Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Stars and Steel

(continued)

How do I explain that an entire noble house is being murdered right now?

How do I casually drop, "Papa, the Everhart mansion is under attack," without sounding like I licked a magic mushroom?

He’ll think I’m just babbling nonsense. A two-year-old’s midnight fever dream. And by the time he realizes I wasn’t... It’ll be too late.

What do I say? What do I do? How do I save Osric before it’s too late?

And then something clicked.

Ah... right.

I remember now.

How did I forget this? In the novel, there was a moment—just a passing line, a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of tragedy. It said Grand Duke Regis had tried to ask for help from the emperor. He sent one of his knights to the imperial palace in a last-ditch effort to get reinforcements.

But the knight was stabbed in the stomach.

He died before reaching the palace.

His body was found a little distance from the imperial gates—crumpled near the side road, horse still saddled. And that’s how they found out the Everhart mansion was under siege... but it was already too late.

If I’m right—then that knight should already be out there.

Bleeding. Dying. Alone.

I looked up at Papa. His gaze hadn’t left my face, concern etched deep between his brows.

"Papa..." I whispered, clutching his robe with both hands, "I want to see those stars. From the other side."

He blinked. "The other side of the palace?"

I nodded solemnly, like I had just asked him to take me on a spiritual journey and not a royal detour at bedtime. "Yes. The stars there are prettier."

He furrowed his brows. "You can see them from here."

"Nooo," I whined, tugging harder. "Please... Let’s go. I want to see..."

There was a long pause.

He stared at me, crimson eyes narrowing slightly, as if trying to read the hidden message underneath my toddler insistence. I kept my face as innocent and non-suspicious as possible.

Then he sighed softly and smiled. "Alright. If you want to."

YES.

Thank you, Father of the Year.

We made our way down the long marble corridors, through the quiet gardens bathed in moonlight, and toward the main gate of the imperial palace.

I fidgeted in Papa’s arms, my heart thudding too fast for my tiny chest. This was it. The moment. If I was right...

"Papa," I said quickly, "put me down."

He raised an eyebrow but obeyed, gently placing me down on the cold stone path. I immediately spun toward the gate and squinted into the darkness outside.

...Of course, I couldn’t see anything.

I’m two years old. My eyesight’s basically ornamental.

"I wish I had a telescope. Or like... night vision goggles," I mumbled.

"What is it, lavinia?" Papa asked behind me.

"Nothing!" I chirped.

I pretended to be enthralled by the stars, pointing randomly at the sky while sneaking glances toward the road beyond the palace gates.

And then—I saw it.

A horse.

An empty horse was standing a little ways off the main road outside the gate. Its saddle straps were dark, and it looked like some shadow.

Of course, I couldn’t see the knight. He must’ve already fallen... out of sight, behind the hedges or lying in the ditch.

But that horse—it was the sign I needed.

"Oh... Papa, look there," I said, pointing through the bars of the gate. "It’s a big horse!"

Papa turned his head. Theon followed his gaze and blinked. And then...

"That’s right," he said slowly. "It’s a horse. But... why would there be one standing there alone outside the imperial palace?"

YES. That’s right, Theon! You beautiful, competent man—you caught my bait perfectly.

Papa’s eyes narrowed.

In the empire, knights didn’t leave horses roaming around like that. Every patrol was accounted for. Every horse had a rider.

"Go and have a look," Papa ordered coldly.

Three guards immediately snapped to attention and jogged forward, torches flickering against the darkened stone.

I stood there, still pretending to stargaze, pointing at the sky like nothing was wrong—but my stomach was already twisting into knots.

I knew what they were going to find.

And then—

They rushed back, their armor clanking, breath ragged and eyes wide with panic.

"Your Majesty!" one of them shouted, barely stopping to bow. "There’s a knight—an Everhart knight—lying dead just beyond the gate!"

A collective gasp cut through the night like a knife.

"What?" Theon barked. "An Everhart knight?!"

Papa’s expression sharpened, his brow furrowing, mouth tightening into a thin, dangerous line. Something clicked behind his eyes.

He looked at the nanny immediately and ordered. "Take Lavinia inside."

Her arms were around me before I could blink. I didn’t even protest. Because this part—this was out of my hands.

"Let’s go, my princess," she whispered gently as she turned away.

I twisted in her arms, trying to catch one last look at Papa, at Theon, at the guards gathering at the gates, all of them armed and tense.

Papa was already moving, his cape billowing behind him, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Theon followed close behind, barking rapid orders to mobilize the rest of the palace guard.

They left through the palace gates without another word.

And I—clutched in the safety of familiar arms—could only watch them disappear into the darkness.

Please... Please don’t be too late.

This was all I could do. All I was able to do.

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[Emperor Cassius’s Pov]

Everhart.

"No time," I growled. "The attack’s already begun. They don’t have hours. They don’t even have minutes. Let’s go."

The Everhart estate.

The estate was crawling with them—mercenaries, assassins, rats who only knew how to bite when the lights were out. Cowards. Fools.

The house that took me in when I had nothing. The man who made me into the emperor I am.

And they dared to attack it?

They would pay.

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