Disqualified as a Villainess - Chapter 27

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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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#27.

A handsome man in military uniform with a deeply furrowed brow emerged from between the low, rounded leaves of the garden shrubs.
He had black hair with coral-tinted ends, a tattoo-like pattern adorning his neck, and the bearing of a ruffian. His height and build were imposing, befitting a soldier.
It seemed he had come searching for the missing Prince Jeriel.
The moment our eyes met, his coral-colored eyes scrunched up completely.
It was Logan Ortega.
A first-class ability user belonging to the Kingdom Military Special Division—an elite organization that only accepted those who had inherited exceptional talents from both parents, or rare cases of dual inheritance.
Like his older brother, the previous Hale Ortega, who had been selected by Dekima Crown Princess for his outstanding appearance, Logan possessed equally striking features—
“Damn it, what rotten luck.”
He cursed in the middle of a compliment about his looks. What a crude beast.
This man, who unleashed dual curses the moment he appeared, had also fought Octavia in the past.
‘At this point, Octavia must be a gangster who hasn’t fought anyone.’
Because of Octavia’s past grievances, I—who had been cursed out from our very first meeting—offered him a gracious smile.
“Why do you curse like that, sir?”
At my professional tone, Logan’s face twisted in disgust.
“Like that? Are you insane? Just talk normally, would you?”
I was different from Octavia, who engaged in brutal verbal sparring matches with him on a regular basis.
“There’s a child listening, sir. Your language is far too harsh.”
“Where’s the child?”
When I pointed to Prince Jeriel, who stood motionless with cloth draped over him, Logan narrowed his eyes and tilted his head.
“What is that? A cursed doll?”
“Prince Jeriel, sir.”
“What nonsense—”
“Uncle.”
At the voice from the cursed doll, Logan’s eyes widened in shock.
“Jeriel? Our Prince?”
His demeanor shifted dramatically. He carefully lifted the cloth to confirm, then suddenly embraced Prince Jeriel.
“My dear boy, why did you disappear in the middle of healing? Your uncle was so worried. Are you hurt anywhere?”
His voice had become remarkably tender.
Was this the same person? The whiplash from his sudden transformation—from cursing ruffian to doting uncle—made my vision spin.
After fussing over his nephew, he turned to me. Contempt had returned to his eyes.
“Why are you with the Prince?”
I lifted my chin confidently.
“A savage and dangerous pack of mole-rats appeared, so we fled together.”
“Why do you lie so creatively?”
At his criticism, delivered with minimal cursing, Prince Jeriel tugged at his collar.
“It’s not the lady’s fault. I asked her to flee with me, and when I grow up, I’ll marry her.”
The child’s creative interpretation was far more surprising than my reframing of him as a mole-rat.
“That’s absolutely, no—that’s completely unacceptable.”
Unable to find an appropriate substitute for his colorful language, Logan picked up Prince Jeriel with a grimace on his face.
“Jeriel, don’t play with that woman. Understood?”
“I’ve already promised to marry her.”
“Break the engagement. I’ll have the Royal Palace Legal Department handle it.”
Logan swept his displeased gaze over me from head to toe, then tried to leave with Prince Jeriel.
“Let’s go. The Priests and healers are waiting.”
“I won’t go. I don’t want healing or ceremonies. I want to stay with this lady.”
Seeing Prince Jeriel hide behind me, Logan glared at me repeatedly.
“Hey, what did you say to make Jeriel act like this?”
“Uncle, don’t speak disrespectfully to my lady.”
At Prince Jeriel’s stern tone, Logan looked at me with eyes that seemed to ask how I could possibly take my side over his own.
“What nonsense did you feed our nephew? Lady.”
“It’s not much different from what you say, Lord Logan.”
Perhaps noticing that while my rudeness was the same, something about me was different from before, Logan tilted his head.
“But… who are you?”
He approached with suspicious eyes and examined me carefully.
“Why do you smell like a completely different person? Your aura too.”
Could he be some kind of beast? The moment I heard his sharp question, a slight chill ran down my neck.
“You’re not a bad person. You saved me when I was in a difficult situation. And this lady said she would make it so I can live.”
There was a faint glimmer of hope in Prince Jeriel’s words.
Logan, who had been watching the Prince, slowly turned his head to look at me again. The pattern tattooed on his neck became clearly visible.
“…Your Highness, for that to happen, you need to receive healing. I’ll come to the ceremony later too, so please don’t worry too much. You can do this, right?”
At my gentle words, the young Prince in white cloth nodded with determination and took Logan’s hand.
“Understood. You must come, lady.”
I watched Ortega and Prince Jeriel depart.
Logan, who came to cherish his nephew like his own life in place of his dead brother, becomes a completely different person after Prince Jeriel’s death.
And believing that death to be Octavia’s doing, he feels hatred beyond mere contempt.

