The Abandoned Villainess Takes Everything This Time - Chapter 16

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

16.

Elias hurriedly clasped his hands behind his back.

“…I judged that the noisy thing needed to be quieted quickly. I apologize.”

“What’s there to apologize for.”

“Then where do you plan to take her from now on?”

“To my castle for now.”

Elias’s eyes widened even more.

Would things be okay going forward…?

‘Shouldn’t you inform Duke Baltazar?’

Evren half-lowered his eyes and glanced sideways.

“Why. Is there a problem?”

“N-no, there isn’t.”

Evren was also aware that he had just pathetically threatened his subordinate.

‘Hmm, they say imprinting creates obsession.’

Evren looked at Elias with fresh eyes.

Elias was useful.

‘Too valuable a card to throw away just because he showed a little concern for Lillian.’

This kind of obsession could probably be controlled with practice.

Evren looked down at Ramio with eyes devoid of light.

Ramio, who had regained consciousness at some point, was trembling violently.

“Y-Your Highness…”

“Oh my. There’s nothing to fear.”

Evren smiled leisurely.

Thanks to Lillian, he had obtained ammunition to strike at the Tillard Family.

He had no intention of stupidly throwing away such a good opportunity.

“Originally, I wasn’t confident in controlling myself, so I wasn’t going to get directly involved.”

Those words were sincere.

He couldn’t afford to cause another unnecessary rampage.

But well, aren’t there resolutions in this world that don’t last even a day?

“Everything needs practice too.”

“P-please. Spare me-.”

“There’s no one perfect from the start in this world. Don’t you think so?”

He recalled the words Iris Tillard had spat out, savoring them.

‘If I had known she would sneakily flee to the north, I would have locked her in the basement!’

He became extremely curious.

About everything that had made Lillian Tillard decide to destroy herself.

He didn’t really need to impose severe punishment…

He was just curious.

Evren smiled.

Ramio felt chills.

This man was smiling, but he hadn’t blinked his eyes even once.

“Then I’ll control it so the exterior functions normally.”

“Y-Your Highness-.”

“Shall we properly discuss that basement story from earlier?”

“Ugh, ah, aaaah!”

* * *

The next morning.

Lillian received news about Ramio as casually as if hearing about the weather.

“I’ve stored your brother away safely.”

“…”

“He’ll stay quiet until I take him to the Capital.”

Lillian gazed distantly at the sky over the villain’s shoulder.

‘The sky is clear.’

Even though there must have been bloody deeds yesterday.

But now it was time to prepare in earnest before the original story began.

‘Good. I’ve made some plans too.’

Starting this year, the branching points of the original story would explode one after another.

First.

The Kingdom of Tenebryn’s princess delegation event.

Second.

The selection of the high priest and the choosing of the saint.

Third was…

‘The villain’s rampage and subsequent confinement.’

In the latter half of this year, this man would cause a truly massive incident.

‘He’d blow up half the Capital in an enormous act, wouldn’t he?’

Not just casualties, but thousands of deaths alone.

This man would be confined, and the Shadows would scatter in all directions.

But he would eventually escape and start a war.

What incredible persistence. As expected, villains are the most diligent.

‘Ah, this isn’t the time for me to be impressed, is it?’

Anyway, if he exploded this year, Lillian would also be swept up and ruined.

She had to avoid all the landmines at these three branching points.

However.

‘The competition between the two princes itself won’t disappear.’

The war could break out in four years or next year.

Couldn’t this man and the original male lead just fight it out and become emperor?

‘Originally, Tarandia decided succession through competitions anyway.’

Though it was abolished long ago for being too violent.

‘So let’s revive that competition…!’

And Lillian would release the imprint and aim for a quick exit.

Good.

Lillian decided to demonstrate her extremely planning-oriented nature.

Starting right now.

“Your Highness, if it’s not urgent yet, would it be alright to visit the temple here?”

“To check your grade and compatibility?”

To measure control ability levels, one had to go to a temple.

“I need to do that too, but actually, there’s a big shot secretly visiting that temple.”

“A big shot?”

“Yes. Actually, a princess from House of Albrecht of the Kingdom of Tenebryn should be there.”

Princess Melliora von Albrecht.

‘The princess’s official visit to the Empire was the beginning of the original story.’

At that banquet, all the male leads flocked to Iris because of the talent and humble attitude she displayed…

Anyway.

Tenebryn was called a ‘kingdom’ but boasted wealth comparable to the Empire.

And the princess had high enough standing to compete for the crown prince position even in the kingdom.

“The princess currently has an illness caused by her abilities.”

“Hmm. Is it severe enough that the kingdom can’t treat it?”

“She probably can’t do it because she doesn’t want her siblings to find fault with her.”

Besides, wasn’t Perniers land mentioned even in the scriptures?

Many people believed that prayers worked better here than in other countries.

“So they say she occasionally crosses the Empire’s borders.”

“Haha. The frontier was a complete mess.”

The mad dog villain himself laughed and mocked.

“But how did you know about that?”

“That princess is a regular customer of Iris’s.”

A foreign princess, a female lead beloved by celebrities.

So it doesn’t matter if Lillian is abandoned to die in the darkness.

“Your Highness, the Tillard Family will heal the princess and redirect that glory to the Second Prince.”

“The Second Empress will make excellent use of it.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You seem confident you can heal the princess?”

“Of course.”

After all, the method to heal her was something Lillian had devised in the first place.

‘This way I prove my usefulness and take another step forward in this peaceful sibling rivalry.’

And I need to create my own escape route for a potential exile…!

Lillian hadn’t given up on her dreams yet.

* * *

The Shadows were in an ambiguously excited mood.

Lillian Tillard is staying with our group!

…Why though?

“She stopped His Highness’s rampage.”

“There were so many compatible knights too!”

“She’s definitely a high-grade Controller!”

“Controllers are already scarce as it is.”

Then Jeanne cleared her throat and spoke up.

Jeanne had been part of the group monitoring Ramio.

“And, you know what?”

Since His Highness didn’t order me not to say this, it should be fine.

“You know the control stone business that Iris Tillard runs? Well, it turns out Lillian Tillard was the one actually doing it.”

“What?”

The Shadows murmured among themselves.

The Tillard Family’s control stone business.

Wasn’t that the pinnacle of the artifact business and the family’s goldmine?

“That can’t be. I heard she was the family’s precious treasure-“

“It’s true! Iris Tillard herself said so!”

“…!”

“She said they needed to make Lillian handle all the business work, so they had to bring her back quickly.”

“Huh. She didn’t seem like that type.”

Even though they were an enemy family, everyone knew Iris Tillard’s reputation.

Beautiful, kind, and perfectly capable in business – the ‘Flower of Tillard.’

But an ally wouldn’t lie about something like this, would they?

Jeanne, enjoying the attention, chattered excitedly.

“And then, she made her cousin who summoned the demon confess, and snap! She pulled out a recording stone to make it undeniable!”

“Ooh.”

“She turned all their illegal activities into perfect evidence, one after another!”

“Wow!”

The listeners were impressed.

“…That’s amazing.”

“…She must be different from the rumors.”

Wasn’t she supposed to be a gloomy woman who was no help to her family at all?

But that was so different from what they had seen and heard directly…

“Sir Jeanne. And everyone, aren’t you being a bit too soft?”

Then a gently chiding voice was heard.

The knights turned their heads.

When they saw who had spoken, they looked slightly embarrassed.

The Controller Group that had been waiting in the rear during this mission.

Among them was Marguerite Rubelli, Viscountess, an ‘A-rank Chief Controller.’

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————