A Villainess pulled out the Sword instead of the Hero.

 

She awkwardly smiled up at him, her lips twitching.

 “You can be sad enough, sometimes it’s harder to cry around people.” 

He looked down at the petite woman for a moment at her unexpected response.

 

A crown prince was supposed to be in that position.

 

He must not appear weak, especially now that the Oracle threatens Avalon. It was a position that required him to appear noble, menacing, and steadfast.

 

To her worry, Kellive had no memories or affection for the late King.

 

With thirty-two siblings, it would take him three months to visit each one. The late King himself had no interest in his children who couldn’t pull the sword.

 

To make matters worse, rumors of the king’s untimely death continued to follow him.

 

That he had poisoned his father and usurped the throne.

 

‘Doesn’t she even know that I killed the late King? Whether true aside, rumors that bring others down spread quickly.’ 

 

That’s why, unlike when the late King was in power, the nobles didn’t speak up against him.

 

But they weren’t wrong.

 

The 21st prince had taken the throne.

 

‘I can’t help but wonder.’ 

 

I’ve killed all my siblings and walked on their blood. There was no guilt.

 

As soon as the late king died, people tried to explain it away, saying it was after the fact, somehow tied to the oracle.

 

And those around me who openly second-guess Britain and Avalon.

 

Those who deserved to die died. He did what no one else could do because he was royalty.

 

With a casual glance, the man simply forced himself to smile.

 “I didn’t know you were here for that. I should have suspected you were Confucius.” “Confucius…?” 

The woman smiled in return and added,

 “I like the trails back here, it’s quieter than I imagined, and it’s refreshing to walk when I have a lot on my mind.” 

Morgana took a step out of the cabin and pointed a finger at the outskirts of the Duke’s estate.

 

With the mountains to their right and the ornate Duke’s mansion to their left, the path was the only place they could walk that was largely out of the prying eyes of others.

 

It was a pleasant place to walk, to be alone with one’s thoughts, to escape the raucous shouts of Morgause.

 

Perhaps he had brought the Duke the news of the funeral and found a way to walk in his distress.

 

‘The mansion is indeed vast and spacious.’ 

 

At Morgana’s guidance, he glanced in the direction she’d pointed out, out of the corner of his eye.

 

It wasn’t a grateful look, but a knowing glance.

 

Morgana clasped her hands together politely as if to say something.

 

Finally, Confucius opened his mouth,

“By any chance, have you not seen me before?” 

Oh… This… this statement. This line, this moment.

 

She’d seen it all before.

 

Pretty common, at least in the novels she read for fun.

 

As someone whose sole indulgence was reading romance fantasy novels, this line was almost clichéd.

 

It had even gone out of style. Morgana’s face stiffened.

 “I’m sorry, my lord, but you’re not my cup of tea.” Bam—  

Morgana slammed the door shut without explanation.

 

One minute he’s being emotional, the next he’s just trying to hit on me.

 

‘Yeah. I get it.’

 

Even Morgana knows that her face looks beautiful enough to attract attention.

 

‘But isn’t it a bit much to sell out your parents?’

 

Growing up without her parents, she had a certain amount of decency.

 “That’s a little too much for someone who doesn’t have them.” 

Tsk,

Morgana clicked her tongue and glared at the closed door before flinging herself onto the worn couch in the cabin.

 

At the sight of the closed door, Kellive’s grin froze on his face.

 

He felt like a man who had forgotten how to panic.

 

‘I don’t know if it was the fact that she didn’t recognize me, or the fact that she said I wasn’t her type.’

 

Or that she thought I was just trying to flirt with her.

 

‘No, none of them.’

 

Not even a word about powers, which was the original purpose of the conversation.

 

He was about to reach out and knock again. In the distance, he heard the Duke of Fay’s voice.

 “What are you doing there?” 

His eyes, although nonchalant, panicked, quickly scanned the cabin.

 

The heavy breathing indicated that the entire manor had been turned upside down in search of him.

