Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 150

Chapter 150: When Fate Crossed the Garden

[Osric’s POV]

[Imperial Garden, Moments After]

The moment I saw her face...my heart stopped.

Not in awe. Not in recognition.

In rage.

Elaenia Valcorin.

That name. That face. That shadow stitched into every corner of my nightmares. She stood there, calm as a drifting feather, wrapped in polite smiles and noble grace—but all I could see was blood.

The same girl who knelt beside me when the emperor raised his sword to execute me. The same girl whose trembling hands had reached for mine. The same girl who shouldn’t exist here—not in this timeline.

Not in this life.

My grip tightened around the wine glass. So tight, I felt the crystal creak beneath my fingers.

She shouldn’t be here.

She wasn’t supposed to be here.

She was meant to appear far later—in another region, another city, far from the imperial palace. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere harmless. Where I could have ignored her existence entirely.

But now?

Now she was standing here, wrapped in silk and borrowed nobility—beside Count Talvan’s daughter of all people?

My jaw clenched.

Count Talvan.

The same man who opposed her becoming Grand Duchess in those nightmares of mine. The same man who detested her involvement with the crown.

The man who once called her "a sweet tragedy wrapped in delusion."

And now?

He’d adopted her?

Adopted Elaenia Valcorin?

My stomach twisted.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

I changed everything. I rewrote fate. I lived through hell to carve out a different path—for her.

For Lavinia.

And now fate had the audacity to bring her back?

Here?

To the palace?

To her?

I looked at the Crown Princess—my Crown Princess. She stood frozen, lips parted, gaze locked on Elaenia like someone staring at a ghost that only they remembered.

But she didn’t recognize her. Not the way I did. Not the way someone who’s lived through fire and betrayal and broken timelines would.

But Marshi...that divine magical furball knew.

He stood between them like a wall—growling, bristling, warning. Like he remembered the end we were both fighting to prevent.

And me?

I just stared.

At her.

At the girl who once cried for me. At the woman who would ruin Princess Lavinia.

My future... my ruin...

Elaenia Valcorin.

But not this time.Not again.

She will not—cannot—interact with the Princess. I won’t allow it. Not even for a passing word, a polite nod, or a shared breath under the same canopy of roses.

I don’t care who she is now. I don’t care whose daughter she pretends to be.

I will take my princess away from her.Far.Now.

Because if fate dares to twist its claws again, if those prophecies even try to whisper their venom back into her life—I will tear destiny apart with my own hands.

So I moved.

Across the garden. Swift, calm, composed—but every step burned with urgency beneath my skin.I stopped beside Princess Lavinia.

"Oh, Princess," I said with careful ease, "there you are. I’ve been searching."

She turned her face toward me, blinking slowly—still dazed, like her thoughts hadn’t caught up to the moment.

And then...I felt it.

Her eyes.

Elaenia’s.

Lingering. Watching me. I didn’t need to look to know she was blushing.

Blushing.

Like she recognized me.

Like this was the beginning of something soft.

I clenched my jaw.

No.

No, no, no.

This is not your moment, Elaenia and I will not let you begin it.

"Greetings to Lord Osric," Lady Sirella spoke suddenly, her voice polite and sunny, pulling me out of my silent storm.

I turned and gave her a warm smile—one I didn’t feel. "Ah, Lady Sirella. What a pleasure. You’re looking well today."

She gave a graceful curtsy. "You flatter me, my lord. I am doing well, thank you."

She turned, gesturing ever so lightly toward her. I already knew what she was about to say. She was about to introduce her to me.

"Princess," I interrupted before her lips could shape that cursed name. "His Majesty has been looking for you."

Princess Lavinia blinked at me, lips parted. Her eyes searched mine, confused."...Papa?" she whispered, like she’d forgotten he existed in the haze of the encounter.

I nodded gently. "Yes, Your Highness. He asked me personally to bring you to him."

A lie.But a necessary one.

"That’s right. Papa, I need to go to him. I... I’ll go then," she mumbled, still dazed. "I forgot. I was supposed to..."

Caelum whispered. "Princess, are you okay?"

But I ignored him.

Marshi, meanwhile, was still bristling like an enchanted thundercloud in feline form, low growls rumbling in his throat like storm warnings.

I bent down slightly and patted his head.

"Don’t worry," I whispered only for him to hear. "She won’t harm her. Not this time."

He knew.He understood.

It was a gentle nudge. A polite invitation.An indirect way of saying—step into your role. Start playing the part of the future Empress.

But I could still feel her.Not Sirella.Her.

Watching us leave. Watching me walk away with the girl I chose to protect. Her gaze was quiet, unreadable, but I felt it drilling into my spine like the ghost of a life I already lived.

But most of all—I hated the feeling in my gut.

***

[Imperial Garden, Afterward]

Caelum, who had been trailing behind with Marshi curled around his ankles, perked up. "Wait—you were uncomfortable?" he asked, blinking. "Why didn’t I notice it? I was right there—why didn’t I feel it?"

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify