A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 189

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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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Side Story Episode 28
Side Story 4. A Proposal
Despite the Emperor handling most of the Imperial Palace’s affairs, Edmund remained occupied with various duties. In particular, he personally reviewed all the Imperial Palace’s event schedules as well.
“Ah.”
Edmund’s eyes widened ever so slightly as he read the freshly submitted report.
“Has it already been a year….”
A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.
The report he’d read concerned the hunting competition held annually in the Spirit Forest to commemorate the Empire’s founding. A year had passed since that time when he’d carried Kiana on his back through the Spirit Forest, and pressed his finger gently against her lips before a spirit demanding a kiss.
Kiana could never imagine how thrilled and trembling he’d been that day. When she’d clung to his back, the intoxicating scent of her skin had nearly overwhelmed him—he scarcely knew how he’d managed to climb that mountain at all.
When the spirit had demanded a kiss and caused such a commotion, he’d briefly entertained the thought of simply closing his eyes and pressing his lips to hers. Knowing Kiana as he did, she would likely have said first, “Well, survival is what matters. Let’s just pretend to do it.”
Because he’d known that, he’d barely suppressed the surging impulse. Even now, recalling it felt like an ordeal. Certainly, merely pressing a single finger to her lips had made his heart feel as though it would burst.
As he methodically reminisced about that moment, Ranaq interjected.
“Come to think of it, this will be the Crown Prince’s first hunting competition in which he participates.”
Having stared at the hunting competition documents for so long, Ranaq, not understanding the reason, mistakenly assumed Edmund was feeling restless.
“Surely Your Highness will naturally win first place?”
First place. Edmund couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Back when he was a young man, he’d assumed that upon reaching adulthood and participating in the hunting competition, he would naturally win. He’d even briefly entertained the idea of using his wish to learn some magical engineering from Kiana.
Because if he’d asked her on a date, Kiana would likely have been so startled that she’d flee the country before the scheduled date. His unrequited love had diminished his self-esteem in the eyes of only one person.
“Well….”
He’d had no time to even think about winning a hunting competition until now, but hearing Ranaq’s words, that youthful resolve stirred anew in his chest.
“Unless the rules change, of course?”
The hunting competition’s rules were quite simple: catch as many powerful beasts as possible.
Of course, there were many differential variables for each beast—their rarity, the difficulty required to capture them, and their weight. Because of this, ambiguous or unclear cases required judgment from the arbiters. The arbiters were typically three members of the royal family.
“Hmm….”
Edmund scanned the names listed in the report with an indifferent gaze.
“Acceptable.”
The Emperor, the Second Imperial Consort, and Seliet. It appeared to be a combination that had been arranged in advance, taking into account Edmund’s participation.
“Is Seliet alright, given that she’s pregnant?”
“Her condition is quite excellent, and she herself desires it. Still, just in case, the Imperial Palace’s physician will accompany her.”
“I see….”
Edmund nodded without raising further objections. After all, the Spirit Forest also contained the grave of his mother, the Fifth Imperial Consort, so it was only natural in a sense.
“Besides, there’s rarely any need for judgment anyway.”
Since only one champion was selected, typically an overwhelmingly dominant competitor emerged. That’s why most years throughout history had required no real adjudication. The recent years had been no different. There had been people like Alex, or Alex, or Alex.
“This year will be the same.”
And Edmund was the one who would easily defeat even that Alex.
“So you will be participating, then?”
“That’s right.”
Edmund smiled with a smirk and signed the report without hesitation at the end. Even as he did, he caught sight of Seliet’s name written in the report and chuckled. Truly, he’d never imagined that Seliet would marry and become pregnant before him.
“I do hope you’ll marry as soon as possible, brother.”
After the wedding ceremony, Seliet had given him a rather unsettling smile as she spoke those words.
“Now Lady Kiana is no longer the youngest daughter marrying first, and the Prelai family no longer has to worry about an heir.”
“Ah, well… yes, that’s true…”
“Of course, I’ve already become part of the family…”
Seliet spoke with a satisfied smile, but Edmund felt an odd sensation of sweat trickling down his back.
