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Chapter 23




<b>Villainess Doted on </b>
<b>Chapter 23</b>
A soft light illuminated the neatly arranged room.
After placing the documents on the table, Aquasteed was about to confirm the schedule for the next day with Eliot but before that — Eliot was glaring at him.
“Don’t clear it up on your own.”
“You’re going to eat more? Well, it’s not like I mind or anything…”
Eliot, the attendant, looked exasperated. ‘I will’, answered Aquasteed, while eating the cake Tiararose made in the afternoon.
He doesn’t usually eat sweet food much but when his beloved Tiararose makes them, it’s different.
After each bite, he went, ‘so delicious’.
“Geez. You could have just admitted that Tiararose-sama’s cake was delicious right there then.”
“….You… It’s necessary to keep Aishira in a good mood. Especially when she’s in the castle.”
“That’s true too, I guess.”
Eliot also understood but she couldn’t help but be concerned about the anxiety she saw in Tiararose’s eyes from time to time.
And the fairies’ existence was highly related to Aishira’s mood. Loved by the sea fairy, her feelings are directly conveyed to the fairies.
If Aishira is not pleased, the spirits of the deceased in the sea will also be in a bad temper. Inversely, if she’s in a good mood, the sea will bring even more prosperity to the country.
That’s the heroine of the sequel, Aishira, who is loved by the sea fairy.
◇　◇　◇
“Ahhhhh! Splendidly handsome man!”
Tiararose spoke so loud in her sleep that she ended up opening her eyes. It was still midnight, it was pitch black and even the morning sun wasn’t up.
Having woken up suddenly, she remembered the reality she was a part of.
—-Splendidly handsome man.
This was a line in the sample still which was published right before Tiararose died in the previous world.
In the sample photo, Aishira and Aquasteed were walking by seashore when Aishira was about to fall but Aquasteed caught her and got wet instead.
And there, it was written – ‘Splendidly handsome man’.
“How did I forget about such a wonderful picture…? Aqua-sama sure looked cool there.”
She got up and sighed.
Suddenly remembering that image, she was now thinking about the usual Aquasteed. Aquasteed, who is always so kind to her, is too good of a man for her.
“I wonder when that event is… it should happen they go to the beach…”
The image was just published then so Tiararose didn’t know when it was going to occur.
However, there were no such plans on Aquasteed’s official business calendar as of now. Relieved by that thought, she started feeling uneasy, thinking of how Aquasteed’s private life would then be.
It isn’t like Aquasteed takes many vacations in the first place, as he is working pretty much every day. On top of that, whenever he does get some free time, he always spends it with Tiararose.
It is hard to imagine Aquasteed just going to the beach without telling Tiararose about it just because he’s free. No, it’s impossible.
“For now, I guess I will properly get to know of his schedule.”
If she happens to find a plan to go to the sea or something, she will stop him with all her might. If he has to go due to official work, she would at least keep Aishira here.
However, Aishira is this country’s duke’s daughter. And Tiararose is another country’s marquis’ daughter. It would be hard for her to be forceful.
“…Worst case scenario, I will have to make sure I go along as well.”
—-I definitely can’t let Aishira-sama and Aqua-sama be all alone on the seashore!
That much was certain.
Thinking that this time she will definitely do her best, Tiararose went to bed, still excited.
◇　◇　◇
“—Eh?”
“Hmm? Yeah, I will go to see Miss Aishira’s sea.”
The thing Tiararose was feeling uneasy about in the middle of the night was now turning into reality.
Even though such a matter never arose till now. When she asked  him anxiously for the reason, he replied, “It seems a new species of coral was discovered”.
As Aishira is loved by the sea fairy, her sea has many different kinds of corals and fish living in it.
According to Aquasteed, new species of fish or coral are born at certain times. Although the reason was a very proper one, Tiararose still couldn’t bring herself to let him go.
She didn’t want to let Aishira see the ‘splendidly handsome man’. She couldn’t help but want Aquasteed all to herself.
“What happened?”
“…..”
Seeing how Tiararose just stood there in a daze, Aquasteed got worried and made her sit on the sofa.
At present, there was no one else in Aquasteed’s office except him and Tiararose. And so, Aquasteed was happy ’cause he could pamper Tiararose as much as he wanted.
However, once he had seen Tiararose’s clouded expression, he couldn’t do that either. Exactly what is the cause of her grief? — he wondered.
“….No. It’s just my selfishness.”
“Just try telling me. Even though it’s completely fine for you to be selfish, you never let me spoil you.”
“That, is because, I can’t afford to bother Aqua-sama.”
Aquasteed also sat beside Tiararose and stroked her head to pamper her. ‘You don’t need to hold back’ he said, with a bitter smile.
Even though she had vowed not to let it come to this last night–Even then, it turned out like this. But as she thought, she really doesn’t want to bother Aquasteed in his work.
She shook her head, thinking that she did just the thing she didn’t want to do.
But, Aquasteed wasn’t going to let her be anxious.
“Come on, tell me.”
“….But, Aqua-sama, you have work, right? I couldn’t bother you…”
“Don’t speak anymore.”
Aquasteed said, putting his finger to Tiararose’s lips. He was implicitly meaning that no more excuses are needed.
—So embarrassing.
Just like that, he kept on feeling her lips while he was at it.
Tiararose felt that this shouldn’t go on and tried to open her mouth but was stopped by Aquasteed’s finger.
“Yes—But, this is just me being selfish.”
“….Hmm?”
Seeing Tiararose say that while blushing, Aquasteed tilted his head a bit.
He wondered if she was jealous that Aishira was connected to it. He wondered if she was pleading to him to not to go with Aishira-sama.
However, the things Tiararose talked about were a bit different.
