The Guidebook for Villainesses

Translator: Wawaa

When the night came, Lara took out her cape to talk to Crown Prince Acerus. They decided to discuss Lara’s trip to the Empire at the same time as yesterday, so she wanted to go to the inn quickly.

But Demian was not there. When Lara realized that his room was empty, she snooped around the annex and found him.

“Demian!”

“Lara?”

Demian entered the garden through the back door of the annex. Then he approached Lara, who was waiting for him in front of the stable.

“Why are you so late?”

“Something happened.”

“Something? Is it something you can’t tell me?”

“Uhh… It’s nothing.”

Lara was asking why he was late but he only kept smiling. It was suspicious for the man to smile when he doesn't normally smile. However, thinking that she should not keep Crown Prince Acerus waiting, Lara ignored her doubts and climbed up the horse first.

“Hurry up. We’re going to be late.”

The innkeeper did not sleep again while waiting for Lara and Demian. Whenever he met Lara, he kept making food with a very kind face, but she thought it was probably because she kissed Demian at the inn.

“You can just come alone. What’s the point in bringing this guy along?”

“I don’t want to come either.”

“Then don’t.”

Their conversation was always like that, but Lara could see that they trusted and liked each other.

“Let’s get started.”

After the innkeeper lit up the lamp with a long spell, he went out of the room and left them both alone. This time Lara lifted the lamp herself. She wanted to greet Acerus first. However, as soon as the light turned on, Acerus’ urgent shout could be heard from the lamp.

「Long-distance magic receiver!」

“Hello… Your Imperial Highness.”

「I’m sorry.」

“It’s okay.”

Demian was holding his laughter in the back. Acerus was frustrated because he could not curse at him as usual.

“Your Imperial Highness, don’t worry about that. I’m thinking of taking two of them to the Empire.”

「Can’t you…bring the alchemist here?」

“He’s not my subordinate.”

Technically, she was his employer, but the truth was that Lara did not even know what was written in Valentine’s contract.

Acerus mumbled in a disappointed tone.

「When can you leave then?」

“When the long-distance magic receiver is complete and when we’re ready to depart.”

「When is that?」

Acerus asked and Lara contemplated for a moment. Valentine was working hard but the receiver was not an item that could be made so quickly. Then, Demian, who was standing silently behind her, suddenly interrupted and said.

“Stop being clingy.”

「What?」

“I will bring her there myself so stop calling her. It’s a hassle to go out every night.”

「You son of a…」

“What?”

「Person. Son of a person.」

“I will let you know when the schedule is set, so don’t rush us and just wait. We will also take care of the escort team.”

「Be careful.」

Acerus was serious when he told Demian to be careful. They exchanged some information through the lamp. Demian talked about Prince Sidhar, the black sorcerers, and the demon Valac. Crown Prince Acerus talked about a group of demonic beasts appearing in the Gorgon Mountain Range. Finally, Acerus greeted Lara in a princelike voice again.

「Saintess, I will eagerly await your arrival in the Empire.」

“See you in the Empire.”

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

While Lara and Demian were at the inn, two carriages arrived at Isadora’s riverside manor.

They were much more expensive than the nobles’ jewel-decorated carriages. They were made from rare, non-combustible wood, and the wheels and support beams were all made by the best craftsmen in Hautean. Horses that were sturdier and stronger than most war horses drove the carriages. Magic lighting was added for the interior and metal was added to the exterior to withstand lots of attacks. Even the King would not ride a carriage this strong. Additionally, there were two such carriages.

It was Isadora and Sebastian who got off the first carriage. Meanwhile, the mercenary wolves that belong to Isadora’s trading company got off the second carriage.

“Where are the kids?”

“They are not home.”

“Okay. Call Konny and Valentine.”

When Isadora made a gesture, the wolves moved in unison and brought Konny and Valentine to the drawing-room on the first floor.

“Everyone is here, right?”

After a while, a meeting had begun, one that only Lara did not know of.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Sonnet cried and sent a letter. She said she would make sure to keep Lara’s secret so Lara did not need to worry about that. She just wanted Lara to go safely and come back quickly.

The Princess begged her father, the King, to give some privileges to her savior. Lara and her party were allowed to travel freely to and from the border of Hautean and she was given the identity as the delegation to the Empire so she could use it in case of an emergency.

When Lara stopped by the Royal Palace to say thank you, Sonnet, whose eyes turned red, sniffled for a long time in Lara’s embrace.

“I will study hard. And I will become a successor that you could be proud of.”

It’s not like I’m going forever. I’m just going for a short time, but why is everyone making such a big fuss over it?

Lara smiled and hugged Sonnet tightly.

A few days later, Lara got the news that Valentine had completed the long-distance magic receiver. She did not hesitate and decided to leave at the time when midnight changed to dawn.

‘I need to hurry up and leave.’

There were still years left before the war with the demon worshippers began. What Lara wanted was perfect preparation. As the human hero, Acerus was preparing to fight them with the Empire on his side, Lara’s purpose was to help him so that mankind could win the war against them.

‘How long will it take?’

Maybe a year or two? She wished she could just stay for only a few months. Was it better to just tell Acerus everything she had experienced in the past? Since she was the saintess, he might believe her.

She would protect Demian and make Acerus a hero. Lara would give them all the information she knew and led the war to their advantage. She would find God’s name and make him help humankind again. So that the terrible future did not come.

Time went by quickly. The night when Lara had decided to depart for the Empire had come.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Lara wore travel boots, comfortable clothes, and a cape with a suitcase in one hand. She also brought a dagger for self-defense, emergency funds, and a few fake cards to bypass identification. When she looked outside, the light was already out in Demian’s room. It seemed that he had finished getting ready and was already in the garden. Lara looked around her room.

After leaving her father’s manor and coming to this house, Lara lived a completely different life than before. Most of the changes were intentional, but sometimes there were incidents─ones that could not be avoided, like fate.

But she did not regret it. After returning to the past and living a second life, she never regretted any of her actions or any of the new relationships she had formed.

From now on, she had to live a life that she did not plan. She was not afraid. Lara had become stronger and Demian was next to her. She took a deep breath and went outside.

Isadora was out in the garden with Sebastian to see Lara off. But there were others in the garden.

“Mother?”

The atmosphere was weird. She knew that Isadora was worried about her travel route so she produced an expensive carriage. She already expected to be escorted by a few mercenaries because Demian alone might not be enough. However, the sight reflected in Lara’s eyes was very different from what she had thought.

At first glance, there were two black carriages that seemed excessively strong and the horses used were at warhorse level. And instead of workers, muscular mercenaries were in the coachmen’s seats. They were all mercenary wolves that belong to the trading company

“Mother?”

Lara asked again. Isadora said while slightly avoiding her gaze.

“All the wolves here follow Lara. I believe in Demian’s skills, but we still need to be prepared just in case.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Until you enter the capital of Tarragon, use our company’s trading route. That way you can get help in the middle.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The wolves’ voices were loud. It was such a powerful voice that managed to ring the quiet manor. Lara looked at them with astonishment and asked Isadora.

“Is this why you gave me permission?”

“What?”

“No wonder you gave me permission so easily.”

“What did I ever do?”

Isadora feigned ignorance.

She ended up shouting and throwing a tantrum, asking why she could not even send one escort for her daughter who was going on a long journey.

“But there's more than one.”

There were twelve of them in total. Each and every one of them was a big shot at the level of a mercenary captain. She wanted to go without getting other people’s attention, but with the way it was now, anyone would misunderstand that an esteemed person was traveling.

As Lara greeted the wolves, she heard someone dragging a large suitcase from behind and approaching her.

“Konny?!”