This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 267
How much longer must I endure this blasted fashion show!
“It’s the Spirit Guidance Festival! One of the few grand events we have!”
“Our lady must be the most beautiful of all!”
The maids glared and carried dress after dress. The passionate fashion show finally ended two hours later. They settled on a black mermaid-line gown with gold accents. I wore my hair tied to one side and let it cascade over my shoulder. When the maids saw me fully dressed they applauded like seals—until I put on my wide-brimmed hat.
“A hat? My lady!”
“A-a hat...!”
I shook my head firmly.
“No. I’m not changing. Let’s go home.”
“My lady...!”
“I’m already dressed. The hat stays.”
“But the face completes the outfit!”
The maids wailed that I must show my face, but I shook my head again. When I pressed the hat further down, Betty and Heidi clung to the hem of my skirt and cried out:
“At least match the colors!”
“Black... at least a neutral shade...!”
They sobbed that blue simply wouldn’t do. “But this hat has the widest brim—” Heidi and Betty dashed off and returned with a black hat. It’s not as good as the first, but at least it conceals my face. I’ve never seen where they found it, but I marveled. The two stared up at me with tear-filled eyes.
“...Fine.”
The maids cheered as if celebrating my coronation.
They really love doll-play. It isn’t bad, since now everyone will say I dress well, but it’s quite tiresome.
Just then Joshua and Balzac arrived to fetch me.
“Shall we depart now?”
“If we’re late our relatives will throw a fit again.”
I answered “Okay,” and followed my brothers. Our destination: Astra Ducal Castle. On the carriage ride, I listened as they described how the Spirit Guidance Festival had been conducted these past few years. The procedures have changed considerably since I went to Kansis.
“They’re floating magic tools?”
“Yes. They call them Talismans.”
Balzac spoke, and Joshua added, “The Talismans guide the spirits away. At the end of their journey we detonate them, and the sparks decorate the sky like stars.”
“From where to where?”
“It varies every year. This time they start in the southwest and end in our domain.”
I nodded and peered out the window. The sunset glowed. The Festival had begun.
Astra Ducal Castle. The courtyard swarmed with kin and retainers. When we entered the party hall all eyes turned to us.
“You’re always the last ones.”
Liantin said with a pout. Fabio, our cousin, twirled his champagne glass and smirked.
“You two must suffer from a severe case of protagonist syndrome.”
Adam chuckled in agreement. “Indeed. Protagonist syndrome!”
Balzac snorted. “Maybe you two should take some medicine. At your age running off on missions crying for Mother seems rather sick.”
Fabio and Adam glared red-faced and shouted, “T-that was for good reason...!”
“Y-yes!”
“I hope that reason is gone by your next mission.”
As the mood turned sour, our cousin Aaron stepped forward.
“Let’s not quarrel on such a fine day. Look, the grand magic screen is active.”
At Aaron’s words everyone turned to the magic screen. It spanned an entire wall, its image shifting steadily to show the squares of each domain.
Joshua whispered, “You can watch the Talismans’ progress on that screen.”
“Why show the squares?”
“Each domain holds a performance to welcome the spirits with their Talismans.”
“I see.”
Liantin lifted her chin arrogantly. “Our domain invited the National Opera. Singer Bridge headlines with famous opera stars singing ecstatically.”
Then Juliana spoke—she’s our black-wyrm cousin and Bastina’s daughter.
“We have the Knights’ Blade Dance. Aquilaji leads it.”
The invited collateral-line girls squealed, “‘That Aquila,’ right?”
“How marvelous~!”
Loreina, Valderik’s eldest daughter, sneered. “Since Uncle is deep in gambling debt, you solved it with your own knights.”
Our black-wyrm cousin scowled. “Yet your side gathers villagers to perform.”
“We’re on a different level—”
Then a roar erupted.
“Waaaah!”
Those watching the screen gasped. A Talisman had just passed through the Valderik domain. At every waypoint peasants held their magic tools aloft. The lights embroidered across Valderik’s lands were nothing short of wondrous.
