5 Interlude - The Villainess Starts Anew

The very moment she stepped into the ground; the ground from the other side of the shore of the mainland, a sense of disgust welled up inside her.

'As expected, I cannot truly accept this…' she thought as her delicate fingers curled into fists.

'I refuse to accept this' she inwardly added.

During the entire time on her way, she had contemplated many, many, many times about what to do from here onwards. Thanks to that, she was willing to admit it now.

She lost, and had lost very badly.

So badly where she lost everything she had. Her parents' affection, the crown prince, the people she called friends, her siblings, those she had even helped when they were in a pinch; they all turned their backs against her.

And now she was on her way into a backwater town--no, she doubted it could even be called a town. From what she heard, the population of the territory had not even reached a thousand yet. The standards set by the Royal Administration required the population size of a thousand before a village could truly be called a town.

That's why despite being called a town, it was only a large village in official records.

After she went down from the boar she rode for the passage across the Great River, she waited in place until someone arrived to meet her.

It was the guide who was hired for taking her into town.

"I apologize for the wait, milady." The guide greeted with an apology.

"Do not waste more time. Take me to the carriage." She ordered. It was done out of habit.

Although she'd been working on fixing her talking habits, it was only for a few days. No matter how intelligent she was, there was no way she could just fix a habit that's been cultivated for years since her childhood.

Perhaps it might even take months before she sees progress.

The guide bowed and apologized once more(which irked her) but immediately went on and led the way.

She followed the guide as was brought to a carriage. He said, "Here it is, milady. Perhaps this might be unsatisfying considering what you're used to, but carriages are rare in these places where there are barely any traveling merchants."

She frowned. There weren't much merchants? Then that explains why the economy here in backwater villages progressed at a snail's pace despite existing for decades.

'But perhaps I can use this too…' she thought as a vague plan began to form on her calculating mind.

She went inside the carriage, and sat without any complaint. It was indeed too much lackluster compared to her former carriage, but she knew her current situation. She was far from a fool.

The carriage then began to move, and the sceneries began to shift as she gazed upon the unfamiliar views.

***

Unbeknownst to her, they had arrived at their destination as the carriage stopped. It surprised her. Did she just fall into daze just watching the boring view of sceneries shifting? She didn't really know. Perhaps she'd just fallen asleep with her eyes open.

She was quite a bit tired from all the travels these days…

The door opened, and the guide spoke to her, "We've arrived, milady. Welcome to Nightingale."

She went down the carriage and some helpers arrived to help her carry her things. It was indeed a bit too much for a single lady to carry. She was thankful for Baron Evangell's thoughtfulness. He had planned things in advance.

"Take my things to the Evangell mansion. I shall head there on my own." She said as she began to walk at her own pace.

The helpers all nodded, and quickly went on ahead. Convenient… perhaps the people of this village were far more obedient than she thought. How truly convenient.

'Perhaps I can include this fact too, once proven.' She thought vaguely…

She began to look around. For a large village, the entire place was surprisingly tidy. Did the townspeople clean up just because she was arriving? Perhaps. But she doubted they knew of her identity.

She was sent here precisely for that reason. No one knew her, so no one would threaten her, nor criticize her of her past.

'A perfect place to begin anew…'

Thinking that way, her moist, supple lips began to curl upwards.

'Just you wait, all of you traitors. I shall return. Definitely.'

And so, with that in mind, she began to walk in the direction of the Evangell Mansion…