The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 15

“Hoo. Aputi maa, aputi maa.”

Now perched on the Grand Duke’s shoulder, I patted his chest and blew on it.

I saw his tightly closed lips loosen slightly.

“Ah, you saw the blood on my collar.”

“You mustn’t be sick. If Grand Duke is sick… Driblia needs to be healthy, too.”

“Such a thoughtful one. Don’t worry, this isn’t my blood.”

*Of course*, it couldn’t be the Grand Duke’s blood. But words can be twisted depending on how you use them, right?

Just then, someone who didn’t know his place, with a spiteful look on his face, cut in.

“What is he doing? Grand Duke! He’s a barbarian! Look what he did to me!”

The Grand Duke’s expression, which had been thawing like the frozen earth in the spring sun, froze again in an instant.

This time, his black eyes, filled with clear anger, turned to Gerd. Gerd flinched and took a step back.

“I won’t say it twice. You are confined to the Heir’s Quarters until you repent for your mistake.”

“What? I’m injured, can’t you see? If my father, the King, finds out I’m hurt, he won’t stand idly by…!”

“If you ignore this order, I will use my authority to strip you of your heir status and send you back to your beloved country.”

*Wow, he’s done for!*

How can someone be so diversely stupid?

‘Daring to argue with Grand Duke, invoking the King’s name!’

Gerd, just go back to your house!

“Then, I will take the surprised child with me.”

“Yes. It would be better to postpone Lapiren’s lesson, which was supposed to start today, until tomorrow.”

“Yes, Father. Then, goodbye.”

Kyrillos patted my back and was about to use teleportation magic.

I quickly waved to Grand Duke.

“Goodbye, Grand Duke.”

The next moment, my vision blurred, and the location changed. It was my bedroom.

* * *

Kyrillos sat me on the bed and ordered no one to enter. Then, he knelt down in front of me and carefully examined my tail.

“Does it hurt a lot?”

“It tingles a little. But it’s okay. Gerd got punished, so.”

“Yes, he was punished. He should have been punished more severely.”

Kyrillos muttered quietly, grinding his teeth.

‘Why is he being so… uncharacteristically kind?’

Am I more useful than I thought?

‘But considering that, he hasn’t come to see me in a very long time.’

Kyrillos’s reaction is a bit embarrassing and nice, but mostly awkward.

He’s now the Vice Grand Duke, and he’ll be the 19th Grand Duke later, so he’s officially my future father-in-law… but, well, he’s not my dad.

‘Why is he worrying so much?’

I gently placed my soft front paw on the villain’s forehead.

“I’m really okay. I just won’t get married!”

“……John will be disciplined for not protecting you properly.”

“No, no! No way! John didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Isn’t it a sin not to protect the mistress properly? What else could be a sin?”

“That… no.”

Ugh, frustrating!

I vigorously tapped Pompom, who was still hovering around me, twice.

“Power! Can’t beat it!”

– John is just a guard; how could he genuinely resist the Driblia heir?

“He already took out his sword!”

– Just drawing his sword is grounds for serious disciplinary action!

“It’s not that he couldn’t protect me, he didn’t have the authority.”

– John didn’t have the authority to do more. You can’t blame John! You should have given him the authority in the first place!

Kyrillos stared intently at me, who was huffing and puffing. Then, he slyly turned his head and muttered, ‘Even when she’s yelling, she’s cute.’

No, is this the time to think I’m cute!

“I’m always cute! Now! John! Talk!”

– I’m always cute, okay? The important topic right now isn’t that, it’s John! Focus!

Ah, that’s refreshing.

It felt like the indigestion was finally subsiding because Pompom translated properly.

“……You always got angry like that when I was about to do something ridiculous.”

……What kind of nonsense is that?

I glared at him for talking nonsense, and Kyrillos stood up with a relieved look.

“Alright, I won’t punish John.”

“Okay.”

“The reason Lapiren found you first was that he was scheduled to give you a simple lesson starting today.”

