I’ve Become the Villainess’s Daughter – Chapter 42

After that, it became a long and arduous struggle.

We were consumed by the fear of not knowing when the masked men might catch up, so we rode in silence. Occasionally, I wondered if we should have brought the horses along or ensured we had dealt with the masked men completely—but it was already too late for regrets.

None of us knew where we were headed or what lay ahead. We could only keep riding, relentlessly.

Winter nights came early. Just moments ago, it had seemed like the sunset was still lingering, and now night had already fallen.

Ibhahrun cast a sphere of light to illuminate the path, but riding as fast as we had earlier was impossible. Still, I took some comfort in the thought that the darkness might hinder the masked men as well.

“…Achoo!”

I sneezed unexpectedly. Raon immediately asked,

“Are you cold?”

“Ah, no. I’m fine.”

I rubbed my nose. The plains stretched endlessly here. We must have been riding for hours, yet the castle still seemed distant.

Perhaps because we spoke, Ibhahrun, who had been riding ahead, spoke to us.

“Just a little longer, hang on. Soon, I think we’ll reach the territory ahead.”

But…

I clamped my mouth shut. What would we do once we reached the territory? Hiding in an inn was too dangerous, so going to the lord’s castle to seek help seemed safer.

At the moment, we had nothing to prove our identities. We looked like wandering knights being chased; it was a relief if anyone even believed we were nobles.

“Please, someone here must recognize Princess Roshahil and the Peregrine siblings—or at least know the heir of the Diud family…”

We seemed quite far from the capital. Passing through the gate must have put us even farther than we thought. Would the villagers even know the capital’s nobles? I bit my lip.

“No, it’ll be fine. Don’t think negatively.”

If they didn’t believe us, we could at least beg for a way to contact the capital. If word reached Father in the capital, they would trust us… Then we’d find a way to survive.

Desperately, I clung to thoughts of my father and brothers—warm homes, scenes filled with laughter… I refused to doubt that we would meet again alive.

Even being apart for just a few days made me miss them so much.

It was my family’s fault I had become so spoiled—they had always been so kind to me. That was all there was to it.

“…Are you really okay? You look cold.”

“I-I’m fine.”

I replied hoarsely, pretending to Raon that the stuffiness in my nose was because of the cold, while forcing my gaze forward.

“…!”

The next moment, we were startled. Ibhahrun had stopped the horse first.

Ahead of us was a rather large carriage. A sedan chair of this size left no doubt—it must belong to a noble.

“W-Wait a moment.”

Ibhahrun slowed our horses, approaching the carriage. Either recognizing this, the carriage also slowed to a stop.

We exchanged nervous glances.

Would they believe us?

A girl opened a window.

The face behind the curtain was far more beautiful and youthful than I expected, and…

It was a face too familiar.

My mouth fell open.

“Who…?”

The girl looked at us with a delicate voice, seemingly unaware of our presence. I quickly guided Raon closer to the carriage.

“…Cern!”

“…This voice…?”

Her bewildered eyes met mine.

I barely held back the tears threatening to spill.

“I-It’s me. Laila.”

“W-What? How did this happen?!”

Cern’s eyes filled with shock.

Finally, a spark of hope ignited in my heart.

Someone inside the carriage quickly opened the door for us. The carriage was large, allowing us all to sit comfortably inside.

Cern grasped my hand.

“L-Laila, are you okay? What happened to these wounds…”

“Well… a lot happened. Cern, how did you end up here?”

“This is my maternal grandfather’s territory. I just came by before the snow fell. Today, I only went on a brief visit to the neighboring village.”

“I see…”

It truly felt like divine intervention.

Or perhaps, in this world, the god was Ye-eun?

No. If Ye-eun were a god, why would I have been subjected to such trials?

Feeling relieved, I soon noticed my eyelids growing heavy.

Was it because of all that had happened today, or the remnants of the sedative still in my system?

Even as Cern called for me, I drifted into sleep without realizing it.

“So, at that moment, I thought Cern was an angel.”

“An angel? That’s ridiculous.”

Cern shook her hands, her face fully flushed.

“No, doesn’t it fit perfectly? Cern opened the window, and suddenly I hear hymns in my ears. I thought, ‘I’m alive after all.’”

