Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 427.2

Eugene began by explaining the connection between the wanderers and Mara. She believed that only by doing so would people understand Mara’s pure intentions—how he did not wish for the elders’ deaths but rather wanted to be bound by sorcery again.

She could not recount the entire lengthy tale she had heard from the wanderer elders over the course of several hours. Instead, she trimmed unnecessary details and summarized the core points. She tried her best to convey only objective facts, but her heart had already leaned in one direction.

Despite spending only a few hours together, Eugene found herself drawn to Mara, who was more human than humans themselves. Though he appeared rough on the outside, he had a tender side. At first, he had been filled with nothing but curiosity about humans, but after suffering countless betrayals, he had come to distrust them. Knowing this, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. He acted tough, but the moment someone stronger pushed back, he became timid—making it impossible to hate him.

When she finished speaking, silence filled the air. Everyone was subtly shocked. To them, a lark had always been nothing more than prey. No one had ever considered that a lark might have emotions or a backstory.

“Mara.”

Alber called Mara’s name, feeling strange as she did. She had never once addressed him by name before. Calling someone by name implied familiarity. To her, Maha had always been the embodiment of her own regret and past mistakes.

“The spell that binds you to the sorcerer and seals you—it’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“That spell requires preparation. No matter how skilled I am, I can’t skip that process. At the very least, it would take half a month to get everything ready.”

“…But you won’t survive that long.”

“That’s right.”

Mara, dejected, lowered his head. Even in his serpentine form, he somehow resembled a person with slumped shoulders. Eugene found his resignation even more pitiful.

“Why are you so obsessed with their survival?”

“When a family member or friend of yours is on the verge of death, do you humans simply accept it? You struggle desperately to find a way to save them—so why do you question me for doing the same?”

Alber’s surprised expression softened into a chuckle.

“You’re right. That was a mistake. My question was flawed.”

Even at my age, I’m still so foolish.

She realized she had been looking at the world with narrow eyes. There was no predetermined formula for how things should be.

The same phenomenon—the meeting of humans and a lark—had led to two entirely different outcomes. She and Maha had been a doomed encounter.

But Mara and the wanderer elders had formed a bond, not of enmity, but of companionship. Over time, they had become friends.

A wretched fate could not be avoided by the will of just one side. The beginning of a tragic connection was not solely her fault. With that realization, Alber felt a weight lift from her heart.

“Jin.”

“Yes?”

“What do you think? I would like to follow your judgment.”

Eugene flinched in shock.

“Huh? How could I possibly decide…”

“I understand now that Mara is different from him. But I still cannot bring myself to trust a lark.”

Eugene nodded, understanding Alber’s distrust.

“But, Jin, I do trust your judgment. You are the one who broke Mara’s spell. You are the one who brought him here. You are the one standing as the representative for both Mara and the wanderers. That alone gives you enough authority.”

Eugene glanced around in distress. The gathered kings remained silent, offering no objections.

“…I…”

She lowered her gaze, deliberately avoiding looking at Mara or the elders. Did she truly want to help Mara? And if something unforeseen happened, was she prepared to take responsibility? She searched her heart.

Then, she raised her head.

“You said the sealing spell is impossible, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Even so, I believe you will find another way. I sincerely hope you will help.”

Alber smiled.

“There is a way.”

“There is?” Mara urgently questioned.

Alber turned to the kings and spoke.

“You remember what I said earlier about the spell I am developing, correct? The one that lasts no longer than three months? There is a chance we can extend its duration indefinitely. The spell will eventually break one day—perhaps in decades, perhaps in centuries—but for now, it might as well be permanent.”

The kings immediately grasped her meaning. The new protective spell required a powerful life force as its medium. She was proposing to use Mara as that medium.

As the kings took a moment to consider, Alber turned to the wanderer elders.

“The most important thing is your opinion. Do you wish to continue living under the new spell? It will not be any more special or any freer than the previous one. Since it will be tied to this sacred city, you will not be able to leave.”

Alber and the elders exchanged warm glances. Though they had only met today, it felt as if they had known each other for a long time. In this world, they were the only ones who could truly understand one another.

The wanderer elders, who had been silent all this time, exchanged looks before an old woman finally spoke.

“I have always been waiting for the end. I’ve told that rascal Mara countless times—nothing in this world lasts forever.”

“Don’t abandon me now.”

Mara, who had looked dejected just moments ago, suddenly lifted his head high.

“I’ve protected you all this time. Now it’s your turn to protect me. Look at those kings, watching me like hawks, just waiting for the chance to slit my throat!”

The kings, who had been quietly observing, scoffed in disbelief. This monstrous lark, now pretending to be a helpless lamb while making them out to be ruthless villains—it was downright absurd.

“The one at night really knows how to get under people's skin in a different way than the one during the day.”

