The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix's Novels Also Desires Happiness Chapter 567: A Kindhearted Passerby

"I want to eat steak."

"Hah?"

"I said, I want to eat steak."

In the reception hall of House Dion, Viel propped her chin up with both hands and spoke with a straight face.

"In fact, I have a disease where I’ll die if I don’t get to eat steak. So, Marquis Sharp, in order to prevent the tragedy of an envoy sent by Her Highness the Princess dying in your manor, please give steak."

"..."

Sharp looked slightly puzzled as he seriously sized Viel up again, trying to confirm what kind of approach she was using now.

But Viel just blinked her innocent, puling-puling big eyes, patted the table, and kept yelling that she wanted steak.

She looked extrely weak, pitiful, and... able to eat.

"Go notify the kitchen. Make her a serving."

At last, Sharp gave up on thinking. He waved a hand and instructed the servant at his side.

"Yes."

The refined servant responded respectfully.

"Rember, I want it well-done!"

Viel suddenly raised a hand like an elentary school student answering a question.

"Not even a little streak of blood."

"Understood."

The servant replied again.

"And it has to be paired with red wine from Grotte Winery. If it isn’t from that winery, I cough when I drink it."

"...Understood."

The servant bent again for the third ti. "We happen to have wine from Grotte Winery. We will certainly satisfy Miss Viel."

"And also, the beef has to be the top-grade backstrap from Southern Kerr Ranch, the spices have to co from the Kingdom’s Mors Valley, and the tableware has to be the sa model as the royal family’s..."

After Viel chattered on and on, listing a long string of rare things that even the Empire’s top nobles rarely enjoyed in daily life, the servant finally couldn’t hold up anymore. Cold sweat seeped from his forehead as he looked at Sharp for help.

"Bring out the best things in the manor. Don’t mind what she said..."

Sharp’s cheek twitched as well. Marveling at the thickness of Viel’s skin, he said helplessly, "Use whatever you have."

"Yes."

As if granted amnesty, the servant gave a salute and quickly left the hall, seeming afraid Viel might make even more outrageous demands.

"How excessive."

Viel puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"You won’t even satisfy this tiny little request of mine. Is this really how you treat a guest?"

"Heh. If we truly had to satisfy all of Miss Viel’s ‘small’ requests, I’m afraid you wouldn’t be eating that steak until tomorrow morning."

Sharp sneered.

"Oh? So as long as it’s tomorrow morning, I can eat it?"

Viel blinked in surprise.

"I once asked the best restaurant in the Upper City. They said even if they pooled everything together, they’d need a full three days. But you only need one night. House Dion is really amazing!"

"..."

Sharp’s expression abruptly stiffened as he realized he had seemingly misspoken.

Damn it. He actually got led into revealing information by a little girl?

And you still claim you’re only here to apologize?

Sharp took a deep breath. That slip was quickly erased by his self-cultivation. After reorganizing his words, he stared seriously at Viel and slowly asked, "I don’t want to take too many detours. Speak. Miss Viel, with you making such a fuss, what is your real purpose?"

"What purpose could I have?"

Viel cupped her cheeks and spoke cutely.

"I’m just an ignorant girl following President around. What bad intentions could I possibly have?"

"That’s exactly the problem!"

Sharp slamd the table, his voice deep with anger.

"What on earth is that princess playing at? Even if she’s noble, she can’t harass House Dion for no reason! House Dion is, after all, one of the Empire’s prominent—"

"Harass?"

Viel leaned in, putting on an exaggeratedly surprised look.

"That’s a great word. If you count it strictly, President has only co to visit once, right? And this ti she even sent to apologize. That should fall within normal social interaction. How could it be called harassnt?"

As she spoke, Viel suddenly clapped her hands, realization dawning.

"Or is it that... you think you have sothing worth President harassing you over?"

"Nonsense!"

Sharp sprang to his feet and barked, "House Dion has acted in a low-profile manner all these years. We’ve almost faded out of the Empire’s political field of vision. What could we possibly have that’s worth Her Highness Princess Celicia pestering us over? I think it’s Princess Celicia maliciously targeting House Dion, otherwise she wouldn’t—"

"Aiya, aiya, don’t be angry. I was only saying it. Why would President maliciously target you? Look, didn’t she have deliver gifts?"

Viel spread her hands, looking even more innocent.

"Marquis, you also need evidence when you speak."

"You!"

