A Villainess Should Be Strong

Upon hearing Estelle's bold words, Shirley's eyes widened ever so slightly, but she then calmed herself down and smirked.

Neil and Niki did not think that Estelle would be that brave either. They were fully prepared to treat this 'royal' with only nothing but the standard treatment.

"So?" Estelle tilted her head, giving them a charming smile full of innocence, as if she hadn't said something completely absurd.

"Great! Very great," Shirley clapped continuously, moving forward to rub Estelle's head one more time.

She had just met this relative of her, but the usually picky Queen had taken an interest in this girl's decisions.

"My dearest grandniece, can you live up to the Villarante name? Are you prepared for it?" Shirley provoked, wanting to test just to what extent Estelle could go.

And of course, her intentions and future plans.

"Please do not fret, I'm not going to involve myself in the royal section. However, as far as good actions and deeds go, I will certainly fulfill them greatly. So that no one will be able to refute my claims," Estelle raised her head up to look at Shirley, not budging a single inch even in face of After reaching the entrance and earning the permission to enter, they stepped inside the palace.

"That's quite the bold claim," Shirley narrowed her eyes.

Even though she displayed a friendly attitude towards this grand niece of hers out of respect for her sister, the fact that she was an Elven royalty remained unchanged. There were some things she couldn't budge upon, and Estelle's statements were part of what she couldn't afford to go easy on. 

"I have confidence in myself. Especially in regards to the Goddess' power," Estelle replied, smiling in angelic manner.

She had learned of the magic apparently only Royal Elves could wield, and it was awkwardly similar to her own Creation Magic.

However, comparing the two would be quite the blasphemy. After all, Estelle's magic, both the past and current Creation Magic were much stronger than what the Elves' powers were depicted to be.

"...Are you sure? Say any more than this and it's going to turn dangerous. If you can't prove yourself, then this is a crime punishable by death according to our laws," Shirley was now quite enraged at Estelle.

Even if Estelle did have the bloodline running through her, proclaiming that she was 'confident' in her Goddess powers was an unwanted statement. 

Shirley also hated it when people insulted her Goddess. She was a devout believe of the Goddess ever since she saw the sacred statue they had inside the memorial temples back when she was a child.

She even dreamed of becoming a priestess just to serve the Goddess wholeheartedly at times. Only, her sister suddenly vanished and she had to step up to the throne.

She couldn't say that she held no grudges at her sister over the things that happened and the chaos she had to handle as the result of it. The only two offspring the previous Queen gave birth to was Silvanna and her. 

Of course, when Silvanna, who has been the most promising candidate for years suddenly went away, everything was thrown into jeopardy. 

At that time, she despised her sister for abandoning her duties and desecrating the Goddess' will. Silvanna had stronger powers than her, and the fact that she just threw everything away was akin to mocking Shirley, who devoted her entire being to the Goddess and yet was still inherently weaker than Silvanna. 

Although, after the chaos subsided, she was able to accept the truth and even started meeting up with this sister of hers. Their sisterhood wasn't all smooth, it was full of rocks. 

Silvanna felt pressured, she didn't like the throne and the responsibility she had to bear if she took the place. She repeatedly voiced out her discomfort, and yet nobody listened because everyone felt like what they forced upon the girl was the right thing to do.

She ended up running away, and Shirley also started to realize why Silvanna hated it so much when she was put in Queen training. 

It was so suffocating. Yet, for the sake of her Moon Goddess, she had to become a great Queen. Lest the entire kingdom fall into a state of power absence.

As people who believed in their 'religion' so much, elves would be deterred if they didn't receive appropriate responses and decisions from the Royals.

They would start to doubt the legitimacy of the throne. 

There were many people who was a devout worshipper for the Moon Goddess, but there were also ones that hated the concept of it, wanting to destroy the 'annoying' setting, as they described it.

Thus, Shirley was the one to overcome all the trials that was pitted against her. To say that she hated this grandniece of hers would be too much of a stretch, but now that Estelle tried to steer off to where she shouldn't be, Shirley was agitated.

