This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 261

A small building on the outskirts of the mansion.

That was the residence I had prepared for Cainlord.

Of course, it was for treating Mari.

I shook off the others and rushed inside.

Bang!

Opening the door hurriedly, Cainlord and Mari both flinched as they looked at me.

Cainlord, holding something like a cylinder, frowned—probably in the middle of an experiment.

“You brat, don’t you know you have to come in carefully during experiments?” 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

“How is Mari’s condition?”

Mari was sitting on the bed, her face completely pale.

“I’m fine.”

“Fine? You fainted twice today alone.”

“Cainlord-nim.”

“Don’t believe a word she says. She’s used to enduring until the limit.”

Cainlord clicked his tongue.

“She possesses power beyond what her body can handle. But I can’t tell what kind of blessing it is... Probably a Sacred Blessing after all.”

“Yes, if that’s the case, it might indeed be a Sacred Blessing.”

“Yeah, since there are so few who have it and it’s used so variably, it’s hard to tell exactly what it is.”

He shook his head and continued,

“What on earth did your uncle do—”

I told Cainlord Mari’s true identity so he could take full charge of her treatment.

“She could be Uncle Grimier’s daughter. No, she is his daughter. The mother was experimented on even before Mari was born, which weakened her body.”

I grabbed Cainlord urgently.

“What if we open the roots of the Land of Blessings? The real Land of Blessings?”

“You mean the root that healed my mother?”

“Yes!”

Cainlord thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“That power strengthens mana or divine energy, pushing impurities away.”

“So... it’s not a cure-all.”

“Exactly. In my opinion, the reason this girl is suffering so much is...”

Cainlord glanced at Mari, then continued,

“The power she originally had is mana, but your uncle put a Sacred Blessing inside her body.”

“You’re saying it’s possible to use Sacred Blessing as mana? Is that possible?”

The two powers work completely differently.

“I don’t know how either, so I can’t treat her properly.”

Cainlord looked very wounded in pride.

“But if my guess is right, the root is poison, not medicine, for her.”

The conflict between mana and Sacred Blessing causes this.

If so, strengthening the mana could be even more dangerous.

Cainlord said,

“She may heal for now, but while awake, the clash between mana and divine energy will soon happen again.”

“It’s something inevitable while alive and active.”

‘So the only way is that after all.’

“The root power flows from the celestial realm, meaning...”

“The Land of Blessings is a space connected to the celestial realm?”

“That’s right.”

I looked at Mari.

“What if we put Mari in a coma state and keep her in that gap?”

Like making her a frozen human, until we find a cure.

“...!!”

“...!”

Both were wide-eyed in shock.

Cainlord nodded.

“The body would be protected by the root’s power, cycling between regeneration and conflict.”

Yes, this was what Michael meant.

‘Don’t try to save her’ meant putting her in a death-like state!

Cainlord glanced at Mari.

“Everything depends on her choice...”

Then Mari shouted,

“I’ll do it. I will!”

Cainlord flinched.

“That’s not a decision to make lightly.”

“Why not?”

“You can go to the interspace. I heard your blessing sent Erilot there.”

“Yes.”

“With your blessing, you can go alone, but I’m not sure if you can be pulled back from that coma state.”

That was true.

Mari couldn’t specify ‘where’ in the interspace she was going; it was basically like getting off at a random station.

If she didn’t know where she was, how could I find her?

Seeing my worried face, Mari said,

“I know how stubborn Erilot Astra is.”

“...!”

“I’ve seen her achieve everything she set out to do.”

“...Mari.”

“So I will trust and wait for you.”

“It could be dangerous.”

“I’ve lived waiting for death so far. Waiting for you is much better than death.”

Mari gave a faint smile.

I bit my lip and approached her, holding her hand.

“I’ll find a cure. I’ll find it and come get you.”

“Okay. To Masae...”

“Yeah.”

“Say I died.”

“...Are you okay with that?”

Mari closed her eyes.

“Yes.”

We were silent.

Cainlord clapped his hands.

“Good. If it’s decided, let’s act quickly. Honestly, your friends won’t last long.”

“How much time do we have?”

“At least within this week.”

Mari and I nodded, still holding hands.

The next day, afternoon.

I received a communication from Han Jihyeok, who was heading to Laontra.

