Chapter 08
“…She really left?”
The villainess in the novel usually showed her true nature whenever she was alone with the heroine…
‘Is she really that thorough? So that’s why they call her the “little villainess”?’
But, I heard she had a strong temper in the rumors…?
Serina stayed dumbfounded for a while.
As the sky outside her window turned orange, Serina looked out. The sunset had quietly arrived.
“Wow. My head feels like it’s going to explode, but the sky looks so pretty in orange…”
Dinner time is coming soon. Perfect timing.
Maybe eating will help me think more clearly?
If I give up now, I’m not Serina Eustine!
Serina pumped herself up with determination.
“…Huh? Dinner?”
Our family usually ate together unless something special happened.
Princess Helia is my brother’s fiancée, right?
So even if she’s not officially family yet, she counts as family, right?
Serina’s thoughts started spinning.
‘It’s only a matter of time before they notice Princess Helia’s hair!’
In the morning, her long hair had suddenly become short as if by magic because of the hairdresser game.
How am I supposed to explain this?
Serina ran simulations in her head, but no solution came to mind.
‘Wait… is that why she didn’t say anything to me earlier? She was saving her energy because I’ll get in trouble later anyway.’
Serina imagined Helia laughing at her.
‘Ugh… I won’t let her get away with this!’
I’ll take the toy scissors as evidence! Of course, I did cut it.
Who would think it was intentional when it’s just a toy? No matter how you look at it, it seems like an accident.
Serina grabbed the toy scissors and put them in her pocket.
“Lady Serina, it’s time for dinner. You should go down now.”
Just then, Merrily came to fetch her.
“Okay! I’ll go down now!”
You can do this, Serina!
And it’s just a toy—what’s the worst that could happen if I get scolded?
“Phew.”
Serina took a deep breath near the dining area. Then she approached the servant and gestured for the door to be opened.
Creeeak—
The door slowly opened.
Serina stepped in with heavy steps.
Looking around, only her parents were seated so far.
So her brother and Princess Helia haven’t arrived yet.
Don’t be nervous. You decided to be the great villainess, right?
A villainess doesn’t get scared over something like this. You can do it!
Serina steadied herself and headed to her seat. But the footrest she usually used wasn’t there.
The chairs were designed for adults. Since Serina was slightly smaller than most kids her age, she really needed a footrest.
‘Huh?’
Standing awkwardly, Serina caught Nereus’ attention. He lifted her onto the chair.
At that moment, the dining room door opened.
Through the crack, she caught a glimpse of white and blonde hair. It was Lacus and Helia.
‘They came together?’
I’d almost think they were married already!
Serina sneaked a glance at them without her parents noticing.
As Lacus entered, and it was Helia’s turn, Serina’s heart started pounding.
“Uh?!”
What is happening?
Just a few hours ago, Helia’s hair had been chopped short in the hairdresser game.
Yet now, her long blonde hair swayed as usual.
Expressionless, Helia gestured for Serina to be quiet.
“Serina, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Everyone except Helia looked puzzled at Serina’s reaction.
Serina quickly shook her head.
“Ah, it’s nothing! I thought I saw a big bug… I must have been mistaken!”
‘What is going on?’
Why is her hair back to normal? Is there some potion that grows hair fast? As far as I know, there isn’t.
Anyway, all my earlier worries about how to explain this suddenly felt stupid.
A wave of emptiness made Serina feel completely drained.
Seeing this, Helia smiled with her eyes.
‘Stop smiling like a doll like that!’
Uh…? A doll?
Now that I think about it… I read a book about cursed dolls before.
I thought they were just pretty dolls, but while I wasn’t looking, the doll’s hair grew.
And if the hair grows completely, the person owning the doll is cursed… right?
Serina suddenly remembered the scary story she had read.
‘Ugh, scary!’
I don’t know what I did, but I’m not thinking about hair anymore!
Since my plan didn’t work on the princess anyway, I’ll just be satisfied that nothing happened.
Shivering all over, Serina felt a chill run through her body.
“No! Don’t be scared!”
Serina, trembling under her blanket, got up from the bed.
‘So what if Princess Helia isn’t human! I still have to protect my family! And I knew from the start she wouldn’t be easy!’
She took out her diary from the corner of the drawer and opened to the page with her plans.
“Huh?”
Wasn’t there only the final plan left? I thought I had made so many.
Seeing that every plan except the last one was crossed out, Serina blinked.
She remembered that none of the plans she made before Helia arrived had worked.
‘No! I haven’t done real villainous actions yet! Honestly, I didn’t even bother her!’
Serina took out a pen and started writing details for her final plan.
3. At the final moment, the villainess ignores other people’s eyes and bothers the heroine directly.
→ I’ll use my awesome abilities.
I have two elements, water and wind, unlike others!
And I can do simple magic without chanting! (But that’s a secret.)
3-1. The villainess secretly trips the heroine and laughs when she falls.
3-2. The villainess hides or damages items the heroine cherishes.
3-3. The villainess invites the heroine to a tea party, spills her tea, revealing her presence.
‘Hmm, done! This should exhaust all my untapped plans! And she won’t want to stay in one place. Maybe she’ll naturally announce the broken engagement?!’
Serina spun around holding her diary, then lay back on the bed hugging Tosun.
‘Right? Tosun. You think so too, right? Haa… I’m sleepy. Time to sleep. Good night, Tosun.’
That night, Serina dreamed of defeating Helia and laughing like a true villainess.
In her sweet dreamland, she didn’t realize…
Her dreams and reality were always opposites.
“Ah— I feel like I had a good dream today. My body feels light!”
The late-sleeping Serina started her day early today.
“Down with the ‘little villainess’!”
After shouting that, she prepared to go outside to investigate Helia’s usual routine.
After asking around, she learned Helia woke up early, ate breakfast carefully every time, and then went for a morning walk in the garden.
‘If I go now, I’ll run into her!’
Serina headed outside to execute her “trip her” plan.
The servants, seeing Serina active so early, wondered if the sun had risen in the west today.
“Hmm… where could she be?”
Arriving at the garden, Serina looked around for Helia.
‘She’d like to walk in a pretty spot, right? What’s a special place in our garden…’
She thought of the emerald lake next to the garden.
‘She’ll be there! I just have to trip her as she passes after her walk. There are small stones near the entrance too, so even if she tells anyone, they won’t know who did it!’
Serina ran excitedly toward the lake. From a distance, she spotted Helia.
‘Hehe, operation start!’
Serina lightly extended her foot as she brushed past Helia.
But Helia naturally stepped over her small foot with her long legs.
‘Huh? This isn’t right?’
It must be a coincidence! She just avoided it by luck!
The next day, and the day after, Serina tried again to trip Helia.
But not once did it work. Helia always walked past with a calm expression or lightly jumped over.
‘Ugh, is this even possible? Does she have eyes on the back of her head? No matter what angle I try, it doesn’t matter!’
Serina watched Helia’s calm figure pass by. She was frustrated that her plan wasn’t going as intended.