"Do not worry, my Queen. I know what I am doing," Estelle saluted Shirley, putting up her peerless facade that would fool any unsuspecting person.

"...Very well," Shirley's smile was nowhere to be seen now, but she had better things to do than to debate with the girl this instant. "I shall uphold you to those words. Remember them well, child," 

Shirley turned around, making her jewelries dangle and create sounds. Her every movement was filled with grace. 

She didn't say any words of farewell. Shirley departed to wherever she was going to, one slow step at a time.

Estelle's eyes burned into Shirley's figure, examining the Queen's actions with a passionate gaze.

She then went back to face Niki and Neil, whom she was also quite interested in.

Looking at the two's expressions, it was clear that Estelle's statements displeased them. To them, who were trustworthy and devout believers of the Goddess themselves, Estelle was a treacherous person with ill intentions.

Her remarks were too offensive.

Even if Estelle was now actively proclaiming herself as a Royal, and that Elven Royals were supposed to be treated as direct vassals of the Moon Goddess, Niki and Neil couldn't wholeheartedly do it.

"I am well aware that I emerged out of nowhere, and that I have no right to make you two submit to me this instant," Estelle clasped her hands together, cheerily announcing her feelings.

"As such..." Estelle raised her index finger, pointing to the twins. "I shall grant you two the right to put me through your test,"

Niki and Neil looked at each other, each with a disgruntled expression that contained disbelief. They were confused as to what Estelle was trying to do.

Estelle giggled seeing them.

"Well? What do you say? This is a great chance for you two, no?" Estelle's bright energy was the exact contrast of what the twins were feeling right now.

Silence ensued as the two twins glanced at each other. Both of them were calm, but the insides of their minds were vastly different.

Estelle stood there, unbothered as to how things will unfold. She waited for the twins' response.

Neil was the first one to speak up.

"..Until you have proven yourself as worthy, I will treat you as any other civilian elf," Neil said. His heart was unwilling, but the girl offered a question that was practically one hundred percent on their side.

All the odds were on Estelle since she put herself in a vulnerable position. Something that was done out of nowhere.

Neil frowned. Why did she require their approval? Did she have deeper plans?

"Neil?!" Niki elbowed him from the side, wishing for him to stop getting carried away. Estelle's words were merely distractions and served as means of incitement.

Estelle kept provoking them in the right spots, and Niki became worried if there'd be a catch to this.

Unlike her, Neil was rasher and trusted his sense of judgement. He had a strong intuition and wanted to seek more from Estelle, the outsider who trespassed into their lands.

"I shall accept those terms. However, since my grandaunt has instructed for you two to act as my attendants during my stay, I expect the duties to be fulfilled. Is there any other rule you want to add?" Estelle smiled.

Being treated as a civilian would mean that the twins were in a higher position than her. They were royal attendants, and all royal workers were held at a high respect in Alfheim because of the royalties' sacred identity.

"You can not request or use Her Majesty's aid," Neil nodded at Estelle's words. He had been planning to do so anyway, despite his dislike towards the girl. He was someone who stuck to his duty. Neil ignored his sister's pleas and continued listing his thoughts.

"Next,"

"You are not allowed to say that you have the royal bloodline running through you,"

"Next?"

"You are not allowed to refuse our challenges or complain in any shape or form,"

"Next." Estelle let out a small chuckle.  She approved the claims, noting them down inside her head.

"...That would be it," Neil frowned, thinking that the rules he asserted were pretty tough to handle. Even so, Estelle was taking the matter in with no problems at all.

Beside him, Niki was tugging at his robes, trying to gain his attention and knock some sense into this fraternal twin brother of hers.

However, Estelle did not pay any heed to Niki's struggles. Her goal was just to gain either one of the twins' trust. Which member didn't matter.

After all, she noticed that the twins were extremely close and cooperative with each other. They worked in succession to fulfill their duties. If one of them acknowledged her, the other would certainly follow suit in the long run, if not immediately.

Estelle clapped multiple times, still displaying her smile without faltering.