I Became the Villain’s Lost Daughter Chapter 89

“My goodness, you made this yourself?!”

 

Fern, who was quickly alternating between the open pages of the book and the artifact while the others were momentarily speechless, asked in a voice that couldn’t hide its amazement.

 

With another all-nighter in my mind, I narrowed my eyes slightly and nodded.

 

“It took a little longer to make, but I did.”

 

My answer brought a look of surprise to Fern’s expression.

 

“I knew you were born with mana, but…, no, this isn’t just mana.”

 

It was not a pretty sight to see, Fern muttering to himself under his breath.

 

The others’ expressions were also unnerved by his strange behavior.

 

Asked Father, “Is something wrong?” 

 

“Of course not!”

Fern shouted in response to his question. His words startled me.

 

No, something wasn’t right.

 

“Something’s wrong.”

 

Before I could open my mouth, my father furrowed his brow and asked Fern.

 

Seeing that we didn’t understand, Fern’s face scrunched up in frustration.

 

“This is no ordinary artifact, look here. It’s got five layers of magic on top of each other, all with the same magic! 

 

He then proceeded to rant about my artifact.

 

I was the only one in the room who understood what Fern was saying.

 

The artifact I had made was extremely difficult, with the same magic engraved five times on a gemstone the size of a fingernail.

 

“Well, isn’t it no secret that the Princess is skilled in magic?”

 

Cayden nudged Fern.

 

My father and Aaron already knew that I was a master of high-level, near-advanced magic.

So did Fern.

 

But when Cayden said that, Fern shook his head and explained.

 

“It’s easy to inscribe five different spells when making an artifact, but to inscribe five of the same spell is something you’d have to be at best a master mage to attempt.”

 

The gazes of the others listening to Fern’s words were fixed on me.

 

More specifically, it was the word ‘master’ that Fern spat out.

 

There were currently seven top-ranked wizards within the Empire.

 

Two of them belonged to the imperial court, three were the three pillars of the tower, and one was a renowned mercenary.

 

And the last one.

 

“I see you’ve broken the record for the youngest mage of the highest rank.”

 

Fern Irish grinned at me in amusement. He was my magic teacher, the one who first taught me magic eight years ago.

 

He’s got an incredibly quick mind, though…

 

Well, I didn’t think he’d recognize an artifact.

 

At home, I don’t really use magic, and I’m too embarrassed to say, ‘I’m a top-notch wizard!’

 

‘If I’d known how it would turn out, I should have told my father and brother.’

 

The two of them might be disappointed, if not the others.

 

“Ahaha… I was going to tell you sooner or later, but you beat me to it.”

 

Smiling wryly, I looked back and forth between my father and Aaron.

 

Thankfully, they didn’t look offended, just a little surprised.

 

“You’ve really grown up now, my dear sister.”

 

“Yeah, it seems like just yesterday that you were freaking out Tervan by turning the manor into a sea of water.”

 

Instead, my father and Aaron tormented me in different directions.

 

“When was that an achievement…”

 

“When you riddled the haze with holes.”

 

When I whimpered in embarrassment, Aaron chimed in with a smirk.

 

This must be his way of showing his feelings.

 

It’s not like the three of us are the only ones here!

 

Glancing over, I see Callian, the corners of his mouth twitching, though he seems to be holding back laughter.

 

“…The important thing right now is not whether I’m a high-level mage!”

 

Unable to withstand the stares focused on me, I finally glared as I magically took the book Fern was holding and placed it in the subspace.

 

“No, if this isn’t important, then what is, and it’s not worthy of the Imperial papers.”

 

There was a grunt from Fern, but I shrugged it off.

 

To my relief, the chaotic atmosphere quickly returned to normal.

 

Everyone was focused on what was about to come out of my mouth.

 

Before speaking, I looked at the faces at the table. My gaze lingered a little longer on one in particular.

 

‘…Callian.’ 

 

I recalled how Callian had smiled weakly at the loss of his mother, saying that he had gotten used to it, and it didn’t hurt anymore.

 

The young Callian desperately needed to recover from his grief in order to live.

 

Looking at him, I averted my gaze and slowly opened my mouth. It was something I hadn’t told my father or Aaron before.

 

“I’ve already used this artifact once.”

 

My voice trailed off.

 

“…At the Debutante Banquet?”

 

Aaron echoed, looking puzzled by my words.

 

When I glanced over, I saw surprise in Dad’s eyes as well.

 

No wonder he was surprised, I hadn’t told him. 

 

Nodding my head in affirmation, I answered his question, “That’s right, the person I suspected was there.”

 

The others’ faces turned serious at my words.

 

Then everyone fell silent, waiting for me to say the next thing.

 

All these people here are my father’s people, and as such, they are one with me.

 

There was no need to hide the truth from them.

 

Taking a shallow breath, I continued, “The person… was Her Majesty the Empress.”

 

Immediately after my words, a heavy silence fell over the greenhouse for a moment.

 

Aisha Lenosen, Empress of this empire.

 

The one who brought Serbia to its death, the one who would have brought even Queen Asyla to her demise.

 

“…And what was the result?”

 

Callian’s question broke the silence.

 

What was the result of using the artifact?

 

A few days ago, I remembered seeing the results of the artifact. Then I made eye contact with Callian and answered bluntly.

 

“The jewelry has turned black.”

 

That was an indication that the Empress had used black magic.

