The Villainess Who Looks Like a Little Girl Is in the Arms of the Ice Prince (Who Is Sometimes Cute) - Chapter 19

“Gyaaaaaah! M-M-M-Masaka, premarital relations!? No, no! That’s a crime, Your Highness!”

“…Silence, Enzo.”

—While the attendant shouting by my bedside and the Crown Prince who’d been awakened by him were facing off some distance from the bed, their tension mounting, I was still half-asleep.

“Do you presume I would disregard such procedures?”

“Quiiiet! Sleeping together is no good, I tell ya!”

“…I don’t understand your meaning, but that tone with me. Are you prepared to lose your life?”

“Hah, if it’s to protect the young lady, then so be it!”

Lying in bed and watching with just my eyes, I saw black mist softly billow forth from Enzo’s entire body.

“My life doesn’t matter one bit!”

Soon the black mist swirled round and round before Enzo. Just like a coiled snake and when I thought it flexed like a whip, it lunged at His Highness Folkhardt.

“Then I need not hold back.”

Then His Highness raised his hand toward the black mist. A blizzard generated from his palm entwined itself around the black mist serpent.

It’s like a battle between a black snake and a white snake, so pretty. I thought vaguely, then I sat up with a start. This was no time to be gazing dreamily. This was a serious situation.

“What are you doing!”

But the two men, perhaps with blood rushing to their heads, wouldn’t take their eyes off each other and showed no sign of stopping their magic.

The magical energies intertwining in the air became an ominous wind, rattling the furniture, fluttering the canopy curtains, and whipping up both their clothes and their forelocks.

If this continued, there would be damage.

If it were just the furnishings, that would be one thing, but if the attendant injured the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t escape severe punishment.

I stood up on the bed and took a deep breath.

“Stop it!”

I shouted with all my might, but with the roaring, groaning sounds of magic, my voice didn’t seem to reach their ears. Apparently, the vocal power of a four-year-old wasn’t enough.

(What should I do… Ah.)

Before Enzo used the Time Crystal Orb, I had unleashed fire magic.

In magical theory, you knead the elemental particles called Elements—natural essences drifting in the atmosphere—into the magical energy flowing within your body, then release it. The natural essences have four attributes: fire, water, earth, and wind. His Highness Folkhardt excels at using the water Element. On the other hand, according to His Highness’s explanation, Enzo’s dark magic shouldn’t exist within this theory.

Facing the black mist and blizzard rampaging through the air, I desperately conjured the image of using magic.

“I said, stop it!”

As I thrust both hands forward vigorously, a fire serpent swiftly zigzagged through the air and bit into the entwining snakes of darkness and ice.

Instantly, with a loud BAM! like something popping, the magic scattered in all directions.

“Tch!”

“Whoa!”

Startled, the two leaped back, then whirled around toward the bed with tremendous force and rushed over to me with pale faces. Jostling each other’s shoulders as they vied to be first.

“Ria!”

“Young lady!”

“Are you hurt?”

“Are you injured!?”

They reacted in exactly the same way.

I desperately suppressed the urge to burst out laughing.

“I am quite all right. But the room is a mess.”

The furniture had shifted out of place, documents, spare sheets, towels, and such were scattered across the floor. A vase had fallen and shattered, and perhaps fragments had flown, leaving scratches on the wallpaper.

Instantly, the two looked chagrined. The same reaction again.

Though my posture was terribly improper, wanting to maintain eye contact with both, I stood firmly on the mattress with my hands on my hips and asked:

“Why did this happen?”

This time, both His Highness Folkhardt and Enzo fell silent.

I waited a while for an answer, but neither tried to speak, instead turning their faces away from each other toward opposite directions.

It seemed asking directly wouldn’t yield an answer. Realizing this, I decided to use a cunning trick.

“…Will you ignore me?”

No matter the actual circumstances, any proper gentleman would surely be pained to hear this from someone who ‘looks like a little girl.’

My intuition proved all too accurate. Flustered and panicked, they strongly denied it.

“I would never ignore you!”

“Not at all!”

Both sharply glared at each other, then turned back to me.

“Enzo said something disrespectful.”

“It’s because His Highness slept with Lady Ria!”

—I somewhat grasped the situation. Now it was a matter of how to resolve it.

I took a deep breath, then bowed my head to His Highness Folkhardt as I exhaled.

“Lord Hal. Though a misunderstanding, the attendant’s disrespect is this master’s responsibility. If punishment is due, please direct it at me.”

“What are you saying, Ria!”

“Young lady!”

Then I raised my head and explained to Enzo.

“En. I was the one who wouldn’t let go of Lord Hal. So, it’s my fault.”

His Highness Folkhardt furrowed his brow and put a hand to his forehead.

“There’s no need for punishment. I was careless. Indeed, sleeping together was improper.”

I was admiring how broad-minded he truly was, when Enzo visibly wilted, shrinking before my eyes.

“…I let my blood rush to my head too… I’ve been terribly disrespectful.”

Whew, I thought the situation had been resolved and started to relax, but—

“Enzo’s judgment was correct. I shall strive to earn your trust from now on.”

“No! I was wrong! I trust you!”

“Forced trust is meaningless.”

“I said I trust you!”

To be honest, these two are quite a handful.

“Um—”

Just then, the maid Magot timidly peeked in. Sticking just her head through the half-open bedroom door.

“Magot.”

When I called her name, she visibly relaxed and entered the room.

“…I’ll tidy up, then.”

Yeah, she’s putting on a smile, but her veins are bulging. And no wonder, since we’ve made a mess of the Crown Prince’s guest room.

Even at my family’s Duke Logier residence, such rooms use unnecessarily expensive items. I’d rather not think about the amount of damages.

“Enzo. Help her.”

“Yeeees~~~~~!”

“Lord Hal, please explain to the Chief Steward of the Crown Prince’s Household.”

“O-of course.”

Phew, I let out a breath and finally sat down on the bed.

Not that I felt like lying down, and as I absently watched the attendant and maid begin cleaning, I noticed His Highness Folkhardt looked like he wanted to say something.

“What is it?”

“Ria… well, it might be a strange time, but. That was magnificent magic. Are you feeling unwell?”

“Ah.”

Now that he mentioned it, I felt my fever rising again. A wave of dizziness hit me. Perhaps I’m still not used to the output. It might be better to practice properly once I’ve fully recovered.

“Tch, lie down immediately.”

“Young lady~~!”

“Lady Ria!”

His Highness Folkhardt cooled my forehead with ice magic, Enzo started singing some incomprehensible lullaby, and Magot efficiently arranged the bed and change of clothes.

“Hehe. I’m fine…”

Surprised at myself for momentarily forgetting the homeland’s issues and border unrest, and actually enjoying this time with the people around me, I closed my eyes.

(When I wake up, I’ll have to think about various things together with everyone.)

I felt happy to have such reliable companions.