The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country

Arnold rested his cheek on the window sill and looked up at the passing Grand Shrine in a daze.

Rishe looked not at the view outside, but at Arnold sitting across from her. She wondered how Arnold felt about the place that was associated with his late mother.

I hope I didn’t make him uncomfortable by bringing him here…

In all likelihood, the reason Arnold tagged along was to protect her.

He even ordered people to stay away from “Arnold Hein’s fiancée” except for during the ritual, fearing that the Order might make some kind of move against her.

What I’m trying to achieve is to thwart His Highness’s goal.

In other words, to stop the war that Arnold would wage.

If Arnold were to know about Rishe’s intentions, how would he feel?

“…”

Rishe had been staring too intently at Arnold that he turned to glance at her.

Rishe was lost in her thoughts when a shapely hand reached out. After stroking her bangs in a combing motion, Arnold touched her forehead.

“I don’t have a fever anymore.”

She guessed his intentions and said, only to hear him retort, “I’ve decided not to trust your self-assessment of your physical condition.”

“Ugh…”

She lamented. Rishe didn’t mean to lie to him, either.

She looked down and asked reluctantly as she raised her eyes once more.

“So, what are the results of Your Highness’s diagnosis?”

“Well, you’re fine. Your complexion is much better now.”

Arnold withdrew his hand and turned his eyes out the window again.

Moreover, his blank expression was even more emotionally unfathomable than usual.

“Um, Your Highness?”

“Hmm?”

Wanting to do what she had been thinking about, Rishe asked him.

“Can I sit next to you instead of across from you?”

“!”

Arnold’s eyes widened slightly when she asked permission.

The left side of her chest ached again, and she panicked.

“N-Nevermind, I’m fine facing you!! Right, will you be doing paperworks like you did on our way here?!”

“No.”

With eyes downcast, Arnold tapped the seat next to him.

“!”

Rishe’s eyes lit up.

She carefully stood up in the carriage, and Arnold naturally lent her a hand. Using his hand as support, she transferred herself around and sat down next to Arnold.

“What are you up to this time?”

“Well, you know…”

She extended her left hand and brushed Arnold’s sideburns over his ear.

The moment Arnold’s attention was drawn to Rishe’s left hand, she used a trick with her right hand.

“Hey!”

“!”

A peach-colored flower crown appeared in front of Arnold’s eyes.

From the look on his face, she’d say she succeeded in surprising him. Rishe smiled and placed the flower crown on Arnold’s head.

“Surprised?”

“…….Yeah.”

“Wonderful. I was worried that you’d see through it on the way, so I practiced in the Grand Shrine.”

Arnold has a beautiful face, and the flower crown suited him perfectly. If she were to mention it to him, he’d surely give her a disapproving look.

“I heard that the flower crowns given out at the festival are a blessing from the Goddess.”

“Rishe.”

“However, with the way Your Highness is acting, you’d probably say you don’t need the Goddess’s blessing, right?…So I knitted this crown for you.”

“―― ……”

For instance, she didn’t think this was enough of an apology for forcing him out.

Still, even if it was paltry, she hoped it would touch Arnold. She hoped that the beauty of the flowers and their sweet fragrance would do some good.

“Then is this a blessing from you?”

“Uh, it’s not big of a deal to call it that…”

“…Ha.”

Arnold laughed as he let out a shallow breath.

She felt another sharp pain in the chest at the look he gave her. Arnold gave her no time to ponder over this and said, “――I’ll be damned. I’m no match for you.”

“…!?”

Rishe blinked, unsure of the meaning of his unexpected response.

“I’ve never been able to beat Your Highness…”

“That can’t be. You just don’t know it.”

“Y-Yeah…?”

His flat affirmation got her even more confused.

Nevertheless, Arnold squinted next to her. He took off the flower crown, and this time he put it on Rishe’s head.

“The crown looks better on you.”

“Your Highness.”

“… But I received your blessing.”

Obviously, he wasn’t annoyed by it.

Rishe heaved a sigh of relief and then giggled with pleasure.

“It looked great on you, too, Your Highness. The flowers on top of your head made you so cute.”

“…Stop it.”

“Oh, a novel look. You were really cute.”

“…………”

Arnold snorted and rejoined sarcastically, “You’re indeed getting bolder. After all, you’re the one who bit me on the neck.”

“Ah, you’re bringing that up now?!”

Rishe hurriedly excused herself from what was already becoming an embarrassing past.

“I did that mainly because Your Highness did it first…”

“Mine was a life-saving action. It’s different from you who had other options.”

“Uh-ku-ku…!”

When she couldn’t argue with him and fell silent, Arnold laughed in amusement.

“I knew I couldn’t win against Your Highness…”

“I told you that’s impossible.”

Arnold appeared disinclined to explain in detail, and he gently caressed Rishe on the head with a chuckle.

She wanted to question him further, but was ruffled to see his eyes looking at her at close range.

Sure enough, I’m feeling weird.

The left side of her chest throbbed in pain.

She recalled Arnold’s words when she kissed him in the chapel.

[You don’t have to be prepared to be my wife.]

“…”

Rishe gripped the hem of her dress tightly and exhaled briefly.

Whenever Arnold touched her, she would feel a faint tingle in her heart. She wondered why that was.

My heart this man pierced hurts so much.

If she wasn’t careful, it would be a lot worse than having a sword thrust at her like that time.

Rishe had been wondering what Arnold whispered to her in the last moment of her knightly life. She couldn’t help but want to remember those words that were vague and indistinct.

“―― ……”

Rishe closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Arnold’s arm.

She didn’t want Arnold to see her expression but couldn’t hide her anomaly either.

“Rishe?”

“Just for a bit…”

She implored, as if praying.

“I’m so sleepy, so please lend me your shoulder, Your Highness.”

“…”

She wondered if he saw through that lie.

But Arnold softly said, “All right.”

He stroked her hair as if she were a child, and she exhaled while still sticking to Arnold.

Sure enough, His Highness is very kind.

However, that tingling pain still persisted.

It would have been nice if she could sleep it off, but that seemed impossible. The pain that sprouted in her left chest, while strangely sweet, was tormenting Rishe.

T/N: This ends Volume 3… Side Stories will be tomorrow or the next day 🙂

You can check out Amekawa Touko’s new work while waiting for updates. I’ve started it yesterday. The oppressed outcast princess was a legendary reincarnated witch. 〜I don’t want you to come and pick me up. Please don’t interrupt my nap with my servant.