The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lillian Tillard saw the future when she was twenty.

More precisely, she realized that the book she had read in her previous life was the story of her own life.

The true protagonist of this world was her cousin, Iris.

An S-rank controller capable of suppressing esper rampages—kind to everyone, warm, and universally loved.

In contrast stood Lillian: a direct descendant of the Tillard line, yet completely powerless.

She was mocked for being gloomy, insecure, and consumed by inferiority.

And then, at the age of twenty-four—

I die at the very beginning of the ending.

During the “War of Princes,” the banquet hall collapsed, and debris fell toward Iris.

So why was it Lillian who died?

Because she blocked it and died in Iris’s place.

That was the only use of a villainess who had done nothing but cling to others out of jealousy.

A dramatic sacrifice, staged for effect.

At that moment—her biological brother, her cousin, her grandfather, her fiancé…

And Iris herself said:

“She’s already done for! Get out of here, quickly!”

In the end, Lillian bled to death alone in the darkness.

The Lillian of her previous life—who had always possessed a faintly nasty temper—came to a realization.

If I keep living like this, I’ll end up killing someone.

So she made a decision.

I’ll make a perfect plan to cut myself off completely from those people.

And so, after regressing, she spent a month carefully laying the groundwork.

Just as she was about to move to the next stage—

“LILLIAN! Breaking off the engagement—what do you think you’re doing?!”

Her grandfather’s furious roar filled the room.

White hair, a sharply squared jaw, and a white beard tracing its edge.
A body built like a warrior.

Duke Elric Tillard—her grandfather—despised Lillian.

“Tch. If you’re going to kill even your own parents, you should at least be smart.”

He was the sort of man who could drain the life out of people with nothing more than a clicking tongue.

But now?

She had no blood left to lose.

“How did you behave to make the viscount throw an annulment letter at you?!”
“It seems his love for Iris was simply too important, Grandfather.”
“What did you say, you insolent—!”

Beside him, Iris sobbed pitifully.

“Grandfather, it’s all lies! I—I never did anything like that with the viscount…!”
“Tch. Stop crying, Iris. You’re destined to become Crown Princess!”
“Y-Yes…!”

Iris smiled through her tears.

“Sister, please forgive the viscount with a generous heart… Who else would even want to take you, if not him?”

“Do you really have the luxury to worry about me?”
“Why wouldn’t I worry about—”
“Didn’t an embezzlement scandal just break out in your business? About a thousand gold lost, I hear.”

“…What?”

Iris flinched.

Espers without a dedicated controller had to purchase control-seat artifacts.

As an S-rank controller, Iris could charge whatever price she wanted.

But all the actual work was dumped on me.

So how could she have known?

“Sister, what are you talking about? In front of the family—”
“Your nanny’s been deceiving you for a long time, hasn’t she? Even the maids who passed by my quarters knew.”

“W-What?!”

As Iris faltered under the attack, the collateral relatives began whispering.

“Was there really embezzlement?”
“That nanny’s worked here for years…”
“Then does that mean Lady Iris didn’t know?”

Iris’s lips trembled.

Then a reproachful voice rang out.

“Lillian. How could you embarrass Iris like that?”

“Sniff… Brother Kuern…”

It was Kuern Tillard, the young duke.

Lillian’s biological brother—and a completely useless one.

Platinum-blond hair, glasses, delicate features.
One might call him a “fragile beauty.”

But at his core, he was a bat.

Kuern gently patted the crying Iris.

“Don’t cry, Iris. Now, Lillian—apologize at once.”

“…Young Duke.”
“…Huh?”
“Even if this embezzlement is handled internally, the taxes must be refiled. That means Her Majesty the Empress will find out.”
“That’s—”
“And if the Empress finds out, doesn’t that also mean her political enemies will?”

“…!”

“I was simply afraid our family would be put at risk.”

The Second Empress, Lovellia Tarandia Perniès de Favil—

She was the aunt of Karkin Favil, her trash of a former fiancé.

And also the mother of Prince Kyle, the original male lead.

“But Iris’s reputation is more important than everyone’s safety, right? Just as you said, Brother?”

Kuern’s face flushed red.

Because everyone’s safety included their grandfather as well.

The collateral relatives exchanged uneasy looks.

“There are countless joint businesses with House Favil…”
“To think that far ahead…”

The way they looked at Lillian subtly changed.

They’d always treated her like a groveling worm—so this was unexpected.

Bang!

Her grandfather slammed his fist on the table.

“Enough! Deal with Iris’s nanny. And Lillian—you!”

“Yes, Duke.”

“Go beg the viscount for forgiveness immediately! Tell him to cancel the annulment!”

“Yes. But I will do so in one month.”

“What did you say…?”

“According to imperial law, once an annulment is signed, it cannot be revoked for one month.”

Her grandfather’s brow twitched.

Was this girl always so sharp?

“Since the annulment was due to the viscount’s fault, I won’t chase him immediately—for the sake of the family’s honor.”

“Hmph!”

“So, if you permit it, I will recuperate at the northern villa.”

The duke fell silent.

Normally, Lillian would have sobbed and begged not to be sent away.

A pitiful, powerless granddaughter.

This calm composure was new.

Instead, it was Iris—the family’s pride—who panicked.

“N-No! Sister has to stay here—!”
“Tch. Iris, be quiet!”
“Ugh…!”

Iris darted her eyes around in distress.

Lillian pretended not to notice.

While you smiled sweetly and gracefully, I did all your work for you.

Won’t you start to feel the pressure once I’m gone?

I’d like to see that—but not enough to stake my future on it.

The Lillian of her previous life died alone in a hospital room.

Life was shorter than expected. Death closer than one thought.

There was no time to wait for people like this to suddenly reform.

“Then I’ll take my leave. Farewell, everyone.”

Preparations for Lillian’s departure to the villa were completed swiftly.

She was a direct princess of the Tillard ducal house.

And yet, not a single close maid followed her.

Apparently, even that was a luxury for a powerless person.

Instead, her cousin tagged along.

“Ugh, this is annoying. I have to guard someone like you?”
“……”
“I haven’t even been in the Imperial Knights long! I had to take leave!”

Bright platinum hair and cat-like green eyes.

Ramio Tillard.

Iris’s younger brother—and the youngest knight in the Imperial Guard.

And—

“Forget Lillian! Protect Lady Iris!”

One of the people who abandoned her in the original story.

Ramio despised his powerless cousin.

Even now, he hurled insults while they rested for tea.

Even dogs aren’t disturbed while eating.

Lillian felt… sad.

“If you weren’t such a screw-up, Favil wouldn’t have cheated. Why do I have to come all the way out here?”
“……”
“Hey, Lillian. Isn’t this just—”

“By the way, how’s the tea, Ramio?”

“Huh? The tea— guh?!”

“Oh my. It must be good.”

Surprised?

Where else would you drink tea blended with sleeping drugs?

“I added a few other things too.”

“Cough—hack—!”

“Nice, right? Big sister’s cooking. Remember when we were kids?”

“You—you—!”

“I used to bake you cookies, and you loved them so much…”

Lillian rested her chin on her hands, smiling fondly as she watched.

Ramio wasn’t the only one collapsing.

“Ugh—”
“Ghh…”
“My eyes—”

Every guard who had drunk the beverage fell to the dirt.

She wasn’t worried about permanent damage. They’d earned it.

“At least thanks to you, I got safely near the border for free.”

Good work, trash.

Lillian murmured softly as she stood.

Why would she go to a villa she loathed?

Because I’m defecting to the Kingdom of Tenevrin—where even powerless people aren’t discriminated against.