A Strange But Effective Villainess Life - Chapter 204

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

Commemoration of Webtoon Adaptation
Side Story Episode 7
* * *
The people of House Prelai were not ones to frequently show their faces at social gatherings. Unlike Scari and Alex, who at least made brief appearances at public events, Joshua never set foot in such places at all.
Kiana only appeared at social gatherings where Lord Rodrigo was present, caused a scene, and then quickly disappeared.
Only Melissa, the single exception in that household, attended every event with a bright smile, always bringing Piyak along.
So when Joshua appeared at the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet—nearly for the first time—everyone was astonished.
“Is that… could that be… Joshua Prelai?”
“Unbelievable. How can a man have such delicate features?”
“But those clothes… if you add up the cost from head to toe, you could buy an entire estate.”
“Is that sponsored? The logos are so overwhelming.”
Joshua stood beside Kiana with a displeased expression. He wasn’t escorting her. The two of them didn’t touch even their fingertips, staring intently into empty space instead.
“Remember. We’re currently fulfilling a contract. Understood?”
Joshua spoke breathlessly.
“That man who’s been sending you those bouquets… I absolutely must find out who he is.”
“Why on earth?”
“Because I’m curious! Who is this mysterious stalker I haven’t been able to identify? What kind of person is he? How is he slipping through my information network?”
For days now, anonymous flower baskets had been delivered to the Prelai Estate. Kiana was the recipient, but there was no way to discover who was sending them.
Joshua, who was far too earnest about prying into others’ gossip, couldn’t accept this situation. So ultimately, he attended the banquet because he was so curious about who had sent those flower baskets.
“Who could it possibly be?”
“Some pervert who keeps sending the reproductive organs of plants to someone else’s home. What else would you call it?”
Kiana answered sulkily, but Joshua paid little attention to her words.
“He’ll definitely try to make contact with you at this banquet. It’s obvious. Since he’s clearly a coward, he’ll probably send a letter or something. Don’t forget—you agreed to share the contents of that letter with me. I’ve already paid my price.”
“Fine.”
Melissa, who should always have been by their side, was absent.
In exchange for sharing the contents of a love letter that might or might not arrive, Kiana had asked Joshua to ensure that Melissa would definitely not attend this banquet.
She wanted to see the fireworks that would burst tonight, and if Melissa were here, she’d be so irritated that she wouldn’t be able to stay through the end of the banquet.
Joshua had answered, “That’s easy.” Then, just before the banquet, he sent Melissa an anonymous letter saying, “I know Piyak’s secret. Let’s meet in the village where you used to live this evening.”
“It’s the instinct of a summoner to drop everything and rush out for matters concerning their summoned beast.”
Melissa, her face turning pale, rushed out immediately.
Joshua tilted his head, thinking, “It wasn’t something she needed to be that frightened about,” but regardless, Melissa was now unable to attend the banquet.
There would be no one in the village where Melissa used to live anyway. She would waste her night on a fool’s errand, but Joshua had no conscience, so he didn’t particularly care.
Though the Emperor was ill, the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet was still grand.
The Crown Prince, who had everything, held little interest for either Kiana or Joshua. Kiana simply waited for the fireworks, while Joshua waited for the secret letter.
As the dance music played, the two siblings sat side by side in a corner of the banquet hall, their legs crossed, completely still.
“Aren’t you going to go dance?”
Kiana, dressed in a checkered gown, blurted out.
Joshua recoiled in horror.
“Are you insane? What if even a speck of dust gets on my precious darlings among those people?”
The “darlings” Joshua spoke of were the luxury clothes and shoes he was wearing.
Joshua shuddered at the mere thought, as though the idea itself was horrifying, before adding his question.
“Well, that fool who sent the flowers is bold enough to request a dance… but why won’t you dance?”
“Are you insane? Why would I waste my precious ATP on such pointless
1)
movements?”
1) The basic unit of energy metabolism required for life forms to conduct biological activities
“…I wish magical engineering had never been invented.”
In truth, Edmund was gradually approaching from a distance to request a dance, but her declaration—”I will absolutely not dance”—was so resolute that he ultimately retreated.
However, with Melissa absent, Lord Rodrigo was attempting to approach Kiana, so Edmund hastily called out to him.
“Lord Rodrigo, come here. I have something to show you.”
He could endure Kiana not dancing with him, but the thought of watching her dance with Lord Rodrigo made his heart ache unbearably.
In any case, with Melissa gone, Kiana remained well-behaved throughout the banquet. She didn’t seem to be seeking out Lord Rodrigo at all. That made sense—she had been anxiously waiting for the hour when the fireworks were scheduled to begin.
And when that midnight hour arrived and the fireworks began to beautifully embellish the night sky.
While everyone gazed upward, Edmund’s eyes remained fixed solely on Kiana.
Kiana clasped her hands together, barely breathing as she stared at the sky.
“Wow…”
While everyone marveled, “How beautiful,” Kiana was murmuring as if entranced.
“That orange must be calcium, right? The blue is copper, and… wow, the red! Strontium!”
Meanwhile, Joshua’s head swiveled frantically.
“This is the perfect moment to deliver the letter. What kind of idiot is so infatuated with this strange girl that he’s causing all this commotion?”
Edmund, who had been quietly approaching Kiana’s side, felt his heart skip. He had indeed intended to slip her the letter during the fireworks display.
However, he was on the verge of reaching the realm of a Sword Master. Evading Joshua’s vigilance would be effortless.
Unaware of the agreement between Kiana and Joshua, Edmund successfully managed to slip a letter into the pocket of her checkered dress.
Not long after, the fireworks show ended.
While everyone expressed regret, Kiana was the first to turn away without hesitation.
“Well, we’ve seen enough. Let’s go now, hmm?”
At that very moment, she discovered the letter precariously tucked in her pocket.
Seeing Kiana pick up the letter, Joshua cheered even louder.
“Wow! Insane! I was right! Hey! Read it, read it! Right now!”
They hadn’t noticed, but Edmund was standing nearby. Of course, he had no idea about the agreement between Kiana and Joshua.
‘Asking her brother to read a private letter… does that even make sense?’
But Kiana unfolded the letter right there without hesitation. Edmund was shocked from behind.
‘Could it be…?’
Kiana’s eyes skimmed the very top of the letter.
It was the opening sentence that Edmund had written and erased repeatedly every single day.
“What does it say? What does it say?”
Joshua snorted and stamped his foot impatiently.
Kiana slowly opened her mouth.
“I’ll just convey the essence of it for you.”
He had expected her to say it was private and to mind his own business, but instead she was going to tell him the contents? And right here?
Edmund’s heart raced wildly with anxiety.
‘No way! She’s not actually going to read it, is she?’
Kiana had always been someone who defied my expectations.
My palms grew damp with sweat as Kiana’s composed voice continued.
“He said I’m like a concave mirror.”
“…Huh? What?”
“More precisely, in a situation where I’m positioned beyond the center of curvature.”
“What?”
Hearing Joshua’s bewildered voice, Edmund blinked blankly.
The most common concave mirror one could easily find was a spoon. If you actually looked at the curved side of a spoon, you appeared small.
Now… was she really using that metaphor to express ‘I become smaller’?

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