A Villainess Should Be Strong

"It is called the [Destruction Magic],"

Because of their several interactions that happened recently, Estelle felt like she could share this type of information with Aleksei. Either way, it wouldn't hurt her.

"Destruction?" Aleksei furrowed his brows as he hadn't heard of the thing at all.

"Yes. It's an unknown element. It's complicated, but basically.. I have to purge that element out of my body, or else I will keep having rejective effects," Estelle sighed, loathing the experiences she had been through in the past that led her to this state.

"Ah.. I see," Aleksei nodded slowly, acknowledging Estelle's dilemmas. "Then, how much do you know about this magic?"

"Not much, but I've encountered it directly for.. quite some times," Estelle waved her hand in the air. "It's not recorded in any books," Estelle added.

Actually, she had read some books that documented the Underworld Royals' 'special powers', but she didn't find any substantial information that could turn the tables.

For example, a weakness to the magic.

But if Estelle though rationally, she found it to be obvious that the weakness wasn't going to be displayed. If people tried to use it in the wrong way, exactly what would happen?

Thinking of the Underworld, Estelle began to wonder how much stronger Arayle has gotten. The time flow was different in there.

However, Estelle also knew that time did not exactly boost one's progress in a straightforward manner.

Guidance was essential. Without proper guidance, she would also get stuck and would have to ponder upon her dilemma for a long time. Knowing that, and how Arayle was supposedly the strongest person in the Underworld, Estelle doubted that she got a lot stronger from when she last saw the girl.

Being the strongest was great and all, but your progress would be extremely stumped because you have to trespass into another realm of strength by yourself. Because there are no written knowledge or passed down ones about a level stronger than yourself, you have to be the one to create it.

Although, to Estelle, Elias seemed a lot stronger. And craftier. The two despicable people, excluding Kalis and Yion who did not do that much of a lethal ploy.

"Hmm," Aleksei hummed meaningfully as he returned his gaze to the road.

They continued their walk, sometimes engaging in small talk and Aleksei offering up his support for Estelle's victory against Neil.

Within no longer than five minutes, they were already standing in front of the Queen's chambers, which was their destination.

"Well.. shall we enter now?" Aleksei asked.

"Yes, please," Estelle nodded.

Walking up a staircase, they arrived to the room Shirley was currently in.

The two got in through security checks with ease because of Aleksei's irrefutable position. Although he was not an active official in the kingdom, he had to be respected to a high degree because of his achievements and accomplishments.

Two guards were standing in front of the large door that barricaded Shirley's room.

The guards eyes Aleksei, noticing his status as the Queen's sibling.

"Hello there. I am here to see my sister," Aleksei explained to the room's guards.

The guards' face looked quite troubled by Aleksei's request, but upon receiving a strict gaze from the man, they quickly nodded and gave way to the two people.

"Please be wary. The Queen is not on her best state right now," One of the guards spoke up, bowing his head as he and the other guard held the door handle, preparing to open it.

Aleksei and Estelle looked at each other, raising a brow at the guard's warning.

"Announcing the arrival of Prince Aleksei!" The guards simultaneously spoke in harmony, their volume loud enough to ring through the entire corridor.

The door was pried apart, and they got to walk in, intruding on Shirley's space.

Shirley entered their sights. She was clad in loose satin robes, with a wine glass in hand as she laid against her working table in an unspeakable position.

"...Ao," Shirley lazily looked at the two, grabbing her wine bottle at hand and pouring more liquid into the glass.

She confidently drunk the liquid, which emanated a pungent smell. Swallowing it down her throat, she faced the two newcomers.

"Sister, I thought that you were doing your official duties. What is with you right now?" Aleksei chuckled as he approached Shirley, supporting her from collapsing when she tried to reach out to them.

"I just felt like drinking... You of all people should know that.. everything is so stressful nowadays," Shirley complained. "Haah, forget it. What do you two want?"

