The Villainess is a Marionette

“Your Highness, you’ll hurt yourself like this. It should be fine to learn your state responsibilities step by step.”

“If I can prepare something in advance, I should.”

Zenon, who had been preparing to become the next chancellor, would not stay still. He would definitely take quick action to stop Cayena before she could defend herself.

Cayena let out a big yawn.

Though her body was young, it was a bit difficult to pull an all-nighter. Moreover, Cayena never possessed much physical stamina.

“Didn’t Your Highness undergo many troubles at the temple? I almost fainted when I heard about it.”

“I had talked through it with Duke Kedrey in advance. You don’t have to worry so much.”

“The duke is too unreasonable. How can he allow such a dangerous thing…”

After Cayena had turned Vera into one of her people, Vera had become intensely devoted to her.

“The duke didn’t know a lot about it, either. But nothing happened because we had hidden guards inside.”

Vera’s worries and grievances didn’t disappear, but she did stop hounding Cayena at this point. “I will help you change your clothes, Your Highness.”

Cayena changed out of her pajamas to a modest indoor dress.

While Vera attended to her, a servant arrived.

“Your Highness, an official from the central administration wishes to speak with you regarding today’s schedule.”

Cayena nodded when she heard that an administrative official had come for her.

“Tell them to wait in the parlor.”

She leisurely dried her hair and went to the parlor after she finished dressing.

A man in uniform immediately greeted Cayena.

“I greet Her Highness, the Princess.”

“Rise.”

The man was surprised because he expected to wait a long time, but the princess had entered the parlor relatively quickly.

Furthermore, she looked like she had finished grooming for this morning. He felt the princess was nothing like what he imagined.

“Your Highness, do you intend to attend the emergency council meeting this afternoon?”

Vera’s face twisted a little. Reproachfully, she asked, “What? She only received authority as the state’s deputy yesterday…”

Cayena had already guessed it would turn out this way. In preparation, she had crammed information about the administration’s work and military law.

“Let them know I’ll attend.”

“Then, I will go back and inform the others.”

When the official left, Vera bit her lips.

Those people didn’t have to treat Cayena with kid gloves, but wasn’t this too dirty?

They were acting out in a fit of anger, but Cayena was not nervous. Vera strangely felt that Cayena would not get entangled in their plots.

Even now, Cayena seemed casual, as if she had predicted this situation. She only looked in the mirror and mentioned how she needed to put on some makeup today.

Cayena smiled at the infuriated Vera and said, “You don’t need to get upset because of such provocations.”

“…They would never do this unless they were looking down on Your Highness.”

“They also have to keep themselves in line, so they must be in a state of chaos.”

Which meant she should easily agree to this situation while investigating things for herself.

Cayena headed to the kitchen like she was used to it. She was thinking about letting the dough rise and using it to bake bread and cookies.

She looked so much like usual that Vera was speechless for a moment. She shook her head. It seemed she couldn’t keep up with Cayena’s nerves.

Vera began helping Cayena and the kitchen staff, with whom they became familiar. After a while, she said, “By the way, Your Highness, I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“Though it hurts me to say it, Annie’s behavior is suspicious.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. She appears to have secretly left the palace last night.”

Was she saying that Annie was a spy?

Annie hadn’t been mentioned as a character in the novel. Since Cayena had brought her along to many places like an aide, Annie’s master must have swiftly received information about the princess’s palace.

Most other spies should have been removed after the substitutions last time.

‘Is Annie’s master someone very cautious? No, rather than being cautious, they must be someone who doesn’t expect much from me. It’s probably not someone from Rezef’s faction. Is it Heinrich?’

That was also unlikely.

Heinrich was certainly aware of Cayena’s worth, especially now.

‘Annie has been around for quite a while.’

“Don’t watch over her too much. Let her run free for a while.”

That way, Cayena could step on her tail.

“Understood, Your Highness.”

Cayena finished preparing the dough and wiped off her hands. There was still a lot of time left until the afternoon’s council meeting.

“Then, let’s look for a formal dress to wear today. It’s my first cabinet meeting, so I should take some care.”

***

“She’s in the kitchen again?”

Chancellor Debussy was stunned by the information that the kitchen servant delivered.

“She has no idea what a council meeting is like!”

