The Oracle of the Villainous Baby - Chapter 188

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

Chapter 188
All of this was what Hila had sought to obtain through grinding herself down to nothing, not merely rejecting others but shackling someone and even abandoning herself in the process.
The result of believing only one person would return, pushing away and casting out others simply to exclude everyone.
Do you know? Not everyone’s story needs to follow the same path. The child you raised with your own hands has found a happy family and become a wonderful adult capable of choosing her own life, rather than being swayed by others’ words and remaining silent!
“Ah….”
Hila stood there dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open.
She should have been happy, yet for some reason, her breath caught in her throat.
Without even looking, she knew the other side had already seen this message. Otherwise, that girl wouldn’t be shining so brightly.
Then what had she become, clinging so desperately to the idea of succeeding alone?
From now on, you may return to the Original World whenever you wish.
Will you return to the Original World?
YES / NO
It felt hollow, empty, and utterly futile.
Unable to bring herself to press the button, Hila swallowed hard.
Shalone, whom I had always believed was within the palm of my hand, was now spreading her wings wide for the first time, preparing to soar away.
‘If we had all succeeded together….’
If it had been something we could do together.
Why did you use such ambiguous words to make people so ruthless? I clawed my way here, gritting my teeth to survive, using people, discarding them, deceiving them over and over….
“…Happy, you say?”
“Well, this one is a bit annoying, I suppose… but still… I don’t think I can say I hate her.”
There was no more hesitation in Shalone’s expression.
Now Shalone would leave me. She would depart forever and live a life unburdened.
Forgetting me as she did.
‘Would I have felt even slightly less miserable if I had simply failed instead?’
Hila found herself lost in such thoughts.
I had never once imagined that Shalone would leave me.
It was a strange feeling. I had told her to leave, and now that it was actually becoming reality, drawing near, it felt peculiar.
“Why….”
Hila drew in a deep breath, then slowly closed and opened her eyes.
“Don’t you resent me?”
“…Pardon? Resent you?”
“Both of you. Neither of you looks at me with any resentment at all. I ruined your entire lives, so how could you….”
Bunny tilted her head.
The girl, who had grown so much in the time I hadn’t seen her, smiled with a grin.
“That’s… well, um… self-esteem helper…? No, that’s not it.”
Bunny furrowed her brow. She had a vague memory of seeing just the right word somewhere, but it wouldn’t come to mind.
With her arms crossed, Bunny tilted her head this way and that, until suddenly her eyes widened and she clapped her hands together.
“Narcissistic!”
“…What?”
Hila’s face crumpled at once.
“Leaving the house was my choice, taking Father, Allen, and Kalbad with me was my choice. Becoming Shalone’s sister was my choice, and calling Shalone my older sister was my choice!”
Bunny spoke with conviction.
Of course, there were choices forced upon me by circumstances beyond my control, but if I had truly despised it all, I could have gritted my teeth and refused to budge. If I had truly hated Shalone, she could have thrown a tantrum and driven me away.
But since none of that happened, it all came down to my own choices.
“I have no reason to resent anyone. Of course… I do think that my Luriel was a much better mother than Shalone’s Mother…”
“…What?”
Shalone’s eyebrows twitched sharply.
“That’s something I can’t just overlook. Mother was good to me too. She did her best to make me happy.”
“Yeah, but I became happy first, right? And Luriel worked incredibly hard for me to be happy, and she loves me so much?”
“Mother also… Mother didn’t hate me. It was my fault for becoming useless…”
“My Luriel said it was okay even if I became useless…”
Bunny trailed off mid-sentence.
“…She never actually said that, did she?”
But she had certainly implied that it was fine not to send me back.
That must be what she meant.
Bunny shook her head, thinking it over carefully.
“Anyway, my Luriel is the best.”
“Don’t insult Mother, you fool! I really don’t like this.”
“Liar. You actually like it.”
Hila let out a hollow laugh as she watched the two children bicker and argue.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, then slowly exhaled and waved her hand dismissively.
“Has that woman returned?”
“Luriel? No, not yet. Has she been able to return? Well, I did tell her she could leave. It’s Luriel’s choice. Whether she wants to enjoy things a bit more before going, or leave right away.”
Bunny glanced at Hila as she spoke.
“And either way, she said she’d say a proper goodbye to me before she goes… so I’m just waiting.”
“…”
“Luriel’s life is Luriel’s own. I don’t think anyone else can control it. So… Shalone’s life is Shalone’s own too.”
Hila met Bunny’s unwavering gaze and slowly closed her mouth. Her steady eyes held no particular warmth, yet they harbored no hostility either.
“I think it would be arrogant to believe our lives were controlled by Luriel or Shalone’s Mother for our entire existence. Because…”
“…”
“Before all that, I already loved Luriel, and Luriel loved me too. And Shalone loved her Mother, and Shalone’s Mother also…”
Bunny smiled faintly, as if seeing straight through to the depths of her heart.
“…loves Shalone.”
Bunny understands how difficult and painful it is to raise a child.
To stand by their side and nurture them for decades on end—it is never an easy task.
Just as Luriel came to love Bunny… Hila must surely love Shalone too. Even if she refuses to admit it.
“Because ever since I entered this room, I have never felt a single moment of ill will. I was annoyed at first, but I was never truly angry. Not at me, and not at Shalone, right?”
“…”
Hila remained silent, exhaling slowly.
She was displeased.
I glowered with a furrowed brow, and Bunny broke into a grin.
“I can sense all negative emotions, you know. But… before, there were so many bad feelings… now I’m not sure. I barely feel any.”
Bunny rubbed her chin and burst into mischievous laughter.
Hila, who had been watching the child, breathed slowly and gazed into empty space. The Ancient Door still hung suspended above.
“So I really am the charming and popular Bunny, aren’t I…”
“…Ugh.”
Shalone grimaced.
Hila stared blankly at the scene unfolding before her.
‘Was it I who was trapped in the frame all along…’
Not once had I ever imagined an ending where the villain and the heroine existed together.
Of course not. Every story follows the principle of virtue rewarded and vice punished. Readers are satisfied only when villains fall into misfortune and unhappiness while protagonists achieve happiness.
So every story flows that way.
Someone commits evil deeds and faces retribution, falling into misery and ruin, while another grows through hardship and becomes the happiest person of all.
‘…When I was assigned the role of heroine, the entire world felt like mine.’
I believed God had given me another chance. Naturally, I was certain I would be the first to succeed.
Even if she did nothing, the child would become the heroine, and ultimately she would find happiness.
To add even more certainty to that, I personally cared for Shalone and raised her without lack. Her food, clothing, and shelter were perfect, and her education was thorough. A child with an altruistic heart befitting a heroine was nothing short of flawless.
“…There’s no humiliation quite like this.”
Hila let out a hollow laugh and turned her head sharply away.
‘Just because of these… strange and pathetic creatures…’
Not only was I suffering this humiliation, but I couldn’t even succeed. It was so absurd I was left speechless.
“Leave.”
Hila issued the order of expulsion.
“And never come back.”
Hila gazed intently at Shalone.
Watching her eyes tremble as if wounded, I exhaled sharply.
“You will never find happiness by my side. A witch, after all…”
exits as the villain in the story.
Playing the role of the villain who exploits the heroine. Normally, Shalone’s identity as a Homunculus would be revealed, and attempting to exploit that would cause problems…
‘That’s right. In the end, I’m a villain too.’
She blinked blankly and shook her head.

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