Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 423.1

The four kings watched as the remnants of Mahar's final moments were scattered by the wind, the sight both exhilarating and empty. How many lives had been torn apart over the years because of a single monster that had left no trace but devastation?

Kasser flinched at the roar that reverberated through the earth. The moment he realized it was finally over, a face flashed in his mind.

Eugene.

He quickly pulled out a notebook from his pocket, his throat tightening before he even opened it. The tension he felt now surpassed anything he had experienced in battle. When his eyes fell on her handwriting beneath the unfinished sentence he had written, a weight lifted from his chest.

The few words she had written gave no indication of what had transpired in the kingdom, but it was enough. Eugene was safe. The sentence, expressing her desire to see him, to talk to him, echoed exactly what he felt. He longed to return to her, to hold her, to see their child again.

His gaze shifted, and he frowned as he surveyed the destruction. The monster had left nothing but chaos in its wake. The symbolic tree in the square—the very emblem of the Holy City—had been uprooted and felled. The stone pavement, once admired as a work of art, was shattered and torn apart. Nearby buildings had collapsed as well.

It seemed he would need at least a few more days in the Holy City to restore order.

With a piece of graphite, he wrote briefly:

[The monster that had played god is no longer in this world. I’ll tell you more once we finish cleaning up here. Eugene, I miss you.]

Eugene sat quietly, staring down at the open notebook in her hands. After a long conversation with Flora, she was left unsettled.

She could empathize with Flora, understand her feelings, but if anyone asked whether she could trust her now, she couldn’t offer a simple answer. That was why she hadn’t retracted the order to keep a close watch on Flora.

Her eyes moved to the words in the notebook, and she froze, startled. She grabbed it tightly, and a smile slowly spread across her face.

“It’s over.” Eugene whispered to herself, holding the notebook close to her chest. “You’ve worked hard. I miss you too.”

The dry season still had plenty of time left. There was enough time for him to return before the active season began. It had been the longest she’d ever been apart from him. She wondered how surprised he would be when he saw her now, much more swollen than when he had left. Just imagining his reaction brought a smile to her lips.

She checked the time—barely past half the afternoon. It had been such a long day. She hadn’t had a moment to relax since the morning, and now, with the weight of relief settling in, drowsiness swept over her.

Should I take a nap? I’ll probably end up talking to him for hours when he returns, so I should sleep now.

She told herself she would wake up when the sun set, then let herself drift off into sleep.

Bang!

Even in the depths of slumber, Eugene’s eyes shot open. The room, once bathed in light, had grown noticeably darker. It was nearly the time she had planned to wake up. The source of thɪs content is ⓝovelFire.net

Did I have a dream?

A flare—Bang! The sound she never wanted to hear, even in her dreams.

Eugene’s gaze wavered. This time, she was certain she had heard it. She rose from her seat and moved swiftly to the window. Yellow smoke billowed into the sky. She couldn’t decipher the meaning of the flare. Was it connected to Flora? She immediately called for her maid and issued an order.

"Check for any changes in the criminal’s status. Tell everyone to remain calm and wait."

"Yes, Your Highness." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

Minutes later, a soldier from a scouting mission along the city walls burst into the castle. Eugene met him without hesitation.

"It was a giant black snake, Your Highness. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen a lark that big."

"Did the lark try to cross the city walls?"

"I only saw it moving, Your Highness. I rushed here immediately to report it."

The soldier was elderly, his form bearing the marks of years spent on the frontlines. His stamina may not have been what it once was, but his experience was vast, and he was not one to easily succumb to fear. Yet, despite the brevity of his words, he was breathing shallowly, his face pale. It was clear that this wasn’t just a matter of simple fright—the situation was serious.

This is strange. If something had happened, there should have been more flare signals by now.

But after two yellow flares, silence had fallen. It seemed the soldiers at the city walls would have difficulty stopping such a massive lark. Either the lark had not yet reached the walls, or it had already overwhelmed the soldiers, silencing any further flare signals. Either way, the situation was grim.

Having received reports from those monitoring Flora, confirming there were no suspicious signs, Eugene settled into a tense waiting game, hoping for further updates from the desert. Then, unexpectedly, news arrived.

"The lark spat out a living person," the soldier reported, disbelief in his voice. "That person came up to the city walls, saying they wanted to see Her Highness. We tied him up and imprisoned him."

The soldier’s expression suggested that even he couldn’t fully comprehend the strange turn of events.

"Did the lark not attack the walls?" Eugene asked, her voice steady, though her mind raced.

"No," the soldier replied, still stunned. "It kept its distance and didn’t approach any further. It just… stood its ground."

A strange thought flitted through Eugene’s mind—Aldrit. She immediately instructed Sven to investigate the identity of the mysterious person, then opened her magical notebook. If something had happened to the hideout, there should have been at least a brief signal. But after she had notified Aldrit that Flora had gone to the Holy City, the book remained silent.

Not long after, Sven returned.

"It’s Aldrit, Your Highness," he said, his voice carrying a weight of disbelief.

"Are you saying it’s really Aldrit?" Eugene’s tone was sharp with confusion. Just hours ago, she had exchanged notes with him. The distance from the nomad’s hideout to the kingdom wasn’t something that could be bridged so quickly.

Did he use magic? What is this about a snake lark? Mind control magic? But he wouldn’t be qualified for that… Eugene’s thoughts swirled.

She decided to meet with Aldrit, with only Sven present. When she saw Aldrit’s face after hearing the report, she was taken aback. As soon as he saw Eugene, he dropped to the ground, his body trembling slightly.

"I apologize for startling you, Your Highness," he said, his voice laced with guilt.

"Do you think I don’t know you?" Eugene responded, her voice firm, though her gaze softened with concern. "There must be a reason for all this."

Aldrit, with his forehead pressed to the ground, struggled to meet her eyes. His gaze wavered, and he seemed torn, conflicted. After a long, tense pause, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"The spell of Mara has been broken, Your Highness."

"What?" Eugene’s voice was tight, disbelief flashing across her face.