The Guidebook for Villainesses

“…Princess!”

The Princess was fourteen years old. She was a little girl first, and a member of the royal family second.

Lara could not push away the child who was crying and running into her arms. So she instinctively opened her arms wide and hugged the Princess tight. She was pushed by Demian and even needed to grab a running child, so she couldn’t maintain her balance anymore.

Lara fell down on the spot with the Princess in her arms.

At that moment, the black sorcerer appeared.

She did not know whether he had appeared during their hug, or if he had appeared before that. But she could feel the heat with the sound of bubbles boiling from the ornate boat. Lara turned her head slowly. It felt like the heat was burning her back, and that her hair was burning.

A huge blade of flame that started on the ship cut through the water and flew straight toward Lara.

Swoosh!

The steam blocked her view, people were screaming, and the Princess in her arms was trembling convulsively.

“Protect the Princess!”

It was the Princess’s knights.

‘Ah, this is why they were all dead.’

Lara had the Princess in her arms, along with eight knights who surrounded her.

At that moment, Lara felt as if she had peeked into a scene from the past. But it was different now. No one would die, because she was with Demian.

He moved slowly. His movements that could slightly be seen through the steam were relaxed. Maybe that was how it looked like in Lara’s eyes only.

Demian settled between Lara and the black sorcerer.

A huge blade of flame came close as if to swallow him.

“Demian!”

It was Lara’s voice.

Demian took a shield from one of the Princess’s knights, held it in one hand, and threw himself at the blade of flame.

Bang!

A loud sound could be heard, it was as if an earthquake had just happened. It was an explosion loud enough to tear the eardrum. The blade of flame, which was the size of a house, did not get to cross where Demian stood.

He stopped the magic with only one shield, his skin only got tanned, but he was not hurt at all.

“That boat! The black sorcerer is in that boat!”

Someone shouted.

Demian had no intention of letting the black sorcerer, who had failed the assassination, flee. He threw away the broken shield and jumped into the ship where the black sorcerer stood. It happened so quickly, so it was hard to even follow his movements with the naked eye.

The black sorcerer was disguised as the boatman. When he tried to swallow something to kill himself after failing the assassination, Demian reached out and grabbed his throat.

“Urrg…ggghh!”

Then, the knights began to move.

They quickly regained their composure and examined the safety of the Princess and the Prince, befitting their positions as the knights of the royal family. After confirming that the royal family was safe, they searched the area to check if there was another black sorcerer.

It was a mess.

The river, which had been simmering under the influence of magic, smoked cloudy water vapor. The boat on which the black sorcerer stood had tilted halfway, and a huge and bright mark remained in the place where the magic passed. Not to mention the tables and decorations, all the people who were close to the magic jumped into the river, screaming as their clothes caught on fire.

But Lara was perfectly fine.

Lara, the Princess, and the knights who were behind Demian did not get hurt.

“Who in the world was that man?”

A knight asked. They were all looking at Lara.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Marquess of Bailey’s daughter, the only daughter of the newly rising influential man who supported Prince Sidhar, risked her life to save the Prince’s political opponent, Princess Sonnet. She did not just save her, but she even threw herself to protect the Princess from the black sorcerer. Moreover, her mighty warrior even captured the powerful black sorcerer.

The father and the daughter were supporting different sides of royalty!

The nobles had no idea where their relationships had gone wrong. They even speculated that Thousand Gold Isadora was the supporter of Princess Sonnet, not Prince Sidhar.

Lara.

Someone muttered her name.

They heard that she was a model student, but had recently become a troublemaker. They heard that the Marquess had raised his daughter in a very strict manner from an early age to make her the Princess Consort.

But recently, not only has she fooled around with men indiscriminately, she’s even led an extravagant and profligate life.

“Are you…Young Lady Bailey?”

Lara quickly came to her senses.

A frightened voice could be heard in her arms.

It was Princess Sonnet.

Perhaps she was too shocked that she had forgotten she just cried, but the Princess was no longer shedding tears. However, her cute face was all messy with tears and soot, breaking the hearts of those watching.

“…Princess.”

Lara could not separate herself from the Princess.

The Princess’s hands that were clasped at the hem of her clothes trembled. She tried hard to be calm, but the trembles that could be felt from her small body were significant.

Their surroundings were really hot, but the Princess’s body was cold.

