Holy Power for a Villainess? - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

---

---

‘Huh? He didn’t call me here because I did something wrong? Then is this about my lessons? But Dikal clearly said I did well last time….’

In fact, during the previous lesson on sentence structure, Dikal had told me that I seemed talented in the Imperial language.

Even though I had started learning it rather late, he praised how quickly I understood sentence structures.

‘It kinda sounds like bragging, though.’

But it was true that I learned quickly.

A teacher like Dikal, who had probably taught countless outstanding students at the Academy, wouldn’t say something like that lightly.

And he definitely wasn’t the type to flatter nobles just to get in their good graces.

‘Then what is it?’

As question marks filled my head and I sank into thought, Heinox’s voice interrupted me.

“I heard there was a disturbance.”

“Yes.”

“Why did that happen?”

So it really was because of that incident.

Heinox was asking why I had raised my voice.

Depending on how you heard it, it could sound like scolding… or concern.

‘Yeah right.’

Of course, it would be nice if it were concern, but there was no way.

The truth behind Priscilla’s death still hadn’t been revealed, and Heinox remained as indifferent as ever.

He loved his wife deeply, and he had gone to the battlefield to escape that pain.

So even now, looking at me might still make him uncomfortable.

“Ah! W-Well, the reason was…”

‘What do I even say? That Renzard picked a fight with me? That he insulted the Duchess first?’

But I didn’t want to say that Renzard had insulted the Duchess.

Maybe it was because this child’s body sometimes influenced me into becoming childish too, but Renzard was still just a kid.

And he probably hadn’t said those things with truly malicious intent.

Until the truth was revealed, I was still in the weaker position before Heinox.

So I needed to both show that I wasn’t the only one at fault while also appearing remorseful.

‘What do I say?!’

My pupils shook frantically.

I had to say something, but no suitable excuse came to mind.

In the end, I squeezed my eyes shut and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Renzard got greedy over my apple pie!”

“…What?”

Damn it.

That was such a ridiculous excuse.

As expected, Heinox looked like he thought he had misheard me.

“Renzard… got greedy over your apple pie?”

“…Yes.”

“And that’s why you fought?”

“…Yes.”

If you really think about it, it wasn’t technically wrong.

Before Renzard showed up, I had genuinely been enjoying a happy snack time with Puichi.

So yes, the conflict had started because Renzard picked a fight with me while I was eating apple pie.

“Ha… So the reason House Tanzeric was thrown into chaos was because of apple pie.”

‘Because of apple pie?’

As the taste naturally resurfaced in my mind, my eyes widened at Heinox’s words.

The only reason Heinox could dismiss apple pie so lightly was because he clearly didn’t know Puichi’s true skills.

If he had tasted Puichi’s desserts even once, he would never speak so casually about them.

‘Okay, maybe I’m focusing on the wrong part here, but it’s still true!’

Puichi was an incredible chef.

Every dessert I’d eaten over the past few days tasted heavenly.

My cheeks becoming noticeably chubbier compared to when I first possessed Roxina’s body were proof enough of his talent.

But Heinox still looked unconvinced by my explanation.

“Is that truly the only reason? You fought because Renzard stole your apple pie?”

Well… not exactly.

‘Apple pie was only an excuse. I can’t exactly say, “Renzard picked a fight because he hated seeing me happy after supposedly killing Priscilla.”’

I couldn’t bring up Priscilla in front of Heinox.

The Duchess whom everyone in the estate missed.

And the person who missed her most was undoubtedly Heinox.

Even in the original story, Heinox still longed for Priscilla at the moment Roxina was executed.

‘And if I brought up Priscilla to Heinox now, only four years after her death…’

He might throw me out of the estate on the spot.

No—he definitely would.

The reason I had brought up doubts about Priscilla’s death to Renzard was because I thought he needed to know if we were going to uncover the truth later.

I never intended for Heinox to hear about it this soon.

‘There’s no way I can talk about the Duchess here.’

And beyond all those reasons…

I simply didn’t want to hurt someone who was still grieving the dead.

Naturally, the image of Heinox smiling the day he granted my request surfaced in my mind.

‘No matter what… we’re family now.’