“Wouldn’t two connections make things even more solid?”
“Well, Seliet… um…”
“Even if Lady Kiana and Ed were to separate now, I’d still be family.”
He nearly lost his composure at those words. For a moment, he envied Seliet for having two connections, and the self-loathing that followed was undeniable.
“In any case, I still support you, brother. Do your best. Have you thought about the proposal?”
Truth be told, I’d been thinking about it since childhood. It’s just that the sentiment remained somewhat childish…
“If I had my way, I’d do it in front of as many people as possible—as loudly and as spectacularly as I could. So that every man who ever harbored even the slightest interest in Kiana would abandon all hope.”
“Hmm.”
“But it might not suit the Princess’s taste, so I’m not saying I’ll definitely do it that way.”
“Well, I understand.”
Seliet, already officially part of Kiana’s family, spoke with remarkable composure.
“I’ll subtly ask Lady Kiana what kind of proposal she’d like, as family.”
Then Seliet, contentedly rubbing her belly, left with Joshua, who had come to tell her she should rest.
At that moment, Seliet wore an expression of happiness unlike any before. It was a combination that was somewhat eerie and frightening, yet undeniably emanated a sweet and joyful aura from them both.
Ah. Edmund let out a faint sigh.
He was certainly envious of them—of the next stages only the two of them could experience: marriage, newlyweds, pregnancy, and all that.
‘I should probe Kiana more subtly next time.’
Edmund knew well that if he subtly tugged at her sympathy and pressured her, the soft-hearted Kiana would naturally agree to marry him. Slipping through situations like a cunning serpent was his specialty.
But precisely because of that, he was restraining his impulses. Just as he had refrained from kissing her in front of the Spirit back then. He didn’t want to push her that way. It had only been a short time since she’d begun to find happiness in the Prelai household.
Still, he frequently and subtly asked about her thoughts, ready to push forward aggressively the moment he received even the slightest positive response.
“Kiana, I saw in this catalog that they can add checkered patterns to wedding dresses too. White patterns on white veils.”
“Ah… really? Well, if Princess Seliet had worn it, it would have been truly beautiful.”
But lately, Kiana had been changing the subject more and more.
It would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt, but I decided to wait. I’d already waited over ten years—surely I could wait that long. And whenever that burning thirst arose, I dug deeper into Kiana with greater persistence.
Well… there was nothing to be done about that, was there? After all, it was already an approved territory.
* * *
One evening.
A secret gathering regarding Kiana’s proposal took place in the laboratory. And to the original members—Kiana, Ranaq, Alice, and Piyak—one more person had been added: Seliet.
Seliet had begun to suspect something after witnessing Ranaq visiting the Prelai Manor several times while Edmund was away on business. She had tracked Kiana and Alice’s movements and even their purchases at shops, ultimately uncovering the true nature of this gathering.
After that, she quietly blackmailed them into letting her join, and Seliet became a member of the group. She even made things considerably easier by saying she’d handle it herself if Edmund later became suspicious of Ranaq’s visits.
“Your Highness? You’re not even alone, so you should really rest…”
“This is resting.”
Seliet spoke with a snort.
“A mother’s happiness is our baby’s happiness.”
Seliet’s condition was actually excellent, her complexion entirely different from when she’d been confined in the Imperial Palace years ago, suffering nothing but mistreatment.
“In any case, I’ve made one final confirmation just to be sure, and Ed’s preferences are quite firm.”
Seliet’s eyes gleamed as she took the lead in the discussion with more enthusiasm than anyone else.
“I’ve spent a long time stalking those shadowy types from behind, so I unconsciously assume there must be quite a lot of them.”
“I see.”
“Among those murky characters, it seems he wants to flaunt that he’s the victor. So if we make a spectacle of it according to our plan, he’ll absolutely love it.”
While even Kiana kept her mouth shut with reluctance, Seliet smiled like an angel and clapped her hands.
“Really, I can’t wait for the hunting tournament to arrive!”

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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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