I'm a Villainess but So Popular

Episode 73

Translator : Missme

Editor : Aru

It was strange.

Apparently, by 7.00 o’clock, there was no sign of anyone, not even an ant cub, in the Sacred Hall.

It was unlikely that the Housekeepers would not keep their time promises.

The Duke of Ace and the Duke of Ale club, in particular, always came earlier than the appointed time, not kind of late people.

‘What’s going on…?’

There was no indication that meeting there would require minimal preparation at the meeting place.

I double-checked the sign at the door just in case I got the wrong one, but this place was Sacred Hall.

“What the hell is going on?”

My mind grew more and more uneasy.

I was wondering if I was mistaken.

In fact, it’s not Noble State Field, it’s somewhere else.

But I knew rationally.

The 7 Imperial Families members never get together outside of Noble State Field.

At the end of the day, I wondered if the letter that I was promoted to become a Housekeeper of the 7 Imperial Family members and the chest itself were someone’s nasty pranks.

But for that to be said, everything was too similar to what the Duke of Ale Club said.

And no one seemed to benefit from playing this kind of prank on me.

“They let me through the carriage in the morning, so it must be true that I’ve been promoted.”

I thought I should go outside and look for the other Housekeepers myself.

But the Noble State field was very wide, and I didn’t know a thing about the road here. I might get lost if I do it halfway.

What the hell is the problem?

Why can’t I see anyone in this wide hall?

Nothing worked out in confusion.

I cooled my head down because I thought I had to do something, and I thought about what I could do in this situation.

Just then, through a crack in the door, someone’s footsteps came through.

‘The housekeepers aren’t always here, so if they’d been passing by, they’d definitely have caught someone’s eye.’

If I ask the man outside, maybe I can find out where they are.

If I was really lucky, he could take me to them.

I crossed the hall thinking so.

“Excuse me!”

In my voice, I could see the shadow of a man stopped through an open door gap.

I closed the door and hurriedly opened my mouth, thinking it was a relief.

“I’m sorry, but could you give me a–”

But when my eyes met with the man standing still, I was speechless.

Because someone who was not supposed to be here was looking at me.

“Are you lost?”

Iker Tigris rolled up the corners of his mouth and made a mockery.

I felt really bad when the man who I wished to remain as a nightmare of the autumn night got off me in the clear morning and looked at me.

‘Why is he here?’

Iker laughed as if he had read my thoughts.

“You look like you’re wondering why I’m here, did you think you’d never see me again?”

When I was off guard, I settled in a sarcastic tone and gave him a courtesy.

“I meet your Majesty the Crown Prince.”

“Oh, I’ll be disappointed if you act so hard. We met only a few hours ago.”

“Shouldn’t you keep your word?”

I said with an expressionless face, straightening my back.

‘No, even though this is in the Imperial Palace, why is this man, who doesn’t have enough time, here?’

Noble State Fields are on the site of the Imperial Palace, and therefore the Imperial Family is allowed in and out of here.

But such cases were very rare.

This is because the people of the Imperial Palace consider Noble State Field an independent office space for the 7 Imperial Family members.

So the royal family avoided visiting here, meaning they would not interfere as much as possible with their politics.

“So, are you lost?”

“……well, yes.”

“But today, wasn’t it your appointment ceremony? I heard it’s at 7 a.m.”

Then Iker took the watch out of his pocket, opened the lid, and smiled lightly.

“Oh, my God, there’s only three minutes left. It’s a tight time to get to the appointment venue.”

When I heard what he said, I replied with a frown.

This is because I could clearly see Iker’s trick of pretending not to know the situation, even taking out his watch.

“My appointment ceremony is here.”

“No. The location of the appointment ceremony has changed.”

“Yes?”

At Iker’s words, I asked back in amazement, forgetting that I didn’t keep an expressionless face.

“As expected, you haven’t heard.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m sure the place for the appointment has changed. I saw the Duke of Ace moving the housekeepers from Sacred Hall to the Tirayya Stand Grand Room.”

His words knocked my heart down.

Something must have gone wrong and I wasn’t contacted.

Biting my lips, I left the hall.

I had to go quickly to the Tiraya Stand Grand Room.

