Chapter 12

“Imperial Princess Helia, thank you for being so understanding. However, I do not plan to let this pass so easily. Still, could you wait just a little until Serina sincerely reflects on her actions and apologizes properly?”

Contrary to Serina’s expectations, the situation moved in a different direction.

‘Huh?’

It wasn’t over here?

Then… does it depend on the Imperial Princess’s answer?

Serina stared intensely at Helia’s mouth.

“There’s nothing to forgive. It was only Lady Serina’s cute little prank. I truly don’t mind at all.”

‘Oh? Then is it over now?’

Just in case, I should look at the ground.

If I look at Mom for no reason, she might notice I’m excited!

Serina perked up her ears and waited for her mother’s answer.

Aura glanced at Serina before firmly speaking to Helia once again.

“No. Even if Your Highness says it’s fine, I still intend to punish Serina in my own way. So if it’s alright with you, could you please wait a little longer?”

At Aura’s words, Helia stayed silent for a moment before nodding.

“……I understand. If that is how Lady Aura feels, then I shall wait. Waiting is not difficult for me.”

“Thank you very much for your generosity, Your Highness.”

Serina’s small hope shattered.

‘Why?!’

Even Imperial Princess Helia said it was okay!

I even acted like I was reflecting sincerely, but punishment?!

And if it’s Mom…… she’ll definitely give me something terrifying. I need to make it as light as possible somehow!

With pitiful eyes, Serina grabbed the hem of Aura’s dress.

However, Serina’s little tricks did not work on Aura.

“Serina. Looking at what happened during the pretend-play a few days ago and today’s tea party, it seems you need to learn how to properly get along with children your age. I’ll assign you a social etiquette teacher. And you will also write a reflection letter. Think carefully about what you should reflect on, and sincerely apologize to Imperial Princess Helia.”

“Until when……?”

Thankfully, it wasn’t as terrible a punishment as she expected!

Relieved, Serina asked. But the answer she received struck like thunder from a clear sky.

“Until Serina sincerely regrets her actions and apologizes to the Imperial Princess. Until then, there will be no snacks.”

‘Huh?’

No snacks?

I have to take lessons, write a reflection letter…… and now there are no snacks too?

My happiness! The reason I force myself to eat meals I don’t even like is gone now!

Serina blankly stared up at the sky and stood there motionless for a while.

“Lady Serina.”

Hearing someone call her, Serina jumped in surprise.

It was Imperial Princess Helia.

“Lady Serina, you do not need to apologize. You should not force yourself to do something you dislike.”

“……Huh?”

“I’ll simply tell them that we made up after some time passes. So please don’t worry.”

At those words, Serina quickly looked around.

Besides Maron standing a little far away, nobody else was there. It seemed Aura had left first after entrusting the rest to Maron.

‘Phew.’

For a second, I thought it was another one of the villainess’s sneaky schemes!

I thought she was trying to make everyone think I never apologized even if I did.

Feeling relieved, Serina nodded.

“Then, I’ll head back first now. I had fun at today’s tea party.”

As Serina watched Helia grow farther away until she looked like a tiny yellow dot, several questions suddenly came to mind.

‘Come to think of it…….’

Why does Imperial Princess Helia keep taking my side and promising to treat only me kindly?

Is she planning something else? Is it impossible to understand a real villainess’s hidden intentions?

And how did Mom know to come here?

It should have only been me, the Imperial Princess…… and Maron who knew about it. Did the Imperial Princess tell her?

Serina’s thoughts began spinning rapidly.

At that moment, Maron approached Serina. Serina stared at her closely and poked her lightly.

“……Maron, did you tell Mom about the tea party?”

“H-Huh? No?”

“Really?”

Serina narrowed her eyes slightly at the stuttering Maron and asked again. Maron boldly answered while calmly changing the subject.

“Of course not! If you doubt me, you can ask Lady Aura yourself. More importantly, Young Lady Serina…… what exactly happened here……?”

“……Really? What happened earlier was just a small incident while playing. It was nothing serious.”

No matter how she looked at it, it felt suspicious.

Serina was very suspicious of Maron, but for now she had no choice but to let it go.

Because solving what would happen from now on was far more important than worrying about the past.

