The Baby Fairy Is A Villain [EN]: Chapter 156

The Emperor’s birthday banquet…

Kieren slowly opened and closed his eyes.

‘Come to think of it, the Emperor’s birthday banquet isn’t far off,’ he mused.

“And show your face before the banquet. I need to confirm you’re alive, and there are things to discuss.”

With those words, the Kirin [a mythical Chinese creature, often depicted as a chimera with dragon-like features] burst like a bubble.

Kieren watched the traces of purple magic scattering like small fireworks and immediately sheathed his magic sword.

A dark shadow soared and wrapped around his body.

When the darkness that obscured his vision cleared, Kieren had arrived at Duke Evroyel’s mansion.

Blood-stained shoes landed softly on the smooth marble.

“Aaaaaaack!!”

Serea, who had been reading a book in the study, screamed and fell backward.

Startled, Serea swore loudly and threw the book in her hand.

Kieren caught the book she threw.

He flipped through the pages lightly, scanned the contents, and smiled.

“Still can’t give up?”

It was a book about researching how to reverse magic tainted by darkness.

Once someone has fallen as a black magician, there is no turning back.

Even knowing that there was no way to reverse it, no matter how much she repented, Serea could not let go of her lingering attachment.

She frowned.

“Don’t think I’m reading it because of you. Don’t flatter yourself.”

Even as she stubbornly denied it, Serea couldn’t hide her bitterness.

It was then, as she was observing her disciple’s face, who still came to visit whenever she asked, that a servant announced a sudden guest.

“Marquis Nemea has arrived.”

To visit the Duke’s mansion without any prior notice.

The reason for his visit, despite knowing it was rude, was roughly predictable.

He probably wanted to badmouth Count Basilian.

Recently, the Basilian family had been gaining power in the capital’s political circles, while the Nemea Marquisate was being completely pushed to the back.

The Marquis, who was greedy for power, would not stand idly by.

He was scheming to undermine Basilian in any way possible.

Thus, he made a surprise visit with the intention of drawing Duke Evroyel in, without Basilian’s knowledge.

If he had made an appointment in advance, his movements would have been exposed, and the meeting with the Duke might have been blocked.

The fact that even Nemea’s messenger, who had nothing to fear in the world, was resorting to pathetic tricks showed the current power of the Basilian County.

It was a moment that made Kieren realize that Basilian had grasped the Palen Empire in his hands.

As he stared intently at Kieren, he smiled.

“I’ll be waiting, so go ahead.”

Serea said with a disgusted expression.

“Waiting for what…? You come too. Wipe off the blood.”

Even though he was her disciple, he was a frightening one.

Serea didn’t want to leave even a single point of suspicion that she might join hands with Marquis Nemea.

A short while later, the heads of the three great families of the Palen Empire were gathered in the reception room of the Evroyel Duke’s mansion.

Only a chilling atmosphere filled the place where the pillars leading the empire had gathered.

Marquis Nemea glared at Kieren, unable to hide his dissatisfaction.

“…I intended to have a private meeting with the Duke.”

He was as sturdy and robust as an old tree.

His physique was so strong and his eyes so sharp that it was hard for most people to even meet his gaze.

However, Kieren responded with a bright smile, like a swaying willow branch.

“Are you displeased with me?”

A burst of laughter escaped Marquis Nemea.

It was an attitude that was difficult for the Marquis, who was born into a knightly family and had lived as a warrior his entire life, to handle.

Marquis Nemea’s face turned red as he suppressed his anger.

Perhaps feeling parched, he drank the cold tea specially prepared for him, as he did not drink hot tea, in one gulp.

The Marquis slammed the teacup down and glared.

“Count Basilian.”

“Yes.”

“Come to think of it, I heard the Count is a mage.”

Marquis Nemea narrowed his eyes.

“I’ve never seen you use magic.”

Serea’s hand, which had been sipping wine instead of tea, paused for a brief moment.

However, she soon naturally finished her wine.

Kieren smiled silently.

The gaze lingered.

“Let me ask you bluntly.”

Marquis Nemea slowly opened his mouth, not taking his eyes off Kieren.

