I Don't Need Any Help
I don't need any help.
To the Esteemed Lady of House Merdelia,
Hello, Lady Viviana. I previously imposed upon House Merdelia. Not only did I briefly enjoy the lofty prestige of the Merdelia Ducal House, but the enchanting performance you played for me was an honor far beyond someone as humble as myself. I shall never forget the hospitality and kindness of that day.
In light of the excessive consideration shown by the Merdelia Ducal House, I write this letter because I no longer wish to trouble you further, Your Grace.
Your time is far too precious to spend on me, and I seem to have found an unexpected solution of my own, so I wish to withdraw the proposal I previously offered. This decision was made after careful consideration of various circumstances, so I hope you will kindly understand.
The time I spent with you will remain a cherished memory in my heart for the rest of my life, far more than I deserve. I pray that blessings may grace your path ahead, and I bid you farewell.
If we should happen to meet by chance someday, I would like to greet you with a smile.
Wishing Your Grace peace, and sincerely hoping that unchanging prosperity and happiness will always be with you.
Then, may you be well.
With respect,
Tina Bland
Crunch—!
The finely decorated letter paper was crumpled without mercy.
"…Ha."
A growling voice slipped between lovely lips. The purple eyes that had glowed softly now swirled with unreadable emotion.
"…I clearly told her I would give an answer soon, so wait."
She was the sole heir of House Merdelia, the most powerful among all the ducal houses. Her cooperation was not something so light that it could be tossed back and forth over a mere verbal proposal.
If she spoke even a single word, nobles would form a line to kneel and beg for an alliance. That was how solid the prestige of the Merdelia Ducal House stood—comparable even to imperial authority itself.
And this young lady could not wait even a week for that cooperation?
She had offered to hand over information beneficial to House Merdelia in exchange for protection so that nothing untoward would befall her. Viviana had been thinking positively of the proposal and had intended to give her answer before a full week passed.
Yet only five days had gone by. The one who sent a letter first was the daughter of House Bland—and with a notice that the previous offer was now void.
Clearly the one who needed help had been her side…
So why did this feel so unpleasant?
"What kind of scheme is this, young lady?"
"Tina."
"Lady Mardi-an!"
Wearing a blooming smile, I ran straight into Mardi-an's arms. She wrapped both arms around me, slowly stroking my back as she spoke.
"I didn't expect you to come looking for me first like this."
"I didn't get a proper look at your face last time… so I came because I missed you. Did I cause any trouble?"
Mardi-an widened her eyes and bit down hard on her lip. A moment later, however, she wore a gentle smile and softly stroked my hair.
"Of course not. You're my pet, after all."
Thank goodness.
She doesn't seem as angry as I thought.
The last time I had seen Mardi-an was on the third night of the banquet held at the imperial palace. When Viviana suddenly appeared and took me away, Mardi-an's expression had been quite foul.
She was kind to me, yet in the game Mardi-an was a notorious villainess. Worried about future repercussions, I had come to her mansion myself, but seeing that her expression was fine now, it seemed she was not as angry as I had feared.
"So, did you have a good talk with Lady Merdelia?"
Still, it must have bothered her after all. Mardi-an immediately asked about Viviana. I shook my head with an innocent smile and rested my head against her shoulder.
Originally I had planned to use Viviana to rein in Mardi-an, who was growing more extreme by the day, but I had changed my mind a little.
"No… actually I was a bit dissatisfied. She took away the time I could have spent with you, Lady Mardi-an."
As if she had not expected those words, Mardi-an raised one eyebrow in a puzzled look.
"You two seemed rather close. Was I mistaken?"
"…Lady Viviana does look upon me fondly, but… the truth is…"
I mumbled, hesitating for a moment, then glanced at her and carefully continued.
"I find her a bit overwhelming… and a little scary…"
"…Pfft."
Apparently pleased by my words, the corners of Mardi-an's mouth slowly rose. After wearing a satisfied smile for a while, she pinched my cheek and gave me a gentle laugh.
"Well, she is a bit ferocious. I always thought someone who lives on the battlefield didn't suit our company, but you were thinking the same thing as me, Tina?"
"Yes, and I like you far better, Lady Mardi-an."
Unlike Viviana, whose expression I could never quite read, Mardi-an's face showed clear reactions. Watching her expression change in real time with my words, I realized once again that I had been wrong.
Why did I even bother approaching Viviana? Mardi-an is so much easier to handle.
"My pretty Tina… you're truly adorable and so good."
Mardi-an brushed my side hair behind my ear with a ticklish touch. From the increasingly sticky look in her eyes, I naturally understood. Her filthy lust was rearing its head again. Before she could speak, I opened my mouth first.
"Lady Mardi-an, there's actually something I wanted to ask you about."
"What is it?"
"The truth is… when I was little, something bad happened to me…"
Mardi-an's hand, which had been stroking my hair, stopped. She furrowed one eyebrow in confusion as she looked at me.
"Something bad?"
"It's something I don't want to talk about, but I feel like I have to…"
Mardi-an gently took my hand. The sticky lust that had been in her red eyes as she looked at me was gone; only curiosity remained.
"Tell me."
"I… really like you, Lady Mardi-an… I really do…"
I looked up at her with drooping eyes. She waited silently for me to continue, and after pursing my lips for a moment, I went on.
"I have a trauma."
"A trauma?"
"It's… when I was little… my father touched my body…"
"What?"
Mardi-an blinked blankly as if she could not understand what she had just heard, then grabbed my shoulders with trembling hands and asked again.
"He touched your body? Am I understanding this correctly?"
"Mother came running and saved me, but if she hadn't…"
Mardi-an's face, mixed with bewilderment and rage, was dyed with horror. Anyone who heard that a father had sexually assaulted his own daughter would react the same way—even someone called a villainess.
Of course, it isn't true.
I've never even seen Tina's father, and I have zero interest in what kind of person he was. But watching Artasha stay up every night dealing with the debts that bastard left behind makes my blood boil.
They say you shouldn't speak ill of the dead, but if someone wasn't even human, selling him out is fine, right?
"…Tina."
A faint guilt seeped into Mardi-an's eyes. It seemed the things she had done to me until now were coming back to her one by one. I tightly hid the smile rising inside me and made my eyes even more sorrowful.
"…Tina, I…"
"I really like you, Lady Mardi-an… but every time you start to scare me, the memories from back then…"
Before I could even finish, Mardi-an pulled me into a crushing hug, her eyes filled with faint guilt, so tight I could barely breathe.
"…I'm sorry. To think the former head of House Bland was such trash."
Boni Bland, the former head who ruined the family's reputation with gambling and affairs. I only thought of him as a pest, but to think he'd be useful like this.
"Why didn't you tell me? If I'd known, I would have been careful."
I buried my face in her arms and secretly smiled.
"But… you seemed happy, Lady Mardi-an. I wanted to give you even a little comfort."
Countless ripples stirred in Mardi-an's red eyes. She bit her lip hard for a long while with a complicated expression, then hugged me tightly and buried her face in my shoulder.
"…Tina."
"I… it's not that I don't want to do it. Spanking my bottom… I can endure that if I think of you, Lady Mardi-an… but kissing is too hard…"
From Mardi-an's clearly shaken expression, I could be certain. The answer I wanted would come from her soon.
"…All right. Tina, tell me when you're ready."
That day will never come, Lady Mardi-an. I'm not a perverted sadist villainess like you, after all.
"Yes… thank you, Lady Mardi-an."
Harboring sly thoughts inside, I nodded weakly.
I could be certain once more.
Yes. I don't need Viviana's help at all.
It was something I could handle myself all along.