This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 268

Heben and Yuri’s expressions fell.

Heben leaned in and whispered to Valderik, forcing a smile.

“If this is some scheme to seize the Talismans, you shall answer for the desecration of the Varan royal house.”

“Surely that clumsy Valderik Astra would never stoop to such folly.”

Yuri narrowed his brows. “Then why did you refuse to reveal Lil’s whereabouts until now?”

“I am in the moneylending business. I expect a very hefty fee.”

“So you’re saying you won’t disclose Lil’s location without payment.”

“Well... I was merely waiting for our interests to align.”

Heben bristled. “You...!”

Word of the tense exchange reached others, and eyes flicked toward Valderik and Raon’s party. Yuri hastily placed a hand on Heben’s arm.

[His Majesty is displeased even with the journey to Kalsoie. If we make a scene and leave hastily, we’ll incur his wrath.]

[But that wily brat...!]

Then—

“Very well.”

Raon spoke in a calm tone. Heben and Yuri’s faces stiffened, while Valderik’s lit up with joy. What were the Talismans but the ultimate weapon that had elevated sparsely populated Kansis to rival the Irad Continent—and was centered in Varan’s magical might.

[Your Highness, that is—]

[Brother.]

With one hand raised, Raon silenced Heben and Yuri, then turned to Valderik.

“However, promises must be kept. I am not a merciful man.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Valderik’s domain boasts a cadre of skilled knights and a secretive assassination corps. If the Talismans joined their ranks...

‘They would wield military power surpassing even the Duke’s own forces.’

As Valderik trembled with ecstatic anticipation, Raon glanced at the magic screen. The lone figure was once more lowering her hat brim. Then he looked back at Valderik and said:

“In five days a royal vessel will arrive, bearing the Talismans.”

“After confirming their arrival, you shall hand over Lil unharmed.”

“Do as you will.”

“As you command, Your Highness. I thank you for your wisdom—”

“But.”

Raon’s deadpan gaze fixed on Valderik.

“If the one you bring is not Lil, the Duke of Astra will lose a son.”

Valderik swallowed dryly. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Raon’s party departed the hall. Astra’s kin moved to the banquet hall for the Festival’s after-party. Loreina intercepted the pursuing Valderik.

“Father, did you truly find her?”

“How polite to block my way, Loreina.”

Valderik clicked his tongue; Loreina frowned. “I heard your conversation with the Crown Prince. What happens if you fail to produce the woman he seeks after receiving the Talismans?”

Joffrey sneered. “What happens? They merely lose the Talismans. This is Astra—we are untouchable.”

“You ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) fool...!”

Loreina snapped, then hushed her voice as other cousins turned back.

“The infatuated Crown Prince might confess to Grandfather that he handed over the Talismans!”

“That would be... well....”

“To purchase weapons—especially offensive magic tools—one needs the manor’s permission. Owning such privately without permission is tantamount to treason.”

Joffrey, recognizing the gravity, swallowed hard. “Wh-what will you do, Father?”

“No need to worry.”

“Pardon?”

“In the past three years only seven ships returned from Kansis. Among them, barely twenty unverified young women.”

“So...”

“Finding her is only a matter of time.”

“But what if we don’t...?”

“We shall find her by any means. There is no other way.”

“Y-yes?”

Joffrey’s eyes widened. Loreina sighed.

“You’ve already begun diverting Daymond’s domain’s wealth.”

“What?! If Erilot and her brother discover that...!”

“Exactly. So before that, you must deal with those siblings—and secure the Talismans.”

Valderik clicked his tongue. Joffrey, terrified, asked:

“B-but Erilot has a dragon. Can even the Talismans defeat a dragon?”

“Worry not. That wench cannot summon her dragon on that night.”

“Why not?”

Valderik smirked. “The Red Moon rises soon.”

“She won’t be able to use her blessing...!”

“Indeed. Perfect timing.”

The most terrifying aspect of the Talismans: they were unaffected by the Red Moon. She cannot call her dragon, while he wields Varan’s magical essence. Victory was assured.

“Once we receive the Talismans, we shall eliminate those miserable children of Daymond.”

Joffrey chuckled. “At last, I shall never have to see their faces again.”

“Yes. You will keep a close watch on Anos’s faction in Daymond’s domain.”

“Of course. We may need them for the kidnapping.”

Father and son exchanged ominous glances.

“...keep a close watch on Anos’s faction.”

“Of course. We may need them for the kidnapping.”

“What is this—were you using the Catfish Whisker?”

I stared incredulously at the floating text. Balzac and Joshua across from me did too.

“Anos?”

“Yes. Valderik plans to use Anos to abduct us, counting on the Red Moon.”

“Ridiculous. Even if blessings can’t be used, would they just let themselves be captured?”

Balzac, lying with his head in my lap, called to Hanjihyeok, “Mobilize every soldier in the Zodiac. Kill them on sight when they pass the gates.”

“Yes, my lord—”

“Wait.”

When I spoke, my brothers and Hanjihyeok looked at me.

“If we play along, we could oust Valderik from his house and seize all his wealth.”

“What?”

Balzac looked up in disbelief. “What do you mean?”

“If we go right now and say, ‘Valderik plans to abduct us and siphon off Daymond’s wealth through Anos,’ what then?”

“They’d investigate.”

“And after that?”

“Well... He’d be punished but it wouldn’t succeed, and he’s bribed the retainers generously...”

“We’d receive compensation, and that’d be it. At best he’d lose his duties for a few years.”

“That’s true.”

Joshua smiled and asked, “So what’s your plan?”

I grinned nastily. “We’ll let them abduct us.”

“...What?”

“What?”

“...?”