Riner, unable to stand the sight of the arrogant lark, muttered as he menacingly drew out Praz. His eyes turned a deep red, and a crimson aura flickered around him.

“Look at that! Look at him!”

Startled, Mara quickly pressed himself close to Eugene. She shot a glare at him for his dramatic whining before speaking to Riner.

“Your Majesty, the Fire King. Don’t scare him. He may be a nuisance, but he means no harm.”

Riner awkwardly reined in his aggression. When the black snake sneaked a glance at him, his brow twitched. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was mocking him. Clenching his fists, he entertained the thought of beating the creature to a pulp.

“Shut up and quit being a nuisance. Stop interrupting people.”

The old woman rebuked Mara and continued speaking.

“I do not fear death. But the human heart is truly fickle. If I can see the children settled and thriving, I think I will be able to close my eyes in peace.”

Other elders chimed in with their own quiet musings.

“I’m curious what kind of adult Adrith will become and how he’ll grow old.”

“The way our people live is bound to change. I’d like to see how.”

“I… want to confirm that our choice to make a deal with Mara was not a mistake.”

“There’s still so much left to teach…”

As if summarizing their sentiments, the old woman said,

“We do not wish to live forever. We just want a little more time. And that one over there… he also needs time to prepare for farewell.”

Alber nodded. He did not think they were being overly greedy.

He, too, had once waited for nothing but death while imprisoned in the underground cell. But the moment he breathed in the air outside, a new desire had taken root—he wanted to experience more.

“However, even if everyone here is in agreement, that alone is not enough. I believe we need the consent of those who live in the Holy City as well. That way, there will be no disputes later. After all, the kings do not reside in this city.”

Akil interjected.

“But you said time is running out.”

“Yes. At most… two more days. I can use the remaining energy of this ritual to sustain myself and these elders until then. In that time, gather the opinions of as many city residents as possible. If everyone agrees, we will discuss the ritual again in two days. Does anyone have any objections?”

“I object. Fine, I get gathering the city folks’ opinions. But why the kings? They don’t even live here.”

“The kings were the ones who drove that creature out of the city. And if anything happens, they are the only ones who can protect it. Their consent is necessary.”

Mara’s crimson eyes scanned the six kings. None of them showed any outward reaction, but they all shared the same sentiment. They did not feel murderous intent toward Mara, but for some reason, their fists kept clenching on their own.

Mara lowered his head and bit into the scales on his chest. A few scales fell to the ground.

“Anika. Give one of these to each of the kings.”

Eugene picked up the six scales, each about the size of two knuckles.

“What are these?”

“You’ll know once you take them.”

She handed them to the six kings, who examined them curiously, flipping them over in their hands.

Eugene asked, “What do they do?”

“If you hold them in your mouth, you can breathe underwater. Do you realize how rare they are? A scale like that might appear once in a thousand years. And once plucked, it never grows back. Now that you’ve accepted my gift, you can’t back out in two days.”

“No one asked for them! You just handed them out on your own. What are you saying?”

“Oh, come on. Don’t pretend you don’t know. Ever heard of trust built through gift-giving?”

Eugene let out a dry laugh. Just what had Mara learned from mingling with people? Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on ⓝovelFire.net

The wanderer elders clicked their tongues and scolded him.

“You ill-mannered brat.”

“You have no sense of decorum.”

“If you were human, you’d have been beaten to death ages ago.”

Despite the barrage of reprimands, Mara simply scoffed.

Eugene suddenly felt a tug on her hand. She turned to find Kasser gazing at her, subtly nodding toward the exit. Without a word, he gently pulled her along. She barely nodded in response and quietly followed him. Just as they were about to leave the annex, a frantic voice called out.

“Wait, where did Anika go?”

Eugene didn’t look back. She stepped outside with Kasser.

Sorry, Mara. I need to soothe my husband first. The kings won’t kill you.

A carriage awaited them outside the annex. They climbed in, and as it set off, Kasser remained silent, simply holding her hand.

By the time they arrived at the royal residence, he still hadn’t said a word. He got out first and helped her down, his hands as gentle as always.

He doesn’t seem angry… But then again, he’s not the type to show his anger openly.

They passed the servants who had hurried to greet them and entered the residence. Once inside their chamber, Kasser finally released her hand. Under the glow of the lights, he took a long look at her from head to toe.

“How do you feel? Are you in pain anywhere?”

“I’m fine.”

“If you feel even the slightest discomfort, tell me. Should I call for a physician?”

“No, really. The baby was quiet today. I think they fell asleep on the way back to the city.”

Kasser let out a quiet sigh, his expression finally softening. He cupped her face in his hands, gazing at her for a moment before pulling her into a firm embrace.

Eugene wrapped her arms around him in return.

“I missed you.”

“…Me too.”

As his voice brushed against her ear, she tightened her embrace. The warmth spreading through her body was unmistakably happiness.