Disqualified as a Villainess - Chapter 12

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

#12.

Admiral Kelsedny had returned to his quarters, where Serkan stood rigidly before him, clutching a report and documents.
“Additional investigation information regarding Lady Octavia, sir.”
The Admiral glanced through the papers Serkan offered, then regarded him with vacant eyes.

「Zodiac sign: Virgo. Birth flower: calendula. Prefers sweet desserts and spicy foods. Ideal type: a man with black hair in uniform…」

The Admiral, absently touching his own dark hair, abruptly closed the file.
“I have no interest in such trivialities.”
“Ah, you may already know this, but today she purchased a lightning-struck wooden cane and a handmade stuffed doll…”
Serkan trailed off, observing his superior’s expressionless face.
“And sir, she possesses a duality—impossible to discern whether it stems from malice or virtue.”
“That will be all. You’re dismissed.”
Serkan, reading the exhaustion in his commander’s weary gesture, quietly withdrew from the chamber.
The Admiral exhaled heavily, loosening his tie.
His hands paused mid-motion as he began to remove his shirt. Her clean, comforting scent lingered upon the fabric.
‘To think we share the same fragrance preference.’
He recalled Octavia’s expression of disgust the moment he broached the subject of marriage.
In his distorted recollection, she had spoken with utter callousness—as though to say, ‘Rather than take responsibility through marriage, let’s simply pretend it never happened.’
She possessed the audacity to consent to intimacy with the Royal Family, where death was the inevitable price, yet marriage repulsed her more than death itself.
‘I truly cannot even kill her.’
He reached for a bottle of liquor out of habit, then set it down again, finding no appeal in it.

「Instead, I shall give you what you desire, sir.」

The words from Octavia’s letter echoed in his mind.
Currently, in her presence, his body and mind operated independently of one another, afflicted by an inexplicable condition of unknown origin.
It manifested like a state of chaos—accompanied by severe migraines, emotional instability, and insomnia.
The gravest concern was that each use of his apostolic power unveiled and intensified new symptoms.
Even priestly purification could not resolve it, and neither its cause nor its inception remained clear.
“It appears, sir, that damage has occurred to your ability core. For the time being, I recommend rest and observation.”

It was also why he returned to the Kingdom and stationed himself there the moment his mandatory service ended.
Since only a select few knew of his condition, I couldn’t be certain whether what Octavia mentioned was related to this symptom, but if it involved exchanging the apostolic power possessed by the Royal Family, it was a plausible trade proposal.
‘Certainly, the headaches have lessened.’
Whenever I touched her, the chaotic energy that had been tangled within me stabilized. It was clearly not a sacred ability.
Rather than purification, it was closer to realignment.
Perhaps this was why my elder brother, Arseno, took such interest in Octavia.
‘If it were related to contact….’
Suddenly, a vulgar memory that made me responsible for her stained my mind once more.
Platinum hair swaying temptingly, reddened skin beneath her eyes and pale complexion, parted lips holding ragged breath, and slender wrists clinging to my arms as she resisted the pleasure.
The purple bracelet wound around her wrist was etched into my memory with particular intensity.
‘I’ve never actually seen her wearing that bracelet.’
The Admiral shook his head as if to dispel such base thoughts, unfastening the remaining shirt buttons as he looked down, and his expression turned contemptuous.
It was the beginning of a mad state—simultaneously harboring extreme murderous intent toward Octavia and desire.
‘Perhaps I should visit the Holy Temple.’
It seemed I needed purification now in a different sense.
Since Octavia was forbidden entry to the Holy Temple, I could cleanse my defiled heart in a place free from the woman who had reduced me to a beast.

