Chapter 18: I Reincarnated as a Villainess and… Finally, I’ve Been Rescued! (2)

“Hey… surely you’re not planning to sleep here?”

“I cannot close my eyes during the important mission of escorting the Young Lady home.”

‘R-Really?’

‘What a dependable subordinate he is…’

My subordinates and I had decided to spend the night at an inn, guided by the Guild Master.

True to his word that it was the best lodging, it was quite spacious and comfortable for the size of the village.

As proof, about twenty of my puppies were packed in, not a single one left out.

Of course, they were incredibly crowded, some even climbing onto the bed with me… but considering their wolf-like size, it was indeed spacious.

“Uh… aren’t you uncomfortable?”

“It is fine.”

Amidst all this, one subordinate, a towering figure easily two meters tall, sat rigidly.

‘Why was this robust guard standing watch not outside the door, but inside a young girl’s room?’

The reason was quite simple.

They wouldn’t create a foolish scenario where, in a special situation like this, stepping outside the door would allow an assailant to intrude.

‘Well… that’s a sufficiently persuasive reason.’

‘As he said, by the time a guard from outside the door enters, the situation is often already over.’

‘But even so, he’s going to stay up all night sitting on that hard wooden chair?’

“You may find it somewhat inconvenient, Young Lady, but given the circumstances, it cannot be helped. I am truly sorry.”

“No, there’s no need to apologize for something like that…”

The man’s loyalty was remarkable, but more than that, I was once again realizing my social standing, which received this level of devotion as if it were natural.

‘But… is it really okay to go back home like this?’

Suddenly, that question arose.

What was there to hide?

The blood flowing in my veins was none other than that of Rosegarden.

My father, the head of the family, was a villain among villains, destined for downfall and ruin, with no room for extenuation due to his rebellion against the Empire.

If I returned home like this and grew up as the young lady of Rosegarden, it was obvious that I too would inevitably face ruin through guilt by association.

In the original story, the members of the Rosegarden family, excluding the head, were all villains without exception,

In short, they were a typical villainous family created so the protagonist could beat them up without reservation.

‘Hmm?’

‘Who else is there besides my dad?’

‘Let’s see… The first one that comes to mind is probably the second son of the Rosegarden family.’

A character like an arrogant young master straight out of a painting, who looks down on commoners, revels in his own superiority,

abuses his power to his heart’s content, and then gets caught by the protagonist, suffering all sorts of humiliation and getting thoroughly schooled.

His most prominent characteristic is being the only foolish one among the generally intelligent members of the Rosegarden family.

More accurately, he’s the type who first appears with the ‘Rosegarden’ label, making the readers let their guard down,

‘And then serves as an aperitif for a twist like, ‘Ta-da! Actually, we’re incredibly smart and meticulous villains! Surprised, weren’t you?’

‘Anyway, according to the conclusion I’ve reached now.’

‘It might seem like a comfortable and luxurious mansion life awaits me, but it’s actually a poisoned apple filled with deadly venom.’

“Master. This person, Dinavel has been diligently tickling his nose with a feather for a while now, but he doesn’t even flinch!”

“……”

“He’s even more doll-like than Dinavel!”

‘…That’s actually a bit scary.’

‘Wait. If I go back home, there will be even more of those types swarming around…?’

And so, I inwardly resolved to escape.

‘Surviving in the wild is hard the first time, but would a second time be as difficult?’

‘I have Kiriel and the other dolls, as well as my puppies… I’ll manage to survive somehow…!’

The plan I immediately came up with was this:

First, escape from this room.

Second, flee towards the westernmost edge of the Great Western Frontier, which is currently undergoing pioneering.

Third, somehow survive there through hard work and then enroll in the Academy on my own merit!

‘Great! Perfect!’

‘It’s truly a flawless, perfect life plan!’

‘Hmm? The reason for aiming for the Academy as the third step?’

‘No, are you telling me to live on the streets for the rest of my life?’

‘Even so, isn’t that a bit too much?’

‘Above all, considering the power of the Rosegarden family, I can’t spend my entire life running away within the frontier.’

