The Villainess tames the beast

Many things in the world are always within people's reach, but for her, it's different; she hasn't attained a single one. She worked hard to survive in the world she grew up in, laboring here and there, but no matter what she did, fate seemed to block her.

"What are you saying, that you don't have any money?" Reverie's stepmother sneered as she arrived home to find her stepmother rummaging through her cabinet, holding her wallet, containing all her savings.

"I'll take that, Auntie. I need it for my tuition fees," she calmly said, reaching for her wallet but her stepmother pulled it away.

Her stepmother gave her a condescending look. "Tuition? Your sibling is the one going to school, Reverie," she said, slipping the wallet into her pocket. She walked toward Reverie, blocking her path.

Reverie clenched her fist in anger. She always held back when her stepmother did something unpleasant. But now, her patience was wearing thin.

She chased after her stepmother, who was now in the living room counting money. The audacity of this woman!

"Auntie, give it back to me! your child's has also a money, and you're using mine?! Have some shame!" she exclaimed, snatching the wallet and engaging in a tug of war.

Her stepmother's eyes widened. "You're the one without shame! You're staying here, benefiting from us, and not contributing anything!"

"What do you mean, not contributing? I pay for the electricity, water, and even the rice! And you? You're just a lazy couch potato!" she shouted, yanking the wallet even harder to finally take it back.

"You!" her stepmother was about to slap her, but Reverie managed to block her hand. She pushed her stepmother forcefully, causing her to stumble back into a chair.

She stared defiantly at her stepmother, who was shocked by her actions. After a moment, a rough hand slapped her cheek. The force was so strong that she fell to the floor, her cheek numb.

She touched her tingling cheek, stunned by the intensity of the slap. It felt as though she had committed a grave offense.

She glanced at the one who slapped her and saw her father. She was about to speak, but he beat her to it.

"No gratitude! Have you forgotten that I brought you into this house? You better fix your behavior!" he yelled at her.

Instead of crying due to her hurtful words, anger overwhelmed her. She stood up and glared at him. "Why?! Did I ask you to bring me here? Who told you to do that? Didn't grandma refuse to give me to you because she knew I'd end up with worthless people like you? You're the ones who are worthless! A useless father!"

She shouted in anger and then quickly turned away to pack her things. There was no point in staying here.

After packing her things, she left her room, and the two were still there.

Her father gave her a sharp look. "Leave if you want to! You're worthless!"

"Tsk," she said, shooting them a final glare and walked past them.

She walked briskly, and the people she passed by all had sympathetic expressions on their faces.

She sighed and boarded a jeepney. She didn't know where she was going, and she had nowhere to go.

After a few minutes of riding, she realized she was the only passenger left.

"Where are you getting off, miss?" the driver asked, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

She looked around and realized she was already here.

"Just drop me off here," she said and got out of the jeepney, paying the driver.

She stood in front of the church and decided to go inside.

She walked weakly and sat down.

She had nothing now. It seemed like she would sleep on the streets or here if possible.

She looked up to prevent her tears from falling.

"You're a strong woman, Reverie. This is just a trial. You can overcome it," she told herself.

When she felt a bit better, she knelt down and prayed. After she finished praying, her cellphone suddenly rang.

"What could this be?" She opened her cellphone and saw a notification for the novel she was currently reading. Since she had nothing else to do, she decided to read it.

Here's the translation of the text you provided:

"He took a long time to finish, and he was getting frustrated because of the story's bad turn. The antagonist he liked died! Argh! It's infuriating!

"Tsk. If only I were in this world, this wouldn't have happened," he muttered to himself, then stood up and picked up his bag.

He walked out quickly, his pace fast. He had so much on his mind, and the story he had read added to his worries. But despite the story's course, he still looked forward to it. Sometimes, he wondered if he was still normal.

"Miss! Move aside!"

He turned to the person who shouted, frozen in his tracks when he saw a large truck heading his way. It felt like he was flying, and his body hit the road hard.

"Call an ambulance!"

"He got hit!"

"The driver had brake problems."

