Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 210

Chapter 210: Eyes on Mine

[Lavinia’s POV — Lily Boutique, continuation]

Ah... the taste of triumph. Sweet. Rich. Lingering on my tongue like the finest wine.

Eleania sat across from me, her noble mask freshly reapplied, yet I could still see the fissure beneath. Porcelain once cracked never regains its shine.

I leaned back, fingers drumming lazily on the armrest, letting my smile gleam like sunlight on sharpened steel. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Mmm... what a blessing it must be, Lady Eleania, to witness such devotion firsthand. I can only hope," my gaze slid to her, lazy, deliberate, "that one day, you too will find a man willing to... overlook the world, simply for you."

Her knuckles twitched, whitening against her lap. Delicious.

"And..." my smile stretched wider, sharper, "I hope that man is someone who does not already belong to someone else."

She flinched. Oh, how she flinched.

I tilted my head, lashes lowering, voice dipping into something colder. "Because... if such a thing were to happen—if some so-called pitiful woman dared to set her eyes upon my man—" I let my gaze cut straight through her, icy and burning all at once, "—I might just pluck out those very eyes for daring to look where they do not belong."

The silence was exquisite.

Osric’s lips curved into a smile, amused, unbothered. Lady Sirella, poor girl, shifted nervously, her teacup rattling faintly against its saucer. And Eleania? Her eyes widened, though her spine fought to remain straight.

Then I softened. Warm. Almost merciful. I let the sweetness return to my tone, though the edge never dulled. "But what a relief. I have no such concerns. My father has always given me everything I desired, and I know he will continue to do so—his only wish being my happiness. He also taught me something invaluable: that one must always fight for what belongs to them. For if someone dares to reach filthy hands toward what is mine... " My smile deepened, radiant, untouchable. "...they shall regret it."

The air thickened. Even the attendants froze, swallowing hard as though they’d inhaled shards of glass.

Eleania finally spoke. Her lips curved back into that polished, poisonous smile, every syllable dripping with sugar-coated venom.

"Your Highness speaks with such passion... almost as if you are anxious. As though you fear your precious treasure might be stolen away." She tilted her head, her tone falsely innocent but her eyes gleaming sharply. "But perhaps... you should not underestimate the weak. For sometimes, the ones you dismiss are the very ones capable of toppling you. Crushing you. Reducing you to dust."

The boutique held its breath.

I stared at her. Blinked once. And then—

"Pfft—!" A laugh tore from me, bubbling bright and unstoppable. "Hahaha... hahahaha!"

Oh, this was rich. Did she truly...?

Adorable.

Utterly adorable.

Does she think she has the power to ruin me? That she, bowing here before me, curtsying, begging for my acknowledgment—she imagines she could crush me?

"How precious. How entertaining." I tilted my head, voice velvet-wrapped steel. "I must say, I never thought you had the daring to issue veiled threats in front of a Crown Princess. My, my. Count Talvan has raised you far too bold."

She flinched and clenched her fist.

Then, I rose smoothly, every movement deliberate, every inch the predator drawing blood. Taking Osric’s hand in mine, I let my eyes flick toward hers one last time.

"Well then, Lady Eleania. Lady Sirella." My voice rang sweet as chimes, cold as frost. "It was... enlightening, meeting you both today."

As I swept past her, skirts brushing like the crack of a whip, I added softly—lethal honey in my tone:

"See you at the tea ceremony."

The boutique owner nearly tripped over her own feet as I gestured. "You—follow me. I want that gown re-designed. Now."

And just like that, we left.

Because this little spat? This was only the prelude.

The real game begins at the tea party.

***

[Inside the Royal Carriage—Later]

The carriage door opened with a creak, and in stepped Osric, holding...

"...a cotton candy?" I blinked. "Oh heavens, that’s huge!"

He only smiled faintly, boyish in a way he never let others see, and passed the puff of sugar into my greedy hands. I plucked a piece and popped it in my mouth, sweetness melting on my tongue as he slid inside.

But instead of sitting beside me, he lowered himself across, on the opposite seat.

I froze mid-bite. "...What are you doing?"

He blinked at me like I was the odd one. "Sitting."

"No, no, no," I patted the space beside me—firm, commanding. "Here."

He hesitated, lips twitching, before giving in and settling at my side. I immediately slumped against his broad shoulder, like it was the most natural throne in the world, munching contentedly.

For a while, we stayed like that. Warm. Quiet. Comfortable. Then his voice cut through, low and hesitant:

"Lavi..."

I tilted my head. "But you picked it. What’s wrong with it now?"

"...It’s too bold."

"...Bold?" I raised a brow. "It has a turtleneck, Osric. A turtle neck. If that’s bold, then the nuns at the cathedral must be scandalous seductresses."

I only asked the boutique owner to re-design it. You know—make it more modern. A little flair here, a little slit there... At the leg.

I just wanted to give it a modern touch and make it elegant. Sophisticated. A little dangerous. Perfectly me.

"May I ask what’s wrong with that one, Osric?"

His hand twitched toward the sword at his hip, and his voice dropped into something darker. "Because I don’t want any other man looking at your legs."

"...Eh?"

. . .

. . .

Then I choked on the cotton candy and then broke into laughter. "Oh heavens—are you... jealous?"

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