The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 5

After the baby sable fell asleep, exhausted.

*Swish.* A translucent curtain receded, revealing a man leaning against the fireplace.

His turquoise eyes, swirling with powerful magic, saw a girl in the tiny, fur-ball creature.

Shining silver hair with red-tinged ends and plump, round ears. Small hands and smooth feet that looked thin, perhaps because she hadn’t gained much weight yet.

A bright and lovely child who once called him “Father.”

Honest, straightforward, and sometimes so daring that she made his heart drop…

He had retrieved that child.

‘No, not completely yet.’

He couldn’t let his guard down. Kiraxus’s gaze slid to the dice-shaped jewel in his hand.

The terrible object that had driven his precious daughter-in-law to her death. In this life, he had recovered it in advance.

Because failing to do so was his first regret.

– Well, well, look who it is. I never thought you’d use a ‘wish’ for someone else.

Suddenly, Kiraxus’s shadow flickered, slowly rising and taking human form.

With two large horns sprouting from its forehead, it clearly took the form of a person, but it was so ominous that it didn’t feel human at all.

– Are you sure that wish will be enough? It’s one of three.

“It doesn’t matter. Do it.”

– I accept. I’ll change everyone’s memories as you wish.

Clatter, clatter.

The jewel clenched in his hand collided roughly.

With this, he could eliminate his second regret.

‘The past, when she first came as a maid, clung to this child and wouldn’t let go.’

Inside the mansion, that past didn’t matter. He could protect Florin so that no one could ignore her.

But when she went out into society, someone dug into Florin’s past and found her weakness. Eventually, it was revealed that she was a spy, and Florin had to endure great hardship.

Only afterward did Kiraxus regret that as well.

That he should have erased the past with his power.

If he had, that little child wouldn’t have been hurt and cried in secret.

‘Yes, I initially brought her in because she was easy to exploit.’

Holding the weakness of being a spy, she couldn’t betray him or act rashly. Being from the Holy Empire, she had no family or friends in the Magic Empire, making her suitable for isolation and surveillance.

He needed a ‘doll’ to play the role of daughter-in-law, and that’s why he brought in Florin, who caught his eye. In fact, if it hadn’t been Florin, he would have brought in anyone with similar conditions.

‘…That’s what I thought.’

How many diverse emotions that little child taught him.

He believed he could never have fatherly love in his life. But when he saw Florin… he strangely felt that he, too, had such human emotions.

‘In the end, I went this far because I couldn’t lose that one child… Can’t this be called fatherly love?’

The corners of Kiraxus’s lips quietly curled up.

– It’s done.

Tick.

At this moment, Florin’s past was erased from the memories of everyone except him and Florin.

Now, no one in this world will remember that Florin was a spy or a maid.

‘Florin is a child I suddenly brought in one day. That’s all that matters.’

His determination didn’t need to be known by anyone, not even Florin. He didn’t turn back time to be acknowledged.

* * *

The next day, I had a hearty breakfast with the warm milk, goat cheese, and savory bread that Nina brought.

I feel like I can finally live now that I’m full.

“You can’t use it if you get it on yourself.”

Kiraxus, who was standing next to me fastening his cufflinks, held out a handkerchief.

I can’t help but flinch every time he reaches out, but I didn’t avoid it. If he was going to slice me up, he would have done it already.

‘Besides, his beauty has raised the world’s handsome index by another level…’

Dressed in a neat suit and with his hair swept back, Kiraxus was too dazzling. I wonder if I’ll ever get used to that face.

‘But I mustn’t be fooled. In the original story, Kiraxus is a madman who even creates an army with the corpses of his dead kin.’

And he even hunted down his own nephews, who were head over heels for Raheen. Callously and coldly. Without feeling any emotion.

‘He might kick me out soon.’

Or maybe he’ll say he won’t accept me at today’s family meeting.

‘The family meeting will probably decide whether I can live here or not.’

Even in the original story, the Dribryane family made many major decisions through family meetings. So, taking in an albino as a daughter-in-law would naturally be decided at a family meeting.