‘As long as the ruler of this frontier is my father, it’s inevitable that I’ll be caught and dragged back someday.’

‘However…! If I somehow manage to run away well until the main story begins and then enroll as a contemporary of the protagonist!?’

‘If that happens, the story changes 180 degrees.’

‘Being the legitimate daughter of Rosegarden from the start, and finding out later that she was the legitimate daughter of Rosegarden, are vastly different scenarios.’

‘In the former case, I’d become fodder for the protagonist’s growth without even a chance to explain myself, but in the latter case, a development like, ‘What Rosegarden…?

This girl is the coolest villainess in the world, and my precious rival and comrade, second only to the main heroines!’ could happen!’

‘In other words, my doom flag will be completely avoided!’

‘And as a bonus, a happy life awaits me with the dream title of Academy graduate!’

‘Above all, the connections with the protagonist’s party would be sweet too.’

‘Ah, of course, I must prevent the misfortune of becoming a heroine, so maintaining an appropriate distance will be essential.’

‘Well, there’s no way something so absurd would happen to me, who was originally a man.’

“…I can’t seem to fall asleep.”

‘Then, as they say, strike while the iron is hot. Time to execute the plan immediately.’

The subordinates who came to rescue me, Rosegarden’s gardeners, were all formidable monsters, so a meticulous plan was needed to avoid their eyes.

“For some reason, I feel like drinking some warm cocoa.”

“Understood.”

‘For a moment, I wondered if cocoa even existed in this world and thought ‘oops,’ but thankfully, it seems it does.’

‘They call it medieval, but the technology level is close to modern, so it’s plausible enough.’

“It is the Young Lady’s order. Bring cocoa.”

“Yes.”

The man in the room knocked on the door and relayed the order to the subordinate outside.

‘I was planning to take out a sleeping potion while he stepped out for a moment… He’s not making this easy at all.’

A short while later, another subordinate, perhaps having procured the cocoa, carefully opened the door.

“My apologies, Young Lady. It seems such a luxury item is not available in this village.”

“Hmm.”

“Instead, I asked the inn’s chef, and he said this herbal tea would help with sleep.”

“I see. It can’t be helped. Thank you for your trouble.”

“Thank you.”

‘It seems it exists, but it’s not a drink that just anyone can have.’

It was just something I blurted out to divert his attention anyway.

I sat down at a small table with the herbal tea I received instead of cocoa.

‘…Actually, I was a little hopeful. Only a little, though.’

“Kiriel.”

While sitting at the table, I naturally gestured to Kiriel with my eyes to bring the sleeping potion.

Unlike Dinavel or Exia, even if Kiriel couldn’t speak yet, she could read my thoughts perfectly.

She must have understood.

And just as I expected.

Soon, she appeared, holding a pale blue potion.

‘Indeed, she’s a good child who knows how to read the examiner’s intentions well.’

“…What is that?”

“Well, shall we say it’s a type of incense?”

‘If sneaking it isn’t an option, then the plan is to be bold about it!’

Of course, making him drink it directly would be most effective, but lighting it to vaporize it—it’s flammable, no less!—and having him inhale the smoke is also sufficient.

‘Once again, my thanks to the nameless alchemist who provided such great help…’

Poof…!

After opening the lid of the sleeping potion, I flicked a flame from my fingertip onto it.

It then began to burn atmospherically, emitting faint smoke out of the bottle.

‘Watching it quietly, it feels just like aromatherapy.’

Slurp…

I quietly sipped the herbal tea in the silence.

I waited for the subordinate in the room to inhale the smoke and fall asleep.

‘But….’

‘What is this? This crappy herbal tea?’

‘There are plenty of delicious herbs in the forest, so why brew such a tasteless, cheap one?’

“Huhu… How is it? Isn’t it a very nice fragrance?”

“…Indeed. It seems it will be helpful.”

‘Mhm. Of course, it’s helpful.’

‘Though that only applies to me, of course.’