Sharp choked with anger. He never expected this tagalong who always followed Princess Celicia to be such a young-looking girl, yet the way she spoke and did things was as sticky and hard to deal with as so greasy middle-aged rogue.

"Forget it. I won’t stoop to your level. I still have matters to handle. Stay if you want, eat if you want!"

Since he couldn’t do anything to her anyway, he might as well keep her here, serving her well with food and drink, as long as it didn’t affect—

"Okay, okay!"

Viel looked a little excited. "Marquis, go busy yourself. Just let stay here alone."

"Hm?"

Sharp, who was about to leave, abruptly turned his head back.

"What did you say?"

"Eh? Did I say sothing wrong?"

Viel covered her mouth. Her dark eyes spun around a few tis, then she smiled and waved her hands, explaining, "What I ant is, Marquis, you’re swamped with affairs. I won’t bother you. Just go handle your business."

"I’m letting you stay here alone, and you seem very happy?"

Sharp narrowed his eyes.

"Am I?"

Viel said in surprise. "Marquis, did you see wrong? Ma... if you’re not at ease, you can find two more people to keep company, too. I don’t mind at all!"

"..."

Sharp fell silent. He stared at Viel’s harmless little stead-bun face and sank into thought.

Normally, dealing with this kind of dog-skin plaster, he could just assign a few people to keep an eye on her. This was House Dion—surely she wouldn’t dare play any tricks.

But now... Princess Celicia kept pestering them, and the reason she was watching this side was unclear, yet it was already enough to make one vigilant—especially at this critical ti... and she’d sent over such a troubleso person.

Could it be that...

"I was discourteous."

Sharp rubbed his face and suddenly returned to that refined, composed manner. Then he turned back and sat down again in front of Viel.

"How could I abandon a guest and leave on my own? My earlier behavior truly disgraced House Dion’s na. I sincerely apologize."

"Eh? You’re not going to be busy? Didn’t you say there was sothing important..."

"No matter how important it is, how could it compare to dining together with an honored guest like Miss Viel?"

Sharp smiled.

"Although our conversation just now wasn’t very pleasant, Miss Viel wouldn’t mind , right? I believe Her Highness the Princess also very much hopes we can get along harmoniously, doesn’t she?"

"...O-Of course I don’t mind. How could I possibly mind Marquis?"

Viel forced a smile.

"I can’t wait for Marquis to keep company a bit more."

"Is that so? Good."

Seeing that smile that looked practically squeezed out, Sharp beca even more certain of his guess. He clapped his hands to summon a servant, signaling him to prepare another dinner.

"Then, I hope we can spend a wonderful night, Miss Viel."

"..."

......

......

"What exactly is inside?"

The more °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° carefully Butler Arno examined these carriages, the more curious he beca.

The carriages were black, without any markings, yet sealed up tightly. From the outside alone, it was truly hard to guess what valuable items were inside.

"With carriages this big, could it be the princess sent beauties for the marquis?"

A subordinate joked.

"Get lost. Do you think Her Highness the Princess is as vulgar as you? The marquis has seen every kind of beauty. Would she specifically send him beauties?"

Another subordinate rubbed his hands.

"If you ask , it’s definitely all gold and silver treasures!"

"Fuck you, you’re the vulgar one. If it’s all gold and silver, with carriages this big, how much would it be? It’d be more than enough to buy the entire marquis’s manor!"

"Hmph. That’s Her Highness the Princess. What if she really is that extravagant when she makes a move?"

"Even if she is, it won’t be your turn—"

"Enough!"

The butler couldn’t stand it anymore and cut them off.

"Now isn’t the ti for you to bicker. Move it, all of you. If the marquis finds out, he’ll knock every bone in your body to pieces, one by one!"

"U-Understood."

"Hmph. A bunch of idiots."

After lecturing his stupid subordinates, Butler Arno paced slowly in front of the carriages. Suppressing the anticipation in his heart, he reached out and knocked on the carriage compartnt.

Cold tal. A dull sound.

That made him even more excited. He practically couldn’t stop his imagination.

What was it? Beauties? Or treasure?

Sothing sent by the princess couldn’t possibly be ordinary.

Thinking that, the butler unconsciously pressed his head against the carriage.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

In the quiet, he heard that kind of strange sound.

Ah, so it’s precious antique clocks?

Haha. With that sound, there must be quite a few antique clocks sent over. Her Highness the Princess is truly thoughtful.

The butler showed an enlightened smile, but cold sweat seeped from his forehead.

"You."

He straightened up and called over those subordinates who had just brought the tools.

