Too Lazy to be a Villainess-Chapter 25: My Daughter? [Emperor’s Perspective]

Chapter 25: My Daughter? [Emperor’s Perspective]

EMPEROR’S PERSPECTIVE:1

"Your Majesty, the princess is born."

The words grated against my ears, dragging me from the only peace I had—sleep.

I opened the door to find an insignificant maid kneeling on the cold stone floor, her head bowed so low I could barely see her face. At her feet, wrapped in a thin blanket, lay a bundle. Small. Quiet. Breathing.

"What did you say?" My voice was low, dangerous.

The maid flinched, her hands trembling as she spoke. "Y-Your Majesty... it’s the princess... your daughter..."

A daughter.

A mistake.

I stared at the bundle, feeling nothing but cold detachment. This... thing was the result of a woman I barely remembered.

Useless. Weak.

"So... you’re telling me I have a daughter now?"

My gaze bore into the maid, watching her body tremble like a leaf in a storm. She was terrified—and rightly so.

"Y-Yes... Your Majesty..."

Silence.

My eyes drifted back to the bundle. A tiny thing, barely moving.

"Take her to the Eastern Palace and raise her." My voice was devoid of warmth, my words final. "Don’t show her up in front of me again."

The maid scrambled to her feet, her head still bowed as she picked up the child, and disappeared down the corridor. I slammed the door shut.

Annoying.

I should have ended it right then.

Killed her.

That weakling had no place in this world—no place in my bloodline. The thought gripped me, tightening around my mind like a vice. My hand instinctively reached for the sword beside my bed.

One strike. One clean stroke.

That’s all it would take to rid myself of this nuisance forever. My grip tightened around the hilt. I could feel the weight of it—the promise of silence.

I should kill her.

But before I could take another step—

"Oh, Your Majesty," a familiar voice interrupted.

Theon.

"Are you going somewhere?"

I exhaled, rubbing my temples as the pounding in my head intensified.

"Are you having another headache?" Theon’s tone was calm, but I could sense the concern laced within it.

Annoying.

I let the sword fall back into its sheath. The moment passed. And just like that... I forgot about her.Days, weeks—I never spared a thought for the girl I had condemned to that empty palace.

Until that night.

The night everything... changed.

My head was throbbing like an elephant had trampled over me. The pain was unbearable, and the only cure I knew was blood.

I had to kill someone.

Grabbing my sword, I walked out, ready to slay the first fool who crossed me. But somehow... my feet carried me to the Eastern Palace, which looked too empty.

"Why...am I here?" I muttered, confusion gnawing at me.

The halls were lifeless. No guards. No servants. Not even a trace of the living. The air was stale—like death had already claimed this place. That’s when I recalled her, My daughter.

"I ordered her to be raised here..." The memory surfaced, distant and hazy. "But... it doesn’t look like someone lives here."

Drawn by instinct, I walked deeper inside. The halls stretched endlessly, suffocating in their silence. Until—

A door.

I pushed open the door to a cold, barren room. And there, in the center—a lone crib.

A faint sound echoed through the silence.

"Goo... gaa..."

Soft. Innocent. I approached, my footsteps echoing against the emptiness. My heart pounded, the thirst for blood still burning in my veins.

Kill her.

That’s right, I can kill her today—now. she doesn’t deserve to live. One stroke, and it would be over. But the moment my eyes met hers—

The throbbing stopped.

Big, curious eyes stared up at me. Wide and unafraid.

She flinched at my presence at first... but she didn’t cry. She wasn’t scared. Not like the others.

Why?

Why aren’t you scared of me?

My grip on the sword tightened, ready to kill her. Just one swing. But those eyes... they wouldn’t look away.

Why isn’t she scared of me? Is it because she has my blood? Is it because she is... my daughter?

My jaw clenched. The air in the room grew thick, suffocating me.

End it.

But I couldn’t. In fact, I walked away. My feet felt heavy, dragging me from that lifeless palace. I couldn’t kill her.

But for some unknown reason...I felt... alive for my whole lifetime. The suffocating darkness that had clung to me for years—the weight of the blood I had spilled, the souls I had sent to the afterlife—it was gone.

Even if just for a moment.

But...Something was wrong. Why is she left alone?

No nanny. No maids. No guards. My steps slowed. A cold chill crawled up my spine.

They left her.

Alone?

The anger simmering beneath my skin surged.

How dare they leave my daughter alone? How dare they...

My pace quickened as I stormed back toward the Royal Palace, my sword still in hand.

"Your Majesty?"