Our cousins muttered with pale faces, “How many tools did they buy?”
“Truly the gold vein of Astra, the Valderik domain.”
“...Though it’s all usury money.”
Our black-wyrm cousin snapped, but nobody agreed. “They’re flaunting their wealth.”
Joffrey grinned wickedly and looked at us. “What performance does Daymond’s domain have?”
My brothers were silent—they hadn’t bothered with a show.
They were busy, and their domain was in shambles—no time or condition to prepare.
Joffrey put on a sly face. “What, you didn’t prepare a performance?”
“No need to waste money on frivolities like you.”
Balzac said coldly. Joffrey snorted and swirled his glass.
“Doesn’t your domain need upkeep?”
Joshua smiled gently at Joffrey. “I understand you’re upset you can’t seize more land, ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) but best stop talking nonsense.”
“What?!”
As the Third Generation’s voices rose, Viscount Debussy—grandfather’s right hand—approached.
“My lady.”
“Hello, Viscount. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it is moving to see you so mature.”
“Thank you.”
After brief greetings, the Viscount asked us, “The last region for this year’s Festival is Daymond’s domain.”
I nodded. “I know.”
“Originally the local lord shoots an arrow to detonate the Talismans, but since Lord Daymond is absent one of you must do the honors.”
“Yes.”
“The Talismans will reach Daymond’s domain in three hours. Use your blessing pendants to return ahead of time and take your positions.”
We nodded. Many guests are invited this year—neighboring lords, foreign ambassadors, even the Varan Crown Prince’s party. So the Viscount is personally overseeing the ceremony to ensure nothing goes awry.
I asked quietly, “Will the guests from Kansis join the party hall as well?”
“That was reported, yes....” Debussy glanced around the hall. “Since they haven’t arrived yet, I believe they’ll enter in the second act.”
I assumed they’d skip it to spite me, but even Raon’s lazy temperament can’t resist. “Fine. I’ll return to my domain before the second act.”
With that I took up my glass.
“Oh! Erilot is drinking!”
Armant—now no longer a toddler—pointed at me. “It’s orange juice.”
“Well, that’s boring. If she drank wine, I could drink too.”
“You must be of age to drink, Armant.”
“Erilot is strangely moral.”
The adults watched us and laughed.
Hours later, Valderik’s expression brightened as he waited before the party hall for the Crown Prince’s party.
“Oh, Your Highness!”
Valderik—eagerly awaiting Raon—rushed forward. “You’re late. Had you come sooner you could’ve enjoyed my domain’s splendid performance. Ha ha!”
“I enjoyed it plenty on the way here.”
The Third Prince Yuri smiled. Valderik chuckled and nodded. “I’m glad. Please, come in. There are more spectacles ahead.”
As Valderik smiled maliciously, Heben asked, “About that ‘matter’ you mentioned before?”
“Oh, you speak our language as well, Your Grace.”
“Yes, well....”
Valderik curled his lips into a grin, looked around, then lowered his voice. “We intend to blow up Daymond’s domain with the gunpowder you supplied.”
“They exiled the eldest son and Daymond Astra will lose the domain... If this goes well, that castle falls into your hands.”
At Yuri’s words Valderik lifted an eyebrow. “With your help, that outcome is certain.”
Then Raon—who had been silent—asked, “But you said there was no arms deal.”
‘The Crown Prince knows our language too?’
Valderik blinked in surprise, then composed himself. “Astra is the preeminent first house of the Kalsoie Empire, which rules this continent.”
“And?”
“If the Crown Prince seeks to secure the future, you will one day need Astra’s power.”
“Do you think I’d need the aid of uncivilized Kalsoie?”
“I know King Varan’s true heart lies with the youngest prince, not the Crown Prince.”
Heben and Yuri’s expressions stiffened. It was true—the king favored his youngest. If things continued, even the Crown Prince’s position would be threatened. The day might come when he needed Astra’s unrivaled military might.
