This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 245
The father, who had been walking this way, furrowed his brows.
Only then did Bella realize her mistake and became greatly flustered.
“Ah, brother, this is...!”
Father approached with a stern face and looked me over.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“There’s no way your clothes would have dirt on them if nothing happened.”
Father looked at Jeanne.
Jeanne bowed her head toward Father and answered.
“Miss Rochefane pushed the young lady.”
Father’s expression turned grim.
It was understandable since violence was committed against his daughter in his own house.
Father looked at Blossom and Bella.
His gaze was terrifying.
Blossom was extremely flustered.
“Ah, no, I—I mean, Miss Erilot suddenly grabbed her head and pushed her down...! Right, mother? Yes?”
“Well...”
Father stared sharply at Bella.
“So, you got so upset in my mansion because you saw your daughter’s head grabbed?”
“Well... that is, um...”
Bella couldn’t bring herself to answer, so Blossom urged her mother.
But Bella only opened and closed her mouth like a fish.
‘Right, she can’t say it.’
To explain why she was angry, she’d have to reveal everything I said:
She targeted Father and disguised her daughter as Lady Beltree.
She took part in abusing Lady Beltree.
‘But she won’t be able to avoid making an excuse.’
So she has to tell Father whichever is less bad between #1 and #2.
I thought...
“Your daughter misunderstood me and said something so distressing that I unknowingly raised my voice. I’m sorry, brother.”
“What did my daughter say?”
“That I came to the Count’s mansion... to target you, brother...”
Bella bit her lip with a deeply hurt expression.
‘I knew she’d say that, you awful woman.’
Bella spoke sadly, tears dropping down.
“Since she’s lived alone with Father, she must be very worried about losing him... I understand.”
Father looked at me.
‘Good. Well said, lady.’
I smiled brightly.
“Yes, that’s right! I’m very anxious.”
Then Bella quickly stepped forward.
“Young lady! That is truly a misunderstanding. How could I ever target Father’s seat? Such a position... is far beyond me.”
“Is that so? Then swear before His Majesty the Emperor’s name.”
“...What?”
“You will never target Father, and even if Father proposes to you, you will never marry him.”
“...!”
“Swear before His Majesty the Emperor’s name.”
Bella was very flustered and gasped.
“W-why would I swear by His Majesty’s name in a matter like this...!”
“Don’t want to? So you were aiming for Father after all? Does the Rochefane family know about this?”
“Young lady—!”
“Perhaps the Rochefane family just watches quietly as the concubine comes to this mansion because they fear my father.”
“That is...!”
“So how about telling Count Rochefane? That the lady is aiming for Father, and that’s why I find her visits very unpleasant.”
“Y-you, young lady, why... why are you doing this to me...!”
Bella looked at Father with tearful eyes, as if asking for help.
But Father only °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° looked at me with a bewildered expression.
I don’t think I’ve ever made any enemy feel this thoroughly humiliated before.
Blossom bit her lip tightly, then shouted at me.
“Stop it!”
“Stop what?”
“This is too much. How can you deceive my mother like this right in front of me?!”
“Deceiving my brother right in front of me isn’t a crime, huh?”
Father looked at Blossom and said, “Brother?” with surprise.
Blossom flinched and quickly changed the subject.
“Mother is not that kind of person! It’s all a misunderstanding by the young lady!”
“Then explain.”
“Explain what again?”
“Why did you cut your hair? Why do you walk like Lady Beltree, smile like Lady Beltree, and imitate what Lady Beltree said?”
Bella let out a bitter laugh.
“So that’s why you were angry. This child resembles Lady Beltree and might take away her precious father.”
“......”
“Young lady, this child has no such intention at all.”
“......”
“Because she is family, it’s only natural to resemble.”
“Lies.”
“Even if you don’t want to believe it...”
“She’s not family.”
“......!”
Bella’s eyes widened as if they would pop out.
I smiled gently at her.
“She was adopted. For money. And you never properly cared for her.”
“W-what...! Young lady! How can you say such things?!”