“A bride lesson?”

“Yes. Lapiren will teach you about Driblia. And after assessing your skills, he will find a teacher that suits your level.”

Oh, I get to study!

Most children would hate studying, but I wasn’t a normal child.

‘I need to study hard to maintain my position as the daughter-in-law!’

In fact, everything a person can do in life is enjoyable. If I die this time, I don’t know what I’ll become next, but if I become a beastkin again, what I learn in this life will be very helpful.

“Ah, and about your identity issue.”

*Twitch.*

The word ‘identity,’ suddenly thrown out, made my round ears perk up with alertness.

Kyrillos glanced at me and plopped down next to me. It was a posture that was not at all aristocratic, but the delinquent look suited Kyrillos well.

“It’s being resolved. There is someone who could be your adoptive mother, but the situation is a bit complicated right now.”

“Adoptive… mother?”

Family? Who would accept someone like me?

No, this isn’t self-deprecation, it’s just an objective fact.

An albino, who knows where she came from, and can’t even transform into a human?

Of course, I now have the fake reputation of being a saintess, but…….

“There is someone trustworthy, but she is currently living in seclusion in the Yanterosa Mountains, so I have to go find her.”

“Yanterosa……?”

Could it be *that* Yanterosa?!

There was definitely an episode in the original story where Lahin encountered an avalanche. I remember there was an event where she was trapped in a mountain cabin with one of the male leads.

According to legend, the Yanterosa Mountains were formed when the entire treacherous peak was solidified from the body of a dragon…….

Therefore, it is impossible to look into the mountain range with magic from the outside, and a natural mana barrier is created, making magical attacks difficult as well. It is the perfect place to hide if someone needs to.

“Don’t worry too much and just wait.”

Kyrillos thought I was worried, so he patted my head. His face at that moment…… was so kind that I couldn’t understand it at all.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

Perhaps that’s why. The question that I had been pressing down, telling myself not to stir up, burst out.

“You even lied about me being a saintess… you took my side, and you gave me Pompom.”

When I counted the things Kyrillos had done for me, there were more than I thought. The problem was, he had no reason to treat me like that.

I had been brushing it off until now, but look at the situation just now. Anyone could see that Kyrillos took my side.

And now he’s going to give me, a spy, a proper identity?

Why?

“I naturally cherish my collectibles.”

“……I’m not a collectible.”

“I didn’t want to get married, but I always wanted a daughter.”

“……I’m not a daughter. I’m a daughter-in-law…….”

Kindness without a price is scary. I’m afraid it will erode me.

I would feel comfortable if I paid the price and then received it, but I had nothing to give him.

Maybe just preventing the downfall of Driblia, which no one knows about?

‘But even if Driblia disappears, Kyrillos has the Magic Tower.’

So, every time I receive something, I feel like I’m just accumulating debt.

“So, you’re wondering why I didn’t reveal your identity and kick you out of here right away.”

Would it be strange if Kyrillos’s expression looked somewhat painful?

But he quickly hid his expression, curving his eyes and gently stroking my head.

“You are the last proof that I have humanity.”

“Huh……?”

I thought he would give me a proper answer now…… but the answer he gave was so absurd that I was rather bewildered.

I know that the original story is from the perspective of the Holy Empire, so the ‘villain’ in the original story may not necessarily be a real villain, but…….

Still, the way Kyrillos looks at me now is, well, really warm.

It feels like he’s treating me like a daughter he gave birth to with his heart?

‘But there was no such trigger between us.’

We only met a week ago.

“The masters of the Magic Tower have lost their humanity in the face of overwhelming power for generations.”

“……”

“Every time I see you, I realize that there is still a human heart within me.”

Uh…… so…….

“Villain conscience protector……? Human conscience charm……?”

Hep, words that should have been kept inside popped out.

I covered my mouth and looked around, and he chuckled.

“Let’s just say that’s the case.”