The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 42

Chapter 42

After Jared’s Report

At that, Lillian Tillard lightly scratched her temple with her fingertip.

She really was trying to live efficiently without putting in even the slightest effort.

In a way, it was almost impressive.

“I deliberately mixed in other drafts as well,” Jared said. “But she picked out only the ones you modified—with uncanny accuracy, my lady.”

“Hmm.”

“And she repeatedly warned me never to leak them outside.”

“…Karkin Favil was there too, wasn’t he?”

“Yes. I contacted him first, and he ended up bringing me along to Iris.”

“Very good.”

Please keep being completely obsessed with Iris.

I’ve already exchanged annulment papers with Karkin.

Once a few more preparations were finished, she would publicly announce her engagement to the villain.

However—

There’s every chance they’ll start spouting nonsense about nullifying the annulment itself.

That was simply how reality worked.

If they even managed to gain the support of his aunt, the Second Empress, Lovellia Tarandia Perniès de Favil, the situation would become extremely troublesome.

What if they make a fuss and demand a trial?

No. That wouldn’t do.

She needed to prepare things so that such a possibility would never even arise.

“Mr. Jared. This time, I’d like to make a deal with you regarding Karkin.”

Lillian’s Unexpected Success

To think such luck would fall into my lap.

Lillian gazed at the enormous framed manuscript hanging on the wall.

Even though it had only been published under the brand name Mariposa—

To think it would be recognized like this as my work, not Iris’s.

Margaret Rubelli had hung the Salon Rochette article not only in Lillian’s room but also in the castle’s central corridor.

Because of that, everyone passing through—including the Shadows—could see it.

Even the usually quiet Elias Baltazar spoke after reading it.

“…Congratulations.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry for dragging the Shadows into something like this without permission.”

“That’s not the case. It’s good to see some liveliness.”

Lillian carefully studied Elias’s reaction.

The villain’s grandfather was the Duke of Baltazar.

The villain told me not to meet him—or even mention him.

She had no intention of provoking someone so dangerous.

But she needed help with what was about to happen.

And there was only one person she could ask.

“Sir Elias.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“The Duke of Baltazar didn’t accompany His Highness to the imperial council meeting, did he?”

“…No.”

“That makes it look as though House Baltazar isn’t supporting the First Prince at all.”

Elias said nothing.

Because she had spoken the truth.

To outsiders, it would simply appear that the First Prince didn’t even have the support of his own maternal family.

“The Duke of Baltazar… does not favor His Highness.”

“That may be understandable emotionally. But politically, it’s not wise.”

“…Actually.”

Elias let out a long breath.

“The Duke has attempted to assassinate His Highness several times.”

“…What?”

“Since the First Empress passed away, at least ten times, as far as I know.”

This family was just as intense as the others.

…Perhaps the Creator God had chosen the Five Sacred Houses based on how awful they were.

Maybe it entertained the bored god.

“But assassination… the reason is—”

“He believes the First Empress died because of His Highness. He probably hates him just as much as House Favil does.”

“….”

“So he severed ties completely.”

“But he hasn’t appointed a successor and even left the main residence empty, right? Since when?”

“Two years ago.”

Just as she thought.

That meant the Second Empress had likely begun laying her groundwork back then.

“Sir Elias. The last time you met him—did the Duke mention anything about strange nightmares?”

Elias’s eyes trembled.

“…How do you know that, my lady?”

This wasn’t something she could brush aside with a joke like because I’m a Tillard.

“Sir Elias, listen carefully. Soon, during the imperial council, the issue of replacing one of the Five Sacred Houses will come up.”

“…! That’s impossible.”

“If the Duke continues to fail to attend, of course the issue will be raised.”

“….”

“You don’t have the authority to attend, and His Highness told me not to even speak of it.”

Elias looked completely shaken.

That reaction was understandable.

The Five Sacred Houses were said to be the clans most beloved by the Creator God.

People believed the first page of the sacred scripture would remain unchanged forever.

But was that really true?

History can always be rewritten later.

And in the original story, such attempts were made repeatedly.

From the perspective of the story’s protagonists, House Baltazar was the root of evil.

It never ultimately succeeded…

But attempts always left consequences.

“Sir. You must quickly find where the Duke of Baltazar is. And also investigate this family.”

The Empress’s closest allies—

House Somnis.

The Empress’s Palace

Inside the reception room of the Empress’s palace, draped in deep red curtains—

“It seems the Duke of Baltazar is holding out better than expected.”

Her blue-tinted black hair shimmered under the light.

Sharp features, with narrow blue eyes that gleamed faintly.

The Second Empress, Lovellia, toyed with a rose in her hand as she smiled.

Before her stood Marquis Somnis, sweating through every wrinkle of his face.

He still remembered the humiliation he had suffered during the last council meeting.

“M-My apologies, Your Majesty.”

“Apologies?”

Lovellia let out a soft laugh.

“The experience of one of the five leaders cannot be ignored, after all.”

Yet the marquis trembled even more under the younger Empress’s smile.

Who wouldn’t be afraid?

If the rose petals in her hand turned purple with poison—

The Empress smiled elegantly.

“Marquis Somnis.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I think it’s about time the scripture of this world was rewritten.”

“…!”

“If it has remained unchanged for two thousand years, perhaps the next two thousand should be a little different.”

The marquis snapped his head up.

Wasn’t that practically heresy?

But it was Lovellia of House Favil speaking.

He dared not say such a thing aloud.

“If the Saintess and the High Priest are appointed, it wouldn’t be impossible.”

“That would…”

The marquis trembled as he imagined it.

The Saintess would surely be Iris Tillard, destined to be tied to the Second Prince.

And House Favil would influence the appointment of the High Priest.

If that happened—

Could they really rewrite the sacred scripture itself?

Could the position of one of the Five Sacred Houses fall into his hands?

“‘The easily deceived Baltazar’… Perhaps another house more worthy of love could take that place.”

“….”

“‘The Dreaming Somnis.’ That doesn’t sound bad, does it?”

The marquis’s chest swelled with feverish excitement.

“Yes, Your Majesty! This time, we will absolutely succeed.”

They would strengthen the nightmare planted inside the Duke of Baltazar.

Make it even more vivid.

Even more real.

The seed had already been planted long ago.

“I look forward to it.”

The Empress smiled gracefully.

After Marquis Somnis left, her smile faded.

Persistent pests.

Both the First Prince and the Baltazars.

No matter how much she tried to push them aside, they refused to disappear.

As long as the Power of Annihilation exists within him.

But she was no longer worried.

My son, Kyle.

Compared to the morally upright and flawless Second Prince, it was widely believed that the First Prince lacked humanity.

Perhaps in an age of war things would be different.

But in a peaceful era—

A power like the Power of Annihilation was unnecessary.

It’s only a matter of time.

Until everyone comes to believe that a First Prince like him simply isn’t needed.