This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 257
“Throw her out.”
At my words, the servants moved in perfect unison.
Masa burst into tears as her arms were restrained.
“Young lady! Young lady!”
But I had no intention of changing my mind.
I quietly watched as Masa was dragged away.
Mari’s gaze darkened deeply as she saw Masa’s cries.
After confirming Masa was thrown out the door, Han Jihyeok returned.
He entered the room and looked at Mari, who was leaning against the sofa with her eyes closed.
“Is she asleep?”
“Yeah. I stopped her from going back to the dorm.”
“Such a diligent one, anyway.”
“Let her rest, then carry her back later.”
“Alright.”
I pulled up the blanket I had draped over Mari.
Han Jihyeok flopped down across from me and said,
“Masa is really a wicked demon.”
“Yeah.”
“I can’t believe someone like that exists.”
I opened a book and replied,
“I think that’s better.”
“Better? Her? How?”
“She’s young, so her true nature is obvious.”
She needs to be loved more than her older sister.
She wants to be a noble.
She wants to be special.
Her desires spill out uncontrollably.
Compared to dealing with someone like Yuse Eun, facing Masa feels easier.
“Anyway, you’re not the worst. But you’re near the worst. That’s not something to call ‘better.’”
“Is that so.”
“Maybe if she gets severely beaten this time, she’ll come to her senses.”
“Masa enjoyed the luxuries surrounded by noble young ladies.”
“That’s right.”
“Once you experience that, you never forget.”
Like how overspending makes it hard to go back.
She might think she should save now because she can’t make as much money as before.
But she’ll never forget the pleasure of lavish spending and will compare past and present.
And the more she compares, the unhappier she’ll become.
‘So Masa’s misfortune is basically predestined.’
That’s also why I didn’t get angry when Masa spread rumors about me.
Even without me intervening, she would come to know the world’s harshness.
“Han Jihyeok.”
“Yeah. I’ll tell the Ishiron family about Masa’s situation—”
“You should go to Laontra.”
Han Jihyeok frowned.
“Laontra? Why the Eastern Empire?”
I patted Mari’s shoulder and said,
“My mother might still be alive.”
“...What?”
“Mari said a woman called ‘Beltry’ once visited when she was little. She said she recognized the gold seal on her body.”
“It could be a namesake.”
His expression warned me not to get my hopes up.
Because if I did and learned she was truly dead, my heart would be torn apart.
I coldly looked at the Astra crest hanging on the wall.
“I suspected ever since I found out I was Beltry’s daughter.”
“What?”
“Beltry was attached to my father by Uncle Grimier.”
“Right...”
“Uncle Grimier was also the one who disposed of Beltry’s corpse.”
“...!”
There’s a chance she’s alive, kept alive to be used further.
‘She would be the ultimate weapon for Dad and me.’
But like Han Jihyeok worried, she might also be dead.
Not wanting to tear Dad’s heart open again, I decided not to say anything unless certain.
“Go, Jihyeok.”
“...Damn. Make sure you give me enough funds.”
He sighed deeply.
It seemed daunting even to get there.
‘A veil with the same name as those who protected me in my past life.’
A mother who might still be alive.
And Grimier, who killed me and took something from me.
Now the darkness surrounding that man was almost fully revealed.
A few days later, Ishiron estate.
I followed Alexis toward the Ishiron estate.
“Do you know what the Duke wants to say to me?”
I asked, and Alexis nodded.
“I have a rough idea.”
“What is it?”
“Go and hear it yourself.”
I pouted sullenly.
‘I feel there’s a secret lately.’
While I was thinking that, the Ishiron steward arrived.
“I will escort you to the master’s study.”
Alexis and I followed him down the corridor.
After walking a bit, noise came from outside the window.
The Ishiron steward frowned at a servant standing by the wall.
He looked annoyed as if to say, “Why make a fuss in front of the master and the future master?”
I raised my hand and said, “It’s okay.”
The Ishiron servants who were about to rush outside stopped.
I quietly stared out the window.
A familiar face appeared.
“P-please don’t do this. How am I supposed to live if I leave this place?”
It was Masa.
She clung desperately to a woman wearing the maid chief’s badge.
“Just be grateful the punishment room hasn’t opened!”
“B-but I...!”
The servants nearby scolded Masa.
“She’s seriously crazy.”
“We should have known from the start when she bragged about becoming a noble young lady.”
“How dare you invade the fiancé’s family of the young master because you had nothing better to do?”
