The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 66

Chapter 66.The Engagement Ceremony!

Lovellia smiled softly at Lillian’s clear, innocent face.

“Y-Your Majesty… have you been well all this time?”

Come to think of it, when this child had been Karkin’s fiancée, how desperately devoted she had been.

Almost pathetically so.

She’s probably dizzy from the attention she’s receiving for the first time in her life.

So Lovellia decided to encourage her.

“What if you became Ebren’s new bride there—at a ceremony so splendid that every flower in the Empire would envy you?”

“….”

“And it would make me feel as though I had gained a daughter as well.”

At that moment, Iris suddenly lifted her head.

But Lovellia spared her no attention.

I only invited her for the sake of appearances.

Iris was still an S-rank guide meant to support a son who did not possess the Power of Annihilation.

Still, the welcome banquet incident had left a sour taste.

Just then, Lillian sighed softly and touched one cheek.

“Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness. As you say, it would be the greatest honor.”

“Hehe. So you do understand its value.”

“Of course. However, Your Majesty… when I was engaged to Young Duke Karkin before, he never made me such an offer…”

“….”

“So I’m terribly worried. Even if I am now engaged to His Highness the First Prince… wouldn’t this be rather insulting to my former connection?”

Ha.

Lovellia swallowed a disbelieving laugh.

So in other words—

Why are you offering this now, when everything before was handled so carelessly?

Lillian… since when did she become so sharp with words?

Fine. She would overlook the insolence for now.

But the girl was far too different from the gloomy, crushed child she once knew.

Lovellia’s silence finally pushed Iris past her limit.

Lillian, you narrow-minded woman!

You deceive your family for money and now pretend to be pure and elegant?

“Noona, really… isn’t this too much? Her Majesty is showing you such kindness.”

“Hm? Too much?”

“Yes. No matter how much someone receives the Creator God’s grace, they shouldn’t become arrogant.”

Iris forced a smile as she tried to lecture her gently.

“And your invitations were rude too.”

“….”

“You should send one to every person you expect to attend. How can you send only one invitation to an entire family?”

“….”

“That’s not conduct befitting a future princess. Surely I’m not the only one who thinks so?”

Receiving an individual invitation meant you were a distinguished guest.

Lillian had effectively snubbed the entire Tillard family.

“Oh my, that?”

Lillian laughed quietly.

“Oh dear, Iris. It seems your refinement is somewhat lacking.”

“What? There was nothing wrong with what I said!”

“It is true that proper etiquette is to send an invitation to each honored guest—the head of a house or the direct line.”

Lillian turned her head slightly and smiled.

“But that rule does not apply to a collateral-line girl like you. You do not qualify for honored-guest treatment.”

“…!”

“And just like with the princess last time, it seems your refinement is weaker than I thought.”

“I—!”

You would bring that day up again?

Remembering the first failure of her life, Iris nearly jumped to her feet in humiliation.

“Iris, enough.”

“…! Y-Your Majesty—”

“Whew. Do not start arguments over pointless matters.”

The Empress had spoken rather mildly.

But to Iris it felt like the ground had collapsed beneath her feet.

I got scolded… me… in front of everyone…

How could this be happening?

Then suddenly—

Boom!

An explosion sounded beneath the ground.

The noblewomen screamed and leapt to their feet.

“W-What was that?!”

“It’s cold—!”

The lawn flipped upward, and in the blink of an eye the entire area was flooded.

Nothing was dirty, but everyone was soaked.

Lovellia stood there in disgust.

Even if their dresses were ruined, dressing rooms were always prepared inside the palace.

But—

“Wait.”

Something felt strange.

On the way toward the dressing rooms, Lovellia realized someone was missing.

“Where did Lillian go?”

And where had that bastard Ebren disappeared to?

Meanwhile

“Wow. I’m glad we prepared this in advance.”

“…You should really appreciate how well I listen to you.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Would you like to put a little sincerity into that?”

“Yes.”

The way the villain collected gratitude as if he were collecting debts made responding irritating.

Still, Lillian nodded gratefully.

His timing had been perfect.

It was worth thinking so hard about how to sneak away to the Sanctum midway.

The answer had been simple:

Blow up the lawn sprinklers.

Technically, they were magical water channels buried underground.

And compared to simple sprinklers, this method created far more chaos.

The gathering area wasn’t far from the Sanctum.

Guests of the Empress could move freely nearby with the proper passes.

But if I wander too far and someone guesses that the villain is imprinted on me, that would be troublesome.

Of course, that might be overthinking things.

“So this is the Tower of Confinement…”

Lillian murmured as she looked up at the black tower.

A long cylindrical structure with no windows, built as though it absorbed light itself.

Anyone imprisoned inside would have their abilities completely drained.

In the future—

after the villain rampaged—

he would be locked here for four years.

The prison that would eventually produce a legendary jailbreak criminal.

And this tower is made of Nightfall.

The last remaining supply of that ore in the entire Empire.

It was no longer mined anywhere else.

No need to pressure the information guild when it’s sitting right here.

With this mineral, she could create the artifact needed to break the imprint.

Ebren stared at her.

Lillian was calmly pulling mining tools out of her clutch bag.

“What exactly do you keep in that bag?”

“You never know what life will throw at you. You have to be prepared anywhere, anytime…”

“Even if that means destroying imperial property and stealing from it?”

“This is for both our sakes. It’s for the public good.”

“Hah.”

Ebren rubbed the back of his neck.

Once, he had hated the idea of this woman controlling him.

He had wanted to sever the connection.

He had wanted to return to the old days—roughly managing things with a Control Stone.

But now…

He didn’t really mind it anymore.

He had even considered leaving things this way for forty years.

Maybe even a hundred.

“Lillian.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Do you dislike holding my leash?”

If she held his leash, he could place many things in her hands.

Everything people usually wanted when they approached a prince:

Wealth.
Peace.
A better workshop.
Jewels.

He had no objection to giving her whatever she wanted.

But Lillian answered immediately.

“Hm? Yes.”

“….”

“I told you before, didn’t I? I’ll return the leash to you.”

“….”

“So you don’t need to test me, Your Highness.”

Lillian blinked at him with utterly sincere eyes.

“I will remove the imprint exactly on the promised day.”

“So you won’t be inconvenienced.”