Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)

This one meeting was in fact the only means of communication between the elder and the Muen family. He couldn’t help but to wish to get most of the chance he’s got. However, it was quite obvious that a child who’s yet to come of age would likely have trouble understanding the difficult conversations, let alone to deliver the words in exact terms.

As one’s spirituality would likely develop along as they grow, it was a custom for their descendants to choose the day right before their fifteenth birthday to pay a visit to the family elder.

Doubtless twelve was too soon for one to visit the elder, however, Rahan felt compelled to have his granddaughter visit the elder while he was still alive. Despite his foresight being nothing extraordinary, the hunch which he sometimes felt was almost accurate at all times.

Nonetheless, he wasn’t too worried as Hitasya was indeed a bright girl for her age. Unwittingly, Hitasya’s face recalled an old face to his mind, which he still misses to this day. There was a person whom he was reminded of every time he saw his granddaughter.

[I’m so sorry, Rahan. For making you bear such a heavy burden in my stead.]

The person was his sister, who was both beautiful and wise more than anyone he has met in his life. Hitasya was indeed a spitting image of his sister, who he had never got to see after she had left the family for good.

‘Come to think of it, I believe I’ve heard that my sister’s granddaughter had returned to the Holy City a few days ago.’

The birth of an Anika, in whose veins ran the blood of the Muen family, was indeed a secret he must take to his grave. Should Sang-je find out about it, he was bound to keep a close eye on the Arse family like he does to the Muen family.

Although his sister had long been gone from this world, Rahan found himself still tracing after the trails which were left by his sister while she was alive. All he wished for his sister’s offspring was to lead a peaceful life like the way they are now.

***

First things first, Eugene handed the promised amount of money to the storyteller. And when she asked him to wait so she could talk privately with his grandmother, he left them without a hint of hesitation along with the servant, unable to hide the joy that registered on his face.

‘He’s no filial grandson I suppose.’

Eugene clicked her tongue at the man who couldn’t care less of his own grandmother. She felt sorry for the old lady who seemed to have dragged all the way here just because of her money-blinded grandson.

She then asked the old lady, who was sitting across from her with her head hung low.

“What is your name?”

“Berothy.”

The old lady sounded pretty reluctant to answer as she didn’t even bother to lift her head as she spoke. It was obvious that the lady wasn’t pleased at all by the situation she was in.

“First of all, I don’t mean to harm you in the least. All I want is to ask you a few of my questions. And I don’t intend to take the money back from your grandson even if you can’t provide me with answers. You can take my word for it.”

“…What is it that you wish to ask me?”

Although there were no dramatic changes in the lady’s attitude, Eugene thought it was just as well now that Berothy had hinted at her willingness to cooperate.

“Have you heard from your grandson about why I had wished to see you?”

“I’ve heard that you are looking for a sorcerer. But if your wish is to get your fortunes told, then I must say you’ve got the wrong person. I’m no more than a charlatan who does what I do on occasional comers and goers to make my living. I can’t really foresee one’s destined future.”

“I just want to ask you regarding the spells.”

“I don’t understand what you mean by that…”

“About the rune, medium and vessel.”

Berothy slightly popped her head up upon hearing that.

“Please tell me if there’s anything you know about them.”

Swallowing the words that might come off as compulsion or pressure, Eugene merely gazed at the lady with a desperate look in her eyes. Berothy, who had been silent for a moment, finally opened her mouth after letting out a faint sigh.

“A rune is no more than a form, a pattern that is visible with the naked eye. The rune alone will never amount to anything. But without it, it will be almost impossible to derive the substances from it.”

Eugene listened carefully to Berothy’s words with a look of anticipation on her face,

“A medium, however, is something that links the substance to the pattern. The power of a spell would then vary, depending on the medium. So basically, the same logic applies as in fishing, where you obviously need a bigger bait to aim for a bigger fish. Besides that, it is most essential to use the right medium. It’ll be like adding fuel to the fire if the wrong medium is used.”

“What exactly happens when the wrong medium is used?”

“It’s extremely dangerous. In the worst case, the sorcerer might even die.”

Eugene finally realized the reason why Jin had dedicated such a long time in preparation before she finally initiated the spell.

Nonetheless, the consequence was unsparingly fatal. Yet, the spell Jin had initiated must be a powerful one since it had the power to summon the soul from another world.

But according to Jin’s character, she never seemed to be the type of person who would risk herself in doing something as dangerous without her security guaranteed, especially when there’s much risk for the sorcerer to take on. And what was even more suspicious was that Sang-je had actually turned a blind eye while Jin had put herself in such danger.

“Is there any way to keep the ill effects to the minimum?”

Berothy closed her mouth in hesitation, although she clearly looked like she had something to tell. After taking a moment of contemplation, she finally made up her mind and spoke.

“There’s a way to use a stand-in to take on all the risks instead of the real sorcerer. However, one would likely receive a much stronger counteraction compared to what the sorcerer would likely have received.”

Instantly, the five servant girls who had accompanied Jin to the desert crossed Eugene’s mind in a flash. Jin must have planned to use them as sacrificial lamb in her scheme from the very beginning. Eugene couldn’t help but to be infuriated just by thinking of all the misdeeds Jin had committed or planned to do while she was in her body.