The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 164

“Oh my goodness. Don’t those two look like a perfect couple?”

“Indeed. They look very well together.”

The Crown Prince of the Magic Empire was already famous in social circles for his appearance.

His manners, eloquence, and dancing skills were frequent topics at tea tables, so it was not surprising that the Crown Prince was an excellent dancer.

However, everyone was quite astonished by the Saintess of the Holy Empire.

The Magic Empire’s nobles generally held quite a few prejudices against the Holy Empire.

They were seen as rigid, unable to have fun, strict, and utterly inflexible.

So, the question was whether the Saintess of the Holy Empire could even dance at a ball.

When Florin took Yuri’s hand, more than half of the onlookers were sneering.

But those sneers quickly vanished as the dance began.

Even in the Saintess’s attire, which had a classic charm but wasn’t particularly beautiful, she looked different as she moved with Florin.

Even without extravagant adornments, her movements were precise and smooth, as if she had been learning social dances her entire life, drawing attention once more.

“His Highness the Crown Prince also seems to be enjoying himself very much.”

“He hasn’t been in a good mood lately. This is a relief.”

“But does the Holy Empire also dance the same dances as our Magic Empire’s social circles?”

“Oh my, is that so…?”

The old noblewomen, who had been nodding approvingly at the textbook-perfect dance, turned to each other, tilting their heads in confusion.

Just then, the music gradually slowed.

It was the finale.

* * *

The dance with Yuri was very enjoyable.

We moved as if we had rehearsed together, and throughout our close contact, we poured out the words we wanted to say to each other.

With bright smiles that would never allow onlookers to guess the content.

‘If we were older and there were no personal feelings between us, we could be the best political partners.’

Will Yuri obediently take the medicine?

What if he still says he loves me even after taking the medicine?

“This is a story about a friend, but would you give me some advice?”

“Of course.”

When someone says it’s a friend’s story, it’s usually their own.

We moved slowly, closely pressed together in time with the slow beat.

Yuri looked down at me, paused for a moment, and then his eyebrows drooped.

“There’s a woman my friend loves, but she says… his feelings aren’t love, but obsession.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But what’s the difference between love and obsession? When you love, you want to obsess, you want to monopolize, isn’t that all part of it?”

That’s right, it’s your own story.

I became slightly disturbed.

It was even more so because Dante’s gaze, staring intently at me, brushed against mine as we turned.

“My friend says he’s heartbroken that he might not be chosen. Why is that? It’s not like he’s lacking in any way.”

“Hmm…”

I lowered my eyes slightly and pondered for a moment.

Then, I quietly opened my mouth.

“Obsession and possessiveness might be a form of love, but it’s different from my definition of love.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Perhaps your friend’s woman… feels the same way. It’s just that your definitions of love are different. To put it simply, the shape of the love you hold in your heart is different.”

“That’s a difficult concept.”

Yuri smiled faintly. I also softly curved up the corners of my lips, following his lead.

“The love I know is a love where the other person comes before oneself. Even if you want to monopolize and possess, you endure it for the sake of the other person.”

“That’s… a little hard to understand.”

Yuri furrowed his brow slightly. I chuckled and then gazed past Yuri’s shoulder.

There was Ian.

Watching Yuri and me dance from beginning to end, sipping wine, he looked… frankly, too relaxed and composed.

‘That’s the way I love.’

Mature and sophisticated.

Always one step ahead of me.

“So… it’s not that my friend is lacking or deficient that he’s not being chosen.”

Perhaps realizing where my gaze was directed, Yuri’s hand, which was holding mine, tightened slightly.

I turned my head back to look at Yuri and nodded.

“That’s right, Your Highness. Not forcing the other person into a mold you want, but loving them as they are. There are people in the world for whom that is important.”

“……”

“In the world, we’ve decided to call that feeling respect.”

In truth, it was a concept that Yuri, who would become Emperor, didn’t need to know.

If he were only ever going to be ‘Emperor.’

But my lover had to be someone who knew how to respect.

I absolutely loathed being manipulated at will, having limits set for me and being told to follow them, or being made to fit the image someone else wanted.

No, it wasn’t just loathing, it was unforgivable.

Just then, the music completely stopped.

However, Yuri did not let go of my hand.

