Mommy Villainess-Chapter 387: Kingmaker

TILLY tossed the unconscious Yumi to Wong and Kelsi after she knocked out the White Snake who tried to escape.

[Yumi wouldn’t come out here alone just to announce that Kyro is the Devil. The fact that she tried to attack Luna must mean that she had something to do with the ancient magic circle. She must be trying to do something else here.]

She would love to interrogate her mother-in-law in the most ruthless way possible, but now wasn’t the time for that.

It wasn’t like she believed Yumi’s words easily about the Moon God being the Devil.

[But I sent my family to the palace when we felt Kyro and Aku Moonchester’s presence in there.]

"That White Snake said that Kyro is the Devil himself."

It was Tilly’s announcement that shocked Luna, Noel Sherwood, and the six Keepers that gathered around her.

"We already suspected that the White Snake was somehow related to the demons when she attacked us with black snakes," Noel Sherwood said worriedly. "But to think that Kyro is the Devil himself..."

"The demons are already a huge headache themselves," Luna added, sighing while shaking her head. "But if Kyro really turned out to be the Devil aka the father of the Demon Race, then the scale of this war has definitely increased."

Tilly nodded in agreement. "This is no longer a war that mere humans like us could handle. We should definitely drag the gods into this."

Everyone around her nodded in agreement.

The Keepers’ eyes were still swollen from crying, but it looked like they looked sober enough to be involved in the fight again.

[Good. We can mourn later. Revenge comes first.]

Tilly turned to Luna. "Can you bring us to the palace as quickly as you can?"

"I’m afraid creating a portal big enough for our group will take time, Supreme," Luna said, addressing her formally in front of other people. "But if it’s just a transportation spell for two people, then I can make it in an instant."

"Do that. The two of us will head to the palace first," Tilly said, then she turned to Noel Sherwood. "Since things have become more dangerous, I want you to lead the remaining captains and prioritize protecting the citizens. Announce Aku Moonchester as an enemy, too."

Noel Sherwood’s eyes widened in surprise. "It’s not that I’m questioning your decision, Supreme. But would the people believe us? We know that Aku Moonchester is a monster. But the citizens don’t know that. To them, Aku Moonchester is a good emperor."

Well, the captain of the Blue Dragon Knights was right.

To be fair, Aku Moonchester was a good emperor– as far as their citizens knew.

However...

"It’s my duty as the Supreme Fire Mage to clear the name of my clan and free the Fire Mages from being branded as traitors," Tilly said firmly. "The Fire Mages shall reclaim the land that they were robbed off. In order to achieve that, Aku Moonchester must be exposed."

The Keepers looked touched by what Tilly said.

"I understand what you’re feeling, Supreme," Noel Sherwood said. "However, we don’t have time to gather the evidence we need to clear your name. And I don’t think the people are in the right condition to listen to something that will take time explaining."

The captain made a valid point.

But the Keepers seemed to have been offended in Tilly’s face.

"How dare you to question our Supreme’s decision?" Jameson Crawford growled at Noel Sherwood. "You should be grateful that the Supreme and the Fire Mages are helping your people even though they suffered after getting branded as traitors."

"And aren’t you the Bookkeeper of this generation?" Wong confronted the captain. "I bet you have plenty of evidence against Aku Moonchester."

Noel Sherwood shrugged, unfazed by the Keepers’ threats. "I’m not sure about that, Mr. Keeper."

Tilly interfered before the Keepers started to jump Noel Sherwood. "You made a valid point, Captain Sherwood. So, let’s change the plan a bit. We can’t make the citizens turn their back on Aku Moonchester by using what he did to the Fire Mages in the past. After all, he was Auro Moonchester back then. People will have a hard time wrapping their heads around that idea, especially since everyone is struggling right now because of the Crades."

Luna and Noel Sherwood nodded, agreeing with her decision.

"But we still need to make people realize that Aku Moonchester is an enemy who betrayed the empire," Tilly said. "So, I want you to announce that it was Aku Moonchester who summoned the Ancient Crades."

"I can do that," Noel Sherwood said, nodding. Then he gave Tilly a knowing look. "But the nobles still have power and influence similar to the Imperial Family, Supreme. If the Imperial Family collapsed right now, I’m certain the nobles would devour the empire like vultures."

"We will make a new emperor to prevent that from happening," Tilly said firmly, already expecting the thing that Noel Sherwood was worried about. "I will make Kiho the new emperor."

After all, Kiho was of Imperial Blood.

***

TILLY’S plan was to bring back her family in order to make Kiho the new emperor.

They needed that power to make the people follow and trust them the quickest way possible.

However, what greeted her at the palace wasn’t a part of her plan.

"What happened to Kiho?" Tilly asked worriedly when she saw the captain kneeling on the ground while pressing his hands on her husband’s stomach. "Honey..."

She trailed off when she realized what Mikhail Denver was doing exactly.

The captain’s hands weren’t actually pressed against Kiho’s stomach. A red light was coming out of Mikhail Denver’s hands...

... and the captain was actually trying to extinguish the violent flame that was burning Kiho’s already burned skin.

"No," Tilly said weakly, falling to her knees. "Kiho!"

As if seeing her husband in that horrible state wasn’t bad enough, she also realized one vital thing.

[Our children aren’t here...]

"Let me take a look," Luna, who came with Tilly, said while kneeling beside Kiho. "How long has it been since Duke Nytsrom lost consciousness?"

Mikhail Denver, who looked shaken, pulled his hands away from Kiho’s body before responding to Luna’s question. "I-It’s been a little over five minutes, Miss Luna. His Grace was hit by Kyro’s Hellfire before that. I tried to absorb the flame, but it didn’t work..."

Tilly felt like her heart was in her throat while listening to Mikhail Denver’s explanation. Especially since there was something else bugging her. "Captain Denver, where are my children?" she asked nervously while holding Kiho’s slightly cold hand. "I don’t see Aku Moonchester either."

The captain turned to her and gulped before giving a response. "A-Aku Moonchester escaped using a magic circle. Lord Winter and Lord Julian followed the emperor and disappeared with him. Duke Nystrom tried to follow after them, but he fainted..."

Tilly shut her eyes tight.

[Oh, god...]

"Captain, do you know where Aku Moonchester is headed?"

"I’m sorry, Supreme, but I don’t know where the emperor went..."

[Haaah...]

"There are still traces of the magic circle left, and I can read it, Tilly."

Hmm?

Tilly opened her eyes right away and looked at Luna. "You can?"

"The magic circle looked like it was made in a hurry, so it left some traces," Luna said while looking at the faint magic circle on the floor. Then the witch turned to her. "But, Supreme, it looks like I cannot do anything for Duke Nystrom. The Hellfire must be extinguished, but even my healing power isn’t working."

Oh.

For the first time in a while, Tilly felt hopeless.

[Kiho...]

<"Devour it!">

Tilly flinched when she heard the Black Flame yelling in her mind.

She was a bit surprised because the Black Flame rarely talked to her when she was conscious. Usually, the Black Flame would only speak to her if she was either unconscious or summoned to another dimension.

<"Hey, did you hear me?"> the Black Flame asked impatiently. <"I said devour it!">

Tilly knitted her eyebrows, confused. "Devour what?"

Luna and Mikhail Denver turned to her with questioning eyes, but Tilly didn’t have time to explain because the Black Flame’s loud voice was ringing in her ears.

<"Devour the Hellfire– just like how you swallowed the sun before!">

Excuse me???

***

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