Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 42

Chapter 42: Armor, Etiquette, and Royal Overreactions

I was munching on cookies and flipping through a picture book, clearly enjoying the moment like a retired noble on vacation.

"Princess... Would you like to go for a walk?" Nanny said gently.

"Hmm..." I looked up, crumbs on my cheek.

"The weather is nice today," she added with a smile.

I stood up dramatically. "Really?"

Nanny nodded, and then Marella popped into the room like a cheerful puppy. "How about we play ball, my princess?"

I chuckled. Marella was always excited whenever games were involved.

"Alright, let’s have fun!" I raised both my hands up in excitement.

***

AT THE PALACE GARDEN

"C’mon... let’s go!" I tugged on Osric’s hand like a determined merchant trying to sell a slightly broken magic lamp. Osric, who was now nine and somehow built like a baby bear, didn’t budge.

"Let’s play, Osric!"

But he didn’t move an inch.

Seriously? What does he eat? Iron?

His feet stayed planted, facing the palace’s east wing. "Lavi... I can’t. I have sword lessons with Master Leto—he said if I’m late again, he’ll make me polish armor for a week!"

Before I could even respond with a dramatic gasp or a bribe of cookies, he dashed off like a soldier fleeing laundry duty.

I stood there.

Betrayed. Abandoned. Alone in the battlefield of fun.

"...Hmph." I puffed my cheeks and glared down at the ball in my arms. "Fine then. I’ll play without you!" I yelled after him.

I bet this is how it starts. First he abandons me at nine; next he abandons me in the future, like in the novel.

Nanny patted my head gently. "It’s okay, Princess. We can play with you."

I nodded with the dignity of a tiny queen and dropped the ball like I was starting a war. I gave it a noble kick toward Marella.

Of course, that traitor ball bounced, spun mid-air like it had a mind of its own, and veered off in the opposite direction. What did I ever do to deserve this betrayal?

I stood still, wind dramatically blowing through my hair like I was in some tragic opera. "What luck," I muttered.

Marella panicked. "It’s okay, Princess, I’ll get the ball—"

"No!" I raised a hand like a knight swearing an oath. "I shall retrieve the ball myself! Since I am the one who kicked it."

I waddled off like a determined duck, muttering under my breath. "Where did that traitorous ball go...? Ugh, I’m never trusting rubber again."

And then—I spotted it. Near a tree. "Aha! Found you!"

I lunged, but the ball slipped away again. "Seriously?! Are you enchanted or just rude?!"

I chased after it, my short legs moving as fast as they could. But before I could catch it, a tall shadow stretched across the sunlight like a dramatic curtain drop.

The ball rolled to a stop beside a pair of very serious, very polished dark boots.

I looked up. Waaay up.

Ravick.

He was holding the ball now, his gloved hand making it look like a squishy grape in a bear’s paw. "Here you go, Princess," he said, his voice deep and calm.

I blinked at him. It was the first time seeing him this close. His silver armor gleamed, very knightly, very intimidating—but his face wasn’t scary or cold. Just quiet. Kind, even.

I smiled. "Thank you."

He blinked, then nodded, returning a tiny, shy smile. A very rare species of smile. He then turned to leave.

"Wait!" I reached out without thinking, grabbing the edge of his cloak. It was warm and heavy and felt like...safety.

He paused, turned around, and knelt down to my level like a proper storybook hero. "What is it, Princess?"

Wow... this man is so handsome.

"Would you like to play with me?" I asked.

He tilted his head slightly, raising a brow. "Play?"

"With the ball," I said quickly, holding it up with both hands like an offering. "Just for a little bit! I’m bored alone."

Ravick stared at me, quiet. Was he going to say no too?

"...Alright," he said at last, with a single nod.

I blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, Princess."

He stood tall like a tower, and I grinned so wide my cheeks hurt. "Yay!"

And then, we walked to where Nanny and Marella were.

"Oh, Lord Ravick?" Marella gasped, and both Nanny and Marella bowed, saying, "We greet Lord Ravick."

He nodded and then...

"Alright, let’s play," I said with lots of excitement.

Without waiting, I ran a few steps ahead and placed the ball down. "Okay! You have to stand over there! No—more to the left. No, no! That’s too much! Back a little. Yes! There!"

He followed all my instructions with that same quiet expression, never questioning me once. When he was finally in position, I gave the ball a gentle kick. It rolled toward him.

He stopped it with his foot.

"Now you kick it back!"

Ravick hesitated. "But I don’t want to hurt you by accident, princess."

I put my fists on my hips. "I’m not that small!"

"You are," he said, the corner of his mouth twitching. "But I’ll be careful."

His kick was so soft, the ball barely made it halfway before stopping.

Woah. Look at that—the scary knight laughed. Freely!

That was his charm. Quiet, serious, but so very there.

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