This Three-Year-Old Is A Villainess - Chapter 96
* * *
At night.
I went to bed earlier than usual.
The atmosphere in the castle had become too depressing to bear.
Heidi and Betty, who prepared my bed, glanced at me repeatedly.
“Young Miss…”
Heidi approached me cautiously, followed by Betty.
“You are a precious person.”
“You’re the treasure, happiness, and joy of this castle.”
I glanced at the maids, then pulled the blanket over my head.
“Good night.”
‘This is really awkward.’
I heard the maids sigh deeply outside the blanket.
They patted my chest several times.
“Have sweet dreams.”
“Dream of happiness.”
Then I heard them leave the room.
I peeked out from under the blanket.
‘I must have worried them too much.’
Tomorrow, I’ll be more resilient.
I really liked the people of this castle.
Brave Heidi.
Kind Betty.
Smart Michelan.
And gentle Enzo and Mosco.
They all looked at me with such tender eyes.
It was the first time I felt the warmth of being ‘inside a fence’.
I believed, without reason, that none of them would hurt me.
‘I never planned to get along with people this much.’
My head was filled with thoughts of escaping if the plan failed.
I tried not to get too attached, but their warm looks made my heart ache.
I tossed and turned in bed.
Then,
The sound of the bedroom door opening came from behind me.
Soon after, someone sat down in the chair beside my bed.
‘It’s the scent of Father.’
As I turned over, my father gently stroked my eyes.
“Fathew…”
“I didn’t know how to say it, and I couldn’t say anything to you.”
“…”
“I’m not good with words, and I was afraid of hurting you. Even though I thought you might have heard such things, I didn’t think of talking to you.”
“…”
Father looked intently at me.
“I first met your mother on the battlefield.”
“…!”
I was surprised as I didn’t expect Father to talk about my mother, and I opened my eyes wide.
“Your mother came to me when I was on the verge of death from a curse.”
“…”
“We were together out of necessity, and then you were born.”
My father’s eyes were very cloudy.
It seemed like he didn’t want to tell me that I was born out of a loveless union.
He soon closed his eyes tightly.
I carefully sat up in bed and looked at him.
“Thwen, Fathew not wike me?”
My father quickly opened his eyes.
Pain twisted in his eyes as he looked at me.
“No. No, Erylotte.”
He reached out and caressed my cheek.
“Your mother was from a land far from the Astra estate.”
“…”
“The fact that she, heavily pregnant, crossed many dangers to come to Astra means… she shared the same feelings as me.”
“…”
“She became precious. I loved her too much.”
My father slowly hugged me.
Again and again, he patted my back.
“You are the breath, life, and everything to her and me.”
“…”
“Your blood is filled with the love of both your mother and me.”
It was a very awkward thing to say.
So awkward it was almost embarrassing.
My father is a stoic man. How much he must have struggled to tell me this story.
‘The truth is, I was a bit hurt.’
I pretended not to care, but no child wants to hear they have dirty blood.
But now, I really feel okay.
As Yoo Hyemin, I longed for parents who loved me, and here they are.
“Okay!”
I hugged my father’s neck with a smile.
He tenderly stroked my back.
Then.
Bang!
A commotion came from the doorway.
“I told you not to push.”
“You’re not listening!”
Turning my head, I saw the twins who had fallen near the door.
As my father and I looked at them, the two awkwardly got up.
Balzac scratched the back of his head.
“We heard Erylotte talking about dirty blood. We wanted to find out who said that… to kill them.”
“…”
Joshua was silent, his head hung low.
Even as Balzac approached me, Joshua didn’t move.
‘Why is he like that?’
I blinked.
My father and Balzac were also looking at Joshua, who was just staring at the ground with clenched fists.
“…Sorry.”
“…”
“I’m sorry.”
Balzac muttered, “Eh?” and looked at Joshua in confusion.
“What, didn’t you say she had dirty blood?!”
“…”
Joshua had never said I had dirty blood. He said I was a bastard.
But that was because he was in terrible pain from a curse, and he prevented me from digging up the cursed garden.
‘Hmm.’
I waved at Joshua.
“Pishow book, wead pwease.” (Picture book, read please.)
“…!”
“Ewy wanna heaw stowy of chick-y famiwy.” (I want to hear the story of the chick family.)
Joshua’s eyes widened.
Balzac frowned.
“Come here, you criminal!”
“…Are you okay?”
“Ywes!”
My father moved aside, and Joshua sat in the chair, opening the book.
Balzac slumped on the carpet, resting his arms and head on the bed.
I lay in bed, and my father stood with his arms crossed, listening to the story.
“Once upon a time, long ago. There was a family of chicks. It was cold and dangerous outside, so the family relied on each other…”
The dark night.
The only light came from the lamp on the bedside table.
In a space not scary at all, Joshua’s sweet voice echoed.
I made a promise.
I would never let anyone take this tender place from me.
.
.
As time passed and the end of spring approached,
It was time to return to the main ducal residence.
