The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 42

‘A strange bed. Linda isn’t here, Nina isn’t here, and neither is the nanny…’

A few hours later, after a simple meal in the room, I washed myself.

The academy offered to send a maid, but I didn’t want to be attended to by someone I didn’t know.

‘It seems I’ve completely adapted to the Driblya estate, judging by this sudden wave of sentimentality.’

I pulled the blanket up to my nose and cleared my throat for no reason.

After acting so grown-up, why do I hate being alone so much now that my brother-in-law has quieted down and it’s gotten dark?

Is this what it feels like to miss home?

Come to think of it, I’ve always particularly disliked being alone, even in reality.

‘I shouldn’t feel sorry for myself when I’m in the safest place in the empire, being treated exceptionally well in an incredibly safe and comfortable manner.’

It’s just a trivial matter, even though it’s disguised as an official schedule.

‘I guess they’re gradually getting me used to these things so I can successfully debut into society and take on family responsibilities…’

But why can’t I fall asleep?

I tossed and turned under the blanket, staring at the pitch-black ceiling, and suddenly recalled that day.

The person who sent me a message, whoever they were.

‘They told me not to cry, so they must not like it when I cry.’

If I cry now, will they send me another message?

I rubbed my nose.

It wasn’t something to cry about, but I wondered if I should pretend to cry. Because I’m sure that the last time that strange and amazing message appeared, it was when I was on the verge of tears.

[Did you miss me? What are you doing trying to cry for real? You’re upsetting me.]

It was then.

Letters filled with laughter were being written in the air.

Grasping the blanket tightly, I stared wide-eyed at the one-sided message.

[If you’re happy to see me, wave your right hand.]

Are they watching me from somewhere?!

I jumped up and waved my right hand as instructed.

‘I wish I could talk to them. It’s so frustrating because I can’t ask them who they are!’

Still, this message was the best thing that happened to me today.

[If you’re curious about who I am, nod your head twice.]

Of course, I’m curious!

‘Wait, are they really watching me from somewhere?’

I nodded my head twice.

Then, water droplets formed on the letters in the air, trickled down, disappeared, and were rewritten. One letter at a time, carefully and sincerely.

[I am in the future…]

In the future?

[I’m Florin’s husband.]

…What? Really?

[We’ll meet in the future, but I miss you so much. I’m also curious about Florin in this time period.]

It’s a bit hard to believe.

I frowned slightly.

Are they sending me messages from the future?

‘No, more than that… If they’re going to be my husband, that means they’re one of the heirs!’

Droplets trickling down.

One-sided messages appearing.

The words ‘my husband.’

‘And the fact that they know my name exactly.’

What can be inferred from all of that is…

There’s only one person.

‘But did that child have such a unique ability?’

Then, the letters appeared again.

[If it were me, I would never leave you lonely. I would go with you wherever you go.]

That, that’s a bit much. Am I a child?

‘Ah, I am a child.’

Still, I can do well on my own. I don’t need someone to be with me all the time.

Even though the words won’t be conveyed, I replied that way in my mind.

[Then I’ll be the lonely one, Noona.]

The last sentence trickled down like tears.

It’s making me unnecessarily concerned… Besides, Noona [Korean term for ‘older sister’ used by a younger male].

‘Are they younger than me?’

With sleep completely gone, I waited a bit longer with my eyes wide open. It felt like there would be another message.

But the boy, whoever he was, disappeared again like this.

‘Still… my heart feels a little warmer.’

How did they know exactly when I was feeling a bit weak and send me a message?

It was a grateful thing. Even more so because I think I know roughly who it is.

‘Thanks to them, the gloominess has completely disappeared. I feel refreshed!’

If they send me a message next time, I hope they’ll tell me their name.

‘Even though I roughly guess who it is, it’s not certain.’

If they tell me their name, I can go meet them.

‘Even though they said they were sure they’d be my husband in the future, it seems like a lie.’

I chuckled softly, pulled the blanket over myself, and lay down comfortably.

I felt like I could sleep now.

* * *

Rustle, rustle.

The dew-covered grass was gently crushed under my feet.

I brushed off the dew on my skirt without a care, gazed dreamily at the brightly shining full moon, and slowly moved my steps.

‘Huh? Where am I going right now?’

Suddenly, consciousness returned, but my body was still moving on its own. As if it knew where to go.

‘Sleepy… Where is this?’

A yawn came out involuntarily.

I stopped for a moment, stretched greatly, took in the cool night air, and cleared my head slightly.

‘…Is this a dream?’

A sense of reality is slowly returning.

However, the languor that still dominates my body has not disappeared. It seems like a situation to be shocked about, but it also just feels like a vivid dream.

‘Since John isn’t next to me, is it a dream?’

But Pom Pom is here.

I tapped the round golem [artificial being] that was circling around me. I felt strangely touched that it had followed me.

“Grrr.”

At that moment, a low, rough groan was heard from somewhere, and I stopped abruptly.

‘Someone is in pain.’

I don’t know well, but I had that conviction. The conviction that I am here now for that child.

As I carefully moved my feet and approached, a black and smooth back was visible beyond the bushes. And a long tail that was hitting the ground unhappily.

‘The smell of blood.’

It doesn’t seem like they’re badly injured, but it’s also not a small amount of blood.

The giant black panther with shiny fur growled and warned as soon as it noticed me approaching.

If I come any closer, it will bite me.

The sharp sound was fierce enough to make my fur stand on end, but there was no sense of intimidation at all. Because… I can’t feel the pheromones.

“Dante.”

Eventually, standing in front of the black panther, I softly called out the name. The sharp fangs that only the Black Tiger Clan possess were evidence that could not be hidden no matter how hard they tried.

“I came to help you.”

“Krrrk.”

“Don’t torment yourself anymore. Okay?”

The vertically narrowed pupils were already half lost to reason.

I frowned at Dante’s wrist, which had been bitten to the point where the bone was exposed white.

That’s a trace of self-harm to regain reason.

They tried to come to their senses by biting themselves.

“We decided not to do this.”

Before I knew it, my lips parted and a word fell out.

…What am I saying right now? I met Dante for the first time today.

“Tsk, Dante. Let go.”

Even though it must hurt, Dante bit their wound once more.