The Villainess is a Marionette

Translator: thursdays PR: scarcecrow

“Rezef, this is no time to act like this.”

“Sister, you seem to think that I’m a child who can’t do anything.”

He was barely 18 years old. What was he saying that he could do?

Of course, he was much smarter and stronger than his peers. She was about to say that of course he was too young when she suddenly changed her mind. Technically, Cayena was only 19 years old.

“It’s because you’re my younger brother.”

Then, Rezef’s attitude, which had been caustic until now, softened.

“…Still, you need to rest.”

Cayena knows that this was a normal concern.

Who would tell someone who was kidnapped yesterday to start working right away?

It was only proper to rest after such a traumatic experience. That is, if she was an ordinary person. Sadly, Cayena wasn’t a normal noblewoman.

Besides, if she didn’t diligently remove the thorns on the road ahead of her, she would eventually be stabbed to death. What the future had in store would be as tough as yesterday’s kidnapping or worse.

“Father is a harsh man. You know that.”

That was something Rezef knew better than anyone else. He smiled broodily.

“Yes, I know.”

With displeasure in his face, Rezef said, “But you don’t need to worry. Duke Raphael has already solved that issue.”

Cayena halted when Raphael was suddenly mentioned.

Hesitantly, she asked, “How is he?”

Rezef didn’t know either. He shrugged.

“When I entered the palace in the morning, he was having a private conversation with Father. It seemed to go well. Thanks to that, I owe the duke.”

He didn’t like that part, but he thought it was fine that the issue was handled quietly.

‘He came to the palace.’

Cayena seemed to keep receiving undeserved help from him. It was unlikely that Raphael did that just for Rezef.

‘I thought I was being overly conscious of myself.’

Raphael was apparently showing her some favor. She didn’t tell what kind of goodwill it stemmed from, but it made her feel warm.

‘That’s also the case with how he inherited his title.‘

She felt embarrassed to admit that fact.

Then, there was a knock at the door. Vera, who had been as quiet as the air, checked the door and politely informed Cayena, “Your Highness, Olivia requests an audience with you.”

Cayena thought for a moment. She was hesitating because of Rezef.

Though, she knew it was inevitable that they would meet once she called Olivia to the imperial palace. She thought that it would be better if they saw each other now than outside of Cayena’s sight.

She couldn’t keep delaying it, so Cayena chose to face it head-on.

“Let her in.”

After a while, the door opened and Olivia’s gaunt form entered. Rezef glanced indifferently at Olivia, then sat on the sofa beside the bed.

Olivia went down on one knee, bowed to Cayena, and carefully asked, “Your Highness… Are you all right?”

Cayena lifted herself up and replied, “I’m fine.”

Olivia’s face had a poor complexion, perhaps because in the past day she had suffered a lot. Her eyes also looked sore.

Cayena reached her hand out to Olivia.

“Come here.”

At her call, Olivia cautiously approached the bed and took her hand.

Cayena had never thought deeply about the fact that Olivia was only 20 years old. She just thought that Olivia was a sensible and intelligent person.

Cayena had been too inattentive.

Olivia must have been scared. She, rather than Cayena, may have developed a trauma.

Cayena pulled Olivia’s hand to drag her into her arms and patted Olivia’s back.

“Were you scared?”

Then, Cayena said the words that had been used to comfort her.

“It’s all right now.”

At those words, Olivia hugged Cayena like she was falling apart. Her body seemed to tremble.

“…I’m so thankful that you’re safe.”

“It’s thanks to you.”

Olivia knew that Cayena had sent her on that errand to protect her. That was why she thought she should be the one to thank her.

From the side, Rezef sharply raised his eyes to see this scene. Then he laughed so quietly that no one else would hear.

Here was another thing he would have to keep in check.

He noticed that Cayena cared for Olivia more than what was usual. Strange things kept attaching themselves to his sister.

Cayena did not notice Rezef’s twisted feelings and continued to comfort Olivia.

“I’ll give you a few days off, so visit your home. You’ll feel better if you rest somewhere where you’re comfortable.”

Olivia pulled slightly out of Cayena’s embrace and shook her head at Cayena’s affectionate consideration.

“No. I want to stand by Your Highness’s side.”

Cayena opened her eyes, a little surprised, and smiled.

“Thank you.”

This incident had definitely formed a bond between them.

Olivia looked at Cayena again with serious eyes.

“But you need to rest. Get examined by a doctor, as well.”

“Thank you for caring about me.”

Rezef, who was watching quietly, called to Cayena in a disgruntled voice. “Sister.”

At that call, both Cayena and Olivia turned to Rezef.

