This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 260

Salvatore wore an arrogant expression.

As if there was no reason to refuse.

So I smiled back.

“No.”

“...What?”

Only then did the prince’s expression crack.

“There will be no choice better than me for you.”

“I don’t want more choices.”

“Even if you regret it later, it will be irreversible.”

“There’s nothing to regret.”

“Do you believe Prince Isiron is the best choice?”

“Even if he’s not the best, I don’t particularly care.”

Not yielding a single word, General Arkal and the lady-in-waiting glanced nervously at the prince.

His eyebrows twitched.

“Because of this incident, the Empress Dowager’s mood has soured. You must know that life in the empire will become difficult.”

“Marrying just to look good to the Empress Dowager is a bit...”

“...”

“It’s a matter of life and death.”

“I’m giving you a chance.”

“I told you I don’t need one.”

The prince’s face turned cold.

“What reason could you possibly have for choosing Isiron’s third son, who is nothing but a bastard?”

I honestly couldn’t understand why I had to explain the reason why I said I didn’t need you ‘that much.’

‘This won’t do.’

Pretending to be troubled, I covered my cheek and sighed.

“I care about appearances...”

“...What?”

“You fall short of my standards, Your Highness...”

His expression twisted and crumpled.

“I’ve never heard that my looks are lacking.”

He meant I should give a straightforward reason for avoiding an engagement with him.

I sighed deeply.

“I grew up seeing my father’s face, said to be the most handsome in the world. So, well, Your Highness is...”

“Erilot Astra.”

“My apologies. I do not wish to cause the Empress Dowager any discomfort, but Your Highness’s appearance is simply...”

After glancing him over from head to toe, I continued.

“I can’t compromise.”

The lady-in-waiting hurriedly bowed.

The courtiers who came with the prince looked down awkwardly.

General Arkal’s mouth fell open as he looked at me.

The prince clenched his fists tightly.

Then he glared at me and swiftly turned his back.

‘Good. Get lost.’

What kind of fool would get engaged to a future drug addict?

Besides, he didn’t just do drugs — he also acted all fatalistic.

The prince, as he walked away, said,

“Even if you regret it, the ship has already sailed.”

“Yeah!”

I replied cheerfully, hearing a grinding noise behind the prince.

Finally, he left.

I looked at the Empress Dowager’s lady-in-waiting.

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh! Yes, yes! You should!”

She held the carriage door open.

I got in and looked at her.

“Please tell the Empress Dowager that I will visit soon.”

“Yes... But, young lady.”

The lady-in-waiting glanced around and whispered to me.

“Is Prince Salvatore’s appearance really that bad?”

“...”

“Foreign princesses sometimes lose their minds over his looks.”

Well, objectively he’s not that bad.

Many young ladies swooned over the future Salvatore pretending to be fatal.

He would become the crown prince and treat laws like passing dogs.

Still, he had a ‘dangerous charm’ that made many helpless.

It was like that when he first met me.

Entwined with his followers, he grabbed my chin and said...

“Your looks are the only thing worthwhile.”

There were ladies who watched that in rapture.

Thinking back on that, my fists tremble with deadly force.

The Empress Dowager’s lady-in-waiting was still wide-eyed.

I smiled gently at her.

“Have you seen Prince Isiron?”

“Yes, from afar.”

“Look again, then look at Prince Salvatore.”

Alexis wasn’t the main male lead for nothing.

Unlike Salvatore, he was sincere, never touched drugs, and hated lawbreakers.

I lightly bowed my head.

“Well then.”

“Ah, yes!”

The lady-in-waiting withdrew and the door closed.

The carriage began to leave the castle.

Along with my Wonhwa life.

That night.

[How could such a thing be? If the Wonhwa leave... if they leave...!]

[Stop it, Southern Wonhwa.]

[But...!]

Sebastia, the Central Wonhwa sister, and Rika Delphre, the Southern Wonhwa, were on a long call.

Rika was deeply hurt.

[It was only suspicion. It got resolved. Why quit for no reason?]

“It’s for the best. I was just waiting for the right time to quit.”

[That’s cruel! I planned to be with you for a long time...!]

[Do those two have something going on behind my back?]

