We rode in my personal carriage to the Shauldneat Orphanage, arriving without incident, only to pause in our tracks almost right away upon arrival.
“Please wait a momeeent!”
“No waaay!”
“Ohoho! I am the villainess, you see! I shall capture you myself!”
Children of both genders chased each other at a brisk pace. Their waists were wrapped in long cloths as they bantered like young ladies. Among them was Bertia… But what exactly is happening here?
At first glance, it appeared to be a game of tag; however, it was clearly different from the ordinary version.
“Has Tia created another new game?” Whenever something unusual like this occurred, my wife was usually at the center of it. Since she was participating, it was almost certain she was the instigator.
“Ah, Lord Cecil!” Bertia, noticing my arrival, excused herself from the children with a few words and stepped away from their circle to approach me.
“Hello, Tia. You look like you’re having fun. What’s the name of this game?”
“It’s the Villainess Game!”
I was lost for words.
Zeno, why don’t you stop snickering behind me while I keep smiling? And Courtgain… Ah, there he goes, gazing with a fondness akin to a father watching his children grow. Although I suppose he feels more like he is observing a younger sister.
“That’s quite the unique name for a game. How do you play?”
“It’s essentially tag! The children of the orphanage invited me to play tag, and when I offered to be ‘It,’ they said that it wouldn’t be appropriate to call the crown princess a demon, so…”
Well, the children might not think much of it, but the adults likely view it as disrespectful to address Bertia—the crown princess—in such a manner, hence the caution. To me, it seems like an unnecessary consideration.
“So, we talked about using a different name instead of demon, and various suggestions arose, like devil or imp, but none of them seemed to fit quite right…”
Devil isn’t much different from demon, is it? And imp might imply something quite different altogether.
“In the end, I suggested that we play ‘Villainess’ instead!”
Why would the term ‘villainess’ come up as an option? Are demons and devils too otherworldly, while a villainess perhaps fits within the human category?
“If it’s a villainess, the word ‘role’ implies that the person isn’t evil themself but is merely playing the part of being evil. Additionally, it includes ‘lady,’ so I thought it was perfect.”
What should I do? Everyone considers me intelligent, yet I can’t quite grasp the meaning behind her explanation. The others… Ah, aside from the adaptable children, everyone appears puzzled.
Since the crown princess herself proposed this “brilliant idea” with a radiant smile and the children enthusiastically went along with it, donning clothes as makeshift dresses and adopting ladylike speech, no one felt they could stop them. It was unsurprising that no one dared to oppose Bertia, considering that it would ordinarily be unthinkable for commoners to make suggestions to the crown princess.
“Why are you here, Lord Cecil? Aren’t you supposed to be working in your office this morning?” Bertia asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
“It’s almost lunchtime. I came to pick you up.”
With a warm smile, I noticed Bertia blush, her eyes sparkling. “You took the time to come pick me up, even with your busy schedule?! That’s incredibly kind of you!” Her joyful smile made every effort worthwhile. As I patted her head and saw her cheeks redden further, I reflected on how fetching her was the right choice, especially in light of her adorable response.
✦ ✦ ✦
Glancing back, I saw Zeno shrug his shoulders with a resigned expression. For now, I want to savor Bertia’s reaction, so let’s leave it at that.
As we enjoyed the moment, the children from the orphanage, who had continued their game, gradually began to gather around us. They must have sensed that Bertia was about to leave soon.
“Lady Bertia, are you leaving? When will you come back?”
“I want to play more.”
“Don’t go…”
The gathered children all wore disappointed expressions; some even had tears in their eyes. It seemed Bertia was quite popular here too. It’s reassuring to see she’s well-liked—especially in a place where we’re nurturing children who might one day serve us. It certainly reduces the chances they’ll turn against us in the future.
Well, she likely doesn’t realize that she’s helping to train potential recruits for information gathering, unaware that the children before her might be candidates.
Bertia consistently does a good job without realizing it.
“What should we do?”
Seemingly cautious around me, the children maintained a distance of about two meters, gazing at Bertia with hopeful expressions. Although she looked a bit concerned, Bertia also appeared pleased; her fondness for children likely made her enjoy their invitation to play.