"Hurry! He's still breathing!"

He heard various voices, and his vision became blurry. In a few moments, his eyelids grew heavy, and he closed them completely.

...

"Grandma, who is he?" a trembling young girl asked her grandmother.

"He's your father, Querencia," the old woman replied.

The child remained bowed. This was the man from her dreams. He was going to do something terrible to her.

"Come, Querencia," the man said, extending his hand.

She shook her head repeatedly. "I don't want to go with you."

The man smiled menacingly. "

Querencia walked towards Baron's office and entered promptly. As soon as she entered, Baron stared at her with a sharp gaze.

"It's good that you finally listened," he said, folding his hands.

She met his gaze boldly. "You should be thankful that my ears aren't affected today," she replied sarcastically.

Baron's eyes widened, and he threw an ashtray at her. Fortunately, she dodged it quickly.

"Luck is on your side today, Querencia! Next time, your head will be in trouble!" he shouted and slumped into his chair. "Now leave!" he commanded.

She couldn't help but laugh at the scene. "Don't shout too much, Baron. You might get high blood pressure," she teased.

She left and called her servant. "Marina, prepare the carriage, and I'll get ready for the celebration. I need to make my father happy," she said with a grin.

Marina immediately obeyed, giving her orders and following her again.

"It seems you've irritated Baron again," Marina calmly remarked.

She smiled. "That's not enough, Marina."

If Baron weren't her father, she might have admired the kindness he occasionally showed. But because she knew his true nature, she couldn't respect him. Her father was the reason she no longer had a mother.

She witnessed how her mother suffered because of this man.

"Are you going to visit the Crown Prince?" Marina asked.

She laughed. "He's so lucky that I'll visit him." Is this guy the reason I'm going to die, and now I'm going to visit him? What's going on? Am I getting lucky?

The night had arrived, and she had prepared herself. She boarded a carriage and headed to the celebration.

As soon as she arrived, the gossipmongers' eyes turned towards her.

"Is that the Baron's child?"

"Is that Querencia Loretta Lynn?"

"I heard the Baron is really protective of her. They say she was forced to marry the Crown Prince."

"I heard she has a bad attitude."

"Yeah, quite terrible."

Those were some of the whispers she overheard. It was tempting to join in and correct their words, but she had a different agenda tonight, so she behaved.

The ball began a few minutes later, and people were currently dancing.

She scanned the room and searched for the tall man, and of course, she found him immediately. He stood on the side, observing, and sipping wine.

"I'm delighted to see you, Lady Lynn," a man she didn't recognize greeted her with a smile, causing her to turn towards him. She didn't know him, but she had to be polite.

"I'm also delighted to see you," she replied, holding her dress slightly and curtsying.

Suddenly, the man tapped her shoulder and lightly grazed it, which sent shivers down her spine.

This man was being rude!

She straightened up and gave him a cold look. "It seems your hands are quite itchy," she said, taking his hand off her shoulder.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, drawing some attention from nearby.

"You've adorned yourself with many rings to make them look beautiful, but no matter how beautiful they are, the itchiness remains," she said coldly and let go of his hand.

She took her handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her hand. Then she held the sides of her dress and curtsied slightly. "I must take my leave," she smiled politely and turned away.

Unbelievably, the man was still staring at her. He was her father's age but acted like a teenager.

Tsk. So old, yet he behaves like a juvenile.

She looked around and tried to find the Archduke again. Because of that old man, she lost sight of her target.

Where could he be?

"Of course," she replied with a smile and extended her hand. But wait-her hand was too low. Why did she extend it so quickly? She should have curtsied first, but he beat her to it! Oh well!

When she looked at where her hand was pointing, she quickly raised it. She blushed as her face turned red. If the Archduke had a dirty mind, he would surely think she was greeting her pet.

She swallowed and looked up at him. Damn! He was so tall! She felt like a rabbit facing a lion.

She clenched her fists. She needed to be brave.

She smiled. "Your Grace, can I ask you for a dance?" she asked while keeping her hand extended.