“I heard from the neighbors the sound of little Lady Beltree crying every day. We already have testimony that you contributed to parental abuse.”
“Young lady—!!”
“Do you remember, Father? What Lady Beltree said. That the gardener, her father, is scary! Father, that person is bad!”
At that moment—
“What?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
Devon, Leo Taloff, and Uncle Cainrode were watching us.
It was Devon who asked.
“What on earth is going on?”
“De-Devon brother...”
“Abuse? To Beltree?”
Bella rushed over and grabbed Devon.
“Do you really believe that? She’s just saying whatever to stop me from taking Damon away!”
“......”
“You know me, brother! How much I worried about my sister? I visited the academy every time—”
At that moment, Leo Taloff chuckled.
“Now that you mention it, it was strange. She said she came to see Beltree but never left Damon and Devon’s side.”
“Leo brother...!”
“Wasn’t it strange when you found out her gender at Beltree’s funeral?”
“W-what... I was out of my mind then...!”
“Out of your mind and said, ‘Surprised she was a girl? That’s what my sister says. The important things are not taught,’ huh?”
“O-brother...!!”
“And what else did you say?”
Then Uncle Cainrode frowned and said,
“That’s why I said it was strange. Everyone ignored me then...!”
“Yeah, yeah. You’re right. So do you remember what she said?”
Leo smirked and said, “Yeah.” Then Cainrode said,
“I remember. It was so ridiculous. To the corpse-like Devon and Damon, she said, ‘My sister always had masculinity. Maybe she wanted to be a man. But I’m different.’”
Cainrode even mimicked Bella’s tone.
I grit my teeth.
‘Isn’t she crazy?’
Every word was garbage.
Bella was flustered and stammered.
“Th-that’s not it, I... I mean...!”
Seeing her mother at a loss, Blossom stepped up.
“Stop it. This appearance is my choice!”
Blossom glared at me and shouted.
“I admired my aunt, so I asked my mother to dress me like her! My mother is not a bad person!”
I smiled lightly.
“Is that so? Then why did you want to be an aunt now?”
“Well...!”
“Before, you wore a pink dress and curled your hair in ringlets.”
“I thought if I looked like my aunt, I could be more composed. She’s a composed person!”
“So did you coax a commoner child you’re close to into going into debt to get close to me?”
“......!!”
“Should I call Masa?!”
When I shouted, Blossom’s face went pale.
Bella opened her mouth to defend her daughter.
But I raised my voice first.
“I!”
“......!”
“I stayed silent about everything you did so far because I thought you were Lady Beltree’s niece!”
“Y-yes. I’m my aunt’s...!”
“You’re not a niece, you’re the daughter of an abuser.”
“Miss Erilot—!!”
I walked steadily toward Blossom.
She flinched and stepped back, but the carriage blocked her escape.
“As soon as you go back, I will call your friends.”
“Wh-why them...?”
“If I say it’s the gathering where Central Wonhwa, Young Lady Paante, and Young Lady Trang—all the ones you admire—are called, they’ll all come running.”
“Wh-what are you planning by calling them!”
“And I will tell them the biggest thing you did and heard, saying ‘I swear by the name of Astra’ I will help you enter the Central social circle.”
“......!!”
“Who will speak first? Miss Sharon who holds a grudge against you? Fragile Miss Helena? Or Pinessa Curong, who knows you best as my right hand?”
“Wh-why are you doing this to me...!”
Bang!
I hit the carriage strongly.
Blossom flinched, drawing her shoulders in.
“Go back to your mother and wait. I will return your abuse and then some.”
“Ugh... sob...”
Then I turned to Bella and said.
“Don’t do anything reckless. My dragon never lets my danger go unanswered.”
“......”
Bella swallowed dryly.
Bella and her daughter’s carriage left the mansion.
Erilot, as if nothing had happened, bowed her head to Devon, Leo, and Cainrode.
“I showed the guests an unpleasant sight.”
Leo smiled softly.
