I Became the Villain’s Lost Daughter – Chapter 90

Author: Nikss

“On the day of the Debutante Banquet, there was an assassination attempt.”

“An assassination attempt…?”

“The perpetrators were two maids in my palace.”

Callian recited the facts in a blunt tone.

My goodness. I forced my eyes to hide my surprise.

“I didn’t know that…”

Normally, an assassination attempt on an imperial family member was a matter to be taken seriously.

So why did no one know that there had been an assassination attempt on Callian?

“We didn’t tell you on purpose, because we know who sent it, and it wouldn’t do any good to know.”

Callian’s words seemed to answer my questions, and they made sense.

Who else would send an assassin to him now?

‘The Empress.’

It was Thesis Ruin Elver, the first Prince, who was at odds with Callian, but everyone here knew it.

That it was the Empress who, under the guise of supporting Thesis, truly wanted Callian dead.

“And those assassins had ties to the dark magic.”

“…What?”

My eyes widened at the next part of Callian’s statement.

The assassins used black magic?

“Traces of black magic were found on the poisoned needles used by the assassins.”

“That is a fact I have confirmed. As you know, my lady, it is difficult to detect black magic in things, but it is possible.”

Fern confirmed Callian’s words. And I understood what he was saying.

If Fern confirmed it, it must be true.

Another reason my father had guessed that the Empress dabbled in the dark magic.

“…So the help you’re asking me for is related to black magic.”

After clearing my head, I looked straight at Callian and asked. He knew I was researching the black magic.

Callian nodded, a grave expression on his face.

“I want you to find out about the curse on me, to be precise.”

“…The curse upon you, Your Highness.”

“Three years ago, I was suddenly struck with an unexplained headache, one that came at irregular intervals and was a terrible pain I had never experienced in my life.”

The corners of Callian’s eyes furrowed slightly as he spoke.

The headache had come out of nowhere.

A sense of foreboding.

As he clenched my bloodied hand into a fist, Callian spoke in a calm voice.

“The sensation I felt a few days ago when the assassins came for me was similar to that headache. The poisoned needles they used showed traces of black magic.”

A curse, I’m not sure, but the sensation was too identical to be anything but.

I lost control of my expression as Callian added.

‘…It’s definitely the Empress.’

Why hadn’t I thought of that before?

Knowing the number of lives required to use black magic, I had inadvertently assumed that she would no longer use it.

Callian said nothing for a moment, as if waiting for me to calm down from my shock.

It was only then that I realized exactly what kind of help my father had asked for.

“Your Majesty has indeed been exposed to black magic. …and whether it is possible to destroy it.”

“…”

“That is what you need my help with.”

The voice that came out was barely a murmur. Callian didn’t confirm it out loud, but his weak smile said yes.

“Ah…”

I bit my lip hard against my blurred vision. Black magic was as insidious and vicious as its name implied.

The most terrifying thing about black magic was that the victims didn’t realize they were under its spell until they were dead.

They die slowly, unbeknownst to themselves or those around them.

Even if they did realize it, there was little they could do to break it, as was the case with Callian.

‘The more lives sacrificed, the fainter the traces of the curse and the stronger its power.’

“…Your Highness.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I slowly opened my lips.

“Yes, Princess.” He replied in a low voice.

There was a glimmer of hope in him, so faint that I wouldn’t have known it if I hadn’t been watching him closely.

Meeting his gaze as he looked straight at me, I quietly rose from my seat.

“… My dear.”

My father called out, his voice filled with concern as I turned around the table to face Callian.

Looking up at him, I gave him a small nod.

It meant not to worry, that it wasn’t dangerous.

As I stopped two steps away from Callian, I heard Fern ask, “Lady, what are you trying to do?”

“I’m going to see if His Highness is truly under the spell of black magic.”

The implication that I would also check to see if the curse I had conjured up was true, I swallowed hard.

“Is that… is that possible?”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

I’ve spent the last eight years gathering every book, grimoire, and treatise I could find on black magic.

Restoring what was damaged and traveling to other lands if necessary.

Many of them were now submerged beneath the surface.

So I had an idea of what Callian was going through now.

And how to make sure I was right.

“There is a way.”

Answering Fern’s question without hesitation, I removed each piece of jewelry I was wearing and placed them on the table.

