Living As the Villainess Queen

“It was by chance that I stumbled upon the truth of Corin’s identity as Anika. Her alabaster locks weren’t a symptom of illness but the result of meticulous bleaching, courtesy of potent concoctions. Beneath that facade lay her true essence, with black hair, black irises, and a rare gift to tame larks, particularly the Hwansu—a creature with matching ebony features, transformed from a foe into a companion under her hand. It was then that everything fell into place,” Pered recounted, the pieces of the puzzle finally fitting together.

Corin’s sufferings, induced by the potent potions, troubled Pered deeply. He sought counsel from Taon, questioning why they endured such hardships when comfort awaited them within the sanctuary. Pondering if their nomadic lifestyle compelled this sacrifice, he offered aid in seeking acceptance, realizing the gravity of his words only in retrospect.

“In hindsight, how foolish I was to utter such folly. It’s like beckoning someone into the jaws of a beast,” Pered lamented, grappling with remorse for his naivety.

It was during this exchange that Taon divulged his family’s history, unveiling the relentless pursuit of his wife, Celis, by relentless knights. Yet, at the time, Pered failed to grasp the depth of Taon’s fears, erroneously assuming Celis’s parents were fugitives of grave crimes. In his ignorance, he believed that their possession of Anika would secure forgiveness, failing to comprehend the true extent of their perilous plight.

“Taon hesitated to seek refuge in the sanctuary, so I offered to safeguard the three families. My first task was to subdue Corin’s Hwansu. As a prince bereft of even a single Hwansu, it was the only recourse available to me,” Pered recounted, his voice heavy with the weight of his past decisions.

Kasser, grasping the implications, nodded in understanding. Acquiring his inaugural Hwansu marked a pivotal moment, granting the prince a semblance of independence. With newfound autonomy came a dedicated budget, and instead of relying solely on attendants, the prince could command loyal subjects.

“Upon my return to the capital with the Hwansu…” Pered faltered, his voice trailing off as he struggled to continue. Taking a deep breath, he lowered his gaze to the table, as if addressing his own reflection.

“The judicial pursuers were relentless, sparing no effort to track down Celis,” Pered continued, his tone laced with sorrow. Taon, far from a passive spectator, waged a valiant struggle to rescue his captured wife. However, he faced insurmountable odds against the knights. Moreover, Pered knew Corin well enough to understand that she wouldn’t have hidden while her parents faced peril.

Bound by an unbreakable familial bond, the three families made a fateful decision—to confront death together rather than survive apart, a choice deemed foolish yet resolute.

Within a mere span of two days, tragedy unfolded with relentless swiftness. If the Hwansu had been present to shield them, the outcome might have differed. But alas, the families were left defenseless.

Taon met a gruesome demise after being exposed as a wanderer, and Celis, bereft of her beloved husband, chose to end her own life. Pered surmised their fate from the condition of their bodies discovered later.

Not far from where their bodies lay, Corin’s own life came to a tragic end. Whether she fell from a cliff while fleeing the pursuing knights or chose to end her own life, Pered could only speculate. Remarkably, Judges failed to recognize her as Anika, sparing her remains from their grasp.

The haunting scenes of that fateful day lingered vividly in Pered’s dreams. If given the chance to rewind time, he would willingly sacrifice his very soul. The agonizing pain endured over six relentless months paled in comparison to the anguish of those memories.

“All I could do was bury the three families together,” Pered uttered, his voice heavy with the weight of loss.

Eugene’s tear-filled eyes bore witness to Pered’s calm narration, her own sorrow seemingly insignificant in comparison. She marveled at his ability to maintain composure in the face of such tragedy, her tears feeling like a trivial indulgence in his presence.

Reaching into his waist pocket, Pered produced a monkey that caught Eugene’s attention. Dita, as Pered introduced it, reacted oddly, fixating on Eugene with its red eyes. She cautiously observed Pered’s response, finding solace in his reassurance that all was well.

“This is Dita,” Pered stated simply, the monkey’s actions conveying a silent message that Eugene interpreted as a rejection.

“Dita, you already have someone like Anika in your heart, don’t you?” Eugene murmured, fighting back tears.

With gratitude for the closure provided by Pered’s revelations, Eugene expressed her thanks, her emotions tightly restrained.

Pered, acknowledging the king and queen with alternating glances, released a sigh laden with regret. “It’s strange. I think I can let go of the past a little now,” he confessed with a sad smile.

Kasser called out to Pered as he turned away. Just hearing his voice made him feel like he had lava in his stomach, unable to fathom the weight of the past that Pered carried within him. There was no thought of offering feeble comfort. He just wanted to ask one thing.

“Did you find those Judges?” 

Pered’s response was a bitter laugh, his lips curling into a half-hearted smirk. It was evident that those Judges had met a fate far worse than any punishment they could have endured in this life. Their demise was shrouded in agony, leaving behind a trail of bitter regrets.