Balzac, Joshua, and Hanjihyeok scowled as if I’d gone mad.

“We’ll make it so big the manor must mobilize troops.”

“And then?”

“Then they’ll have no choice but to reveal their arms deal for the Talismans.”

Joshua chuckled. “Then we can utterly destroy Valderik.”

“We could demand even greater compensation from his domain. If we’re lucky....”

Balzac sprang up. “We can even swallow Valderik’s domain!”

“Brilliant idea, Erilot.”

Indeed, our own revenue from white jade was dwindling—three new mines opened in seven years. ‘If we could seize Valderik’s fortune, we’ll never worry about money again.’

“Fine, we’ll just play along.”

My brothers and I chuckled, our expressions surely more sinister than Valderik’s. Hanjihyeok shook his head.

A few nights later. In my pajamas I looked out the window.

‘Perfect—the Red Moon has risen.’

An unusually large Red Moon adorned the sky. I turned to Betty, who stood by the wall.

“Are we ready?”

“The maid who fell under Anos’s control has spiked your evening gown, my lady.”

“And Heidi?”

“She’s already near the ducal castle. She’ll alert Your Grace as soon as the assassins attempt the kidnapping.”

I smiled with satisfaction. ‘I’ve also deployed the elite troops from the Zodiac.’

Even a fool like Valderik wouldn’t dare kill us within the manor—they’d stage it in some remote gorge to frame a hostile house.

Thus—

‘I ordered them to observe where they take us and rescue us then.’

“Now—”

Just as I was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside.

“The maid under Anos’s sway is coming to check on you!”

“Hide!”

Betty darted into the dressing room. I dove under the covers and closed my eyes. Soon the door creaked open. I sensed someone approaching, then felt a gentle hand wave above my face. They crept away, whispering:

“She’s asleep.”

More footsteps followed; trained soldiers by the sound. ‘This is it.’

The assassins bundled me—blanket and all—and carried me out. Betty, hiding in the dressing room, would inform Heidi. I feigned sleep until I felt the hatch close with a clunk. Then I cracked open an eye.

‘Where are my brothers?’

They must’ve split us up—three adults wouldn’t fit in the cargo hold. Yet something felt wrong.

‘I don’t hear any other wheels—only horses’ hooves.’

Had their plan gone awry? Balzac and Joshua failed? Moreover, the path felt too smooth for a mountain track—there should be bumps, yet we traveled smoothly.

‘They’d never kill us in the town center to frame a rival house, even on the Red Moon night.’

Elite troops from the Zodiac must be tailing this carriage. The carriage sped on. An hour or so passed. I heard footsteps again and shut my eyes tight. Someone strong lifted me. After a while I realized...

‘Soft?’

I felt a plush surface behind me—and a familiar scent wafted to my nose. I startled wide awake. It was a scent I knew well!

“How was the journey, my Lil?”

This mad captor’s scent—Raon’s. The Red Moon’s light filtered into the dark room. He perched lightly on the edge of the bed, wearing a sweet smile.

“How—how did you...?”

“What are you asking? That I recognized you?”

“....”

“Why the kidnapper is not Valderik but me?”

“....”

“If neither of those, then your brothers’ whereabouts?”

“...All of them.”

He chuckled and caressed my cheek. “I knew you’d falsified your identity back in the royal palace.”

“How did you—?”

“True nobility cannot be hidden.”

His hand slid from my cheek to my ear. I jerked and flung his hand away.

“Stop with the nonsense.”

Raon smiled and flicked his hand clean. “I inspect everything I own thoroughly. You know that.”

“....”

“My birth mother tried to poison me countless times.”

“Your habit of speaking in riddles is tiresome.”

He shrugged as I sat up, displeased.

“You could have just said you investigated me in the palace and discovered I entered Kansis under a false identity.”

He chuckled and rested his chin on my shoulder. “You’d be upset if I told you I’m not one to repeat myself.”

“If you know, step aside.”

“I knew you were a noble from the start—Astra being your home, I assumed you were a collateral-line aristocrat.”

“....”

“But Erilot Astra studying in Kansis—that’s harder to miss.”

“Then why dispatch me to find Lil instead of meeting me openly, and trade something as immense as Talismans with Valderik?”

“So your foolish uncle would shoulder the blame for your abduction.”

...He’d planned this from the beginning. He manipulated Valderik into arranging my kidnapping. That way he could whisk me away and pin the crime on Valderik.

“Lil.”

“....”

“When I heard you’d become engaged to another, I thought I’d lose my mind.”

“....”

“The Duke of Astra would never give you—who possess a dragon—to Varan. This was the only way.”

“....”

“So don’t be too angry.”

“You madman....”

“Even if I called your curses sweet, you’d still despise me more.”

“If you know, shut up!”

I turned hastily to the window. ‘The Red Moon’s risen. Raon can’t use his blessing.’ Once I escaped this house, my elite troops would be there. But it was perilous—risk of injury, or worse, harming him. If the Varan Crown Prince were harmed, it’d spark an international incident.

‘Damn it. His blessing level is so high I couldn’t read it with .’ I should’ve honed my blessing longer. Yet then I’d risk capture in Kansis. As I pored over escape routes, Raon gripped my jaw.

“You won’t flee any further, my Lil—”

Then—

Clang—!!

A sharp sound as something shattered the windowpane. Something larger vaulted swiftly through the frame. A human shape, its face hidden by backlight.

“Let go of her.”

The unfamiliar yet familiar voice made me twist the sheet in surprise. Raon’s face hardened as he asked:

“Who are you?”

“Let go or I swear I’ll cut you.”

“How dare you—”

“I don’t repeat myself.”