The Baddest Villainess Is Back
Chapter 31
“No, not that, I mean before that!”
“……Before that?”
If he was talking about before, there was only the part about awakening an Abyss.
“Ah, the ‘I jumped to my death and awakened an Abyss’ part?”
“Yes, that!! Why would you jump to your death?! Are you crazy?! If you die, do you think you can handle that bastard running wild?!”
Ian Bellion shouted.
Roselyn let out a sigh, her expression growing even more annoyed.
“Anyway, wash your hands of Makruksa, and stop the herbal import business you’ve been running.”
Ian Bellion’s eyes widened.
“You, how do you know about…….”
How did she know? Simple.
In her past life, the other side had done the same thing and gotten caught. Since she suspected they were doing the same thing here after digging around in secret, she was merely giving him a warning.
‘Actually, Lady Carmel was a major pillar, so that was expected, but revealing that my second uncle was a member of Makruksa was close to a gamble…….’
Roselyn watched Ian Bellion quietly.
The herbal import was an order Ian had received directly from the ‘King.’ It was safe to assume almost no one knew about it other than him and the ‘King.’
“I’ve warned you. If you don’t want to be wrongly implicated in the crime of murdering royalty, stay out of it.”
“Where does this brat get off giving me orders……!”
Roselyn’s expression crumpled further, feeling as if she were dealing with a stubborn old man.
“Even if you do that, you won’t be able to catch Makruksa’s ‘King.’”
“……!”
This time, Ian Bellion’s mouth hung wide open as if he were truly shocked.
Roselyn worried for a moment that a bug might fly into his mouth.
“You……!”
“He’s not someone who can be caught just because you’re struggling, Uncle. And it’s not like my deceased aunt will come back to life either.”
“…….”
Roselyn stopped there and stood up from her seat.
Ian Bellion’s face was no longer one of shock.
His face was frozen stiff with the unpleasantness of having a hidden wound unexpectedly pierced.
“……Did that gloomy Cherti bastard tell you?”
Despite his ominous gaze that looked ready to tear several people apart, Roselyn met his eyes calmly.
“No, I told you it was an Abyss.”
“What kind of Abyss could possibly……!”
Since the fierce glare directed at her was quite familiar, Roselyn actually shrugged with a relaxed face.
“If you don’t want to ruin the family, forget about the dead.”
“Hey, you……! You’re speaking quite recklessly just because you have a mouth……!!”
“In the first place, you were the one who ran away alone, leaving behind our aunt whose legs were uncomfortable, Uncle. And then you kept your mouth shut tight.”
At Roselyn’s sharp words, Ian’s lips, which had turned pale, trembled violently.
Roselyn smiled brightly. The angrier and more unpleasant the opponent felt, the more radiant Roselyn became.
She knew the pressure and discomfort such a smile gave to others.
“And Uncle, I’m speaking because I have a mouth. It’s not like I’m making things up.”
“I’m asking how you know that!”
“I told you, it’s an Abyss.”
Roselyn shrugged and turned around.
“Even if you don’t look for him, I’m the one who will catch Makruksa’s King,” Roselyn said.
Ian Bellion faltered.
“Since I won’t live long anyway, it’s better for me to move.”
Adding those words, she opened the door and walked out.
Though she hadn't told Marquis Gerren, Roselyn had already reached her limit before she died.
She would have died soon even if she had been left alone.
Even before she was captured, she had been taking a handful of medicine just to prolong her life.
Even now, though she had a sharp tongue, her body wasn't healthy.
She was in a state where a slight overexertion would cause a fever.
“Well, I’ve said everything I had to say, so I’m leaving.”
“Hey! What kind of nonsense are you……!”
SLAM.
The door closed right in front of Ian’s nose.
“Ah, what a bothersome man.”
“Hey! I can hear everything! Open the door! Hey, you brat, ah, damn it! Undo these shackles!! You little brat who lacks filial piety!”
A screeching voice could be heard from beyond the door.
Regardless, Roselyn headed toward her father, who had been digging a hole of depression for several days because she was leaving for Kaluta tomorrow.
*
*
*
Roselyn’s procession to Kaluta was simple.
No, she wanted it to be simple.
But as a diplomatic mission sent to another country, it couldn't be that simple…….
