Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 437.2 (End)

In the carriage back to the palace, Eugene stared out the window, musing aloud.

“That was the fifth time it’s appeared, wasn’t it?”

Kasser nodded.

“I don’t know why,” she continued, “but I don’t think it’ll come back.”

“I feel the same,” Kasser said. “It seemed like it was… waiting for you.”

“You think it was just curious about me?” 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

“What makes you say that?”

“Ramita’s sea,” she murmured. “Mara said the scent of Ramita was so strong, it broke his seal. That means every lark in the world must have caught that scent, too.”

Kasser was silent for a moment, then muttered, “Then I suppose larks might keep coming like this from time to time.”

He turned toward her, his expression suddenly stern.

“But listen to me. If one appears while I’m away, do not come to the wall alone. Promise me.”

Eugene, who had tensed at his tone, exhaled slowly and gave a tired smile.

“I understand.”

“No—swear it.”

“I swear.”

She did feel guilty. Because of her, strange and powerful visitors were now being drawn to the kingdom. It was an unforeseen consequence—one that could complicate their lives in ways she couldn’t yet predict. And though that uncertainty scared her, there was still hope in her heart.

After all, she had a family now—one she loved deeply.

Rohid must be waking up from his nap by now.

The thought lifted her mood. She smiled to herself, already imagining the look on Kasser’s face when she showed him how Rohid had walked—five whole steps, all on his own.

***

“Rohid, Mommy will be back before nightfall. Will you wait patiently?”

The boy with vivid blue hair and eyes replied brightly, his voice clear and confident.

“Yes, Mother. Don’t worry. Next time, I want to go greet Grandpa and Grandma myself.”

Eugene’s heart melted. Her gaze, full of warmth and tenderness, lingered on her son. At three years old, Rohid was already larger than most children his age—his sturdy frame closer to that of a five-year-old.

Though he had taken his time before uttering his first word—weeks of anxious waiting that had nearly broken her—his speech had since developed in leaps and bounds. Each day brought new vocabulary, new thoughts he could suddenly express.

Overcome with affection, Eugene swept him into her arms, holding him tight as she peppered his face with kisses.

“Oh, my beautiful boy. Mommy loves you so, so much.”

“Mother!”

Rohid wriggled in protest, cheeks flushed. Eugene blinked, realizing she’d gone overboard. He didn’t like such public displays of affection—at least not when others were watching.

“I’m not a little kid anymore!” he huffed, smoothing his tousled hair and tugging at his rumpled collar.

The courtiers nearby bowed their heads a little deeper, clearly trying not to laugh. Eugene stifled a grin and quickly offered a contrite look.

“I’m sorry. I just felt sad about leaving you alone for the day. How about I make it up to you tonight with two bedtime stories?”

Rohid paused, his pout giving way to a flicker of curiosity.

“…The Story of the Black Forest and The Six Suns.”

Those were the longest books in his collection. Eugene chuckled softly, heart full.

“All right, those two it is. I’ll be back before you know it.”

After a brief but tender farewell hug, Eugene finally turned away from Rohid. Her steps were slow, weighted by reluctance.

The little prince watched until the carriage disappeared from view, his gaze unwavering. Only then did he turn back, his shoulders slightly slumped. The nanny approached gently, reading the gloom in his eyes.

“Your Highness, the Queen will return before nightfall.”

“I know. Mother always keeps her promises.”

“Shall I comb your hair again?”

“No, it’s fine.”

The answer came quickly—almost too quickly. The nanny offered a knowing smile. Everyone in the palace knew how deeply the young prince adored his mother’s hugs and kisses. Only Rohid still thought he’d managed to keep it a secret.

Meanwhile, the carriage carried Eugene far from the palace, traveling in the opposite direction of the desert. Its destination: a sturdy, unadorned building that stood inconspicuously at the edge of the kingdom. Despite its humble exterior, it housed something extraordinary—magic.

