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

“You don’t have to be pessimistic just because you didn’t achieve the results you wanted in this training. You just have to work hard from now on.”

“Hai!”

“–Excuse me, Your Excellency Rovine.”

At the sound of a knight’s call, Rovine turned.

“His Majesty will be preparing for an audience shortly. Please come to the throne room.”

“Got it, I’ll be on my way… I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Thank you for your story!”

She bowed her head alongside Fritz and watched Rovine walk out of the training grounds.

Rishe stood rooted on the ground and mulled over things.

His Majesty, His Royal Highness Arnold’s father, I have never been allowed to meet him, but he’s certainly here at the Imperial Castle.

It has been a month since Rishe arrived in this country.

No matter how vast the castle was, the lack of contact with the Emperor to this point was deliberately directed.

However, the thing that bothers me most right now is more than His Majesty…

When she looked up a moment later, she saw Fritz taking a deep breath and patting his chest.

“Ha, that was tense, Lucius! I never thought I’d be able to talk to Count Rovine.”

“Really? You looked like you were behaving normally.”

“No way! I was actually sweating! But it’s motivating to hear you say it like that. So, Lucius, you got time for me later? Let’s have dinner together.”

“Ah!!”

That being said, she was jolted.

If she didn’t go back soon, the knight guards might get suspicious. If they reported to Arnold, she would likely be found out in no time.

“Sorry Fritz, I have to go. I have work in the afternoon.”

“I see, but it can’t be helped, good luck!”

“Thanks and see you later!”

After hurriedly leaving the training grounds, she jumped into a nearby storage room and removed her wig. It wasn’t her dress she changed into, but a uniform for a maidservant.

She put the set of training clothes and other items into a laundry basket and covered the top with a sheet. She couldn’t wander around the castle dressed as a trainee, but it was no problem if she was dressed as a maid.

Once she reached the detached palace, she returned to her room from the balcony as usual.

She was almost brought to tears on the way up the rope with her shaking arms.

“Elise, I’m back!”

“Welcome back, everything’s ready.”

She took a quick bath in the bathroom with Elise’s help. She was the only one who knew about men’s clothing. She sweated off, put on a clean dress and got ready to go.

She dried her loose, wavy, coral- hair and combed it through, and was all set.

“Good morning, Rishe-sama!”

“Good morning everyone…”

She inadvertently exposed her fatigue, and the setting of “an elegant bath after a good night’s sleep until noon” was about to collapse, but fortunately, the maids didn’t seem to notice it.

As she was walking from the bathroom back to her room with a few of the handmaidens, including Elise, she met an unexpected person.

“Your Highness Arnold.”

“Hmm.”

She was about to say, how unusual, and then it occurred to her why he was there.

Several knights were bringing belongings into the office that had been prepared for Arnold.

“How’s the move going?”

“Who knows, I’m not the one who’s doing the moving.”

“My Lord, no, Your Highness Arnold! It’s not good, you need to give me proper instructions…”

The squire, Oliver, emerged from the office. He looked at Rishe and smiled.

“Hi, Rishe-sama, thank you for this wonderful room for His Highness.”

“Not at all, Oliver-sama. I hope it’s a comfortable working environment for all of you. By the way, just now, you addressed His Highness as My Lord…”

Arnold looked up as she asked, and replied with a terribly uncomfortable look on his face.

“I’ve been telling him to stop calling me that freaky name, but this guy never listens.”

“I’ve restrained myself doing that in public, haven’t I? Forget about that, I’ll arrange last month’s document’s on the right-hand side of the bookcase, if that’s okay with you.”

Oliver quickly returned to the office and directed the other knights around.

That call. It sounded like a clear distinction that your master isn’t His Majesty, but His Highness Arnold.

She hoped to hear from Oliver again in the near future.

While pondering, Arnold called her.

“Rishe.”

“Yes, what is it?”

He bent down quickly and brought his mouth close to Rishe’s ear and whispered, “Tomorrow afternoon at two o’clock, come to the West Gate. Don’t let others know.”

Was it because of the presence of several maids around her that he thus lowered his voice? It was somewhat tickling when his slightly hoarse voice hit her ear.

Arnold was about to leave when Rishe stood on tiptoes and replied with a hand covering her mouth.

“Should I dye my hair?”

“No, you don’t have to go that far.”

“Okay, then I’ll be dressed to blend in with the city.”

Once she was done, she stood down and stepped away from Arnold. That was when she first noticed the eyes of the maidservants.

“…”

W-What?!

The maids were looking at Rishe and him with rosy cheeks and glittering eyes.

Rishe was unaware of how the scene of them talking privately in each other’s ears looked like from the edge.

“Your Highness, please come quickly!”

“Shut up…Well then.”

When Oliver called, Arnold walked into his office with a cumbersome look on his face.

Rishe parted with the strangely fidgety maids, and when she entered her room, Elise, who looked equally restless, spoke.

“Uhm, Rishe-sama, what did you speak about privately earlier?”

They were alone in the room, so she decided to tell only Elise about it.

“Actually, Elise. Tomorrow afternoon, I’m going to the castle town with His Highness Arnold.”

Instantly, Elise, whom she thought has always been poker-faced, had a change in her eye color.

“What kind of outing is it?”

“I couldn’t tell you the details. But I was beaten to the punch and had to do whatever His Highness orders. So I’m sure I’ll be helping him with some official duties.”

“…”

“Anyway, we need to dress inconspicuously tomorrow. Would a brown dress do?　I also have a gray robe, so I’m going to get it moderately dirty and traveler-wise… Wa~.”

Rishe was surprised when Elise grabbed her hand firmly.

“Leave it to me, Rishe-sama.”