“This one is for defense, and this one is for offense. This one has my Abyss melted into it, so it can deliver a strong electric shock……. This is a blanket, but an Abyss that maintains warmth is…… this too, and this too…….”
In particular, Roselyn’s carriage was far from simple.
Roselyn smiled brightly as she looked at the mountain of unknown items piled up.
“Father, please take everything out except for the blanket with the warming ability and the electric shock crossbow.”
Roselyn, who had been listening to all the explanations with a smiling face, spoke firmly.
Disappointment flitted across Cherti’s face. However, for Roselyn, there was no reason to unnecessarily add another luggage wagon.
Roselyn waved her hand as if tired.
“Hey! You! Just how did you coax His Imperial Majesty into making that half-wit the representative instead of me?!”
Roselyn glanced at the screeching 2nd Prince and turned her head away.
As he said, the person in charge of this mission was the 3rd Prince.
However, given the 3rd Prince’s weak personality, the 2nd Prince’s influence would likely be quite strong.
‘What on earth was the Emperor thinking when he organized the personnel like this?’
When there are two leaders, it’s easy for the group to become a disorganized mess.
‘By the way, where is the 3rd Prince?’
Roselyn thought as she walked through the crowd, passing the noisy 2nd Prince.
Not far away, there was a man with jet-black hair slicked back, who looked a bit ill-tempered.
He had a rather striking appearance.
‘Who is that?’
As Roselyn watched him, he seemed to feel her gaze and glanced back, looking at her indifferently.
“What are you looking at?”
Speaking casually upon their first meeting.
Roselyn clicked her tongue inwardly and frowned.
Is he someone from the Imperial Family?
‘What an ill-mannered person.’
It was just as she ignored him and turned away.
Suddenly, the man carefully grabbed her sleeve.
“A-As I thought, this kind of thing doesn't suit me…… right……?”
Where had that rude charisma from a moment ago gone? The man now had a tearful expression, his eyes crinkling as if he were about to cry.
“……Who are you?”
When Roselyn asked, the man looked at her with a somewhat sorrowful expression.
“……I am the 3rd Prince, Arma…….”
“Ah…….”
After a long, awkward silence, the carriage finally departed.
*
*
*
‘……To think that man was actually the 3rd Prince.’
Roselyn thought, reflecting on the situation earlier. Glancing over, her eyes met his.
She realized for the first time in her life that a person's atmosphere could change so much just by neatly slicking back their bangs and revealing their forehead.
When he kept his mouth shut, he definitely had a completely different vibe, but the moment he opened it, the atmosphere changed entirely.
Roselyn blinked slowly and looked at the 3rd Prince, Arma, who sat before her with flushed cheeks.
And the boy, Batar, who sat proudly by her side.
For some reason, Batar had been emitting an ominous aura and glaring at Arma for a while now.
‘Well, is it because he suffered a lot at the hands of men?’
That underground auction house had been filled with nothing but men, too.
‘He might be afraid of men.’
Thinking that, Roselyn lightly took Batar’s hand to reassure him.
Batar’s shoulders flinched, and then his ominous gaze softened slightly as his mouth relaxed into a soft curve.
At the same time, Arma’s expression darkened.
‘The other two are already being escorted by the Imperial Knights…….’
Of course, Roselyn was too preoccupied to notice the exchange of looks.
‘This should be enough as a gift.’
When Roselyn nodded, Batar grinned.
Sitting in the chair, Batar kept adjusting his clothes, as if the Imperial-style attire was very uncomfortable.
“Roselyn, who is that man yo?”
“He is His Highness the 3rd Prince.”
“I can see that! I am asking what your relationship is yo!”
Roselyn shrugged as she looked at Batar, who used a strange way of speaking that seemed to be somewhere between formal and informal.
“Fiancé.”
“……You had a fiancé?!”
Batar asked with a shocked face. Arma’s face filled with pride.
“Yes, and we decided to break the engagement once the business with Kaluta is settled.”
And then it immediately darkened again.
Conversely, Batar’s face bloomed as brightly as a flower.
“That is a relief yo. We Kaluta do not care at all about a spouse’s past, so do not worry! Yo!”
“I know.”
Roselyn, looking puzzled by the sudden comment, soon nodded calmly.
The carriage, carrying a brightly smiling Batar, a dejected Arma, and an expressionless Roselyn, sped forward.