He stared at her for a few seconds. She stared back and gazed at his incredibly handsome face. His good looks were truly mesmerizing.

But for how long would he keep staring at her? Her arm was getting tired!

Suddenly, he turned away from her, leaving her bewildered. He placed his wine glass on the table and walked away.

What the-

All eyes were now on her, and people began to gossip.

She was ready to dig a hole and hide in it due to embarrassment.

She clenched her fists. "They didn't call me a villainess for nothing, Archduke. Prepare yourself," she smiled and laughed as if she were insane.

The Archduke, not too far away, shook his head. "Crazy woman," he muttered.

Querencia's father forcibly knelt her on the floor while being held by two guards to prevent her from moving.

"Hah! Querencia! Do you even realize the shame you've brought upon me?! You broke Marques Carton's hand! And you approached the Archduke! Have you no shame?!" he lectured her, and, of course, to prevent her from responding, he covered her mouth.

"My patience with you is running out, Querencia," he said as he grabbed her chin and squeezed it, causing her pain. "You approached the Crown Prince because he's your fiancé. He's the one who can help our family. We both benefit from this, so behave yourself. Don't turn your back on him like you did yesterday," he threatened, releasing her chin, which left her with a throbbing head.

Tsk. Her father was truly heartless.

Since he was only holding her arm, she raised both of her hands and showed her middle finger.

Then she hummed the F-word.

Her father slapped her hard for what she did.

"You should be useful. Don't forget I'm the one who put you in this position," he warned. To others, it might sound like an order, but it had a different meaning.

"Let her go," he ordered the guards, and they obeyed.

He stood her up and removed the gag from her mouth. Before they could push her away, she shouted something that further infuriated her father.

"Only decent people will follow you! Jerk! HAHAHA!" she yelled and followed it with loud laughter.

The guards quickly escorted her out, causing her to stumble on the floor. Marina rushed to her side.

"I've called a doctor. Come, miss," Marina said, helping her stand.

"Ugh. My leg hurts," she complained.

Marina sighed. "Why won't you obey the Baron's orders?" she asked.

She forced a smirk. "I'd rather take a beating from him than marry the man he wants me to. I don't care anymore."

Marina looked sad. "Do you want me to help you escape?"

She turned to Marina. "Can you do it?"

"Is your cheek okay?" Marina asked.

They were now in a house deep in the woods. Marina had brought her here.

Earlier, she thought Marina was joking and just testing her. But she didn't expect that Marina would actually do it.

"I'm fine," she lied. In reality, she wanted to cry. It hurt so much. If someone offered her a solution for the pain, she'd buy it without hesitation, but there was none.

"I've found some herbal medicine," Marina said and crushed it. "You'll heal quickly with this, and it won't leave a scar," she said with a smile.

After applying the medicine, her red cheek quickly healed, and she looked at Marina with amazement.

"Wow! Where did you get this, Marina?" she asked eagerly.

Marina hesitated. It seemed like she was reluctant to say something. But because of Querencia's pleading look, she finally spoke up.

"Um... it came from the lake we passed by earlier," she admitted.

Querencia widened her eyes. That lake with those Astil creatures?

"The lake with the Astil?" she confirmed.

So that's why her wound had healed so quickly. Those Astil creatures were like orc-like beasts, large and territorial. They could smell their plants from quite a distance.

"We're in trouble, Marina. Let's run while we still can," she said urgently.

"Should I just take the money, Marina?" she shouted and hurriedly grabbed the bag.

But there was no time. She could already hear the Astil-so many of them.

"Let's go!" Marina said and took their bag. But there was no time. She could already hear the Astil approaching-so many of them.

"KRAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

She jumped in surprise as one of the Astil screamed. Some trees started flying, so she and Marina had to dodge them.

"KRAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Suddenly, an earthquake occurred, and she was shocked to see the Astil. Their noses were smoking as they stared at her.

One of them raised its hand to strike her, but she quickly dodged.

"Miss!" Marina shouted from afar.