 

As a once-powerful family, they had dealings with many, so he naturally changed the subject and led him away.

 “The coachman says they’ve been expecting you for a while now, so let’s go.” 

Kellive nodded lightly as he continued to speak without mentioning his name or title.

 

‘Confucius, she said something like that.’

 

The Duke of Fay must have had a hand in this. 

 

If he had any brain, he wouldn’t want to be deprived of his power.

 

Answering questions about preferences was one of the things he learned.

 

‘Did she say she had no parents?’

 

Judging by the bottles in front of him, and the familiar way she gathered the tea leaves, it was clear that she was the source of the rumors of Fay’s power.

 

As they walked to the carriage to see off the Duke of Fay, Kellive spoke up.

 “I assume the person who makes the tea leaves will also be present at the succession ceremony?” “…I see what you mean.” “I don’t think the Duke was growing them, but I trust you.” 

Kellive accepted the coachman’s greeting with a quick nod, looking tired and worn out from his torture by Gawain.

 

The Duke of Fay stammered in embarrassment.

 “I don’t know what makes you think that, but…” “I suppose they’ll be introduced soon. If it’s a member of the Duke of Fay’s family, then it’s obvious.” 

Cutting him off, Kellive climbed nonchalantly into the carriage.

 

The Duke of Fay remained silent until the door closed behind Kellive.

 

He bowed and replied,

“I will see you at the succession ceremony.” 

With that, Kellive’s carriage turned toward the palace.

 

Over the clatter of hooves, Gawain’s voice came through the window, sounding displeased.

 “Ah, look at that noise. Can’t you be quiet?” 

Gawain rode up beside him, his arms crossed over the reins of his horse, despite the danger.

 

Risky behavior was all too familiar to Gawain.

 

Turning to him, Kellive instructed calmly, “

Gawain. Find out who holds power in the Duchy of Fay.” “From the tea leaves.” 

Gawain shot Kellive a disgruntled glance.

 

The tea leaves are just a trick to stall for time. There’s nothing real about it.

 “Never mind that. Let’s find out who the real healer is.” “Oh, crap. I’ve been listening to the Duke’s ramblings. It was hard enough to understand the Duke with all his gibberish.” 

His gruff voice was carried lightly on the wind as he headed toward the palace.

  “Morgana! Morgana, where are you!” 

The urgent voice of the Duke of Fay called out to her.

 

Sitting on the couch in her cabin, staring blankly at a jar of herbs, Morgana scrambled to her feet.

 

No, this time she’d screwed up again. She was stuck in a cabin, not a hair out of place.

 

The Duke of Fay stomped into the cabin, a place she would normally have hated with a passion.

 “Morgana. From this day forward, you are the daughter of House Roade. Do you understand?” “Yes?” 

Morgana tilted her head for a moment at the unfamiliar family name. She’d never heard of it before.

 

The Duke of Fay pushed open the door to the cabin, urging her through.

 “Come out. We have a lot of work to do today.” “Do I need to grow more tea leaves?” 

At least she could pretend to grow it before she ran away, so she asked as a courtesy.

 

As soon as Morgana entered the chamber, the servants bowed before her.

 

The Duke of Fay extended one arm toward them as if to say,

‘You can’t have a teacher from outside.’

  “I wish I could bring in a tutor to teach you from the capital, but there’s no time to spare, so I’ve chosen some of my maids who are familiar with etiquette.” 

No sooner had he finished than one of the women who had lined up earlier to receive the tea leaves spoke up.

 “I am temporarily in charge of teaching you to dance. Miss.” 

Dancing?

 

When I glanced at Duke Fay with a questioning gaze, he smiled at me, the corners of his mouth curving upward, and spoke confidently.

 “You said before that you wanted to go to the succession ceremony.” “…That, I did.” 

When I answered uneasily, the Duke squinted and spoke with a certain determination.

 “I will take you to the succession ceremony. You shall come with me.”