This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 289

I rose from my seat and stepped toward him.

“Blackmail? That’s not very uncle-like of you.”

“A father would do anything for his most precious child.”

I clenched my fist tightly.

“Would you say the same to Marie?”

“Marie? I’m not sure whom you mean.”

“Marie—your daughter!”

“My only child is Dalia.”

It felt as though my blood surged into my head.

I clenched my fist again.

“You bore her only to use her, then ripped out her soul to twist her body into a monster—and you dare call yourself her father...”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Grimie still wore that smile. In my first life, it seemed warm; now it revolts me.

I ground my teeth.

“And what if I refuse to hand Dalia over?”

“That would be a pity. Losing such talent from this manor...”

“Do you mean to kill me?”

Grimie chuckled.

“So you plan to stall until Liantin arrives?”

Damn him. He’s perceptive.

He laughed, then continued, “And then portray me as a villain before witnesses to drive me out.”

“...”

“But tell me, Erilot.”

He bowed his head, meeting my gaze. His expression inches from my face chilled me to the bone.

“Do you think I can’t kill Liantin?”

I staggered back. He returned to that gentle expression and offered his hand.

“Now, give me the keys to the carriage holding my daughter.”

“I have Ragon. No matter what boon you hoard, a human cannot best a dragon.”

“Then summon one.”

“Back off. I will summon it, mark my words!”

“No, you cannot. Should you call a dragon into battle, the Emperor will imprison you in the palace forever.”

“I don’t care.”

“Really? You’re not the type to bet your life just to defeat me.”

Just then—

“Do not threaten my lady any further!”

A soldier, sword raised, charged Grimie.

“No!” I screamed.

In that instant, the soldier who leapt at Grimie’s throat began to crack and crumble into stone.

“My la—lady...” The other soldiers’ faces hardened.

Clang! The sharp sound of weapons being drawn.

Those beside me surged forward to block Grimie.

“Stand down!”

“If you mean to harm her, we will strike!”

Even Luca shielded me, weapon ready.

My father, supreme commander of our forces, always said:

“At any moment, the life of our little mistress comes first. If my son or daughter is in danger, obey no orders at all costs.”

I screamed hoarsely,

“Don’t! You mustn’t fight! Stop!”

We cannot win. His power is incomparable.

‘The Chronicle says...!’

In the battle with Grimie, my summoned troops were annihilated. Not only the soldiers here, but subsequent text notes “we lost Kali.”

‘Even Captain Kali of Igritz could not withstand him...!’

Luca threw his crescent blade.

“Tali, Zebun! Protect the lady! Shersent, cover my rear!”

“Yes!”

“At once!”

Luca’s blade whirled toward Grimie—but with a crack, it turned to dust midair.

“Did you think such a blade could sever my neck?”

“You’re deceiving us—!”

Through the dust, Luca leapt, dagger poised for Grimie’s throat—but arrows from our archers flew.

“Distinguish bravery from folly.”

Luca’s blade and the arrows shattered; he was seized by the throat and slammed to the ground.

Our eyes met. Grimie’s capture tightened his grip, and bluish mottling spread across Luca’s skin.

It was Grimie’s own boon: Venomous Toxin. An incurable poison.

“N-no... don’t... please, uncle!”

“Stop, Lady!”

“Impossible!”

Soldiers barred my way.

“Why did Luca come all the way to Kansis?”

“For orders?”

“If you’d refused, Kali would have complied. You became a mercenary to search for family—you don’t have time for this!”

“My reasons for mercenary work go beyond finding kin.”

“Then?”

Luca, smiling softly, had once said:

“My dream is to be the white-steed knight who protects the princess.”

“...Impossible.”

“It’s true. Someone so strong they can protect anyone—that’s my dream. And you...”

“...”

“You seem strong, but you’re really a gentle princess who needs guarding.”

Luca was a good man—devoted to his comrades, unafraid of hardship, ever reassuring with a smile.

I wrenched past the soldiers and ran to Luca.

“Luca, hold on. Just until we reach the Land of Blessing... if I open a new root there, you’ll live. Luca...!”

He trembled, hand reaching for Grimie’s ankle.

Choking out, “Can’t... go....”

“It’s a pity. If you’d been raised by me, your name would have echoed across the world.”

Grimie withdrew Luca’s hand, then picked up the key I’d thrown. He opened the carriage and helped Dalia out, saying,

“A word of advice: never lay hands on Dalia again—”

Swoosh!

Before he finished, something embedded itself at his feet.

‘That....’

I stared as Grimie’s cloak, the Astra crest of the Daimond jurisdiction, fluttered on a high cliff above.

The Igritz central detachment under Kali had arrived, and at their forefront stood...

I whispered through tears,

“Father...”

In an instant, Father and Kali’s troops leapt from the cliff.

“I need no advice about my daughter.”

“Astra Daimond.”

