I Will No Longer Live As Your Villainess

Laurencia looked at Luance with deep sorrow. Did he realize how much pain he was causing her? It felt as if a blade were cutting through her body, leaving her torn apart. A sharp ache radiated from her chest.

“Laurencia, I love you. So please, trust me and follow me.”

Laurencia, don’t be fooled by those words of love.

What tormented her more than Luance’s words were the memories of having once loved him. It made her cry and filled her with anguish. Every tear she had shed while watching him wield the word “love” like a weapon against her felt wasted, driving her to madness.

Luance wouldn’t know. He wouldn’t know that when the priests of the Goddess Ellie’s temple branded her a witch and tortured her, the pain of her body being torn apart paled in comparison to the pain of Luance ignoring her plight—and even taking pleasure in her suffering.

“Shall I figure out how to make you unfit to attend the tea party, Laurencia? Should I break your leg or your arm? If I do it quickly, it won’t hurt as much.”

Luance smiled brightly as he thought about ways to hurt her, all while claiming to love her.

He was no less than a devil.

“I don’t want to be hurt.”

“There you go again. You were the one who said you’d help me, Laurencia. I’ve told you before that being inconsistent isn’t good, haven’t I? Why do you keep confusing me?”

Luance said that because he loved her, she had to grant all his requests. For him, Laurencia became the justification for everything.

If she refused his requests, it was her fault. And even if she agreed but things didn’t go as planned, that too was her fault. Why hadn’t she realized what kind of person he truly was?

“Since you don’t seem to think for yourself, I’ll do the thinking for you and explain it so you understand. Alright?”

“Yes.”

“If you attend the tea party like this, you might embarrass yourself in front of everyone. Then what would that make me—the person who threw a white glove to protect you? Please, try to think a little, Laurencia.”

Laurencia nodded quietly. She didn’t understand his convoluted logic, but she knew arguing was pointless.

“I’m sorry.”

“Endure it a little, even if it hurts, for my sake. Alright?”

Luance’s words, stabbing at her heart, were relentless, but he smiled brightly, as if delighted.

“You know I love you, don’t you? I’m doing this because I love you, Laurencia.”

As Luance’s hand reached toward her, Laurencia closed her eyes. Her body tensed, already anticipating the pain that would follow. She knew she had to endure this for the future she had seen.

Outside Laurencia’s room, Ann smiled in satisfaction as she heard her screams. After some time, the door opened, and Luance instructed someone to call a physician. Illina caught a glimpse of Laurencia lying motionless on the floor like a lifeless doll and recoiled in shock.

“If the physician asks, tell them your mother did this. Say the same at the tea party,” Luance said with a smile.

But Illina couldn’t bring herself to smile back.

“You want me to tell people that my mother did this to Laurencia?”

“Lady Illina, do you intend to tell them I did it instead? Think before you speak.”

“But…”

Illina hesitated, knowing the blame would unfairly fall on Ann.

“Does it matter if another bad rumor is added to Ann’s already ruined reputation?”

“But my mother…”

“Quiet, Illina,” Ann interjected.

“Mother!”

“Prince Luance is right. When the physician arrives, cry and tell them I did this to Laurencia.”

Ann bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. Illina, resigned, bowed her head to Luance.

“I’ll do as you say when the physician arrives, Your Highness.”

The physician entered Laurencia’s room shortly after.

“This is…”

The sight of Laurencia left the physician speechless. Though he had heard rumors of Ann mistreating the illegitimate child, this was beyond anything he could have imagined.

While Laurencia wasn’t dead, her condition was no better than that of a living corpse. The physician’s grim expression made Illina cover her mouth, her sobs turning into an exaggerated wail.

“I couldn’t protect Laurencia.”

Tears streamed down Illina’s face.

“Don’t cry, Lady Illina,” the physician said.

“I shouldn’t have left her alone.”

The physician asked Illina to step out so he could begin treatment. He first gave Laurencia a pain reliever to ease her suffering. Her scalp was bloodied, the dried blood and hair clumped together in a mess. Her swollen, flushed cheeks and bruised eyes looked as if they might burst with the slightest touch. Inside her mouth, everything was torn, though her teeth were thankfully intact.

Clicking his tongue in dismay, the physician examined her frail, malnourished body.

“Her leg is broken… but what could have caused it? How did it break?”

The physician frowned as he inspected the injury. He couldn’t fathom how Ann, no matter how strong, could have inflicted such damage. But he quickly pushed the thought aside.

He trembled with rage at how starved Laurencia had been, her stunted growth evidence of her prolonged suffering. Filled with pity, he treated her wounds with care.

He briefly considered using a healing scroll, which would easily mend her injuries, but he knew the Heredian household would never waste such resources on an illegitimate child. Laurencia’s plight broke his heart.

“When she regains consciousness, the pain will be unbearable…”

The physician sighed after finishing his treatment. Suddenly, a soft tapping sound came from the terrace, followed by the meow of a cat.

