Chapter 81

Over the country, a ring of light, and in the Square of Beginnings, the glowing game logo.

I can be certain that some incredible event is about to start.

“Just how much... does Lady Aqua know?”

She is definitely hiding something from me.

“Tiara?”

“Huh? -- Ah, did I say that out loud...?”

“Sure did.”

Tiara Rose, who had been lost in her thoughts, was in the office of Aqua Steed. The fact that her thoughts about Aqua Steed had slipped out was unbecoming of a lady.

Since there was no helping it, she decided to ask straightforwardly.

“About the ring and the fountain symbol... I can’t help but be concerned...”

“Did you think I knew something?”

“...Yes, that’s right. Lady Aqua seems calm, as if you know something. Could it be that you heard something from Prince Feris?”

Aqua Steed was surprised to hear such a confident statement. At the same time, she realized that Tiara Rose had been paying close attention to her.

However, what Aqua Steed was dealing with was not something that could be easily explained. Or rather, it was something difficult to convey to Tiara Rose.

Seeing Aqua Steed’s troubled expression, Tiara Rose felt dejected, thinking that perhaps she shouldn’t have asked.

“Of course, if you can’t talk about it, I won’t press you. But I can see that you are very troubled. ...Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Thank you. It’s very reassuring to have you here, Tiara.”

Aqua Steed stood up from her desk and came over to Tiara Rose, sitting down next to her and quietly saying, “It’s okay.” She stroked Tiara Rose’s head, telling her not to worry, and Tiara Rose smiled ambiguously in response. It seemed that no matter how directly she asked, Aqua Steed wasn’t going to tell her. The more Aqua Steed tried to evade, the more her frustration grew.

-- I know you can’t talk about it.

Aqua Steed is of royal blood, the crown prince. There are probably many things she can’t share with her consort, especially since Tiara Rose is from a neighboring country. Intellectually, she understood that there were things that couldn’t be said. But the frustration she felt was due to possessiveness.

The desire to share everything when someone is carrying a burden. Even though she knew that Aqua Steed was protecting her, it was sad not to be able to touch the core of the matter.

When she realized this, a sense of shame arose. She had never realized how strong her desires were. At first, she had thought that Aqua Steed might be taken by a heroine from a sequel, but now she felt confident.

“Tiara? Your face is a bit red. Are you catching a cold?”

“Eh! No, it’s not that. I’m fine...”

Aqua Steed’s large hand touched Tiara Rose’s forehead to check her temperature. It felt cool and pleasant, and she closed her eyes involuntarily. A gentle kiss landed on her cheek.

“Lady Aqua...”

“Tiara, take a break. I’m glad you’re worried about me, but you tend to overdo things suddenly, which makes me very anxious.”

“That’s...”

Indeed, she couldn’t deny it, but for Aqua Steed, and for the game event! When she heard about it, she couldn’t help but get excited.

She slumped her shoulders, deciding that if she stayed and continued to feel frustrated, it would interfere with Aqua Steed’s work, and decided to rest in her room.

◇ ◇ ◇

As she trudged back to her room, she saw Liliage sitting by the window in the corridor, looking outside. She was staying with Feris because she was worried about Sotiris.

-- But it’s unusual to see Lady Liliage alone.

Usually, she is with Feris. What could be going on?

As she watched Liliage, Liliage noticed Tiara Rose’s gaze and turned to look at her.

“Tiara! What’s wrong? You look like you’re about to cry...”

“Lady Liliage... I...”

“I can listen if you want to talk. Let’s go to your room.”

“...Yes.”

Liliage smiled gently and came with Tiara Rose to her room.

After confirming that Filine had prepared tea and financiers and left, Tiara Rose explained the conversation from earlier. She admitted that she was frustrated and couldn’t control her emotions.

“So that’s what it is. But Tiara, as Lady Aqua Steed’s consort, it’s natural to have desires.”

“Is that so... I am a noble lady, and I think it’s appropriate to stand a step behind Lady Aqua, but I also wish to stand by her side.”

“You can stand by her side, can’t you?”

“Eh...”

Tiara Rose, who had the memories of a Japanese person, believed that women should support men. Therefore, she thought it was best to listen to Aqua Steed’s decisions.

However, this was not Japan, but Marin Forest.

The world of the game.

“I was born a commoner, unlike Feris. So my way of thinking is very different. Even now, I often don’t understand Feris’s thoughts and find them hard to accept.”

“Lady Liliage...”

“But everyone has emotions, and we are alive.”

Living without suppressing your feelings, wouldn’t that be more enjoyable? Liliage asked.

“I have been trying to behave properly as a noble lady and as Lady Aqua’s consort...”

Otherwise, I thought I might lose everything to the heroine. Tiara Rose was proactive about game events, but she became timid at the thought of causing trouble for Aqua Steed.

“You and Aqua Steed are similar to Feris.”

“To Prince Feris...?”

“Yes. You both are aware of your duties as royals and try to suppress your feelings.”

“That’s...”

Tiara Rose had been taught from a young age about the duties of a royal. Even now, with the memories of her past life, she still wanted to serve the country as a noble.

Tiara Rose thought this was natural.

Probably, Aqua Steed and Feris feel the same way.

They instinctively feel that they must do so.

“Feris is strong. He has been the king all this time. ...I didn’t really understand the duties of a royal. ...I’m not good at polite speech either.”

Therefore, Liliage felt guilty and pained that she had to rely on Tiara Rose and Aqua Steed for their mistakes. She didn’t want to cause trouble for Tiara Rose, who was uninvolved in her personal matters.

However, Feris and Aqua Steed accepted it as their duty as royals. This was something Liliage couldn’t understand, and she always felt frustrated.