“How did it go?”

[Successfully entered... so now I’m staying at an inn...!]

[Hahaha! Come on, drink up!]

[Innkeeper! Bring more snacks!]

I frowned.

The noise around was so loud that I barely heard Han Jihyeok’s voice.

“Why is it so noisy?”

[Because in Laontra! Many foreigners have come in! Damn, no matter which border inn I go to, it’s this noisy...]

“Give it a year. If you can’t find Beltry within a year, come back for now.”

[Yeah. But... can you live for a year «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» without me...?]

Why was his self-esteem so high?

Do I really become helpless without Han Jihyeok?

I chuckled and said,

“I’ll do fine, so don’t worry.”

[No one will bring news from the imperial capital.]

“You don’t have to bring news from the imperial capital anymore.”

[Why not?]

“I’m going back to Astra.”

Dad is in the imperial capital.

So someone needs to protect the jurisdiction at Astra Manor.

‘While Grimier’s away, I have to find a cure for Mari too.’

“Anyway, keep me updated.”

[Okay.]

The communication ended.

Just then, there was a knock.

“Miss, it’s Jeanne.”

“Come in.”

Jeanne entered and said,

“I brought Mari’s luggage. Mari, come in.”

There was some shuffling at the door, probably Mari.

“What are you doing?”

I asked, and Mari replied gruffly,

“Come in.”

Mari came in wearing a very pretty dress.

Like a noble young lady.

“Wow, pretty!”

Jeanne chuckled softly.

“Isn’t she?”

Mari clicked her tongue.

“...I don’t need even this.”

“You do, you do.”

“Why are we suddenly changing rooms? And to your room, too.”

“You’re going in two days, right? I want to make lots of memories before then.”

Though it was two days, if Mari collapsed again, she’d have to go straight to the Land of Blessings.

“You do everything...”

“You’re my first friend, so there are lots of things I want to do. First... ta-da!”

I grinned and held up pajamas.

“Wear these and have a pillow fight.”

“...Do you really want to?”

Mari narrowed her eyes and looked at the frilly, overly decorated pajamas with a displeased expression.

“I don’t have to... but... I don’t really know what girls this age do, since I don’t have friends my age.”

Then Jeanne said,

“How about horseback riding?”

“Horseback riding? That might be hard for a beginner... Ah!”

I opened my eyes wide and jumped up.

‘There are horses even beginners can ride easily.’

I grabbed Mari’s hand and hurried to a certain room.

Bang!

Opening the door, Balzac and Joshua both looked at us wide-eyed.

“What’s going on? Who’s this lady... huh? Aren’t you the youngest’s playmate?”

Mari’s face flushed bright red as she lowered her head.

She seemed really embarrassed about dressing up so nicely.

“That’s right. Mari.”

I said, and Joshua next to him asked,

“But why are you in Balzac’s room at this hour?”

“Jenna! To borrow the snow horse Jenna. And the saddle Uncle Lician made for the older brothers.”

Balzac blinked.

“That’s fine, but Jenna gets wild in summer. When are you going?”

“Now.”

“...What?”

“Now!”

The sun was already setting.

Their faces said, “Where are you going at night?”

Balzac frowned grimly.

“Absolutely not.”

“Then Balzac, I’ll say you broke Joshua’s favorite fountain pen.”

“...!”

Balzac’s shoulders twitched.

Behind him came a loud thud of a book being slammed shut—very intimidating.

Balzac stiffened and turned his head nervously.

“Jo-Joshua.”

“You said you’d never find out who broke it, but it was you.”

“W-Wait, wait!”

As Joshua’s mana shimmered in his hand, Balzac covered his head with his arms and shouted,

“You brat...!”

“I’ll tell.”

“I already told!”

“I haven’t told that it was Balzac who broke Lord Richmond’s sword yet.”

Richmond’s hand stopped flipping through a book.

He looked at Balzac.

Mana shimmered on his hand too.

“You...!”

“I also haven’t told them you sold Dad’s weapon to buy a new saddle for Jenna.”

“How do you know so much?!”

“So treat the servants well.”

Look at me.

Because I treat them well, the servants tell me everything.

Balzac flinched and looked at me.

“You...!”

“You’ll lend it to me?”

“I will, so stop talking now!”