As if pondering something deeply, he stared straight at me with those beautiful eyes and murmured quietly.

“Then… if I still love you even after taking that medicine.”

“!”

“Will I be able to learn that thing called respect?”

Yuri’s eyes were filled with sadness.

I couldn’t bring myself to answer easily and only moved my lips.

‘He noticed that I’m looking for a medicine to sever the shark’s attachment.’

I didn’t want to say anything bad to Yuri, who wanted to learn respect.

Because it seemed like it would be helpful when he fell in love with someone other than me in the future.

“I want you to be as happy as you can be.”

“But that happiness won’t include you?”

“Attachment isn’t something you wanted. Once it’s severed, you’ll be freer.”

“I suppose that’s what you hope for.”

Yuri, who had retorted somewhat cynically, straightened his back and stepped back two paces from me.

As he politely offered his farewell, I also slightly bent my knees in a suitable greeting.

Yuri’s back looked so lonely as he turned away.

* * *

Magic was a very mysterious power.

Ordinary people think that magic is only when fireworks explode in front of their eyes and a huge phenomenon occurs, giving them a shock.

There was a time when I thought so too.

However, the magic that Kiraxus used was more subtle and cunning.

He hated crowded people and loathed the touch of unfamiliar strangers. Places like banquet halls, where people stuck to him, were his least favorite.

Therefore, Kiraxus only attended banquets that he absolutely had to attend, and even then, he would only show his face briefly before heading straight to the Magic Tower.

So, what if there was a case where he absolutely couldn’t leave in the middle?

Kiraxus had created magic for such times.

It was called the Temporary Existence Erasure Barrier [a magical barrier that makes the user undetectable].

If you choose the best place to rest in the banquet hall and put up a barrier, people will not be able to recognize that space from then on.

Even though a space in the banquet hall was clearly empty, no one found it strange, and they just passed by it.

Of course, no one noticed that Kiraxus was in that empty space.

“You’re right.”

It was very unusual for someone else to be in that space, which he usually used alone.

Kiraxus quietly opened his mouth towards the young man with red hair.

“That side is the real one.”

“Yes.”

“And this side, which I thought was real, is the fake.”

Kiraxus scanned Raheen, who was adorned with pink diamonds all over her body.

If it was the child he cherished enough to give his life for, she would be beautiful no matter what she looked like or what she wore.

If anyone pointed fingers at her and called her strange, he would personally go and break all ten of their fingers.

But that was a subjective thought.

Objectively, Raheen’s attire was not only unflattering but also very excessive.

Just like that woman from a long time ago, who sent him arrogant and sticky glances.

Kiraxus, who had briefly released the barrier to confirm whether Ian’s words were true, saw ‘that woman’ in ‘Raheen’s’ crazed eyes.

It was like she was advertising that she was a fake, asking to be recognized.

“But we cannot kill the fake. How about locking her up?”

“There is a way to return the real and fake to their original states, but to be sure, I need to talk to the real one. I just need to exchange a word.”

Ian looked noticeably relieved at the mention of a method.

Kiraxus followed the movements of ‘Florin,’ who had finished dancing and was looking for something to drink.

‘So, that’s why I couldn’t kill her back then.’

Familiar gait, familiar gestures, familiar expression.

Big, round eyes and a round face were very familiar.

‘She should wear a high-end dress rather than the Saintess’s robe.’

Also, silver hair that turns red towards the ends would suit her better than that common hair color.

Kiraxus chuckled as he saw her holding a juice glass instead of champagne or wine and removed the barrier.

“Father!!!”

As soon as he did, a shrill voice was heard from the left.

“I was surprised when you suddenly appeared and disappeared. When did you come?”

‘Raheen’ with silver hair fluttered towards him and slipped her arm through his. Greedy red eyes flickered over Ian, but that was only for a moment.

Soon, ‘Raheen,’ who was focused on Kiraxus, smiled contentedly.

At that moment, ‘Florin’ saw him.

‘Ah.’

One word.

Not even a single word was needed.

To be sure of the ‘real’ one.

Kiraxus found the answer in the gazes of the two of them directed at him.

“Kyaa!”

Immediately after, the first thing he did was push away ‘Raheen,’ who was clinging to his arm.