A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 47

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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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47.

***

Male Lead 4, who had been acting as though he’d freeload his way through dinner, suddenly claimed something had come up and left right after our conversation.
Truly, he was an enigma wrapped in contradiction.
Because of him, I found myself thrust into an unexpected family dinner.
“…What? What do you mean, what kind of relationship?!”
The moment I stepped into the Dining Room, the Duke descended upon me like a hawk, demanding to know what was between me and the Grand Duke, and I stood there slack-jawed.
“We have no relationship whatsoever!”
“Then why would he say something about the two of you sharing breath in private?”
“That was just him joking around. Don’t you understand metaphor? We simply bumped into each other in the Corridor on my way to the Lounge. That’s all.”
“Hmm….”
It was time to fabricate a plausible account of my encounter with Serge.
“Edith Blake’s account is accurate, Father. Surely you’re aware that the Grand Duke has a tendency to say such nonsensical things.”
Ethan, seated across from me and calmly sipping water, suddenly came to my defense.
‘What’s gotten into him?’
I stared at him in surprise, but he deliberately avoided meeting my gaze.
“Moreover, given that the incident at the Guest Palace occurred immediately afterward, there would have been no opportunity for the two of them to converse privately.”
“That may be true, but…tsk, that man should be hunting down whoever cracked his skull, not barging into someone else’s home and causing a scene!”
The Duke grumbled in clear displeasure.
Though I sympathized wholeheartedly, as the very person responsible for that cracked skull, I felt deeply uncomfortable.
“What did you discuss in the Reception Room? The Butler mentioned the atmosphere seemed quite cordial.”
At the Duke’s next question, I contorted my face in dismay.
‘What’s wrong with that man’s eyes?!’
How could that scene possibly have appeared cordial?
“…The Butler must have misread the situation. Cordial? I simply apologized and exchanged a few pleasantries.”
“He accepted your apology without any conditions whatsoever…?”
However, contrary to my expectations, the Duke knew the Grand Duke’s character well enough not to let the matter drop so easily.
Scrutinizing me with a suspicious expression, he suddenly uttered something dreadful.
“…Just to be clear, but that man is absolutely not an option.”
“Ugh! Don’t even joke about such things!”
I shuddered violently and cried out.
Yet the Duke did not readily abandon his suspicious gaze.
“No matter how I think about it, something feels off! The fact that the man who suspected you of being behind the Purifier’s disappearance simply exchanged a few pleasantries and left! Unless you’ve somehow caught his fancy….”
“If that were the case, wouldn’t you seem closer to him than I do, Father?”
“Don’t say such appalling things! Closer? That man is so vulgar, so utterly uncouth and ignorant!”
Absurdly, the Duke shuddered just as I had moments before.
“He’s constantly using telekinesis to forcibly silence speakers, hurling people out of the Conference Hall! The man has absolutely no manners whatsoever!”
As the saying goes, what leaks from inside will leak from outside.
If he treated even me, a Princess, like I was nothing more than a fly, there was no way he’d show respect to other nobles.
‘No wonder he was being so excessively accommodating.’
Since the Emperor had fallen ill, the Grand Duke had been gradually devouring the Imperial Palace, and the Duke seemed to be struggling in his own way just to survive.
“In any case! He’s not someone you should associate with closely, so both of you be careful.”
The Duke, who had been earnestly warning me, suddenly lowered his voice.
“Moreover, the Security Bureau is currently keeping the Grand Duke under close, covert surveillance by the Emperor’s command.”
“The Security Bureau, you say?”
Ethan reacted with apparent confusion at those words.
“That’s right. He abuses his powers so recklessly on a daily basis—it’s strange that he hasn’t gone berserk yet. Especially now that the Purifier has disappeared….”
“….”
“Sometimes I’m terrified that the Grand Duke might deliberately go berserk and charge at us all screaming for a mutual death. The Previous Emperor really did bungle his son’s upbringing spectacularly… tsk.”
He clicked his tongue, then suddenly fixed me with a glare and issued a stern command.
“In any case, remember what I’m telling you! Don’t you dare fall head over heels for someone completely unsuitable and go chasing after him! Because of you, I still can’t face Marquis Leandro!”
As Edith Blake, it was something I had to accept, but it felt terribly unfair.
“Father. I do have my own preferences, you know.”
“Preferences? You’re in no position for that! When the time comes, I’ll arrange a suitable match for you. You’re not still chasing after Vincent, are you?”
“Of course not….”
“But you entered as Vincent’s partner at the reception just recently.”
Just as I was about to deny it firmly, Ethan suddenly interjected.
‘Hey!’
I stared at him with wide eyes.
‘I thought he was finally going to show some support, and now he’s betraying me like this?!’
It was all I could do not to grit my teeth at him as he mechanically moved his utensils with an expressionless face, as if he’d done nothing wrong.
“What?!”
The Duke naturally flew into a rage.
I pouted and shot back.
“I didn’t suggest it. He suddenly showed up and forcibly climbed into the carriage without warning.”
“What will people think when a young lady of marriageable age is still chasing after her childhood friend like this!”
“They’ll think we have a deep bond of friendship.”
“Vincent won’t do! Do you know how particular Marquis Leandro is being about selecting a daughter-in-law?”
“I’m not particularly interested in him either.”
“An uninterested girl who’s been causing such a fuss for years?”
“Father, you seem to keep overlooking the fact that I lost my memory not long ago.”
“Ahem…!”
The Duke fell silent, his words apparently stuck in his throat.
Since I was Edith Blake now, it was something I needed to settle once and for all anyway.
I spoke calmly.
“Don’t worry. I won’t be entangled with Vincent anymore from now on.”
“….”
“I don’t know why I was like that before, but I absolutely despise men who act so childishly.”
At those words, the Duke and Ethan stared at me simultaneously with shocked expressions.
“You… you’re saying such things…!”
The Duke stammered as if struck by a thunderbolt, then broke into a broad grin.
“Memory loss turned out to be quite the blessing!”
“….”
“This won’t do. A day like this calls for a toast! You there! Fetch that champagne we received as a gift during the last Foundation Festival!”
A servant soon returned with the champagne and uncorked it.
“Edith. If you truly carry Blake blood, then a word once spoken must be kept without exception.”
“…Yes.”
“I’ll trust your sincerity just one more time. Please, don’t disappoint me further.”
“Of course.”
“Splendid! Come now, you’re of age—take a glass.”
The Duke beamed as he offered me a goblet.
He seemed delighted that his daughter had finally come to her senses.
Though it might bring him joy, I could not conceal my bitterness.
‘The real daughter might already be dead.’
I wondered if he would truly rejoice if he knew that a complete stranger was wearing her skin, masquerading as his child.
I brought the glass to my lips with a wry smile, when suddenly my gaze met those lake-blue eyes.
Ethan was staring at me with an oddly vacant expression.
He seemed somehow deflated.
‘…What’s wrong with him?’
As I tilted my head in confusion, the kitchen doors opened and the main courses began arriving in succession.
Having rushed to attend on the Duke’s orders, I hadn’t even been informed what the formal menu would be.
After eating only simple meals in my room, I was eager to indulge—until the aroma of the food reached me, and I went rigid.
‘…The smell of fish.’
Sure enough, as the servants lifted the lids, white fish fillets shaped into perfect rounds and grilled atop a delicate sauce came into view.
“Tonight’s main course is freshly caught silver cod steak and octopus salad.”
The chef emerged to explain and began portioning the salad onto plates.
“Ah, an excellent pairing with champagne! Do partake.”
The Duke seemed satisfied with the menu and began eating at once.
Ethan did the same.
Only I remained restless.
‘…I think I’m going to be sick.’
Of all things, it had to be fish. Damned silver cod.
I’d assumed beef steak would naturally be served at an evening banquet….
My expectations had not merely fallen short—I’d arrived at the worst possible scenario.
Unfortunately, I could not eat fish dishes.
Not due to allergies or any secondary reason, but simply my own problem.
I stared blankly at the fish flesh when suddenly I was dragged back into the past.