***

Upon returning to Baron Ravishi’s Mansion, Octavia heard Noel’s crying as she made her way back to her room—the room she had taken from Camilla—along with Camilla’s irritated voice.
“A new tutor will come anyway, so why are you making such a fuss?”
“Waahhh! Did the real teacher leave because she hates me?”
Noel, who had been crying pitifully, immediately stopped and stood at attention upon seeing Octavia.
Octavia pushed past Camilla’s shoulder and approached the child with a gentle tone.
“Noel, Teacher Daisy didn’t leave because she dislikes you.”
“Sister, but Camilla said that.”
“No, she went back to her hometown. Seeing how much you miss your mother, the teacher must have missed her own family too. If you behave well, you’ll be able to see her again, so don’t worry.”
“Yes….”
Noel, understanding immediately, nodded.
“It’s late, so shouldn’t you go to bed?”
“Yes.”
“Sleep well and say goodnight.”
Noel embraced Octavia and even made a respectful bow before heading to his room.
Camilla, witnessing the youngest’s polite behavior for the first time, wore a bewildered expression.
‘Did she feed him an entire etiquette manual?’
Camilla, inwardly admiring how Octavia had quieted the stubborn child with just a few words, opened her mouth.
“Hey, Father was looking for you. Go to the study.”
“Don’t command me.”
I’ll go of my own accord.
Octavia turned with dignified composure and headed toward Baron Ravishi’s study.
“Why did you call for me?”
Baron Ravishi, who had been nervously bouncing his leg, furrowed his brow as Octavia entered the study.
“I thought you’d left. Well, I suppose one place is much the same as another.”
“They’re absolutely different.”
Octavia countered immediately.
That place was a minefield of death flags at every moment, while this one was a charity dispensing contempt.
He broached the main topic with a sardonic tone.
“Still, since you’re my niece, I couldn’t outright tell you to leave, but you seem to lack all sense of the room.”
“I noticed, but I stayed anyway.”
“Is that so? Then we can make this quick. I want you gone. I can no longer overlook your behavior.”
“What exactly have I done?”
I’d done so much, I wasn’t sure what he was referring to.
At Octavia’s question, Baron Ravishi straightened his shoulders and lifted his head. There was a glimmer of resentment in his gaze toward her.
“Because of you, Noel’s tutor left. Did I really have to drive away the one person that motherless child relied on most?”
Since he’d been away from the mansion at the time and information had been controlled by Lothear, he believed that Daisy, who had clashed with Octavia, had been driven out after attempting to harm her.

“The Ludovisi Representative left instructions to pay attention to personnel management.”

‘If she’s such a precious daughter, he should have taken her home.’
Baron Ravishi, feeling indignant, ground his teeth.
The problem was that now that the Ludovisi Representative knew the truth, Daisy couldn’t possibly be safe.
“Where is the tutor?”
“Probably doing well, don’t you think? Why not take this opportunity to look after Noel yourself instead of leaving him in someone else’s hands?”
As Octavia shrugged, the baron’s face flushed red with rage.
“Cedric will return tomorrow after completing his reconnaissance mission. For him to enter the Holy Knight Order, a troublemaker like you can’t be here, can you? And you’ve even touched the Royal Family with false scandals. I’m worried our family will suffer damage too.”
He simply wanted to sweep her away from his sight.
At this, Octavia offered a gentle smile.
“I heard only those with noble blood can enter the Holy Knight Order.”
“That’s right. What’s the problem? Your aunt came from the Count’s family, and I was granted the rank of baron.”
She tilted her head as if in question.
“At your aunt’s funeral, you brought your mistress, so I thought you’d returned her assets and title and were remarrying.”
‘Is she talking about Daisy? How does she know that?’
While the exposed baron’s expression hardened, Octavia maintained her gentle smile.
“If your aunt was murdered through collusion between your uncle and his mistress, who sought her title and wealth—would the title still be valid?”
“Octavia! Blackmail over something that never happened? I never kept a mistress! Besides, no one would believe your lies anyway! Get out of this house right now!”
After his thunderous shout ceased, silence fell between them.
The moonlight streaming through the corridor window faded, and the surroundings grew dim.
While his wife’s discovery of the tutor’s relationship and the resulting illness were significant factors, he hadn’t directly killed her, had he?
Baron Ravishi believed that whatever blackmail Octavia attempted would have no effect on him.
Not until she spoke words that transcended ordinary human reasoning.
“People won’t care about the truth anyway, will they?”
In the darkness, Octavia’s eyes curved with a chilling gleam, softening into a subtle smile.
“It’s an opportunity to attack a successful commoner and drag them down.”
Suspicion was the most potent curse that summoned malice.
The Baron’s face began to pale as he recognized the truth—that mere controversy could strip away so much.
“I’m capable of doing it.”
Octavia’s eyes curved with languid amusement.
According to the original story, the Baron would be the first to lead the Ludovisi Family’s downfall in the years to come.
So I had seized his leash with the intention of using him thoroughly before disposing of him appropriately.
“Whether I become a demon or an angel depends entirely on what you do, Uncle.”
Had she always been this cunning?
The Baron flinched and took a step back, trembling.
“First, could you help me attend the Holy Temple service tomorrow? With Uncle’s involvement in the Holy Temple Council’s sacred relic business, lobbying should be entirely feasible.”
Octavia added kindly.
“And if that’s not possible, you’ll simply have to make it happen yourself, won’t you?”
The Octavia before him now was like radioactive material smiling while slowly irradiating her target—a human whose nature leaned far more toward villainy than virtue.

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