The Baddest Villainess Is Back
Chapter 79
“You should have just been honest, grabbed His Majesty by the collar, and had a real go at him—with your fists or your words.”
“Are you telling me to die at the Emperor's hands?”
“And now you’ve dropped the formalities entirely.”
Roselyn let out a dry laugh as the man made no effort to hide his fury; her words had clearly struck a nerve.
“You started this whole mess prepared to die anyway, didn’t you?”
He stared at her as those words left her lips so casually.
“Surely you didn’t think you could pull this kind of shit and actually survive.”
“Your language is quite foul.”
“You dropped the honorifics first, so I didn’t see much point in continuing to use them.”
Roselyn shrugged.
It wasn’t as if she had spent her time in the outside world without ever hearing or using a harsh word. She had simply made an effort not to use them.
“Some things just won’t resolve themselves unless you collide head-on like that.”
“…….”
“I spent my whole life thinking my father hated me. I didn’t realize the truth until the moment I died.”
And only after death did she learn. The fact that Roselyn—Roselyn Bellion—had been loved more than anyone else.
“Keep this in mind, Sir. Don’t touch what’s mine. Not before I kill you.”
With that, Roselyn spun around and brushed past the Captain of the Royal Guard.
“Thanks for the escort through the garden, Sir. I remember the way, so I’ll make my own way back to the carriage.”
“……Do you truly have no intention of becoming the Queen?”
“I’ll ask you the same: do you have any intention of confessing and finding a path to redemption?”
Roselyn tossed back the question without expecting an answer and turned away.
“It’s strange that you think your organization is so grand that anyone would join just because they were invited.”
“…….”
“Your ego seems a bit bloated. You’d do well to trim it down to size.”
At Roselyn’s parting shot, he spoke after a brief silence.
“That is a pity.”
“I agree.”
“Lady Bellion.”
At the low call, Roselyn stopped in her tracks again. Or rather, she didn’t want to stop, but she had no choice. Her feet had stopped of their own accord.
“The world is irrational.”
“…….”
“They say that after bringing you home, the Little Duke of Bellion didn’t leave his house for years.”
Roselyn frowned at the sudden remark.
“And what followed? A sickly daughter, a Little Duke who could go nowhere, a socialite so gloomy she eventually caused a suicide scandal that dragged the family's reputation through the mud….”
Before she knew it, the man was standing in front of Roselyn, smiling.
“Do you really think you have a life worth living? Wouldn't it be better to use that power for me instead?”
Roselyn’s eyes clouded over slightly. The Captain of the Royal Guard tilted her chin up, forcing her gaze to meet his.
“Not a world for those who have everything, but a world where everyone is equal….”
Roselyn’s clouded eyes twitched for a moment, and then she burst into a loud laugh. She laughed so hard she clutched her stomach and doubled over, before finally looking up with a radiant smile.
With her hands tucked behind her back, she took light, airy steps toward the stiffened Captain.
“Sorry, Sir. I forgot to mention one thing.”
“…….”
The man looked down at Roselyn. His gaze was colored with undeniable confusion and shock.
“Your Abyss.”
Roselyn smiled.
“I know what it is.”
His eyes widened at her whispered words.
“Lady Carmel’s brainwashing didn’t work on anyone who recognized the ability. And….”
Roselyn stood on her tiptoes, bringing her lips close to the frozen Captain’s ear as she whispered.
“Your Abyss, which copied that power, won't work on me either.”
“……How did you know?”
“It’s a secret.”
Roselyn whispered softly, her voice laced with amusement.
“They say a woman becomes more beautiful when she has a few secrets. Don’t try to dig too deep.”
“…….”
“Of course, I also know that your Abyss cannot copy abilities that exceed your own level—which is why you couldn't steal His Majesty’s Abyss….”
His cheek twitched. Despite the fierce glare directed at her, Roselyn smiled brightly. She was someone who could always smile more brilliantly and brazenly when faced with the hostility of others.
“That’s why I know you feel an inferiority complex toward His Majesty. I know your Abyss can only replicate three things at a time, and I know you’ve been trying to copy my Abyss for a while now.”
Roselyn reached out her hand with an arrogant smile.
“Go ahead, take it if you can.”
As Roselyn shrugged, the man silently grabbed the hand she offered.
“But what a shame. I don’t have an Abyss for you to copy.”
Roselyn spoke, recalling the time she had met the ‘King’ in the past. His Abyss was to replicate the Abyss of anyone he touched. However, he could only copy immediate-effect Abysses that didn't require specific activation conditions, or those at a level equal to his own capacity.
