The Guidebook for Villainesses
chapter-26

As Marquess of Bailey rose rapidly as an influential man on the Prince’s side and rumors circulated that he was trying to make his only daughter the Princess Consort, the nobles began to show interest in a girl named Laviore Ria Bailey.

In their opinion, she was a very good candidate for Princess Consort.

She’s the only daughter of the Marquess family, her father is rumored to be a good-natured person, and even though her mother was a commoner, she was a merchant with enormous wealth. In their eyes, Laviore Ria Bailey was a successor to the Marquess family and also a conglomerate heir.

However, the rumors about Lara herself were not good.

It was not long ago, she made love with the arena slave and made a disturbance at the Night Ball. This time, she dared to appear at the banquet to choose the Princess Consort with a man. Moreover, her outfit. They did not express it, but they were genuinely surprised.

Lara’s dress was an outfit that broke the common sense of Hautean nobles. It was like watching an actress on the stage. The same went for her hair that fluttered around whenever the river’s wind blew. Unlike other women, who would either tie up their hair, braided it, or twirled it and decorated it with jewels, Lara appeared with her voluminous hair hanging down without any decorations.

“Laviore.”

It was around that time that Marquess of Bailey found his daughter.

He approached Lara with an awkwardly stiff face. It seemed that he wanted to be angry, but was unable to raise his voice because there were a lot of people watching. Lara smirked when she felt the gaze of her father who was approaching her fast, along with the people who were still focusing on her.

She had waited for this moment.

When she returned to the past, she replayed several scenes in her mind every night over and over again. Either Marquess of Bailey reaches a new low in front of a lot of people and bares his real face, or Prince Sidhar crawls on all fours and begs for help.

She really wanted to see that.

Just imagining how refreshing and thrilling it must be had already made her satisfied.

So, father, I want you to know that this is just the beginning.

Lara clasped Demian’s hands with strength. Then, even before Marquess of Bailey could talk, she quickly beat him to it.

“Don’t ask mother for alimony. I have heard that you’re on the verge of bankruptcy, but what you’re doing is a bit disgraceful.”

All voices were hushed.

Lara’s voice floated through the noise of the banquet hall, like oil floating on water. Her voice clearly stuck in everyone’s ears.

“You look pathetic.”

Marquess of Bailey’s face slowly changed. He must have felt like his blood was pouring upside down. He did not know what to do because of his daughter’s sudden unfamiliarity, but he could not just leave her alone, so he was on the verge of madness.

Lara was not worried.

Her father would never raise his voice or beat her in front of so many people.

His reputation was one of the assets that he had built up outside so far.

“Laviore.”

Marquess of Bailey barely opened his mouth.

He was going to turn a deaf ear to Lara. He tried to ignore everything Lara said as if it were nothing.

“Let’s go home. The big house feels so empty without you.”

“Don’t try so hard, you look pitiful.”

It was not just the people’s attention, but they were actually gathering around the two people now. The Marquess was anxious. Not knowing what Lara was going to say, he took a step closer to her.

“Don’t come near me. Are you going to hit me again?”

“Laviore.”

“Not only did you hit and confine me, but you’ve also tried to kidnap me. Now I can’t even go anywhere without an escort.”

The silent people murmured little by little.

I wish Eunice and Ximena were here. The two would have stood in the middle of the crowd and loudly criticized father.

Unfortunately, they could not come because they did not receive an invitation card.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about. What did I do wrong to you…”

He seemed sincere.

At first glance, he was no different from an ordinary father who was flustered by his daughter’s defiance. Half of the people who were gathered there felt sorry for Marquess of Bailey.

Lara made her move then.

She approached Marquess of Bailey and glared straight in his face. She whispered so that only he could hear her.

“Don’t think that I know nothing. I’m not a kid who would think that it was night just because you covered my eyes.”

“Laviore Ria Bailey!”

“I think you’re right about one thing. Reputation could collapse in an instant.”

Marquess of Bailey’s hand flinched.

