The Villainous Young Lady Would Even Risk Her Life for Her Beloved ～ Her Fiancé, the Prince? By All Means, Please Be Happy with the Heroine! - Chapter 1. 24(2)

“Lady Lisa… I sincerely apologize for all my mistakes.”

“Oh, but of course… It is Prince Leonhart who will be humiliated. How truly pitiful for him to have such a fiancée.”

Now that she realized I was playing the humble card, her comments were becoming increasingly brazen. Honestly, was she someone’s overbearing mother-in-law?

And if she really believed my submissive act, then Lisa clearly didn’t understand me at all. If she saw me as a rival, shouldn’t she take a little more interest in me?

Lisa also seemed to genuinely believe the rumors about my supposed poor relationship with Prince Leonhart—or rather, she wanted to believe them.

Frankly, for a noble lady who takes pleasure in tormenting a villainess, her level of scheming was embarrassingly weak.

“Ugh… I am truly sorry…”

Since I doubted I could convincingly fake tears, I simply lowered my head to hide my expression.

Sure enough, this caused Louise and Aria to grow flustered, while Lisa let out a triumphant chuckle.

I took this opportunity to discreetly press a handkerchief to my face, half-opening my eyes as I lifted my head—this way, I could also conceal the smirk creeping onto my lips.

“How dare you say such things!? You have gone too far with your words!”

“It’s a relief that someone like you was never chosen as Prince Leonhart’s fiancée! You were never even a candidate!”

Both of them had raised their voices.

“I am only thinking of this kingdom’s future! Surely you can see that having someone as uneducated as her as the First Prince’s fiancée is nothing short of disgraceful!”

“What did you just say!?”

The argument was escalating beyond me.

Now, even the other guests had started to take notice.

“Lady Louise, Lady Aria… It is fine. I was the one who got carried away.”

A heavy silence fell over the gathering.

I could feel all eyes on me.

“His Majesty was very pleased, so I simply wanted to share this with everyone.”

Let’s see how she reacts to that.

“His Majesty?”

Louise’s voice held a note of excitement.

“Yes. He found the tea to be exceptionally elegant and immediately had Father present him with a supply of gold leaf.”

Lisa and Clara paled instantly.

I had to suppress the laughter bubbling inside me. Conveniently, my voice came out slightly shaky—just the right touch.

“As for the confections, His Majesty found them so delicious that he even rewarded me for them.”

I reached up and adjusted the deep blue hairpin I wore, its large gemstone catching the light.

A ripple of murmurs spread across the gathering.

After all, His Majesty had never been known to personally bestow gifts—not even to his direct retainers.

“I had planned to present these treats to His Majesty again today, but… after hearing Lady Lisa’s words, I realize my shortcomings. I shall explain the situation and cancel my visit.”

I paused for effect.

Lisa’s voice, now high-pitched and frantic, broke the silence.

“W-wait…! Disrupting His Majesty’s schedule would be… um, most improper, wouldn’t it?”

Oh, my. How delightfully flustered she had become.

“But I mustn’t serve His Majesty such a vulgar drink, now can I?”

“How dare you insult something His Majesty himself praised!”

Suddenly, a few of the other noble girls—who had remained silent up until now—began whispering among themselves.

Just wait until we tell our parents about this! they seemed to be thinking.

In this kingdom, many noble households were fanatically devoted to the king—especially court nobles.

Unlike landed aristocrats, court nobles held administrative positions within the capital or nearby territories, making them particularly loyal to the royal family.

For them, the king’s word was absolute.

Feigning ignorance, I continued speaking.

“And we mustn’t serve His Majesty confections that could cause heartburn. Given everything that’s happened, I must immediately go to His Majesty and offer my sincerest apologies! Eliza, prepare the carriage!”

“Understood! At once!”

Eliza was positively brimming with enthusiasm.

“Stop!”

Lisa shouted.

Ah, there it was.

