Yulia's POV:

“Princess?”

“Ah…nanny.”

“What are you doing? No, princess, how could you dress so lightly like that!”

“Huh?”

“You’ll catch a cold!”

“I’m fine, you don’t have to worry about it.”

My nanny was always worried about little things like this. I could never catch a cold that easily anyway.

I’m not as weak as I used to be and I’m no longer a child.

I’m a fully grown adult.

On the other hand, I’m still a good child that listens well. I was originally going to sleep, so I crept into bed.

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

“I’m worried because you don’t look so good these days.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. It’s not like you didn’t sleep or eat well, but why do you look so bad?”

Is it because of the villain?

“If you have any worries, please tell me.”

“No, don’t worry about it!”

I don’t have any worries.

No, if I had any worries, it would probably be about the villain that will come tomorrow.

My nanny stroked my head.

“Nanny.”

“Yes, princess.”

“Throw away everything Siegbert gave you, okay?”

“Yes, I’ll do that if it makes you happy.”

* * *

“Princess!”

“Hmm… what time is it?”

“It’s already morning, look outside.”

I was still half asleep as I got out of bed and looked outside the window.

Then, I saw it.

At that moment, I became wide awake.

“Huh? What did he say yesterday?”

So when he says he would not come at night means that he would come during the day?

I meant that I didn’t want to see him during the day or at night though.

Even the villain was holding another bouquet of flowers. Didn’t he ever get tired?

Did I stare too intently? I felt like I had eye contact with him. I turned my body away instinctively. 

“Princess?”

“I need to see my dad.”

Suddenly, I come up with a way to kick the villain out of the empire. It was a pretty legitimate way.

If he died there, my wish would come true, and if he was defeated, it would help to suppress his power.

This is the best choice for me and my precious people.

“What? Princess, right now?”

“Yes.”

“……I know you’re in a hurry, but you’d better dress properly first.”

“Ah……”

I forgot. My mind was all jumbled up.

I hurriedly changed my clothes and ran to my father’s place through the other side, not the side where the villain was at.

I had no time to care about my dignity. My life and my family’s life are more important than dignity.

“Dad!”

“Yulia?”

According to the flow of the original story, we are at a time before war in which the empire was defeated.

And above all, I knew how bad it would be once we were defeated.

This was a golden opportunity to change the fate of the imperial family by sending the villain to that war. He will either perish or return victoriously.

Also, it was a chance to suppress the power of Duke Siegbert.

As it was a war in which the villain did not participate in the original story, it was possible to usurp the throne through rebellion as the imperial family’s power weakened. 

Also, it would be a great way to get rid of him.

But what if the villain participates in this war and returns victoriously?

What if he comes back here with triumph this time?

What if it becomes a war to promote his reputation, not a war in which he fought to death?

I was nervous, but soon I got rid of such worries. 

“Dad, are you still preparing for the war?”

“Yulia? How did you know…?”

“That’s not important, dad! Can’t you ask the Duke of Siegbert to participate in the war?”

“But…..Yulia.”

“I’m begging you!”

“Hmm… but this war has no reason to involve Duke Siegbert.”

“What?”

It was an unexpected remark. 

“Unless Duke Siegbert shows his intention to participate in the war, we can’t let him go at will.”

“Is it really impossible?”

My father said as if it was impossible and he looked at me apologetically for not accepting his daughter’s request.

In the end, my dad can’t help me either?

“Yulia. I heard you’re avoiding Duke Siegbert.”

“……”

“If the reason why you want to make him participate in the war is a way to keep him away from you…”

I was curious about my dad’s next words.

“Why don’t you recuperate at the villa belonging to the imperial family instead?”

“Really?”

“Yes. If you want to. There is nothing that you, the imperial princess, can’t do.”

“……”

“Of course, it’s a pity that I can’t see you everyday. But if you want to, I’ll allow it.”  “Dad.”  

“I have to do what my daughter wants. If it’s hard for him to stay away from you, why don’t you stay away from him instead?” 

As expected, my family treated me preciously.

Whatever the case, in the end, they love me. That alone was enough.  

That’s why I love my family the most.

“Dad, I decided.”  

