The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 59

Chapter 59

That night, Lillian had a dream.

It was a continuation of the dream she had once seen during her awakening fever.

But in this dream, she was lying in a bed.

…A hospital bed again?

Even in my previous life, I died in a hospital room.

But unlike that past life, she was not alone in this dream.

“I hate you so much.”

A man stood beside the bed where she lay half-reclining.

He was dressed entirely in black.

His face was blurred, erased—she couldn’t see it clearly.

“I feel like you’re doing this just to make me miserable.”

“……”

“Do you know what your subordinates call me?”

The man said nothing.

Lillian couldn’t bring herself to repeat the insults.

Even in such a miserable state, she still clung to a small, stubborn pride.

Still, she desperately wanted to wound him.

“Please abandon me.”

“…What nonsense.”

Only then did the man respond.

“Even if we die and wake again, you and I will never form an imprint. That’s what the prophecy says.”

“……”

“So this is ridiculous. Like stealing someone else’s destined partner.”

“If you know that, then why—!”

“Why would that matter?”

He stepped closer with a sneer.

“I was the one who picked you up.”

From somewhere far away, a horn sounded.

The signal for battle.

Meanwhile

Ramio Tillard was released from prison.

When Kuern Tillard saw his condition, he bit his lip.

Bruises still covered Ramio’s face from the beating he had taken.

For someone who had grown up pampered, the days in prison must have been mentally unbearable.

“…Welcome back, Ramio.”

“Where’s Lillian?”

“What?”

“Lillian noona.”

Kuern stared at Ramio’s vacant expression, then shook his head.

“Lillian is no longer part of our family.”

“…What?”

“She said she was abandoning us.”

Ramio blinked slowly.

“Since it looked like she might marry the First Prince, we expelled her as a commoner. At best she’ll become his mistress now.”

“Uh…”

“And—”

Kuern swallowed.

“You’ve been expelled from the Imperial Knights.”

House Tillard

For a time afterward, House Tillard fell into chaos.

The family could hardly leave the estate.

Another problem was the reporters lingering outside the gates, constantly waiting for new developments.

Their expressions practically said they believed that if they waited long enough, another scandal would appear.

But those wolf-like journalists were actually the least of Kuern’s worries.

That day again, the butler approached with a troubled expression, holding a tray of letters.

“Young Duke… today as well…”

“Another cancellation of support?”

“…My apologies.”

“Sigh.”

Kuern skimmed the letter and tossed it aside.

One of the Tillard family’s primary sources of income was providing guide support personnel.

Because they possessed many A- to B-rank Guides, and because they belonged to House Tillard, ability-user families had always competed to hire them.

And now that’s dropped by a quarter.

The only saving grace was that three-quarters of their business remained stable thanks to the duke’s reputation.

But if things continued like this, it would become a serious problem.

“Aaaagh!”

Chaos erupted inside the house once again.

Ramio, drunk, was shouting loudly.

He burst into Kuern’s office, dragging the servants trying to restrain him.

“Ramio! Not again!”

“Hyung! How could you do this to me!”

Why was he throwing a tantrum at him this time?

Ramio ignored the question and shouted bitterly.

“Do you know how hard it was… how hard it was for me to enter the Knights!”

The title of youngest Imperial Knight was not something easily earned.

Guides were important, yes.

But to someone aiming to become a knight, they were usually only assigned support roles.

Unless someone possessed an offensive ability, entering the Imperial Knights was extremely difficult.

That was why the honor Ramio had just lost meant everything to him.

“You were part of it too, hyung! You paid for it! Then why—why am I the only one suffering!”

“……”

“No one contacts me anymore! I…! I’m a Tillard too!”

But that was inevitable.

Ability users instinctively hated monsters.

After all, they were creatures created that way by the Creator God.

So someone who had played with monster-summoning artifacts would naturally be treated as something less than human.

Kuern had heard the whispers himself when Ramio returned.

“Forget being a knight—he won’t even receive marriage proposals now.”
“Of course not. Who would hire a Guide like that?”
“How shameful.”
“Something like this happening to the Tillard family… and we were considering requesting guide support from them…”

Kuern squeezed his eyes shut.

He couldn’t bear hearing such things too.

“…It can’t be helped.”

“Hyung!”

“We’ll talk later. Take him out of here. And don’t let him drink another drop!”

“Let go! Let go—!”

Ramio was dragged out.

The same miserable cycle continued.

Listening to his brother’s screams echo through the halls, Kuern pressed a hand against his forehead.

“Brother, are you having a hard time?”

“No, I’m fine, Iris.”

Kuern forced a smile.

“The welcome banquet for the Princess is tomorrow, isn’t it? Is everything prepared?”

“Of course!”

Iris Tillard answered confidently.

“The Second Empress Lovellia will attend, and Prince Kyle will come as well.”

“Good, Iris. I’m counting on you. But… Iris.”

“Yes?”

“That story… about Lillian handling your business work. Is it really true?”

“……”

“It isn’t, right?”

Kuern had been uneasy about it.

His useless older sister.

That moment when Lillian boldly claimed she had handled so much of the family’s business.

“I estimate I managed the Control Stone business, family events, and Ramio’s Imperial Knights matters for about ten years.”

When she said that, Kuern had glanced at Iris.

For just a moment, he had seen her expression twist in shock.

But now, Iris smiled brightly.

“Oh come on, brother! You’re believing Lillian noona’s spiteful nonsense far too much.”

“R-Right… that makes sense. Sorry for saying something pointless.”

“It’s fine! Tomorrow the welcome banquet I prepared will restore our family’s honor!”

This house would be fine.

After all, cutting off their greatest problem—Lillian—had been the right decision.

And yet—

Kuern’s heart continued to pound uneasily in his chest.