The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country

“I was fascinated the moment I opened a page because of the wonderful illustrations. It is only through the bookbinding techniques of the Sigwell Kingdom that such fine lines can be printed.”

Harriet, who had been praised for her country, looked embarrassed and then she looked over her shoulder at a loss.

“Everyone is so far away…”

There was a small forest on the promontory, which seemed to provide a pleasant shade. They trotted over to it and stopped the horse. Rishe dismounted first.

She reached out to Harriet and lowered her to the ground, then stroked the horse’s head for bringing them so far. Next, she tied it to a tree branch to rest.

“The sea breeze is nice and cool.”

“…”

Harriet gazed at the scenery with some fascination.

Looking down from the cape forest, the seaside city was alive with sunlight. Beneath the white seabirds flitting about, the ocean was pure blue.

“Rishe-sama, I bet you’re a lady who can go anywhere you want.”

Rishe regarded Harriet who was restraining her hair as it fluttered in the wind.

“How I wish I could be a woman like you, Rishe-sama…”

After muttering that, Harriet shook her head as if realizing her actions.

“I-I’m s-s-sorry!! You’re awe-inspiring! That, that’s really…”

“…Don’t be sorry to me, Harriet-sama.”

Rishe chuckled briefly and told her.

“Because going where I want to go is not the same as ‘going anywhere’ for you, Harriet-sama.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Where would you like to go yourself, Harriet-sama?”

Harriet gasped as if she had heard a word she had never heard before.

Rishe continued, looking down at the sea.

“For example, what I want to do now is to go to a place where beautiful things are.”

“Beautiful things?”

“Fields of flowers filled with sunflowers and carpets of autumn leaves spread out all around. A beach where bits of drift ice washed up on the shore, glittering in the morning sun and shining like jewels…”

She squinted, reminiscing about what she had seen on a previous trip.

“I wanted to show something like that to a certain person.”

She wondered what expression Arnold would have once he beheld that view.

He might be a little curious, or he might tell her that he felt nothing in particular. Then they’d go on another trip together to discover more delightful things.

She hoped they could take such a trip someday.

“I’m sure what Harrie-sama and I want is different.”

“I-I…I…”

“We can’t have a chat if you’d like. Tell me about your dreams, about who you want to be, not who you think you are.”

“…”

Harriet muttered in a dreamy voice.

“…What I want to be…”

After speaking, she pursed her lips tightly.

She turned her head, fidgeted with her fingers, and exclaimed as if she had taken a leap of faith.

“Wa-I…! Um, errr, m!! I’m going back to the maids…!!”

“Ah!”

Rishe did not chase after Harriet who ran away, leaving that behind.

The female knight guards were running up the hill. With the exception of one person, there was no sign of anyone suspicious outside, so she should not be in any danger.

All that was left was to keep Harriet from falling. As she watched with trepidation, she heard a voice from a nearby tree.

“You know, the more I look at you, the more I find you beautiful.”

“…”

Rishe sighed noiselessly.

The man was amused by her reaction, and the sound of his voice coming down from above was filled with laughter which he had no intention of hiding.

“Your fluffy coral pink hair, your big emerald eyes; everything is cute. No wonder that fiancé of yours is trying to keep an eye on me at every turn.”

“…I wish you’d stop giving me mindless compliments. It makes me uncomfortable.”

In Rishe’s past life, they were like buddies. Even if he knew nothing about it, Rishe still felt a sense of discomfort.

“I thought you’d approach me a little more incognito.”

So saying, Rishe looked straight up into the trees.

The man there did not resemble Prince Curtis.

He was dressed in a black robe, crouched on a branch, with his cheek resting on his knee.

His hair color was a burnt brown, but it looked like it had been dyed for a long time. The roots of his hair were orange, revealing his natural hair color.

The man with the narrowed slender red eyes looked at Rishe with a measuring gaze.

He was definitely the hunter, Raul, that Rishe knew.

“You’re not surprised at all. I was kind of looking forward to hearing you scream.”

“…What a wicked pastime.”

For some reason, Raul laughed sarcastically and looked pleased when she said that with chagrin.