She tried to run to her, but it wasn't easy because many plants with hard branches were blocking her way.

"Miss!" Marina shouted again, but she had no time to turn around.

She just kept running.

She stopped for a moment when she saw a large tree blocking her path. She needed to climb it.

She raised her pants and then climbed up.

"KRAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

She quickly ascended, as the Astil was getting close.

As she reached the top, her surroundings suddenly darkened, and her shadow disappeared.

She looked back. The Astil's club was raised, about to strike.

"Miss!"

Without hesitation, she jumped down from the tree. She was sure her bones would break.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Marina screamed as the Astil's club struck the tree with force.

Due to the height she had jumped from, she closed her eyes and awaited her fall.

She gasped suddenly, feeling as if a solid body had caught her. Arms wrapped around her waist. It couldn't be Marina, as she was taller. It seemed like a man was holding her.

"Bini-" Marina's call was cut off as the man leaped again, taking her with him.

"Aaaaaahhhh! Marina!!!!" Marina seemed to shrink from her view.

Mom!!! Why are they flying? She thought the man had just jumped!

She was surprised to see the Astil's body below. The man landed on its head, and due to the fast-paced events, she couldn't catch a glimpse of his face.

"Ahhhhhh!!!!!!" she screamed as he leaped again. She grabbed the man's hair out of fear. "Why did you jump?!" Her grip tightened, causing him to curse.

In a few moments, their feet touched the ground, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fck it! Let go of my hair!" the man shouted, causing her to release him.

She looked at the man who had given her an unexpected roller coaster ride, and she was speechless.

"A-a-ar..." She couldn't speak due to shock.

"You can get off now," he said sternly, and she quickly moved to do so. However, she suddenly remembered her plan. She needed to flirt with him.

She hugged the Archduke tightly and acted. "I-I feel dizzy, Your Excellency," she said, pressing her face against his neck.

Shyt! He smells good! But why is his attire so hard?

She suddenly yawned. It was exhausting.

Despite the Archduke's hard attire, she rested her head on him and closed her eyes.

"YOUR EXCELLENCY-" one of the soldiers stopped talking when they saw them in that position.

Castriel sighed. "Get a carriage for the ladies," he ordered, then turned to the other woman. "Are you her maid?" he asked.

She nodded and curtsied. "I am Marina, Lady Querencia's maid," she politely introduced herself.

He looked at the woman clinging to him.

So, she's the Lady of Lynn. The woman who asked her without thinking.

"Uhm...urgh," Querencia groaned in her sleep, causing him to pause. It seemed she was not comfortable. He adjusted how he held her and now noticed how incredibly light she was.

Is it because of his strength, or is she really that lightweight?

"Apologies for the trouble, Your Excellency," her maid said, to which he simply nodded.

He wanted to ask her what she was doing in this place, but he would save that for later. He would question the Baron's daughter.

"Your excellency. This way," a soldier said, and he walked ahead.

"Follow me," he instructed the maid, and she obediently followed.

When they arrived at the carriage, he entered first and lay Querencia down, but she suddenly pulled him closer and without warning bit his neck, then sucked on it.

He froze in his place, and it was only after she let go of him that he could recover from the shock.

"Steak! Not yum-" her eyebrows furrowed as she complained before falling asleep again.

He was stunned by what she did. Did she think he was steak?! And she even said it wasn't delicious!

He massaged his forehead.

How can a woman be this brave? Tsk.

The gossip spread quickly at the Archduchy of the Archduke. They're talking about the woman that the Archduke carried in his arms and the bite and kiss mark on his neck.

"As far as I know, that's the Crown Prince's fiancee. It hasn't been announced yet, but it's out now," one servant said while doing laundry.

"I heard the Crown Prince was supposed to invite Miss Lynn to dance, but she ended up with the Archduke. Do you think they're in a relationship?" another one asked.

"There are marks on the Archduke's neck that only those in a relationship can leave. So, I think they are. She's also the first woman the Archduke has ever brought," another whispered back.

