The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Count Josef obtained his information through the attendant he had planted beside the princess.

“You met Lillian Tillard again? She told Her Highness to dismiss me?”
“Yes, my lord. I heard it clearly.”

He also learned who was currently accompanying Lillian Tillard.

Margaret Rubelli.

The aloof, principled type—
exactly the easiest kind to manipulate.

“This is deeply troubling…”
The count pressed a hand to his chest, wearing a look of sincere distress.

“It seems my poor ward has been completely bewitched by Lillian Tillard. Living up to her nickname—Butterfly. She certainly knows how to ensnare people.”

“…So it seems.”

“Well, even Iris Tillard makes mistakes. But a woman who’s been powerless her entire life suddenly ‘fixing’ such an artifact?”
He scoffed softly.
“Absurd.”

“…Ah…”

“I was so worried that I came to check the artifact myself.”
He lowered his voice.
“Please—won’t you help me?”

Margaret clenched the hem of her skirt.

“…Please. Follow me.”

The count smiled inwardly.

As expected.

She harbored quiet inferiority toward Lillian Tillard.
That was why she led him so obediently into the workshop.

His gaze swept across the worktable.

“Foolish woman,” he muttered. “Leaving things this exposed.”

The malachite-set necklace gleamed softly.

In such a short time, it had been restored with astonishing precision.
If left alone, the princess would gain full control over her ability—

“…As if I’d allow that.”

His jaw tightened.

Artifacts like this were exquisitely sensitive.
A few subtle adjustments to internal wiring were enough to turn salvation into disaster.

And if the princess wore it without knowing?

Hah.

Those grotesque serpent scales would erupt again.

Trusting a notorious powerless woman like Lillian Tillard—
that mistake would only drive the princess back into his arms.

Even if I’m discovered, he thought calmly,
blaming that Rubelli woman will be enough.

It really was that simple.

He shook his head, putting on an expression of concern.

The day the repair was completed—

Lillian, several Shadows, and the princess’s entourage gathered in the temple’s inner courtyard.

Count Josef followed close behind the princess.

He looked at Lillian with open contempt.

“Hah. What a decadent age we live in.”

“….”

“To think a woman cursed by the Creator God walks about so freely.”

A flicker of killing intent passed through Jeanne and the Shadows.

But Lillian replied mildly,

“Should I call a priest for you?”

“…What?”

“You’re sighing dramatically and talking to yourself. Early signs of delusion.”

“…!”

“It’s dangerous. You should seek counseling.”

“You insolent—!”

The count flushed red.

Lillian ignored him.

She took the necklace from its velvet case and approached the princess.

“Please, try it on.”

“…Very well.”

Meliora waited as her maid fastened the clasp.

Is her skill truly greater than Iris’s?

The onlookers held their breath.

Artifacts created by controllers could be miracles—or disasters—depending on precision.

Then—

The moment the cool metal touched Meliora’s skin—

“…!”

Her expression changed instantly.

“Ah.”

The faint snake-like veins beneath her skin calmed.

“Ah…!”

The bulging distortions vanished completely.

This wasn’t merely cosmetic.

It had been a flaw severe enough to end her claim to succession.

“How—!”

Meliora staggered forward.

“It’s gone. Completely gone!”

Her attendants rushed to her side.

“Your Highness!”
“You must have suffered so much!”

Even Iris Tillard’s artifact had only suppressed the symptoms—and lately, it had been failing.

But Lillian wasn’t finished.

She lifted the final object she’d prepared.

At first glance, it looked like a simple onyx brooch.

“Your Highness. May I show you something?”

“…What is it?”

“This is a vision stone.”

Originally, it had been a monster core.

Monsters didn’t store visual data in the brain—but in the core itself.

Using the principle of replaying what it had seen.

Because monster cores were classified as hazardous materials, vision stones were far rarer than recording stones.

Lillian pressed the stone.

Ziiiing—

A shallow vibration pulsed.

An oval image bloomed in the air.

Everyone froze.

“What—”
“A mirror?”
“No—Count Bespin!”

The image showed the temple workshop.

Every moment during the repair had been recorded.

Security was essential when handling valuables.

The count appeared on-screen, sneering as he opened the case.

“Foolish woman. So predictable.”

Greed twisted his face.

“As if I’d leave it untouched.”

His fingers moved, subtly sabotaging the artifact.

The princess went pale.

“H-How could the count—!”

Lillian smiled gently.

“Oh my. Such precision. You managed to tamper only with the circuits that trigger a rampage.”

“Th-This is—!”

“Thanks to you, I conducted a very thorough final inspection.”

“…!”

The count stood frozen.

Meliora stepped forward.

“Count.”

“Y-Your Highness! This is slander—some vile sorcery—!”

“I suspected you long ago.”

“…!”

“The assassination attempts. The riding accident. You never truly stopped them.”

“So that I would continue to rely on you. Continue to be grateful.”

“I wanted to believe you…”

She inhaled slowly.

“Count Josef Bespin. As of today, you are dismissed as my guardian.”

“That’s impossible! I was appointed by Her Majesty—!”

“I have the authority. Seize him.”

Her knights advanced.

But Lillian noticed it—

The gleam in the count’s eyes.

Someone who still believed he had a trump card.

He brushed his thumb over the mark on the back of his hand.

A rampage trigger.

The same symbol existed on the princess’s skin.

But the moment he pressed it—

“Ugh—!? Kh—Aaaagh!”

Josef collapsed, vomiting violently.

A reverse rampage.

His own scheme—turned inward.

Lillian watched calmly.

Caught by your own trap.