Too Lazy to be a Villainess Chapter 229: Mercy in My Hands

[Imperial Palace—Afternoon—Lavinia’s POV — Office— Weeks later]

The sun filtered lazily through the tall windows, painting golden streaks across parchnt and ink. My study slled faintly of roses from the garden, but the towering stacks of reports and scrolls in front of destroyed any sense of peace.

I tapped my quill against the desk, glaring at the sa sentence for the third ti. My cheek was pressed against my palm, lips pursed. If staring hard enough could erase paperwork, I would have been free by now.

"Rey..." I sighed, voice dragging. "Did you look over the Marquess’s shipnts yet?"

From across the room, Rey peeked over his mountain of docunts, eyes rimd with annoyance. "Princess, don’t you think you’re being a bit cruel? You already buried alive with guild reports, letters, and contracts—and now you want to babysit that old traitor’s shipnt logs? Do you hate , or are you just that cruel?"

I narrowed my eyes, shoving a sheet of parchnt in his direction. "Do you think I’m free? I don’t have ti to roll around in roses while you nap. And what intel have you actually given lately, hm? Other than telling that Caelum was the hidden emperor!"

Rey gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if I’d stabbed him. "Such an ungrateful princess! Doesn’t even recognize my efforts. The empire is dood. Dood, I tell you—"

My quill flew from my fingers and landed squarely against his forehead. "Shut up, before I kill you with a quill!"

Before he could retaliate with more theatrics, a knock ca at the door.

And then—Osric stepped inside.

"Lavi..." His voice was steady, but there was a warmth in his eyes that made my lips curve despite the paperwork battlefield around .

I straightened in my chair, energy surging back into my veins. "Hi there... my handso beloved man. Did you miss ?"

Rey let out the world’s loudest scoff. "Wow. So the Crown Princess actually knows how to love soone. Incredible. Should I write this down in the history books?"

I shot him a death glare. "Shut your mouth before I invent new work just for you."

Osric’s lips twitched into the faintest smirk. He stepped closer, his posture composed, but his eyes never left mine.

"What is it?" I asked, leaning forward. "Did you miss so much that you ditched your Grand Duke duties just to sneak here early?"

He coughed into his hand, avoiding the bait. "Yes, I missed you but also I have so information. There’s a report... from Aldric."

My smile faded. "What kind of report?"

"There’s movent among the nobles again," Osric said, his voice low.

My brows furrowed. "Movent?"

"Yesterday, a gathering was held at Count Sigurd’s estate. From the outside, it looked like a simple tea party..." He paused, eyes sharp. "But every influential noble was there. Every single one. That doesn’t sound like a casual tea party to ."

The room grew heavier. Even Rey stopped his whining.

He leaned forward slightly. "Do you want to investigate, Princess?"

"Yes." My tone left no room for doubt. "An imdiate eting of nobles, right after the Marquess and Caelum were thrown into the dungeon... there’s no way this is coincidence. Find out everything—who attended, what they discussed, what they’re planning."

Rey nodded, his playful smirk replaced by sothing colder.

Then Osric’s eyes softened, but his words cut deep. "Has Caelum confessed anything?"

I sighed, rubbing at my temples. "No. Not a word. And we haven’t found a single ledger that can bring down Everett House. No corruption, no bribes, nothing. Everything is so clean it’s almost suspicious—like they erased their sins long before we ever searched."

Rey raised an eyebrow. "Then what’s next?"

I t his gaze, sharp as glass. "Find out if the Everett family has properties beyond what’s registered. Hidden estates, distant islands, secret trade routes—anything. Even the smallest scrap of evidence."

Rey inclined his head, more serious than usual. "Consider it done, Princess."

I nodded, pushing back my chair and standing. "Good. Let’s go."

Both Rey and Osric looked up at , a silent question hanging between them. Osric was the first to voice it. "Go? Where exactly?"

I strode to the door, skirts brushing against the polished floor. "It’s ti to... visit our old mate."

As the door swung open, Sera appeared, balancing a tray of tea and cakes, her expression bright. "Oh, Princess! I was just bringing you so refreshnts."

