Chapter 26

I always knew there were risks associated with my plans this time.

Yuri’s wounds might never heal.

Prince Cain could have been playing me.

Maybe Victoria overlooked something or had been deceived by someone and not caught on.

Or maybe…maybe I should’ve played my hand differently.

I’m so sorry, Yuri, for having you endure such pain but after today, no one would ever dare hurt you.

If they even thought about it, I’d break them.

If someone but me look at you with desire, I’d gauge their eyes out.

Please, Yuri, don’t-

Panting and drenched in sweat, I found her.

She was sat on the low wall encasing a fountain, staring down at her hands, her high heels resting beside her, leaving her bloodied and bruised feet exposed to the crisp, gentle breeze.

“Yuri!”

She jumped a little and gazed up at me; her eyes were a little red.

I ran to her side, losing my heels along the way, and immediately hugged her.

“R-Raena?”

“I’m sorry!”

“Why are you-?”

“Why did you run in high heels, you idiot?!”

“Id-?! Y-You did the same, idiot Raena! Hey, your feet are-!”

“So are yours! Why didn’t you use healing magic on yourse-? Why are you healing mine first?!”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

Yuri finished healing me and then finally healed her own.

And then we sat there, staring up at the starry sky, not saying a word.

As if it was the most natural thing in the world, our hands linked.

What should I say in a time like this?

More apologies?

An in-depth explanation of everything I’d done up to this point?

No, that wouldn’t be the right…maybe saying nothing is better. Maybe I should just wait, let Yuri gather her thoughts and feelings or-

“Raena.”

“…Yeah.”

I saw out of the corner of my eye that Yuri had cast some spell, and then I saw what she’d done.

She had bright green hair and vibrant violet eyes - it was the first Yuri I met.

“If I looked like this, could I stay by your side without anyone saying anything bad about us?”

…I finally get it.

Mother, Father, I have been an idiot.

A complete and total idiot.

After all the time we’d spent together, throughout all of my scheming and planning, I’d neglected the most important thing in all these calculations - Yuri’s feelings.

No matter how much I cherished her and loved her, there was always a small doubt that lingered in her mind.

It was like that terrible voice that used to plague me.

All this time, the thing that hurt her the most was her own anxieties and doubts.

“Yuri.”

I lightly brushed her hair out of her face and smiled, a sincere, heartfelt smile.

“I love you, from the bottom of my heart.” I cupped her cheek and wiped her tears with my thumb. “No matter what anyone else says or thinks, no matter what you look like, I love you. However you want to look, however you want to act, I will always love you, Yuri.”

She sniffed as new tears formed. “…Really?” I nodded. “Even if I’m not pretty?”

“You’re beautiful.”

“…Even if I’m not cute?”

“You’re adorable.”

“Even if I don’t look like this?”

I kissed her.

I saw her eyes widen before I closed mine, and then Yuri relaxed and kissed me back.

I felt her tears fall freely onto my cheeks, so I kissed her a little bit more passionately.

I’m not sure how long we kissed for, but I don’t think either of us wanted it to end.

I opened my eyes and noticed Yuri had turned back into her old self.

We separated and Yuri hid her face in my shoulder before bawling her eyes out.

I said nothing more and just put my hand on her back.

***

The party had begun to die down by the time Yuri composed herself.

“…Oh, God, I bet I look like a mess.”

I giggled. “Don’t worry, you still look cute.”

“That doesn’t feel like a compliment - oh no! My make-up and tears[JC1] ! They’ve stained your dress!”

“Ah, you’re right.”

“…How much did it cost?”

“The budget of a small country.”

“That’s definitely a lie!”

“Don’t worry so much about it.”

“How could I not?!”

“Have you forgotten? You belong to Raena von Armina, one of the richest, most powerful ladies in the country.”

“Since when have I belonged to you?”

“What a silly question. Of course, you belonged to me since the day you appeared before me.”

“What the Hell?! Wait, you really thought about that stuff since you were 8 years old?! Yaba~!”

“Yu~ri~”

“Eeek! Run-! My arm! No, I’m trapped! Save-!”

I took her lips to make her shut up.

She melted and nearly fell over.

Or so I thought.

“Take this!”

She pushed me backwards into the fountain which was thankfully a little bit deep, so I didn’t hurt myself. I was, however, drenched from head to toe.

…I saw how much Yuri was laughing at me, got pissed off and took the opportunity to pull her into the water too.

It wasn’t a very mature response, and neither was it adult of us to start splashing water at each other, but it was fun, and Yuri seemed to have lost all of her previous doom and gloom.

We played until Yui came and found us.

For the first time in my life, my little sister scolded me.

But Hell was waiting for me when I returned home.

For the first time in many years, I was reminded of how scary mother’s wrath could be.

Not for what I’d done, but for leaving the finale for Yui.

“So? Did everything work out as you wanted?” She asked after finally relenting her hour-long fury.

“More or less,” I answered. “The girls have been referred to the school’s disciplinary board and their families have been formally charged by an agent of the crown. They’ll most likely look to settle out of court, a desperate attempt to keep some semblance of dignity and pride. Their wider family’s reputation and honour should mostly endure - mostly.

“However, there is no way their daughters will escape unscathed. If anything, they’ll fall low on the social ladder and struggle to climb back up. Well.” I chuckled. “If they did ever try to crawl their way back up, I’d make sure they die trying.”

Even that wouldn’t be enough payment for hurting those clear to me.

“You’ll handle things with their parents, right, mother?”

She smiled devilishly at me. “Of course. Your father will help lots too.”

“How reassuring.”

Before I retired to my room, Teles found me and handed me a sealed and signed letter from Prince Cain.

“As soon as the investigation has concluded, your duties as a Royal Agent will conclude forever. You shall never be appointed to such a station like this by I or any member of our family.”

This is a burnt bridge if I’ve ever seen one.

…I will have to take this loss on the chin.

Prince Cain has definitely suffered some minor damage as a result of tonight, but he will need my family’s support if he hopes to become king.

Well, we’ll see in due time.

Still, tonight couldn’t be helped.

While I had left the party early to chase after Yuri, Yui had updated me on some things that happened after I left.

“Everyone was gossiping and buzzing with energy after the ‘condemnation plan’ ended,” she said. “There were many comments praising you and bashing the girls who bullied Yuri, though there were some interesting remarks about Prince Cain.

“Discussions of you becoming the future queen were, as expected, smashed into a million pieces. However, there were some who noted it looked like you had twisted Prince Cain’s hand into obeying your plans.”

“Well, it’s the truth.”

“Onee-sama…”

I knew what Yuri wanted to say, but I played dumb.

As I’d outlined when I blackmailed - coerced - convinced - politely requested for his help, Prince Ccain’s standing was not brilliant at present.

Ah-Rahm and his fiancé might be paying me a visit soon after tonight.

He appeared uninterested in women, had trauma that seemed untreated and growing worse, and while he was very capable, I and others had outshone him multiple times.

“Teles.”
“Yes, Lady Raena?”

“Take half of my personal funds and begin buying up spies, thieves and Dark Guilds.”

“…I’ll see it done.”

Prince Cain was too honourable to resort to such underhanded tactics, but I would use every method available to me.

After all, I am the villainess of this world, and nothing will stop me from getting what I want.

No one would stand in my way, not even the future rulers of the greatest nations.

To that end.

“Also, bring me a letter and some paper.”

Anastasia Urquhart - I would bring you to my side and make you Prince Cain’s bride in exchange.

[JC1]Feels oddly descriptive