Curious, the physician approached the terrace and found a small kitten repeatedly tapping at the door. It was Leo.

As the physician moved closer, Leo began to paw at the door more insistently, meowing loudly.

“Don’t cry, Lady Illina.”

“I shouldn’t have left her alone.”

The physician, observing Illina’s tears, calmly asked her to leave the room so he could begin treatment. He approached Laurencia and administered a pain reliever to ease her suffering. Her scalp was torn, and blood had dried into a sticky mess with her hair. Her swollen, flushed cheeks and bruised eyes looked as though they might burst with the slightest touch. Her mouth was shredded, though her teeth remained miraculously intact.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, the physician examined Laurencia’s frail body.

“Her leg is broken… but what could have caused this? How did it happen?”

He frowned as he inspected the injury. No matter how strong Ann might be, it was difficult to imagine how she could have inflicted such damage. Yet, he dismissed the thought.

He trembled with fury, realizing how much Laurencia had been starved—her stunted growth and frail frame evidence of prolonged neglect. Filled with pity, he treated her with as much care as he could muster.

Using a healing scroll would have instantly repaired her injuries, but the physician knew the Heredian family would never waste such a resource on an illegitimate child. His heart ached for Laurencia.

“When she regains consciousness, she will be in unbearable pain…”

As he finished the treatment and let out a sigh, a soft tapping sound came from the terrace, accompanied by the meow of a cat.

Curious, the physician approached the door to find a kitten persistently pawing at it. It was Leo.

Upon seeing the physician approach, Leo intensified his efforts, pawing and meowing loudly.

“Are you asking me to open the door?”

The moment the physician opened it, Leo darted inside, leaping onto Laurencia’s bed and inspecting her.

“Meow! Meow!”

Leo circled her spot repeatedly, agitated.

“You must belong to her. Don’t worry, I won’t harm your owner—I’ve already treated her,” the physician said, raising his hands defensively as Leo glared at him. Slowly, the physician backed away toward the door.

As soon as he left the room, Leo curled up beside Laurencia, gently licking her cheek. He stayed by her side, vigilant, from sunset until the moon rose high.

Meanwhile, Luance ordered Illina to procure a specific drug for Laurencia: a sedative.

Once Laurencia had consumed the sedative-laced food and fallen asleep, Luance entered her room. Drawing the sword from his scabbard, the sharp blade glinted menacingly under the dim light.

Leaning over the bed, Luance cast a shadow over Laurencia’s sleeping face.

“If you’re dreaming, Laurencia, I hope you see a future meant only for me,” he murmured, his hand softly brushing her cheek.

“Dream of the Emperor and Empress dying. Are you listening to me, Laurencia? No response, huh?”

Leo growled, raising his claws threateningly. But Luance tightened his grip on the sword, unfazed. Raising the blade high, he swiftly drove it downward.

The blade sank into the pillow beside Laurencia’s face with a muffled thud.

As Leo glared at him, hissing with claws bared, Luance pressed the hilt of the sword deeper into the pillow. Intimidated by the display, Leo cowered, lowering himself submissively.

“You’re not the only one powerless against violence. Laurencia is, too. But while I couldn’t care less about you, I’ll give Laurencia my love. Of course, she’ll mistake it for genuine love and lose herself in the illusion…”

Luance turned his gaze from Leo back to Laurencia, her face serene in sleep. Her cheek was perilously close to the embedded blade. In the polished surface of the sword, their reflections shimmered faintly.

Using the sword as a support, Luance leaned closer to her.

“Laurencia, do you know what love is? I don’t. But I’ll say ‘I love you’ as much as you want. It’s what monsters feed on, after all.”

Reaching out, he gently stroked her gaunt cheek.

“You were born to be my monster.”

Pulling the blade free, Luance sheathed it with a soft click.

“Don’t even dream of betraying me or running away. You’re mine, Laurencia. Understand?”

He recalled Daniel’s earlier warning when he had summoned him.

“That monster must fall in love with you, Luance. Only then will you survive.”

“She already loves me,” Luance had replied confidently.

“Do you truly feel that it’s love?”

Luance didn’t understand what Daniel meant by love, but he knew one thing: Laurencia should belong to him alone.

“I feel it. But who—or what—is this monster, really?”

His curiosity had grown.

“One of the most beautiful monsters in existence,” Daniel had said.

“A beautiful monster?”

No matter how much Luance thought about it, he couldn’t reconcile Daniel’s words. Laurencia was unremarkable and unattractive, with no charm as a woman. He found her repulsive, even to the touch.

“In ancient texts, they didn’t call it monster hunting,” Daniel had mused.

“Then what did they call it?”

“When hunting such monsters, it wasn’t called ‘monster hunting.’ It was called ‘witch hunting.’”

Daniel’s tale of ancient times intrigued Luance.

Long ago, there were seven beautiful monsters. Their beauty was undeniable, but their actions earned them the nickname “monsters.” They roamed the land, tormenting people and causing disasters.