“Come with me, let’s go somewhere safe.”

“Can you do that?”

“Of course, your knights will also protect you.”

Lara got up first and helped the Princess.

Even though she had staggered, the Princess stood up, holding Lara’s hand tightly, and barely raised her head.

Then, she instructed her ladies-in-waiting.

“Please bring her knight too.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“They are my saviors. Serve them properly, without lacking anything.”

“Yes, Princess.”

As expected of a royal. Despite trembling with fear, she was a natural in giving orders. Lara walked toward the carriage, escorted by the knights, with the Princess who relied on her.

Standing in front of them was Prince Sidhar, who had an expression that was hard to read, and Marquess of Bailey, who was flustered and frozen. The Prince asked the Princess whether she was hurt anywhere. The Princess said that she was fine and thanked the Prince for worrying about her. Marquess of Bailey tried to say something to Lara but just ended up shutting his mouth up.

Both men looked at Lara. Neither Prince Sidhar nor Marquess of Bailey moved. They just had their gaze fixed on Lara. The Prince’s snake-like gaze, and the gaze from Marquess of Bailey who felt unfamiliar with his daughter.

Lara did not shy away.

She responded defiantly to their gaze as she did when she first entered the banquet hall. Their persistent staring match ensued. Someone seemed to have said that she dared to be arrogant in front of the Prince. It was Marquess of Bailey who turned his gaze first.

“Let’s go.”

This time, the Princess grabbed Lara’s hand.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Sonnet Hautean was a member of the royal family who was ten years apart from Sidhar Hautean. Upon birth, she became a great joy to the royal family. Not only was the Princess cute and lovely, but she was also kind and smart. It was only natural that the Princess received love and expectations from the people around her from an early age.

As a result, she could have grown into a spoiled personality, but the rumors about the Princess were all about her good deeds.

Every time the weak Queen got sick, she took care of the Queen herself with her cute little hands. Every morning, she visited the King at his office to greet him. Every time her young lady-in-waiting made a mistake and cried, she secretly treated her with desserts. She’s even built separate accommodations for her knights.

She spoke for the weak and loved the people.

It was endless.

Over time, people naturally came to think of this; It would be nice if the Princess ruled over Hautean. The Prince was not bad, but the Princess was special.

“Thank you.”

Princess Sonnet bowed her head to Demian.

As the royal bowed her head, the ladies-in-waiting and knights who did not dare to just stand stiff, bowed their heads together. Demian only rolled his eyes to look at Lara and then greeted the Princess politely.

“I was just fulfilling my duty to protect my Master Lady.”

No, you weren’t.

Lara complained with her eyes, but he ignored her.

“Both of you are my saviors. My father will reward you handsomely… But I also can’t just stand still.”

Princess Sonnet continued speaking softly. It was a mature way of speaking for a 14-year-old. However, she was still holding Lara’s hand with one hand.

“Is there anything you want?”

The Princess asked.

Demian looked at Lara once again with only his eyes rolled. Then, he slightly smiled and shook his head.

“My Master Lady has already given me everything that I want.”

No, I didn’t!

Lara complained with her eyes again.

Everything she had planned all went up in smoke.

What she wanted was to make Demian the hero and she would stay at the back and remain a villainess. At this rate, she felt like she was going to get an award for being a brave noblewoman who saved the Princess.

I can’t let that happen. I have worked so hard for this.

“Princess.”

Lara began to speak in a rush.

“That would be difficult.”

“Pardon?”

“I also have a conscience. I can’t help but be honest with you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t throw myself to save you.”

Princess Sonnet blinked her round eyes and looked at Lara. The same went for her ladies-in-waiting and knights.

“My shoes hurt and the ground was a mess. When I lost my balance and stumbled, the Princess ran toward me. I grabbed you because I was afraid you might fall, but I did not mean to protect you from the black sorcerer.”

She considered that was an appropriate explanation. Perhaps the knights also thought like that.

“It was Demian, my mighty warrior, who stopped the black sorcerer. If you want to give a reward, give it to him.

Blink.

Princess Sonnet blinked, took her eyes off Lara, and looked at Demian.

“I’m telling you again, but I was just trying to protect my Master Lady. So I don’t deserve to be rewarded by the Princess.”

He said the same thing again.

The Princess looked up at the two in confusion.