Living As the Villainess Queen

“Riner let out a dry cough, his demeanor sheepish as he spoke. ‘I’ve had a few missteps, I admit, but…’ His momentary deflation swiftly gave way to a renewed confidence. ‘But it was unavoidable. Ever since I first laid eyes on larks, my instinct has been to strike first.’

The three kings, including Kasser, regarded Riner with disapproval, their expressions stern. Yet, Riner met their reproach with a sense of injustice. ‘Was I the only one chasing larks? The Fourth King, King Pyeon, the Dark King—all of you set traps to capture larks. Why single me out?’

As he pointed accusingly at each king, their ire remained contained. They had recently come to terms with the fact that Fire King Riner was woefully short on common sense.

Richard’s concerns were valid. The kings had indeed hunted larks but never sought to capture them. And during the larks’ active periods, swiftness was paramount. The quicker the larks were hunted, the less damage they inflicted. Hence, extinguishing the larks’ core upon sighting was deemed the optimal strategy.

Thanks to Riner’s swift actions, larks that emerged with the first seed crack vanished in an instant. “Oh, blast it. My hand moved of its own accord.”

At that moment, understanding dawned upon everyone. Yet, when Riner persisted in hunting larks even after subsequent appearances, Kasser issued a stern warning: “Fire King, step back ten paces. If you persist, I will bind you.”

And when larks emerged from the fourth cracked seed, King Pyeon took charge. In the ensuing chaos, Akil instinctively destroyed the larks’ cores.

Even Kasser couldn’t deny such primal urges. The same held true for Pered. Yet, unlike the other kings who struggled to restrain themselves, Riner leaped into action each time.

According to the three kings, there were numerous instances where, had it not been for Riner’s impulsive actions, they might have succeeded.