The Villainess is a Marionette

The courtiers in the capital came up with a new nickname for Cayena.

‘Beast Trainer.’

Though the disrespectful nickname was not spoken out in the open, it still spread behind closed doors.

That was how shocking it was that she was able to calm down Rezef.

In addition, the news that she forgave her lady-in-waiting after the lady had burned her spread like wildfire.

Emperor Esteban also heard the rumors in no time.

He looked curiously at his daughter, who had brought him a snack that she made with her own hands.

“How are the preparations for your coming-of-age celebration coming along?”

Calmly, Cayena replied, “It’s all going smoothly thanks to your help.”

But how could it be going smoothly?

Cayena had been poisoned and burned in short succession. The troubles were never-ending, to the point that it seemed as if she had been cursed with bad luck.

However, the palace was peaceful despite the constant incidents. It was proof that Cayena was handling things well.

The Emperor smiled as he watched Cayena. He had once thought that she was pathetic, but it seemed his blood flowed true.

“You’ll only become an adult once in your life, so you must take special care.”

The servants, who had been standing by in a line behind them, politely held out what was in their hands out to Cayena.

“It’s a little late, but here is something to help you.”

They objects were for her banquet budget.

The budget for the banquet had been tight because the original Cayena spent a large part of it on her wardrobe.

The Emperor knew that, and he bestowed upon her additional jewels.

Cayena quickly rose from her seat and bowed to her father.

“I won’t forget this kindness, Your Majesty.”

“This ceremony is important for you.”

As he said, the coming-of-age ceremony was very important.

That was because Cayena Hill, the only princess of the Empire, was hosting a full-fledged banquet to find a groom.

“How is your injury?”

It was a question he never would have asked, normally. The Emperor thought that he must have gotten old, as he was usually more strict.

“I only have to apply ointment diligently.”

“The Imperial family will not be troubled even if we disposed of the Benzeman family.”

Cayena smiled quietly and put the pudding she brought in a small crystal bowl.

If Cayena had seriously tried to punish the Benzeman family, she would have been reprimanded for overreacting.

“This isn’t too sweet, so please try some.”

The pudding that Cayena made was also well suited to his taste.

Had there been anyone who had pleased him like this recently?

The Emperor felt as if he understood why the hooligan Rezef had been so obedient to his sister these days.

“It may seem to you right now that your ladies-in-waiting are lowly and beneath you, but it is very important to have subordinates,” he advised.

“Like your chamberlain, Luden?”

Luden, who had been standing beside them, smiled softly and bowed his head.

“You flatter me,” he said cheekily.

The Emperor laughed. “Luden is the most well-positioned vassal in my life.”

“I will take your words into my heart, Your Majesty. I’d also been thinking that I wanted new ladies-in-waiting, but I wasn’t sure how to go about it.”

The Emperor knew well that all the court ladies in Cayena’s palace were under Rezef’s control.

He hadn’t thought much of it, but the situation was a little different now.

It was the first time that Cayena said she wanted to bring in someone on her own.

‘But even if you bring a new person, she’ll fall into Rezef’s hands.’

The Emperor put his silver spoon down on the plate.

‘You can’t get rid of everyone there without due cause.’

In this aristocratic society, pretext and justification were of considerable importance.

No one would trust the Imperial family if they wielded their power without reason.

This was an issue Cayena had to handle on her own.

Although the Emperor was lenient with his daughter, he was not that fond of her.

Cayena was well aware of that. And these were all just foundations for what she had to do in the future.

‘Anyway, she will have to replace all her ladies-in-waiting.’

There was a difference between telling him that she wanted to do it and actually doing it.

This would show him how she acted at a critical moment.

Cayena smiled as if she knew nothing. This was as much of her wisdom that she would show. It was not the right time yet to reveal her deep insight.

Instead, she talked about how she made the pudding.

It wasn’t important for others to know that about her.

She had to pretend that her interest was elsewhere, had to draw attention away from her change in behavior.

She was pretending to be a girl who was only interested in getting married and starting a family.

The Emperor’s elderly servants watched Cayena happily as she fulfilled her filial duty as a daughter.

They were all old, so they were uncomfortable with how little his children visited him, even if the Emperor was a cold father.

Cayena took advantage of this old-fashioned notion.

Luden hinted to the Emperor, “It will be very quiet when Her Highness is married and leaves the palace, Your Majesty.”

Cayena’s gaze moved to Luden. He smiled a little and winked.

‘It looks like he’s going to help me.’

She smirked inwardly.

The Emperor nodded at Luden’s words.