Despite being tipsy, Shirley was able to keep a straight mind and converse properly.

"We are here to seek Neil out. Where might he be?" Estelle took the opportunity to ask.

"Neil is... outside..? I think. You know whaaat? I will call him for you.. it's a favor from me,"  Shirley yawned carelessly as she stretched and got off her bed. She went straight to the windows and opened them.

"Hehe," Shirley giggled, placing her hands on the window frame as she took a deep breath.

"NEILLLLLL!!!!!!" She shouted in a shrill voice, causing Aleksei and Estelle, who were standing nearby to close their ears in order to prevent excessive damage.

Shirley shouted three times more before turning her head around and smiling at the two.

Estelle blinked repeatedly at the Queen's unexpected attitude.

"There... I called him for you guys. He should come... I, want to sleep now.." Shirley staggered off to her bed once more.

"I did you two a favorrrr, soo? Aleksei.. do my papers, or else???" Shirley wanted to point at Aleksei, but unfortunately being drunk ruined her aim, so she pointed at nothing but thin air.

"Or else what, sister?" Aleksei suppressed his laughter.

It had been a while since she saw Shirley being this dead drunk. It was quite a funny sight, no matter how many times he had seen it. Every time was just like the first time, shocking and interesting.

"Or else.. I will, I will.. steal your stuff," Shirley grinned dazedly.

"Ao, that is a crime, sister," Aleksei laid Shirley down gently on her bed, arranging her in the right posture before tucking in the sheer blankets.

"I.. don't care," Shirley pouted before losing consciousness, defeated by her dizzy state.

Aleksei sat on the bed, looking at Estelle who was unsure on how to react to the matter.

"That's how it is," Aleksei finally laughed after Shirley was confirmed to be dead asleep.

"..I didn't expect that kind of side from the Queen," Estelle shrugged awkwardly.

"...Her work has been multiplying recently. New problems arose at the borders with people who are trying to start conflict. One of the secluded village near the dividing line was attacked and burned down to ashes, and the reconciliation for that is pretty troublesome. The attackers launched threats and took over that specific area, and there are some hostages held by them too,"

"Hm? Why haven't I heard of this?" Estelle tilted her head. "Shouldn't this be a big deal?"

Since she was loitering around the palace, Estelle expected to have learned of this kind of messy news.

"It's precisely because it's a big deal.. the public news were suppressed. We are trying to keep it under the table, but.. that doesn't prevent some sneaky groups of people to purposefully spread this disaster around," Aleksei's gaze turned cold as he remembered 'those people'.

"Those who aren't exactly in favor of the government, no matter what reason they have," he added.contemporary romance

"Why would it be suppressed though? Isn't publicity important to increase their wariness?"

"The problem isn't the matter being exposed to the public, it's how good we solve it," Aleksei sighed. "How fast, efficient, and tidy we tie up the matter will be seen by the mass. And considering how much trust is put into the Royal Palace, we have to perform without mistakes. It's a risky project. Suppressing it will at least give us some extra time to solve this dilemma and make proper actions to combat it,"

This was when Estelle started to see differences between the monarchy held by Alynthi and Alfheim, and how it differed more from the descriptions inside books.

In Alynthi, even if the King made mistakes, no one could shake the throne without an entire revolution because he was the rightful ruler and democracy wasn't necessarily implemented.

However, in Alfheim, people's trust depended a lot on their beliefs in the Royals' supremacy. If the Royals failed to fulfill the expectations, naturally the people's faith would decrease and result in a mess.

With this kind of national security breach, the 'insecurity' that would bloom inside the people's hearts could threaten a lot of things, endangering the structure they have built over the generations.

She pursed her lips as she thought about her previous nations, and even wondered what the other nations' situation would be. How well they were doing in terms of development.

Unlike Earth, this world wasn't necessarily tight in terms of international communications. They were mostly private about their matters.

done.co