The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

Despite the four of us – myself, Lucian, Sylonne, and the maid Eloise – seated inside, an awkward silence lingered within the carriage.

We were wary of each other, fearing our conversation might be overheard.

The moment we crossed the imperial palace’s security perimeter, Sylonne and I simultaneously removed our masks.

‘Phew… What an incredibly eventful day.’

Finally, I had returned to my true self.

Only then could I heave a sigh of relief.

“Sister, could you please explain now what that was all about?”

Unlike my newfound ease, Sylonne looked thoroughly displeased.

“I’m going mad trying to understand what outrageous thing I did.”

She had been glaring at me intently since earlier, likely feeling guilty about slapping my cheek.

“Thank you for that, Sylonne. Thanks to you, my acting seemed fully convincing.”

I proceeded to recount the events with Beatrice in detail to Lucian, Sylonne, and the dedicated maid Eloise who willingly joined our arduous journey.

“Pfft, hahaha! So you’re saying the Crown Princess ordered you to keep surveillance on yourself?”

Having reverted to her true appearance, Sylonne laughed heartily while rolling around on the seat.

“And me slapping you proved that you, the child Lorraine, were suffering discrimination, huh?”

Mentioning the slap immediately dampened Sylonne’s mood.

“Yes, she said she’ll provide the means of contact. I just need to pass her notes with the surveillance details through that.”

“…A method similar to Colin Piaget’s, I see.”

When Lucian brought up Colin, Sylonne glanced at me before loudly changing the subject.

“That’s an incredible order, though? So what does she offer in return for the surveillance?”

Beatrice had promised me three things in total.

“An imperial noble title, the position of the Empress’s Head Lady-in-Waiting, and the power that comes with being in her inner circle.”

But I knew. There was no way Beatrice would grant such things to a mere Felosite’s maid like Lorraine. No, she couldn’t even if she wanted to.

“Of those, the only one within that child’s authority is the last. She likely has no intention of keeping her word.”

How utterly vile.

Deceiving the heart of an innocent, bullied village girl and using that to bring someone down.

“…And I suspect Her Majesty the Empress is being poisoned.”

A few days after the investiture ceremony ended, I received an unexpected letter from Beatrice.

Officially, it was a request for manpower assistance for the wedding preparations, but her intentions were crystal clear.

‘She must be unable to find a way to contact Lorraine. So she intends to receive reports on me around the time of the wedding.’

Please respond with a list of all maids of the Felosite Palace, including their backgrounds and specialties. As they will be staying at the imperial palace for a time, security and safety are paramount, are they not? Especially after that recent unfortunate incident.

I was stunned at just how cunning Beatrice could be. That I failed to realize this side of her was astonishing.

She seemed to have no intention of hiding her motives.

Of course, there is still ample time. So please make the preparations with special care. Due to the unrest, the ceremony has been postponed to about half a year from now.

Yes, Sister. I will make the preparations with extra special care.

No matter what Beatrice is plotting, if it leads to the destruction of this world… This time, I absolutely cannot just let it happen.

I have no intention of foolishly fighting a beast only to die and exit this novel.

* * *

On just another peaceful day in the imperial palace, as always.

Queen Yuliana was having tea with Beatrice in the greenhouse of the Crown Princess’ Palace, just the two of them.

Before long, when the Empress would die and Queen Yuliana would become Empress. This girl, too, would become the Crown Princess.

However, watching Beatrice sip her tea with that meek, innocent expression, the Queen began to feel a lingering unease about her true nature.

For if Beatrice dared to cross the Empress even slightly, there was no guarantee the same fate would not befall her.

“You have chosen an excellent method, Mother.”

“What do you mean by that, Beatrice?”

The Queen’s chiding prompted a giggle from Beatrice.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? The Felosite knights aren’t that foolish. And neither am I, of course.”

Beatrice retrieved something from her sleeve and tossed it onto the tea table – a handkerchief embroidered with the Queen’s initials, soaked in what appeared to be fresh blood.

“Ack! What is this?!”

“Still, you should have been more careful. If it weren’t for me, you would have been properly exposed, Mother.”

The teacup trembled violently in Queen Yuliana’s grip.

Yet Beatrice calmly, gracefully refilled her cup without a care.

“Oh, but of course you didn’t truly intend to kill me, did you, Mother?”

The ones who attacked the Crown Princess weren’t actually Felosite knights.

Three assassins had secretly infiltrated the Crown Princess’s quarters.

It was Liam who had summoned only the Felosite knights to respond to the situation. But the one who hired those assassins was none other than Queen Yuliana herself.

Moreover, one of them was a former imperial knight who had been intimate with the Queen.

“How strange, those people. It would have been better if they just went through the motions, but they kept trying to kill me.”

Beatrice’s expression grew increasingly sinister as she continued speaking.

“Wh-What are you talking about?”

“My men killed them all. I had no choice.”

“Your men? You have subordinates?”

Despite trembling in fear and shock, the Queen couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

Aside from being the Saintess, Beatrice’s background wasn’t particularly formidable.

“Why don’t you meet them now?”

With two claps from Beatrice, the door opened and around twenty people rushed inside in a swarm. Their faces seemed somewhat blank.

Though dressed like palace staff, an odd scent seemed to emanate from them.

“These are your subordinates?”

They appeared nothing more than a ragtag bunch at a glance.

From children to the elderly, ranging across genders and ages, few seemed to have received proper military training.

“Hah? What could those things possibly do? Get rid of them at once. They reek of rot.”

Then Liam entered, sharing the same blank expression as he took his place at the head of the group.

“The Crown Prince? What are you doing there? Come here! That is no place for the Crown Prince to be…”

No matter how much the Queen called, Liam didn’t respond.

With Liam as their center, the others knelt, and Liam fixed his gaze solely on Beatrice standing before them.

“The Crown Prince Liam is their commander, Your Majesty.”

The Queen couldn’t comprehend the situation at all. Why would Liam command such a motley crew?

Letting out a deep sigh, Beatrice rose from her seat.

“It seems words can’t explain. Then I shall have to show you directly.”

Priscilla, who had appeared from somewhere, lifted a section of the greenhouse floor.

Revealed beneath was a staircase leading down into a dark underground space.

“Allow me to guide you, Your Majesty. Please follow me.”

Holding a lantern, Priscilla took the lead, followed by the Queen, then Beatrice, Liam, and the rest descending behind.

“How is there a place like this here…?”

After descending for some time, they arrived in a vast underground chamber.

But…

“What kind of monstrous acts have you committed here?”

Stains that looked like human blood covered the floor and walls.

“Me? It wasn’t me, Mother.”

“Then who else could have done such a thing?!”

It was at that moment.

“Graaaa!”

With a bestial roar, Liam instantly transformed into a massive black beast, and the Queen collapsed to the ground in shock at the sight.

As Liam changed form, those who had shapeshifted into various animals all knelt before him, bowing their heads.

“They are humanoid demon beasts, Mother. And the one who turned them all into this state is Liam himself. Our Great Demon Beast we serve, is it not?”

Disoriented, the Queen shook her head and backed away.

Beatrice approached close and whispered with a sinister smile.

“Why, Mother? Would you like to become a beast as well?”