I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 312

Chapter 156.2

‘Ah…!’

The realization flashed through my mind. Now, I understood what had been happening.

In the meanwhile, Herman cocked his head slightly, his gaze flickering between Elaine and me.

“I came expecting to break up a fight, thinking you’d be tearing each other’s hair out… but it seems you’ve become friends?”

His violet eyes were unmistakably filled with hostility.

‘He realized we had deceived him.’

He took a step closer.

“Well, you certainly put on quite the performance. I completely fell for it.”

Sensing the threat, I instinctively grabbed Elaine’s wrist and pulled her behind me.

“In front of others, you act like you’re ready to tear each other apart, yet behind the scenes, you’re so friendly. I wonder why. Why go to such lengths to make fools of people, Your Highness?”

Elaine spoke firmly.

“Step back, Count Heres. Unless you want me to take this as a sign of aggression.”

Herman let out a quiet chuckle.

“What are you scheming? I can’t help but wonder how His Majesty would react if he found out the princess was secretly colluding with Blois.”

“You’re the one who seems to be hiding a big secret from my father.”

Elaine met his gaze without flinching and brought up what she had just overheard.

“Those people over there just now… weren’t they the former Count Heres and his wife?”

“What exactly are you implying, Princess? Do you want me to spell it out for you that the woman who left my father and me for the Emperor is actually the mother of Your Highness the Princess?”

He let out a scoff.

He looked almost relieved to finally speak the secret aloud.

“Empress Serena had a secret affair with my father, your distant relative, and that’s how I was born. But not long after, she left both him and me to become Empress.”

“…”

“When my father realized I had a gift for magic, he refused to let me grow up as an illegitimate child. Instead, he tricked the world into believing I was my adoptive mother’s biological son.”

“…”

“Because of that, my adoptive mother always feared that the title of Count, meant for her legitimate son, would be taken by an illegitimate child. And, well… it did.”

“….”

“How do you think my adoptive mother raised me?”

“….”

“I’ve seen you and Empress Serena together many times. You both seemed so happy.”

“….”

“Do you know what went through my mind when I saw how happy you both looked?”

As Herman stepped closer to us, dangerous magical sparks flickered in his hand. Even though I didn’t know much about magic, I could feel the powerful energy surging from him.

The smirk vanished completely from his lips.

“It wasn’t a pleasant thought. I hated my mother, who pretended not to notice me even when she saw me, and I was so disgusted by the Emperor’s pathetic existence. And every time you laughed, so innocent and clueless, I wished you were dead, Elaine.”

The bright blue flames flickering in his hand seemed almost to move in slow motion.

In that moment, I finally understood why Herman had always lingered near Rowaine, whispering in her ear and encouraging her.

In the end, Elaine is the one who suffers the most in the original story.

Herman hadn’t been following Rowaine around for fun.

The conflict between Elaine and Rowaine, the confrontation with Dimitri, the war against the Emperor… Looking back, Herman played a part in every major conflict of the original story, even if only in small ways, like a butterfly whose tiny movements inadvertently trigger disasters, time and time again.

‘In the original story, Rowaine thought Herman had special feelings for her because his gaze was always on her.’

That’s why Rowaine, consumed by jealousy, ended up opposing Elaine. But to think that his feelings for her weren’t love, but hatred.

“Move, Elaine!”

I knew it was a pointless struggle.

Compared to Herman, who was on the level of an archmage, we were as powerless as mayflies. Still, I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing, so I pushed Elaine out of the way.

Herman’s magic struck me instead.

‘Is this how I’m going to die?’

A searing pain burned through my exposed skin, and my chest tightened with fear. My mind grew hazy, and for a moment, everything went numb.

‘So this is the end.’

I wish I had kissed Coco and Sasha one more time.

If I had known this would happen, I would’ve told Dimitri I loved him.

I never imagined that the time I spent pushing him away, refusing to acknowledge my feelings out of fear, would leave me with nothing but regret.