Too Lazy to be a Villainess Chapter 369: Convincing Papa

[Lavinia’s POV — Imperial Palace—Emperor’s Chamber—The Next Morning]

I knocked once. From inside, Papa’s voice followed imdiately—sharp, commanding, and unmistakably awake.

"Co in."

Marshi and I peeked inside at the sa ti. I smiled widely. Too widely.

"What are you doing, Papa?" I asked sweetly, stepping in like I hadn’t just woken up with an empire-sized dilemma sitting on my chest.

Papa blinked.

Once.

Then he stared at .

Long.

Hard.

Suspiciously.

"...What do you want?" he asked.

I gasped—dramatically, hand flying to my chest. "What? I can’t co visit my own father?" I fluttered my lashes shalessly. "Just... you know. Casually. Out of love. I can’t even do that?"

I even leaned forward slightly. Adorabombs. Full force. Marshi, traitor that he was, imdiately copied —tilting his head, widening his eyes, and swishing his tail in what could only be described as coordinated manipulation.

Papa’s gaze flicked between the two of us.

Then narrowed.

"You’re behaving weird," he said flatly.

I opened my mouth—

"Ravick," Papa barked.

The door opened instantly. Ravick stepped inside and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

Papa pointed at without breaking eye contact. "Call a physician."

I froze.

"Possibly a priest too," he added thoughtfully. "My daughter is behaving... weird."

I stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. "I just ca to et you!"

"You ca willingly," he replied calmly. "That alone is suspicious."

...Seriously?

"Papa!" I protested.

Ravick was visibly struggling not to laugh. Marshi thumped his tail on the carpet, nodding along with Papa like this was a perfectly reasonable diagnosis.

"Alright," I sighed, dropping the act. "Fine. I ca because I have sothing very important to talk about."

Papa leaned back in his chair and smirked. "Ha. I knew it."

Ravick chuckled openly now. Marshi gave an approving little chirp and sat upright like this was a council session.

Papa lifted a finger. "Before you continue—let set one condition."

I squinted. "What condition?"

He t my eyes, expression smug and entirely too aware.

"Except your marriage," he said casually, "or your love life—talk about whatever you want."

I stared at him.

Well—That’s exactly why I am here.

Yes. You heard that right. I ca to talk to him about marriage.

My Marriage.

Rey’s words from last night echoed rcilessly in my head. Another woman. Just imagining Haldor standing beside soone else—smiling that soft, rare smile for another—had ignited sothing sharp and irrational in my chest.

Was it love?

I didn’t know.

But I knew this much with terrifying clarity—Haldor was perfect to stand beside . He would listen. He would never go against . He would choose over everything.

And politically?

I had already moved the hierarchy for him. He was now the highest-ranked noble outside the royal bloodline.

There was no better candidate.

No safer one. No more dangerous one.

"Why aren’t you speaking now?" Papa asked, eyes narrowing.

I smiled nervously.

"Haha... you see, Papa..." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Actually... I... ca for—"

"Lavinia," his voice dropped.

Oh no.

"Yes—yes, Papa?" I answered instantly.

"I said no marriage."

I avoided his eyes. The silence that followed was catastrophic. His eyes widened. He rose from his seat so fast the chair scraped loudly against the floor.

"I KNEW IT. THAT DAMN...COUNCIL ETING. BUT...LET REMIND YOU...I AM NOT LETTING YOU GET MARRIED!!!"

The walls themselves seed to flinch.

Gosh. Overprotective tyrant father mode: ACTIVATED.

"But Papa," I tried, steady but firm, "the Devereux line has to move forward—"

"I DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THAT!!!" he roared. "We’ll just adopt a child!"

I crossed my arms. "I can’t adopt a child while single. You made that law."

He pointed at . "I can change the law. I am the Emperor."

"And you know the nobles," I shot back imdiately. "They won’t accept an adopted heir. And what happens when we die, Papa? What if they make that child’s life hell?"

His jaw tightened.

I stepped closer, voice quieter but sharper. "If our blood runs in that child... they’ll survive. Tyrants survive, Papa. You taught that. You and I didn’t rule by kindness. We ruled because we knew how to crush rebellion before it breathed."

He went still.

I pressed on. "And you know this empire eats the gentle alive."

For a mont, I thought I had won.

Then—

"I STILL WON’T LET YOU GET MARRIED!!!" he thundered. "You already broke your heart once because of that stupid Osric—and now again?! NEVER!"