She could handle offending me, but the king? That was another matter entirely.

Disrespecting the king was a grave offense.

While personal gossip might be overlooked, openly criticizing His Majesty’s taste at a highly attended public event was a disaster.

I had placed small cards at every other table explaining that all the refreshments had previously been served to His Majesty and that he had greatly enjoyed them.

The younger noble girls had been delighted by this fact and had eagerly chatted about it.

From their perspective, Lisa had just openly mocked the king’s personal preferences—an act of blatant disrespect.

King Theodore was a strict ruler, but he was not an unreasonable one.

He would never punish a child for a mere social blunder.

But Lisa didn’t know that.

She was visibly trembling, fully aware of the severity of her mistake.

I did feel slightly bad for her.

But in this kingdom, a ten-year-old was considered a proper lady.

She was old enough to attend a tea party without parental supervision—meaning she was old enough to learn which enemies not to make.

“My lady, Lady Lisa seems unwell.”

“Oh dear! Perhaps she ate something that didn’t suit her. Everyone, please do continue enjoying the tea.”

Eliza, ever the expert, promptly escorted Lisa to a separate room.

With my mask now unnecessary, I didn’t bother holding back anymore.

“Well? Do you have anything to say?”

“Y-you… You did this on purpose!”

Lisa’s pale face rapidly turned red.

“I hardly went to such lengths. You did most of the work yourself. It was quite convenient for me, really.”

Her clenched fists trembled with frustration.

I really hoped she wouldn’t actually try to punch me. That would be such a hassle.

But there was one last thing I had to say—because no one else ever would.

“Lisa, you should look at yourself in the mirror next time you speak. The way your face contorts with malice… it’s rather hideous.”

She fell silent.

“Now then, shall we take the carriage and go see His Majesty?”

Lisa suddenly grabbed my arm in a panic.

“…I apologize…”

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Huh!? What was that? I didn’t quite catch it!”

“I said, I apologize!”

It was clearly a reluctant, forced apology, but her pride must have already been in shambles. I supposed I could graciously let it go at this point.

“Very well, then. I shall not speak of this incident directly to His Majesty. However, I do hope you haven’t forgotten that everyone here has already heard it.”

Lisa’s face turned pale again.

This was what happened when you let your arrogance get the better of you. She had no one to blame but herself.

“Eliza! Lady Lisa is leaving now.”

Now, off you go! And don’t come back!

A Tea Party Victory

Overall, the tea party was a great success.

For the first time ever, I had managed to gain favor among my peers.

Sure, most of them were probably just here for the sweets, but still!

Moreover, the fact that Lisa had come after me so harshly had worked in my favor.

Many of the girls who once thought of me as nothing more than a spoiled and violent duke’s daughter now saw me in a slightly different light.

“The table looked like a work of art.”

“Oh my! Then I must work even harder for the next tea party!”

“Lady Lydiana, would you allow me to host a tea party at my residence and invite you?”

“Oh! I would be delighted!”

The other girls, believing I had actually cried, took turns offering me gentle words before leaving.

(Ten-year-old kindness is surprisingly touching…)

By the time everyone had gone, the sun had begun to set.

“You were so popular today.”

Luca, as always, was munching on leftover sweets.

His table manners were appalling.

“Hah! This was nothing for someone like me!”

I mustered the last bit of my strength to act tough.

Today had been, without a doubt, my first-ever true moment of dominance.

It was satisfying in some ways, but in others… it left a bitter aftertaste.

(Lisa, could you please just stop picking fights with me already?)

I had been willing to let some minor provocations slide today.

Of course, I knew better than to expect that. That’s why I had come prepared.

Still, dealing with Lisa was exhausting.

Luca, unaware of my mental exhaustion, continued munching away happily.

“Really? Then I can’t wait for your next tea party!”

“No, wait—I take it back. I never want to do this again.”

And thus, today became the most exhausting day since my reincarnation.