"For me, they're a better match than the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is cheerful but easily annoyed. If those two end up together, there will always be chaos. I prefer Miss Lynn with the Archduke because he's more composed, while Miss Lynn is a bit playful. It's like a novel," a young maid gushed.

Meanwhile, another servant raised an eyebrow. "Is it true that Miss Lynn has a bad temper?" she asked quietly.

One servant immediately shook her head. "According to my friend who serves in their house, it's not true. It's just gossip meant to tarnish her reputation. She only scolds the disrespectful servants."

"Hey! Enough with the gossip! Get back to work!" the head maid scolded, silencing everyone, and they quickly resumed their tasks.

The head maid sighed, clearly frustrated with the situation. "These things are getting out of hand."

There was chaos when the Archduke returned home with a woman, especially since she was the Crown Prince's fiancee. Querencia hoped the Archduke had a plan for the trouble he had caused.

Querencia slowly opened her eyes and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and looked around, realizing she wasn't in her room. Where was she, and whose room was this?

"Miss..."

She automatically turned to the source of the voice and found Marina standing there.

"Where are we?" she asked immediately.

Marina approached her. "We're in the Archduchy of the Archduke," she replied, leaving Querencia dumbfounded.

"W-what?! Wait. Where's the Archduke?" she asked anxiously and got out of bed. She needed to talk to him.

Marina shook her head. "I don't know. But the Archduke asked me to tell you to have a proper meal before talking to him later at noon," she said.

Querencia held her head in her hands. She didn't know what the Archduke's next move was. They had escaped from her house, and now that she was in his care, her mind was blank.

She sighed and stood up. "I'll take a bath first, Marina," she said and headed to the bathroom. Marina followed with clothes in hand.

"Where did you get those?" she asked later, referring to the clothes while Marina helped her bathe.

Marina glanced up at her and then lowered her eyes. "They're from the Archduke. He noticed we didn't have anything except money. The Astils destroyed the house we stayed in and buried our belongings," she explained as if troubled by something else. It seemed like she had more to say.

"Is there something bothering you, Marina?" she asked, surprising Marina. It seemed Marina hadn't expected her to notice.

Marina bit her lip and sniffled. "Um... it's about what happened. I-I didn't know the Astils would get angry if someone took their plants. I didn't tell you I was going to do it because I thought you might be disgusted. I'm sorry!" she explained while kneeling on the wet floor, as if about to kiss the damp floor.

"I understand, Marina. But you still need to tell me things related to me. It's difficult to be in this situation again, and I don't want a repeat. Do you understand, Marina?" she said sternly, looking at her.

Marina nodded vigorously, wiping away her tears. "Yes, Miss. I understand," she replied, still sniffling.

Querencia patted her on the shoulder. "I forgive you, Marina. Now, get up and sit properly," she calmly said, and Marina quickly complied.

"Okay, Miss," she said, wiping the remaining dampness from her cheeks.

Querencia smiled. "Help me, Marina. I want to look presentable when I meet the Archduke."

Marina suddenly wrinkled her brows. "Do you have feelings for the Archduke?" she asked surprisingly and even choked on her own saliva.

Querencia took a deep breath. "I don't know what you mean by 'feelings,' Marina. But without the Archduke, I will die," she said with a meaningful tone.

She would indeed die because only he had the power to break the engagement and her death. She remembered that the Crown Prince and the Archduke were rivals from childhood. They never got along.

She glanced to her side when she heard Marina gasp.

"Miss... are you in love?" she asked in shock, and she herself was surprised. "It's fine to fall in love with the Archduke, but what about the Crown Prince?" her eyes teared up as she asked.

She couldn't help but grimace. "I don't care about that Crown Prince, Marina. I need the Archduke," because he was the only one who could cut the engagement and her life.

"Hehe... Don't worry, Miss. I'll do everything I can to help you win the Archduke's heart," Marina said with a dog-like smile, as if she had a good plan. "I won't let you down, Miss."

"Your highness, Miss. Lynn is here," announced the guard stationed outside the Archduke's dining room. It was midday when she returned.

