Episode 13
The Theory of the Villainess’ Happiness
This is insane, I muttered to myself.
What is that? A torture device?
My face drained of color as I looked at the white mannequin, which reached only from chest to waist, dressed in what appeared to be a corset. I had only seen something like this once in my life—a torture device known as a corset.
The one time I had seen it in real life was in my previous life, when a friend asked me to tie it on because she had gained too much weight while on a date with her boyfriend. Just once.
At that time, I had told her to simply go on a diet, joking about how tight her waist was. But the moment she wore the corset, it looked suffocating.
This one, however, seemed at least twice as thick and rigid as what my friend had worn.
If someone wore this, their waist would literally be crushed in half. Breathing wouldn’t be natural—it would be a struggle to survive.
Of course, technically one breathes to survive, but the very thought of it was horrifying. Just imagining putting it on made me feel like I couldn’t draw air into my lungs. I shook my head, exasperated.
Just as I was locked in a fierce stare-down with the corset, Lena entered the room carrying a single dress.
The moment I saw it, my jaw dropped. How should I even describe this dress? Words like “luxurious” barely did it justice—it was a dress that seemed to wear money itself.
How much is this worth?
Even when I had seen the carriage, I had sensed Fiora’s extravagance, but the dress surpassed all expectations. In my previous life, I had understood how celebrity outfits could sell for enough money to buy a car.
No—this was beyond cars. One could probably buy a mansion with this dress.
The sparkle from the dress made it seem like no danger could touch me while walking at night… though maybe the opposite, with all those jewels dangling everywhere.
As I admired the dress, a thought struck me:
I want to see the children’s dresses too!
My eyes lit up as I turned to Lena.
“Can we see the children’s dresses as well?”
She hesitated before speaking.
“Princesses’ dresses haven’t been delivered yet.”
At her words, my eyes burned. Only three days remained until the banquet, and the children’s dresses hadn’t even been prepared.
What? No new dresses? Weren’t the children supposed to get theirs too?
After some thought, I made a decision. There was no other way. I would get them myself.
“Lena, help me get ready to go out. Rona, call the children.”
They both looked slightly displeased, perhaps because my actions were predictable, but they respected boundaries.
Once they left, I opened a jewelry box I had brought. Fiora’s luggage contained her jewels and gold coins, and the amount of gold was considerable. I wasn’t entirely sure of its value in this world, but it was certainly not insignificant. Judging by the inscriptions, the coins belonged to the Damon Empire rather than Crescent.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
I turned and saw Children watching me.
My outing seemed official under the Child family’s name, as I wore a uniform with the family emblem.
I smiled warmly at him.
“Hello.”
Over time, I had grown quite close to Children. Before the story began, he was a normal 17-year-old boy who loved sweets and playing pranks.
Perhaps I was the source of all the mischief in this world, but I didn’t mind.
I had even been allowed to give him a nickname—Chil, as he preferred.
“Do you want some of this, Chil?”
I offered him chocolate I had received from the children earlier. His face lit up as he happily accepted the treat.
I opened the door and descended to the garden, escorted by Children. A carriage bearing the Child family emblem awaited us.
“Can I use these here?”
I handed him some gold coins from the Damon Empire.
He nodded.
“Damon’s gold is equivalent in value to Crescent’s. You can use it in most places.”
Relieved, I smiled. No need to hassle with banks.
“How much is one gold coin worth?”
“Simply put, one loaf of bread costs 1 Ron.”
I nodded, understanding the currency.
“1 Gold equals 100 Silver, and 1 Silver equals 10 Ron.”
Clearly, Ron was the smallest denomination. I jingled my coin pouch—well over a hundred coins. That would be more than enough.
“Then let’s go.”
I climbed into the carriage with Children. Soon, the carriage started moving with the sound of horses neighing.
The wheels clattered over the forest path. I leaned back, pondering what to buy, while Children, my guardian, sat in the front seat and asked:
“By the way, why are we heading to the city all of a sudden?”
“To buy dresses for the children.”
I answered him, gazing out the window to enjoy the scenery on this rare outing.
The Child estate’s forest was just as beautiful as in the novel. Wide lakes gleamed like glass, towering trees and vibrant spring flowers adorned the landscape.
Beautiful.
Having read about it in the novel, seeing it in reality was even more breathtaking. The Child family forest had been steeped in rumors and mystical occurrences long before the estate existed. The first head of the family had built a castle here, being a skilled magician who enjoyed hiding things around the forest.
Comments online even noted that “even the author might not know all the forest’s secrets,” a point that seemed true as I read the best comments each time I entered the story.
Exiting the forest, I soon heard voices. Peering out, I let out a quiet sigh. A city appeared, like something from a painting or old European town.
The city is beautiful, and the air is incredibly fresh.
Taking a deep breath, I smiled. Even though I had come from the forest, the air felt remarkably clean.
Children offered his hand.
“Shall I guide you?”
The town had a medieval charm. People glanced at me as if I were a celebrity, and a personal guide extended his hand. I felt as though I had become the protagonist of a story.
Unfortunately, I was the villainess.
But whatever. I’m enjoying this.
I held his hand, smiling.
“It’s fine. Part of the fun of sightseeing is finding your way.”
Children chuckled at my words. Normally, travelers enjoy asking directions, but I wanted to take in the cute, charming town at a leisurely pace.
In the center of the town, a fountain sat beneath a clock tower. As the chimes rang, white birds took flight. I let out an inner cheer.
Yes, this is like a movie or a novel! So romantic!
For the moment, being the villainess didn’t matter. I was fully immersed in the cinematic atmosphere.
Then, a harsh voice pierced the moment.
“You little thief!”
I turned to see a ragged boy, being held by a man in an apron, crying. The boy clutched two loaves of bread, trying to protect them with his frail arms. He was covered in wounds.
The man raised his hand as if to strike. Even though stealing was wrong, if he hit this thin child, his life could be at risk.
Without hesitation, I stepped forward.
“What’s going on here?”
The man lowered his hand, glancing at me. Clearly, I looked like a noble, and he trembled slightly.
“Ah, madam… it’s nothing.”
He dropped the boy, who crawled toward me, exhausted. My heart ached at the sight.
I clenched my fist and faced the man.
“Does this happen often?”
He sighed and nodded. I knew it wasn’t entirely his fault, so I didn’t scold him.
“It’s not something for a noble lady to worry about.”
The boy grabbed my dress, and the man flinched. Looking into my eyes, the boy weakly spoke:
“Please… help us…”
He seemed too weak to speak further, so I scooped him into my arms. A musty smell of unwashed clothes reached me, but I didn’t care.
“Can I buy some bread for you?”
I ordered five cream buns, a baguette, two loaves of sandwich bread, and ten other assorted breads for the children. I handed the man two gold coins—more than enough to cover everything. This was a silent way of forgiving the theft.
I placed the breads in two paper bags—one for the children, one for the rest.
“Here, take this.”
The boy took the bag in disbelief. He grabbed a cream bun and ate it ravenously, tears streaming down his face.
“Thank you…”
I smiled and wiped the cream from his face with a handkerchief.
“Then, as a reward, could you tell me where the tailor’s shop is?”
The boy nodded and pointed down an alley lined with various shops.
“Second building on the right in that alley.”
I chuckled softly, patting his head.
“Thank you.”