—Not Miss Aishira, but the sea?
In other words, he could go to Aishira’s mansion but not to the sea. Aquasteed couldn’t comprehend Tiararose’s reasons behind saying that.
He did wonder that whether she didn’t want him to go to the sea because he was hated by the sea fairy but—that was also impossible.
Tiararose, who is going to be the queen soon, is very motivated in learning about the fairies.
Of course, Tiararose couldn’t really explain to him that a game event was going to occur.
Seeing how Tiararose wasn’t going to speak of any clear reasons, Aquasteed came to the conclusion that it was fine.
“I will not go then.”
“Eh—?”
“I will leave the observation of the new species of corals to Eliot. Tiara is more important to me, after all.”
Aquasteed dismissed the matter as if it was nothing, saying that it would be enough if he just read Eliot’s report on it.
Aquasteed also thought about how he was making Tiararose lonely much more lately, as he had been in the office for long hours. He couldn’t think of this selfishness as anything but cute.
“Aqua-sama, umm… thank you very much.”
“—Yep, let me spoil you more. Come straight to me if you feel lonely when I am not with you.”
“Yes…!”
She said and tightly hugged Aquasteed who was sitting beside her. Aquasteed also happily hugged her back, and thought of making more time for just the two of them.
And slowly, he stroked her cheeks and lifted her chin up with his fingers. And right when he was about to kiss her–a knock could be heard.
“…..!!”
Tiararose immediately jumped far away, surprised. She had enough confidence that she wouldn’t be able to come out of her room if someone were to see them like that.
Aquasteed looked a bit disappointed and also angry at the sudden visitor. ‘Come in,’ he urged the visitor to come. It was Aishira.
“Sorry to interrupt, your Highness, Aquasteed.”
“Miss Aishira… Sorry, I have decided to make Eliot conduct the observation today.”
“Oh, is that so? I understand.”
Without even feeling any agitation towards Aquasteed’s notice, she just acknowledged. However, the person of concern, Eliot, wasn’t present in the room.
Tilting her a bit, Aishira asked, ‘When will she be returning?’.
“She should be returning anytime now—Ah, I know. Let’s go half way together. Tiara, you come too.”
“Aqua-sama?”
“Eliot has gone to the knights squad but there is a very beautiful rose garden along the way. It will be a good change of pace, right?”
Aishira and Tiararose quickly agreed to Aquasteed’s proposal.
The roses grown in the royal castle are quite wonderful and popular among the ladies. Tiararose was very happy that Aquasteed invited her as well.
Although Aishira would also be going together, Aquasteed’s consideration mattered more to her. She also thought how they could be alone together after Aishira and Eliot go to the beach.
“Then let’s go. Sorry to make you walk like this, miss Aishira.”
“Not at all. I also really like roses.”
“Glad to hear that.”
Aquasteed said with a smile and started walking, escorting Tiararose.
“Wah, how pretty.”
“So beautiful…
Tiararose and Aishira exclaimed, amazed with the beauty of the roses.
Surrounding the fountain, which had a wooden carving of a goddess, were beautiful, multi-colored roses. Pink, yellow, red — all these colors amused Tiararose.
When she got close, she could smell the sweet fragrance of the roses, enough to get intoxicated.
“Glad you liked it.”
“I seem to have more opportunities to see corals than roses–it is very embarrassing as a duke’s daughter.”
“Aishira-sama raises very beautiful corals, so I think you can be more proud.”
To have to be near the sea all the time rather than watching flowers–to Aishira who spoke like that, Tiararose expressed her thoughts about how Aishira should be more proud.
—She’s the heroine of the sequel so I am pretty sure her general specs are quite high, though.
Even then, Aishira was standing here right now because of her own efforts. And this isn’t something just anyone can do.
Of course, Tiararose also had a very strict upbringing to become the queen of the Lapis Lazuli. And because of that, Tiararose couldn’t bring herself to hate Aishira.
“Thank you very much. You are very kind, Tiararose-sama…. Ah, this is a white rose.”
“Colorful roses are of course beautiful but I also like this white one.”
“Yes. Also, I think this white really suits your honey-pink hair.”
Aishira, who is usually very mature, was now squealing, looking at the roses. She even went and said that that rose would definitely suit Tiararose.
But the next moment, in order to get a closer look at a rose high up, she was stretching but then lost her balance and — fell into the fountain.
“—Miss Aishira!”
“Kyaa! Aishira-sama?!”
Tiararose screamed.
But Aquasteed moved even faster than that. The moment he saw Aishira falling, he jumped towards her and protected her from the fall.
Making a big splash, Aquasteed fell into the fountain. Fortunately, Aishira didn’t fall into the fountain.
“Your highness—!”
“Aqua-sama!”
Aishira, who was protected by Aquasteed, quickly grabbed onto the rims of the fountain and looked to confirm Aquasteed’s safety. Tiararose also quickly went close to ask if he was alright but she froze right there.
—-Splendidly handsome man.
One still image hovered inside Tiararose’s mind.
It was the image she remembered at the middle of the night. Aquasteed looked just like that as he got up from the fountain.
Now that she recalls it properly, Aquasteed was also wearing the same clothes. And his gesture of brushing up his wet hair was exactly like the image.
“That can’t be… So, the game’s powers–the events, are absolute…? I can’t do anything about it…?”
Even though they didn’t go near the sea, the event still occurred. Her feelings of being unable to do anything filled her heart and she was trying her best to hold back the tears. She trembled, thinking that it was impossible for her to change the game’s flow of events.
—This isn’t good, I can’t hold back my tears!
Leaving Aquasteed and Aishira there, Tiararose ran as fast as she could to get away from there.
Aquasteed’s sweet voice screaming out Tiararose’s name only remained in her ears…..
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