I blinked. "...Osric?"

"Yes, Osric!" he snapped. "Broody. Now Grand duke and Annoying."

"That’s his nature, Papa."

"I DON’T CARE," he growled. "You cried!"

"It’s just a first love, Papa. First love is ant to break you!"

"You cried," he repeated stubbornly.

I groaned. "Papa—"

"I REFUSE," he said, jabbing a finger toward the ceiling like he was accusing the gods themselves. "I did not raise you to hand your life to a man!"

"I’m not handing my life to anyone," I shot back. "I’m choosing a partner."

"And you don’t need a Partner," he yelled.

I stared.

. . .

. . .

Wow... I can’t believe I’m the daughter trying to convince her father to let her get married. Did I get reborn into the wrong world—or did fate just decide to mock this ti?

He turned away, pacing like a barely contained storm. "I watched you grow up carrying a crown heavier than most n’s armor. And now you want to add marriage to that burden?"

I softened—just a little. "I’m not asking for permission because I’m weak."

He stopped pacing.

"I’m asking because I’m strong enough to choose," I said quietly.

He turned back.

We stared at each other—two tyrants cut from the sa bloodline, locked in a battle neither of us had ever lost before.

"...I hate this," he muttered.

I smiled faintly. "I know."

"And I hate that you sound reasonable."

"I learned from you."

He sighed, rubbing his temples. "I should have raised you dumber."

"You tried," I replied sweetly.

Ravick choked again. Papa looked at —really looked—and for the first ti, his fury wavered.

"...We will talk about this later," he said finally. "And do not think for a second this conversation is over."

I bowed my head slightly, victorious but cautious. "Of course, Papa."

As I turned to leave, I heard him mutter under his breath, "If that boy hurts you too, I’ll burn the empire."

I smiled. Because for the first ti—I wasn’t sure if he ant Haldor or the world that dared stand between us.

I slipped out of his chamber and let out a long breath. "This is going to take ages," I muttered to the quiet corridor. "Convincing him will be harder than conquering a kingdom."

"Your Highness. I’ve been looking for you everywhere."

I turned—and there he was, walking toward down the corridor, posture perfect, expression earnest, concern written so plainly on his face it almost hurt to look at.

"Hi there, Captain."

He slowed when he reached , brows knitting together. "You look troubled, Your Highness. Did sothing happen?"

I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Yes. I was just with Papa."

His shoulders stiffened imdiately. "The Emperor?"

"Yes," I said. "I went to talk to him about... our marriage, but it seems like—"

I stopped.

Because sothing was very, very wrong. Haldor wasn’t just blushing. His ears were red. His neck was red. His eyes were wide—too wide—with pure, unfiltered shock and sothing dangerously close to joy.

And—gods help —I swear I saw wings. White. Glowing. Angelic.

Right behind him.

"Our..." His voice cracked. He swallowed. "...our marriage?"

I stared. Hard.

Am I hallucinating?

"You... want to marry , Your Highness?" he asked again, quieter now, like he was afraid the words might disappear if he spoke them too loudly.

I nodded slowly, my gaze still fixed sowhere behind his shoulders. "Yes. But Papa said no, so—"

The wings vanished.

Just—gone.

Like smoke in sunlight.

I blinked.

Once. Twice.

Haldor was still there—no wings, no glow—just a very tall, very flustered man staring at like I’d just handed him the world and then taken it back.

"Oh," he said softly.

His shoulders drooped. His lips parted like he wanted to say sothing brave—but nothing ca out.

He looked... Like a kicked puppy.

And that was it.

"Pfft—!" I burst out laughing.

He startled. "Y–Your Highness?"

I stepped closer and ruffled his hair without hesitation, fingers sinking into soft, obedient strands. "You’re adorable."

His entire face turned crimson. "I—I am not—!"

"So that was happiness," I said thoughtfully. "No wonder I started seeing things."

He froze. "...Seeing things?"

"Never mind," I waved it off cheerfully. "Let’s go; we have work to do."

His eyes lifted to mine, hope flickering back to life—small, bright, and terrifyingly precious. "Yes, your highness."

I smiled.

Because fate itself was already on my side, and I had no intention of letting it go.

"How is General Luke?" I asked.

He smiled faintly. "We talked a lot last ti."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yes. Mostly about my mother."

I glanced at him, warmth settling quietly in my chest. "It’s good to see my captain smiling more often these days."

He blushed at that, just a little.

And together, we continued down the corridor.