This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 247

Damon’s face twisted.

“...What?”

Bella held her daughter close and murmured sadly.

“I know you’re upset. It’s understandable. But please also understand my position, having secretly raised my sister’s daughter...”

“Can you prove it?”

Cainrode narrowed his eyes and asked.

Bella sighed deeply.

“My sister is dead, and this child is her only blood, so there’s no way to prove it.”

“So you expect us to believe that?”

Bella answered plaintively.

“No one saw me give birth. Because I never gave birth. Then where did this child come from?”

“......”

“You all know that my sister went to war and was missing for almost eight months before she died.”

Father, Cainrode, Devon, and Leo fell silent.

‘She really was missing for eight months.’

Bella sighed and stroked Blossom’s hair.

“Apparently she gave birth then.”

“At that time?”

“Yes. I asked someone to take care of her until she returned from the war. But my sister never came back, and I...”

Bella choked back tears, covering her mouth as if she couldn’t hold back.

I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

‘Would Lady Beltree be crazy enough to entrust her child to you?’

Father and the uncles seemed unaware, but I learned while investigating Lady Beltree how cruel Bella and her parents had been to her.

‘Who would trust such a terrible person with a child?’

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one shocked.

Cainrode twisted his mouth.

“Enough of the show.”

“What... That’s harsh.”

“I know even a fool like me understands you’re getting divorced with no money.”

“That’s...”

“You’re desperate enough to disguise your child as Beltree’s.”

“Why would I do such a ridiculous thing?”

“You probably thought since we owed Beltree a lot, saying the child was hers would get you support.”

Hmm, fair point.

As I nodded inside, Bella sighed.

“My sister’s gone, so we can’t prove blood ties. But I have a letter from her.”

“A letter?”

Bella pulled out a worn letter from her handbag.

“My sister’s letter.”

Cainrode frowned and unfolded the letter Bella handed him.

I stood on tiptoe to read its contents.

To Bella.

The child’s name is Blossom.

It is named with the hope that joy will bloom like flowers.

I’m sorry to entrust this child to you.

“Beltree’s handwriting...”

Cainrode muttered with a grim face.

Leo Taloff and Devon hastily snatched the letter to check it too.

“It’s genuine. Beltree’s handwriting.”

“......”

Bella smiled faintly, her eyebrows lowered.

“I told you.”

Blossom clasped her hands and cautiously approached the uncles.

“Um... uncles... ah! Sorry. I’m used to hearing so much about Mother Bella and Your Graces from Mother, so I feel close to you.”

Blossom glanced at me with a proud smile, secretly, as if saying, ‘You think only I can call them uncle?’

She looked at Devon and Leo Taloff with pleading eyes.

“If it’s okay, can I call you uncle...?”

Leo Taloff raised his eyebrow.

“As Cainrode said, we owe Beltree a great debt. It’s only right that her daughter calls us uncle.”

Blossom fiddled shyly with her fingertips and looked at the uncles.

“I’m happy... then I’ll call you uncle...”

Bella smiled sadly and put her arm around her daughter’s shoulders.

“Since you all know my situation, I’ll be brief.”

“......”

“......”

“Please take care of this child, thinking of your connection to my sister. I’ll come get her when I’m settled.”

Blossom clutched Bella’s skirt.

“I don’t want to be apart from Mother Bella!”

“Blossom, it can’t be helped...”

“But... but...!”

“Uncles Cainrode, Devon, and Leo are all unmarried. If people say there’s someone like me at the mansion, there’ll be rumors.”

“Then Astra’s Count’s mansion is fine!”

“What?”

“There are three princes and a young lady at Astra’s 2nd Count’s mansion, so no rumors will spread.”

“Well... if you say you’re taking care of Damon Astra’s children...”

Bella gave Father a subtle glance.

Then Blossom ran to Father with an innocent face.

“I heard you have a close connection with Mother Bella. Uncle, please! Don’t separate me from Mother Bella...!”

Blossom held Father’s hand with both of hers, blinking “Yes? Yes?” eagerly.

“If you got a job at an extreme theater, that would be about right.”

I muttered, and all eyes turned to me.

Blossom twisted her mouth at me.

