The Baby Villain Dreams of Conquering the World

Chapter 12

Episode 12

His face, which used to be as sharp and fierce as a wolf's, was nowhere to be seen; he now looked like the gentlest lamb in the world.

He even looked like a student being scolded for not doing his homework.

'Why is a grown man making that face...'

It makes it hard to outright say I won't go to the ducal house.

But she still had to say it.

With things like this, it's best to speak up quickly and then leave in a hurry.

Alright, let's say it.

The moment she resolved to do so and opened her mouth...

"As you saw that day."

Athanas swallowed his sorrow and broke the silence in the room.

Damn, he beat me to it.

Flora closed her slightly opened mouth and pretended to focus on him as if she had been waiting from the start.

"Becoming a member of our family means you have to live with that kind of treatment."

No, no. He hasn't said I'm becoming a member of the family yet.

I need to say it right now.

'I called you Dad, but I never said I'd follow you!'

"You might have to live with more pointing fingers than you do here at the orphanage."

Yes, now.

It's now.

"But even so, if you believe in me as your father and come to our home with me..."

It's really now...

"...I would be so incredibly happy."

Wasted, it's wasted.

Flora crumpled up the words she had carefully prepared and tossed them into the mental trash bin.

How can you say "That's just your misunderstanding, Ajeossi, I have absolutely no intention of leaving the orphanage" to someone who's holding back tears while speaking like that?

If such a person exists, bring them here.

I'll show them the taste of the Great Demon's power, heartless and without tears.

'Sigh. I really must have been influenced by humans. Seeing a grown man like that makes my heart soften.'

Flora hopped off the sofa and walked over to stand in front of Athanas.

Why was he bowing his head so deeply like a criminal in front of his own four-year-old daughter?

"Ajeossi, no, Dad."

At the last word, Athanas slowly raised his head.

The area around his eyes was red, as if he might burst into tears at any moment.

At first, I just thought he was a bear-like man, but looking again, he's nothing but a naive teddy bear.

'How does someone with such a soft, kind heart plan to survive in this harsh world?'

Affection is truly frightening.

Even though he's the descendant of my nemesis, Etar Lucifer, I feel sorry for him and want to reach out to him.

'If only I hadn't had that dream that day...'

But what's done is done.

"Do you dislike me?"

"No, absolutely not. It's absolutely not that."

"Then will you dislike me? Will you not feed me, hit me, or bully me by calling me a failure?"

"How could I? How dare I do such a thing to you."

"Then will you let me do whatever I want?"

"Of course. I'll make sure you can do everything I couldn't do for you until now. If you don't believe me, I promise you on my name."

Oh ho.

This Lucifer is a good person.

He's so kind, naive, and such a good person that he would never tell a lie.

Even though they've only spent a month together, judging his character wasn't difficult.

Flora barely managed to stop the corners of her mouth from turning up in satisfaction and spoke calmly.

"I won't ask why you abandoned me. I'm not really that curious anyway."

At the heavy statement, Athanas's face filled with guilt, but this was Flora's true feelings.

She genuinely isn't curious about why the two of them abandoned her.

Ah, no.

Is she a little curious...?

Ahem. Anyway, it's not important for now, so Flora just moved on.

"I said it last time too, I like vanilla ice cream. But Mrs. Finny only lets me have it once a day."

A grown adult should understand this perfectly, right?

Under Flora's expectant gaze, Athanas's eyes wavered.

"...I'd like to let you eat a lot, but if you get cavities, it would be a big problem."

Ah, the Great Demon isn't afraid of things like cavities.

"It's okay, right?"

"If I have them make vanilla ice cream that doesn't cause cavities, then it should be fine. I'll let you eat that kind of ice cream every day..."

He must really want to take Flora with him, as he's now saying ridiculous things. But it didn't feel bad.

Athanas took a deep breath, then knelt on one knee in front of Flora, sat facing her, and asked in a trembling voice.

"Flora, won't you come with me?"

'He's someone who knows how to smile a little too.'

Seeing his face soften with a firmly suppressed smile, Flora smiled back.

Then she quickly hugged his neck and answered.

"Okay, Dad!"

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · · · · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

"Are you really leaving, Flora?"

"Don't go, Floraaaa."

"How are we supposed to live if you gooo!"

Surprisingly, ever since the orphanage children heard the news that Flora was leaving, they had been repeating these words every single day.

For a whole week!

'How are you supposed to live? By living well, of course. Grow Shalias, study, build friendships with more people, meet a good person, get married, have children... Oh, for goodness' sake.'

Thinking like this, I'm really disqualified as the Great Demon who's supposed to annihilate humanity.

'No, whether I'm a villain or a hero, I need to take good care of my people.'

Flora never imagined they would hold onto her like this until the day of her departure, even until she was about to get into the carriage.

She just wanted to say a clean goodbye and part ways, but tears were already welling up in the eyes of the children, who weren't yet used to farewells.

'Sigh. Well, it's my fault for being so popular.'

Flora skillfully detached the children who had rushed at her and spoke to them.

"Are you all really going to become my subordinates if you can't even handle a little trial like this?"

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

At her words, everyone stopped crying and fixed their gazes on Flora.

"Surely my unnis and oppas aren't weak people who crumble over a simple goodbye?"

Flora put strength in her belly and shouted loudly for all to hear.

"I'm only going to have the strongest people as my subordinates! People who are weak, both physically and mentally, can't be my subordinates!"

The children snapped to attention at her words.

"And also."

She tried to maintain a blank expression, but seeing the children desperately swallowing their sadness at her words, she couldn't do it.

Flora ended up giving a light smile.

"Goodbyes are sad, but being able to cheer for the future of the one who's leaving is something only really great people can do."

She said it to stop them from crying, but tears welled up in the children's eyes.

"We can just meet more impressively next time we see each other. Right, unnis? Oppas? And Sherry?"

In the end, the children saw Flora off, sobbing "Waaah," while promising to meet again in the future.

Before getting into the carriage, Flora saw Mrs. Finny behind the children, wiping her flowing tears with a handkerchief, and smiled bitterly.

'Silly Director. You want to hug me right now, but you're giving way to the children.'

That kind heart had always been Mrs. Finny's biggest problem, but Flora liked good people.

Even though that very personality got her killed, she still ended up keeping humans by her side.

She couldn't get in the carriage yet because she hadn't finished saying goodbye to Mrs. Finny.

Flora ran towards Mrs. Finny, who was about to turn her head, and gave her a tight hug.

"Thank you for everything until now, Director. You were my mother, my father, and my teacher."

"Flora..."

"I'll definitely come back to see you again. You have to stay healthy until then, okay?"

"Of course, naturally."

"Please take care of my share of the Shalias too. And please tell Rosaria I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye to her."

"Alright. I'll tell her properly, so just trust me."

"Then, until we really meet again, goodbye."

"You must live happily with your family."

"Yep!"

And so, after finishing her final goodbyes, she boarded the carriage.

It was time to say a real farewell to her first home, the place that had safely cared for her from infancy until she was four years old.