I Bought the Villains With Money - Chapter 18

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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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Chapter 18.
‘What is this? My own story’s come up? But how did Julia know I was going in and out of the Royal Palace?’
Who told her?
I’d always known discovery would come eventually, but not this soon. I hadn’t prepared myself.
The careful time I’d spent building something with Cassion came crashing down. My hand tightened on the doorknob.
Should I turn back now, or should I go inside?
If I enter now, I’ll be confirming to Julia that I’ve been visiting Cassion’s palace. That would only narrow my options further.
But if I don’t show myself and turn back instead?
Cassion will have to bear Julia’s harsh words alone.
‘He’ll be hurt. It will wound him.’
I couldn’t leave him alone in the face of such cruelty anymore.
‘My purpose matters, but I can’t run away from someone in distress.’
That’s how my parents raised me. Problems that arise later, I can work through calmly.
“Leave the sweet girl alone. Don’t torment her.”
Julia didn’t even give Cassion time to respond before pressing her attack.
The one tormenting that sweet girl isn’t Cassion—it’s you!
I couldn’t listen anymore.
I steeled my resolve and yanked the door open.
***
Julia had always been utterly indifferent to Cassion in the past.
Anyone in Cassion’s situation would have developed an illness of the heart.
Julia had counted on it. And her prediction had been largely correct—Cassion had wilted away under her neglect and disdain.
But then a variable appeared. Someone who took an interest in him. I hadn’t directly heard news of it, but the moment I saw the palace, I could tell.
The slightly fuller quilts, the brightened curtains, the smooth curve of Cassion’s lips without any chapping—all of it was evidence.
“So don’t waste a promising girl’s life ahead of her…….”
“Your Highness!”
A fresh voice cut through Julia’s words, ringing out clearly.
Golden hair rippled as it swept past Julia’s side.
A girl suddenly burst in and embraced the trembling Cassion.
“Who are you!”
Julia didn’t approve of someone entering the 3rd Prince’s Palace unbidden, much less someone who ignored her and acted as though only Cassion existed.
At Julia’s shout, the girl spun around. Julia’s eyes widened. Then a strange gleam flickered across her pupils.
Julia recognized who the girl was in an instant.
“House of Irenber.”
Anyone who knew the Duke and Duchess of House Irenber couldn’t fail to recognize that the girl was their daughter. Diana was the very image of them both.
At Julia’s call, Diana released Cassion. She turned and positioned herself in front of him, as though shielding him.
Diana placed her hand on her chest and dropped into a deep curtsy.
“Your Majesty, I am Diana Viola Irenber. It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”
Julia answered with a wave of her fan. She narrowed her eyes and waited for Diana’s next words.
Most people knew Cassion was a forsaken prince, but they didn’t know Julia’s true nature.
More precisely, no one had ever witnessed her misdeeds. There was no evidence.
Julia had taken care to maintain the image of a virtuous queen in public, for the sake of making Dayson king.
If her reputation suffered, it would do Dayson no good.
‘The timing isn’t favorable.’
Julia worried whether Diana had heard what she’d just said to Cassion.
“So you favor His Highness, and yet you visit for conversation even during your busy schedule?”
But her worry proved groundless—Diana’s manner toward Julia was respectful.
‘It seems she didn’t hear what I said.’
If she had heard her speak so harshly, she wouldn’t have used the word favor.
Julia studied Diana. The girl’s innocent smile made her seem like a child.
But why had she been sneaking in and out of the 3rd Prince’s Palace?
The question had barely formed when Julia noticed how pathetically Colcos—a mere girl barely up to his chest—had him floundering. Julia smiled warmly and spoke affectionately.
“That’s right. Lady Diana. I thought Cassion might be lonely, so I stopped by. We were just having quite an entertaining conversation.”
“Oh! What was the story about? No, wait—please don’t tell me!”
Just as Julia was about to improvise an answer, Diana threw up her hand, stopping her.
Julia was annoyed by Diana’s impertinent gesture. She was about to reproach her.
Then Diana, with a face pretty as a doll, smiled softly and spoke.
“I’d like to try guessing it myself. That’s all right, isn’t it, Your Majesty?”
‘I can’t tell if she has manners or no manners at all.’
Julia decided to observe this inscrutable Diana a little longer.
“Hmm, what story could it have been…….”
The girl murmured, drawing her brows together as if genuinely searching for the answer.
Then, as recognition dawned, she clapped her hands and spoke.
“Oh! Could it have been a story about curses?”
It was a remark that came out of nowhere. Julia’s left eyebrow arched upward.
Diana didn’t give Julia time to respond, pressing on.
“You know, like those Cursed Doll legends! Where everyone around the main character says to them, ‘You’ll die if you’re with that person, everyone dies!’ ”
Diana’s eyes widened as she raised her voice like someone performing a tale. Julia saw herself reflected in Diana’s face—her own self, shouting at Cassion.
‘Did she hear?’
A faint glimmer of contempt seemed to cross Diana’s features. It was impossible for a mere thirteen-year-old girl to wear such an expression before the well-regarded Queen—and yet there it was.