Of course, she returned to a pitiful expression before Father and the uncles could see.

“How can you say such things... Mother Bella and I are heartbroken.”

Then Blossom looked at Father and the uncles with a ‘Isn’t the young lady too harsh on me?’ expression.

Bella frowned and stared at me.

“You’re really cruel, young lady. Don’t you understand that child’s feelings?”

“How can I understand a con artist’s feelings?”

“What did you say?!”

Bella shouted fiercely.

As soon as she did, Blossom burst into tears.

I stepped toward Bella.

“What right do you have to come here?”

“Young lady, I know you don’t like Blossom. But you’re really too cruel.”

“You’re the cruel one.”

“What did I do to you—”

“Your parents beat Lady Beltree every day, stole money, and even stole her scholarship to fatten you up.”

“......!”

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Frowning, Devon looked at Bella.

“What?”

“N-no...! That’s not true, brother!”

I looked straight at Bella and said,

“Clara who lived next door, Johnson who lived in the house behind—everyone remembers.”

“That’s impossible!”

“They made her chop wood in the dead of winter wearing only thin clothes.”

“That’s not true, it’s not!”

“They made her beg.”

“What nonsense are you hearing?”

“They beat her.”

“W-what the hell...”

“You even took part in that. Some say you encouraged it.”

“Young lady—!!”

Bella paled and shouted.

Father and the uncles stared at her grimly.

I raised my eyebrow.

“Shall I call Clara and Johnson to testify?”

“D-did you bribe them?”

“Or I could bring records of how your father beat you so badly you were hospitalized.”

“T-that was because my sister accidentally fell down the stairs...!”

“Oh my, you remember the old events so well?”

“It was an incident that almost stopped her heart. I remember.”

“Then you remember when her legs were all broken? What was the reason for that?”

“Th-that was, that was...”

“The time she was slapped and her eardrum torn?”

“......”

“Would Lady Beltree be crazy enough to entrust her child to someone who tormented her like that—!!”

I shouted thunderously.

People flinched and looked at me.

Especially Father was so surprised his eyes went wide.

‘Normally, even when angry, I don’t shout like this.’

But today, I couldn’t hold back my anger.

How could someone beat another person like that?

How could someone use others like that?

‘After using her all her life, how can you still use that name today?’

“Are you even human?”

At my words, Bella clenched her lips tightly.

She glared at me but then snorted bitterly.

“Ah, young lady, you seem afraid of Blossom coming into this mansion.”

“What?”

“I understand. Damon Astra and my sister were close, so you’re afraid you’ll lose your father’s attention to your sister’s daughter.”

“......”

“But accusing me of ridiculous things is going too far.”

Blossom curled her lips and muttered,

“Oh, I see. The young lady was afraid of me?”

Bella smiled slyly and stepped toward me.

“Why not think of it this way? You’ve got a new sister.”

“......”

“It’s easier to think that way.”

“......”

“Much easier than bribing people to spread lies.”

“Uncle Taloff.”

I looked intently at Bella and Blossom and called to Leo Taloff.

“Hmm?”

“Is it okay for that girl to call you uncle?”

“Of course.”

At that, Blossom looked at me arrogantly.

She subtly mouthed to me ‘They’re all on my side.’

At that moment, Leo Taloff added,

“If she is Beltree’s daughter.”

Blossom smiled innocently, giggling.

“I’m happy. It’s wonderful to have such great uncles...!”

“You didn’t understand what I meant.”

“...What?”

“If you can prove you are Beltree’s daughter, then you may call us uncle.”

“What does that mean...?”

“We will sponsor you. Would we waste support on Beltree’s ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) daughter? If you want to live here, I’ll give you a room... ...if you can prove it.”

As the mood shifted strangely, Bella stepped forward.

“Um, brother, isn’t proof already finished with that letter?”

“Haha, what good is a letter like that?”

“W-what do you mean, ‘like that’?”

“With forgers who fake royal decrees around, do you really believe a letter like that?”

Leo Taloff smoothed his chin and laughed.

“You can’t take it lightly.”

“But brother, my sister is dead. How can we prove blood relation? There’s no blood or tooth left.”

That was true.

The remaining tooth was used to investigate my connection to Lady Beltree.