Rey’s eyes lit up like a thief spotting treasure. Without hesitation, he plucked one of the cakes off the plate mid-stride. "Ah... my favorite. Thank you, Sera. You’re an angel."

Sera blinked, startled, but her lips curved into a shy smile. "If you’d like more, Lord Rey... I can always prepare extra just for you."

Rey pressed a hand over his heart as if her words had struck him like poetry. "Truly? You’re far too kind. In this cold and rciless palace, you might just be the only soul keeping alive."

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.

Sera giggled softly, cheeks warming. "Well... if you ever need sothing, you only need to ask, my lord."

Rey gave a dramatic sigh, nibbling the cake as he walked backwards down the hallway. "Ah, I’d ask for your company, dearest Sera, but alas! This cruel princess has chained to endless work." He threw a pitiful glance. "So I must leave... tragically hungry for both cakes and kindness."

He waved over his shoulder, already retreating. "See you later, Sera!"

"See you, Lord Rey," she called after him, still smiling.

"That man... If he spent half as much effort on work as he does on flirting, I’d have conquered three kingdoms by now," I mumbled.

Osric gave a sidelong glance, amusent flickering in his eyes.

anwhile, Sera turned back to , blinking. "So... you’ll be having tea elsewhere, my lady?"

"Yes." I sighed, glancing toward the staircase that led downward, toward stone and shadows. "Sowhere far less sweet."

***

[Imperial Palace—Dungeon—Later]

The chair creaked as I settled into it, the faint chill of the dungeon seeping into my bones. Sera handed a porcelain teacup.

"Here, Princess."

I accepted it with a faint smile, inhaling the sweet fragrance of steeped leaves before taking a slow sip. Behind , Osric and Sir Haldor stood rigid, their gazes fixed not on , but on the figure sprawled in chains before us.

Caelum.

Pale. Weak. His body a canvas of lashes and bruises, his breath shallow, every movent strained. Once a proud wolf — now nothing more than a dying worm squirming in its own filth.

Before him sat his "al": a crust of bread blotched with fungus and a cup of water so murky it looked dredged from a swamp.

"I heard you weren’t eating..." I let my voice trail lazily as I lifted a macaron from the plate beside , biting into its delicate sweetness. I chewed, savoring it, before continuing, "...so I thought I’d co to check for myself."

His head turned, trembling with the effort, and his eyes t mine and then the refreshnt cart filled with pastries and macaroons.

He gave a ragged scoff. "Are you... mocking , Princess?"

I took another sip of tea, calm as still water. "Mock you? Why would I waste my ti mocking a man who has nothing left for to mock?"

His jaw twitched and then—with what little strength he had—he kicked forward, sending the bread skidding across the filthy stones, the cup spilling its brown water into the dirt.

"I can’t believe you," he spat, voice hoarse. "You actually expect to eat that?"

I glanced at the ruined bread and puddle, sighing softly as though I’d just watched a servant drop fine china. "Oh my... such a waste."

I handed my cup back to Sera with a faint clink, then rose from my chair. My heels echoed as I crossed the short distance to him, the air tightening with each step.

"You shouldn’t waste food, Caelum," I said, crouching slightly. My voice was light, almost playful, but beneath it was iron. "In this place, it is an insult. To . To those who would kill for even scraps."

I stooped, picked up the soggy bread with my gloved hand, and inspected it as though it were a curious specin. "What’s wrong with this? Just a little fungus... well, perhaps more than a little..." I gave a faint chuckle, eyes narrowing. "...but still food, nonetheless."

His jaw tightened. Then I closed the distance between us and gripped his chin, forcing his face upward, my glove pressing against the bruises along his jawline. He tried to wrench free, but he was far too weak.

"Eat," I commanded softly, before shoving the foul bread between his teeth. His gagging made Osric shift behind , but I didn’t falter.

"This—" I pressed the bread deeper as he struggled, my gaze locked on his, cold and rciless. "—is all you get in my dungeon. And you will eat it, Caelum. Because here... you are nothing more than what I choose to let you be."

I leaned closer, my voice a whisper ant only for him.

"So swallow it. Swallow your pride. Swallow your filth. Because as long as you’re in my hands, even fungus is rcy."