Chapter 13
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How to Survive as the Villain's Younger Sister
Episode 13
Dain had also received praise from Alexis, yet his heart remained unsettled.
'Extracting the list of spies from the youngest lady... what a formidable task...!'
No matter how young she was, she would not be easy to handle.
Maran had offered this counsel.
"Underestimate a child and you'll pay dearly. Miss Cyrilia resembles the late Duchess—cunning and treacherous. She won't open her mouth easily. More likely, she'll try to use you instead."
Of course, Dain did not share Maran's view.
Though he harbored no illusions that this task would be simple.
'Julia and Dreiny must have thoroughly silenced the youngest lady.'
The young lady had endured torment from the servants while suffering in silence.
By nature, she kept her counsel.
Winning her trust would require considerable time and effort.
Yet he was confident he could treat Cyrilia well.
'Poor young lady.'
A girl who had lost both parents at such a tender age, abused by the very servants she depended upon.
Compassion stirred within him for her plight.
'I should treat her kindly.'
If only she would open her heart to me soon.
If only she would reveal the list of spies.
With these hopes, Dain made his way to Cyrilia's chamber.
He resolved to wait as long as it took.
—But then.
"The strongest of the stable hands is close with my uncle too! He tells me everything they talk about in the carriage!"
"Do you mean Stable Master Bittle, miss?"
"Yes. And the assistant head chef, and Caitlin who was Father's chambermaid too..."
Dain was absorbed in transcribing Cyrilia's words into his notebook.
He had not expected to gather intelligence on the first day.
He had simply sat beside her out of pity, watching her play alone with two dolls, wanting to join her.
Yet Cyrilia had suddenly begun rattling off the Parkision Dukedom's spy roster as though she had been waiting for this moment.
"Wait—that person was also a spy for the Volgo Earldom?"
"Yes yes! My uncle has so many close connections. He's even close with Ginger, who works under the Butler now!"
"What? Ginger? Isn't Ginger the one who will succeed the Butler when he retires?"
"That's why my uncle gives Ginger extra pocket money. Hehe!"
"This is unbelievable!"
The current Butler was advanced in years; his retirement was imminent.
'Had we not learned this, and Ginger had become Butler, the Parkision Dukedom's inner workings would have fallen entirely into Dreiny's hands.'
The thought alone was horrifying.
How fortunate that the truth had come to light in time.
When all the spies rooted within the family were eliminated, it would be Cyrilia who deserved the credit.
Dain wrote down the list of viscounts diligently in his notebook.
I watched him intently.
His lovely face, still rounded with youth, had grown quite serious.
Gone was the innocent, naive expression he'd worn while rattling off the viscount names.
* * *
"Miss, wouldn't you like to rest now? Perhaps we could play with dolls?"
Dain spoke with a slightly weary expression.
He seemed exhausted from writing down the viscount list without pause.
I picked up one of the dolls and opened my mouth in feigned surprise.
"This is the doll my tutor gave me! Actually, my tutor also received pocket money from Dreiny? The tutor's assistant, the musicians who visit occasionally, and..."
"Ah, oh! Miss, I apologize, but could you speak a bit more slowly? I haven't finished writing down all the names yet!"
Dain fumbled over his words.
I found it amusing and giggled.
At that, Dain's beautiful green eyes widened.
"It's lovely to see you smile. Lately, I've only seen you crying."
"Hmm?"
"I hope you'll keep smiling. Children should grow up with laughter, after all."
Wow.
I knew he had a kind nature, but could he be this sweet?
'Using that handsome face is cheating.'
I understood why the servants were so taken with Dain.
My own personal maids had even thrown their lives away for him.
'There are plenty of gaps and leaps in the logic, but that's essentially how it went.'
I was grateful that such a kind person was by Alexis's side.
Ice-cold and so solid that no amount of striking could shatter it.
But even such ice will eventually melt and crumble if the pressure becomes too great.