For someone like me, who had neither parents nor distant relatives, this was the first family I had ever had.

I had tried not to grow attached, but it wasn’t easy.

It wasn’t exactly affection yet, but now that I had begun hoping that I could become a true family member once everything was resolved…

I didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

Just like I had once been.

A bitter laugh escaped me at my own foolish thoughts.

‘Why… is he making that expression?’

Heinox couldn’t understand the child before him.

Why did she look so lonely?

Why was she unable to speak the truth?

He had no way of knowing.

‘What am I supposed to do…?’

Heinox didn’t know how to comfort a child.

Soothing Renzard and Chedman had always been Priscilla’s role.

The only form of discipline he understood was stern reprimanding.

Whenever he scolded them harshly, Renzard and Chedman would tearfully nod in understanding.

And even if they didn’t fully accept it, Priscilla hugging them would quickly melt away their sulking.

But Roxina’s situation was different.

Priscilla was no longer by her side.

And Heinox was still clumsy.

‘How does one comfort a daughter? Should I hug her or something?’

Unfortunately, Heinox knew nothing about handling children.

And the more uncertain he felt, the colder his expression became and the lower his voice sank.

As a result, contrary to his intentions, Heinox ended up speaking in a tone that sounded almost accusatory.

“Tell me the truth. If you lie, I will punish you.”

‘Punish me?’

I couldn’t help laughing at Heinox’s words.

Punish me if I didn’t tell the truth?

I was staying silent precisely because of him.

That careless sentence was enough to burst open all the emotions I had been suppressing.

“I-I really did tell the truth. Renzard got angry first, and then I got angry too.”

The more I remembered the incident, the more emotional I became, and I began blurting out words incoherently.

“Renzard did that while Puichi and Anne were there too, so I didn’t wanna just stay quiet…”

I could see Heinox’s eyes shaking with confusion, but I no longer had any emotional room left to care about his feelings.

Punishment?

To someone who had started hoping to become family?

“What was I supposed to do? Stay quiet like always?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

His words didn’t help me at all.

They just sounded like excuses to escape this uncomfortable situation.

The kind of excuses people make too late—what some would call regret.

‘What am I to Heinox?’

If the person standing before him really was someone he believed had killed his wife, then what must he be feeling listening to all this?

I felt miserable.

“I’m sorry. I was too rude. I’m really sorry.”

I took a deep breath and looked at Heinox.

His face was still stiff, and I just wanted this conversation to end already.

“I really did tell the truth. I never lied. Not even once.”

Yet still, no response came from Heinox.

And a long silence stretched between us.

Heinox hesitated to speak first, while I stubbornly kept my mouth shut.

How much time passed?

After silently pondering something for a long while, Heinox finally opened his mouth.

“You were talking about Priscilla.”

“…?”

The emotions surging violently inside me froze cold in an instant.

He just brought up Priscilla.

Directly.

Right in front of me.

Startled by Heinox’s unexpected words, my eyes widened.

“Why didn’t you mention that part?”

There weren’t many answers I could give to such an unexpected question.

I couldn’t exactly say, “Because I thought you’d get angry.”

So I cleared my throat and forced myself to answer calmly.

“That wasn’t the reason.”

‘Even though it totally was.’

That was the best answer I could manage.

After hearing my response, Heinox stayed silent for a long time.

‘He already knew. He knew I had talked about Priscilla.’

The unexpected question completely shut down my thoughts.

He didn’t want the truth from me.

He just wanted remorse.

And since I had already apologized, I’d done everything I could.

“That wasn’t the reason…”

Heinox slowly repeated my words as though savoring them.

Then, after staring at me as if trying to see straight through me, he stood from his seat.

“I see. If that’s what you say, then it must be so. You may leave now.”

‘Huh?’

I did want this conversation to end quickly, but I hadn’t expected him to let me go so easily.

“I-I can really leave?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll go now…”

Just as I reached for the door, Heinox’s flat voice came from behind me.

“Don’t forget to come after your lesson tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

I hurried out of the office feeling strangely unsettled.

‘What was that?’

The way he casually told me not to forget tomorrow somehow sounded… slightly gentler than usual.

As I stood blankly outside the office, Anne quickly rushed over.