Two men—the nearest to the dukedom—met in a fierce stare: Grimie Astra and Daimond Astra.

Igritz chief of staff Hallard rushed up to Luca and me.

“Luca, are you all right?”

“I can endure....”

Then Kali, standing imposingly at my father’s side, called out,

“Report the situation!”

Igritz attack captain Kendal clicked his tongue,

“Anyone can see he’s not in normal condition. Captain, do you have no pity?”

“Overcome that with will!”

“In any case...”

Hallard supported Luca.

“Are you sure you’ll be all right?”

“Yes... five boons confirmed—no, six.”

“Six?”

“They can disassemble flesh. It resembles Daimond’s Deconstruct boon, but is different.”

“So?”

“They bind the body with Restraint, petrify it with Petrify, corrode it with Corrosion, all triggered at super-speed. Plus Venomous Toxin.”

I spoke hastily,

“There’s also Divine Breath—enhances both user and foe’s boons!”

Father’s expression remained cold.

“They’ve added trifles.”

“I advise retreat. If we clash, the manor will suffer greatly.”

“Tears in my child’s eyes.”

“My child also suffers—no difference, I suppose.”

“An adult intervening in a child’s fight is not equitable.”

Bang!

The cliff split, and a boulder cascade rained down on Grimie’s party.

Father had deconstructed the cliff itself.

Dalia recoiled, clinging to Grimie’s cloak.

“That—Deconstruct... what is this... a monster....”

“Dalia!”

“F-father, I’m scared!”

“Dalia!”

“Scary!”

Well done!

Because Dalia clung to Grimie, he could not move.

He activated a boon, shattering the falling rocks to dust.

I quickly activated mine.

“Father, on your right! The younger Mashitabba—!”

The younger twin charged but his dagger shattered instantly.

‘Quickly, find a way to turn this...!’

I began scanning the text. The script had changed: Father’s arrival erased our troops’ annihilation.

‘Then there is a solution. Wait—needlebeasts joining soon?!’

“Hallard! From seven o’clock, Grimie’s monsters inbound!”

“Kendal, you and I handle the beasts!”

Throughout, Dalia clung to Grimie. He clicked his tongue,

“Erilot’s boon is bothersome.”

Then the elder Mashitabba stepped forward.

“Hold, this way won’t do. She’s our princess.”

Kendal blocked him; Luca staggered to Kendal’s side.

Meanwhile Grimie, freeing Dalia, collided with Father.

Thud! KRA-KRA-KRA-KRAAK—!!

The clash reshaped the terrain. Yet...

‘Why is the wind blowing this way?!’

Rocks mothered by Father and Grimie all tumbled toward Father’s side. A east wind if you dodge right; a west wind if you dodge left...!

I gritted my teeth.

“Damn that heroine buff!”

The world fervently wills the heroine to win. That’s why Father triumphed in every fight. Now the world strove for Dalia’s victory.

‘Father is faltering.’

Grimie casually bestowed new boons on other Veil agents. Damn it!

‘Father is stronger in skill, but...!’

Grimie’s boons were not truly his; he could not wield them as deftly as Father.

“Is there a way to shift the protagonist again...?”

The most special person becomes the protagonist.

‘The world values spiritual possession more than a mere rewind.’

Thus it chose the possessed Dalia over the rewind hero—me.

‘No one can out-special the possessed one...’

Just then reinforcements arrived: Conrad and Han Jihyeok with troops, answering my emergency signal before we entered these mountains.

“What... how did this happen?!” Han Jihyeok gaped.

“I- I brought reinforcements, but can we win...?”

It was a battle fierce enough to collapse the valley, and Grimie had two Veil heavyweights. Han Jihyeok muttered,

“This may not help....”

“Han Jihyeok.”

“Hm?”

“Han Jihyeok.”

“Huh?”

“Why do you call my name thrice?”

“I’m here!”

The special one possessed!

‘He only needs boons. With boons, Han Jihyeok can become more special than Dalia.’

I pressed a transfer talisman into his hand and whispered,

“Grimie is distributing ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) boons to his troops to secure victory.”

“Huh?”

“The moment he grants a boon, intervene!”

“What are you saying? Speak plainly.”

“You will become the protagonist of this world.”

I glanced at Grimie, then met Father’s eyes and signaled:

“Attack now!”

As Grimie bestowed a boon, Father unleashed his assault.

“Now—!”

“Damn it, I don’t know!”

Han Jihyeok activated the talisman and teleported among Grimie and the Veil operatives. When Grimie’s hand touched him—

KRA-SHAAA—!!

A blinding light shook the world.

I hurriedly activated my boon. Text shimmered.

Grimie frowned, staring at his hand.

Han Jihyeok staggered back.

“Is this right? Erilot, is this right...?!”

At that moment, the prologue changed.

From Weakest to Strongest

The Former Con Artist’s Servant Diary

The world had shifted—into one where Han Jihyeok was the protagonist...!