“That’s right. Once she becomes an adult, it won’t be long until you get married.”

Cayena pretended obliviousness.

“Do I need to rush? I also like staying by your side, and getting married when the time comes.”

Her marriage, which would bring in a new prince to the Imperial family, was likely to be used to further a political alliance.

Luden smiled at Cayena, who gave the correct answer. “It won’t be easy for you to get help preparing for the wedding, as you don’t have any sisters.”

“Hmm…”

The Emperor realized that he had nobody who could help Cayena arrange her marriage.

Originally, Cayena had a nanny to take care of such problems.

That woman was Baroness Clarence Elivan, but Rezef had banished her a long time ago, claiming she had deceived the Imperial family.

After that, Rezef’s nanny began to take care of Cayena, but Cayena quickly stopped seeing her because she didn’t like her.

‘All the court ladies in the palace right now are single young women.’

Usually, noblewomen learned about married life from a chaperone, either a nanny or a godmother.

But there was no one to play such a role for Cayena.

“Now that I think of it, there aren’t many employees in the princess’s palace.”

“That’s enough.”

Emperor Esteban clicked his tongue, thinking that he had been too inattentive.

“Shouldn’t you get a chaperone before the coming-of-age ceremony?”

In her first life, Cayena had held the ceremony without a chaperone.

Rezef had recommended his nanny to be her chaperone, but she refused.

The married women in the palace had refused to take care of the wild Cayena.

Then, Luden said, “Baroness Clarence Elivan will take care of Her Highness’s wedding preparations as if she were her own child.”

The words made the other servants freeze.

Even Cayena’s hand stopped for a moment as she was cleaning up the plates she brought the pudding in.

‘I never thought he would mention Madame Elivan right away.”

Madame Elivan, the late Empress’s milk sibling and Cayena’s old nanny, was perfect as a chaperone.[1]

Cayena recalled her childhood, when she relied on Madame Elivan in place of her mother, who had died at a young age.

“…I miss Madame Elivan.”

When she said so, the servants in the room checked the Emperor’s countenance.

The Emperor had agreed with Rezef in his decision to banish Baroness Elivan. It was because he didn’t want to keep Madame Elivan in the palace, as she reminded him of the empress who had betrayed him.

‘The flow of time is evanescent.’

Esteban, who was on his deathbed, looked back on his life several times.

In the process, he managed to forgive things he thought he would never forgive and grieved things he didn’t know he would regret.

His cold-blooded nature had become much more tolerant.

Luden saw through the Emperor’s thoughts and said such mischievous things to help Cayena.

‘You looked a lot like the empress when you were young, but now I can see a part of you that resembles me.’

Cayena’s beauty was mostly inherited from the empress.

However, her haughty, icy blue eyes resembled Emperor Esteban.

The Emperor had no intention of changing all the court ladies in the Imperial palace for Cayena.

Still, he could at least invite her nanny back to the palace.

“Reverse the banishment of Baroness Clarence Elivan.”

Cayena quickly expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor waved his hand and said, “Now, I need to rest.”

Cayena helped him lie in bed and then left the bedroom. Luden personally escorted Cayena to see her off.

“Thank you, Luden.”

“Your Majesty is in a good mood thanks to Your Highness these days. So how could I not help you?”

Luden smiled in a relaxed manner.

‘If I want to target the Emperor, it seems I need to win Luden’s favor.’

Cayena beckoned over a court lady, who had been waiting with Cayena’s basket.

“I’ve made plenty of pudding, so everyone can at least taste it.”

The chamberlain quickly received the basket.

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.”

Cayena grinned.

“No, thank you.”

Not everyone could be favored by the Emperor.

The skillful, cunning Luden saw Cayena’s potential right away.

When the doorknob opened the door to the parlor, Cayena lifted the hem of the dress and walked on.

Then, she suddenly stopped. This was because the eyes met with Raphael, who was sitting in a chair in the hallway.

‘…It was a bit harsh of me to refuse to meet you five times in a row.’

However, she didn’t think Raphael would come find her like this.

He came to Cayena, who had once leeched onto him, on his own.

Raphael, who found Cayena, rose from his seat and greeted her with a perfectly formal manner.

“Raphael Kedrey greets Her Highness.”

Cayena pretended to be oblivious again.

“…Nice to see you, Lord Kedrey. Are you here to see His Majesty?”

“No.”

Raphael didn’t bother to ask after her affairs, barging straight on to his next words.

“I came to see you.”

~~~

[1] Milk siblings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_kinship

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