Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 306

Chapter 306: Before the Storm

[Lavinia’s POV — Later, Outside the Council Chamber—Imperial Palace]

The echo of the council doors closing behind me still rang in my ears, mingling with the distant hum of the palace corridors. The scent of ink and smoke clung to my sleeves—the scent of war and decision.

I expected to see Sir Haldor waiting, his usual silent, steadfast figure.

"Sir Haldor, let’s go and—"

I stopped. Because the man standing there wasn’t my captain.

It was Osric.

Leaning against one of the marble pillars, arms folded, eyes sharp beneath the faint glow of torchlight. His smile didn’t reach his eyes—it curved just enough to look polite, and not a shade more.

"Don’t you think," he said softly, "he’s getting a little too involved in your life, Lavi?"

My breath caught—not because of the words, but because of how easily he used that tone. The one that wasn’t jealous. The one that was wounded.

I blinked, forcing my face into calm neutrality.

I walked past him, saying, "State your business, Grand Duke. We have more pressing matters ahead than—"

He moved before I could finish, his hand closing around mine. Warm. Familiar. Painful.

"Am I not important to you anymore?" he asked, voice low, almost breaking. "Tell me, Lavi—when did I stop being someone you looked back at?"

I met his eyes—and for a moment, all the war maps, decrees, and armor fell away. There was just Osric. The man who used to stand beside me under starlight, not behind me in a council chamber.

My throat tightened. "You are important to me," I said softly. "More than you know."

His hand tightened slightly. "But not more than him?"

"Osric—"

"Or the Empire?" he pressed, bitterness flickering beneath the calm. "Because lately, I can’t tell where you end and the crown begins."

The words hit deeper than he intended.

I drew a breath, steady but cold, and gently pulled my hand free. The warmth of his touch vanished like it had never been there.

"You’re wrong," I said quietly. "There’s no line between me and the crown anymore."

He stared at me—stunned, searching—like he didn’t recognize the person standing before him.

"Lavi..." His voice broke around the name, fragile as glass. "You’re changing."

I met his gaze—steady, unflinching. "No," I said softly, my voice a whisper wrapped in steel. "I’ve always been like this, Osric."

I took a step closer, close enough for him to see the truth in my eyes—the kind that no love could soften.

"It’s you," I murmured, "who loved the wrong version of me."

He swallowed hard, shaking his head as if refusing to believe it. "And what about us?"

For a heartbeat, I couldn’t answer. My pulse thudded loud in my ears.

"You are important too, Osric." My voice came out soft and deliberate. "But not more important than this Empire."

His expression faltered.

"You will always be my third priority," I continued, the words sharp enough to draw blood. "First comes the Empire, second—my father, and third... you."

I held his gaze, unflinching. "So now it’s you who must decide—whether you still want to stand beside me... or not."

The silence that followed pressed hard against the air between us.

He stepped back, his jaw tightening—not out of rage, but heartbreak. "You sound just like him," he said finally, voice hollow.

"Who?"

"The Emperor."

That made me stop.

But only for a heartbeat.

"I should hope so. I am his blood after all," I said, turning away. "He raised me to rule, not to waver."

I began to walk down the corridor, my steps echoing against the marble. Osric followed beside me, his tone softening with desperation.

"I know your priorities, Lavi," he said quietly. "I just... want you to be safe. I can’t lose you again—not like the last life."

I stopped, turning to face him fully. "In my previous life, I was weak, Osric. I let myself die without fighting. I chose love and jealousy over my empire. But this time—" My voice sharpened, proud, unyielding. "—I’ve changed my fate. Papa has changed my fate. I’ve become what I should have been all along."

His brows furrowed. "But war, Lavi—this war could destroy everything. Let me lead instead. Let me protect you. What If something happens to you? I can’t lose you—"

"Enough."

The word cracked through the corridor like a whip.

"I never granted you the right to decide whether I go to war or not, Grand Duke." I took a step closer, eyes burning into his. "I will go to war. I will lead our armies. And I am confident enough to win and take Meren for the Empire."

I exhaled slowly, my tone soft but laced with steel. "Tell me the truth, Osric. Did you fall in love with me... or with your guilt that I died because of you in our last life?"

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