The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 106

“How can you calculate it down to the second every time?”

“I live only waiting for the day I can see you, Noona [term of endearment used by younger males to address older females they are close to],” Yuri said.

“Can the Crown Prince even do that?”

That’s right. Yuri was now the Crown Prince.

Those who were keenly watching whether the Empress would give birth to a son or a daughter ultimately lost their last grounds for opposing Yuri when a princess was born.

Even if a son had been born, the Emperor would probably have appointed Yuri as the Crown Prince due to the age difference… Well, anyway, it’s a happy ending, so it’s all good.

On the day Yuri was appointed as Crown Prince, the Empress went down to a palace in the countryside with her newborn baby under the pretext of postpartum care.

According to Father, it seemed she would never come back up from there. She seemed to think that the princess’s life would be in danger if she stayed in the capital.

“Ah, does that mean you want to know about my daily life?”

“That wasn’t the intention, but I was wondering if it’s difficult to live as the Crown Prince. You must be very busy.”

How sly of him to interpret it so broadly.

I flicked Yuri’s nose, who was grinning, and raised my hand to call the waiter.

Seeing him appear like this, it seems he’ll be here for at least an hour.

Then I should feed him something.

“What’s so special about being the Crown Prince? It’s just that royal studies have been added to my classes. How have you been, Noona?”

“I’ve been busy here and there. I’ll have to go back soon…”

Three more parfaits.

They’re so delicious that I can’t stop at just one.

I ordered another one for Jon and slyly included mine, then paused and looked back at Yuri.

The way he was resting his chin in a flower-receiving pose, smiling with his eyes, seemed somehow genuinely happy.

“You said you wouldn’t be back until you were an adult this time.”

“Yeah. Don’t you hate it?”

It’s not that he’s the type to get angry, but he seemed too indifferent, so I was a little surprised.

Dante shows very diverse expressions every time he gets a chance to see my face.

He’s happy to see me, then gloomy, then sad, and then he presses his lips tightly and says nothing.

Even if he held me back and told me not to go to Arkalik, it would be useless, so he couldn’t say anything.

On the other hand, Yuri looked very satisfied.

“That’s good. I’m relieved when you’re there. I was just annoyed that I couldn’t spend more time with you.”

“Ah… so that’s why? Your expression looked brighter.”

“Was I found out?”

Just in time, the parfait came out.

Yuri took a generous amount of the candied cherry and delicious banana cream on top of the parfait and held it out to me.

“Say ah. Ah.”

“You should eat it. The candied cherry is delicious.”

“The most delicious thing is always Noona’s. Now and forever. I promise.”

Of course, I really like candied cherries, but… is it really okay if I eat the only one on top of this tall parfait?

Even as I thought that, I ended up opening my mouth. The cream was about to fall off the spoon.

“Good, you eat well.”

“I feel like I’m the only one eating delicious things.”

“No, I’m going to eat delicious things too.”

As I rubbed my cheek in embarrassment, Yuri smiled bashfully. Then he got up and leaned his upper body towards me.

“Here.”

“Huh?”

“You have something on your face. Cute. Eating with it all over your face.”

Yuri wiped the tip of my nose with his thumb and licked it.

I was so stunned by what happened so suddenly that I opened my eyes wide and hurriedly rummaged through the bag I had brought.

‘Mirror. Mirror!’

No, what’s so much on my face?

But when I opened the hand mirror, my face was clean.

There’s no trace of banana cream anywhere…?

“You tricked me!”

I was deceived!

As I glared in resentment, Yuri burst into a clear laugh.

“You always get tricked, so it’s cute.”

“I’m a year older, you know?”

“Yes, Noona.”

This kid… why did he grow up so beautifully!

Dante’s features have become very bold, befitting a growing boy. Ian already seemed like an adult. But only Yuri was still beautiful, delicate, and lovely.

Since I like pretty boys so much, I can’t help but be lenient when I see Yuri’s face.

‘To be exact, I don’t get angry. I can only get angry if I’m angry.’

With that face, I’d be lenient no matter what he did.

I sighed deeply, blaming myself for being weak to faces.

“Noona.”

