Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10: A Father’s Warmth

Ah, life was good.

I lay on my soft, cushy imperial bed, grinning like an idiot, completely lost in the beautiful, heartwarming delusion I had crafted. In my mind, my great and mighty father—the terrifying emperor feared by all—and Theon was in his arms, dramatically confessing his undying love.

Oh, what a sight! Two powerful men, forbidden love, palace secrets! The mere thought made me giggle wildly, my tiny body wiggling with joy.

Nanny and Mareilla, who had been standing nearby, exchanged glances.

"...Why is she laughing like that?" Mareilla whispered, clearly confused.

"I have no idea," Nanny replied, watching me like I had lost my baby mind.

Before they could uncover my top-secret delusions, the door creaked open. The room fell silent. The air shifted.

A regal presence entered.

The Emperor, aka my father, had arrived.

Nanny and Mareilla immediately bowed. "Your Majesty," they greeted in unison before excusing themselves, "Good night to both of you."

Then they left, leaving just me and my father.

And, oh boy. I still couldn’t stop smiling. I stared at him with sparkling eyes, my mind still replaying the glorious imaginary scene of him holding Theon close, whispering sweet nothings. Ah... love.

Meanwhile, the emperor just stared at me. Expressionless. Silent. Yet somehow, warm. He took a seat beside me, leaning down, his large hand brushing against my tiny face.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked, voice deep and smooth.

I smiled like an idiot.

"What could possibly make a three-month-old that happy?" Emperor wondered.

I giggled again, kicking my chubby baby legs in delight. He exhaled softly, almost amused, and then—he stood up.

Oh, are you going somewhere?

And then—he took off his shirt.

I froze.

H-HOLD ON. W-WAIT A MINUTE—

YOU SHAMELESS MAN!

I wobbled frantically, flailing my tiny arms in distress. HOW CAN YOU JUST UNDRESS IN FRONT OF A LADY?! HAVE YOU NO DECENCY?!

Of course, since I was still a three-month-old baby, all that came out was a series of high-pitched wails and wild flailing. The Emperor blinked at me, utterly unfazed.

"What’s wrong with her now?" he muttered, unbothered as he continued to change.

I squeezed my eyes shut. "WHERE IS YOUR MODESTY, Emperor?!"

But then curiosity got the best of me. I peeked.

And then, what I saw was horror.

My tiny body stiffened, and my breath caught in my throat. My wide, innocent baby eyes stretched even further as I took in the sight before me.

His back.

It wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t anything like the flawless, godly physique I had naïvely imagined in my tiny baby head.

It was ruined.

Marred.

Covered in scars.

Not just any scars—deep, cruel, unforgiving lashes. Old wounds, healed but never truly gone. My breath hitched. These weren’t mere battle scars; the kind warriors wore them like badges of honor.

No—this was suffering.

This was torment.

Someone... someone had whipped him. Over and over and over again.

His entire back was a canvas of pain—scar after scar, overlapping, stretching, clawing across his skin. I could almost hear the echo of a whip cracking through the air, the searing pain that must have burned into his flesh.

My tiny fingers clenched into fists. Who? Who could do this? Who could be so cruel to you?

And Why?

Why would someone do this to you?

Aren’t you a tyrant? A Bloodthirsty Emperor?

I tried to hold it in; I really did. But I was a three-month-old baby. There was only so much I could take.

Hnghhhhh...

Tears blurred my vision.

Hnghhh...

I squeezed my eyes shut, my tiny chest heaving. No. No, I couldn’t let them fall. Not in front of him. Not when he stood so tall, so strong, so—

Hngh—!

The first tear slipped down my cheek. And then another. And another. And then—I broke.

Wahhh... wahhh... WAHHHH!!

I cried. Loud, messy, uncontrollable.

The emperor—no, my papa—immediately turned to me, his head snapping toward my trembling form. His usual calm, emotionless face shifted—his eyes widening slightly, his lips parting in alarm.

"What happened?" His deep voice was laced with urgency.

And I just cried harder.

"Why are you crying?" he asked again, but this time his voice had softened. "You were smiling until now."

He sat beside me, large and imposing, but there was something almost... helpless in the way he looked at me.

"Are you hungry?" he tried, scanning my tiny face for answers.

Wahhh....wahhhh!

"Did you poop?"

Wahhhhhhhhhhh!

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