A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 125

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 125
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“You understand, right? You have to tell me.”
On a night when the full moon hung in the sky, I was giving Joshua strict instructions.
“It should be around this time, I’m telling you.”
“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
Joshua waved his hand dismissively, as if telling me not to worry.
“How many times are you going to say this? I’m dying of boredom.”
“Exactly one hundred and eighty-two times. And I’ll say it again when you come tomorrow morning.”
At my response, Joshua shook his head as if he couldn’t stop me.
“Do you really think I asked that out of genuine curiosity?”
“You throw a fit even when I answer accurately. That’s exactly why you can’t be a real journalist, brother. You hate facts and only love conspiracy theories.”
Joshua came to Prelai Manor almost every day, meddling in my affairs and Grandfather’s matters. Then he’d leave at night and return in the morning.
“But if you’re coming back tomorrow morning anyway, just sleep here. Why go back to that house just to sleep and come back?”
At my question, Joshua answered with a serious expression as if I’d said something ridiculous.
“I need to change clothes.”
“There are plenty of clothes here too.”
“Are you joking? How can you compare these scraps of fabric to my babies?”
“….”
Regardless, Joshua would hear complaints from Grandfather every day, yet he always came to Prelai Manor flaunting his brilliant fashion sense, and I would constantly pester him. I was worried we might miss the timing to save Father.
“Oh, that’s right.”
Joshua said suddenly while grooming his hair.
“You know that thing you asked me to look into? Uncle Roki’s funeral.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
“I looked into it, and it’s not like no one saw anything. It just seems like everyone thinks he died quietly somewhere when his time came.”
“Hmm.”
“I even contacted Melissa at the Convent and asked her about it, but she said she only heard from her mother that he died—she doesn’t know where his grave is. She said since she’s been wandering around living, there’s nothing she can do about it.”
I furrowed my brow and nodded.
“Well, I understand.”
“Anyway, I’m leaving.”
Just as Joshua was saying goodbye, a servant rushed in.
“Princess, you have a visitor.”
“…At this hour of the night?”
“Yes. It is Count Levin.”
Sezare?
“Show him in.”
I was standing in the Garden anyway, seeing Joshua off. So I just remained where I was without going out to greet him, but Joshua didn’t leave.
“What? You said you were leaving.”
“I’ll go in a bit.”
“Why?”
“Kick that bastard out on his ass.”
I was about to tell Joshua to stop harboring his noble dream of kicking the Sword Master Crown Prince out of the garden.
“Pardon my intrusion.”
Sezare glided into the garden. With the full moon behind him, he was as beautiful as always. Joshua, upon seeing Sezare, adjusted the angle of his scarf to better display the logo embroidered on it before speaking.
“What brings you here without an appointment? Kiana is far too busy having secret conversations with me right now. State your business and leave.”
“Joshua.”
Good grief, Joshua had no idea who Sezare really was. I glanced at him and offered some genuine advice.
“Don’t overstep and get yourself into trouble. Just leave quietly, brother.”
But Joshua didn’t understand my sincere counsel at all, treating it instead as a casual farewell like always. So he didn’t leave.
“What…”
Sezare interjected with an enigmatic smile.
“I simply came to say goodbye. There are matters requiring my attention in the Levin Domain. I’ll be away from the Capital for some time.”
Ah. This was exactly as we’d planned yesterday. Sezare had decided to reorganize the Levin Domain forces and return to the Crown Prince position as quickly as possible. We’d already exchanged proper farewells yesterday. I hadn’t expected him to come again before leaving though.
“Bravo!”
But Joshua cheered right there. Then, as if deciding to wrap things up once and for all, he spoke firmly.
“Besides, now that Lord Rodrigo’s in prison, shouldn’t you two end this contract relationship? Why haven’t you broken up? Break up already! I absolutely cannot stand watching our Kiana continue dating that bastard!”
“Ugh, Joshua, you’re really getting on my nerves…”
I pressed my forehead, dizzy from Joshua’s antics. Of course, Sezare simply laughed with ease. Watching him, Joshua flipped his hair and spoke.
“You’re not going to say you can’t possibly break up, are you? Like you’re going to tear up the contract or something!”
“We never wrote a contract.”
At Sezare’s plain words, Joshua looked slightly surprised. Then he blinked and asked.
“You came to say we should forget about any contract, right?”
“We have faithfully fulfilled all the terms of our agreement. Why would we nullify it now?”
Joshua stood momentarily stunned, as if struck by a great shock. Then he began clapping and nodding his head.
“Fine. You’re right—no matter how close you two were, you never filmed any romance. So let’s do this!”
I had plenty I wanted to say, but watching Joshua rejoice in his ignorance was too amusing. I simply stayed quiet, already delighted imagining how much Joshua would gnash his teeth when he recalled this moment later.
“Why don’t we publish a breakup article in Lorelai too? I’m friends with the editor-in-chief there. Now Kiana has nothing left to gain from you, right?”
Sezare nodded with an easy laugh.
“A breakup rumor with Count Sezare Levin… something like that would be fine to publish.”
Joshua’s expression showed shock once more.
From Sezare’s perspective, it made perfect sense to end things cleanly…
According to our plan, when he returned from the Levin Domain, he would be Crown Prince Edmund, not Sezare Levin. Besides, I would soon be departing for Arun, so I had no time to become entangled with another man. That’s why even his firm declaration of “a breakup with Count Sezare Levin” seemed cunningly calculated.
“In any case, Princess, I wanted to say goodbye before I left.”
Sezare said this with a composed smile. I nodded calmly in response, but only Joshua panicked in surprise.
“Wait, hold on! A contract relationship ending this cleanly… Is reality really so different from novels…”
Lea, coiled around Joshua’s arm, was also startled and hissed with her tail raised.
【Master? No, wait… you two were together for so long. Even if Kiana has a terrible personality, shouldn’t some affection have built up? Could it be you’re already dating a new, normal girlfriend?】
“So you’ve separated from Kiana quite cleanly.”
Joshua, who had immediately become absorbed in the situation, ground his teeth.
“But you’re already meeting another woman? While you’re at it, I’ll make sure you’re separated all the way to the far end of the universe.”
“That’s enough, that’s enough.”
I waved my hand dismissively at Joshua, my patience finally wearing thin.
“As far as I can tell, you’ve both said what you came to say. Now everyone leave—I’m exhausted and need to get some sleep.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll take my leave then. I’ve said all I needed to say.”
Sezare Levin, whom I’d expected to whine a bit more, withdrew cleanly.
“Right, let’s do that!”
Joshua answered eagerly in the meantime.
“I need to hurry and tell the editor-in-chief of Lorelai about the breakup! Wow, there’s so much to do tonight that the moon is staying up longer than usual!”
I found Joshua’s antics amusing, so I’d been unusually quiet, but I couldn’t let that comment slide.
“It’s a full moon, so of course it stays up longer.”
“Huh?”
“It means the moon doesn’t rise and set just because you’re busy. If it were a new moon, it would have set quickly.”
“…I hope magical engineering fails.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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