“Father, what’s the occasion? Why are we all dining out together?”
“Your younger brother ranked first in the entire school on the midterm exam. His homeroom teacher called me about it.”
“Him?”
“Yes. Tsk, what’s wrong with you? You don’t even tell your parents about your achievements. Good grief, I’m embarrassed… Ah, Yoo Do-un has arrived. Once Se-hwa gets here, we’ll all be together, won’t we?”

That day happened to be the first family dinner outing because of me.
I had deliberately hidden my grades to avoid seeming boastful, yet I felt secretly thrilled that my biological father already knew.

“Yoo Do-un, how did you do on this exam?”
“Well… I did about as usual, sir.”
“Now that you’re entering the Gate, don’t think you can slack off on your studies. These days, awakeners don’t automatically get special treatment. I’ll be watching to see if your grades drop, so be prepared.”

I should have noticed it from the moment my father’s third adopted son’s expression grew subtly withdrawn.
Just then, my second adopted brother arrived—the one who had been dispatched to handle a small Gate that occurred that very day.

“I’ll have fish, please. If I cut into meat right now, I think I’ll be sick.”
“Then today, for Se-hwa’s sake, let’s all have silver cod steak.”

My biological father, true to his military background, arbitrarily unified the meal, and soon steaming dishes arrived at the table.
The moment I lifted my knife and cut into the pale fish flesh, it was revealed…
A cockroach the size of a thumb, pitch black in color.

“Sister, aren’t you going to eat?”

Yoo Do-un, who possessed the ability to control small animals, laughed with contemptible malice.
At that same moment, a sharp scream pierced the air.

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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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