“Stop saying that…”

Her face was red as a ripe persimmon, on the verge of exploding, so I let it go.

Cern, Ibhahrun and his siblings, Raon, and I were all together in one room.

The room had been prepared for Lukran. He lay on the bed, bearing many wounds from resisting so fiercely, while we sat around him.

“Surviving a near-death experience makes even fruit taste exceptional.”

Raon kept munching fruit brought by the maid, his cheeks puffed like a hamster’s.

“It’s truly a relief…”

Cern said softly. I had heard that she had personally cared for us for about two days after we collapsed. Thanks to her, our condition had improved.

Cern addressed Lukran:

“Uh, there are no wizards in this territory—it’s rural. But I’ve contacted the capital, so people from Roshahil and Peregrine will arrive soon. Can you hold on until then?”

Lukran still wore handcuffs. They weren’t ordinary iron, so they couldn’t be cut with tools. According to Ibhahrun, they were magically controlled cuffs—the only way to remove them without a key was by applying magical shock from outside.

‘I can’t unlock these myself.’

Though inconvenient, Lukran managed with the servants’ assistance.

Once the conversation ended and only the sound of Raon biting an apple remained, Ibhahrun handed me a magic stone, as if he’d just remembered.

“Oh, I haven’t returned this to you.”

“My magic stone…!”

I grabbed it tightly with both hands.

“You really treasure it, don’t you?” Ibhahrun remarked.

“I feel lucky when I have it, so I always keep it with me.”

“You said it was given by your uncle?”

“Yes. He’s very precious to me.”

Like Uncle Laska’s warmth, the stone glowed softly, radiating warmth.

“Good things will happen from now on.”

Cern said beside me. Ibhahrun replied:

“Yes, there’s nowhere left to fall.”

“N-No, I didn’t mean…”

Cern hesitated. I let out a small laugh.

“Like Ibhahrun said. There’s nowhere left to fall.”

Since the carriage incident, Ibhahrun and I had been communicating in whispers. Unaware, Cern looked at us curiously, but I simply smiled, keeping it a secret.

Then, in a serious voice, Lukran called Ibhahrun.

“Sister, there’s something I want to discuss with you.”

“Ah, should I step aside?”

Just as Cern, Raon, and I stood, Ibhahrun shook her head.

“Just go ahead. It’s about the dukedom, right?”

“…Yes.”

Ibhahrun smiled brightly.

“That’s been decided.”

“…What?”

Both I and even Lukran were stunned. Lukran alternated his gaze between Ibhahrun and me, his mouth opening and closing.

“Laila mentioned something to me…”

“M-Me?”

Ibhahrun laughed, her eyes twinkling.

“After surviving death, all worries suddenly seem trivial, don’t they?”

“…Sister.”

“So, I plan to find my own path.”

Lukran fell silent, then smiled gently.

“That’s a wonderful thought.”

“Thank you.”

Cern tilted her head, confused.

“Uh… excuse me, but…”

“?”

“Does that mean the dukedom will now be inherited by Princess Ibhahrun?”

Ibhahrun didn’t hesitate.

“Yes, it will.”

Cern’s eyes widened.

“That’s amazing.”

She smiled shyly.

“The Peregrine duchess… truly admirable.”

Though Ibhahrun had spoken first, she seemed slightly shocked, but then blushed lightly and murmured, “Thank you.”

“I think so too, Sister Ibhahrun,” Raon chimed in, having already devoured all the fruit.

I rolled the magic stone in my hand and smiled.

That night, I slept comfortably in a soft bed, fully conscious and relaxed.

Being in a place where I didn’t have to move, lying on a soft bed rather than straw, falling asleep without medicine—things I usually took for granted felt suddenly precious.

“…I want to go back soon.”

Cern had said that since she contacted the capital, help would arrive shortly. This place was about three days from the capital, so we’d only need to endure three more nights. I closed my eyes.

Sleep was sweet. I let my body surrender to the wave of exhaustion.

Somehow, I had a feeling something good would happen tomorrow.

According to Ibhahrun’s reasoning, perhaps because there was nowhere left to fall.

And perhaps thanks to the pleasant dream, I was able to meet the person I had been longing to see the very next day.