The earrings and necklace Aaron had given me, and the bracelet my father had bought me.

Callian watched me with a narrowed gaze.

“…I don’t want to do it in a way that puts you in danger.”

His words were blunt, but they held concern and care for me.

“No, it’s not dangerous,” I replied with a faint smile and a low chuckle.

The reason I’d just removed all of my jewelry was to keep my magic from getting tangled up.

Also, what I was about to do, while not easy, did not involve great danger.

After all, I’m not trying to destroy the black magic, I’m just checking.

“Ah, right.”

Ready, I turned to Callian, looking a little sheepish.

“I’m going to need to touch heads with your Highness for a moment, do you mind?”

“…”

The quickest to react to my question were my father and Aaron.

The two pairs of red gazes that had been directed at me snapped to Callian.

“Your forehead…, you mean.”

Glancing at the two of them, Callian asked, a little embarrassed.

“Oh, well, more than a few places on your body need to be in direct contact for this method to work, and since you said you had a headache, this is the best way to do it…” I blurted out my explanation.

It was as embarrassing to say this as it was for me, but I managed to put on a calm face.

“…Yes, it’s okay.”

At my thankfully calm explanation, Callian hesitated for a moment before finally nodding slowly. Then he pushed his chair back to get up.

Ready, I tilted my head to the side.

“Would the others please step away for a moment, then? I need you to be at least a hundred paces away so I can focus.”

By a hundred paces, I meant out of sight, out of mind.

“…How long will that take?”

“Hmm, I guess we’ll have to see… but it shouldn’t take more than thirty minutes.”

Dad and Aaron’s brows furrowed again at my answer.

They didn’t seem too pleased with the idea of me being left alone with Callian.

“Come on.”

The glasshouse was spacious, and they could wait at one of the other tables with tea.

And so, after his father and Aaron and Fern and Cayden had reluctantly left.

Callian rose and leaned against the table.

“I thought you might be more comfortable here than in a chair.”

Callian’s eyes drooped slightly and he smiled weakly. His face was calm for a man who was being tested for black magic.

After a moment’s hesitation, I opened my mouth cautiously.

“…Aren’t you afraid of what I’m about to tell you?”

“You mean this situation?”

“Just everything. You might be under the spell of black magic, and…I might not know how to fix it.”

“Well…”

Callian cleared his throat for a moment, considering my question.

“Do you think it would be better to be honest?”

There was a hint of mischief in his voice as he asked.

I knew it was out of consideration for me.

“I’d rather be honest.”

I replied with a weak smile, “…Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid of this situation. Black magic is forbidden, so not much is known about it, and I’ve never heard of anyone who’s fallen victim to it surviving.”

“…Right.”

All that remained were the records that hadn’t been lost.

And every one of them described the viciousness of black magic.

“I’ve come close to death so many times, and yet I still can’t seem to get past it, which makes me think I’m still a long way off.”

“I’ve been close to death many times,” he says, referring to being on the battlefield.

After he finished, there was a short silence.

“…Miss Erita.”

Pausing for a moment to look me in the eye, Callian addressed me casually.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I apologize for burdening you with this.”

“…Why do you say that?”

“Because it is burdensome and frightening to have another’s faith in you, or at least that’s how it seems to me.”

Callian laughed, a husky laugh, as he said it.

Somehow, I felt like I’d caught a glimpse of his inner thoughts. Was it just my liking for him that made me feel so powerless?

After a moment of silence, Callian spoke slowly, filling in for me.

“I’m afraid you’re the kind of person who would pity me and care about me. Just as you didn’t turn away from me when I was younger, you still do.”

“…”

“And selfishly, I’m just glad that your gaze is directed toward me.”

Callian’s words were heavy.

Finding no words to respond to them, I stood still, facing the cold wall.

“Your Highness…”

Perhaps he sensed that I hadn’t been able to muster the words.

“…So I hope you don’t feel sorry for me if you can’t find a way.”

Callian finished.

“Then perhaps you could give me your hand for a moment.”

With that, he held out his hand to me. He kept his palm open for my comfort.

With an awkward grip, I placed my hand on top of the larger, scarred hand.

Then, in a low voice, I whispered, “…Please close your eyes.”