This Three-Year-Old Is A Villainess - Chapter 12
I quickly put down the history book.
“I’m tiwed. May I gow?” (I’m tired. May I go?)
Viscount Debussy looked at Grandfather as if seeking permission.
Grandfather nodded.
I gave a quick curtsy and followed Conrad, who had left.
He had a somewhat dispirited expression.
“Conwad.”
“Oh, yes, Miss.”
I grabbed the end of Conwad’s jacket and whispered softly.
“When I get the bwufwowee, I give mine to Lowd Conwad.” (When I get the blueflower, I’ll give mine to Lord Conrad.)
“…Pardon?”
I raised both my hands in a childlike manner and said,
“The maid sistews said that. Conwad is sad. Conwad’s little sibwing is sick. Need bwufwowee.” (The maid sisters said that. Conrad is sad. Conrad’s little sibling is sick. Need blueflower.)
“Why… why would you give such a precious thing to me?”
“I’m happy if Conwad is happy.”
“…”
Conrad covered his face with one hand.
Through his long and elegant fingers, I could see his eyes trembling faintly.
After taking several deep breaths to calm himself, he finally bent one knee.
“I will never forget this grace. Never.”
Determination shone in his eyes.
I gently stroked Conrad’s head.
‘Good. Please don’t forget.’
***
A few days later, I strolled down the corridor humming a tune.
‘Conrad’s younger sibling has recovered!’
Once again, it was Astra’s intelligence guild. They managed to secure the blueflower bud in just a week.
I handed mine to Conrad as promised.
‘Great! Everything’s going well now.’
Now I didn’t have to worry about Grandfather being in a coma.
“Miss.”
Conrad was visible in the distance.
“It’s quite late. Where are you going?”
“To see Gwanfavver.”
My supervision of Conrad had ended, but I continued to cultivate a relationship with the Duke.
‘I should see him often. He’ll get attached one of these days.’
Reading old texts with the ancient language can only last for so long.
Sooner or later, I’ll be out of a job.
So, it’s essential to establish a good relationship with Grandfather for that time.
“But Miss, the Duke left for an emergency meeting of the elder nobles. It’s an urgent matter.”
“Ahh…”
“Moreover, it’s better to be careful on a day like this.”
“Why?”
“Today is a day of the red moon.”
I nodded. When the red moon rose, the power provided by the blessing weakened significantly. Noble families heavily reliant on the blessing were particularly sensitive on such days.
“It’s a dangerous day.”
Conrad looked around and, after making sure no one was listening, continued.
“Your education schedule has been set, Young Miss.”
“Educayshun?”
“When the direct descendants returns from their training, you will receive education together. The classes… Well…”
Conrad started providing me with various pieces of information.
It seemed he now regarded me as a benefactor because of the blueflower bud.
I was thrilled.
‘This information is excellent!’
In high society, information is everything.
As expected, I did well to give the blueflower bud to Conrad.
I eagerly listened to the stories Conrad shared.
“Miss, your swordsmanship instructor is rather strict, so it’s best to be prepared.”
“Conwad can jus tweach me.”
After all, he successfully carried out a surprise attack on his grandfather. Besides, he’s very kind to me.
Conrad chuckled awkwardly.
“I’m afraid I’m not from a martial arts background.”
What?
“I’ve never learned swordsmanship. I’ve never received training in combat either.”
…What does he mean?
Then how did he carry out that surprise attack? In that moment, I realized what I had overlooked.
‘There might not be just one spy.’
This darn novel!
They portrayed Conrad as if he carried out the attack on his own!
‘Wait a sec.’
I abruptly turned to look out the window.
The red moon.
A day when the blessing was weak.
An emergency elders meeting that was hastily arranged.
‘It’s an ambush.’
I turned back and ran like a madwoman.
“Miss? Miss!”
Grandfather’s in danger!
***
Duke Astra was surrounded by spies.
The battlefield had already witnessed one battle, with corpses and the ground stained with fresh blood.
“That monster…”
Marquis Toliso, the instigator of this incident, gnashed his teeth.
How could that man wield such power on the day of the red moon?
Several soldiers were being crushed under the relentless assault by Duke Astra’s blessing.
‘If we retreat from here, it’s over.’
The original plan was to buy out Duke Astra’s subordinates so that they could just deal with this—without himself getting involved.
After assassinating him, we would frame the crime on his subordinates.
If it was an aide, he could have known the Duke’s schedule, and there would have been no need to drag him into an emergency meeting.
However, things took an unexpected turn.
That darn sibling of the aide somehow recovered.
‘How on earth did a mere aide manage to obtain the blueflower?’
In any case, today we had to kill Astra Duke.
Marquis Toliso shouted out his orders as he moved hastily away from Duke Astra the attackers.
“Attack him! Kill that—aaagh!”
Marquis Toliso let out a scream.
All eyes turned towards him.
No, more accurately—
Towards the small child who had fallen from a low cliff and onto the marquis’ back.
“Dun huwt my gwanfavver! You bab man…!” (Don’t hurt my grandfather! You bad man…!)
The child sat on the marquis’ back, grabbing his thin hair and ripping it all out.
“Erylotte?”
The Duke called out in astonishment.
…Why was she here?
“Let go—let go! Ackk!”
The cowardly Marquis Toliso was far behind his soldiers. Since the soldiers couldn’t reach the child, one of them threw a dagger at Erylotte.
In that moment…
Clang!
A knight in a robe with Astra’s coat-of-arms blocked the flying dagger.
“Your Grace, are you unharmed?”
A familiar voice came from above the cliff. It was Conrad.
Even in this situation, Erylotte, who was vigorously tearing out the marquis’ hair, had a thought.
‘Am I a blockhead or what? Why’d I charge ahead alone?’