I hoped Dain could be someone Alexis could rest with comfortably.
"You've certainly planted quite a lot of viscounts."
Dain sighed.
"Plant viscounts? What blooms when you plant viscounts? Flowers? Fruit?"
I asked as if I knew nothing.
Dain simply offered a kind smile.
Then he gazed down at the notebook, its pages crammed with the viscount list, his eyes burning with intensity.
It was thanks to me providing the information so eagerly.
'I acted like a chatty little child excited to finally have someone to talk to after so long.'
A wrinkle formed between his handsome brows—he looked angry.
'Was there really that many viscounts?'
"To think there were so many dangerous people around you, Miss. And they were all following Volgo Earldom's orders, not caring about you at all. How lonely and difficult it must have been for you?"
But Dain said something unexpected.
"Huh?"
"How heartbreaking it must have been, with nowhere to turn for solace. From now on, please tell me everything when such things happen."
Dain spoke with genuine warmth.
Is he worried about me?
This has been way too sweet since earlier.
'Or is he just reassuring me to use me for his own purposes?'
I gazed into Dain's resolute grass-green eyes.
No words suited them better than "trustworthy."
They were so genuinely kind and upright that it was impossible to interpret them maliciously.
'How terrifying prejudice can be, really.'
I gave up trying to analyze him.
And I whispered to Dain like I was sharing a secret.
"Yes! I was so, so sad. You really understand my heart, Dain. I really like you!"
"I'm glad you're pleased."
"Mother always scolded and hit me, and Father didn't care at all. But Sister is wonderful!"
At those words, confusion flickered across his grass-green eyes.
I smiled brightly as I spoke.
"When Mother scolded me, Sister helped me."
"Ah, that was probably less helping and more... she happened to pass by... ah, no. Yes, she must have helped."
Dain quickly corrected himself.
It was difficult for him to believe that Alexis had helped me.
But I lied to preserve the innocence of a child.
Dain really is a good man.
"And Alexis Sister is... so beautiful! More beautiful than the Crown Prince."
At this, he nodded as if he understood.
"That's why I like Sister. More than anyone in the world!"
My voice trembled with excitement just thinking of Alexis.
This wasn't an act.
Alexis from the original story was truly a character I adored.
She was strong and righteous, yet when gentleness was needed, she would bow even to orphans from the slums.
The Alexis I encountered in this world quickly captured my heart as well.
True to her role as the protagonist, she shone brilliantly and possessed a charm that drew people near.
It was incomprehensible how the Duke and Duchess and Dreiny could ignore and torment her.
"I want to become close with Sister."
"..."
"But it will be difficult, won't it?"
Perhaps he sensed my sincerity.
Dain regarded me with a subtle expression.
'If my sincerity got through, please relay everything I said to Sister, Sir Knight. Fulfill your duties as a knight faithfully!'
* * *
The Parkision Ducal House was turned upside down.
Long-serving retainers of the Parkision Dukedom had been dismissed en masse.
It was an order from the new Duke, Alexis Parkision.
"While it's customary for a new Duke to surround herself with her own people, this is excessive! Casting out even mere assistants?"
"Such arrogance knows no bounds. We should never have agreed to let Alexis become the head of the house!"
"Let's go to her at once and have words. We'll show her our influence!"
The retainers and elders, still clinging to false hope, grew agitated.
They intended to pressure the young Duke Alexis and bend her to their will.
But their delusion did not last long.
Alexis had made public the reasons why even "mere assistants" had been dismissed.
Negligence of duty, bribery, embezzlement, and more.
Among the various charges, there was one common thread.
'Disclosure of family secrets.'
All of it came with evidence prepared in advance.
People felt a chill run down their spines.
They understood.
'Alexis didn't simply replace the staff. She purged traitors.'
'Could she possibly know that I accepted money from Dreiny in exchange for information?'
The retainers and elders trembled at the icy premonition.
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