‘My snacks…….’

“You mean…… Young Lady Serina caused another incident involving Imperial Princess Helia?”

After hearing about the tea party incident, Merrily showed a troubled expression.

“That’s right. She borrowed romance novels from Maron and apparently became interested in playing villainess games. I forgot once again that she’s a child who can suddenly jump in unexpected directions.”

Merrily remembered the carefully collected romance novel collection her junior, Maron, treasured.

Maron had enthusiastically recommended them while explaining the plots to her before.

As far as Merrily remembered, they were not novels suitable for seven-year-old Young Lady Serina.

Rather than fairy-tale-like stories, they were filled with scenes that could strongly influence a child.

For example, tea party scenes like the one Young Lady caused trouble with today, or scenes where someone bullied another person.

‘Maron……. To think she showed those novels to Young Lady.’

Merrily quietly sighed.

Later, she decided she would carefully check every novel Maron had lent Serina.

“So until Serina properly reflects on herself, I’ve decided to assign her an etiquette teacher and ban snacks. Merrily, as her personal maid, I’ll need you to work a little harder.”

“……I understand. Then I’ll inform the head chef not to serve Young Lady Serina any snacks for the time being. I’ll also warn the other servants. And I shall help enforce Young Lady Serina’s punishment as well.”

“Will you? It’s reassuring to have your help, Merrily. Thank you very much.”

Aura smiled gently.

After bowing politely, Merrily stepped out into the hallway.

On the way to the kitchen, she also passed the message to the servants she encountered.

‘The head chef has secretly given Young Lady snacks behind my back before.’

Merrily informed the head chef about Serina’s snack ban punishment and especially warned him not to secretly give her snacks anymore.

After finishing her business in the kitchen, Merrily headed toward her next target: Young Lady’s room.

The moment she arrived, Merrily got down on the floor and looked under the bed.

A blue box sat right in the middle.

It was Serina’s snack box.

In truth, Merrily had known about the secret snack box from the very beginning.

Whenever Serina thought she was about to get caught, she would lightly kick it away to hide it. And it was never only once or twice.

Whenever that happened, Merrily pretended not to notice or purposely entered the room a moment later.

She had simply chosen to play along a little with her adorable Young Lady’s tiny tricks.

That was why, during the fasting incident, she had not watched over Serina stubbornly. The moment she confirmed Serina had sat down, she left.

‘I should let it slide for at least one day.’

That was what she had thought.

One day of surviving on snacks would be fine.

And in reality, the fasting incident did not even last a full day.

However, this time the situation was different.

For the snack ban punishment, she needed to properly confiscate everything this time.

“I should use this chance to help Young Lady eat healthy and balanced meals.”

Thinking of the Young Lady, who was smaller than children her age because she did not eat properly, Merrily made up her mind.

Merrily reached under the bed and pulled out the snack box. Then she thought about the next thing she needed to confiscate.

‘Maron’s romance novels.’

She needed to check whether the novels Maron lent Young Lady Serina were still there.

Whenever Young Lady hid something, she always hid it on the bed. Just like the snack box.

This time, Merrily searched on top of the bed.

“I knew this would happen.”

Under the blanket, a rectangular shape that obviously looked like books was sticking out noticeably.

For Merrily, who understood all of Serina’s usual habits, it was far too easy.

As Merrily slowly lifted the blanket, three books revealed themselves.

‘The Villainess Shakes the Kingdom Without Caring About Others.’

‘The Villainess’s Schemes Are Absolute.’

‘The Villainess’s Revenge Never Ends.’

For a moment, Merrily was speechless.

Maybe only the titles were like that and the actual contents were different? Thinking that, she began flipping through the novels one by one.

They were not explicit novels, but they were still filled with scenes of villainesses causing grand chaos everywhere.

‘What was Maron thinking when she lent books like these to Young Lady?’

Surely there had been many more books besides these.

With how curious Young Lady was, she had probably already finished reading the earlier books and returned them.

And if there were even worse books than these, it would become a serious problem.

Merrily confiscated all three books as well and tucked them into her arms so she could return them to Maron later.

Holding her forehead with her remaining hand, she let out a deep sigh.

“……I think I need to have a very long conversation with Maron.”