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

Perhaps her suggestion was totally unexpected, so her honey-colored eyes widened.

“Really? Magic? Is it through magic?”

“No, it’s not magic. But we can prepare a dye and dye it any color you want.”

“Dye…”

“From the looks of it, the cloth won’t shrink when wet. Once the tailoring is finalized, you can design the finished dress with your own hands, right? For instance, change a white dress to pink and decorate it with flowers.”

“…!!!”

Myria’s sparkling eyes were irresistibly cute. Rishe’s cheeks relaxed as she lectured her.

“It’s a very fun process but also time consuming. If we don’t finish the adjustments today, it will be difficult to make it in time for the festival.”

“Y-Yeah, I’m in! Right away!… Ah…”

Myria, who responded instinctively, immediately covered her mouth as if in a panic. Rishe chuckled, but quietly stood up.

“Then please open the door and let your father see you… But first, if you could just close your eyes for a moment.”

“?”

Rishe waited for Myria to close her eyes and walked to the window.

It was much faster and easier to ‘get down’ from the room than it was to go up.

After a while, she reached the ground of the courtyard and called to the window from which she had come out.

“–You can open your eyes now!”

“Uh, no..!!!”

Myria looked down the window. Rishe raished her index finger again and shushed her.

She looked at her former master who nodded, gave her a polite bow, and started walking back the way she came.

Of course, I had to investigate Young Miss and His Highness Arnold, but I can’t abandon either one behind in this life.

Searching for signs of life, Rishe treaded out of the shadows of the trees and quietly walked towards the forest.

When I came here in my previous life, I was told that the forest is a sacred place. But I’m certain there was no mention of it being off-limits back then.

The thin footprints left behind were that of a small child.

The shape of the shoes were that of a boy’s, so they could not be Myria’s footprints. And you examined the traces, you’d find that they were new, having only been on for a few hours.

If that’s all there is to it, it’s probably not that important… But if a person of concern comes and goes in a forbidden forest, we can’t just ignore it, can we?

Rishe had been walking briskly so far, but before she reached the entrance to the forest, she decided to muffle her footsteps.

She meticulously eliminated any signs of life and walked on noiselessly.

Then, she sensed the presence of people in the forest at dusk. The sound of tiny footsteps approached her.

“Hello, Leo.”

“Whoa!”

Leo let out a short scream when Rishe called out to him. His eyes widened innocently as he stared at her.

“… You were with the Crown Prince of Garkhain earlier.”

This is the second time I’ve caught someone by surprise.

With that thought in mind, Rishe smiled at Leo. Leo regarded her warily.

“The forest ahead is off-limits, you know.”

“I know… And also that you’ve been in and out of there.”

“You misunderstand. I just came here to look for some flowers for my master’s room and was trying to trace my steps back here.”

Despite being eleven years old, Leo was blunt.

However, his behavior was gentler and less prickly than the scarred man she had met in her life as a knight. Rishe looked down at Leo’s head and said, “You have a piece of zaot (*not sure about this, maybe sheet moss) moss on the hem of your pants, you know?”

“!”

“This moss only thrives in places in shaded areas. For example, in the forest.”

Leo gingerly raised an eyebrow. After that, he turned his face away as if in annoyance.

“Are you going to give me a sermon? Or are you going to turn me in to the Order?”

“Neither, but I need you to show me around.”

“Show you around where?”

“Well, of course…”

Rishe chuckled and pointed in the direction Leo had walked.

“To that forest, which is off-limits.”