The Young Lady Disrupting the Game
"Hmmnya."
Awakening from sleep, Olivia rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed.
"Kuhhh... Air raid alert! Mobilize all imperial forces!"
Her father was still asleep beside her. The air was dry.
"Hmmnya."
Olivia's throat was parched. At this rate, she might succumb to the Mandrake forces threatening the empire's security come morning. With a grave expression, she blew her nose.
"Sniff!"
Her breathing cleared up. Her body felt light. Cautiously, Olivia kicked the blanket toward Darbarb and peered down at the floor below.
So... far down...
"Eek!! It's high!"
The darkness made the floor invisible. Olivia exhaled calmly, placed one foot on the bed's edge, and measured the distance to the ground with her other foot.
"..."
Flail, flail.
Her brows furrowed as she glared at her short legs that couldn't reach. In a fit of frustration, she vented her rage. Falling from this height would surely make a huge noise, so she swung her stubby legs wildly, hoping at least her toes would touch.
"Eeeeek!"
No good. With no choice, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and began her slow descent.
Thud crash!
"Ow!"
Of course, her short legs weren't enough to land her safely. The sound of her body hitting the hard floor rang out, and Darbarb bolted upright in bed, looking at Olivia.
"Olivia!"
He tried closing his eyes and pretending to sleep at the sight of her adorable form, but he couldn't ignore if his daughter was hurt. Darbarb stared at her in shock, while Olivia shot him a sulky glare.
Smack.
"Daddy."
"You okay?"
"Sleep more."
"Got it."
Darbarb was a father who listened well. Olivia tiptoed toward the stairs late in the evening, sneaking off to fetch water carefully. She lifted her toes slightly, moving stealthily to avoid waking anyone.
"Hup...!"
Can't wake them.
In this moment, Olivia was a spy.
"Heehee."
Honestly, it was fun. Nothing beat the thrill of sneaky theft. Having once stolen the academy dean's seal, she loved this tension.
Olivia held her breath and descended the stairs. Gripping the railing tightly, she crept along so silently even a Sword Master wouldn't notice. One might ask how a mere villainess could possess footwork undetectable by a Sword Master, but as a villainess blessed with her family's innate talent for thievery, it was entirely possible.
"Heehee...!"
As Olivia pondered taking up theft as a side gig, she reached the bottom of the stairs and drew near the kitchen. One step.
—Do you even know what you're doing right now?
Two steps.
—And you still do it, knowing full well? What countermeasures? Even if there are, that's not for you to handle!
By the third step, a gruff voice echoed from beyond the kitchen. Olivia tilted her head.
"They're having fun without me again."
Thinking they'd left her out of something exciting, she clenched her fist. Tossed into Daddy's room while they played—it irked her. Olivia pouted.
"Eeeek..."
She quietly leaned her head toward the source of the noise. Butting in suddenly would make Mommy tell her to go back to bed. She needed to stay calm. Whatever game it was, knowing the rules meant Ricardo would surely let her join. With what little patience she had, Olivia peered through the open door crack and focused on the voices.
Three figures came into view.
"This is something I want to do."
Ricardo.
"What about the people left behind, then?"
Mommy. No, Mom.
"Mother..."
And big bro. The three sat facing each other with solemn expressions. No matter how she looked, they seemed huddled like they were playing a game, deepening Olivia's suspicions.
"Eeeek...! It's Mafia game...!"
Last time, she'd played Mafia with just Ricardo.
Bang.
Gah!
—Game over.
...It's over already?
—Yeah.
—You didn't kill me?
No one left, so it ended in one turn.
Recalling that disappointment, Olivia clenched her fist and vented. With three players, it could last at least two days. Hugging her envy, she focused on their talk.
It started with Ricardo's defense.
"In the end, no one gets hurt, and we can achieve a happy outcome. I have full confidence in that."
Ricardo spoke with indignation, as if wrongly accused of being the mafia.
"Good acting."
Olivia gripped her fist at his calm performance. It made her uneasy for some reason. She swallowed and held her breath.
"Looks fun..."
It seemed less like acting and more real. Mom glared at Ricardo.
"If you're so confident."
"..."
"If you're confident, what changes? Does it make your suffering any less? Or do you expect us to bow and call you a hero?"
"I've never thought of that even once. I'm not that great."
"You are great. Even I, your mother, couldn't think of it."
Ricardo shook his head slightly, replying like someone in the know.
"No. Mother, you'd make the same choice as me."
"..."
Olivia smiled.
"Ricardo talks well."
Whoever's butler he was, his sharp eloquence perfectly mirrored his master. Olivia praised herself for her impeccable eye in butlers. At the same time, she cursed at big bro, who sat with his mouth clamped shut.
"Big bro sucks at games."
Staying silent like that made him look mafia. Olivia felt frustrated enough to give advice, seeing how bad he was.
The back-and-forth between Mom and Ricardo continued.
"Then you won't be happy!"
"I'm plenty happy now."
"Ricardo!"
"I'm content with my position. And I've resolved that issue. Now I just need time..."
Mom urged him to stop. Ricardo wouldn't bend. Their views refused to converge; each demanded the other yield.
"Why go that far?"
"Because that's a butler's duty."
"Who taught you to sacrifice your life for your master? Was it in the manual?"
"Yes."
"Then quit being a butler."
"No."
"Ricardo, I'm not talking to you right now—I'm ordering you as the lady of Desmont."
"Sometimes, a butler has the authority to make unilateral decisions for his master's safety."
"...You."
Mom gritted her teeth and spoke.
"What do you think Olivia will say if she finds out?"
Me...?
Olivia clenched her fist. Her heart raced at her sudden mention. Amid inexplicable anxiety, she forced a smile.
Mom's losing, so she's using me as an excuse.
Perking her ears, she focused.
"You think she'll be happy to know?"
"..."
"That you sacrificed so much for me, so I have to treat you well from now on? You expect gratitude?"
Olivia pouted and shook her head.
"Mommy, even if I'm smart, not that much."
She felt a bit hurt by Mom. Wouldn't she take her daughter's side? Still, Mom was competitive. Olivia tried to laugh away the rising unease and closed her eyes.
And then.
"Hee... heeeek..."
Dust tickled her nose, making her nostrils flare.
"Eek... Can't ruin the game."
Her nose itched. Ricardo and Mom kept talking; Olivia shook her head, fighting a sneeze. Just as Mom was about to drop the bombshell.
"If you die because of Olivia—!"
"Pfft-choo!"
Olivia sneezed explosively.
Silence fell.
No one spoke. They rose, turning toward the sneeze with shocked faces. Like people caught saying forbidden words, the three stared wide-eyed at the door.
Olivia awkwardly smiled, pushed the door open, and squeezed in.
"Sniff."
She lifted her snot-covered face. With a ridiculous look that could make anyone laugh, she walked between them, grinning awkwardly.
"Mommy. Big bro. Wicawdo!"
Ricardo's face was ashen. More shocked than Mom or bro, pale as he stared at her.
"L-Lady...?"
"Yeah."
"Th-that..."
Olivia grinned awkwardly at him.
"I wanna play the game."
Suppressing her inner anxiety.
"Let me play too."
She spread her arms toward Ricardo.