Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 420.1

Mahar often visited Mara’s domain, sometimes staying for extended periods. For larks, it was instinctive to establish their own territories. They rarely ventured beyond their borders unless they had a compelling reason.

A domain was both a shield and a statement of power—a declaration: “This is the extent of my strength.” When one lark trespassed into another's territory, it was a challenge, a test to determine who was stronger. The loser would often become the victor's prey.

Despite being far stronger than Mara, Mahar subdued his presence entirely when entering Mara’s domain. He even took on a smaller form, a gesture akin to a human walking into enemy territory unarmed. This behavior convinced Mara that Mahar harbored no hostility toward him.

After meeting Mahar, Mara found it increasingly difficult to endure solitude. Like a pet yearning for its owner’s return, he waited for Mahar. He treated Mahar’s stories as gospel truths, absorbing them with unwavering faith.

Mahar often stressed the importance of distinguishing themselves from other larks.

"We are not like those inferior beings obsessed solely with survival," he would say, his tone filled with disdain. "Awakening does not make one special like us. It’s only you and me—us." This content belongs to novel fire.net

Before meeting Mahar, Mara had never approached humans. Even when his curiosity drove him to seek out other larks, he instinctively avoided humans, sensing an unspoken danger.

So, when Mahar revealed that he had lived among humans, Mara was awestruck. Mahar’s wealth of knowledge, gained from his experiences, captivated him. No question seemed to catch Mahar off guard.

Mahar taught Mara about the fearsome power of kings, strategies to handle warriors, and the intricate nature of Anikas. Mara trusted Mahar completely, revering him as a font of wisdom. His admiration deepened with every lesson, solidifying their bond.

One day, Mahar’s visits grew less frequent. He claimed he was busy.

"Humans dominate this world. Yet, they are absurdly weak and incredibly foolish. Despite that, they threaten us. This is not the rightful order," he declared, his voice tinged with disdain.

Whether Mahar truly harbored ambitions to rule the world or used such words to veil other motives, Mara didn’t know then—and still doesn’t know now. But it didn’t matter. At the time, Mara accepted everything Mahar said as indisputable truth. Now, Mahar’s motives no longer concern him.

As Mahar’s visits became sporadic, Mara continued to wait, his patience unwavering. Whenever Mahar returned, he brought an abundance of new stories, making the wait worthwhile.

Mara vividly remembered Mahar’s exhilaration when he met a shaman and finally acquired the sorcery he had sought. Mahar spoke of how he deceived others into believing he was an extraordinary human, using their admiration to rise above them. Though he withheld certain details, Mara understood enough to grasp the process.

At the time, Mara believed Mahar shared such knowledge out of trust. In hindsight, he realized it was all part of Mahar’s plan to shape him into a useful pawn.

"I can no longer come to you," Mahar said one day, his tone uncharacteristically grave. "They plan to seal me using the sorcery. Since I can’t move, you must come to me."

Without hesitation, Mara abandoned the domain he had protected for so long and set out for the place Mahar described—a city now called the Holy City. Under the cover of darkness, he slipped inside, carefully avoiding detection. There, he finally met Mahar in his human form, shaped by the power of sorcery.

Until then, Mara had only seen humans from a distance. Seeing one up close for the first time—even if it wasn’t a real human—left a lasting impression. It felt strange. Mahar had always described humans as foolish, cunning, and dangerous. But to Mara, they didn’t seem that way at all.

"Child, stay by my side and observe. Learn. One day, all that is mine will be yours. This inheritance is a human custom."

The concept of passing down a legacy—a deeply human practice of connection—resonated strongly with Mara. It gave him a sense of belonging he hadn’t realized he craved. Thus, he willingly stayed by Mahar’s side, despite no longer having a domain of his own.

Mara found joy in exploring Mahar’s domain, marveling at its constant transformations. The place where Mahar’s true form was sealed had become the Holy Palace, accessible only to a select few humans. Around it, the city grew, enclosed by walls that seemed to expand endlessly as more humans gathered over time.

Initially, the novelty of exploring this ever-changing realm kept Mara content. But over time, he began to envy Mahar. He yearned to interact with humans as Mahar did, to forge a bond like the one Mahar shared with his shaman—a relationship he had heard about but never experienced.

Despite Mahar’s frequent warnings to stay away from humans, Mara couldn’t suppress his growing curiosity. At the time, he believed Mahar’s caution stemmed from concern for his safety. Looking back, he wondered if it was something deeper—perhaps an instinctive wariness.

Hiding his burgeoning interest, Mara began to venture beyond Mahar’s domain. At first, Mahar appeared concerned, but as Mara continued to leave and return unharmed, Mahar eventually stopped interfering.

Then came that day.

Sometimes, Mara couldn’t help but wonder—if not for that day, how might his life have unfolded? Would he already have been devoured by Mahar, his flesh and bones consumed? Perhaps the place he wandered is now part of some kingdom’s territory, but back then, its borders were undefined and wild.

As usual, Mara roamed aimlessly, hoping to prey on a lark. Yet, it seemed all the strong predators had fled far away, leaving him with nothing to hunt. Even the beasts and lesser creatures instinctively avoided him.

So when he stumbled upon a pack of wolves, he felt an unexpected surge of gladness. On a whim, he intervened, saving a young girl who was moments away from being devoured. To his surprise, the girl didn’t recoil in fear. Instead, she expressed heartfelt gratitude, her innocence disarming.

When Mara spoke to her, she clapped her hands in delight, her laughter filling the air.

"What’s your name?"

"…Name?"

Up until that moment, Mara didn’t have a name. Mahar had always addressed him as “child” or “you,” terms that, while familiar, he understood weren’t names.

"You don’t have a name? Did your parents not give you one? Or do you not have parents?"

"I have parents."

"Then do your parents not have names?"

"Mahar."

"Shall I give you a name?"

"Alright."

"My mom’s name is Jessie, and my name is Jera. So, let’s call you Mara." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Mara… my name…"

The moment he received that name, chosen without any apparent logic, something deep within Mara shifted. For the first time, he questioned why Mahar, who had claimed to be his parent, had never given him a name. Cracks began to form in the unwavering faith Mara had placed in him.