Leo Taloff smiled gently.

“Don’t worry about that.”

“Hm?”

“There’s one way to check.”

Leo Taloff looked at me.

“Isn’t that right, Erilot?”

All eyes turned to me.

Blossom looked puzzled.

Bella furrowed her brows.

I smiled.

“Yes, uncle.”

There is a way to prove it. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

We confirmed it with the one remaining tooth.

‘That I am Lady Beltree’s daughter.’

Blossom looked at Bella.

‘What’s going on, mother?’

Mother said no one would ever reveal she’s not Beltree’s daughter.

How could there be proof when there’s nothing left of the deceased?

‘That’s true. But how...?’

Bella was also very flustered, staring at the men.

“What do you mean...?”

“By chance, we found a relative of Beltree.”

“What?!”

“Why be so surprised? If you can prove you’re Beltree’s daughter, wouldn’t that be good for you and that child?”

Leo Taloff said, spinning a smile.

Bella forced a smile.

“Of course it’s good... but how to find a relative...?”

“Well, let’s say luck.”

“But brother, couldn’t that one be a fake?”

“We already confirmed it with Beltree’s remaining tooth.”

“A mage could have tampered with it...!”

Bang!

Cainrode slammed his fist on the courtyard stair railing.

“Are you calling me a fraud?!”

“Did you, Uncle Cainrode, confirm it?”

“Yes, the magic was of the same quality.”

“......”

Blossom looked at her mother as if asking what to do.

Bella clapped her hands awkwardly.

“That’s good news! The child has relatives.”

Cainrode snorted.

“Whether it’s good news remains to be seen. I will personally verify it, so we’ll need a lock of the child’s hair.”

“What?! M-mother Bella...!”

If we get caught faking this, it’s over.

Those men are incredible people.

Count Taloff, Marquis Roche, even Damon Astra—the heir apparent of the Astra Duke family...!

‘If those people catch us cheating...’

Blossom paled and grabbed Bella’s skirt.

Bella said awkwardly,

“This child recently had her hair cut very short. If you cut a lock now, it’ll look pitiful.”

“Does that matter?”

“It does. She’s still known as a Rochefane child. If she looks shabby, father-in-law will be furious.”

As expected of her mother!

She made a wonderful escape route.

Just as Blossom was about to brighten her expression, Devon slowly spoke.

“I’ll take care of that.”

“You, uncle?”

“If it’s proven this child is Beltree’s blood, Rochefane will strongly oppose it.”

“That’s...”

“I will intervene as a mediator.”

“You intend to tell father-in-law that?”

“If I don’t, I’d be lying to Rochefane for life.”

“T-that’s not the case, but... well... if we do, it will also be revealed she’s not noble.”

Bella immediately hugged her daughter.

“In that case, she’ll suffer badly in the capital. I pity the child.”

“Don’t worry. If she’s truly Beltree’s daughter, one of us will register her as family.”

“...Yes?”

“As a benefactor’s child, we will raise her like our own.”

Bella and Blossom froze in surprise.

Devon looked emotionless as he summarized.

“Then let’s quickly finish this and get back to our duties.”

“Agreed.”

Cainrode glared at Bella.

“I must prepare for verification.”

People started to disperse.

Erilot glanced at the mother and daughter, then followed Father.

The mother and daughter left the courtyard with serious faces.

Once in the carriage, Blossom shouted,

“What do we do now? Everyone will find out we’ve been faking it! How angry will grandfather and father be!”

“......”

“Mother—!”

“...Beltree’s blood.”

“Yes?”

“With the help of that blood relative, you can be perfectly made Beltree’s daughter.”

Bella’s eyes gleamed darkly.

Blossom swallowed hard.

“How do you find that relative?”

“That is...”

“Could it be Erilot, that brat, who is the blood relative?”

Leo Taloff had strangely asked me if there was a way to prove blood ties.

Bella shook her head.

“No, that brat was born years after Beltree died.”

“That’s true... then who could it be... no way!”

“Got a guess?”

“That brat suddenly took in a commoner child and even gave her massive support.”

“If she’s Beltree’s daughter, that makes sense... So who is it?”

“It’s a child named Masa.”