“Not really. It was an entertaining spectacle.”
“I’m embarrassed. If allowed, I’d like to tidy my clothes and greet you again.”
“Of course.”
Leo laughed heartily and nodded.
Cainrode’s face was sullen but he replied, “Do as you wish.”
Devon was stiff.
Erilot glanced at him sideways and bowed, then left first.
Leo grinned and put a hand on Damon’s shoulder.
“Did you call us here just to show this?”
“No way.”
Damon brushed his hand off coldly.
The abuse of Beltree came out through the mouth of a daughter.
Those closest to Beltree had no idea.
Damon, who had cared for Beltree particularly, looked pale.
Leo looked around Damon and Devon and shrugged.
“Then let’s go inside. How long do you plan to stay out here?”
“...Bring the guests inside.”
At Damon’s words, a butler hurried to the four men.
Damon, Devon, Leo, and Cainrode moved together to the parlor.
A bitter silence hung over the four.
Leo shook his head.
‘What personalities.’
He said,
“Today, your daughter’s spirit was no joke.”
“She’s your daughter after all.”
“Her appearance is your exact copy, but what can I say about her spirit... she’s more like Beltree.”
At the academy, there were groups who bullied commoners and poor nobles.
Beltree had been targeted by such a group, and one day she finally overturned a food tray.
The way she threatened the bullies with a fork is still remembered.
“Go back and wait. I’ll repay you double what I suffered.”
“Damn beggar, what do you think you’ll do...!”
“Don’t worry. You’ll see what happens when a person with nothing loses their mind.”
Leo chuckled.
“She really resembles her. Truly...”
“......”
“......”
Devon and Cainrode were silent.
Beltree was like a wolf of the snowfield.
Serious but kind to her group.
But Erilot was like a playful kitten.
Brazen, unpredictable...
‘But in one way, she really resembled her.’
Something inexplicable.
As these thoughts passed, they reached the parlor.
The butler opened the door.
The four men entered and took seats.
Devon asked,
“So, why did you call us all here?”
“The Emperor’s wrath toward Grimyay also affects my daughter.”
Leo chuckled.
“Seems the provincial nobles are very upset that your daughter was disrespected.”
Damon frowned.
“I have no particular intention to offend the Emperor, but if my daughter is threatened, that’s a different matter.”
Devon asked.
“So?”
“I heard the Emperor drastically cut the relief budget and many are dissatisfied.”
“......”
“Leo, you lost your army to the Emperor’s closest aide.”
“What...”
“Cainrode, you... just help out.”
“Why do I have to just help?”
“Didn’t you owe your daughter something?”
“...Did you know?”
Damon laughed arrogantly.
“There are no secrets between Erilot and me.”
Damon crossed his legs and glanced at the three.
Devon asked.
“So what do you want to do?”
“Convene.”
“...!”
Devon, Leo, and Cainrode’s eyes widened as if about to fall out.
Convene is a protest where those who distrust the Emperor’s politics withdraw from front lines.
“That’s nonsense. The last successful convene was centuries ago.”
“Yeah. You might even lose your position.”
When Devon and Leo shouted, there was a knock.
The door slightly opened and Erilot peeked in.
“May I come in?”
Leo smiled softly.
“Of course.”
Erilot, having tidied her disheveled appearance, looked just like a doll.
Leo snickered.
“You truly resemble the empire’s most beautiful woman.”
“Blood shows.”
Damon spoke arrogantly, patting the seat beside him.
But Erilot headed to—
“Uncle Devon!”
“...What?”
Erilot plopped down next to Devon and lit up her eyes.
“I have a favor.”
“...What is it?”
“Do you happen to have any part of Lady Beltree’s body?”
“What?!”
“I heard from Father that you two fought and that you keep a lost tooth as a symbol of friendship...”
Devon glared at Damon.
‘What a useless story.’
Erilot smiled brightly.
“Please lend it to me!”
“Why?”
“Because I might be Lady Beltree’s daughter!”
I have to confirm.
It’s better to be sure.
