To be the Villainess

O10.

Chapter 10

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“DID YOU get some sleep, my dear?” The Grand Duke asked, his gaze fixed intently on me. “You haven’t touched your food. Are you alright?” His voice was laced with worry as he studied my face.

I realized I was having breakfast with the Grand Duke and Darious. I had been so preoccupied with my thoughts that I might have forgotten something important. Why can’t I remember anything after Sebastian helped me last night? I confronted him, but he insisted that I went to sleep after he helped me take off my stockings. He said I even pushed him out of my room quickly. However, I don’t remember doing that. Did I miss something?

“I’m quite alright, Father,” I replied, forcing a smile. Darious rolled his eyes and continued eating, clearly unimpressed by my response.

“I need to leave soon, Father. His Highness has requested my presence in the South,” Darious said while gently wiping his mouth with the tablecloth. “There’s an issue with the monsters going berserk for some unknown reason.” He stood up and bowed deeply to the Grand Duke.

“The food shortage and evacuation centers are the biggest problems in the South right now,” the Grand Duke said after swallowing his food. He shook his head quietly, his expression grim.

Come to think of it, the Academy was built to enhance the abilities of those in the Empire who were blessed by the gods. The South is where the monsters come from, there’s a portal they’ve been searching for years. However, every attempt has failed as the number of knights gradually decreases with each pursuit of this daunting mission.

“The Crown Prince is trying hard to find a solution for this, but I must say, the nobles of this Empire will have difficulty agreeing with His Royal Highness,” Darious remarked. “Now, may I take my leave, Father?” The Grand Duke nodded, and Darious walked towards the door. Before closing it, he shot me a piercing glare. Huh, he really does hate me. I rolled my eyes at his childish behavior.

“If the Priestess were here, she might be the one to solve this problem,” the Grand Duke muttered, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

My eyes narrowed into slits as I tried to recall the Priestess he was talking about. I hadn’t encountered her in the game, so I had no memory of the Priestess he mentioned.

“Who is the Priestess, Your Grace?” I asked, catching the Grand Duke’s attention.

He looked startled, as if he had forgotten I was there. “I almost forgot you were there, my dear. My apologies,” he said, his lips curving into a slight smile. “The Priestess is the one who sealed the portal of the monsters in the South. No one has seen her face because she always wore a veil and a hat, but she was very popular back then because of her divinity.” He put down his utensils and focused on me. “The South... I met your mother there. She was the most beautiful woman—”

I cut him off. I didn’t want to hear tales of Arthemice’s mother. I wanted to know why the seal was broken.

“I already know that, Father,” I lied, smiling at him with practiced pretentiousness. He seemed satisfied with my hypocritical gesture, which prompted him to continue the story.

“Well, the barrier of the portal broke when the Priestess took her own life in a desperate attempt to save us all. On that day, the portal vanished, but the monsters remained,” he said, placing his elbow on the table and clasping his hands together, resting his chin on them. “It was a devastating loss because now the South is the most perilous region,” he continued.