I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 317

Chapter 159.1

“Shit.”

Stumbling into his secret hideout on the outskirts of the capital, Herman staggered and collapsed onto the sofa. The count’s residence had too many prying eyes, making it an unsuitable place to bring women for the night. That was why he had secured this place, though he never expected it would be used for something like this.

Struggling to breathe through the pain, he desperately searched through the pile of magical potions stored in the corner.

The cut on his back from Samael’s blade wouldn’t stop bleeding.

Fighting Samael had left him bleeding profusely. If he didn’t stop the bleeding soon, he might not survive.

‘There has to be something here that’ll stop the bleeding…’

Even though he had never specialized in healing research, he knew exactly how these potions worked. His vision kept fading, but he forced his eyes open and grabbed a potion that wouldn’t turn poisonous once it entered his system.

Grimacing, he ripped off his shirt and blindly poured the potion over his back. His hands trembled with urgency.

Ssshh!

“Argh!”

As the potion touched the wound, it bubbled and hissed, searing into the injury.

Herman panted heavily, his body trembling from the pain. After sealing the wound by cauterizing the skin on his back, he collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.

“Damn it.”

If Dimitri had been even a moment late, he would have finished off Elaine and Rowaine and gotten away.

‘It was too rushed.’

This wasn’t the way he intended to get his revenge, but his impatience had cost him.

His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth.

He could still recall the day he first stepped into the imperial palace at fourteen.

His mother, who had vanished without a trace, was standing there. In her arms was a young child with platinum blonde hair, resembling both her and himself.

How much he had longed for his mother. When she disappeared, it was as if his whole world had crumbled. He had been old enough to understand that he had been abandoned, yet seeing her again brought back the deep, unbearable yearning he had tried to bury.

“Mother…?”

Herman carefully stepped toward his mother. However, Empress Serena raised a hand, stopping him from approaching any further.

“Mother? You must be mistaken.”

Her voice was cold.

Herman froze in shock. There was no doubt that she was the mother he remembered.

Then, Empress Serena turned to his father, Count Heres at the time, who had been standing behind him, and spoke in an icy tone.

“Are you out of your mind, letting a child wander freely around the imperial palace? Count Heres, take him away before he causes any more trouble.”

“This is too cruel, Your Majesty. Even after seeing Herman, you still…”

Empress Serena gently placed the child down from her arms.

Herman watched as she stepped away, along with his father, and began arguing with him. Though they tried to speak quietly, their emotions ran too high, and he caught every word.

“Why are you doing this now? Haven’t I given you everything you wanted since I became empress?”

“That’s all in the past. You and William don’t seem so close anymore. You abandoned us and chose him, and now look at you.”

“What do you want?”

“I want the imperial family to invest in our family’s new business. Serena, you can make that happen, can’t you?”

“What’s wrong? Is William not listening to you anymore? It seems his attention is elsewhere. What do you think would happen if I told my dear nephew, William, that the child you gave birth to is actually his uncle’s?”

“Even if you don’t say anything, I’m already cornered, just like you said! What do you expect me to do?”

“That’s your problem. When you walked away from us, did you ever care about what would happen to us?”

As their words sank in, a storm of betrayal and fury raged within Herman.

Even though he didn’t fully grasp the complexities of adult affairs, one thing was clear: his mother had left him behind, and his father saw him as nothing more than a tool.

His gaze then landed on the small girl Empress Serena had just placed on the ground.

“Hi?”

Elaine, the young girl, approached him with a bright, innocent smile and greeted him. Despite his attempt to turn away, she refused to give up.

“What’s your name?”

“Why do you care?!”

Frustrated, Herman shoved Elaine aside. The little girl stumbled and fell to the ground, her face crumpling into tears.

“Elaine!”

Empress Serena rushed over in alarm, scooping the girl into her arms.

“What are you doing? This child is the heir to the throne of this country! How dare you treat her like this?!”