“Yeah?”

“You know.”

Darkness began to creep in from the end of the sky, which was dyed purple.

The time when the sun completely disappears. Yuri, enveloped in the brilliant hues of the sunset, seemed like something other than human.

Unrealistically beautiful.

“…?”

I was so captivated by Yuri’s face that I didn’t even understand what he was saying and asked back.

“Huh?”

“If Noona chooses me, Noona can become the head of the family.”

What did you just say?

It was such a shocking statement that I felt like I had been doused with cold water.

“You haven’t forgotten that I’m one of Noona’s choices, have you?”

Yuri whispered playfully.

But I had already lost my smile.

I looked around to see if anyone had heard, but fortunately, it was empty. Jon had also retreated to the back at some point.

It was a distance where they wouldn’t be able to hear our whispers, so I lowered my voice as much as possible.

“Explain what it means that if I choose you, I become the head of the family.”

“Wow, Noona, you’re so charismatic.”

“Don’t change the subject. Is that why you came here today?”

Yuri was unpredictable. He seemed endlessly pure and lovely, like a fairy born from dew, but sometimes the glimpses of him were chilling.

Until now, I had dismissed that as just another aspect of Yuri. He’s going to be the Emperor, so he can’t be too kind, or he’ll be swayed by his subjects.

“I’m going to be the Emperor. Of course, I could turn Driblyane [the family name] into imperial property, but… it’s better for Noona to have it, right? Then Driblyane will be the Empress’s strongest ally.”

“…!”

“I couldn’t say this until now because I wasn’t the Crown Prince, but I’ve always thought so. If Noona chooses me, Driblyane is Noona’s.”

Yuri’s purple eyes were serious. He still had a smile on his face, but as I looked at the calmly subdued light, I realized that what he was saying was completely sincere.

‘I become the head of the family?’

I had never even thought of that.

Even if I chose Yuri… I thought that if I became the Empress, Driblyane would entrust the position of head of the family to someone else.

But that would be complicated, so I didn’t want to choose Yuri if possible. It’s not a matter of who I like or not, but because my wish is to protect the family that is precious to me.

“Noona becomes the Empress and the head of Driblyane at the same time. You don’t have to give up either one.”

“…”

“It seems like Noona keeps trying to exclude me from the candidates. I was upset.”

He’s more perceptive than I thought…?

The sky was now completely dark, and the store turned on the lights. The ice cream in the glass that was touched by the artificial light had completely melted and was no longer edible.

I fiddled with it for no reason, then gave up avoiding it and put down the spoon.

“I have no intention of becoming the head of the family, Yuri.”

“Noona has enough justification, qualifications, and ability to do so. You know that.”

“I know, but… it’s a position that Ian and Dante want so much. I don’t want to take it away from them.”

“Are you afraid of being hated?”

The smile disappeared from Yuri’s face. I hesitated to answer because it was unfamiliar, but it’s no use lying to someone who already sees through me.

When I nodded, Yuri gently reached out and caressed my cheek.

“You know, Noona. Either way, if you choose one person, you’ll inevitably receive resentment from the other two.”

“…Ah.”

“But… don’t worry. Even if Ian Driblyane or Dante Driblyane get hurt, they’ll forget it as time passes. They might meet someone else in the countryside and fall in love.”

Yuri’s tone was gentle. Perhaps because it felt like rustling in my ear, each word dug into me and left a mark.

“But I can’t. You know, Noona. I’ll die without Noona.”

“…You’re saying things that a child shouldn’t say.”

I mumbled something and turned my gaze away.

Suddenly, it seemed like I could see a huge shark and surging waves behind Yuri. Like a shark coming to swallow me in one bite, standing precariously on the beach.

“You can avoid it as much as you want. I’ll wait until you become an adult.”

“But you want me to choose you when I become an adult?”

“Yes. I’ll give you everything I have… Noona, you just have to give me you.”

I don’t know what Yuri’s expression was like when he said that. Because I didn’t see it.

I just got up and went back to the mansion with Jon. Yuri didn’t hold me back.

However, I could feel the intense gaze fixed on my back. It was the gaze of a shark aiming for its prey.