Taming The Villainesses

(EP-352.2) #2

352 – Abandonment #2

“But even if they’re brave warriors, there’s a big difference between participating in the festival and crossing the wall. How exactly do you plan to lead them beyond the wall?”

“A true queen can move people’s hearts—and make the impossible possible. That’s not an issue. In any case, that’s what this festival is about. Give up.”

In other words…

Aira had no intention of losing to any challenger. She was simply using them as pawns in her plan.

That meant she had no intention of getting married in the first place. The whole “marrying the queen and gaining all the power of Angmar-” was just bait to lure in the bees and butterflies.

She had always been so confident about solving the lack of manpower for the Gargata fortress reclamation—so this was her solution.

“So, now that you understand, give up. And apologize for displeasing your queen and master, Aira von Tarantera.”

Aira extended her hand toward me.

She was asking me to kiss the back of her hand. If I did, we would go back to being the eccentric queen and her hateful servant.

And I would have to give up on the festival.

But did I really have another option? Nothing else came to mind at the moment.

Suk.

For now, I lightly took Aira’s palm in mine. I could feel the warmth of her skin. As I held it, Aira urged me on.

“… Now, quickly kiss my hand and swear. Theo, promise that you’ll remain my cute little fairy. And that you’ll give up on the martial festival.”

“……”

Suddenly—

Something about Aira’s insistence on my withdrawal struck me as odd.

Why was she so adamant about keeping me from competing?

According to her, no warrior could defeat her anyway. Even if she didn't forcibly ban me from participating, she could just overpower everyone with her overwhelming strength.

There would be no winner.

And she wouldn’t have to go through with a marriage she had no interest in.

But her insistence on stopping me from competing-.

“Could it be, Aira-nim…”

“……”

“Are you worried that you might lose to me? Could it be that you fear everything will fall apart if, by chance, I win?”

At my words, Aira’s palm slipped from my grasp.

When I looked up, she was glaring at me. Her face looked flushed red like a boiling kettle. Even after spending years by her side, I had never seen such an expression on her before.

* * *

Elga spat out the green juice she had been drinking.

“Puhhh—!”

Across from her, Mirna, who had been calmly eating her meal, was now drenched in saliva and green liquid. Her hair stood on ends.

“What the hell are you doing!!!”

It was the first time I had ever seen Mirna, who always prided herself on being composed and dignified, lose her temper like this. But Elga just asked me, not sparing her a glance.

“Wait, what? You got disqualified? What the hell does that mean!?”

She must have been shocked.

I certainly was.

Elga pressed on.

“Hey, answer me! Disqualified from the festival? And you’re under house arrest? What the hell did you do to deserve that? The opening match is literally right after lunch today!”

“Well…”

I recounted everything that had happened last night to Elga and the Draco twins. How Aira had come to me, urging me to withdraw.

And how I refused, leading to a heated argument that ultimately resulted in me being stripped of my right to participate and placed under house arrest.

━Theo Gospel, I revoke your rights. Stay in your quarters and cool your head for a while.

It hadn’t really sunk in until now. But as I said it out loud to the girls, the weight of the situation finally hit me.

I was in deep trouble.

What should I do?

Elga was furious.

“Hey, why did we go through all that trouble…! Ugh, this is ridiculous. I knew things were going too smoothly! Now that it's come to this, there's no other way. We have to go for it.”

Her resolute tone caught me off guard.

“Go for what?”

“Overwhelm Aira and get her pregnant! Once she loses her purity, won't she have to marry you?”

It sounded absolutely ridiculous, but it was quite common in this land where women's chastity was highly valued. Women who tearfully ended up marrying men who had assaulted them…

Smack-.

Then, my chest ached. The paper spider living in my heart had bitten my conscience. That was right. I had once used such schemes on Mirna.

And these days, I regretted it deeply. It was my dark history. I no longer wanted to resort to such forceful methods.

Just then, Mirna, who had wiped the green juice off her face, cleared her throat and spoke.

“I don't think such methods will work on the queen. Can you even overpower her in the first place? You'll be blown away by her magic in an instant.”

“If we attack together, like we did in the dream, wouldn't it work somehow?”

“Lady Lioness, you know that’s nonsense. Forcing someone into a harem like that will only sow discord.”

At Mirna’s firm rebuttal, Elga scratched her head in frustration.

“Then what? What are we supposed to do? If you’re going to shoot down every idea, at least come up with a better one!”

“There is a solution. And it just so happens that I’m here.”

Schk.

Mirna raised her index finger.

“Queen Aira's order only applies to Theo Gospel. So, someone else can take his place.”

At those words, Elga furrowed her brows.

“What, if Theo can't go, are you saying you or I should go instead?”

“No.”

Mirna shook her head.

Just then, Narmi, who had been quietly listening with her big, round eyes, suddenly clapped her hands together.

“Unnie, you're talking about that! That could really work! Theo, you know too. The treasure our Draco family has!”

Edit by: faker