A Villainess Should Be Strong

Shirley, Aleksei, Frey, and another person she wasn't familiar with was sitting down on a round table, with Neil standing by their side.

One chair was empty. The chair assigned to her.

From just a glance, she could tell that the conference was filled with important people, especially considering the area they were in right now.

With all of their eyes set on Estelle, Shirley was the first one to break the impending silence.

"..Come here and sit down," Shirley said.

Estelle did as she said and walked towards the chair, sitting down with ease.

Shirley raised her cup of tea, sipping the liquid as she stared at Estelle. "Have you been doing well?"

Despite her inner monologues, Estelle was still her grandniece. Shirley did not plan to be completely ignorant of the girl, but it couldn't be refuted that she was a little bit unwelcoming to her due to the impressions she had been making.

"I am doing well. I have completed Neil's first challenge.. Although there will be more to come," Estelle said.

"Right.. I was told about that yesterday. It was an impossible feat to complete.. huh? I must praise you for surviving the unreasonable guy. For the reason on why you are here.. No, the reason why Neil decided to organize this little party, if I might take a daring guess, then it would be because of you too, hm?" Shirley put back her cup back on top of the saucer, gently placing her hands on top of the table.

"I suppose so," Estelle nodded, her eyes darting towards Neil. "Although, I haven't figured out why he designed this meeting for us,"

Being mentioned, Neil presented himself with a bright smile, as he brought forward plates filled with desserts and small meals. "Before I announce it, why don't we have breakfast first? I'm sure it will help digest the discussion.."

With Neil's words, Estelle grew increasingly confused over what he wanted to say. The tension that he kept going.

Shrugging it off temporarily, Estelle and the rest properly ate the meals served to them and had small talks in between.

However, within it all, the unknown person that had not been introduced to Estelle never spoke a word. It made Estelle uneasy, especially since the person had this strange atmosphere to them that made Estelle not want to approach.

After they finished their meals, Neil and Niki cleaned the table up and came back in a jiffy.

Then, Neil brought back a wooden file with papers stored inside.

"Your Highness, it is time for the daily report," Neil announced.

Shirley's eyes grew sharper as she stared at Neil, who smiled widely in return. Shirley was already beginning to get the gist of what Neil wanted to say.

"Indeed it is. Carry on," Shirley laid back on her chair, closing her eyes as she perked up to listen to the man's words.

"Very well," Neil placed the file gently on the table, gesturing for Shirley to take a look inside.

Shirley cracked her knuckles before opening the file and scanning the contents. She immediately concluded what Neil wanted to suggest.

Neil began to explain his report.

"The northern district is the main source of our troubles nowadays. Milady must already know the weight of all the work that has been piling up in order to solve this matter smoothly.. and yet, it hasn't worked up until now as the chaos is still raging and the opponent won't give in,"

"We have tried many ways, one of them being bargaining. However, the amount they asked was far too much, so we originally wanted to solve with force, but once a fight breaks out, then the chaos would spread even further to the rest of Alfheim,"

He sucked in a sharp breath before continuing.

"Milady, don't you think the chaos in the northern district have been going on for too long?"

Shirley's index finger tapped on the table in a stable rhythm as she leaned her head onto her palm.

"Neil, what do you suggest for this problem?"

"Milady, this might be hard to accept, but why don't we use the assistance of your grandniece?" Neil said.

Shirley's eyes narrowed. She let out a sigh. "I knew that you wanted to do this once you said that you were doing the daily report. It's unlike you to reveal your work to other people,"

"And the answer is..?" Neil questioned.

"No. It's a no for me," Shirley said. "Neil, you of all people should know how risky the extent of this problem is. It's not just rooted withing those intruders, but the source of the problem also concerns the people that opposes me. Any move coming from me would be judged. I am in a tight position, and I can't afford to make any mistakes,"

Shirley had been stressed with all the events that piled up.

"If you think that trusting a little girl on this issue is enough, then I suggest that you take a day off because you clearly aren't thinking with a right mind," Shirley scoffed.

"But that is not all, milady," Neil continued.

Shirley looked at the man with tired eyes.

"What else do you have up your sleeves? To begin with, why do you dislike Estelle so much?"

"No, milady. It is not out of dislike. I am just doing what she told me to do- to test her on her abilities. I am not doing anything out of the bounds, right?"

"Haah. Just tell me what else you have on your mind," Shirley relented.

Neil's eyes darted towards the trio that sat on the other chairs apart from Estelle.

Aleksei, Frey, and another person cloaked in a black hood and a mask with golden embellishments on it.

"It's not going to be just Young Lady Estelle alone that's going to the north. I will also request the assistance of three other people... The ones that are here right now,"

The aforementioned trio did not seemed shocked or taken aback, so Estelle quickly guessed that they have been briefed about this prior to the meeting. On the contrary, Shirley's reaction seemed like she was hearing this news for the first time.

"Milady, I suggest that we send this team there,"

"...Indeed, I would've placed those folks in the end," Shirley responded.

"Milady, didn't your grandniece perform an impossible miracle just yesterday? Don't you think she would be able to perform another one? Why not let the girl go?"

Shirley sighed upon hearing Neil's relentless prodding.

"...Neil, you know me well. I trust you, but I dislike failures,"

To Neil, who has been accompanying Shirley for so many years, he knew that Shirley's words meant that his plan was approved and he was given the permission to carry on with it.

"Please be assured, Your Highness," Neil bowed. "A failure will never be presented to you,"

"Wait, wait, wait. Wait a moment," Estelle raised her hand and cut off Neil and Shirley's continuous back and forth speech.

"Are you objecting to this challenge? I thought you wouldn't have the right to do so, it is something we have agreed upon," Neil taunted.

"No, it's not about whether or not I'm taking up the challenge. I'm talking about the team members. Aleksei and Frey, alright. But you haven't told me who the third person is..?" Estelle stared at the person clad in black.

They had not spoken a single word, nor did they make any moves.

Estelle had been wary of the person all along, and now that the news of them being set on a plan to go together was set, Estelle couldn't help but raise the question up.

"Ao? That person is.. they requested to have their identity be kept secret for the time being. They will reveal themselves to you once they are ready," Neil replied.

"You are telling me to finish this mission with a person I don't even know, have never worked with, and you want there to be no failures?" Estelle raised her brow.

"Are you not confident in taking this challenge up?" Neil smirked.

"I am confident. I just need to know who on Earth is this important person," Estelle pointed at the black-clothed person.

"You do not need to be concerned about me. I will perform my duties well," The person finally spoke up, but the voice that came out of them was strange and altered.

"A voice changer, huh?" Estelle scoffed. "Alright, keep your identity secret, I guess. Is this all you've wanted to tell me? I will be leaving now if that is the case,"

"That is indeed all.. but," Neil halted, making Estelle purse her lips.

"But?"

"The trip to the northern district has been planned. The date of your departure is... today, in about two hours," Neil said.

"Haa?" Estelle frowned, sighing at Neil's outrageous approaches. "Fine, you win! It was my fault for allowing you to make it hard for me," She crossed her arms, feeling wronged.

"Don't hold this against me in the future, alright?" Neil chuckled as he concluded the meeting.