The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country
Chapter 3: The man who killed me

“Wow …”

There stood an outrageous beauty.

His nose is straight and thin lips look ruthlessly cold. His hair is nearly jetblack, he’s slender, but powerfully built.

What’s most impressive is his blue eyes. His elongated glacial eyes are as sharp as blades.

(…. Gasp)

The dark-skinned man snorted as he looked down at Rishe coldly.

[You’re charging at full speed. I thought you were a boar.]

This was an embarrassing way to encounter a stranger, but not so for Rishe. In the first place, this wasn’t the first time she met him.

[What are you up to in a corner like this? The party is in the hall…]

[Ahaahhhh —— !!!]

[!?]

The man was startled by Rishe, who screamed without warning. His body responded with great alacrity, and his right hand immediately grasped the hilt of his sword.

[…. What are you up to? Even if you’re a young lady, I would kill you….]

[Emperor Arnold Hein!!]

Arnold, the black-haired man, was interrupted by Rishe’s recognition.

She too was plagued with a strange urge to kill. Because she had just recently exchanged swords with this man.

It was him who killed her and ended her sixth life.

(So, this man has been invited to the evening party too…)

But thinking about it, it’s quite a convincing story.

Arnold is a royalty from an imperial militant state not far from her country. Both countries were embroiled in war before. But now, they are at peace on the surface and would occasionally establish contact.

Her former fiancee, the Crown Prince, would soon announce Marie, whom he fell in love with, as his new fiancee.

The Crown Prince must have made arrangements in advance for Marie’s introduction, a commoner’s daughter, to other neighboring countries.

Arnold examined Rishe with interest.

“Do you know me? This is my first time in this country.”

(I don’t really know you…)

Her heart was thumping badly, but she still managed to feign a smile.

Arnold’s homeland, Garkhain, is ruled by an imperial dynasty that abides by the code “If you don’t have power, you are not a royal family.” If a royalty is weak, he will be eliminated even if he has the right to sit on the throne.

Armed with such immense military power, this Arnold here will invade other countries five years later.

It happened on her first and second life, and the third and fourth life. The same was true for the fifth time, and the sixth time, where Rishe herself stood on the battlefield.

(But if possible, I don’t want to make an enemy of him.)

While Arnold is the emperor, he is also his country’s most skilled swordsman.

And what’s most terrifying about him is that not only does he excel in swordplay, he’s also a brilliant strategist.

Facing him peacefully at this moment, she could almost picture him in various stances. Speaking of which, even when she’d exchanged swords with him on the battlefield, she always had this feeling that his gaze overlaps with his sword.

(I must contrive some sort of excuse.)

Rishe hid her right foot backwards, pinched her ball gown and gracefully lowered her hips.

[My name is Rishe Ilmgard Wertsner. I have never seen you before, but I’ve heard of you.]

The corners of Arnold’s lips tilted up as if pleasurably entertained.

[You have the making of a first-rate swordsman. There’s no shaking in your stance.]

[Not at all. I just did my best to greet his Highness as a state guest without being rude.]

[You addressed me as the “Emperor.”]

With his reminder, Rishe realized her blunder.

[My father is alive, and I’m still the Crown Prince. — Why did you make that mistake?]

[Well… Uhm….]

This is too bad.

What a terrible oversight. It might have come across to him as her knowing the future. No, she’s thinking too much.

While wrestling with various thoughts, Rishe realized the gravity of her slip-up.

(….Deceiving him won’t let me end up dead, right?)

Anyway, she doesn’t know what Arnold thinks about it.

The thought of the possibility of her being killed, she couldn’t help but curse Arnold inwardly.

Despite branding him the Emperor impudently, Rishe will soon be exiled tonight. This slip of the tongue won’t be of any influence to diplomatic relations.

After taking that into account, then there’s only one way to escape now.

After taking a deep breath, Rishe curtsied towards Arnold again. But this time, it wasn’t the courtesy of a noble lady, but the bow of a lady’s attendant when apologizing to her master.

[My apologies, his Crown Prince. Although I was in a hurry, I’m very sorry for my tactless mistake.]

Then, she raised her face.

[Nevertheless, I’m in a hurry with my former fiance calling off our engagement. Forgive me, but I have to go!]

[….. Your betrothal was cancelled?]

Rishe, lifted the hem of her dress and again sprinted away.

Time has been ticking and she must beat the clock. Rishe pushed the balcony door and rolled up the hem of her dress.

She took her shoes off and tried to move to a nearby tree, but the ground was surprisingly closer from the balcony.

(That’s it? Is it possible? I thought I had to jump into a tree, but from the height of this second floor, I can just jump right into the garden, right?)

At the same time, her body leaped.

The moment she crossed the railing, Arnold’s eyes, who had been following her in silence, widened.

[Huh, hey….]

Rishe jumped off the balcony, leaving behind a trail of her fluttering moonlit dress.