A dog-loving villainess wants to return to her territory! - Chapter 1
A lovely girl ran down the school corridors, her auburn hair bobbing softly in the breeze and brushing her shoulder as she glanced back. The young ladies on their way to the after-school salon frowned as they watched her leave. The girl dashed into the courtyard and skipped happily toward a young man. As he turned, his eyes widened in surprise. Then he flashed a gentlemanly smile and spoke to the girl.
Her cheeks flushed, the girl expressed something to the young man with exaggerated gestures, oblivious to the contempt in their eyes.
In the tense atmosphere, the girl with golden hair, standing out among the young ladies, suddenly opened her mouth.
“─── Like a dog, isn’t she?”
Her eyes, as red as fresh blood, gazed coldly at the girl.
The beautiful girl covered her face, which was as white as porcelain, with an elegant fan and whispered with a distorted smile. Immediately, the surroundings buzzed with chatter.
“My, Lady Isabella”
“Such a vulgar little mutt”
Their mockery spread like ripples. The girls’ irrepressible laughter shook the air.
“A bad dog needs to be trained, don’t you agree, Lady Isabella?”
As if piling on, a girl said in a fawning voice.
The upturned red eyes looked back at the source of the voice. Beaming with delight at having attracted Isabella’s attention, the girl returned a flirting subservient gaze. Isabella’s gaze, fixed on her, seemed to penetrate her very core.
“…Lady Isabella?”
The laughter had subsided, and in the painful silence that replaced it, the girl who was being watched grew perplexed. She looked around in confusion. Sweat trickled down her skin, a slight fear gripping her. Suddenly, those red eyes narrowed abruptly.
“Indeed.”
She uttered the word softly. The girl averted her eyes from Isabella’s gaze.
“Then I shall go and discipline her.”
Her tone was pleasureful, contrasting with the content of her words.
Her soft golden waves danced as the hem of her uniform fluttered.
Her back gracefully straightened, Isabella disappeared into the courtyard.
The girls murmured in hushed tones. As expected of Lady Isabella. They slowly followed after her.
─── One should not try to gain favor by making rash remarks.
Because in this academy, once glared at by that person, your entire family would be unable to survive.
The girl who had spoken rashly exhaled softly, still feeling uneasy even though she had already been released from the ominous red eyes.
Luna looked up at Claus with a dreamy expression. In the girl’s eyes that reflected the sky, were mixed admiration, adoration, and a secret love.
Isabella, who had been admonished by him with a gentle and polite smile, closed her eyes once as if to suppress a wave of emotions.
Slowly, her eyelids opened, revealing that venomous red color. With a cold expression, she looked back at Claus.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s as Your Highness says. …But I am a model student of this academy. And as the fiancée of His Highness, I must set an example for everyone. There is an unspoken discipline in places where there is no discipline. ───Your Highness, please keep in mind not to play too much.”
With a graceful bow, she lifted her face… At that moment, piercing red eyes peeked out from between the golden curls.
Isabella turned her heel, followed by the ladies-in-waiting.
“Oh, that reminds me!”
Luna’s ditzy voice echoed loudly through the courtyard. The young ladies turned around in surprise.
“Did you see the rainbow this morning, Isabella? It was such a big and beautiful rainbow!”
“Rainbow?”
Isabella tilted her head at the cheerful girl.
“Yes! You didn’t see it either, Isabella! It’s such a waste!!! When I woke up this morning, there was a beautiful rainbow outside my window! Claus said he didn’t see it either, what a waste…!”
Isabella was silent for a moment, staring at the girl who was gesturing wildly and talking in a loud voice three meters away. The ladies-in-waiting all grimaced.
“…Luna-sama.”
“Yes!!”
“May I tell you why we didn’t see the rainbow?”
“Eh? Is there a reason?”
“While you were getting up and looking out the window of your room, we were in class, not being late.”
“…………………………Ah”
The sound of laughter echoed from all around. Even the prince next to her couldn’t help but chuckle.
The elation she had felt earlier subsided all at once, and Luna shrank back uncomfortably.
Isabella narrowed her eyes, her golden hair flowing behind her as she turned her heel. And this time, without looking back, she walked away with the laughter of her ladies echoing behind her.
An indescribable silence fell.
“I-I’m sorry, Claus. It’s my fault… I made Isabella angry… I was trying to make her feel better…”
Luna grabbed her own flaxen hair with both hands, her face downcast. Claus smiled gently and shook his head.
“No, don’t worry about her. I’m sorry. Isabella has been raised as an example of a young lady, so she’s not very flexible.”
“……B-But I’ll try to become friends with Isabella someday!”
Looking at Luna as she puffed out her chest, he muttered,
“I wonder, even I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
“What is it?”
When the girl couldn’t hear him and asked again, he smiled gently as if brushing it off.
“A girl like you who’s rich in emotions is much easier to understand and more wonderful.”
At those words, Luna blushed.