Zenon, who was eating with the chancellor in the latter’s room, doubted that was the case. He did not express his doubts out loud, though.

“Hmph, maybe that’s for the better. Running a country is not work for women!”

“Her Highness may feel that way too when she attends the council meeting today.”

“Of course she will. That’s why I arranged it.”

It was none other than Chancellor Debussy who had urgently organized the council meeting. He intended to humiliate the princess in front of the council today so thoroughly that she couldn’t say a peep.

“Taking care of the imperial household is just being a housekeeper! It’s completely different from governing the empire.”

It wasn’t the same, but it wasn’t too different, either. That must have been why the emperor entrusted this authority to Princess Cayena.

“It’ll be troublesome if this sets a precedent.”

The chancellor was displeased that the paper doll of a princess jumped the line without any backing just because she took care of the internal affairs somewhat well.

She now had more power than he did!

The chancellor’s face turned wretched.

“I also agree. Dividing power like this will only feed Heinrich’s faction.”

“You are attending today’s meeting too, correct?”

Zenon smiled.

“Of course.”

***

Cayena was feeling refreshed before the council meeting.

‘It’s been a while since I dressed this elaborately.’

It felt somewhat unfamiliar to change in a dressing room with a large mirror in front of the dressing table.

Additionally, It was unusual how a number of junior maids assisted Vera and helped Cayena get dressed. Yet, this had been her normal life before she returned. Cayena used to keep her nails long and rounded and had them treated with some pink floral water. But now, she kept them short and clean.

Even more so for her clothes. Before she returned, she had changed clothes several times a day. Now, she just wore clothes she was comfortable with among the ones she already owned.

If Cayena maintained the same lifestyle as before, she would have no time.

‘Dressing up really takes a long time.’

It cost a lot of time, money, and labor. Though it wasn’t pointless, dressing up elaborately was inefficient compared to the effort necessary to do so.

Now, she was aware that such luxuries would not save her life. Perhaps that was why dressing up wasn’t as enjoyable as it was before she returned.

‘In the end, I was used by Rezef because of this face.’

Henverton also thought of her appearance as something to be collected.

Cayena was beautiful even without trying, but when she dressed up, she looked like a goddess who had descended.

Her rich golden hair was curled, and instead of some special ornament, she wore a pearl circlet. Her formal dress was a calm silver and was layered with a blue cape. And closing the cape was a brooch engraved with the emblem that symbolized the imperial family.

Her normal haughty aura seemed more severe and cold. In addition, she had a mysterious air about her. The maids who had helped her get ready looked on in amazement.

Cayena checked the mirror and spoke indifferently.

“It seems no one will find fault with this outfit.”

It would be good if the bureaucrats who were positioned against her were distracted today.

“Your Highness, it’s time to attend the council meeting.”

She nodded.

“Let’s go.”

***

All council members had already arrived in the conference room.

Except for the empty seat of honor for the emperor or his successor, Chancellor Debussy, Commander Jed, Zenon, and others were seated.

Zenon met the eyes of the knight commander as he sat down. When Zenon lightly greeted him, the knight commander reluctantly nodded and looked away.

“Tsk.”

Commander Jed came from an elite military family. Furthermore, he was also the emperor’s favorite vassal.

He always collided with Chancellor Debussy including for business reasons.

Because the emperor was indisposed and Rezef was gaining power, Jed’s authority had been pushed a bit.

Still, the power of the central knight commander, the leader of the central army was here to stay. The Evans family needed that power. Sadly, Jed did not think well of Marquis Evans nor Rezef.

Chancellor Debussy glanced at the seat of honor, whose owner had yet to arrive.

“Is she mistaking herself for a real successor… or is she late because she’s getting dressed? Well, as expected. My daughter also spends the whole day from dawn getting ready for balls. Though there’s no reason to ever waltz at a council meeting, I’m sure.”

Half the people in the conference room laughed at Chancellor Debussy’s words, and the other half pretended to not have heard.

That moment, the doorkeeper opened the door to the conference room and shouted, “Her Highness, Princess Cayena is entering!”

The officials inside the room slowly rose from their seats.

They each entertained their own thoughts as they looked toward the door.

Tap, tap.

They could hear the sound of Cayena’s heels get closer and closer from outside.

~~~