I Will No Longer Live As Your Villainess

When Laurencia stepped out of the room, Illina and the maid who had escorted her to the reception room earlier were gone. In their place stood another maid outside the door.

“Hello. My name is Meru, a maid accompanying Princess Charlotte from the Polaroid Empire. Did you have a good conversation with Lady Illina, Miss Laurencia?”

The maid who introduced herself fell silent when her gaze landed on Laurencia’s red, swollen cheek and the slightly torn dress. Her face betrayed her shock and helplessness.

Meru composed herself and gently adjusted Laurencia’s dress, tidying it as best she could. She then let Laurencia’s left hair down to partially cover the inflamed cheek.

“Meru, could you escort me back to Princess Charlotte’s reception room?”

“Of course. I’ll guide you to Princess Charlotte’s reception room.”

As Laurencia followed Meru, she touched her left cheek. It stung and throbbed with pain.

“I used around forty healing scrolls.”

Suddenly, she thought of Taishar. He wouldn’t let this slide if he saw her swollen cheek. Still, she had no intention of blindly trusting his kindness.

Laurencia didn’t fully understand what it meant to be Ella’s child. But she suspected it might have something to do with her ability to glimpse the future through the amethyst necklace or to move objects at will.

“I won’t ask the Marquis Taishar about Ella’s child. No, I won’t ask him at all.”

She couldn’t afford to trust anyone. Even someone offering a kind smile could drive a knife into the top of your head—that much she had experienced firsthand. So, she had no intention of relying on or seeking help from anyone.

But there was one thing she wanted to ask for.

“I want to study, Your Majesty Luance.”
“Don’t bother learning anything. Just listen to me.”

What she desired was knowledge. In the past, she had never been allowed to learn to read. They didn’t want her to grow smart.

This time, she was determined to seize the chance to learn. She planned to study letters, find books or documents related to Ella’s child, and uncover the truth herself.

“Laurencia, I love you. If you love me too, don’t trust anyone but me.”

She had believed that was love. But after being trampled by such “love” once, she could no longer trust anyone. In fact, she was scared to trust. What if everything she believed turned out to be a lie, just like with Luance?

By not trusting anyone, she could avoid the pain altogether. If someone asked her what she trusted, she would answer: potato soup and Leo. That much was true.

She didn’t care whether people called her a witch or Ella’s child. Whatever they said, she was Laurencia. Laurencia Paul Heredian. A monstrous creature who had resolved to be a monster. So, as a monster, she would crush anyone who got in her way.

“Ah…”

Meru, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. Laurencia naturally stopped as well.

“What is it, Meru?”

Laurencia followed Meru’s gaze and spotted Taishar with his dark hair. Standing before him was Luance.

The atmosphere was tense.

“Ah, it’s Marquis Spencer and Prince Luance,” Meru said.

“Yes, they seem to be in the middle of a conversation,” Laurencia replied.

“Wait here, Meru.”

Laurencia moved forward.

“Marquis Spencer. And Prince Luance?”

“Lady Laurencia.”

“Laurencia!”

Luance, who had been glaring at Taishar with a murderous look, was taken aback as he watched Taishar’s face soften into a bright expression, almost as if he were a blossoming flower. It was as if an invisible tail were wagging behind Taishar.

But Taishar’s joy was fleeting. Seeing Luance’s eyes on Laurencia soured his mood. Anxiety crept in—he worried that the young sapling might be swept away.

“Princess Charlotte was looking for you. Wait… did Lady Illina hit you like this?”

Though partially hidden by her hair, Taishar’s sharp eyes quickly noticed Laurencia’s swollen left cheek. His expression darkened viciously, and Laurencia could even hear the sound of his teeth grinding.

With trembling hands, Taishar gently lifted Laurencia’s chin and examined her face from side to side. That anyone in the imperial palace would dare lay a hand on the young sapling enraged him. His crimson eyes burned with fury as his gaze swept over her injuries.

He regretted it deeply—he should never have sent her, no matter what she wanted.

“It’s fine. I made sure to hit her back just as hard,” Laurencia said proudly to Taishar.

But instead of calming him, her words made him tremble even more. He immediately took her hands in his and began inspecting her delicate wrists.

“With these slender wrists? Which hand did you use to strike her? I’m worried you might have hurt your wrist.”

“What I meant was…” Laurencia began, but Taishar sighed heavily, cutting her off.

“If you ever feel the need to hit someone again, please let me know. I’ll do it for you as much as you like.”

Laurencia blinked in surprise. What she had meant was that she had verbally lashed out, striking with words rather than fists. Yet Taishar had interpreted her words entirely differently.

“With your frail body, where would you even get the strength or fists to strike someone? From now on, you must promise me that you’ll let me handle it instead.”

Laurencia followed Meru’s gaze and saw Taishar with his dark hair. Standing in front of him was Luance.

The atmosphere was tense.

“Marquis Spencer and Prince Luance,” Laurencia noted.

“Yes, it seems they’re having a conversation in the hallway, Miss Laurencia,” Meru replied.

“Wait here, Meru.”

Laurencia stepped forward.

“Marquis Spencer. And Prince Luance?”

“Lady Laurencia.”

“Laurencia!”

Luance was momentarily stunned. The man who had been glaring at him as though ready to kill now softened his face, blooming like a radiant flower upon seeing Laurencia. It was as if an invisible tail behind him wagged enthusiastically.

Taishar’s happiness was fleeting. The fact that Luance had laid his eyes on Laurencia instantly soured his mood. Anxiety crept in—the young sapling might be swept away if left unguarded.

