A Guide to Raising a Villainess Chapter 10: Order of the Shadow

That’s how my villainous adventures began.

The next morning, I locked myself in my room, putting on my outdoor clothes. It was good that at least this function still worked. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for to get to the capital on my own. And even more difficult to co up with a plausible reason for doing so.

Now, thanks to the system, my journey would remain a secret from prying eyes.

As soon as I thought about it, a triangle with the system popped up before my eyes.

System: Quest "Order of the Shadow." Do you want to continue?

[Yes\ No]

— Yes.

System: Accepted! You will be transported to the location [Thorn Alley].

Then, just like in the real ga, the loading percentage began. When everything was ready, I was jolted, and in the next mont I opened my eyes on the right street. Surprisingly, I felt completely normal after that, and my head wasn’t even spinning.

However, the place I was now in looked suspicious. It was crowded and dark. The perfect playground for criminals. So, there was an old building opposite . Apparently, that’s where I needed to go.

I looked around again before going inside.

Without hesitation, I pulled the door handle and entered the so-called hideout of a criminal organization. At first glance, everything looked quite ordinary. Apparently, the owner had disguised the building as a gun shop. There was no one behind the main counter.

"Excuse ?"

I tried to get the owner’s attention. Maybe he had stepped away? I waited a few minutes before I heard a rustle and the creak of a door opening.

"Miss?"

I turned around and saw a young man behind . His silver hair was tied back in a ponytail. His violet eyes and scarlet lips contrasted with his white skin. He was a truly handso man, more like an angel.

But that’s not what struck .

"Lionel?!"

My lips trembled as I uttered his na. The womanizer that all the young girls of the empire pined for. The imperial tutor assigned to the heroine to teach her etiquette and the rules of behavior in the palace. And also... one of her love interests.

I decided that the ga was playing tricks on .

"What are you doing here?" I couldn’t help but cry out.

The man stared at in surprise.

"I don’t understand what you’re talking about."

"Don’t pretend!" I shouted, pointing my finger at him. "I’m asking what you’re doing here!"

He was even more surprised and looked at as if I had gone mad. But it seed to that the whole world was mocking . How else could such nonsense have happened?! Not only did this guy look exactly like the heroine’s love interest, but his age didn’t match what was stated.

In the ga, Lionel was twenty-two years old. But in the current ti fra, he should only be twelve. So why did he look so grown up now?

anwhile, the man reacted to my outburst with extre indifference. But the na I called him seed to annoy him.

"You’re confusing with soone else," he said confidently.

"What...?"

"I’m not Lionel," he said insinuatingly. "My na is Serpens Strange."

I was stunned.

"I must look very similar to soone you know, since you’re reacting this way."

I blinked.

"You’re not joking, are you?"

Sigh.

"Miss, let’s get down to business, please," the man turned to the counter. "You see, I’m busy. I don’t have much free ti. Did you want to buy a weapon?"

This man was really different from the Lionel I knew in the ga. The "real" Nell was extrely loose and never missed a skirt. It was all because of childhood trauma: his mother worked as a prostitute in a brothel. Because of this, the man did not believe in serious relationships and only used won. At least, that was until he t Angela Stone. This kind girl with a compassionate heart won him over and made him rethink his attitude toward love and marriage.

But this young man was completely different. He didn’t even glance at Grace Weinstein’s pretty face. It was really strange.

Could I really be wrong?

"What did you want?" the man repeated his question.

"I..."

I finally rembered why I had co here.

"I’m here to et the owner of this place."

I showed him the token of the head of the Order of the Shadow left by my father. At the sight of it, Serpens’s expression changed. He looked back and forth between and the relic several tis, then bowed respectfully.

"I apologize for not recognizing you imdiately, Lady Weinstein."

"Ah...?"

"Master, it’s ."

Another unexpected discovery this evening.

"But..." I hesitated.

"You must be surprised that I am so young," Serpens smiled, "but have no doubt. I was personally acquainted with the previous master."

I swallowed. However, I had no choice: to trust this man or not. The quest had already begun. All I could do was hope that at least this ti the system wouldn’t screw over.

— ...

— Follow .

Serpens turned toward the door to the utility room. Then he pressed a single brick. The door opened with a loud bang, and the secret passageway appeared in all its glory.

The man and I went inside.

Behind the wall was a wide, dark corridor that was impossible to guess at first glance. At that mont, I felt like the heroine of a movie I often watched on TV as a child.

Serpens and I continued on our way for a while until I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Almost imdiately, voices followed.

A large room the size of a stadium ca into view. Several hundred n in dark clothes were training there. I felt a little awkward standing there and staring at them stupidly.

"So this is my army...?"

Serpens called out to them.

"Show respect to the new mistress."

The guy showed them the token of the head of the organization that I had brought with . The n recognized it imdiately.

Realizing who was standing before them, the warriors dropped their swords and knelt before .

"Welco, Lady Weinstein!"

I cleared my throat.

"From now on, our people will obey you," Serpens announced. "Let know if you have any instructions."

"..."

"My lady?"

"I do have sothing."

I saw a flashing ssage about the successful completion of the quest. But I didn’t pay any attention to it right now.

I smiled, thinking that I already had a plan.

"Your first task," my voice echoed throughout the arena, "The Diamond of the Empire, Duke William Dickens."