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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Villainess, Rose Van Darmian (2)
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"Oh, for goodness sake, why are there so many customers? I'm absolutely swamped."
Mr. Jaquel, his face pale, slumped into his seat and groaned.
"Forty… fifty… 72 gold and 60 silver. Another new record today."
Whether he complained or not, I tossed the day's earnings to Jaquel and held out my hand.
"What? 72 gold? You really are a good luck charm! 72 gold in a single day, just by adding a few menu items! Hahaha!"
Mr. Jaquel's bushy beard trembled as he sprang to his feet.
It was understandable. In terms of my previous life, it was like earning 720,000 won in a day just from drinks.
"So stop complaining about being full and just settle up with me."
"Right. Settle up, I need to settle up. Four-tenths would be 24 gold and…"
"Hold it right there. It's 29 gold."
"Ugh…"
Trying to pull a fast one, are we?
When I demanded it with a stern look, Mr. Jaquel pondered for a moment, then glumly handed me 29 gold.
"Honestly. I don't know why kids these days are so clever."
"I'm just exceptionally clever, that's all. But shouldn't you be grateful to me, Mr. Jaquel? Your livelihood has improved so much because of me."
It wasn't just 'improved'; Jaquel's profits had increased more than tenfold compared to before.
The secret lay in the recipes infused with my experiences from my previous life.
In exchange for sharing the recipes with Mr. Jaquel, I had secured a promise of four-tenths of the stall's profits.
"Yes. Well, I *am* always grateful, you know."
"Of course you should be. Without me, you would have gone bankrupt long ago."
"That's a bit harsh, isn't it? Honestly, shouldn't you be grateful to me too? This old man, who not only took in an eleven-year-old but also went into business with them…"
"So, when are you going to give me a bonus? More than 90% of the drinks sold today were made with my recipes."
"Ahem, finish tidying up and then head in. Now that I think about it, today's my daughter's birthday, so…"
When I asked, Mr. Jaquel mumbled incoherently and vanished like the wind.
Seeing him, a chuckle escaped me.
'I wonder if he knows this is already his daughter's third birthday this month.'
It goes without saying, but one of the reasons I was working was to earn money.
One of life's unchanging, absolute truths:
The more money, the better.
That's not to say I'm a money-grubber; I'm simply saving for the future.
Just in case Daphne, who was looking after me, left my side, or if I had to leave hers.
'Well, there's another, more important reason, though.'
This drink stall was set up right in the center of the village.
Meaning, it was a location that couldn't help but catch people's eyes. In other words, it also meant I could observe passersby well.
'It's good to see things in advance.'
Many high-ranking nobles frequented the Darmian Viscountcy.
And among those high-ranking nobles were many key figures who would appear in the main episodes.
'Most importantly, it's the territory where Rose lives.'
Rose Van Darmian.
The Viscount Darmian's eldest daughter.
In the game, she appeared as the main boss of Chapter 1, an unprecedented villainess who instilled great fear in gamers.
For reference, she had two nicknames.
'Newbie Grinder,' and 'Crotch Scissor.'
"Ugh…"
As the moment I was first defeated by her came to mind, goosebumps began to prickle all over my body.
The screen slowly blurring.
The player's pants, torn to shreds.
An expressionless woman holding two blood-stained swords crossed like scissors.
And finally, the realistic splattering of blood.
This was one of the worst endings, leaving male gamers with immense trauma.
'What could her story have been?'
Rose was one of the few fixed bosses in [Harem Academy], a game famous for its high degree of freedom, meaning she was a character who couldn't be made into a heroine.
Perhaps that's why.
I was extremely curious. What on earth had happened to her to make her hate men so much?
'I'll find out if I keep watching.'
Thinking that, I took out a disposable bowl and laid down a layer of vanilla ice cream.
I drizzled chocolate syrup and muffin crumbles, then added another scoop of chocolate ice cream on top.
Next, I artfully arranged sliced blueberries, strawberries, and bananas.
As I was diligently making the parfait like this…
"Ta-da! Your humble self has arrived!"
Just like that, the regular customer for this parfait appeared before me.
"You've arrived, Lady Rose."
"Mhm!"
"Here you go. Your special chocolate parfait, just for you, Lady Rose. I knew you'd come, so I made it in advance."
"Hehe, thank youuu."
The cute girl, with impressive red hair and jet-black eyes, bowed deeply and took the parfait.
Grinning widely, how could anyone make such a happy expression?
'How on earth did such a cute child turn into *that*?'
Watching Rose savoring the parfait, holding it carefully, my feelings became complicated.
"Kamel. You have a bite too."
"I'm alright, thank you."
