobe door and calling other maids. No, don’t do that. Our conversation isn’t over yet. Stop it.

“Now, Young Lady. His Highness will understand that a woman’s grooming takes time, so shall we take this opportunity to dress you up properly?”

“Wouldn’t it be disrespectful to keep him waiting too long?”

“Don’t worry. We can manage that much!”

Don’t say that with such a bright smile. For some reason, the sight of Muriel approaching with various cosmetics seemed scary.