‘Anyway, it should be about time… As expected, perhaps due to all sorts of training, he doesn’t seem to fall asleep easily even with the sleeping incense burning right in front of him.’

…
…
…

Thud…

Finally, bang!

The subordinate collapsed, his head hitting the table.

Just in case, I tugged his ear and lifted his eyelid to check, and he was sound asleep, oblivious to the world.

“Alright! Then let’s all head west!”

“Yes! Let’s all leave for freedom together, Master!”

“Dina! Dina dina!”

“Ah, what a long time of oppression this has been! Finally, my Master has decreed that we shall head to the far west. This must surely be the utopia we have longed for…”

“Youngest. Even when running away, shouldn’t you take your broomstick?”

“Ah! That’s right. Thank you! My big sisters and brothers are the best!”

And so, riding their broomsticks, they all went out the window, and there, a large pumpkin carriage was waiting.

“Hurry and get in, Young Lady! I’ll help you escape quickly before they notice!”

“Huh, huh? The carriage is talking…?”

“Well, I’m a carriage, so of course I can speak.”

“Is… that so…?”

“Of course!”

The carriage, speaking clearly and articulately despite having no mouth.

Thinking it would be faster than a broomstick, I went inside, and a soft lantern exuded a warm glow.

“Alright then, let’s depart!”

Soon, the carriage was racing at a fierce speed.

Worried if my “older siblings” (the dolls) could keep up with the rapidly changing scenery, I looked out the window, and thankfully, they were flapping their wings and following along well.

“Oh, dear heavens…”

“What’s wrong all of a sudden!?”

“What do we do, Young Lady! Dark clouds are gathering ahead!!”

Just then, enormous dark clouds suddenly swept in.

Soon, a loud thunderclap flashed, shattering the carriage to pieces, and then it headed towards me…!!!

“Hyaaah!?”

“Ah, you’ve woken up.”
…
It didn’t fly towards me.

“Huh, huh? The carriage was definitely…”

“Yes. We are inside the carriage. It’s a bit shaky, perhaps because it was procured from that small village.”

“It didn’t… break…?”

“I fully understand your concern, Young Lady. However, I thoroughly checked it before departure, so you need not worry too much.”

“……Huh?”

Looking around, I was still inside a carriage.

However, it wasn’t the pumpkin carriage I had just been riding, but what appeared to be an extremely ordinary carriage.

“It seems you’re still not fully awake.”

“Oh dear. The sleeping incense you used must have been too strong. May I be excused for a moment?”

“Uh, u-huh…?”

“Then…”

One of the subordinates sitting opposite me poked my forehead.

As he did, I felt a rush of blood to my head, and the drowsy feeling completely vanished.

“How is it, Young Lady?”

“…I’m fine now. Thank you.”

“That is fortunate. However, it would be best if you refrain from using the sleeping incense for now, or use it in a more diluted form.”

“Yes… I understand…”

The answer derived from my spinning brain was singular.

‘Don’t tell me…’

‘I’ve been asleep this whole time, since last night until now…!?

“We have arrived.”

Soon, the carriage stopped, accompanied by a solemn voice from outside.

As I alighted from the carriage with a polite escort, my puppies were panting and wagging their tails as if asking if I had slept well.

They must have run alongside the carriage the whole way, judging by the circumstances.

Thinking they had worked hard, I tried to pet them, but instead, they placed a paw on my head.

“Pant, pant, pant…”

“I keep telling you, I’m your master!”

“Woof?”
Standing up again and looking around, I saw advanced facilities incomparable to Abel Town.

Given the surprisingly familiar sights and structures, I could instantly tell where this place was.

“Master, Master! Look over there! There’s something huge and long!”

Screeeech───!!

At that moment, with a deafening roar, a massive iron behemoth shot past between the platforms, spewing blue steam above my head.

“That’s…”

“Unlike the shabby carriage behind us, that one has beds and a chef, so you will be able to travel very comfortably.”

It was something that only the Empire possessed in the entire world.

Along with airships, the greatest and best invention born from the Magitech Revolution.

“Please board.”

It was the Magic Train.