If I was really unlucky, I might have to wait for months to be promoted to a housekeeper because I could not be appointed.

“Do you know how to get to the Tirayya Stand Grand Room?”

Of course, I didn’t know.

And it was clear that Iker knew about it and asked me a question.

“I don’t know.”

I stopped walking in the hallway and stared back at him.

“It takes at least 25 minutes from here to there.”

“But the only way to go is to go, right?

“There’s nothing more reckless than not knowing the road.”

I knew what he meant to say this.

“I hope I don’t take away your precious time. Well, I’ll be going now, Your Highness.”

“If you follow the path I know, you can get there in 10 minutes.”

His words eventually forced me to stop walking.

As I glanced at him, holding back my desire to sigh, Iker spoke, gently bending his slender golden eyes.

“But I wonder if they will see you in about 10 minutes.”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm my irritation.

When I opened my eyes, Iker had already come to my side, showing his white teeth, and smiling fatly.

“Are you thinking of getting my guidance now?”

Then I asked in a dry voice, without eye contact.

“What do you want?”

“Does it look like I want something from you?”

At the words, I glared at Iker with my red eyes raised.

“You wouldn’t ask me to be a palace wizard directly under the Crown Prince with this kind of help, would you?”

Iker laughed in an unpleasant voice as if he were having fun when he heard my question.

Then, his golden eyes shone through his half-red hair, and he bowed his head toward my ear.

“No way. What do you see me for?”

What do you think, you’re a madman without a screw.

“By the way, I’d like you to talk to me after the meeting.”

“Again?”

“You’re so mean. You don’t have to look like that.”

Then he whispered in my ear in a low, languid voice.

“I even show you the path directly, but you have no warmth to spare me ten minutes?”

I followed him without a word, with a heart of wanting to punch him because I thought I was going to die of disgust.

***

“I see your Majesty the Crown Prince.”

With Iker’s appearance, the Housekeepers rose from their seats in unison and bowed their heads toward him.

But Iker, who was staring at them, shook his head and said.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, I’m glad to say hello. Everybody get up.”

With the growling voice of an old lion full of scars on his body, the Housekeepers all rose.

“I didn’t want to disturb you, but I thought the Duke of Ace had left something behind, so I came to return it.”

At the words, the eyes of the Housekeepers were on me all at once.

The only thing that didn’t look at me was the Duke of Ace.

“I’m devastated. Your Highness, I’m at my wit’s end with the same grace you have given me.”

The Duke of Ace stood upright and spoke to Iker with icy eyes.

“I’m sorry to trouble you. Don’t worry, the Housekeepers will now take over the next Duke of Spades.”

Iker answered the Duke with a smile.

“Are you sure you can? There’s no guarantee that you won’t lose what you lost again.”

“That’s a funny joke. It won’t happen, so you can rest assured.”

“Well, if that’s what Trump means, there’s nothing we can do.”

Iker said with a voice of regret as if nothing could be done.

“Never lose it in the future.”

Iker’s last voice had a tone of mockery somewhere.

No one spoke for a while after he closed the door.

I plucked up courage at the thought of breaking that stifling silence.

“……. I’m Yerine Ephritte Spade.”

And slowly bowed his head toward the frozen Housekeepers, giving them courtesy.

“I look forward to working with you. And I’d like to say that I’m really sorry for being late.”

***

It was a great harvest to hear from a reliable source that there was an appointment ceremony for Yerine Spade today.

Due to the nature of the Academy students, there would not be many opportunities to meet after the banquet, so he had another chance to see her.

There was also an excuse to have a conversation after the meeting, so it was like a gold prize.

‘Hmm, I don’t think her personality is so grim.’

For that, she was unusually hard on Iker.

But many bowed down in front of Iker, not acting like her.

Her tightened lips and raised red eyes curiously caught his eye.

As if a strong tree catches people’s attention.

Iker, who was walking in the hallway thinking about it, suddenly stopped walking.

Wait a minute, the Duke of Ace moved to another place, and he looked relaxed.

When he remembered the look on her face, when she relaxed her strength and tension and looked at him with her purple and red eyes wide open, Iker smiled unconsciously.

“…cute.”

So he went out of the hall with a grumpy smile.

—————