“Thank you.”

I said indifferently and pulled Mari, turning around.

Behind us, I heard Richmond take off his wristwatch and Joshua put down his book.

The bickering began.

We headed straight to the stable.

Inside, the horse keeper was complaining.

“Please feed him hay...! The frozen storage is too far; I can’t bring frozen carrots at this time!”

Prrrr!

Even a nervous whinny was heard.

I went inside and looked at Jenna.

“You’re making the keepers worry again.”

“Ah, Miss!”

The keeper flinched and bowed his head.

Before he could do anything else, the snow horse Jenna bit his neck feathers and shook him off.

Then happily neighed, “Prrrr! Prrrr!”

“Hello, Jenna.”

Prrrr!

“Say hello, Mari.”

Mari looked at Jenna tensely.

“Can I say hello? He looks fierce.”

“He’s a monster, so he looks scary, but inside he’s very kind.”

“R-Really?”

“Jenna, my friend is going to say hi. Don’t chew her bones or smash her head, okay?”

“Can I really touch him?”

I chuckled and held Mari’s hand.

When I gently held Jenna’s cheek, he neighed happily.

“Your hand’s temperature is low, so Jenna must be feeling good.”

“Wow... his fur feels like silk. Ah, hello Jenna?”

Jenna excitedly raised a foreleg.

The horse keeper jumped up and came running.

“D-Dangerous...!”

That shouldn’t happen.

Jenna got angry that his good mood was interrupted and aimed a hoof at the keeper.

The keeper screamed and ran away quickly.

He sulked, sticking close to a pillar.

“He’s ruthless to men.”

“Jenna is a gentleman. Right?”

I smiled, and Jenna happily neighed again.

Mari and I petted Jenna while wrapping the saddle Uncle Lician made around him.

I mounted Jenna first.

Mari got on behind me with the keeper’s help.

“Alright, then let’s go.”

“S-Slow down, whoaaaa!”

Jenna’s speed was on a different level from other horses.

Even his slow trot would feel like the fastest pace to other horses.

“This saddle! It was made by the best magician in Astra! It’s enchanted with amazing magic! Hold on tight!”

“Please go slowly! G-Go...”

Mari looked surprised and glanced around.

It was no wonder.

Ice crystals created from Jenna’s mane scattered like stars in the darkness.

“Wow...!”

“Feels good, right?”

“Yeah!”

Mari and I rode happily.

“Where are we going?!”

Mari asked.

“Behind that mountain! The waves sparkle beautifully at night!”

“I’ve never been!”

“Next time! When you’re healthy! We’ll go everywhere on your own feet!”

“Okay!”

We climbed to the lake behind the mountain, the path decorated with cherry blossom-shaped lights, and even to a mountain where the imperial capital could be seen at a glance.

“Wooooaaah—!”

Mari was very excited.

Her body was weak, so she couldn’t go to many places, but she must have had the same desire to go somewhere as anyone else.

“Mari!”

“Yeah!”

“When we grow up, let’s go to a pub! The biggest one in Astra Manor!”

“Okay!”

“I’ll show you my dad’s jurisdiction library! You’ll like it!”

“Okay.”

“Let’s also go to the sea. You haven’t been to the sea, right?”

“...Yeah.”

“There are so many things I want to do once you recover.”

“...”

“So we must meet again for sure...”

“...”

Mari’s hand slipped slowly down from my waist.

I quickly grabbed her hand again.

Jenna, sensing the strange atmosphere, slowed to a stop.

I shed tears and tightly held Mari’s hand.

“Let’s definitely meet again, Mari.”

That night, deep into the night.

I headed to the Land of Blessings with Cainlord, Alexis, and the collapsed Mari.

Using her power, I moved us into the interspace.

Of course, using Alexis’s blessing .

When her body completely disappeared, I collapsed onto the floor sobbing.

Alexis hugged me.

“We will meet again. Both her... and me.”

“...Yeah.”

“I’ll come back as someone who will fulfill all you wish for.”

“...”

I looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

He pressed his forehead to mine and whispered,

“That time, I won’t let you cry.”

I hugged Alexis tightly.

“Yeah!”

Time passed.

Flowed and flowed until I turned seventeen.

Erilot Astra, the spring day of her seventeenth year had come.