The Villainess Who Looks Like a Little Girl Is in the Arms of the Ice Prince (Who Is Sometimes Cute) - Chapter 8

“Is this true, Rianne?”

“Yes.”

The next day, summoned to the audience chamber in the imperial castle, I sat on His Highness Folkhardt’s lap as he occupied a chair. At the large white marble table sat His Majesty the Emperor and the Second Prince, Etogal.

Upon hearing my account, His Majesty made a pained expression.

“What is the meaning of this, Etogal? To tell such lies.”

Sitting on His Highness Folkhardt’s lap was quite embarrassing, but I’m four years old! I desperately gave myself this mental suggestion. After all, my ankle was swollen and I couldn’t walk on my own, and furthermore, Enzo wasn’t of a status permitted to enter the audience chamber.

I had no choice! I kept making excuses in my heart.

“You’re the liar!”

The Second Prince, his face bright red, glared at me from across the table.

The temperature in the room dropping sharply was surely no illusion.

“…The attendants witnessed it as well.”

His Highness Folkhardt’s cold voice, though it was now early summer, was like a harbinger of a blizzard.

Yet, at the same time, the warmth on my back also came from His Highness’s body heat.

“Brother, you believe the attendants over me!?”

“……”

“Besides, a four-year-old fiancée is just a hostage, right!? Who even cares about her!”

Even His Majesty widened his eyes at this statement.

“Etogal!”

“Everyone says so!”

It might be unavoidable for a young prince to gullibly swallow sweet talk. But I recognized the pattern: as he justified his actions, he began to believe his own lies. The face of that arrogant marquis’s daughter flickered behind my eyes, and I grew abnormally angry.

They revel in their lies, transforming them into truth, and then become intoxicated with the ‘justice’ they wield based on that false truth.

(To see the same p-a-t-t-e-r-n here too, huh.)

I inadvertently let out a low groan. His Highness Folkhardt whispered by my ear.

“Ria. It’s leaking out.”

“Ah.”

After taking a deep huu breath, I looked Etogal straight in the eye and spoke.

“You claim that I committed lèse-majesté against the Imperial Family.”

“That’s right!”

“I am four years old.”

“So what!”

“Does the Imperial Prince of this Empire impose guilt upon a four-year-old?”

“Guh!”

Ururi—I let tears well up in my eyes. My effort to desperately stifle a yawn had paid off.

“Separated from my parents. Having come to a distant, unfamiliar land me.”

Everyone in the room gasped.

“If my life will satisfy you, then please, do as you like. I am prepared to be killed.”

“Rianne! We would do no such thing as kill you. This is utterly shameful, Etogal.”

His Majesty, enraged, BAM! slammed his fist onto the tabletop. Like father, like son.

“I thought there might be some reason for such a foolish notion as charging a four-year-old with lèse-majesté. But to do it merely to satisfy your own desires is truly pathetic.”

“Father! That’s not it!”

“What part of it isn’t!? Besides, so what if it’s lèse-majesté!? Behaving in a manner worthy of respect is your duty! The fact you feel no shame is the bigger problem!”

It was Etogal who was left speechless.

“And to injure her, then try to shield yourself; what utter wretchedness. I have indulged you far too much. You shall be entrusted to the Northern Knight Order.”

“Eh!?”

“It’s a land of harsh climate and stern resolve. Do your utmost. Rianne, can you find it in your heart to forgive him?”

Aquamarine eyes, with noticeable crow’s feet, gazed at me gently.

“There is nothing to forgive, Your Majesty. I merely wish to watch over the Imperial Family’s future.”

“My word. By age, Etogal would be more suitable, I thought.”

(Absolutely not! This idiot prince is a match for the one back home, no way, no way! I absolutely refuse!)

“I want Lord Hal!”

“Ria!”

From behind, His Highness Folkhardt gyuuu hugged me tightly.

It’s a bit painful. For some reason, His Majesty seems to be smirking. I should change the subject.

“More importantly, Lord Hal. This ‘everyone says so’ business is concerning, isn’t it?”

“Ria?”

“Are they people who do not welcome me?”

I tilted my head koten. His Highness Folkhardt, without loosening his embrace, uttered ominous words.

“The moment I find those people, I’ll freeze every last one of them.”

◆

His Highness, stubbornly refusing to let me go after the inquiry, carried me all the way back to my room. Moreover, his thoughtful gesture of placing me directly on the bed finally made me blush for real.

His Highness Folkhardt, saying he had official duties, reluctantly cooled my ankle one more time before leaving. I watched him go with my eyes only.

Enzo, who had returned to my bedside after closing the door, immediately made a sour face.

“What’s wrong, Enzo?”

“The Second Prince. He said ‘exiled to the Northern Knight Order,’ didn’t he?”

“Exile… well, yes.”

“That won’t do at all~”

“Eh? It’s no good?”

The attendant scratched his head boribori, looking troubled.

“Tell me, Enzo.”

“Yes, well. This is one of the Empire’s destruction crisis scenarios, you see~”

“Eh!”

I believe he called it an Another Story.

I’d heard from Enzo before that me regressing to age four and marrying into the Empire was different from the main story, written by readers familiar with the original tale.

“It’s written by amateurs, so the settings are a bit lax. I wondered how it would progress, and it went this route, is the feeling.”

“Enzo, you couldn’t predict whether Etogal would be exiled or not?”

“No, I couldn’t. But scenarios are strong, aren’t they? He’d hold a deep grudge against the Crown Prince, hone his swordsmanship, declare he would be Emperor, and then attack the imperial castle over a decade later.”

“Pathetic.”

“Ohooo! That’s quite the sharp tongue!”

“Well. To hold a grudge for over a decade over this?”

I was utterly dumbfounded.

“No matter what, the people you meet, your environment, various things should influence you.”

“Well, that’d be fine if he were as clever as you, Lady Ria. But this Prince Etogal is ‘Choro’ and easy to manipulate.”

“‘Choro’?”

“It means a simple person who doesn’t think much and readily accepts only people’s compliments and the good things. Easy to steer for one’s own convenience.”

It was an extremely easy-to-understand explanation. He really is ‘Choro’—gullible and easily led.

“Moreover, His Highness Folkhardt is a mage so feared he’s called the Ice Crown Prince, and a master swordsman. He’s knowledgeable in politics and economics. Inferiority complex maxed out, hatred doubled. Easy to incite, easy.”

“But people said Etogal was the more charming one.”

Studies and athletics can be managed to some degree with personal effort. But charm and personality often can’t be helped.

“It’d be good if he were steered in a positive direction. But the North already has poor relations with the central government. It’s like the metropolis versus the frontier.”

“I think I understand. Highly capable people, mutually incompatible.”

“That’s the gist of it.”

With that, I made a resolution.

“Let’s stop it.”

“Huh?”

“The exile.”

“For real!? Maaah~… I feel like it might create a different kindling for trouble, though. But well, for now, I’m in favor of smashing this immediate scenario.”

At that time, I didn’t understand the meaning of what Enzo called ‘a different kindling.’