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

“But I’m sure it wasn’t that she really forgot… It must have been a spur-of-the-moment move to avoid using Garkhain counterfeit currency, even at the expense of herself getting a scolding.”

Before that shopping trip, Harriet had offered to prepare everything herself, rather than have the maids prepare it for her.

The head maid had been dismayed that she had forgotten the gold coins, but in fact, she must have done so on purpose.

“I believe Harriet-sama wasn’t trying to frame me.”

Rishe clarified everything in front of Raul.

“Rather, she would rather be prosecuted, with Fabriana…and what they’re trying to do.”

“――……”

It must have been last night when she decided to stir that prosecution.

But the Fabranian knights entered the room, and she couldn’t confide in Rishe.

“The Fabranian knights told Harriet that she was not to meet with anyone other than her brother and her maids without the presence of the knights. Maybe that’s why Harriet-sama stuffed this gunny sack in my bag, thinking it would be her last chance.”

Rishe thought that the reason Fabrania tried to keep others away from Harriet so much was because they feared that Harriet would reveal their secrets.

“Oliver-sama, His Majesty, King of Fabrania had hoped to marry Arnold’s sister, but the engagement did not push through, did it?”

“Yeah. Since then, they’ve tried several times to establish a friendship with Garkhain, but His Majesty doesn’t seem to be interested.”

The future Fabrania would use Harriet’s crimes as a shield to subdue Sigwell and add them to their army to wage war against Garkhain.

It seemed that the country was motivated not only by its own interests, but also its hostility toward Garkhain.

Perhaps it was a grudge against the rejection of the King’s proposal to Arnold’s sister princess, or perhaps it was a wound to his pride.

In my past lifetimes, relations between Garkhain and Fabrania have remained less than cordial. Trade between them was also not very active, so there would have been little chance of Fabrania’s counterfeit gold flowing to Garkhain.

This time, however, Harriet came to Garkhain as the Princess of Sigwell.

“Oliver-sama Fabrania’s desire for friendly relations with Garkhain may be influenced by the fact that Garkhain is their most powerful neighbor, isn’t it?”

Oliver nodded in response to that question.

“If the forgery is true, the purpose would be to plunder other countries’ goods and impoverish them. If they’re trading a lot with a major power, they can earn a lot of money from forgeries.”

Garkhain’s gold coin was currently a design that didn’t require much skill to imitate.

In the past, some people had tried to counterfeit them, and the counterfeit gold had probably been sold.

But this time, another country was planning to commit this crime on a national scale.

“Raul, you’re aware of this forgery, aren’t you?”

Rishe looked him squarely in his red eyes.

“If Harriet-sama were to become involved in the crimes of the home she will marry into, it would not only be her personal misfortune. Sooner or later, it will surely turn into a major diplomatic dispute, involving Sigwell as well.”

In fact, that transpired in her previous life.

After Harriet’s execution, Fabrania demanded unreasonable reparations from Sigwell.

Sigwell, which had no specialties other than books and had been running its nation under the protection of its allies, had no choice but to comply with Fabrania’s demands.

In exchange for Sigwell’s failure to pay reparations, the country was forced to participate in the reckless war against Garkhain.

Many died in that war, and Raul hadn’t been safe either.

Rishe had no idea how Sigwell ended up, because she died there.

“Isn’t that why you were trying to save Harriet-sama while you could…even if it’s not by royal decree?”

“…”

Harriet told Rishe that she had not been able to return to her country once since she left for Fabrania for her bridal training.

The reason she was able to come to Garkhain was only because of Rishe and Arnold’s wedding festivities.

Without this opportunity, Harriet would not have been able to meet her brother Curtis and Raul until her own marriage.

In other words, in her previous life, Raul had never had the chance to rescue Harriet before her marriage.

“Fabrania allowed Harriet-sama to go out only because of the so-called Wedding of the Crown Prince of Garkhain. They must have instructed Harriet-sama to use this opportunity to circulate the forged Garkhain gold coins.”

Harriet’s attendance was a unique opportunity for Fabrania.

And for Raul as well.

If it weren’t for this wedding … for my marriage to His Highness Arnold, Raul would not have been able to approach Harriet-sama like this. Of all my seven lifetimes, this was the first time he has had the opportunity to rescue Harriet-sama.

With this in mind, Rishe could understand why Raul didn’t want to miss this opportunity and even disguised himself as Curtis to get closer to her.

“…Ahhh, geez.”

Raul straightened his crossed legs and leaned forward to cover his face.

“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe Harriet revealed the forgery to you…”

“Raul …”

Rishe looked up and met Oliver’s eyes and got a nod from him.

This prompted Rishe, and she called out to the hunched Raul.

“It may be difficult to ask for His Highness Arnold’s help at this point.”

Of course, Rishe knew that Arnold was a kind man.

But she also knew how rational and wary he was of his father, the emperor.

He would never choose to help another country unconditionally, as he had done in Koyor.

“Even so, if there is anything I can do to help, I would be delighted to do so.”

“…”

Raul took a deep breath.

Just then, his shoulders began to shake. Before Rishe could wonder about it, Raul looked up without warning.

“Hahahaha!”

After an amused chuckle, he looked at Rishe and laughed.

“――――What the hell!”

“……?!”

He stuck out his red tongue and gave her a mocking look.