The Villainess is a Marionette

Translator: thursdays PR: scarcecrow

***

The peddler, Parson, felt odd because the central kitchen warehouse looked empty.

He couldn’t see inside the warehouse, so he called out to the deputy chef.

“Oi, Alex!”

But it wasn’t just the deputy chef who appeared. A lot of unfamiliar people were with him, including the frantic-looking head chef. One of those people caught his eye.

‘Oh my god.’

It was the first time Parson had seen such a beautiful person in his life.

She was so fair that it seemed as if a light was emanating from her body. She walked out of the dark warehouse and into the sun. At that moment, the court lady next to her stated, “Pay your respects to Her Highness, the Princess.”

The peddler realized that the woman in front of him was the rumored Princess Cayena.

Parson, who had been completely distracted by her beauty, fell to the floor.

“This lowly man greets Her Imperial Highness!”

Above his head, which was deeply bowed, a lovely voice echoed.

“Rise.”

Parson rose awkwardly and stiffly from his position.

‘Anyway, why did Her Highness come here…?’

“How indifferent I was. I didn’t even know the face of the one who prepared the food for our family.”

Parson became even more puzzled.

‘Is this real?’

He couldn’t comprehend what was happening. So, for now, he just kept his head low.

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

“Now, why don’t we check the ingredients?”

At her words, Parson lifted his head and looked at the head chef.

His expression was contorted.

‘…I shouldn’t let her see the receipt.’

He started carrying out the goods without taking out the receipt. The head chef examined the quality and quantity of the items. It seemed like everything would go through quietly.

“You seem to be handling the delivery without a receipt.”

Parson startled at Cayena’s words like he was set on fire.

“Excuse me? Ah, so, um. I forgot to bring the receipt today!”

Then, the head chef stepped in.

“This man is just a bit dull, Your Highness. Still, we have worked together for a long time and developed a lot of trust, so it’s no big deal to replace a simple receipt.”

“Yes, yes. That’s right,” Parson said.

Cayena burst into laughter.

Everyone was bewildered, forgetting the solemn atmosphere for a moment because of the refreshing laughter.

Cayena had grown considerably due to the influence of her previous life. She learned to be meticulous and rational, and it became a habit to stay silent until she was ready to act. However, Cayena was originally the villainess.

“It looks like I’ve been too generous.”

“…Pardon?”

Everyone could tell that something was off.

“Arrest the peddler and search the wagon.”

The head chef turned pale with fear.

“Your Highness! You cannot persecute your servant like this without justification!”

Cayena answered in a cold voice.

“Kneel.”

“Your Highness!”

The knights waiting in the back seized the head chef and the peddler, then searched the cart.

“Your Highness, I found the receipt!”

Even with one glance, it was apparent that there were many more items listed on the receipt than those being transported.

The faces of the peddler and the head chef became pale.

Cayena reached a hand out to Vera. Vera took off Cayena’s ring and gloves.

Cayena approached the head chef, who was kneeling on the ground.

“Y, your Highness! You are mistaken. I’m innocent…!”

Slap!

The chef’s face turned to the side.

“Your Highness! You can’t do this! The prince himself appointed me…!”

He felt that things weren’t going to go well at this rate, so he brought up Rezef.

Slap!

Cayena slapped him one more time. He then shut his mouth.

“It wasn’t enough that you touched the treasury, but you’ve also tricked my family. My heart is cold for your heartlessness.”

Initially, the knights were baffled by Cayena’s actions. Then, they witnessed the shocking situation and became furious.

“You dare to deceive Her Majesty! He is a man who does not even deserve the dignity of getting his head cut off, Your Highness!”

Deceiving the imperial family was a felony above all else.

“You threatened the servant named Roche before my eyes. I didn’t know I would see such a scary thing in person.”

Cayena shook her head side to side.

“If the central kitchen, which is said to be the most strictly managed, is like this, how are the other departments?”

At those words, a servant hurriedly left his spot and ran away. Cayena didn’t bother stopping him. She began the inspection with the intent of shaking up the imperial palace.

“Put them in a prison cell and interrogate them.”

“We will heed your orders!”

The imperial palace was being overturned. Starting with the central kitchen’s head chef, everyone was sent to prison under the knight’s direction. The head chef’s figure was witnessed by many. In the confusion, only Cayena was aloof as she walked through the castle.

Vera’s head was lowered as she followed Cayena.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Cayena paused and looked at Vera and Olivia. She let out a short sigh. As she did, Vera’s shoulders shrunk even more. Olivia also looked a little daunted.

“Vera, your eyes and your insight are great, but… You were reckless today.”

Vera knelt at once.

