Even that boy didn’t seem to be treated properly.
If his character is so vile that he would banish his much younger sibling to the edges of the world, it wouldn’t be strange if he were a tyrant.
“Here, do you see this large river?”
“Nashtep River. A vital lifeline that runs through the desert country.”
“That’s right. But a smaller tributary of Nashtep, the Diawan River, dried up completely last summer.”
“Dried up? Not a single drop left?”
“Yes. But as the river dried up, ancient ruins buried deep within were uncovered. Currently, only about 3% of the excavation work has been done. They even speculate that these might be relics from the Madu Empire a thousand years ago.”
“That’s why you said it was odd.”
There must be people who are suffering because Diawan River dried up, but surely there are also those who are delighted by the discovery of the ruins.
And those joyful ones are likely to be of the noble class.
‘The common people must be angry. Their livelihoods depended on that river.’
A summit amidst such turmoil.
As I tapped the edge of my mouth and looked at the map, I roughly checked the area diagonally up from the Diawan River.
The name of that region was none other than ‘Ansel’.
“The Emperor lived in Ansel as a child, didn’t he?”
“Yes? Yes. He holds deep affection for that place.”
“Good. That area will soon become a sea and be submerged.”
“!”
“Make sure the local residents can evacuate to nearby territories and prepare relief supplies in advance.”
Duke Ahillo’s mouth fell open. He seemed to ask what I was talking about.
Realizing my mistake, I softened my gaze.
“Where else would the evaporated water go?”
“It’s evaporated, so it’s gone, isn’t it?”
“Not at all, Father. Everything in this world follows rules. If a river dries up to that extent, that water must surely fall somewhere.”
I couldn’t explain why it would be Ansel.
After all, explaining it would be futile, as humans wouldn’t understand.
How could they know the world is a tightly woven net of cause and effect?
I could only calculate and read these laws of causality.
‘If the ruins were discovered in the summer, now being mid-winter, there’s not much time left.’
What happens when a region, which has never experienced flooding, suddenly gets inundated with a massive amount of water?
There was only one answer.
Everyone would die.
Those who barely survived would also be swept away by the epidemic left by the flood.
I planned to prevent that in the name of the Empress.
The saintess and the temple could take care of the aftermath.
“But don’t publicize it widely. Proceed quietly. The saintess will surely stay in the capital until the summit ends. Even if she hears of any trouble, she won’t move.”
“So, you’re saying that all relief efforts will be carried out in the name of the Empress, and only after that will the temple act?”
“Yes. But if she hears that I’ve done something, she will definitely rush there. That can’t happen. The people of Ansel must be saved solely by our help.”
I had spoon-fed him enough; the Duke would handle the rest.
This included creating favorable public opinion and shaping negative views towards the saintess and the temple.
I looked down at my now cold teacup and slowly moved my lips.
“If we save the hometown he cherishes so much, the Emperor will have to bow his head at least once.”
“If it really rains in Ansel… that would be a miraculous strategy.”
“It will.”
I said with certainty and looked directly at Duke Ahillo.
“Crushing the enemy’s heart with your teeth is the Ahillo way. You taught me that, Father.”
“Yes, I did.”
“Do you believe in revelations, Father?”
Suspicion flickered again in Duke Ahillo’s red eyes.
Whether it’s better to know his daughter is dead or to mistakenly think she’s alive.
I wouldn’t know which is better, having never been a parent.
But I needed this body now.
At least until my revenge was completely exacted.
“Revelation is a word not typically used in the desert country.”
“If it makes you uncomfortable, we can call it an oracle. It’s the same thing in the end.”
“Has the divine visited you?”
Duke Ahillo asked in a surprised tone. I just smiled.
The idea of a god visiting was laughable to me.
But I intentionally used the word ‘revelation’ to let him be mistaken.
I elegantly joined my hands and posed as if offering a prayer to the gods. Then, in a voice as holy and solemn as possible, I slowly spoke.
“If you’re going to die anyway, die enjoying the highest position of power, untouched by anyone. That’s what I was told.”
If a god had heard, they would have slapped their forehead at such a brazen lie.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