“Why, do you still think you’re Count Astra’s daughter?”
Masa turned bright red and trembled all over.
I watched her with an indifferent expression.
Alexis asked,
“If it’s hard to watch, then disperse them.”
“That’s enough. Let’s go.”
“...Alright.”
I exited through the nearby door with Alexis.
It connected to the place where Masa was.
The Ishiron servants hurriedly bowed as they saw us.
But it was strange.
Masa’s expression brightened.
As if she believed we would save her.
The girl crawled toward us.
“Y-young master...”
“...”
“Please believe me. I’m innocent.”
“...”
“Please say you won’t throw me out...!”
I pressed my temple hard.
‘So that’s what I felt — that weird hostility toward me.’
I glanced at Alexis.
“Want me to give you some space?”
“Why would I?”
“You look so affectionate.”
To you, Masa.
Alexis sighed deeply.
“Please don’t mind strange things.”
At the word “strange,” Masa’s expression froze.
She stretched her trembling hand toward Alexis.
“Young... master...”
“Get lost.”
Alexis passed by Masa coldly.
Then he turned to me and said,
“What about lunch?”
“...”
I looked at Masa, who seemed deeply shocked, and started walking.
“I want to eat lamb skewers.”
“...You really like that.”
“I planned to eat them at the festival but couldn’t.”
When I grumbled, he chuckled.
Then he asked the steward who was following us.
“Can you prepare that?”
The steward smiled gently.
“Of course.”
“Then lamb skewers for lunch today.”
Alexis reached out his hand toward me.
I looked at him with a ‘why?’ expression.
“Your shoes look uncomfortable.”
“Are you going to support me?”
“There’s also a word for that: escort.”
“Whatever.”
I giggled and took Alexis’s hand.
It wasn’t an elegant pose of a gentleman escorting a young lady.
We just linked fingers and walked casually.
Like when we were very young, running on the rooftop holding hands.
Behind us, the Ishiron Duke’s servants whispered approvingly.
“They’re a good-looking pair.”
“It’s a feast for the eyes, really.”
But there was also a sharp, murderous glare.
It was Masa.
I glanced at her.
“Masa.”
“Y-yes, young lady...!”
“Goodbye.”
Her hopeful expression twisted cruelly.
Whether she tried to help or not, I crossed the backyard and walked away.
The Ishiron Duke smiled broadly as he saw me.
His friendly smile was so warm that it made me uncomfortable.
“Hello, Duke.”
“Yes, yes. Our bride has come.”
“...”
I tilted my head and sat down.
“What tea would you like?”
“I prefer evening primrose tea.”
“The bride likes evening primrose tea. We should keep some in the mansion too.”
The Ishiron Duke said, “Did you hear?” to the steward.
The steward chuckled and replied,
“She hates the scent of evening primrose tea. She says it smells like dirt.”
“That dirt doesn’t matter. If our bride likes it, prepare plenty.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Alexis smiled at the Ishiron Duke’s fussing.
I stared hard at the Duke.
“Duke.”
“Call me grandfather if you like. If you care about others’ eyes, father is fine too.”
“You’ve wronged me somehow, haven’t you?”
The Ishiron Duke flinched.
I narrowed my eyes.
‘I knew it was this old fox.’
But this sly old man quickly smiled as if nothing happened.
“Arguing about right and wrong among family is foolish.”
“The same family that threw out the eldest son after arguing about right and wrong.”
“Anyway, you never lose an argument.”
“You said you liked that because I had a competitive spirit.”
“That was when you were my bride.”
“Is that so? Then maybe not in the future, so from now on I’ll behave properly...”
I spoke quickly, but a terrifying glare hit me from beside.
It was Alexis.
The Ishiron Duke jumped up.
“Can’t even joke! It’s a joke!”
“So, why did you call me?”
The Duke cleared his throat.
Then placed some documents in front of me.
“This is a catalog from the academy, isn’t it?”
It’s a famous academy even among the great noble families of the Zodiac.
Current dukes graduated from there, and their heirs are expected to enroll.
There was even an application form tucked behind the catalog.
“How about attending the academy? With Alexis.”
“I’m receiving clan education at Astra. Grandfather and Father won’t allow it.”
“But if you submit the application first, what can those two rich men do?”
“But this application needs a guardian’s signature.”
“You have a guardian who can sign for you.”
Both grandfather and father will flip out saying no.
But who would sign?
While thinking that, I suddenly flinched.