That was when Julia’s suspicion deepened: Diana had heard her words, and was now acting as if she understood everything.
“……Did I guess wrong? My lady’s maid tells me Cursed Doll stories sometimes, and I always find them so entertaining.”
Diana’s face fell with the pouting disappointment of a child her age.
Behind Diana, Cassion spoke softly.
“……What’s entertaining about curse stories.”
Hearing his voice—nearly extinguished—Diana could sense how drained he had become.
‘I need to comfort Cassion first, before Julia.’
Diana turned and took his hand. His eyes were rimmed with red. His lips, bitten to keep from crying, were equally flushed.
‘All red.’
Diana hid the pity in her gaze. Instead, she brightened her voice deliberately.
“But that’s what makes it fun. It’s all lies, yet so many people believe it. I think anyone who believes such things is a fool. Besides, do you know how curse stories end?”
“How?”
Diana glanced carefully at Julia’s expression. The Queen, daughter of House of Irenber, was preoccupied trying to gauge whether she had overheard Diana’s words to Cassion, and was paying little attention to their conversation.
Satisfied, Diana lowered her voice to a whisper.
“They all die.”
“What?”
“Everyone who pointed their fingers at the main character, calling them a Cursed Doll—they all die.”
A flash of killing intent crossed Diana’s eyes. Cassion sensed precisely where it was directed.
Cassion was the Cursed Doll, and Julia was the one who would die for pointing her finger at him.
He was grateful for Diana’s words, yet terrified.
Cassion knew Julia’s cruelty better than anyone.
When Violeta was alive, Julia would periodically send her bizarre Gifts to torment her.
She had even sent Portraits of herself, Dayson, and King Karman together, all smiling tenderly.
If Julia had just heard Diana’s words? Julia wasn’t fool enough to miss the implication—she would torment Diana mercilessly, stopping just short of death.
Cassion felt a fear even greater than when Julia had hurled insults at him.
Cassion tried to pull Diana back by her sleeve. But she didn’t budge.
He glanced past Diana’s shoulder. Julia’s eyes were unfocused, her gaze distant—whether she hadn’t heard or was lost in thought, he couldn’t tell.
Cassion pressed his fingernail firmly into Diana’s palm. When their eyes met, he mouthed silently.
‘Stop.’
Diana understood Cassion’s gentle warning and nodded. Now that Cassion was calmer, she just needed to send Julia away. Diana turned her body.
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Julia’s unfocused gaze sharpened and fixed on Diana.
“Will you tell me an amusing story as well, sometime?”
Julia’s mouth curved upward. She was startled by Diana’s sudden emergence, but she had been meaning to learn what schemes the girl was harboring.
She could conduct an investigation, but it was easier to discover things through direct conversation. Since Diana had laid the groundwork, Julia had no reason to refuse.
‘I need to know why she’s sneaking in and out of the 3rd Prince’s Palace undetected.’
She could forbid it immediately, but what if there were others behind Diana, targeting House of Irenber?
It was unbelievable that a thirteen-year-old girl could slip in and out of the palace unnoticed—Julia’s thoughts naturally turned toward the possibility that someone was backing Diana.
Julia asked in a measured voice.
“What kind of story would you like to hear?”
“Oh, this and that.”
Diana shrugged as if the matter were trivial. But what came from her lips next was anything but light.
“Nothing particularly grand. Oh, though it might seem grand to Your Majesty. I have many questions about you and Prince Dayson.”
Julia’s eyebrows twitched. The vague tone of her words felt decidedly suspicious.
She couldn’t quite tell if the girl disliked her or not.
On the surface, with her gentle smile and soft manner of speaking, she seemed like just another child—but her words said otherwise! She spoke like no thirteen-year-old should.
Thirteen years old in age, yet her cunning was unmistakably her father’s.
Julia restrained the urge to claw that pretty face and spoke.
“A most intriguing subject. Do visit the Queen’s Palace later, young Lady Diana. And, speaking as one who knows your father well—”
Julia extended her hand smoothly, grasping Diana’s small shoulder and leaning in close.
Diana felt the pressure and tried to pull away, but it was futile. The heavy scent of lilies stung her nostrils. Julia, holding her down with a subtle strength, smiled with her lips as she spoke.
“Do pay careful attention to your surroundings, young lady. Since you have no one to catch you should you lose your way, you must guard yourself all the more.”
I Bought the Villains with Money (Serialized)
Author │ Lee In-hye
Publisher │ Kim Ju-hyung
Published by │ J Plus Media Co., Ltd. – Tiramisu
Marketing │ Han Jae-hyuk
Address │ 1101 Bldg., 11 Digibeol-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Ace Techno Tower 8th, 11th Floor)
Email │ [email protected]
Website │ http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1
© Lee In-hye 2021
※ This work is published by J Plus Media Co., Ltd. in accordance with a contract with the copyright holder,
and no content may be used in any form or by any means without the permission of the company and author.
Violation of this shall result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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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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