"Hm? What is it, Lord Arno?"

"You open it."

"Eh? Us?"

Several subordinates looked delighted. After all, being the first to admire treasures sent by the princess was an extraordinary honor to them.

"Stop the nonsense. Hurry."

As he watched those subordinates happily take the tools and begin prying open a carriage compartnt that was sealed tight despite being a “gift,” the butler wiped sweat from his face, turned around, and without hesitation... sprinted.

"Ah, it’s open!"

Along with a crisp click and excited shouts, the sturdy carriage compartnt was finally pried open.

They peered inside with anticipation.

But what appeared in their sight was neither a pitiful beauty hiding inside the carriage, nor expensive treasure worth a fortune.

It was...

Rolling, rolling...

One round tal object after another.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

That faint, crisp, urgent sound—after the compartnt opened—finally fell clearly into their ears.

And it was also at this mont that those sounds abruptly stopped all at once.

Then...

Boom!

A blazing light swallowed everything.

......

......

"Huff... huff... damn it..."

After the rumbling explosion and the brightness that dyed half the sky finally dispersed, the butler panted heavily and struggled up from the ground.

Even though he had reacted imdiately and fled extrely fast, the explosion still ended up affecting him, blasting him at least dozens of ters away.

Fortunately, he had so cultivation. Otherwise, in that terrifying explosion just now, he would have turned to dust in the firelight like his subordinates.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it... That princess actually used alchemy bombs to attack the marquis’s manor. Is she insane?"

The butler still couldn’t believe what had just happened. This was Berland. This was the Upper City. To carry out such a blatant terror attack, and the target was even a marquis’s manor—if this matter got reported upward, even a princess would absolutely have to give an explanation!

"I have to notify the marquis as quickly as possible... no, with such a commotion, the marquis should already know."

The butler shook his still-dizzy head and looked around with difficulty.

After the explosion, the entire marquis’s manor was already in chaos. There were terrified screams and shocked cries everywhere.

Shouts of "It’s on fire, put it out!" temporarily overwheld the noise. The butler saw a large number of servants and guards rushing this way at high speed, and various magic lights were already beginning to flicker.

"N-No. Even if I don’t notify the marquis, I still have to go command the follow-up."

Even knowing he had already suffered a not-light injury, the butler wobbled and forced himself to prop his body up.

He knew well the temperant that Marquis Sharp hid beneath that refined exterior—nearly the sa as his father’s. And so he was extrely clear that in this kind of situation, he had to appear on the front line. Even if it was acting, he had to act like he was working diligently.

Otherwise...

"Hello. Do you need help?"

Just as the butler was still struggling to get up in a sorry state, he suddenly heard an incomparably gentle voice.

He lifted his head in a daze. In the dust and smoke that was gradually dispersing, he saw that figure.

It was a young girl in a black dress.

She didn’t look very old. Her appearance was quite ordinary, but on that freckled face was a gentle, sweet smile.

Looking at that smile, the butler’s heart—still full of fear and panic—cald down at once, like he was bathed in warm sunlight.

However, seeing a strange girl in the manor at a ti like this, the butler still kept the caution he should have.

"Y-You... who are you?"

"? I serve—ah, no."

The girl smiled gently.

"Tonight, I’m only an ordinary kindhearted passerby, that’s all."

She extended her slender hand.

"Poor sir who is being entangled by troubles and suffering—do you need help from an ordinary kindhearted passerby like ?"

"Help..."

The butler murmured blankly. Beneath that increasingly gentle, sweet, light-filled smile, he seed about to receive salvation. His vigilance gradually dissipated.

"Yes. I need help. I need—"

Thud.

Suddenly, a dull sound snapped the butler awake.

He followed the sound and slowly lowered his head.

Then he saw...

From beneath this ordinary kindhearted passerby’s skirt hem, sothing had accidentally fallen to the ground.

A teor hamr.

Its sharp spikes highlighted a savage beauty. Its tallic sheen reflected a chilling, captivating glimr. And from the fact that it could smash a clear pit in the ground just by falling from that height, one could tell what astonishing weight that teor hamr carried.

"Ah, sorry. That was a bit careless of ."

The girl picked up the teor hamr—sothing even an adult might struggle to lift—and lightly swung it in her hand like a toy. After it made a sound like dry thunder tearing through the air, she still smiled sweetly.

"But as an ordinary kindhearted passerby, accidentally dropping a teor hamr from under my skirt is also very normal, right?"