The Villainess's Reputation [Kingdom Building]

A Day Before the Wedding, Ravenna's Chamber, West Wing, Imperial Palace

The soft glow of candlelight flickered against the elegant silk drapes of Ravenna's chamber, casting long shadows on the intricately painted walls. The faint scent of flowers and aged parchment filled the air, mingling with the aroma of freshly baked cookies laid on a porcelain plate between them.

Seated in a plush armchair, Ravenna picked up a cookie, took a bite, and gazed at her disciple with a knowing smile.

"I can have Dame Aisha handle it if you can't," she said casually, brushing a few stray crumbs from her lap. "Don't force yourself."

Across from her, Marie hesitated, her hands curled into fists on her lap. Her usually bright eyes were clouded with doubt.

"I… I…" Marie swallowed hard before speaking again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why can't we just save everyone? There must be a way… right, Master?"

Ravenna studied the young girl before her, her sharp, calculating mind contrasting against Marie's pure, unwavering idealism.

"Every bit a Saintess, huh…" Ravenna mused internally.

She could see it—the desperation in Marie's eyes, the fierce desire to protect, to save. It was admirable, but also naïve. The world did not work that way.

Sighing, she leaned forward slightly, her voice steady yet firm.

"We know they will release magical beasts at the wedding. But what we don't know is where they'll come from or how they'll do it."

It was a lie, a carefully constructed half-truth to protect Marie from the greater scheme at play.

"And we suspect someone within the Imperial Court is behind this," Ravenna continued smoothly, her dark eyes watching Marie's every reaction. "If we inform the Imperial Knights or my family now, they'll simply change their plans, making it even harder to counter them."

She picked up another cookie and handed it to Marie, her lips curving into a small smile.

"Rather than trying to stop a plan we don't fully understand, wouldn't it be wiser to counter the plan we do?"

Marie clutched the cookie tightly but didn't take a bite.

"So… we let their plan unfold, then strike back and find out who's behind it?" she asked slowly, realization dawning in her voice.

Ravenna's smile widened. "That's right."

She leaned back, watching as Marie processed the weight of the task before her.

"Which is why I need to know if you can do it. We can't save everyone… but we can save as many as possible."

Marie inhaled sharply, her fingers tightening around the edge of her robe. The hesitation was still there, but something else flickered in her expression—resolve.

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"I… I will do it, Master!"

Ravenna's sharp gaze softened as she nodded approvingly. "That's the spirit."

Then, she pointed to the blueprint of the cathedral's interior spread across the table.

"You need to take the high ground and—"

"Shoot as many as I can to clear a path, so all the nobles can gather in one place!" Marie finished the sentence for her, determination shining in her eyes.

Ravenna smirked. "Exactly. Now let's go over the positions—"

Present Day – Imperial Solious Cathedral, Wedding Hall

Marie's eyes shimmered with divine energy.

As the world slowed down before her, she whispered,

"You all are going down." She pulled the trigger.

The first arrow struck a wolf mid-leap, piercing its skull right between the eyes. It collapsed before it could sink its fangs into a fleeing noble.

The second and third flew in perfect unison, skewering the throat of an ogre that had been about to crush an injured knight.

Then—a rapid succession of shots, one after the other.

Her bolts rained down like divine judgment, each one finding its mark with unerring precision.

A serpent-like beast coiled around a noble, its fangs inches away from sinking into his flesh—Marie's arrow embedded itself deep into its gaping maw, pinning it to the marble floor.

A goblin lunged at a noblewoman, its dagger raised to slit her throat—Marie's bolt struck its arm, making it drop its weapon before another pierced its chest.

One by one, the monsters fell.

Her shots carved a path through the battlefield, leading directly toward the remaining high-ranking nobles who had been scattered and cornered.

"NOW!" she screamed down at them.

Duke Morgen, covered in blood, roared as he led the charge, guiding the survivors toward the cleared path.

Ravenna sprinted through the chaos, her daggers flashing in a deadly dance as she cut down anything that stood in their way.

Marie didn't stop. Her bolts flew, her hands never wavering.

And for the first time since the attack began, hope flickered in the eyes of those still alive.

The high-ranking nobles, once paralyzed by terror, now moved with desperate purpose. Blood and sweat drenched their fine ceremonial robes, their once-pristine faces now marked with cuts and grime. Survival had become their only concern.

Ravenna's voice rang out over the chaos, sharp and commanding.

"Everyone, listen! Gather by the left statue!"

Her voice carried above the shrieks of the dying, above the guttural growls of the magical beasts still flooding the hall.

Duke Morgen, his blade already stained deep red, roared in agreement as he cleaved through a monstrous wolf lunging at a fallen noble.

"Move! Get to the statue now!" he bellowed, his powerful frame bulldozing a path through the wreckage. "Those who can walk, help those who can't! Carry the wounded if you must—just get to the statue! We will build a barricade!"

Marie's bolts still rained from above, piercing beast after beast, giving them the precious seconds they needed.

The blood-soaked marble floor was treacherous, bodies—both human and monster—littering the way, but still, they pushed forward.

Ravenna dodged left, narrowly avoiding a monstrous wolf's snapping jaws. Her body ached, muscles screaming, her breathing ragged. She had already fought far beyond what her body should have endured.

Another wolf lunged. She twisted, her dagger flashing as she slit its throat in a single, precise motion. Blood sprayed, splattering her cloak, but she didn't stop.

"Damn it… just a little more…!" she gritted through clenched teeth.

She could feel it—her body was reaching its absolute limit. Each movement sent sharp pains through her arms and legs, but she forced herself forward.

"I can't stop now."

Ahead, she saw Duke Morgen hacking through a thick-skinned ogre, the massive beast groaning as it collapsed. The nobles rushed past him, following the clear path to the left statue.

But they weren't safe yet. From the farthest entrance, a new wave of magical beasts poured in—serpent-like creatures with glowing eyes, their bodies slithering over the blood-soaked marble, their tongues flicking in anticipation.

Ravenna pushed herself harder.

"Our counterattack is just beginning."

She couldn't afford to stop. Not yet. Not until they begin the plan and turned the tides around.