"Oh, come on. Open wide. Ahh~."
The moment I let my guard down, a generous spoonful of sweet chocolate entered my mouth.
Look at this. Not only is she pretty and cute, but her heart is kind too. Unlike the Rose I knew from the game.
"Hehe, since I fed you, Kamel, you're going to grow super, super tall, aren't you?"
"Of course."
I hope so. Unfortunately, I didn't reach it in my last life, but this time, I really want to experience the air at 180…
"Hmm, then since you're the same age as me, Kamel, you'll be my personal guard, right?"
"Haha, if Lady Rose wishes it."
"Then promise me. Come on, hand!"
Rose, who had been savoring her parfait, held out her pinky finger to me.
Witnessing such destructive cuteness, I instinctively hooked my finger around Rose's.
"Hehe."
Then Rose giggled happily and buried her face back in her parfait.
'I do want to protect her.'
To be honest, at first, my stance was the opposite.
I had planned to wait for the right opportunity and eliminate her in the name of justice.
This devil's scissors that would bring despair to countless men.
Because, from a gamer's perspective, Rose Darmian was a boss so difficult she was called the 'Newbie Grinder.'
If, by any chance, Fran, the protagonist of the original story, were to fall to Rose, this world would be doomed to destruction.
And more than anything,
'What can I do? She's terrifying.'
The vague fear that I too might become one of her victims was the greatest.
That's why. That was the reason I had decided to eliminate Rose in advance.
"Have another bite! Ahh!"
But that thought had completely changed.
Because the Rose I met in person wasn't a villainess.
On the contrary, she was a kind, untainted, pure child who could freely share what was hers, just like now.
"Lady Rose."
"Kamel. Swallow first, then speak. That's good manners."
"Ah."
"Pfft."
She giggled, so genuinely bright. How wonderful it would be to have a younger sister like this.
As I let the mouthful of ice cream melt, I soon asked a question that had been on my mind.
"Lady Rose, why did you come alone today? It's dangerous."
"Everyone was busy and wouldn't play with me. So I came out by myself. Hehe."
"Even so, you shouldn't come out alone. What will you do if the Viscount scolds you?"
"Hmph, it's more fun playing with you, who'll be my personal guard, than staying at the mansion."
When I pressed her, Rose stomped her feet on the chair and pouted.
"If you're so worried, then you can take me back."
"…I suppose I should."
"Let's go, I'm all done eating."
Rose, who had somehow completely emptied her bowl, stood up and naturally reached for my hand.
"Lady Rose, you must maintain your dignity."
I quickly avoided her hand and walked ahead, continuing to speak.
"Tch."
Then Rose, though pouting, began to follow with quick, light steps.
How long did we walk?
A sudden question occurred to me, and I asked Rose.
"Lady Rose, has anything happened lately?"
"No? What do you mean?"
"Or, have you suddenly had any bad thoughts?"
"What kind of bad thoughts?"
Rose bit her finger and asked me again, and I phrased my curiosity as gently as possible.
"Like wanting to cut something…"
"No? Hehe. Kamel, are you worried about me right now?"
Well, if that's the case, then that's a relief.
"Oh! There is. Someone I want to cut."
"Gasp."
Just as I was feeling relieved, a shocking answer, accompanied by a bright smile, made me choke.
'No way, was it innate?'
My mind became complicated.
Because until now, I had thought Rose appeared as a villainess due to some underlying story.
But if it truly was innate…
There was nothing I could do.
If I left her as she was, Rose would definitely become an unprecedented villainess.
She would clearly become a major risk factor for my future self and the original protagonist.
'There's no choice but to nip it in the bud.'
Just then, only Rose and I were walking on this path.
Perhaps, this very moment was an opportunity granted by the heavens.
Thinking that, just as I was about to wrap mana around my body.
"I want to *cut* Butler Jetey. Jetey doesn't like me coming to eat parfait. He also doesn't let me eat as much pudding as I want."
"Ah…"
Rose muttered with a pout, and I let out a deflated sound.
"Sigh, how great would it be if Jetey was a fat butler who loved desserts?"
Rose, lamenting with utmost seriousness.
Watching her, a strong wave of self-loathing washed over me.
To misunderstand such an innocent child.
I guess I've been getting hit so much lately that I've become a bit sensitive.
"...?"
That's when it happened. A sudden, unsettling presence was felt behind my back.
-Clang!
My head instinctively ducked, and something struck the wall, a loud clang echoing through the alley.
"Lord Dunkele! What in the world are you doing?!"
I turned my gaze to see Jetey, the Darmian family's butler, his face pale, restraining a man cloaked in a black robe.
"Ohh."
