The Villainess Has No Regrets in this Life - Chapter 9

As the carriage started moving, an awkward silence enveloped the inside.

Once again, it was Young Duke Posilia who broke the silence.

“Miss Rowenloa, have you ever learned horseback riding?”

“Ah, when I was very young. Father said that as a noble, one should at least know how to ride a horse… But at some point, he stopped letting me do it.”

Just as Young Duke Posilia was about to respond to my words, Brother Bershua opened his mouth first.

“I’ve been learning horseback riding for quite a while. I also enjoy it. Do you enjoy horseback riding, my lord?”

At my brother’s question, the young duke made a slightly displeased expression, but soon kindly answered his question.

“I do enjoy it. My younger sister Grace also enjoys horseback riding… She’s probably arrived at the villa by now and is preparing various things.”

“Oh my, is Grace coming?”

“Ah, she was so excited about surprising you, Miss Rowenloa, but I’ve gone and mentioned it first. I’m sorry, but please keep it a secret from Grace…”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter at his words.

Grace always had these quirky moments like this.

If she had hidden in the carriage and appeared with a “ta-da!”, it would have been a perfect surprise.

Thinking about Grace, who must be preparing this and that at the villa, excited to surprise me without knowing anything, made me keep laughing.

So the young duke and I continued to talk excitedly about Grace.

Since Grace was a good sister to the young duke and a good friend to me, the conversation flowed smoothly.

Although Brother Bershua and Leila tried to join in the conversation when they saw an opening, the young duke seemed to engage in light conversation with them before turning back to talk to me again.

And so, for the first time in a very long time, I had a comfortable conversation, and laughed freely with someone.

After talking for quite a while, the carriage slowly came to a stop and the door opened.

“We’ve arrived!”

As I got out of the carriage, I saw a magnificent mansion.

I had heard from Young Duke Posilia before that it was a ‘small villa’…

As expected, the Posilia family is different in every way.

“Welcome, Young Master Delian. It’s been a while since you last visited.”

“I’ve been quite busy lately helping Father with various tasks. I’m glad to see you’re in good health.”

“Thank you. Ah, I apologize for the late introduction. I’m Butler Basil, who manages this mansion. I’ll guide you from here on.”

So we followed Butler Basil’s guidance into the villa.

The size of the mansion was by no means small, and the interior was decorated much more lavishly than the Marquis’ residence.

Not just me, but Brother Bershua and Leila as well were busy looking around the mansion with sparkling eyes.

As I was busily turning my eyes to take in the interior of the mansion, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps from behind.

I could see Grace approaching us in the reflection of the display case glass in front of me, but seeing her expectant look, I decided to pretend I hadn’t seen her and act surprised.

“Oh, Sister Rowenloa! Lady Grace is here!”

However, thanks to Leila, both Grace’s surprise and my act of being surprised were all for naught.

Leila had recognized Grace in the reflection of the display case glass and called out to her.

“…Sister Leila? Did that girl just call you ‘sister’…”

I quickly turned around to try to salvage the situation, but Grace’s expression had already hardened.

As I mentioned before, in the Gellions Empire, only nobles can use the term ‘sister’ to address a noble lady.

“Grace! Oh my, what brings you here?”

Grace, who had been staring at Leila with a sour expression, slightly relaxed her face at the sound of my voice and grasped both hands that I had extended.

“I was preparing a surprise party for you, Rowenloa! Although it’s all ruined now because of someone… And, did that child just call you ‘sister’…?”

With that, Grace glared at Leila with sharp eyes, and Leila, intimidated by that gaze, hid behind Brother Bershua.

Seeing her, Grace quietly whispered to me.

“No, why does the Marquis keep making you bring that child along? And why is she calling you ‘sister’? And why is your brother just watching this behavior?”

I shook my head at Grace, who was getting angry beside me, with a bitter expression.

Seeing this, Grace seemed to be properly angry and raised her head towards them irritably.

“I don’t remember inviting some people here. I didn’t know that person hiding in the back would be coming along.”