“We have a meeting about that matter this afternoon, so we can’t stay long.” I said, pausing before continuing, “However, you can play a little longer if you’d like. Courtgain also seems to want to talk to the director.”
At my prompting, Courtgain offered Bertia a modest bow.
“Is that truly all right? Will it not be an inconvenience for you, Lord Cecil?”
“It’s fine. I’ve completed my morning tasks. I arrived a bit early so we could have lunch together before starting our afternoon tasks.” Upon hearing my words, Bertia glanced at the clock tower visible from the orphanage’s garden and appeared slightly relieved.
“Thank you so much! Oh, would you care to join us in the ‘Villainess Game,’ Lord Cecil?”
“Is it a rule to wear a cloth around the waist?”
Indeed, considering my position as crown prince, playing a game while wearing a cloth skirt would be quite inappropriate. If someone unaware of the context were to witness it, rumors about the crown prince engaging in peculiar behavior could easily tarnish my reputation. Bertia, dressed practically for the outing, had no need to change her attire to fit in with the game, leaving only me, and possibly Zeno if persuaded, to don the makeshift garment.
“No, that’s just something the children chose to do themselves. When I explained what a villainess is and acted it out for them, they wanted to imitate the attire as well, leading to their current get-up!”
So, she even acted out the role of a villainess. That sounds amusing; I wish I’d been here. What a pity.
“Then perhaps I will join in after all.”
“Oh! That’s wonderful. The children will be thrilled… Huh? Everyone, why do you all look so wary all of a sudden?”
As soon as I expressed my willingness to participate, the children’s expressions tensed up as if they were facing a formidable foe. Well, it’s naturally quite nerve-wracking for them to play with royalty, so their reaction isn’t entirely surprising.
“Children are perceptive,” Zeno whispered. “They can detect your true nature, Your Highness.”
Do you enjoy being punished that much? I glanced sideways at Zeno, and he quickly looked away. Of course, I didn’t intend to let him off that easily.
“Unlike Tia, I’m not that close to them yet, so they’re probably just nervous,” I explained, returning my gaze to Bertia and smiling reassuringly.
My smile caught the attention of some girls among the children who had been watching us with caution. “It’s the prince!” they whispered, their eyes brightening in excitement.
Although I could have sworn I heard a child mutter “the scheming prince,” it must have been my imagination.
So, there’s no need for the orphanage teachers to worry so much, right?
“How wonderful! As expected of Lord Cecil! You truly understand the children’s feelings well!”
Bertia looked at me with sparkling eyes full of admiration, but Kuro, who had arrived shortly after the children and Bertia, wore a doubtful expression, as if unconvinced. Honestly, I had to agree with him on this one. It was true. I was generally indifferent to others and not particularly attuned to their emotions.
Still, if it makes Bertia happy, I don’t mind getting along with the children… After all, nurturing a close relationship now could prove useful if they grew up to become aides in the future.
“Then, shall I begin by playing the ‘villain’?” I said with a smile to the children before taking Bertia’s hand and heading into the orphanage’s yard.
I can’t say I’ll be the villainess since I’m not really a lady.
As we headed to the yard, the children trailed behind. While they hadn’t fully relaxed around me, they were eager to join in playing with Bertia.
“Your Highness, I’ll go have a word with the director,” Courtgain said, approaching me just as it became clear I would be joining the children in play.
When I glanced at him, he gave a subtle nod, as if already understanding what I was about to say. Among the documents I’d handed him earlier, there were a few tasks meant for the director. Given the circumstances, he would likely proceed to gather information or relay those requests as necessary.
“It’s thanks to Tia that we’ve been able to acquire such skilled individuals,” I reflected.
Afterward, during the Villainess Game, I ended up winning decisively, which left Bertia visibly frustrated. She, along with a few competitive boys, declared, “Next time, we’ll definitely win at least once!” Meanwhile, the more precocious girls began fantasizing about us as a couple, weaving their own little dramas.
Still, if I think of it as a way of getting closer together, then yes—it was time well spent.