Theon’s voice echoed through the hallway as he approached; his footsteps hurried. His eyes darted to the sword in my hand, and I could see the unspoken question in them.

Did I kill someone?

Theon’s face paled, but I ignored his concern. That didn’t matter. She was alone. My daughter was left alone in that desolate place.

My jaw clenched, and I met Theon’s gaze. "Theon," I said, my voice low and filled with restrained fury.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" He straightened immediately.

"Drag all the maids and guards who work in the Eastern Palace. Bring them to me."

Theon’s brow furrowed, his confusion apparent. "With all due respect, Your Majesty... may I know why?"

I didn’t answer immediately. My hand tightened around the sword hilt, the weight of it grounding me as I fought to keep my rage in check.

"They dared to leave my daughter alone. They need to be punished."

Silence.

Theon blinked, his expression shifting from confusion to... disbelief.

"What?"

"Daughter?"

His voice was barely above a whisper, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. "Your Majesty... what are you talking about?"

He didn’t believe me. No one would. After all, I had discarded her. I had ordered her to be raised away from the palace, in a place forgotten by everyone—including me.

***

Theon didn’t question me after that. And now...They were all kneeling before me.

The maids. The guards. Every single one who dared to neglect her.

Outside the Eastern Palace, next morning.

Bowing. Trembling.

They were dragged out one by one, their heads pressed to the cold ground.

"Y-Your Majesty... p-please... spare us..." A maid’s voice cracked, her body shaking as she dared to beg. Her forehead kissed the dirt, her tears soaking into the soil.

Spare them?

After leaving my daughter alone to die?

How dare she?

I stepped forward, my boots crunching against the gravel. Her voice grated against my ears.

Annoying.

My sword hung loosely by my side, but the itch to raise it... to end this filth right here and now...

"We... we didn’t mean to..."

Didn’t mean to? Is that supposed to justify leaving the emperor’s daughter alone? To shiver alone in an empty palace?

Kill her.

Now.

My grip tightened on the hilt. Just one swing, but...not like this.

No.

Death would be too merciful.

"Drag them to the dungeon," I said, my voice cold, unfeeling.

Theon straightened beside me, waiting for my next words.

"Torture them. Until the day of their execution comes."

A chilling silence fell.

"N-No... Your Majesty...Please..." Their cries echoed in the early morning, but they were nothing more than noise. Empty. Pointless.

They should’ve begged for mercy before living her alone. Now... it’s too late.

Later, as we walked toward the palace, my steps quickened. But something felt... off.

Why is it so quiet?

Why can’t I hear her?

A chill ran down my spine. I threw the door open, my heart pounding. And there she was, near the window. The window that was open. Wind blew in, chilling the already cold room. She was shivering.

Like her life was hanging by a thread. Her tiny body trembled, her small hands gripping the blanket that barely covered her.

No sound.

No cries.

Just... silence.

Did they starve her?

How dare they.

My jaw clenched, and I forced my rage down. Now wasn’t the time.

I took a step forward, my movements slow, careful. "Don’t worry," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath as if she could hear me. "I will protect you."

I stood beside her, my fingers brushing against her ice-cold cheek.

Cold.

Too cold.

Her lips trembled as she tried to make a sound... but nothing came.

Too weak.

She’s too weak.

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"I think the princess is too weak, Your Majesty." Theon’s voice came from behind me, quiet... cautious.

"Then..." my fists clenched at my sides. "What are you waiting for?" I turned, my eyes cold and merciless. "Drag all the priests and doctors. Tell them I summoned them immediately."

Theon hesitated for only a moment before bowing. "At once, Your Majesty."

And...If they don’t fix her... They’ll join the others in the dungeon.

***

The day is about to end. The night was about to end, but she was still lying motionless on my bed. Her breathing was so faint, I could barely hear it.

"Why hasn’t she woken up yet?" My voice echoed off the cold stone walls. Rage. Frustration. I couldn’t control it anymore.

I grabbed the old priest by his collar, dragging him forward until his feet barely touched the ground.

"You said she’d get better. You said it was just exhaustion. Then why—"

"Y-Your Majesty... p-please..." His face turned red as he struggled to breathe. "The... p-princess...should’ve woken up by now. But..."

"Speak."

"she Is... too weak... Your Majesty..." His voice trembled, barely a whisper. "It... it may take time for her to recover."

"Time? How much time?"

"We cannot guess your majesty..." The priest said, still struggling to breathe.

Lies.

I should rip this useless bastard apart.

I shoved him back, and he fell to his knees, coughing violently. "If she dies..." My voice was barely above a whisper. "You die too."

This Chapter will show you how the emperor felt for his daughter.