“Huh?” 

“New year’s celebration. I’ll go after that!”

“Yes, but you don’t even have to attend this New year’s celebration if you want to.”

“No.”

I am willing to. I wanted to go there at least once. I’m just afraid that my family will die if I move like the original.

Until now, I had not directly stepped into society. So I think it’ll be okay to do it at least once. 

“I will participate in this year’s celebration only and rest in a place with good scenery and few people”

“It’s kind of weird to say this here, but don’t you rest every day too, Yulia?”

“That’s…”

That’s true, I tried to refute my father’s words, but there was nothing to refute, I’m living a rich unemployed life everyday.

“Right. That’s true! But resting at home is definitely different from going somewhere and resting!”

“Okay, I’ll tell someone to look for the perfect place for you.”

“Yes! Dad, work hard!”

“Alright.”

I stepped out of my father’s office with a lighter step than when I first came in. 

Yes. If I rest in a quiet place, I’ll think of another good solution. 

But for now, I feel relieved. 

It’s better to avoid places where the villain might be at, right? 

There were some inconveniences and I just didn’t want to get involved with him.

The thing that I don’t understand the most is how could the duke spare me his time? From sunrise to sunset all day, does it not interfere with his work?

Also at night.

My head was full of questions, but it’s not something I care about. 

He won’t come here anymore if he gets really busy anyway. 

Until then, I could just treat him courteously.

“Nanny!” 

“Yes, princess?” 

“Which of the villas belonging to the imperial family has the best location?”  

“Would you like me to pick up the list?” 

“Yes!”

When the nanny went out, my mind became all jumbled up. 

The best possible outcome is when the villain went to war and was defeated, but he didn’t participate in the original story so I wouldn’t know. 

It was best not to have this war in the empire in the first place, but it couldn’t be, because this war was a matter of pride for the empire.

Avoiding war means the empire’s reputation and status will fall.

We will end up being defeated anyway, so if the villain participates it would be wonderful.

It’s true right? The original framework won’t be changed right?

“……”

“Princess, I narrowed down the list as much as I can and brought it here.”

I received the list from my nanny.

“Nanny, wouldn’t it be better to be near the sea? Or should I pick one near the mountains?”

“Wouldn’t the sea be better?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, because the sea is hard to see in the capital even though it’s far away.”

“……”

“Of course it’s up to you.”

“Yes, I can think slowly right?”

When I looked out the window, Chester was still there. Didn’t he ever get tired?

Or should I say that he’s full of patience?

***

It was the same pattern everyday.

When I open my eyes in the morning, I don’t even know why he’s here. He stood there, and as the sun went down, he went back.

He repeated it to the point where I was sick and tired of it. Rather than being exhausted, I was going crazy because I was frustrated.

In the end, I was the first to get tired and give up. Because I didn’t want to stay in the Imperial Castle forever. 

If the person the villain is looking for isn’t Cecil, who else is he looking for? In the original work, only Cecil is mentioned.

“I lost.”

I have to acknowledge his persistence by saying this every day. 

In the original work, I was the one who acted like this, not the villain.

The situation seemed to have been reversed from the original. 

According to the original, I was  lovesick and if he didn’t come to meet me I would go to the duke’s office personally, and if he was outside, I would find him and follow him around. 

I was punished with death as I acted like a stalker in the name of unrequited love.

When I thought about the owner of my body’s actions, I got goosebumps all over.

“The duke won.”

“However, I won’t ever approach him.”

“……”

“Now stop doing this. You don’t love me anyway.”

Maybe it was all just a show. Because I can’t understand his thoughts.  

If it had been the behavior shown in the original, I would have understood.  

As it was an action that was not in the original work, I didn’t know the intention of his actions.

“If it wasn’t Cecil who the duke is looking for, look for her. Go to that person.” 

I can just say that. But my mouth didn’t want to open.

If he finds that person, he will definitely be obsessed with her anyway.

It’s useless. 

If that person shows up, he’d be bothered by my presence… so go to that person.

After all, I am not the person the duke is looking for. 

“Yulia.”

The voice that calls my name softly.

“Whether you’re the one I’m looking for or not, now I can’t live without you.