I flinched, gripping the teacup.

“I had something to ask Rika.”

[Hmm, I’m curious, but it seems like something I shouldn’t be involved in. I’ll step out for a bit.]

“Sis...”

[See you next time, Erilot.]

“Yes, sis.”

I ended the call with Sebastia.

Then I looked at Rika, who was sniffling at the other communication stone.

‘It’s inconvenient that group calls don’t work. Anyway...’

“Don’t be so upset. Even if you’re not Wonhwa, we can meet often.”

[...Yes. Don’t worry about ‘that person.’ I’ll watch over him well.]

‘That person’ meant Wolfgang.

He was the judge who secretly helped Silin during the multi-versus battle.

‘Wolfgang is connected to .’

Right now, Wolfgang is the only link to .

So I changed course from trying to completely ruin him.

‘For the future, I’ll keep him within my reach.’

So he was barely surviving in the imperial army.

“Please take care of him.”

[Please invite me to the mansion too... The princes have been there, but I haven’t...]

“Okay, okay. I’ll invite you to Astra Manor.”

[Really?! Oh, how happy!]

Rika suddenly became very cheerful as if nothing happened.

At that moment,

“Miss! You have to come outside!”

Voices of my direct maids, Heidi and Betty, came from outside the room.

It had been a long time since they sounded this flustered.

“Something happened, so let’s continue communication later.”

[Yes. Have a good night.]

I ended the call with Rika and stepped outside.

“What is it? Did Mari faint again?”

Recently, Mari’s condition worsened.

We had Cainlord uncle watch over her, but she rarely improved.

“No, it’s not that. There are... people outside...!”

“People?”

“Yes, a lot of people...!!”

The two were very excited.

‘Who would come at this hour?’

Curious, I went outside the mansion.

At the main gate, my three older brothers were watching something in disbelief.

‘Huh? People holding torches outside...’

I looked outside and was startled.

“What are you doing here!”

They were the Western Army.

Knights who defected from the Western Army had all gathered in front of our mansion.

Our army’s Senior General, Koo.

Western Army’s strongest sacred knight, Iseze.

Former Central Army Senior General, Jowick.

One of the Western Army’s top fighters, Liam.

Even the stubborn former Southern Army Senior General, Kazin...!

“Shall we open the gate first?”

The mansion guards’ words made me jump.

“No!”

What would happen if I let them in?

They would think I had absorbed them.

Besides, they are imperial soldiers.

Taking imperial soldiers away from the emperor was treason.

The Western Army knights clung tightly to the barred gate, shouting.

“W-Wonhwa...!”

“It’s cold and we’re hungry... We fled from the palace and can’t return home. If we go back, we’ll be caught...!”

“We have to talk at least—”

“Are you really going to quit Wonhwa just like this? Huh?”

I shook my head firmly at the guards.

“Do not open the gate under any circumstances.”

Then I glared at the Western Army.

“Why can’t you just go back?!”

Who do they want to make into traitors!

Jowick, known for loose lips, pushed through the knights and approached.

“I tried hard to be on Wonhwa’s side in the Western Army. We all feel the same way.”

“But?”

“Are we really being abandoned like this? You reached out before, now you throw us away like trash.”

His eyes were full of deep betrayal.

I was dumbfounded, mouth agape.

“Abandoned? Who do you think abandoned you?”

Anyone hearing this might think I was some terrifying woman who tricked all these boys then discarded them.

Liam, the strongest fighter of the Western Army, shouted.

“I won’t let this go! Take responsibility!”

Iseze gritted his teeth.

“You found me and raised me. So you must keep me.”

Kazin said,

“I can’t imagine anyone else but you.”

The guards and servants looked at me with strange expressions.

I noticed and stood ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ right by the barred door, speaking to the Western Army.

“Can’t you put the subject properly? You’re talking as ‘Wonhwa.’”

Jowick frowned.

“Does that matter now?”

“It’s the most important thing. And get lost.”

“When you liked us, where was this attitude? How can you be so cold now?!”

The Western Army knights shouted in unison.

My three older brothers frowned.

“Are these idiots?”

“Salt them.”

“Report this to the palace.”

My head started aching.

I gritted my teeth and said to the Western Army knights.