However, the man seemed to pay no mind to what the butler was saying.
He merely stared at me with interest.
'What the hell is this guy? His face alone screams trouble.'
A hooked nose, long, slit eyes, and skin full of wrinkles.
He clearly had the impression of someone who was definitely not a good person.
My head turned. Near where the sound had come from, a dagger lay on the ground.
If I hadn't ducked, that dagger would surely have been embedded in the back of my head.
As this thought dawned on me, my expression instantly contorted, and curses welled up inside me.
"You son of a…"
"W-what are you doing?!"
It was the moment I was about to say something.
A delicate palm covered my lips, and Rose, the owner of that palm, stepped in front of me and yelled.
"H-he's my personal guard! Y-you, where are you from?!"
Was she very angry? Or was she scared?
Rose, trembling, yet stood in front of me with her arms spread wide, scolding the man.
"Ah, I seem to have made a mistake, Lady Rose. I merely thought that boy was a ruffian from the back alleys."
Despite that, the man replied without losing his composure.
"I asked where you're from!"
"…I am Dunkele, a mage who owes a debt to Count Cayden."
When Rose yelled again, only then did the man bow his head and introduce himself.
"C-Count, I will definitely report today's incident to the…"
"Would you be able to do that?"
As Rose, still fuming, tried to yell again, Dunkele merely smiled leisurely and asked back.
"W-what?"
"Lady Rose. I received a request from Viscount Darmian. And an order from Count Cayden. To find the missing young lady."
Rose then began to look flustered.
Dunkele squatted in front of Rose, met her gaze, and then truly began to wag his tongue.
"Regrettably, the Darmian Viscountcy does not have a mage skilled in tracking magic. I merely followed the Count's orders and came to find you, young lady."
"B-but…"
"I hope you can understand my position, where your safety was my utmost priority. Honestly, to my eyes, that boy looked nothing but a kidnapper."
"…"
"Well, in any case, seeing as he dodged my attack, he seems quite qualified to be a personal guard. Lady Rose, how about this? I will apologize to that boy."
Dunkele said so, then turned his unsettling gaze towards me.
"Th-that…"
At his demeanor, Rose stammered and clutched Jetey's trouser leg.
"Lady Rose, it might be best to do so."
Jetey, as if resigned, let out a deep sigh and expressed his opinion to Rose.
"Brave little knight. What is your opinion?"
Dunkele stood up and approached me, asking.
"Wow…"
Facing his brazen demeanor, I let out a genuinely admiring exclamation.
Dunkele, a 'nobody' I hadn't seen in the game, so I tried to ignore him, but…
I simply couldn't.
The cruelty of throwing a dagger at a child's head.
His elaborate tongue, wagging like a snake.
The audacity of treating a noble young lady like a mere child.
And above all,
'This bastard. He's from the Cult of Chaos.'
The black magic visible through my All-Seeing Eye and the transparent symbol carved on his forehead.
This man was, without a doubt, a follower of the Cult of Chaos.
'If that's the case…'
A picture naturally formed in my mind.
Rose, who appeared as a villainess in the game, but was now an endlessly pure and cute child.
Count Cayden, who appeared as a villain, and this Cult of Chaos follower, serving as his subordinate.
'It's not certain yet, but…'
It seems highly probable that these two bastards are responsible.
The ones who harmed this innocent Rose in some way, turning her into an unprecedented villainess.
"Ah, were you too nervous to hear? I understand completely. Opportunities like this don't often come to commoners, after all."
Did he notice my narrowed eyes?
Dunkele shrugged, then stared intently at me and began to wag his tongue again.
"Now, I, Dunkele, formally apologize to you. I seek your forgiveness for my impropriety; would you be so kind as to show me some leniency?"
On the surface, his demeanor was extremely polite.
To be honest, it was even admirable.
To be so skilled at concealing himself and acting so well.
It made me wonder if he shouldn't have been an actor instead.
'Hold back for now.'
In my heart, I wanted to punch that hooked nose and give him plastic surgery.
But I had to suppress my anger.
Because even if it brought immediate satisfaction, it would clearly lead to trouble later.
Rose was the Viscount's daughter, and Dunkele was the Count's mage.
If I threw a punch, Rose and the butler would undoubtedly be in a very difficult situation.
'Just you wait, I'll deal with you later.'
So, rather than acting now, it would be better to wait for the moment they revealed their true colors.
Thinking that, I accepted Dunkele's apology with a bright smile.
"Yes, it's fine. Oh, but Mage…"
Since I had decided to act like a magnanimous person, I even added a compliment.
"Yes, that's right…"
"You sure can talk a big game."
I meant it.