Lara noticed that he was trying to slap her in the face just now. However, he moved naturally, like water, and swept his face down with that hand. Then, he pretended he was puzzled with an upset look. He let out a sigh and turned his back on Lara.

“You really do look like your mother.”

“That’s a good thing.”

When Lara was pleased to see the Marquess of Bailey drifting away, Demian whispered in her ear.

“Lara, royalty is coming.”

She wondered why her father stepped back so nicely. Apparently, it was because Prince Sidhar and Princess Sonnet had arrived.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Lara moved away from the center of the banquet hall with Demian. Most of the attention that was focused on her had also left with the arrival of the royal family.

“You said that we were going to save the Princess. But why are we moving further away from her?”

Demian asked.

He and Lara were at the edge of the banquet hall, on the desolate riverside.

They could see the nobles buzzing around the Prince and Princess in the distance.

“I need to avoid Prince Sidhar.”

“Why?”

“My father is trying to make me the Princess Consort. Nothing good will come out if he gets used to my face.”

“If you become the Princess Consort, won’t you become the future Queen?”

“Just give that kind of thing to a dog or something.”

When Lara showed her hatred, Demian laughed with his shoulders moving up and down.

“So, when will the black sorcerer appear?”

He asked.

Lara did not know about that. It was her first time coming to that banquet.

But she knew where they were coming from.

“The boat…”

She heard that the black sorcerer was hiding on a boat and appeared when the Princess came to the river.

“You don’t know which boat?”

“I don’t know.”

Demian glanced down at Lara.

She knew the exact date and place as if she was the one who put in the assassination request, but she did not know who the assassin was or the time of the incident.

“Are you going to be fine without any weapons?”

Lara asked, her eyes looking at Demian were filled with worry.

“Do you think I will lose?”

“No, you will win.”

“Then what are you so worried about?”

Actually, even Lara did not know how she felt.

When faced with others, her feelings were so clear. But in front of Demian, especially, her mind wandered off. Every time Demian in the past came to her mind, she felt scared and sorry. But she felt unfamiliar with herself who was happy with the honest and friendly attitude Demian was showing now.

“Lara, Master Lady.”

He talked to Lara as if teasing her.

“Tell me what you want. You can command me like an arrogant goddess, or you can seduce me like a deadly villainess. Anything you want will come true. “

Demian reached out his hand.

Lara held his hand tightly and took a deep breath twice.

My mighty warrior.

There’s nothing I can’t do for you either.

Lara raised her head and whispered to his ear.

“Please defeat the black sorcerer and become the hero of Hautean.”

“Okay.”

He nodded.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Lara’s plan was simple.

She would stay by the river with Demian. And when the black sorcerer appeared, Lara would send him to the Princess.

That was all.

Demian will be the hero who had saved the young Princess from the evil black sorcerers. Anyone who had great discernment might try to grant him a peerage and hold on to him in Hautean.

But things had flowed strangely.

The young Princess was running towards Lara.

Behind her, the royal knights followed her and called her in an urgent voice.

“Sob… Sob!”

There were only knights beside the Princess as it was a banquet hosted by the nobles who supported Prince Sidhar. And they were responsible for the safety of the Princess, not her political advisors.

Was she bullied? Or was she ridiculed?

Lara looked at the Princess.

Her distorted face was filled with tears.

She clasped her mouth with her little hand and tried to hide that she was crying, but everyone who was looking at the Princess knew she was crying.

The 14-year-old Princess was too young.

Lara did not know what to do. She was just waiting for the black sorcerers to show up. But suddenly the Princess came running to the corner where she stood with tears scattered about. The Princess was moving anxiously.

This place was a riverside, and the ground was sand. It was neither hard nor flat enough to be running around with pretty shoes. If the Princess fell here, it would be a perfect opportunity for the black sorcerer.

“…Demian.”

She tried to step aside.

She had a thought that maybe this was the moment. Then, Lara heard a short laugh from her back as Demian slightly pushed Lara.

“Huh?”

Lara was pushed a couple of steps forward and she ran head-on into the running Princess.