I Favor the Villainess Chapter 85Deprivation

“Your complexion looks better than I have imagined”

“It’s because Claire-sama came”

A week passed since the affair where Yuu-sama’s sex was made public.

Being able to see Claire-sama for the first time in a while made my heart warm.

Rather, I want to embrace her tightly to my heart’s content.

“How has the life in jail been?”

“Thanks to you I haven’t suffered much”

I’ve been under investigation from the moment I was caught as an accomplice in Yuu-sama’s case.

Although I’ve been put in jail and had my freedom taken away, the investigation itself wasn’t that harsh.

What’s important is that everybody involved in Yuu-sama’s affair arranged the story beforehand.

I can’t confirm it, but Yuu-sama should have taken all the blame, Claire-sama and Lily-sama should have testified like that too.

Same with Rod-sama and Sein-sama.

Above all, with His Majesty Rousseau and most of the Royal Palace seemingly on my side, the investigation wasn’t harsh.

“Well, my meals were poisoned”

“Ha!?”

Probably it was Queen Lishe’s faction’s revenge.

Even if they can’t attack openly, for the queen, operating behind the scenes like this is her forte.

Well, as I’ve taken care to examine every meal and used detoxifying magic, I wasn’t really harmed.

“I am glad you are safe…”

“It’s thanks to Misaki”

“Misaki…? What do you mean?”

“I had a dream”

On the night I was imprisoned, Misaki stood at my bedside.

‘As always, your good nature is beyond help”

She spoke nostalgic abusive words.

‘But, you did well. I’m a little relieved. Thanks for saving that child from the same anguish”

Misaki at my bedside clumsily smiled.

‘Isn’t that a stupid look. Watch out for meals’

Saying this much, Misaki disappear without letting me reply.

“So such a thing happened”

“Well, it was surely an illusion created by my wishes”

But still, I was happy Misaki came to see me.

“Even though…This is why I told you. It was dangerous after all”

“It really was”

During the conspiracy, Claire-sama was its biggest opponent.

I convinced her with Misaki’s case, but she didn’t approve to the end.

“While I’ve been here, I couldn’t learn at all about what’s been happening outside. What happened afterwards?”

“It is mostly as you have anticipated”

Claire-sama explained.

First of all regarding Yuu-sama, she – as she’s already a woman – was sent to a monastery.

The Royal Palace announced that Yuu-sama suffered from an “attack” of the opposite sex disease to smooth over the situation.

The insanity was caused by worrying over the body changing due to the opposite sex disease, is the Royal Palace’s stance.

Under the pretext of medical treatment for the illness, she’s now in a monastery.

Although it’s a partial confinement, as I explained before, it doesn’t mean Yuu-sama completely lost freedom.

“I was entrusted a message by Yuu-sama. It said ‘Thank you. I will without fail repay you one day'”

“I see. What about the matter of her body?”

“In the end it has turned into a little uproar. Those aware of it seem to think it was a temporary change brought upon by the full moon”

Yuu-sama’s body at the time of the Offering Dance wasn’t feminized due to the full moon.

It was because the Tears of the Moon was used to completely cure the opposite sex disease.

As I already explained, you need two people with positions no lesser than cardinal to bring out the Tears of the Moon, but as both Lily-sama and Yuu-sama cooperated, there was absolutely no problem.

It seems Lily-sama was investigated, but she explained it away as an unrefusable request from the prince.

“Because Lily-sama is also a person with certain social status, it appears that the Royal Family was unable to easily punish her”

“What about Misha?”

“She is currently persuading her parents”

Misha seems to want to quit the academy and go to the monastery to be with Yuu-sama, but as expected her family seems to have stopped her.

My, Yule family has other excellent heirs so why not let your daughter do as she wants, Misha’s mother seemed to support her.

What’s also important is that Yuu-sama asked from the monastery “I want you to stay by my side”.

“As they made Misha experience severe hardships, her parents do not seem to be taking a firm stance”

“I see”

Then, it may not be long till Misha’s wish comes true.

“How’s Claire-sama?”

“Nothing particular is going on. At most I feel awkward as my servant was arrested”

“Is that all? What about being lonely or missing me?”

“How confident can you be”

But, she didn’t deny.

Uhihi.

“Has Dor-sama said something?”

“Actually, nothing”

Saying so, Claire-sama tilted her head.

“I was certain he would fire Rei, however he has not said anything about it… Just what kind of weakness of my father have you grasped?”

“I haven’t done anything like that. Dor-sama must simply be tolerant of such things”

Of course, that’s not the reason, but I can’t tell Claire-sama the truth.

When I laughed to deceive Claire-sama, a jailer came.

“Claire-sama. I’m sorry, it’s time for the investigation”

“What is there to investigate any more? You already know it was all on Yuu-sama’s orders”

“That’s… His Majesty Rousseau will conduct the investigation himself”

“His Majesty will?”

What does that mean.

Wasn’t His Majesty Rousseau an ally.

“At any rate, please go home for today”

“It cannot be helped. I will come again”

Saying so, Claire-sama left the jail.

◆◇◆◇◆

“I’ve brought Rei Taylor”

“Good job”

With my hands tied behind my back with a rope I was brought to the audience hall.

A criminal being brought to the audience hall is probably unprecedented.

I had a somehow bad feeling about this.

“Raise your head”

Raising my head from the prostrate position, there were only two people, His Majesty Rousseau and the soldier.

There was no sign of Queen Lishe or Prime Minister Salas.

“I ordered everybody to leave”

His Majesty explained, perhaps noticing my doubt.

But, in that case I have a question why clearing the room of people was necessary.

“I want to hear the truth of that case”

Ah, I see.

His Majesty has a rough idea.

That’s why Lishe-sama isn’t here.

But, why is there no Salas-sama?

“I was pained by the matter of Yuu’s body. Yuu was forced to suffer by that selfishness”

He didn’t say it was Lishe-sama’s selfishness.

As expected of His Majesty mired in the world of politics.

The important matters are made ambiguous.

“I am not aware of anything”

“… I see”

After all I can’t speak the whole truth here.

There’s always a possibility of it being a trap.

It would still be okay if it was about me alone, but the princes, Lily-sama, and above all my beloved Claire-sama are all involved.

“… You are clever. I like it”

His Majesty stroked his beard looking satisfied for some reason.

My bad feeling increased.

“As of today, you are released”

“I am thankful”

The feeling of relief that I was needlessly worrying washed over me.

But――.

“What’s more, as of today, you are deprived of your enrollment in the Royal Academy”

“Wha!?”

Wait a moment, what does it mean!?

“With all due respect Your Majesty!”

“And, as of today, I make Rei Taylor a special official under my direct control”

“!?”

I don’t understand.

What is His Majesty thinking.

“I have few pieces I can use. Would you assist me?”

All I could do was blankly stare at His Majesty who was grinning meaningfully.

And with this cliffhanger, I Favor the Villainess becomes the second novel that I’ve caught up with raws, with the next arc being supposed to be released around the New Year.

I hope you all have enjoyed it; thank you for the comments, likes, and just reading it.

As for my future plans, I’ll try getting out a new batch of Villainess’s Sweet Everyday tomorrow, and if I don’t hear from the current translator until Sunday, I’ll be picking up Outaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai!!