“Princess Charlotte was looking for you… Wait, did Lady Illina do this to you?”

Though partially hidden by her hair, Taishar immediately noticed Laurencia’s swollen red cheek. His expression twisted viciously, and the sound of his teeth grinding reached Laurencia’s ears.

With trembling hands, Taishar gently lifted Laurencia’s chin, examining her face. He looked left and right, fury painting his crimson eyes as he realized someone had dared to lay hands on the young sapling in the imperial palace. His gaze darkened further with regret—he should never have let her go, no matter how much she had wanted to.

“It’s fine. I made sure to hit her back just as hard,” Laurencia said proudly.

But her words only made Taishar tremble more. He immediately took her hands and examined her delicate wrists.

“With these slender wrists? Which hand did you use to strike her? I’m worried you might have hurt yourself.”

“What I meant by ‘hit’ wasn’t—” Laurencia began, but Taishar sighed heavily, cutting her off.

“If you ever feel the need to hit someone again, please tell me. I’ll do it for you as much as you like.”

Laurencia blinked, caught off guard. What she had meant was that she had struck back verbally, not physically. Yet Taishar had taken her words entirely literally.

“With your frail body, where would you even get the strength to strike someone? From now on, promise me that you’ll let me handle it instead.”

Laurencia couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“Why can’t I do it? I’m good at it, you know…”

“If you hurt yourself while doing so, I’d feel terrible,” Taishar replied firmly.

“What if I want to hit someone, though?”

“Then I’ll teach you how to strike properly. Once you’ve learned, it’s fine. But not now.”

“Alright, Marquis Spencer. In that case, can I at least insult them?”

“Insults are fine. But if someone insults you, make sure to tell me.”

“Why?”

“So I can ensure they’ll never insult you again.”

Laurencia blinked at Taishar’s overly serious response to her playful remark. She nodded, realizing that if she continued this conversation, he might say something even more peculiar.

“I’ll use a healing scroll on you later. Also, it seems we’ll have to refuse all visitations from the Paul Heredian household.”

“Laurencia!”

Luance’s voice interrupted. Taishar shot him a sharp glare, clearly irritated at the intrusion.

“Prince Luance.”

“I’ve come to take you back. Let’s go.”

Luance stood there, fists clenched, staring at Laurencia and Taishar before slowly walking forward.

“Take me back? Where to?”

“Have you forgotten where you belong?”

Having safely escaped to the imperial palace, where she planned to live in relative comfort, the idea of returning to the Paul Heredian estate was pure madness. Laurencia knew better than anyone that once she returned, she’d never escape again.

Luance must have figured out that she had awakened her ability to see the future, which was why he was so determined to take her back. But there was no way she would return—she’d sooner die.

“I’m here under orders from Her Majesty the Empress and Princess Charlotte. I wouldn’t dare disobey their commands and bring shame to my family.”

“Laurencia, why are you always twisting my words?”

Taishar frowned at Luance’s comment. The irritation he’d briefly managed to suppress returned, and now it felt as though he was eating dry, unsalted potatoes.

“Prince Luance—”

Luance interrupted Laurencia.

“Are you only acting like this because Marquis Spencer is here? Are you trying to impress someone who’ll soon return to the Polaroid Empire while completely ignoring someone who’ll stay by your side here in the Ishter Empire?”

“Prince Luance.”

“I came to get you because I truly care about you. Let’s return to the estate.”

Conversations like these had always hurt Laurencia.

“Why are you trying to make me seem like someone who always tries to please others?”

“What?”

“I’m not trying to please anyone. Why are you implying that I am?”

“What are you talking about, Laurencia?”

Luance was taken aback, licking his dry lips nervously. Laurencia had always obeyed his words without question. But now, she was challenging him, pushing back.

“Laurencia, what’s wrong? This isn’t like you.”

“I should be asking you the same thing, Prince Luance. Why are you telling me to be mindful of others? Is it because—”

Luance felt a chill as Laurencia’s gaze hardened. He realized something had gone terribly wrong.

“Is it because I’m illegitimate? Are you telling me I should know my place?”

Laurencia’s calm, unblinking violet eyes stared up at him, revealing no emotion. Luance exhaled heavily, unable to hide his frustration.

“That’s not what I meant!”

Luance had always believed Laurencia loved him. But now, he couldn’t sense even a shred of affection from her.

“A monster must love you, Luance. That’s the only way you’ll conquer the world,” Daniel’s voice echoed in his mind.

Laurencia had spent her life confined to the Paul Heredian estate. Stripped of confidence and resolve, she should have had no choice but to depend on him and love him.

“Laurencia! Didn’t I tell you to come when I call and go when I tell you to?”

When Luance’s voice turned harsh, Taishar’s crimson eyes blazed with anger. He grabbed Luance by the wrist and pulled him away from Laurencia.

“What do you think you’re doing, Marquis Spencer!”

The more Luance approached, the more Laurencia’s fragile branches seemed to wither and fall. Taishar felt his heart sink as he watched the sapling he’d so carefully tended grow brittle, as though it were dying in the cold winter.

“I’ve warned you,” Taishar said.

He knew Laurencia should be the one confronting Luance, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t yet strong enough to intimidate or fight back. So, he would do it for her.

“Never anger a serpent.”

Taishar’s hand moved to the hilt of his sword. His crimson gaze locked onto Luance with such intensity that Luance froze in place, his body stiff with fear.