Olivia was startled. She hadn’t realized Rezef was in the room because from the start, she had only been looking at Cayena. She quickly bowed to Rezef.

“I greet His Imperial Highness.”

Rezef acted as if Olivia were invisible and did not acknowledge her. He looked past Olivia and touched Cayena’s forehead. He thought there was a blush on her face that wasn’t there before, and once he checked, he saw that her fever was rising.

“Sister, you should really rest now.”

Only after saying that did Rezef look at Olivia.

“My sister has to rest, so leave now.”

Olivia felt Rezef’s disapproval. She didn’t really understand why, but he was the prince who was rumored to be a hoodlum. Olivia bowed her head and said, “Then, I’ll step back now.”

Meanwhile, Cayena looked in disbelief at what her brother was doing.

‘Wasn’t it love at first sight? I definitely remember that he was curious about her from the beginning.’

Even when Olivia left, Rezef was only concerned with tucking Cayena in with a blanket.

She obediently lay in the bed.

‘…I guess that’s fortunate.’

Cayena closed her eyes.

***

Julia had been nagging the servant to find her brother since yesterday. However, Zenon continued to be absent from the imperial palace.

As soon as she heard that he had returned, Julia went to his room.

“Just where have you been, Brother!”

Zenon didn’t respond, only taking off his tie clip and tossing it on the table. Julia followed him around and scolded him.

“I was so scared I thought I’d die!”

Yesterday was really frightening.

She had cowered at the atmosphere of the imperial palace, which suddenly became brutal when Olivia announced that the princess was abducted. In addition, Vera gathered the courtiers including Julia, saying that they had to push away the knights blocking the prince’s chambers.

Julia was terrified to hear that she would have to deal with sword-wielding knights.

How could anyone think to do that in their right minds!!

“Why did the princess get kidnapped when there’s the central army in the palace and escort knights to protect her? If I had known this would happen, I’d never have become the princess’s lady-in-waiting!”

Zenon soon exploded at Julia.

“This is what the imperial palace is like!”

At his shout, Julia’s eyes widened like an oil lamp.

“B–brother?”

“Did you think that this was a place for you to play house? How can a child who’s almost of age be so stupid!”

It was the first time she had seen Zenon, who was sarcastic but always easygoing, so angry. She was so surprised that her heart pounded.

“Brother, how could you–”

Julia’s eyes filled with tears in an instant.

“How could you treat me like this? I had been so scared…”

Zenon was already sensitive because of Yester. When Julia came to him and whined about being scared, he couldn’t hold back his anger.

“I can’t believe that you’re the same age as Her Highness.”

He shook off his younger sister and left the room.

Julia, who was left alone, cried sorrowfully. Then, she tried to hold back her tears.

She couldn’t help but think that she had been abandoned in the palace. Julia had no friends here, and her only family treated her coldly. The only people she could rely on were the maids she brought from home. She would have been happier in the eastern region, even if it was full of ugly men.

Julia came out of Zenon’s room. With her head down, she trudged weakly to the princess’s palace.

‘What should I do now?’

She felt like she had lost all her courage.

Thud!

“Ouch!”

Julia ran into someone as she turned the corner. She held her head in her hands and looked up.

“Ah…”

She blankly looked at the man she had collided with.

A handsome man with gorgeous blond hair, clear blue eyes, and a gentle aura looked down at her.

Despite his soft impression, his eyes held no warmth.

That dangerous feeling made Julia’s heart flutter even more.

“Hmm.”

The man looked at her dubiously. Julia finally came to her senses.

“Oh my, I-I’m sorry.”

“…Sorry?”

The man examined Julia carefully and smiled. Julia’s face turned bright because of how marvelous that smile was.

“Don’t you know who I am?”

“…Yes?”

“Blonde hair and blue eyes. You must be Julia Evans.”

She slowly blinked her eyes, not understanding.

‘Who is this man…?’

Then, she realized.

“Y-your Highness, the Prince?”

Julia was surprised and quickly knelt down to greet him.

“I greet His Imperial Highness!”

She never thought that this incredibly handsome man could be the prince.

Hearing that he was one year younger than her, she hadn’t been interested in the prince.

Even when she was told to familiarize herself with him by looking at his portrait, she had said that she would do it later. It was because she was into Raphael rather than the young prince.

She glanced at Rezef, a handsome man who was tall, sturdy, refined, and glamorous.

Rezef couldn’t have been unaware of that gaze if he tried. He looked down at Julia and tilted up one corner of his mouth.

‘Oh, look at this.‘

Rezef knew well that his appearance easily attracted others.

Cayena’s level of beauty was absurd, but he was also good-looking and drew many eyes.

He gently curled his eyes and smiled affably.

~~~