According to Sansar, Roselyn’s Abyss was a condition-based type that only manifested upon death.
“……If it isn’t an Abyss, then how on earth do you know all this?”
“I told you, I died and came back to life. But I hate dealing with annoying things, so I won't reveal your identity. Don’t worry.”
Roselyn added that she would be on her way now, pulled her hand back, and turned around.
‘…Ah, I think my life might be in danger now.’
Roselyn let out a sigh.
‘I suppose it can’t be helped.’
After a moment of thought, Roselyn changed her course from the carriage back toward the Imperial Palace.
* * *
“……I thought as much, but I didn’t expect him to send an assassin on the very same day.”
Woken from her sleep, Roselyn rubbed her face to shake off the drowsiness, thinking that his hands moved quite fast. It seemed Cherti Bellion had left after seeing her fall asleep.
“Entering a lady’s room without permission is quite rude.”
“…….”
A pure white skull mask over the face. Black clothes covering every inch of the body.
‘There are only a limited number of those types even in Makruksa.’
Roselyn sat up and leaned against the headboard, her mind racing. It would be a waste of a life she had protected so well to die here.
“Are you a Reaper of Makruksa?”
“…….”
“You seem well-trained. I didn’t expect you to remain so completely unfazed.”
The assassin remained silent, adjusting his grip on his sword while keeping his gaze fixed solely on her throat.
“Die.”
“No, I don't think so. Young man, do you know what I realized after dying and coming back to life?”
Roselyn spoke, hiding her surprise at a voice that was younger than she expected.
“It’s that people need to communicate.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she pulled the orange bead from the Seven Luminaries Stone on her wrist and smashed it against the floor. The power of the orange bead was to summon an Abyss user whose essence had been absorbed into it.
“Sorry, I anticipated this and did a bit of tattling in advance.”
At that moment, a burst of light spread out, and someone appeared in her room.
“……Roselyn! Are you hurt?”
“Ah, no. But why is the 3rd Prince…?”
Roselyn paused for a moment, surprised by the unexpected visitor.
‘I definitely reported this to the Emperor….’
“I was having a drink with my father, but it seemed like he was about to be caught in a magic circle, so I jumped in instead. Do you… find my presence uncomfortable?”
Arma replied with an awkward smile, his gaze tinged with a hint of disappointment.
“No, I just didn’t expect it. Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t die.”
“……Yes. That is indeed a relief.”
Arma replied blankly, offering a smile.
Roselyn nodded. After her conversation with the Captain of the Royal Guard, she had felt uneasy and turned back from her carriage to find the Emperor.
She recalled the events of earlier that day.
* * *
“Your Majesty, as your future daughter-in-law, I’ve managed to get on Makruksa’s bad side, and my life will soon be in danger. Could you perhaps imbue this bead with your Abyss?”
“……Didn’t you say you were going to break off the engagement?”
“But we are currently engaged. I was taught to utilize everything available to me.”
The Emperor looked at Roselyn with an expression of pure disbelief.
“I will assign you guards.”
“No. It needs to be more certain than that.”
She needed a way to ensure she absolutely would not die. At Roselyn’s refusal, the Emperor stroked his chin and narrowed his eyes.
“What do you plan to do with my Abyss?”
“It’s a bead that can summon the person whose Abyss is contained within it.”
“……Are you saying you intend to summon me just to act as your bodyguard, young lady?”
He asked, sounding utterly baffled. Roselyn nodded boldly.
“Yes.”
“…….”
“Ultimately, it won’t be a loss for Your Majesty either. After all, I’ll be acting as bait to help you uproot the organization known as Makruksa.”
“Are you boldly claiming now that you will be the one to let me tear Makruksa out by the roots?”
“Yes.”
It was a grand boast. Seeing Roselyn’s audacious attitude, not even blinking an eye, the Emperor burst into laughter.
“I even know who the King of Makruksa is. Though I don’t know their headquarters.”
“……You know the King?”
“Yes.”
“……Who is it?”
Roselyn hesitated for a moment at the Emperor’s question.
“I told you, I died and came back to life. But I hate dealing with annoying things, so I won't reveal your identity. Don’t worry.”
The words she had said to the Captain of the Royal Guard flashed through her mind. However, a promise to a criminal was not more important than her own life, so Roselyn spoke without much guilt.
“It’s the Captain of the Royal Guard.”
It was a clean, decisive report.