Within its walls were etched teleportation spells that enabled instant travel to the capital.

The six kings had come to share a rare consensus: it was time to strengthen ties and foster more open communication. Gone were the days of isolation and guarded diplomacy. While correspondence through spellbooks had its uses, there were matters that demanded direct, face-to-face meetings.

However, teleportation between kingdoms was no simple feat. The spells required simultaneous casting at both origin and destination, a delicate operation made even more complicated by the presence of Praz—a second consciousness within every king, which rendered illusion magic ineffective.

Node-based teleportation—where a spell had to be drawn at each use—was too cumbersome. It was Alber who took on the challenge of refining the system. After nearly two years of dedicated research, she succeeded in developing a more efficient form of teleportation. With it, she inscribed permanent spell nodes across the six kingdoms and the capital.

Upon arrival in the capital, Eugene made her way directly to greet the elders.

The interior of the teleportation station—built inside Mara’s enormous body—had been transformed. Though its exterior still bore the organic, undulating features of Mara, the inside now resembled a refined noble estate. The Muen family had insisted, “We cannot host the elders in such a shabby place,” and overseen a complete renovation once teleportation links were established.

As Eugene made her greetings, she gradually became aware of something odd. Mara, who would usually interrupt with unsolicited remarks or commentary, had gone completely silent.

“Where did Mara go?”

“She took Aldrit to the market. Some grand troupe is arriving today—it’s causing quite a stir.”

“Market sightseeing? More like Aldrit’s going to be the spectacle. With a live mouse on his shoulder, people will think he’s completely mad.”

Eugene let out a soft chuckle. “Sounds like they’re doing well.”

The old man snorted. “So well it’s become a problem.”

After exchanging a few words with the elders, Eugene stepped outside through the teleportation gate. She paused and glanced back as she walked.

Before her loomed Mara—an enormous serpent whose size defied comprehension, its body coiled and unmoving. The dark, glimmering scales exuded a mysterious, almost menacing aura. It wasn’t hard to imagine why, when the serpent first appeared, the citizens of the capital had cried out in fear, certain a curse had descended.

But now, life continued in peace.

Eugene moved closer to the massive form. A low wall ringed Mara’s torso, a boundary to keep the curious at bay, yet none stopped her as she crossed it.

She walked slowly, tracing the perimeter, not out of necessity but out of quiet reflection. She simply wanted to see Mara—really see Mara. It took some time; the creature's sheer scale demanded it.

Halfway around, Eugene paused. Something small caught her eye.

A patch of wild grass sprouted from between the serpent’s scales.

“A seed caught in the crevice?” she murmured. It wasn’t impossible—plants grew even in the cracks of stone. She reached down to pluck it but then hesitated, curiosity blooming. Instead, she crouched for a closer look.

Her eyes widened.

“This is…”

Carefully, gently, she pushed the grass aside to examine the roots.

And gasped.

They weren’t ordinary roots. Some of Mara’s scales had morphed—melded—into plant matter. The transformation was seamless, organic. Living.

“No Ramita… and yet, it became a plant on its own?”

Eugene’s breath caught in her throat, her chest tight with emotion.

“This world has accepted larks… and it’s accepted you, Mara.”

Alber’s voice echoed in her memory:

“I once saw a tree at the heart of the capital—so tall, it looked like it might pierce the heavens. Perhaps it was a future that would never come to pass.”

Eugene shook her head, tears welling.

“No, Elder. The future you saw is here.”

She didn’t know how many years it would take for this tiny green shoot to become that towering tree. Most likely, she would never live to see it.

But that didn’t matter.

She stood, straightening her back, and looked up. Tears slipped down her cheeks, warm and unchecked, but her lips curved into a quiet, resolute smile.

“May this life be your final journey.”

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And with that, Eugene offered a prayer—not to any single deity, but to the gods of this world. A prayer of release. A prayer of peace.

The End