– Is this really His Highness Prince Lirien?
– Yes. Looks like he was being chased. Can we go back to the mansion before answering your questions? My heart is still racing.
When I grabbed the dress near the heart and pulled it off, Edward grimaced:
– You do understand that the most terrible person is you, Countess?
Rubbing my cheek, I looked at Edward.
But she couldn't refute his words.
Countess Edina, who I became, had blue-black hair, shimmering like a starry sky, and strange black-blue eyes.
Even if the Countess stood with an impassive expression on her face, it seemed that she could kill with her gaze. A beauty with an incredible bloodthirsty aura.
If you look into her face, you will be so fascinated that you will lose your mind. Therefore, Countess Edina was called a She – devil.
'It's funny how the authors distribute beauty between the characters. As the main villain of the novel – she has the most attractive appearance.'
– It was painful. You're cruel.
– Didn't you choose me because you like my honesty?
'Selected… Rather, it was an attempt to escape, rather than a conscious hiring.'
I met Edward almost immediately after the rebirth.
Back then, while on a business trip to the Kingdom of Elot, it was not easy for me, but Edward, who happened to be in the Kingdom of Elot at that time, helped me settle all legal disputes.
It was amazing. Therefore, I immediately offered him the position of my assistant.
It was impossible to convey my surprise when I later found out that Edward was a famous genius of the Imperial Academy.
'After all, I have a sharp eye...
As the main villain, I need an assistant who will freely point out my behavior that goes beyond common sense.
And Edward is perfect for this role.'
– Anyway, if it wasn't for your fine work, you'd be dead right now. Is that clear? – making a threatening expression on my face, I ran my thumb near my neck.
Seeing this, Edward sighed, covering his face with his palm:
– Countess, please... please be more cultured. I didn't know that the Countess was really different. To everyone outside, you are a person with a worldwide evil name…
'It's a very strange situation, isn't it? A modest but worthy villain.
All the people who support me the most, including Edward, are new talents that I have found.
Countess Edina was an orphan who had neither brothers nor sisters, nor any family, so there was no one to notice the changes in her character.
So most of the time I just didn't know what my «real» personality should be…'
– It's fun! I think the role of the villain matches my appearance. In any case, no matter what crazy things I have done, no one will tell me anything.
'That's because in this world, Countess Edina is known as a crazy bitch.'
– The words "corresponds to appearance" are usually appropriate when a person's personality is similar to his appearance, however ... – having said this, Edward suddenly jerked his chin and, looking at me, shrugged his shoulders. – If you continue to improve your game, it will match your "appearance".
I laughed at the way Edward backed me up.
'Here it is, a villainous appearance!'
*****
What kind of crime did I commit in my past life that I turned out to be a villain in a novel?
My only fault was that I worked very hard. Yes, of course, I loaded my subordinates with work very much, but why should I live someone else's life?!
Countess Edina, whom I became, was the richest person in the Empire, and at the age of 22 had all sorts of dirty vices and a bunch of dark deals.
I won't hide that I was upset. It's because in my previous life I wanted to become rich.
All the memories of the life of the "real" life of Countess Edina remained in her body.
Edina's memories were perceived by me as my own, so if I wanted to remember something, the necessary fragment immediately popped up in my head.
Thanks to this, it was not difficult to adapt to the world of the novel.
Besides, I had the opportunity to make Countess Edina's fortune even bigger.
But my main problem was this…
The ruling family of the LaMadinus Empire had a secret that they kept from generation to generation.
The fact is that their "hearts" were created from magical power.
The «hearts» possessed by members of the Imperial Family had high natural regeneration abilities, so they were not easy to kill, even if seriously injured.
In addition, they did not get sick, could not get infected with infectious diseases, they were much stronger than ordinary people in physical strength and almost did not get tired.
Their heart had magic power equivalent to the power of 100 magic stones, and if a large fireball could be created from the 1st magic stone, then 100 magic stones were enough to blow up a large city.
Magic stones were used not only as weapons, but also for making magic items, and as an aid in treatment, so they were of great value to people.
However, this excessive force was dangerous for the growing children of the Imperial Family.
Therefore, the older members of the Imperial Family took out their "heart" and kept it until the children became adults.
In the original novel, the plot of which I remembered, Lirien's heart was hidden in the tomb of his mother, Empress Paisli.
However, even as an adult, Lirien did not find his "heart", so he was treated as a member of the Imperial Family only half.
Lirien resigned himself and waited for the right moment to take revenge on Viscount Winston.
Only 3 years ago his heart was stolen by Countess Edina, the villain of this novel.
Lirien's situation became ridiculous.
After all, the 22– year– old villain, Countess Edina, stole the heart of the 18– year–old protagonist, Lirien.
I do not know what Edina was thinking when she decided to steal someone else's heart.
Looking through Edina's memory, I found out that the information about his whereabouts came from someone from the West, and even the Countess herself did not know who provided the information.
The stolen «heart» was almost immediately sold directly to the Kingdom of Verody, receiving a large sum of money.
That's just in the original, all the people involved in this were caught and executed.
'Heck. I became a woman destined to be executed.
But I won't let myself get to that.
Life is a path along which Fate follows you exactly,' – repeating these words like a spell, I was shocked by the words of the doctor:
– No injuries? – not believing it, I asked again.
Perhaps because of my intimidating appearance or bad blood fame, the healer was scared and shrugged his shoulders:
– Uh, that's right. I-is just a wound on the forehead.
'The wound on my forehead from my blow,' – pressing my clenched fingers into a fist, I coughed in embarrassment.
After looking at me, the healer waited for a wave of my hand and, taking his chest, left the room.
After the maids in the room were also released, I was left alone with the victim.
I looked at the handsome man lying on the bed with a confused look.
'The main character, Lirien, was pursued by Viscount Winston.
Besides, it seems he was hit on the head before me,' – I remembered how the Prince woke up holding his head and complaining of pain.
[– As I thought, I was not mistaken... Countess Edina, what are you up to?]
'That's what he said as soon as he saw me.
Does he remember that I treated him earlier? It seemed to me that then he was not able to understand who was in front of him.
Even if I hadn't saved Lirien, my problems wouldn't be any less, even now they're breathing down my neck…
He must not find out that the criminal who stole his «heart» is Countess Edina.'
– I had to leave everything as it is.
'He wasn't dying.'
– It's just... I should have just left."
– Damn it!
I was extremely surprised to suddenly hear someone else's voice.
It was Lirien who stood up again, touching his forehead.
The man looked around, trying to comprehend what was happening, and then stared at me with an extremely dissatisfied look.
'That's all.'
Lirien had a graceful beauty, like the beauty of a lonely lily. In addition, he was surrounded by a radiant and noble aura, suitable only for an angel.
I froze in amazement, thinking that I wanted to cry from the desire of the «real» Edina to mercilessly kill this beautiful man with a noble aura.
'What an... amazing feeling of cruelty.'
For a while I was fascinated by the beauty of Prince Lirien.
– I do not understand why you first arrange attempts on me, and now you are doing me this ridiculous service.
– Since I have rendered you this service, maybe you can soften your attitude to what happened earlier?
It was about the attempts that the "real" Countess Edina had previously made.
From my question, the hand with which Lirien was rubbing his forehead froze, and he looked at me with a strange expression on his face:
– Did you eat something wrong?
'Ha-ha. It's funny, even if I think about it myself.
But I didn't commit all the «attempts». So why should I pay for the crimes committed by Countess Edina?!'