“Miss! Are you alright? You took so long to come out that I got worried.”

I smiled brightly at Anne, whose concern was obvious despite how dramatic she sounded.

“Don’t worry. Nothing happened.”

“That’s a relief, but still…”

Anne still looked unconvinced as she carefully examined me from head to toe.

Unused to having someone worry over me like this, I felt strangely ticklish and flushed red as I hurried my steps.

“L-Let’s hurry back! I still wanna finish my apple pie.”

“Miss, wait for me!”

Hearing Anne’s footsteps chasing after me, I deliberately started walking even faster.

“Hurry up!”

“Miss!”

My mischievous laughter and Anne’s voice echoed throughout the long hallway.

---

“Miss, are you awake?”

“Mmm…”

I woke to the sound of knocking outside the door.

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I answered groggily as Anne entered the room.

“Anne?”

Since Anne knew I loved sleeping, she usually waited for me to wake up naturally unless it was already afternoon.

“I think it’s still morning…”

Judging from how low the sun still was, it definitely wasn’t time to wake me yet.

After confirming that it was still dim outside the window, I tried to lie back down.

But Anne quickly rushed over and pulled me upright.

“No, Miss!”

“Whyyyy…”

When I whined in an exhausted voice, Anne smiled brightly.

“You have to eat breakfast with the Duke.”

“Why would I eat breakfast with the Du—”

‘Ah!’

Suddenly, a memory surfaced and my eyes snapped open.

“Breakfast!”

The first time I went to report on my lessons to Heinox after fighting with Renzard, he had told me something.

“Starting tomorrow, you will eat breakfast with me.”

And the reason he gave afterward was even more absurd.

Since he was busy, breakfast was apparently the only time the whole family could gather together.

‘What kind of nonsense is that…?’

It was completely ridiculous.

Who was it that had ignored Roxina all this time?

I stared at Heinox in utter disbelief, but he simply waved his hand dismissively as if to say the conversation was over and I should leave.

“Ugh… Why is he acting like this all of a sudden…”

Thinking about the way he had interrogated me before, I truly couldn’t understand his logic.

“So annoying…”

As I clenched my fists and trembled in frustration, Anne tried to comfort me.

“The Duke simply wants to see you, Miss. Don’t you also want to eat together with him?”

“No.”

Anne, you still don’t understand.

Heinox is not the kind of person who summons someone just because he wants to see his daughter.

“I don’t wanna go…”

“Please get up already. The Duke is probably already in the dining hall, so we have to hurry and prepare.”

“Ugh…”

Dragged along by Anne’s hands, I reluctantly climbed out of bed.

As my body kept collapsing toward the floor like liquid, Anne held me upright, sat me in a chair, and began brushing my hair.

“I’m really relieved.”

“About what?”

While untangling my messy hair, Anne answered softly.

“I was worried. I thought the Duke might completely ignore you after returning from the battlefield.”

I silently stared at Anne’s reflection in the mirror.

“I was scared he might hate you.”

“…Why?”

When I carefully asked, Anne gave me a faint smile.

“Because… you didn’t do anything wrong, Miss.”

The smile on Anne’s face somehow looked sad.

As though she were remembering something precious.

Like recalling a scene from the past.

“Miss, you’ve changed a lot lately.”

‘…!’

For a moment, I panicked, wondering if Anne had realized Roxina’s soul had changed.

As I nervously fidgeted with my fingers and flinched, Anne let out a soft laugh.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way. I just like seeing you brighter like this. Before, you barely spoke and almost never left your room.”

“…Do you like me better now?”

When I asked cautiously, Anne gently shook her head.

“No. I like both the old Miss and the current Miss. No matter what, you’re still you.”

“……”

“But I do hope you continue smiling brightly and confidently like now, instead of grieving under guilt.”

“…Okay.”

Satisfied with my answer, Anne nodded.

“So you should eat with the Duke too! Hold your head up high. You are Lady Priscilla’s final gift, after all.”

‘A gift…’

After finishing my preparations, Anne extended her hand toward me.

“Let’s go, Miss.”

I stared at her hand for a moment before slowly reaching out and taking it.

“Okay.”

Let’s go.