“Go back to the palace immediately. The desertion issue has been resolved. Are you trying to make this worse and irreparable?”

“If you don’t return, we won’t go.”

Jowick crossed his arms and huffed, turning his head.

‘This is for real.’

“Go back while I’m telling you nicely, okay?”

“Wonhwa, please come back.”

“I really want to die—”

Then.

“Miss?”

Another group appeared behind the Western Army.

It was Michelan leading them.

I opened my eyes wide and looked at Michelan.

“How did you get here?”

“The Igritz army’s procedures are complete. The Count ordered imperial capital guard duty, so I brought them.”

“I see.”

Looking closer, they really were all from the Igritz army.

Staff officer Halard Izass.

Kendall Jaytang with the strongest attack power.

And Luka, the best boy soldier.

And walking laughing among the Igritz army was the captain, Kali Musoda.

“How did Kali get here? I arranged a position in the main castle.”

“Well...”

Halard looked at Kali with a troubled expression.

Kali chuckled.

“I fought with the main castle’s guard captain and got kicked out!”

“Put him on suspension...”

“Either way, right, Miss?”

I sighed deeply.

‘Well, with that temper, he lasted a long time.’

He was a man who pulled all his troops out because he hated the late emperor.

Holding on in the fortress was impossible.

“You’ve had a hard time, Halard.”

“I’m glad you noticed... But who are these?”

The Igritz and Western armies stared at each other.

The Western Army was called the best among the imperial soldiers, but it couldn’t compare to the momentum of Igritz.

Igritz went through Wonhwa army and even reached the emperor’s direct command — truly the strongest military.

Even the boy soldiers were systematically trained, the strongest nurtured with great care.

They were incomparable to the Western Army I had roughly raised for a few months.

Just Luka looking at them made Iseze and Liam prepare to cast blessings.

“Stop!”

When I said that, everyone flinched and looked at me.

I told the guards,

“See the Igritz emblem? Only let those with that emblem into the mansion. Throw out the rest!”

The Western Army flinched.

“W-Wonhwa!”

Kendall of Igritz said,

“You said you were quitting Wonhwa?”

“I did.”

“Then ‘Miss,’ not Wonhwa.”

Kendall and the Igritz boy soldiers who trained under him looked arrogantly at the Western Army.

The Western Army stared at me with betrayed faces.

Liam shouted with emotion.

“So you think you don’t need us because of these?”

“How is that fair?”

“You have enough with them, so you’re abandoning us!”

“...Are you crazy?”

“I know those guys! They were the emperor’s direct command during the late emperor’s time! Isn’t that General Kali Musoda?”

“So?”

“This means the main wife is great, and the concubine can scram!”

‘...Are you crazy?’

I was stunned and speechless, but the Western Army trembled.

Jowick glared fiercely at the Igritz boy soldiers.

“Don’t think you’ve won. We have the upper hand in blessings and natural talent.”

“We’ve crossed the line between life and death since learning to walk. You talk nonsense.”

“We each personally selected our Wonhwa...!”

“This side has had sponsorship since infancy.”

“We won’t give up, Wonhwa.”

“Shall I strike, Miss?”

I gave up on the conversation.

Shrugged my shoulders and shook my head.

‘Do as you please.’

And without a word of greeting, I turned and headed toward my quarters.

Of course, I didn’t forget to tell the guards,

“Don’t open the gate for the Western Army. If they cause trouble trying to come in, report them to the palace.”

Fortunately, when I got to the central courtyard, a servant came running to deliver news.

The Western Army went back, saying they would train with the Igritz army and beat them.

Heidi and Betty chuckled.

“Everyone likes Miss.”

“Likes? That’s harassment.”

“They all want to come under your command. We’re happy~”

‘I wish they’d learn how to talk properly.’

I was really flustered earlier.

Words matter a lot.

Talking without a proper subject made it seem like I was some cruel woman who tricked and abandoned people.

‘Words are easily misunderstood like this... huh?’

I stopped abruptly.

And remembered.

“Don’t try to save Mari.”

—Michelan’s words.

‘He said not to try to save her. That doesn’t necessarily mean to watch her die.’

“No way.”

I hurried toward Mari.