“Duke, you don’t mean...”
“It’s not strange that Alexis’s father signs for you as his fiancée~!”
I looked at the Ishiron Duke in disbelief.
‘That’s why he acted so strangely!’
So this Duke wanted this:
Since Dad and Grandfather would oppose, secretly prepare the application.
The Duke signs it.
Once accepted, run away from the family and secretly enroll.
“If they find out the Duke signed the application, it’ll be war.”
My grandfather and father will raid the Ishiron estate again.
The Ishiron Duke smiled gently.
“Then Alexis would have to go alone.”
“Alexis, will you go?”
Why?
Why must we go to the academy?
We’re already receiving good education at our estate.
The Astra family has long traditions of clan education, making systematic education possible.
But Alexis was quiet.
‘Is he really going?’
“The academy is out of my reach. It gathers all nobles on the continent, so even if I go, I might have no influence.”
“I know.”
“Then why take the risk...!”
Then the Ishiron Duke said,
“You need to grow on your own where I can’t reach.”
“...What?”
“This child has never achieved anything by his own hands. Everything was given by you.”
“...”
“Will you keep making everything for him after he’s an adult? When he becomes emperor? Then too?”
“...”
I bit my lip hard and looked at Alexis.
“I’ve wanted to go to the academy for some time.”
“Yeah.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“You would have opposed, saying it’s dangerous.”
That’s the truth!
I smacked Alexis’s chest hard.
Seeing me hit my fiancé in front of my grandfather, the Ishiron Duke’s eyes widened.
I frowned.
“Do you think I want to become your mother?!”
“...”
“If you said you wanted to go, I would have just said, ‘I see.’”
“...”
“Why make me someone with no trust at all?”
“...Because I’m worried.”
“You should be worried! You’re important to me!”
I shouted loudly, and both the Duke and Alexis stared wide-eyed.
I huffed.
“If you want to go, go. Secretly from the fiancé who has no trust! If there’s no trust, why get engaged?!”
I was about to stand suddenly, but the Ishiron Duke hurriedly grabbed me.
“Wait, wait!”
“...Why?”
“I want to protect you!”
“Huh?”
“I want to be the man who protects you like you protected me.”
“...”
“I won’t leave decisions to you; I will be a trustworthy man who makes decisions himself.”
“...”
“So don’t talk about breaking off the engagement, okay?”
I glared at Alexis.
He lowered his eyes expressionlessly.
I slapped his shoulder again.
“Then just say so.”
“...Anyway, your hands hurt.”
I plopped down into my seat.
The Ishiron Duke tried to soothe me.
“There’s another reason I suggested the academy.”
“Another reason?”
“Before you get kicked out of the Wonhwa.”
“Kicked out of Wonhwa?”
Why?
“Explain.”
“Queen Osellia seems to be seriously trying to make you her daughter-in-law.”
“And?”
“She seems to be pressuring you in case you refuse.”
The Ishiron Duke handed me some documents.
Looking over them, they recorded Osellia Queen’s recent activities.
“Duke Arcal, Duke Vicen... They’re all major figures in the imperial army.”
“They’re probably fabricating charges to frame you, threatening to ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) kick you out of Wonhwa.”
I chuckled bitterly.
“Duke.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry about this. I can handle it by now.”
I raised my eyebrows.
A week later, the imperial palace.
Just as expected, I was summoned by Queen Osellia.
I headed to her palace.
Upon arrival, Osellia was waiting with a kind smile.
“Have a seat.”
“Excuse me.”
“What tea do you prefer?” 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
“I have morning appointments, so I don’t have time to drink tea. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
The queen’s eyebrows twitched.
I had dared to refuse her tea, so she seemed displeased.
But soon she said to me with a neutral face,
“There are unpleasant rumors at the palace. I called you so you’d know before things are decided.”
“Please tell me.”
“Suspicions of embezzlement in the Western Army have arisen.”
Ah, these crows.
They got caught stealing even before I arrived.
‘What are they trying to pin on me?’
Queen Osellia smiled faintly.
“You’ll probably take responsibility. Your Wonhwa position will be in danger.”
“...”
“You might even be dishonorably discharged. You know how big a disgrace that is.”
“Yes.”
“So, I might help you with this—”
“I will resign.”
“...What?”
I smiled sweetly.
“That’s perfect timing since things have been tough! I’ll resign then!”
After all, I’ve gotten everything I could from Wonhwa.
Queen Osellia’s face hardened.
