"Eh," I muttered aloud before realizing it.
[Perfect. Vocalized hesitation detected. Excellent villainess authenticity.]
The sound was quiet, barely more than air.
Still, the Queen stopped walking.
"What is it?"
My mind did not race.
My heart did not jump.
My expression did not change.
Years of court etiquette, and the steady accumulation of villainess points had carved my face into something far too controlled to betray me now. Surprise, guilt, hesitation—those things simply did not show unless I allowed them to.
[You see host, there are some perks with having a frozen face.]
I blinked once, calm and measured.
"Nothing," I said evenly. "I am just a little hungry."
No stiffness. No rush.
Just truth wrapped around a lie.
The kind no one ever questioned.
The Queen relaxed immediately. "Ah. We have been walking for quite some time, haven't we?"
[Textbook deception. Ten out of ten. Not a single micro-expression.]
I kept my gaze forward.
Later, I told Nero silently.
