Struggling as a Villain

A few hours of rest it all took for Amelia to recover. When she woke up she found herself no longer feeling nauseous. Although there was something unnatural about her ether flow, it wasn't as uncomfortable as before.

"How are you now?" Hearing the voice of a familiar person, Amelia instantly turned her head and found Richard sitting there.

He was holding a book while wearing a more casual pair of clothes. With his hair bound in a high ponytail, he looked nothing less than,

"Divine."

"Pardon?" Richard tilted his head; confused if she was still asleep and was mumbling things.

Amelia straightened her back slowly and repeated herself, "You are looking good in that outfit. I was complimenting you."

Richard looked at himself and found nothing peculiar to get praised. But he didn't deny her words and, with a smile, voiced a thank you.

Resting the book on the bedside table he brought his hand to her forehead.

Amelia closed her eyes and enjoyed the brief sensation of his warm skin. She never thought she could get this addicted to something so abruptly.

"Seems normal to me." Hearing his words, Amelia opened her eyes a little wide, before she coughed.

"*Cough* I might still be a little feverish." She said.

Richard raised his brows before he called Violet.

"Yes, master?"

"Bring some vegetable soup. It should be steaming hot."

"As you command, my lord." Once she departed Richard took the heating bag before checking the insulated pads inside them.

Using flame magic he restored the heat to the pads before telling Amelia, "Put this under your back and lay down for now."

Slowly, she nodded; she couldn't understand why she just lied.

She did what he asked and laid back down.

Looking out of the window, she found it was already dark, which urged her to ask, "Did Father return?"

Richard shook his head, before informing her, "Duke Hawkbridge and Mother have left for the Capital."

"Is it related to the incident back in the eatery?" Amelia asked, her voice becoming a little severe.

She had a feeling that the situation might not be as simple as they initially considered. Although the catalyst that brought the attention upon the waiter was trivial—trying to poison a beautiful girl to r**e her—the identity of the waiter held great importance.

And as Amelia thought, "The skills which that bastard showed signifies that he belongs to the East. They went to the Capital to discuss a possible invasion."

Amelia nodded; being aware of how a trivial matter could cause significant damage if not taken necessary precautions.

Suddenly, while thinking back on the incident, Amelia remembered something and thanked Richard, "Getting angry for my sake....that was really manly of you, Sir Richard."

Although he has built endurance against beautiful women, having such a pretty girl smile at you while saying those words could easily make anyone flustered. And Richard was no exception.

Coughing into his fist, he responded, "Of course. I asked you out so it's natural for me to look after you."

Amelia's smile stretched a little as she spoke, "You look adorable while blushing."

Richard narrowed his eyes, and while somehow making his voice sound serious, he asked, "Who is blushing?"

Amelia was about to say something more when Violet arrived and she stopped herself.

Violet handed the tray to Amelia once she got up before she informed her master, "My lord...Lilia had returned."

Richard's back straightened upon hearing that.

He instantly turned towards Amelia before saying, "If you need something just tell Violet. I will see you soon." Saying so, he got up and walked away in a slight rush.

Amelia stared at the door with complicated emotions swirling in her heart. Just now, she was feeling so good while chatting with Richard...and now he was taken away by someone else.

While sipping the soup, Amelia asked, "Violet...can you tell me about Lilia and Sir Richard?"

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"Your statement makes no sense." Hearing those words, Bellarine frowned. She wasn't the one to which those words were spoken, but she held agreement with the speaker.

"But Your Majesty, a soldier has witnessed body cloning!" Hawkbridge, as excited as always, slammed his fist on the conference table as he persisted.

The meeting room was currently occupied by only seven people, and the three of them were mentioned above. Other than them, the first Prince, the Prime Minister, the Head Advisor, and the Captain of the Imperial Legion were present.

The emergency meeting was only made possible since it was two Duke-ranked nobles who requested it. And one of them was none other than the Duchess of the Scarlette house.

However, arranging a meeting and agreeing with the claims of the initiator of this discussion are two different things.

"We cannot call it an emergency just because a soldier claimed it." The Prime Minister calmly stated.

However, Hawkbridge's following words were enough to silence him, "That soldier went through a Truth Draught Test before we called for this meeting."

Truth Draught Test was a test in which the subject is drugged through a potion, and in that state, whatever is being asked, the subject wouldn't be able to lie.

The evidence was there, yet the Emperor seemed unmoving, which urged Bellarine to say, "I now understand. You won't change your opinion even if I bring the experimental hamster to you, won't you?"

Those words caused the chief advisor to widen his eyes and the Prince also seemed a little unsettled upon being accused by the Duchess.

"Lady Bellarine?! Do you understand the implications of your words and the consequences they can bring?!" The previously calm Prime Minister allowed his emotions to burst forth.

Bellarine remained indifferent and asked, "And do you know the consequences of your attitude, Honourable Minister?"

The bald lanky Minister quieted down an instant. But the way his jaws moved, signified he had more to say.

Bellarine rolled her eyes before getting up.

"Bellarine, wait." Suddenly, the only person who could have stopped her spoke up.

The Emperor slowly spoke, "There are things which we must overlook. For the time being, you go and take care of the Hadeston region to cool off your head."

Bellarine raised her brows before turning around and asking in a genuinely surprised voice, "You are throwing me away to a near wasteland so I no longer meddle in your nasty experiments?"

"Bellarine-" Prime Minister again rose, but this time he wasn't able to finish his words as a hand gripped around his throat.

"Khak!" The bald man was lifted off his feet as, with her telekinesis, Bellarine kept the man silent.

The Legion Captain raised from his seat and rested his hand on his sword, when Bellarine asked, "You do know the repercussions of drawing a sword against me, right Bennet?"

The blond male flinched as the days of his training flashed by his eyes for a brief moment. However, the one thing that he has learned from his instructor is to never back down from protecting whom he is supposed to protect.

Bennet's grip tightened around the handle, when suddenly the authoritative voice of the Emperor resonated, "Stop it."

Bennet bowed his head and released the hold.

Turning toward Bellarine, the Emperor spoke again, "Bellarine, we want him alive."

Bellarine snickered before throwing the man away—causing him to crash against the door and break through it.

Bellarine didn't remain here to hear the oh-so-noble-cause which was forcing them to remain silent on this matter.

She walked out of the room soon followed by Hawkbridge.

Forget it, if the Emperor couldn't do anything about it, then Gideon would make sure that this matter is investigated thoroughly. No one shall dare to hurt his daughter!

Once the two were out, the Emperor asked Bennet to take the Prime Minister to the medic. Well, it was an excuse since Bennet wasn't supposed to hear what they were going to talk about.

Once only the three remained, the first Prince—William Haven Eldor asked his father,

"Why didn't you include them in 'it'?" William asked, finding this whole situation absurd. Things would have become a little less dramatic in that way.

The person who was questioned, answered in a heavy tone, "Do you think she would allow something like cloning to happen? More so, when one of our target subjects is none other than her son?"

Those words silenced William. Knowing Bellarine, he could tell that she wouldn't care about a thing unless the matter came to her son.

If Duchess Scarlette had any weakness then it was none other than her son. And now,

"We have to lure her weakness to our side."

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A/N:- Playing with fire would only cause harm.

Things are going to get a little complicated since, naturally, Richard wouldn't die at the time he was supposed to.

The slow romance between Amelia and Richard is giving me those butterflies. Again, I would try to limit the harem to five members with enough build-up and screen time.

Drop some PS and comments.