“In short, girls are always frustrated. Women are always frustrated by royal men!”

The statement was so absurd that Tiara Rose couldn’t help but laugh.

“You finally smiled, Tiara.”

“Oh...”

“You look cuter when you smile.”

“That’s true...”

She touched her cheeks, releasing the tension in her face. It was embarrassing to do so in front of Aqua Steed, but it was fine in front of another woman like Liliage.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.

It’s natural to feel frustrated.

She pinched her cheeks with both hands and said, “Okay!” with determination.

Liliage blinked at the sight and laughed along with Tiara Rose.

“Sometimes, Tiara, you have a very manly side.”

“Eh!? Is that so?”

As a noble lady, she had always tried to be graceful, so being called manly was a first. However, being praised for it made her feel good.

“Right. Tell me about Lady Liliage and Prince Feris. Since you founded the country together, it must have been very difficult, right?”

“Sure, if you ask, Tiara.”

Liliage took a bite of the financier and said, “Where should I start?” with excitement. Then, as if remembering something, she said, “By the way.”

“When we founded this country, we performed the Fairy King’s territory-taking.”

“Territory-taking?”

“Now, I hear it has been simplified into a board game called the Fairy’s Game.”

“There is. Lord Clayre is very good at it.”

It was a game they had played before, where three pieces were placed on a 5x5 grid, and the opponent’s pieces could be turned into your own by sandwiching them, similar to Reversi.

It was a game that required strategy, and Tiara Rose always lost.

“But, taking territory... didn’t you work together to found the country?”

“Calling it territory-taking might sound a bit rough. This is a way for men to show their strength. It’s a way of saying, ‘I am this strong, so I will definitely protect this place.’”

It was a competition over where to bestow blessings and protection in the country.

Liliage said that this was done because the Fairy Kings loved Marin Forest. The territory-taking was the reason why Marin Forest was such a fertile land. Thinking about how good a country it was, one that the fairies wanted to compete for, Feris’s efforts must have been tremendous.

Hearing this explanation, Tiara Rose was impressed that such an event was held to found a country. She might be the only one who knew this founding story.

-- Does Lady Aqua know about this?

Thinking about it, an idea came to mind.

Perhaps, like her, Aqua Steed had heard this story from Feris and was troubled by it.

Of course, it was just a guess, but Aqua Steed had just made the Ring of the Starry Sky. If territory was involved, it wouldn’t be surprising.

“Maybe the source of Tiara’s frustration is the territory-taking.”

“!”

Currently, the territories of Marin Forest are held by Feris, Keith, Clayre, and Pearl.

“If Aqua Steed is to become the true king, she must perform the Fairy King’s territory-taking and take the territory from Feris.”

“Fight Prince Feris...?”

“No, it’s just to show strength. Feris is already an old man, so it’s time to let him rest.”

Liliage’s tone was bright, reassuring Tiara Rose. At the same time, she confirmed that her concerns were correct.

Liliage jumped off the sofa and went out to the balcony. When Tiara Rose followed, she saw Liliage looking up at the ring in the sky.

“This ring, I think... is probably because Marin Forest is seeking a new king.”

“But Lady Aqua seems troubled and can’t become the king...?”

“It might be, but I can’t tell that much. Feris might know, but he probably won’t tell you.”

Liliage puffed out her cheeks and said, “It’s frustrating,” with a laugh.

“Feris doesn’t tell me things he deems unnecessary. It’s probably to avoid worrying me or getting me involved in danger... but it’s very frustrating. I want to stand by Feris’s side as his wife.”

“Lady Liliage...”

I completely understand that feeling! Tiara Rose nodded vigorously.

“So, I ignored Feris’s opinion and kept absorbing power, turning into a monster.”

“Eh?”

“I thought Feris should be a bit frustrated too.”

Is Liliage more manly? Tiara Rose didn’t say it out loud, but she was worried that it might have been too much.

“Still, it was the only way to save Feris. So, it turned out well.”

“That’s true...”

Tiara Rose felt bad for bringing up painful memories, but Liliage didn’t seem to mind and was still smiling.

They returned to the room from the balcony and ate the remaining cookies together. During this time, Tiara Rose thought about the information she had obtained from Liliage and the possible game developments.

The ring of light is probably to establish Aqua Steed as the new Starry Sky King.

From the message in the Square of Beginnings, the signal to start is the rings of the kings. The question is who will gather them and offer prayers.

-- The text was written in Japanese.

This suggests that it is an event that the game’s heroine should perform.

Tiara Rose, as the villainous lady, can enter the hidden passages of the Fairy Kings, so it shouldn’t be a problem. She just needs to gather the four rings and offer prayers.

This will start the Fairy King’s territory-taking.

It’s the Square of Beginnings, after all.

However, a concern suddenly crossed her mind.

If the current king is still in place, wouldn’t taking territory make it look like a coup...? But if the ring of light remains, the people won’t be able to settle down.

“You seem troubled.”

“! Lady Liliage...”

“Tiara, please. Push Aqua Steed to become the true king. I want Feris to be free and see a wider world beyond this country.”

Hearing Liliage’s serious voice, Tiara Rose swallowed hard. Since the founding of the country, Feris had carried the burden of being the Starry Sky King.

Indeed, it was time for him to be free, and she made a decision.

-- I will gather the rings and advance the event in the Square of Beginnings.

The third chapter of the villainous lady, part 1, is now available on Comic Walker and Nico Nico Seiga.

* If you want to read chapter 2, you can do so on pixiv Comic (for a few more days).

If you haven’t read it yet, I hope you enjoy it.

The links are posted below, so please go to your preferred site.