“Did you sell your soul to the devil? Otherwise, this situation where you have seized the empire…”

“Haha!”

However, the Marquis’s words were cut off by Kieren’s laughter.

After laughing for a while, Kieren asked back as if he found it truly ridiculous.

“If I could fulfill a wish by selling my soul to the devil, would I waste it on something so trivial?”

Kieren looked at the Marquis with a pitiful gaze.

“I would wish to see my loved ones again, that is what I would desire.”

The moment she recalled who he wanted to see again, Serea realized.

Kieren had never once said that his wife was dead.

Not even once…

It was because he firmly believed that he would bring his dead wife back to life.

It was an immutable truth and the pillar that supported the broken Kieren.

Just as Serea was shuddering at the chilling realization, the enraged Marquis jumped up and shouted.

“I know you are helping the traitors of the Holy Empire!”

“So?”

Marquis Nemea finally made a move.

He grabbed Kieren by the collar.

Serea rubbed her face wearily.

The hot-tempered Marquis couldn’t stand Kieren’s taunts.

Kieren chuckled.

He gripped the hand that grabbed his collar and asked in a gentle voice, one by one.

“So, are you going to report me and ask His Majesty the Emperor to punish me? Put me on trial and have my head cut off at the guillotine?”

The meaning behind the question was clear.

‘You don’t have the power to do that, Marquis,’ Kieren thought.

Even without saying it, it was as if she could hear the mocking voice in her ear.

The Marquis’s hand lost its strength for a moment.

As the gripped collar seemed to loosen, Kieren tightly grasped the Marquis’s hand to prevent it.

The bones on the pale, straight back of his hand were clearly visible, and blue veins bulged.

“Kuh… !”

Marquis Nemea let out a groan of pain.

“Be careful. Who knows? At the birthday banquet, someone might…”

Kieren warned with a blank face.

“Offer the Marquis a poisoned cup.”

***

After changing her clothes and going outside, Aran’s aide, Samid, was standing there with a troubled expression.

Aran knew what was going on before Samid could even open his mouth.

“Brother is waiting.”

“…Yes.”

“Seriously… !”

Aran held back her anger for now.

“I will go with you.”

“But, Madam.”

“He is my guest!”

She took Ceshire with her to find Itar.

Ceshire suppressed a laugh because Aran, who was trying to stick close to her, was a little cute.

Itar was waiting for Ceshire in a room decorated with various vases.

“You’ve come!”

He immediately gave Ceshire a bouquet of flowers.

Hugging the large bouquet, Ceshire looked around with slightly weary eyes.

The room was full of vases.

The fragrance from the colorful flowers in the ornate vases was strong, but not welcome.

Because they were all cut flowers.

‘I like them in their natural state,’ she thought.

Unaware of Ceshire’s thoughts, Itar laughed heartily.

“Don’t fairies like flowers?”

“Thank you.”

She also had to take care of the rabbit doll, so it was a bit much to carry the bouquet as well.

Aran, noticing this, took the bouquet and held it instead of Ceshire.

Thanks to this, Ceshire, who felt more comfortable, asked Itar.

“Do you want to meet Mom?”

“Yes. I’m going to marry Richecia. So you’re my daughter too.”

“……”

If he knew how the ‘Ceshire’s Dad Hopefuls’ had been dealt with so far, he wouldn’t have said such things so carelessly.

Ceshire felt sorry for him inwardly and opened her mouth.

“I’m going to meet Mom in the Empire.”

“…In the capital of the Palen Empire?”

“Yes.”

Ceshire said clearly.

“So if you come to the capital with me, you’ll be able to meet Mom.”

Itar’s eyes widened greatly.

Maintaining an innocent expression on the outside, Ceshire laughed inwardly.

Ceshire was unable to return to being the fairy Richecia.

With most of her power gone, she couldn’t even open a gate to transform into Richecia’s appearance.

Of course, her power wouldn’t return just because she went back to the Palen Empire.

Yet, the reason she was making such a confident promise was because she had something to rely on.

‘Whatever,’ she thought.

Once she just got near the Empire…

‘Dad and my brothers will take care of it!’

Itar’s head would be chopped off right away.