 

💫

 

Fortunately or not, the others didn’t seem too shocked by the revelation that the Empress had used black magic.

 

They were more like… oh, yeah. Their faces looked like they’d just had their suspicions confirmed.

 

“Did you know about this?”

 

“…I didn’t know, more like I guessed.”

 

My father answered my question with a heavy, low sigh.

 

The words caught me by surprise.

 

“…How did you guess that the Empress would have used black magic?”

 

Well, I had basically read the novel, so I knew, but how did everyone else?

 

Since black magic was involved in Serbia’s death, I wonder if they expected Lenosen and the Empress to use it.

 

“…It was only sixteen years ago that I began to pursue black magic.”

 

The accident that happened to Serbia and Erita was sixteen years ago.

 

“And when I found you, Erita, I found the tail I couldn’t hold on to.”

 

Finding me and catching a tail. Did he find something in the orphanage?

 

Blinking, I stared at my father, and he nodded as if to confirm my suspicions.

 

“I followed the tail I found there, and it led me to the Imperial Palace.”

 

“The imperial family…”

 

“It was Lenosen that was behind that accident, and the only Lenosen in the Imperial Court is the Empress.”

 

It was understandable that my father suspected the Empress, even if it was a weak reason.

 

“And as for the other reason, His Highness the Prince will tell you.”

 

My gaze shifted to Callian at my father’s words.

 

“…I will let you know when the Grand Duke is finished.”

 

A faint smile curved his lips as he said that. Callian nodded with a heavy expression before turning back to my father.

 

“So, since you already suspected that Her Majesty the Empress used black magic, why…”

 

If he had guessed that the Empress had used black magic, why did my father leave her and Lenosen alone?

 

Unlike me, who was only a mere princess, my father was the head of Krovachatz, a man on par with the imperial family.

 

With a father like him, even the Empress of the Empire would not have escaped the scrutiny of the Temple.

 

My blurred words were meant to say.

 

“There is evidence, but no proof.”

 

“…Proof?”

 

“Yes. There was no clear evidence, no matter how you look at it. Human testimony is not enough to overthrow an Empress.”

 

At my question, my father explained with a stern look.

 

“If we ask the Temple to investigate…”

 

The Temple of the Sun God. The Empire’s state religion, the Sun religion, didn’t reject black magic.

 

But at my words, my father shook his head slowly.

 

“If it was a decade ago, I might have believed them, but I can’t trust them now.”

 

The current temple wasn’t trustworthy.

 

“It is unbeknownst, but the current High Priest was chosen by Lenosen. So is the center of the Temple.”

 

“That can’t be…”

 

Now I understood why my father hadn’t moved.

 

If the main figures in the church were connected to Lenosen, it was hard to associate the Empress with black magic without hard evidence.

 

The High Priest and the Temple would naturally side with the Empress.

 

When I was silent with a grave expression on my face. My father called out to me.

 

“…Erita, there’s something I need to tell you.”

 

“Please speak.”

 

I nodded, my expression instantly somber.

 

My father gazed at me gently for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.

 

Maybe it was just my imagination, but somehow it seemed like he was hesitating, like he didn’t want to speak.

 

It was different from the way he usually spoke to me with such care.

 

I wondered, ‘What on earth is he talking about, and why is he so troubled?’

 

Just as I was wondering that, I heard a low, gravelly voice say.

 

“There’s something I need your help with.”

 

But the next words that came out of his mouth were more of a request for my help.

 

“I’ll help you in any way I can.”

 

Without thinking, I replied to my father’s words.

 

After all, I already had my share, so why shouldn’t I help in any way I could?

 

Just as I was thinking this, my father’s voice crashed into my ear.

 

“You’re the only one who can help, my dear.”

 

The look on his face was complex and almost painful as he said it.

 

“You mean I’m the only one who can help?”

 

I asked, and he nodded.

 

“Yes.”

 

It didn’t make much sense to me, given the nature of the people gathered here.

 

Unable to fathom what it was that only I could do to help, I stared at him.

 

Then he looked at Callian and spoke, “This is for the Prince himself to tell you.”

 

My gaze followed my father’s to Callian.

 

His expression was uncharacteristically stoic.

 

When his gaze met mine, he gave me a quick, faint smile, but it was unmistakably cold.

 

What my father was about to say had something to do with Callian. He held my gaze for a moment, then let out a deep sigh.

 

For a moment, he hesitated before answering.

 

What on earth could be going on that would cause him to make such a complicated face?

 

Everyone else in the room seemed to know what Callian had to say, except for me.

 

I waited for him in silence, unhurried, my mind racing with theories.

 

What could Callian possibly need my help with, that only I could help him with?

 

‘The Lagrace Top? No, I don’t think so, that’s not what’s bothering him.’ 

 

The wealth of the Top of Lagrace would help Callian, but it was not something I could help him with.

 

‘Magic, then?’ 

 

Well, given that I’ve just revealed myself to be a mage of the highest caliber, it’s not entirely out of the question…

 

But then again, neither was Fern Irish, the blue-haired wizard currently sitting diagonally across from me.

 

The youngest person to become a top-level wizard before me, and definitely on our side.

 

‘If it was magic, I would have asked Fern for help long ago.’ 

 

Theories were formed, erased, and repeated until nothing remained.

 

That’s when Callian spoke, “A few days ago…”