Valderik chuckled. “Would it not benefit you to shake my hand?”
Yuri and Heben glared at him, but Raon said lightly, “Time will tell.”
“It won’t be too late after Daymond falls.”
Ha ha ha! Valderik cheerfully led Raon into the party hall. As they entered all eyes turned on them. Especially Gustav’s faction, displeased they lost the ceremony’s honors to Valderik.
Joffrey and Loreina approached.
“Father.”
“The Talismans?”
“They’ve just left Vasile’s domain and entered Astra’s.”
Meaning Daymond’s domain’s fiery fate was imminent. The grand screen displayed Daymond’s castle. Below the tower stood Balzac, Joshua, and the retainers. Atop the tower, bow drawn, was...
“Erilot has the archer’s role.”
At Valderik’s words Joffrey sneered. “That woman is desperate to be noticed.”
He then whispered, “What if she misses? We should abduct those siblings and lock them in the warehouse as playthings.”
“Let one go,” Valderik replied. “Watching them get roasted whole will be entertainment enough.”
“That’s true, though.”
Joffrey shrugged. Then a retainer said, “Oh! Miss Erilot is aiming at the Talismans!”
Everyone watched the screen with bated breath.
“I wonder if she can hit it. Wouldn’t it be better for Master Joshua—so skilled with the bow—to try?”
“She volunteered because she’s confident. If she misses, what greater humiliation could there be?”
Laughter filled the hall. The Duke’s gaze fixed on Erilot, drawing the bowstring taut.
“What form you have.”
“You did more than study in Kansis, it seems.”
Viscount Debussy replied with a smiling face. Valderik curled his lips inward.
‘Now, there’s not much time left.’
Soon the reckoning for their ignorance would come. On the screen, Erilot released the taut string.
Shhhh!
The arrow cleaved the air in a straight line and struck the Talismans.
Now!
Bang—!!
“Waaaaah—!!”
Brilliant fireworks embroidered the sky. The bright explosions blotted out the twilight, then countless sparks bloomed like flowers and stars. In that moment something soared upward.
“What is that....”
“Oh, a marsh nymph!”
The marsh nymph hurtled toward Astra’s emblem in midair. At the moment it passed through the emblem...
“Wow—!”
“Ah!”
The crowd gasped. When the light mask covering the emblem vanished, the nymph had become a crow, soaring skyward. Black feathers drifted down as the crow transformed into a multicolored phoenix, drawing loops of infinity. Flap, flap! Other birds rose in its wake, like spirits.
Of course the standout was the phoenix itself. The guests laughed and said, “Magnificent. How on earth...?”
“It’s Miss Erilot’s blessing !”
When a retainer shouted triumphantly, everyone burst into laughter. One of the Third Generation said sourly, “So you had no performance prepared?”
Conrad, watching this, chuckled and said to Hanjihyeok, “She cast Deception on the marsh nymph to turn it into a crow?”
“Then changed it from crow to phoenix.”
“Bravo for preparing that in an hour.”
“Truly the cleverest in the empire.”
Amid the laughter, two people stood stone-faced: Valderik and his children.
“What... why didn’t it explode?”
Joffrey asked, and Loreina glared at her father.
“Was there something wrong with the gunpowder?”
“....”
“Father.”
“I don’t know! I don’t know why...!”
He had prepared an enormous amount of gunpowder. He should have engulfed Daymond’s domain in flames...!
‘What on earth... no, the problem is!’
He hastily looked at Raon’s party.
“Oh, Your Highness.”
“If you intend to use Astra’s aid, you should seek someone else.”
Raon rose as he spoke casually.
‘No!’
The Kingdom of Varan was our greatest sword and shield. We cannot lose them.
Valderik urged urgently, “I-I’ve found it.”
“....”
Raon paused mid-rise.
“What is it?”
“Why, ‘Lil,’ of course.”
“The woman Your Highness sought is in my grasp.”
Valderik curled his lips upward. “Will you shake my hand?”