“Ortega, what did I gain from killing a child? There must be others who benefited. Does blaming someone else make your heart feel at ease?”

This was what Octavia said to Logan as he revealed his rage and strangled her.
After his nephew’s death, Logan…
He suffers from mental collapse rooted in guilt, and later dies in battle during the Chaos Gate destruction operation, a great catastrophe yet to come.
“Hmm… it seems I’ve ended up saving even you.”
I murmured with a tone of regret, when I suddenly noticed something strange.
‘But that man… why isn’t anything showing up?’
At that level, a negative affinity of 300 should have appeared?

***

First Holy Temple Council Chamber.
“My apologies for the delay. Though I could have been even later.”
I pushed open the door and entered with confidence.
Chloe, Countess Hertan, and other parties involved in the incident with Princess May were already gathered.
Along with Prince Dominic, high-ranking clergy from the Kingdom Holy Temple, and even Saint Uriana.
Countess Hertan, who had been attacked by the mole earlier, glared at me.
“You should apologize for your rudeness just now.”
“Indeed. You should apologize to that child. Do you still not know who they are?”
I offered her a bright smile.
The Countess looked flustered, but I didn’t reveal the child’s identity.
One of the Priests stood up, shuffling through documents with crisp efficiency.
“The Temple will conduct one final inspection of the sacred barrier and award commendations to the faithful Octavia and Chloe. With that, we conclude this agenda.”
Why are they wrapping this up without me?
Still, I already knew what had transpired, so it wasn’t a major concern. Just as the original story dictated—the Temple Society’s evasion of responsibility, Chloe’s rebuttal, and Saint Uriana’s irritation.
I approached Chloe, who was about to leave, and greeted her first.
“Hello.”
“Hello, Miss Octavia.”
Though her reluctance was evident, Chloe answered with a smile.
“To receive recognition for merely breaking a brooch—how enviable.”
In the original story, such a thing was only possible through foresight and vast expenditure, so it felt terribly unfair.
At this, Chloe’s expression stiffened slightly.

Favorability Decreased [+20]

Hmm, the increase in unfavorability seems to pose no problem.
Just then, Dominic, witnessing Chloe’s expression, strode toward me with an angry face.
“Octavia, what did you just say?”
“I said I won’t withdraw the support suspension! Stop being so obsessive!”
I raised my voice so everyone could hear and turned away.
The tactic of winning through sheer volume seemed to be working—people’s gazes grew uncertain.
“Faithful Octavia, please step forward.”
And as the final conclusion, I received a commendation from the Temple Society.
I expected they’d give me something like five hundred million won in cultural vouchers, but what I actually received was a needlessly honorable certificate of appreciation, unrestricted access to all Temple facilities, and merchandise featuring the Bishop.

***

Octavia headed straight for the Sanctuary of Ceremony, where Prince Jeriel’s coronation ceremony would begin.
“Lady Octavia.”
At the sound of that clear, melodious voice calling her name, she turned around.
Saint Uriana approached with a gentle smile, her eyes narrowing pleasantly.
In the afternoon sunlight, the Saint’s silver hair gleamed with a radiant golden hue.
“I have something I’d like to ask you.”
“Of course, ask me anything.”
Octavia answered kindly, having already anticipated the question. The Saint studied her closely as she smiled.
True to her reputation as a demon wearing an angel’s mask and a beautiful viper, she was a woman with dazzling platinum hair and virtuous, exquisite features.
Her lilac eyes, brimming with moisture, appeared languid yet captivating.
‘Eighty percent of it is her face. Men are really…’
Most romantic entanglements between men and women, after all, must first pass the preliminary round of physical appearance.
Of course, since she herself possessed equally refined beauty and a presence similar to Octavia’s, she had assumed the Admiral would accept her as well.
‘It doesn’t seem like he’s judging based on character. What could be so special about her?’
Saint Uriana scrutinized every detail of Octavia’s face before speaking.
“I didn’t intentionally witness what happened that day, but… I’m simply curious what charm of yours has captivated the Admiral.”
“You’re curious about my charm? Shall I take you on a date to show you?”
It was an unexpected response.
Normally, someone would interpret it as meaning she had no charm, feel wounded pride, and ramble on with information—but instead, she was smiling with brazen amusement. Saint Uriana’s expression turned bewildered.
Deciding that euphemisms were unnecessary, the Saint stepped closer to Octavia.
“Let me cut to the chase and get straight to the point. I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
What she then revealed was, from Octavia’s perspective, absolutely extraordinary.

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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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