The guard opened the door. "Please come in, Miss. Lynn," he politely said.

She entered the dining room and found the Archduke already eating.

She couldn't believe it; she'd been invited, and yet he didn't even glance at her. She was quite beautiful, after all. Tsk.

She discreetly cleared her throat and curtsied. "Good morning, My Lord. Thank you for inviting me for lunch," she greeted politely, then took a seat prepared for her and had her plate filled with food by a servant. Her mouth watered as she saw a steak on the table, one of her favorites.

"You may leave," the Archduke suddenly said, looking at her.

Her gaze followed the calm servants as they exited. She then turned her attention back to the food.

It looked so delicious!

She started cutting the steak just right to savor it properly. As she took her first bite, the delightful taste exploded in her mouth. It was cooked to perfection. She felt like she had momentarily entered heaven.

While savoring her food, she suddenly remembered something. She had dreamt of eating steak that she couldn't bite into and had no flavor when she tried to taste it.

"Miss. Querencia Loretta Lynn. The only Daughter of Baron Lynn," the Archduke suddenly said, using her full name, making her look at him.

He stopped eating and lifted his gaze, staring intensely at her. His intimidating aura sent shivers down her spine. It seemed like he was the one person she couldn't intimidate.

He stared at her as if he could pierce through her soul. "Tell me, what are you doing in my territory," he said firmly, making her sit up straighter.

The atmosphere grew heavy. She had just learned that this was his territory.

She swallowed and forced herself to speak. "Uh... I didn't know that was your territory, My Lord. We got lost because we were being chased by Astil," she calmly explained.

He furrowed his brow even more. "Lost? How did a lady like you end up in a dense forest? Tell me the truth, Miss. Lynn."

She bit her lip, trying to figure out how to say it. How could she admit that she ran away?

She sighed deeply, and the Archduke became even more impatient.

"Miss. Lynn," he called out to her. "I will send a letter to your father and inform-"

"Please! Don't continue that! Fine! I'll talk! I ran away because I didn't want to marry that Crown Prince!" she suddenly shouted, interrupting the Archduke.

He was surprised by her outburst, and she was too.

She covered her mouth and silently scolded herself. She knew what would happen now. She was in big trouble. It was all her "kind" father's fault. Because of his decision, she had shouted and cut off the Archduke.

The Archduke stood up abruptly and began to walk away, apparently about to leave.

"Oh no!" She lost her balance suddenly, and she knew exactly where she was going.

"Ugh!"

She looked at the Archduke, whom she had just fallen on. She was on top of him now. How did this even happen?

"Get off me," he said quietly, as if she weighed a ton.

She felt so light!

"Now, Miss. Lynn," he said, but she didn't listen. Maybe he was leaving.

She boldly planted her arms on either side of him. "No! Please, My Lord, listen first! Because I got lost, I'll make use of this opportunity! Please don't kill me now, I'm still young-"

"You're already 25," he interrupted, covering her mouth with his hand. Why was he interrupting when she hadn't finished her line?

She took a deep breath. "I'm still young!" she said, her face turning red. "And..." Her confident expression from earlier suddenly turned meek, as did her voice. "I need someone powerful to break that unwanted and forced engagement, My Lord. And it's you. That's why I approached you," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. She didn't want to die yet. She wanted to enjoy her life.

The Archduke removed his hand from her mouth. "How bold of you."

She was surprised when he suddenly grabbed her neck and the world spun. She felt the cold floor against her back.

They switched positions, and she didn't know how!

He looked down at her. "I don't want to interfere with someone's business, Miss. So you should go home," he said seriously, about to move away. But she quickly pulled his collar, causing it to rip and revealing marks on his neck.

Seeing those marks, she suddenly remembered her dream. "Steak..." her lips quivered as she looked at the Archduke, who seemed to be struggling to breathe.

Her heart began to beat rapidly and loudly. "M-my-"

Her words were abruptly cut off when the door opened.

They both turned to look, their eyes widening.

"Oh my God!"

She blushed immediately. The Housekeeper had caught them in that position.