‘The best thing for me in my current situation is to stay here as a daughter-in-law.’

But if that’s not possible, I need to stay as long as possible to raise independence funds and learn something. That way, I can make a living no matter what I do when I leave.

But how come this room doesn’t even have a single jewel?

‘Live a little extravagantly! Would it be so bad to have some jewels in the display case?’

Then I could secretly hide one in my pillow.

“Ah. On paper, your name is Flieder.”

“Hic!”

Just then, I heard a voice very close by, as if he knew I was talking about him.

I turned creakily and saw Kiraxus leaning over my head in a very nonchalant pose.

“I’ve also found the Holy Empire guy who pushed you in here. I tore him limb from limb and threw him to the dogs, so you don’t have to worry about them approaching.”

“…Guk!”

Did you go all the way to the Holy Empire overnight to cause a ruckus!

‘As expected of a villain! Scary, scary!’

I was trembling inside, but Kiraxus scanned me, who was trying to appear calm on the outside, and continued.

“I’ve also killed the maid who processed your documents, so there’s no one left who knows about your origins.”

“Y-yes.”

“But I don’t want to use that name as it is, so I’ll change it to Florin. From now on, your name is Florin.”

Wow, arbitrary…

But I, who had been caught with a weakness from the first meeting, couldn’t protest.

Well, I don’t dislike it because the name is pretty.

‘Florin.’

It was the name of this world that I got after possessing someone for the seventh time.

As I was wrinkling my nose because my heart felt strangely heavy, the villain shattered my emotions.

“There are wrinkles on the meatball. Did the juices dry out in a few days?”

“Gyaak! I’m not minced meat! N-no, I’m not…!”

I snapped and shouted, but I realized who I was talking to a beat late and mumbled, lowering my voice.

Kiraxus chuckled and ignored my words, continuing his nonsense.

“I need to feed you a more fatty and nutritious diet.”

Huh, are we having meat for dinner?

That would be nice.

In fact, the ecosystem has long been destroyed because of the saintess who stole the seasons. Herbivorous demi-humans can’t farm, and herbivores are starving to death in the fields. Naturally, carnivores are also disappearing these days.

The Dribryane family is a huge family, so it’s not a big problem, but there are many mouths to feed, so the usual diet can’t be that great.

So I didn’t have any complaints about the meatless breakfast.

It was a feast compared to the bean husks I barely managed to get from the maids!

‘Well, it would be nice if I could eat something a little sweeter, though.’

Like cookies, chocolate, or cake.

I used to love desserts, but the targets I’ve possessed so far have all been tiny creatures, so I’ve been forced to abstain from desserts.

A water strider can’t eat cookies.

Rustle.

That’s when it happened.

“…”

A sweet smell?

As I twitched my nose at the scent of sugar, butter, and flour in perfect harmony, I saw Kiraxus groping somewhere in the air.

It sounded like he was opening an oven in the air, and then…

“Cwookie… ?”

Freshly baked cookies, steaming hot, were placed on his palm. Then, he placed the precious thing in front of me, who was staring blankly!

“Eat. You need to gain some weight.”

“M-mine… ?”

Click.

He raised his eyebrows.

“I’ve cast a spell to cool them down, so they’ll be firm. You can eat them right away.”

“Cwookie…”

I couldn’t believe that I had been given a cookie, so I stared blankly, then held it very, very carefully in my arms.

Gulp. The flavor of butter made my mouth water.

After hesitating for a moment, I opened my mouth and carefully took a bite of the cookie.

“!!!”

Tears welled up in my eyes.

“M-so good…….”

“I’ll give you more if you eat it all.”

“Re-ally……?”

“Yes. But listen to a story while you eat it.”

Nod, nod. Without realizing it, my tail wagged.

‘Maybe he’s a good person, Kiraxus.’

I’m definitely not an easy sable.

I’m not that kind of sable that falls for a cookie.

I started gnawing on the cookie very carefully, as if it would crumble. Kiraxus’s eyes seemed to soften for a moment as he watched me.