Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

Chapter 31 Seeds of Resentment

Enara's nails dug sharply into her palms, grounding her as she fought the surge of irritation bubbling within her. The laughter, muffled yet unmistakable, leaked through the walls and fed an unfamiliar ache that she had no desire to confront. Daena, a stranger from the shadows, had only just arrived in her life, yet here she was, laughing freely with Liria, the infuriating human girl who'd somehow snagged her family's attention within mere days.

It was ridiculous. Enara knew she had no reason to feel anything about their closeness, or about the fact that they were enjoying each other's company in a way that made her stomach twist. But still, she hated it.

Her gaze flickered over to the two servants stationed at her door, both of them shuffling nervously under her glare. She noticed them flinch as she turned her attention fully on them, and that familiar sense of power the only kind she truly controlled flickered into existence.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped, her tone cold, masking the frustration roiling beneath. The servants quickly lowered their gazes, their expressions schooled into submission.

One of the servants, a young woman with delicate features, stammered, "N-nothing, Princess Enara. We were only awaiting your next orders."

Enara scoffed, her voice dripping with derision. "Then stop loitering and do something useful. I don't need you gaping at me."

She watched as they both flinched again, hurrying to straighten the already pristine room, adjusting cushions, and smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles in the drapes. She could see the nervousness in their every movement, feel the way they were trying to avoid her gaze. And somehow, that sight only served to deepen the emptiness inside her.

Weak, she thought bitterly. Pathetic. They were terrified of her. But wasn't that what she wanted? To be respected, feared, and obeyed without question?

Yet even now, with that power securely in her grasp, she still felt hollow.

A flash of frustration spiked within her, and she stormed out of her room, leaving the servants scrambling in her wake. She needed to rid herself of this restless, gnawing emptiness. And she knew exactly how she could vent it.

She had decided Liria would be her new pastime, her unwitting pawn to command, if only to bring some amusement to the monotony of her days. And if Daena could laugh with her, then Enara would find ways to make her presence a little less pleasant.

With renewed determination, she walked down the dimly lit corridor until she reached Liria's door. She knocked twice, her raps sharp and brisk, and didn't wait for an answer before pushing the door open.

Liria glanced up, her expression flickering with a mixture of curiosity and mild annoyance. "Oh, it's you," she said dryly, folding her arms. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Enara smirked, sauntering into the room with a haughty air. "Didn't your mothers teach you any respect?" she drawled. "You should address me as Princess Enara."

Liria didn't even blink, meeting her gaze with that same infuriating calm. "Should I? And here I thought we were past the formality."

Enara felt a fresh wave of irritation flare up. How dare this… human speak to her as if they were equals? She could sense Liria's composure was unshakable, a mountain she couldn't so easily move.

"You seem to think highly of yourself," Enara retorted, folding her arms. "Just because my mothers decided you're worthy enough to be my… protector." The word felt foreign, wrong, yet oddly fitting. "It doesn't mean you can act as if you're above the respect my title commands."

"Oh, I don't think I'm above anything," Liria replied smoothly. "I simply think we're both more than our titles."

Enara narrowed her eyes, disliking the way Liria's words hung in the air, feeling like a subtle jab, a challenge. "You don't understand anything, do you?" she sneered. "You think you can come here, stand beside me, and claim equality?"

Liria simply tilted her head, as if studying her. There was no fear, no shrinking away. "No, Enara. I'm here to protect you, as I was appointed. But friendship isn't something I'd mind having along the way."

Enara scoffed, the sound escaping her before she could control it. Friendship. She nearly laughed. How naive could Liria be? How little did she understand about the life Enara lived?

"Friendship?" she repeated, her voice dripping with disdain. "With someone like me? Do you think I'd want the sympathy of a human who thinks she knows better?"

The words lingered between them, a brittle silence stretching as Enara fought to compose herself. But she couldn't stop the bitterness rising within her, couldn't silence the memory of years of rejection and isolation that had chiseled away at her heart.

"You think I chose this?" she hissed, her voice a low whisper. "To be feared, to be… alone? Do you know how many times I tried to befriend people in this castle? How often I wanted someone to see me, and not just the power I hold?"

Liria's face softened, something unspoken passing between them. "And you think the answer is to push everyone away? To treat them as if they're beneath you?"

Enara bristled, the words striking a chord she didn't want to acknowledge. She drew herself up, forcing her voice to turn cold once more. "I don't need advice from the likes of you."

Liria sighed, giving her a sad, almost pitying look that somehow cut deeper than any insult could have. "Then maybe you need advice from yourself, Enara. I'm not here to replace your family, or to make things harder for you. But I'm not going anywhere either."

Enara didn't respond, her heart pounding uncomfortably as Liria's words settled in. She didn't want to be pitied; she didn't want anyone to see the cracks in the walls she'd built around herself. But Liria was right—she didn't know how to stop pushing people away. She'd spent so long convincing herself that it was easier to be feared than to be hurt.

She straightened, determined to salvage some semblance of control. "Well, since you're so insistent on being a part of my life, you should be prepared to follow orders," she said haughtily. "After all, you're my protector, are you not?"

Liria's expression held an amused glint, as if she saw through Enara's bravado and chose to humor her anyway. "Yes, Princess. What would you like me to do?"

Enara paused, the sudden empowerment dulling the frustration within her. "Perhaps… perhaps you could start by accompanying me on a walk around the gardens. If you're my bodyguard, it's only fitting that you be by my side."

Liria nodded, an almost playful smile on her face as she gestured to the door. "Lead the way, Princess."

As they walked through the winding corridors of the castle and into the gardens, Enara found herself warring with her own conflicting feelings. The bitterness hadn't vanished, and a part of her still bristled at the fact that Liria had effortlessly inserted herself into her life. But something about the girl's quiet resilience, her refusal to be cowed, intrigued her.

They strolled in silence, Enara occasionally glancing at Liria, who seemed content to take in the sights without needing to speak. It was unsettling, this quiet presence that seemed to radiate something other than fear or deference. She'd spent so long surrounded by people who trembled in her presence, who barely dared to meet her gaze. But Liria… she was different.

As they neared a secluded corner of the gardens, Enara stopped abruptly, unable to ignore the nagging question building inside her.

"Why don't you fear me?" she demanded, her voice sharper than intended. "Everyone else does. Everyone else knows better than to cross me."

Liria met her gaze evenly, her expression calm. "I don't fear you, Enara, because I see something beyond the anger and the power. I see someone who's had to build walls to survive, to protect herself."

Enara felt her breath hitch, a flicker of something uncomfortably close to vulnerability stirring within her. "And you think you're wise enough to understand me, is that it?" she replied, her voice laced with bitterness.

Liria's response was quiet, but her gaze was unyielding. "No. But I'm here to try."