Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 414.1

When Kasser returned, Akil resumed the conversation from earlier. “The place Anika Katie mentioned…” Akil began, gesturing toward the northern side of the palace. “It’s close by. The building that Anika Flora destroyed using the larks—it’s right there.”

Riner muttered under his breath, his tone laced with suspicion, “This feels too coincidental to overlook…”

The priest who had drawn the map earlier was summoned again. He entered hesitantly, his face pale and his eyes darting nervously under the piercing gazes of the kings.

“That’s a sanctuary,” he said, his voice trembling.

“A sanctuary?” Akil echoed.

“I… I don’t know much about it,” the priest stammered.

“Speak clearly!” Riner’s sharp command cut through the air, making the priest flinch.

“I swear it’s the truth!” the priest cried, his words spilling out in fear. “Only priests with special qualifications can enter the sanctuary. I’ve never been near it. All I know is that it’s a place to interpret divine words and study sacred rituals…”

A glimmer of intrigue sparked in the kings’ eyes. But with no further useful information, the soldiers dragged the trembling priest out once more.

“What was the state of the collapsed building?”

When Pered posed the question, Akil replied grimly, “It was completely destroyed. It’s unlikely we’ll recover anything from inside.”

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Kasser muttered, “At least the Anika residence is far enough away. To preserve that location, we’ll need to guide the creature westward after breaking the seal, ensuring it doesn’t descend in that direction.”

At Kasser’s suggestion, the kings nodded in agreement, their expressions thoughtful.

Akil flipped through his notes before speaking up. “King Richard and Myung King have both responded,” he announced.

The other kings retrieved their own correspondences, their distrust of Anika Flora palpable. She was a dangerous variable, and embarking on the monster hunt while leaving her unchecked felt like a reckless gamble.

They had reached out to Richard about the state of the plaza, where troops were stationed, and to Myung King about the readiness to break the monster’s seal.

[If Anika Flora does not cease her manipulation magic, I will personally intervene to break her spell. With the barrier breached, our forces will maintain the advantage and defend against the larks effectively. Do not worry about the rear. – Richard]

[Everything is prepared on my end. Notify me just before the hunt begins, and the Elder will break the seal then. – Nicholas]

The four kings exchanged glances, their determination evident. With a unanimous nod, they entrusted the palace’s defense to Richard.

Finally, it was time to begin the hunt.

Kasser summoned his warriors and delivered his commands with precision.

“Ensure no one approaches the palace. Keep your distance as well. If the ground beneath collapses, anyone nearby will be swallowed up.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Understood.”

As the four kings disappeared into the palace, the warriors swiftly took charge, organizing the perimeter with urgency.

“Secure the rear gate! You there, move with them! Everyone, clear the area and set up a perimeter. No one is to approach the palace!”

Amid the flurry of activity, a warrior’s sharp eyes caught a figure riding toward them at high speed. His expression darkened as he focused on the approaching rider, who showed no signs of slowing. Sword in hand, he ran forward, signaling urgently for the rider to stop. If the warning went unheeded, he was ready to forcibly dismount the intruder.

The rider, noticing the signal, pulled his mount to a halt. The warrior’s tense stance relaxed momentarily—until he noticed the gleam of silver armor, the unmistakable emblem of knighthood. His suspicion returned, sharper than before.

The rider dismounted swiftly and approached. “Where is His Majesty Kasser?” he demanded. “I must see him immediately.”

“What’s your business here?” the warrior asked, his tone firm.

The knight’s silver armor glinted in the sunlight as he introduced himself. “I am Pides, His Majesty’s knight. There’s an urgent matter that cannot wait.”

The warrior remained wary, his grip tightening on his sword. “State your purpose.”

Sensing the skepticism, Pides composed himself and wove his explanation with careful urgency.

“The larks have been stirring outside the palace. Surely you’ve noticed this?” Discover more novels at Nov3lFɪre.ɴet

“We have,” the warrior replied curtly.

“His Majesty instructed me to monitor their movements,” Pides said. “But something strange has occurred—something I must report directly to him.”

The warrior’s expression shifted, now tinged with concern. He glanced between Pides and the palace, conflicted. His orders were explicit: no one was to enter under any circumstances. Yet the gravity in Pides’s voice made him hesitate.

“Do you need to speak directly with His Majesty Kasser? I heard His Majesty Richard is stationed at the plaza.”

“Ah, then I’ll head there. Thank you,” Pides replied, mounting his horse once again. With a quick tug of the reins, he galloped off toward the plaza, his silver armor gleaming in the sunlight.

The warrior watched him go, unease gnawing at his mind. Though he returned to his tasks, the sense of something amiss lingered. He called over a subordinate and issued a new command.

“Head to the outskirts of the palace near the city walls. Check if there’s anything unusual happening.”

“Yes, sir!” The subordinate saluted before sprinting off.

The warrior had barely resumed his duties when someone came racing toward him from the distance, shouting frantically. Squinting against the glare, he initially thought it might be his subordinate returning. But as the figure came closer, the warrior realized it was someone else—an unfamiliar messenger, yelling the same alarming phrase over and over.

“The larks have begun their attack! The larks have begun their attack!”

The cries spread through the area like wildfire, sending ripples of panic through the gathered troops.

The larks’ behavior was the result of a disrupted field-based control spell. Flora, the spellcaster responsible, had traveled too far from the spell’s epicenter without severing its magic, creating disturbances in the control matrix.

The larks reacted in two distinct ways. Those who managed to break free of the spell sensed the presence of a powerful predator’s domain. Driven by instinct, they fled far from the palace, seeking safety. However, the larks still trapped under the fragmented spell were no longer under Flora’s command. Instead, they reverted to primal instincts and began moving toward the palace. Drawn by the scent of humans, their predatory nature surged to the forefront. With no handler to restrain them, they prepared to hunt.