Brother Bershua hid Leila behind his body and bowed his head slightly towards Grace, as if apologizing for the rudeness.

“Really… I’ve never even spoken a word to her, but this is the first time I’ve felt so offended.”

Grace looked at him like that and then turned her head towards me.

I smiled brightly at her.

“Oh, by the way… do you know how surprised I was when I turned my head and saw you, Grace?”

“…Really?”

I could see Grace’s anger subsiding a little at my words.

Grace… you’re so cute, being so simple and pure.

“Of course! But if we were going to meet here anyway, it would have been nice if we had come in the same carriage!”

“Aw, but then there’s no excitement! I’ve prepared a lot of delicious things for you. Let’s eat together before we go horseback riding! I’ll specially allow my brother to come along too!”

Grace linked arms with me and Young Duke Posilia and headed towards the banquet hall inside the mansion.

The young duke pretended to be reluctantly dragged along by Grace, then soon gestured to Brother Bershua and Leila, who were standing awkwardly behind, to follow.

I felt a strange feeling as I watched their situation compared to my previous life.

Even though I met such a miserable end in my previous life… it’s not that I didn’t love them.

Now I’m acting like this, burning with revenge, but if my actions lead to extreme results, will I be able to not regret my current actions?

As I was lost in my own serious thoughts, I found myself already led to the banquet hall by Grace.

Inside the banquet hall, there was an array of delicious and expensive foods that could put any ordinary party to shame.

Even Father, who doesn’t lose out to anyone in terms of wealth, would be surprised to see this…

As we were marveling at the food, Young Duke Posilia carefully approached me from behind.

“It seems Grace likes you very much.”

As he whispered to me in a low voice, I smiled brightly at him.

“We’ve been inseparable since we were young.”

“Thanks to you, I’m getting to enjoy such expensive food from my sister.”

I burst out laughing at his joke.

We headed to the riding grounds only after we had our fill of the food in the banquet hall.

“I assume everyone knows the basic posture, right? Once you’re all comfortable with your horses, I was thinking we could go around the small hill behind. How does that sound?”

Grace, Brother Bershua, and I nodded, saying we could manage that much.

The only one who couldn’t nod was Leila.

Noticing this, Brother Bershua covered for her, saying that Leila was still young and might find it difficult to handle a horse alone, so he would move with her.

After riding around the grounds lightly for about an hour, we all agreed to lead our horses towards the small hill behind the mansion.

“Since it’s a small hill, let’s plan to return within an hour.”

We each moved our horses.

At first, it seemed like we were all moving together, but soon Young Duke Posilia disappeared, saying he was going hunting. As soon as he vanished, Brother Bershua and Leila seemed to lose interest in the surroundings and appeared to be chatting among themselves before disappearing from my sight.

So Grace and I were slowly looking around the hill, chatting away, when suddenly a thick fog rolled in from the front, and Grace’s voice gradually faded away.

“…What’s this? Such a thick fog all of a sudden…”

I got off my horse and slowly walked, observing the situation, when I suddenly bumped into something black in front of me.

“Are you the one who traded with Sellionrus Mafi and the water spirit?”

When I raised my head to see the person standing in front of me at the sound of the voice, incomprehensible sentences once again unfolded before my eyes.

[Wow, you’re collapsing at that timing? Is this intentional?]

[Did that man you met earlier do something? You’re collapsing right when Bershua was about to say something.]

[But why does Leila keep trying to get along with Delian? It’s not like Delian is the only man around.]

These characters are appearing again at this timing…

It really feels like someone is watching us.

The fact that I’m thinking like this… maybe there’s something wrong with my head?

As I was lost in thought again, looking at the sentences floating in front of my eyes, the unidentified person standing in front of me suddenly grabbed my shoulder.

Having forgotten about the presence of the unidentified person because I was distracted by the sentences, I was so startled that I let out a scream, “Ah!”

However, the person, seemingly unconcerned about my surprise, held onto my shoulder and began to interrogate me again.