“Even if I had ten mouths, I could say no excuses. With my foolishness, I caused trouble for Your Highness and even put Miss Olivia in danger.”

Olivia also knelt right next to her.

“I helped her of my own will, Your Highness. I deserve punishment, too.”

Cayena sighed again as she looked between the two. Then, she helped them up with her own hands.

“If you cross people’s lines recklessly, bad things may happen. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Vera closed her mouth tightly. She felt like she was about to cry.

“And in the end, you two were right. They’re criminals. They dared to steal from the imperial treasury. Hence, you did well.”

“I apologize…”

Cayena patted Vera, whose eyes filled with tears.

Olivia asked carefully, “But Your Highness, will you really inspect the other areas?”

Vera just barely calmed down before starting to look worried.

“Wouldn’t the nobles be more vigilant now?”

It has been only three days since Rezef was put on probation.

But she had essentially bared her blade to carve up the central kitchen.

The noble forces who supported Rezef would not stand still.

“Since I already drew the blade, it could lead to a backlash if I push it back in its scabbard halfway.”

Now that it had come to this, it was better to organize the internal affairs and set up the discipline straight away.

Cayena tried to reassure them by saying it wasn’t too bad.

“This sort of work is a typical part of housekeeping. Just think of it as me practicing before marriage.”

“I suppose…”

‘I’d rather do it properly and take advantage of this.‘

If she fixed the leaking treasury and protected the imperial family’s wealth, she would be rewarded tremendously.

After completing this work, Cayena would receive an award equivalent to the budget she had secured.

At that moment, someone called Cayena on her way to the separate palace like a scream.

“Your Highness!”

A group of courtiers, who must have been conspiring together, gathered to talk with Cayena.

Their complexion was not good at all.

Cayena looked back at them indifferently. Her frosty blue eyes possessed a strict dignity that they had never seen until now.

“You’ve finally come.”

She laughed.

“Even if you didn’t, I would have gone to find you, but we all came here at the same time.”

Mrs. Helier stood straight, looking forward with a stern expression on her face.

“Your Highness, I heard you are conducting inspections without prior notice. I am afraid that it will appear as if you distrust the loyal servants of the castle.”

Mrs. Helier bowed deeply.

“You have a point,” Cayena lightly affirmed.

‘It’s quite admirable that Her Highness was able to shift things around like this.’

Mrs. Helier inwardly laughed at Cayena.

Unexpectedly, the central kitchen was upturned, but its manager was quite annoying for Mrs. Helier.

After all, he dealt with gangsters who did not hesitate to kill.

‘But these actions cannot go any further.’

As usual, she straightened her back like the epitome of a court noble.

To Cayena, she just looked ridiculous.

Cayena already knew that not only did the head maid touch the treasury, but she also traded positions and prestige for personal gain. She had accepted a considerable number of bribes.

“As always, you’re a model for the other courtiers and pointed out something I didn’t think about,” Cayena said.

“I am grateful that you understand what I’m saying,” Mrs. Helier replied primly.

“You have quite the discerning eye for goods as well.”

“…What do you mean?”

Cayena stood face to face with Mrs. Helier.

Her gaze touched the earrings Mrs. Helier was wearing.

“Your stipend from the imperial palace must be higher than I thought. Seeing as you’re wearing the jewels of the old royal family.”

Mrs. Helier clasped her hands in surprise.

The antique pearl earrings, which reflected light in a distinctive way, was one of the Madrena royal family’s treasures.

Cayena then indicated to her ring.

“And that ruby ring is the wedding ring first worn by the Pauline family.”

People’s eyes turned to Mrs. Helier’s hand this time. There was a dark and beautiful ruby, the color of blood.

“…This is just a gift from my husband.”

Cayena stared coldly at Mrs. Helier as if she was a fool, mentioning her husband without knowing where the bribe came from.

“It seems that Count Helier often uses the black market, hmm?”

“…Excuse me?”

She thought she had misheard.

“There’s no way the head maid, who is fluent in the imperial law, does not know that black-market trading is illegal.”

Mrs. Helier felt the eyes focusing on her. Her legs were trembling, but her expression was as calm as that of a sly noblewoman.

“Your Highness, this is a misunderstanding. This can’t be from the black market, as it came with a letter of authenticity.”

“Do you ever remember the seal on the letter?”

Mrs. Helier desperately thought about the letter.

What family did it come from? She thought the coat of arms may have had swords and lions.

“Was it a design with a sword and two lions? With laurels surrounding them.”

“…That’s right.”

It was suspiciously accurate. How did the princess know that? It was a design that Mrs. Helier couldn’t recall. Mrs. Helier realized something was going terribly wrong.

~~~