Villainess Wants to Live Freely Sophia POV

http://ncode.syosetu.com/n5260fe/93/

 

It was the day after Rose-chan had been kidnapped, and I had no idea what was going on.

[Sophia]: “Rose-chan isn’t here yet. Strange……”

[???]: “Sophia-sama, I never saw Roselia-sama’s butler or maid come to school today. Perchance Roselia-sama will be absent today as well.”

was what my maid Lina said to me.

[Sophia]: “Oh my, I wonder what the matter is.”

It isn’t like Rose-chan has never missed school before now, but she has always been an upright child and diligently informed me if she were to be gone in case I ever wanted to invite her out for tea. Something must have happened if I haven’t received any word from her.

[Lina]: “Maybe she caught a cold? But, then her maid would have come to inform you……”

As I was starting to get worried I discovered some of Rose-chan’s classmates.

[Sophia]: “Lina, those people over there.”

[Lina]: “Understood.”

Lina walked over and brought back some of the classmates Rose-chan had gotten close to. Lucas-sama, Julius-sama, and Anri-sama.

[Julius]: “How do you do Sophia-sama? Was there something you needed?”

The first one to say anything was Julius-sama, a friend I have known since I was young.

[Sophia]: “It’s good to see you Julius-sama. I wanted to ask if any of you had happened to hear from Rose-chan today.”

[Anri]: “…..you don’t know anything either Sophia-sama?”

Anri-sama answered back with a glum look.

[Sophia]: “What do you mean?”

[Anri]: “We don’t know the reason, but for some reason Rose-sama is absent today.”

[Sophia]: “Is it a cold? But….. An issue with her house……”

[Julius]: “Our homeroom teacher doesn’t seem to know about it either, so it’s impossible to say for sure. On that note, it’s strange that Prince Eric’s guard Rudolph is absent as well. It doesn’t look like Prince Eric knows anything about it either though. Well, if he does he doesn’t seem to be letting it bother him since he’s letting Erina stick to his side like any other day.”

Julius-sama is always smiling and carries an aura around him that makes him seem easy to get along with. Even now he’s laughing, but that jovial nature isn’t making its way to his eyes, and he seems angry.
Julius-sama has had a handsome face ever since we were small. He has been popular with girls of all ages for as long as I can remember, and that has only become more true as we got older.
Since becoming Will-sama’s fiancee and starting my queen education, I haven’t been able to see Julius-sama that much. That’s why even though I’ve known him for such a long time, this is still the first time I’ve ever seen him like this.

[Lou]: “That woman is really annoying.”

Lucas-sama was grumbling under his breath. I always see him being quite talkative when he’s together with Rose-chan, but I never see him really say anything to anyone else otherwise. Rose-chan will sometimes bring him along when we have a tea party together, but Lucas-sama barely says a word.

[Sophia]: “Is there something going on with Erina-sama?”

Erina-sama is a problem child, so she might be trying something once again.

[Erina]: “My~, isn’t that Julius-sama and Lucas-sama~? So you were in a place like this~”

Speak of the devil, and she appears.
Anri-sama wrinkled her nose at her as Erina-sama acted like she couldn’t see either of us.

[Julius]: “Miss Erina, you really should be greeting Sophia-sama before either of us.”

Julius-sama softly admonished Erina-sama, not that it was going to do any good.

[Erina]: “Eh~? Oh, you’re right~! I didn’t notice them at all~. How do you do Sophia-sama, Anri-sama”

[Anri]: “How can you speak to Sophia-sama like that!?”

[Erina]: “Hmm, noisy~. Please don’t look at me all scarily like that~. Oh! I’ll tell you something nice~”

[Sophia]: “……what is it?”

[Erina]: “Roselia-sama won’t be coming to school anymore~ Or so I heard~”

Erina-sama looked like she was trying to remain expressionless as she said something incomprehensible, but the corners of her mouth were stretched upwards ever-so-slightly.

[Sophia]: “What, is that supposed to mean? Why do you say that? If you know something, please tell me.”

[Erina]: “It’s because I’m the heroine~ That’s why I just know~ Roselia-sama won’t be coming to school anymore~”

I don’t understand what this ‘heroine’ thing is that she’s calling herself, and I have even less idea what her being one has to do with Rose-chan no longer coming to school.

[Lou]: “What you call a heroine, other people call a headache.”

Lucas-sama has a cute face and is a little younger than the rest of us, but he also has a sharp tongue I am sure would cut me through the heart if it was ever turned my way.

[Erina]: “I really am the heroine~ And the heroine is destined to be loved by everyone~ So Roselia-sama should be punished for getting in the way of that~”

Now I really don’t get what this child is saying. I don’t understand, but there is one part that did come clearly across. Rose-chan needs to be punished? Why would the serious, clever, and compassionate Rose-chan deserve that though?

[Sophia]: “I think you have misunderstood something? Rose-chan is a lovely girl.”

 

[Erina]: “I wish that woman would just disappear.”

 

Just as I was wondering why her head and dropped down towards the floor, she started grumbling something under her breath that I couldn’t quite make out.
It was the same for Julius-sama and the others gathered around, so we were left watching puzzled at Erina-sama’s sudden change in mood.

Chapter 77 ⊥ Sophia POV 2