Chapter 6

Rodi glanced at Rikens.

His face was usually so expressionless that it was difficult to tell what he was thinking, but Rodi, who had played the game, could tell perfectly well.

Rikens seemed to be harboring even a faint murderous intent toward his subordinate for that idiotic remark.

He was deeply frustrated and furious over the realization that he had apparently been keeping such an incompetent fool as one of his subordinates all this time.

Step.

Step.

The closer his superior approached, the paler the knight who had just spouted that nonsense became.

“H-Hieek……”

Rikens stopped in front of his subordinate and slowly raised his hand.

Surely he’s not going to hit him……?

Just as everyone except Rodi watched nervously, his hand swung swiftly.

Rrrip―

Rikens tore the insignia of the knight order from the man’s chest.

“You are unfit to remain in the order.”

Clutching the insignia tightly in his hand, he added,

“You’re dismissed.”

“……!”

The subordinate’s face was filled with shock.

It was only natural.

Being expelled from the knights was an extremely disgraceful matter in high society.

“C-Captain!”

Rikens coldly replied,

“From this moment on, you no longer have the right to call me Captain. Go home.”

The former subordinate lowered his head with a blank expression.

The atmosphere around them sank instantly.

Rodi, however, was different.

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

She deliberately applauded.

Everyone there, including Rikens, stared at her as though they could not believe what they were seeing.

“What are you looking at?”

Rodi smiled sweetly.

“Did you really expect a ‘wicked villainess’ like me to mourn with you?”

Serves you right.

That was what she sincerely thought.

“Thanks to you, I feel much better. Thank you, Sir Magzeta.”

“That wicked……!”

The man who had just been expelled from the knights flared up, but Rodi merely snorted conspicuously.

Even Rikens seemed dumbfounded as he replied,

“I was not taking your side.”

Rodi lightly shrugged.

“I didn’t think you were taking my side, either. I’m simply very pleased with the way things turned out.”

Rikens looked at her with an unreadable gaze.

“……You truly haven’t changed.”

“Why should I change?”

Rodi gave a short laugh.

“Did you really think being expelled from my family would turn me into a good person?”

Of course, after possessing the body of a villainess, perhaps it would have been much better for her to repent and act differently from the original Rodi.

But she, Yoonseo as well as Rodi, had no intention of becoming kind.

I’ve already experienced plenty of love as a good daughter to my parents.

“I’m doing all this because I love you.”

“We sacrificed everything for you!”

“We care about you this much, so why can’t you even do something this simple properly?”

The merciless violence that had been repeated beneath the word love.

That was the only kind of love Yoonseo had ever received from the world.

Being kind means becoming sweet, like a candy rolling around inside someone else’s mouth.

And if she had to become kind in order to receive that love—

If that is what the world defines as true love.

Then she no longer needed love at all.

She would remain a villainess.

“I……”

Rodi swept her long violet hair over her shoulder and smiled brightly.

“I’m never going to become a good person.”

Rikens readily accepted her answer.

“……That sounds like you.”

He said it almost as though he already knew her.

“Then it looks like all the fun is over. May I be on my way now?”

“……”

The knights said nothing.

There was no longer any justification for them to keep pressuring her, so their silence was only natural.

“Wait.”

At that moment, Simone, who had remained quiet all this time, stepped forward.

“Lady Evant, may I take a look at the jewelry box you have?”

Rodi replied in a displeased tone.

“Please don’t call me by that surname anymore, Lady Gretia.”

Simone looked flustered and corrected herself.

“Then…… Rodi. May I take a look at the jewelry box?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

As though she genuinely could not understand, Rodi gave her an equally puzzled look.

“I have no obligation to show you my belongings, do I?”

“But that……”

Simone hesitated as she stared intently at the turquoise jewelry box.

“It looks similar to a jewelry box someone I know has been searching for.”

Only then did Rodi realize what she was talking about.

Simone had heard about this jewelry box from Yuvar.

“Wasn’t there writing on the bottom?”

“There definitely was an inscription.”

Simone’s expression brightened.

“Then…… I might be able to find the owner of that jewelry box!”

“No. The owner of this jewelry box is me.”

Rodi added firmly,

“And I have no intention of showing it to anyone else or handing it over.”

“Rodi, the real owner of the jewelry box is still desperately searching for it.”

“Honestly, that has nothing to do with me.”

“Don’t you think you should return it to that poor person?”

“I’ll decide what to do with my belongings myself.”

Simone gave her a faintly reproachful look.

“You still…… can’t empathize with other people’s suffering……”

Rodi was dumbfounded by her words.

Why am I being criticized when I legally bought this with my own money?

Of course, Rodi did intend to return the jewelry box to Yuvar.

But that would be something she chose to do of her own accord. It was not Simone’s place to interfere.

The followers beside her began muttering.

“It’s just one old jewelry box. How hard would it be to give it to her……?”

“If there’s a rightful owner, what’s the harm in returning it?”

Rodi became slightly annoyed.

Do these idiots not understand the concept of private property?

“If you want my belongings, then pay a fair price for them, Lady Gretia.”

“All right.”

Simone’s face brightened slightly.

“Then I’ll buy the jewelry box! How much is it?”

Rodi raised one corner of her mouth.

“Five thousand gold.”

“……!”

Immediately, criticism erupted from all around them.

“A-A swindler!”

“For an old piece of junk like that……!”

Rodi shrugged smugly.

“You don’t have to buy it if you don’t like the price.”

She had no intention of selling it in the first place, which was exactly why she had named such an outrageous price.

She gave a light, teasing smile.

“Well? Are you going to buy it, Lady Gretia?”

Simone slowly shook her head.

“No…… I don’t have that much money on hand.”

“Fine. Then let’s forget this deal ever happened.”

Simone spoke in a tone designed to appeal to Rodi’s sympathy.

“But Rodi, think about it carefully. There is someone desperately searching for that jewelry box. Don’t you think you should return it?”

“……”

“Try being more merciful, and have a kinder heart. If you do that, everyone here—and even the way the whole world sees you in the future—will change……”

“I already told you.”

Rodi replied firmly.

“I have no intention of changing.”

Simone’s shallow attempt to make her crave other people’s affection seemed laughable.

“I don’t care how other people see me. Nor do I need anyone to love me.”

Rodi smiled sweetly.

“I’m enough just as I am.”

“B-But—!”

“Enough.”

An unexpected person cut Simone off.

“Lady Gretia, that will be enough.”

It was Rikens.

“C-Captain……”

“It is not honorable for a knight to continue coveting another person’s possessions.”

“……”

“Whatever your reason, if you want something that belongs to someone else, pay for it. If you cannot, then give up.”

It was an entirely reasonable argument.

At this point, Simone was no different from a child throwing a tantrum because she wanted an object and expected someone else to buy it for her for no particular reason.

“……Understood.”

Simone lowered her head dejectedly.

Is it finally over?

Rodi glanced at the heroine and turned away.

Then a pitiful voice sounded from behind her.

“Rodi, can you promise me just one thing? I will definitely buy that jewelry box. So please…… don’t give it to anyone other than me.”

She still hasn’t given up?

Rodi immediately replied,

“No.”