I Bought the Villains With Money - Chapter 76

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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 76.
Some time had passed since Casion expressed his disapproval to Lebert.
In the interim, I learned from Oskin that he had built the machinery and begun excavation work.
I granted permission for the distribution network that Shanal had newly developed and dispatched a team of specialists to resolve Ermas’s financial difficulties.
Meanwhile, both kingdoms preparing for Naval Warfare sent word demanding the anti-nausea medicine urgently, and Karman pressured me, saying that if he couldn’t meet the demand, I should hand over the Manufacturing Method to him.
As Karman had mentioned before, I told Lebert that the King had taken a liking to the anti-nausea medicine he’d made and that I could connect him directly with the King if he wished.
But Lebert refused. He even harbored a serious misunderstanding.
“Are you… abandoning me?”
Lebert insisted he would work under me no matter what.
So I hired ten of his assistants. And I gave him strict instructions.
“I’m only giving you menial tasks. Only you should know the Manufacturing Method, understood?”
In other words, I kept him swamped with work.
‘And in all that chaos, I even had the ring made with Casion!’
When I went to get the ring fitted, I had quite the argument with Casion over who would pay.
So who ended up paying?
Casion did!
I’d never wanted to lose on a matter of money, but Casion played dirty and used his status against me.
“This is a command as a Prince. I’ll cover the cost.”
The little wretch wielded his authority! I’d wanted to smack him upside the head, but seeing how much he’d grown to wield his position as power, I was pleased enough to let him have the honor of giving the ring. Instead, the next day, I sent all sorts of accessories to the Third Prince’s Palace.
And then, at last, the Engagement Ceremony day arrived.
Contrary to Casion’s worries, Julia remained quiet throughout the ceremony.
Through Jennis’s rat friend, I’d learned that the venue was being decorated properly.
‘She couldn’t possibly have reformed. She’s definitely plotting something.’
Not knowing what it was left me frustrated.
“Miss, today is a good day. Do smile.”
Just thinking of Julia made my frown deepen. I took Jennis’s advice and managed a smile.
I didn’t want Julia to ruin a good day for me.
Jennis pulled a mannequin from the Dressing Room. On the mannequin, which matched my frame, hung a Dress that Bensi had crafted with meticulous care.
A pure white Dress with bare shoulders and skirts layered with lace puffed out at the hem. Pearl dust finely ground and scattered across the fabric made it shimmer with an ethereal glow with every movement.
Because it was my mother’s Dress, there were no ribbons. Instead, the Dress bore embroidery so fine that even master craftsmen would struggle to replicate it.
White embroidery on white fabric often loses its shine and impact, but thanks to Bensi’s skill, the delicate needlework gleamed before the eye.
“Bensi certainly has talent.”
“Your mother kept her close for a reason.”
This was a gift from my mother.
That’s what I thought.
“Jennis, help me into the Dress.”
Jennis and two handmaids attended to my preparations. Once I put on the Engagement Ceremony Dress, it finally felt real that I was truly becoming engaged.
Only then did my calm heart begin to race.
‘Back to the Royal Palace again.’
Until just before I nearly died, I’d sworn I wouldn’t even spit in the direction of the Royal Palace.
I used to fall asleep imagining myself clawing at Dayson and Julia’s faces, torturing them all night long.
I’d regretted becoming part of that filthy, ugly Royal Palace over and over.
‘And now I’m walking into the Royal Palace of my own accord, becoming one of the royal family.’
Truly, life is something you must live to understand.
“I suppose you could say I’ve risen from the dead.”
“Pardon? What did you say, Miss?”
Jennis reacted to my murmur. I laughed and shook my head, then gestured for her to hurry.
***
The Engagement Ceremony venue was set in a Garden where white Reprisians bloomed profusely.
Julia stood with her arms crossed, surveying the ceremony site.
The venue was so flawless that even if one looked for faults with a critical eye, there was nothing to criticize.
Julia recalled how she had agonized for days over arranging this site, and her teeth ground together.
‘I’ve poured my very heart’s blood into this ceremony venue.’
The suffering was something Julia had chosen for herself.
Karman had originally intended to leave the entire process to the ceremony director, but Julia volunteered.
Saying she wanted to try playing the role of mother.
The moment those words left her lips—calling herself Casion’s mother—chills ran through her entire body.
But she endured it.
Because Karman had begun casting meaningful glances at Casion.

If Julia were to neglect or antagonize Casion, Karman would surely look after him in secret.
Karman despised conflict.
So Julia needed to play the part of a dutiful mother, if only to prevent Karman from secretly favoring Casion.
‘But this wasn’t my idea.’
The strategy belonged to someone else. When Diana had gone down to the provinces, Julia had seriously considered sending an assassin after her—or perhaps kidnapping her to sabotage the engagement ceremony altogether.
But someone had stopped her.
The Queen Mother of the Brave Kingdom. Queen Erinhunt, who wielded such formidable power she was called the Iron Queen.
And Erinhunt was Julia’s biological mother.
In her youth, her mother had taken a lover—the king’s attendant—and borne Julia, then cast her out as a liability.
Though not entirely abandoned.
Erinhunt had arranged for Julia to establish herself in the Petrola Kingdom, had ensured she became a lady-in-waiting, and had lent her considerable support when she ascended to the position of queen consort.
All of it, naturally, in secret.
Nothing was free. Julia had to provide information whenever Erinhunt demanded it.
Placing someone at Karman’s side had also been meant to extract information to send to Erinhunt.
In any case, Erinhunt had insisted that Julia play the virtuous role in this engagement.
Following her mother’s counsel, her relationship with Karman had noticeably improved.
As a result, Julia had been given responsibility for handling the minister of finance.
All she had to do now was exile the minister of finance—who had been dragging things out—far away. She could have the matter settled cleanly en route, if she wished.
His transgressions were, for now, buried.
‘An exchange of favors. That settles it.’
Now that Casion and Dayson were pitted against each other, she simply had to ensure Dayson won.
She had already recruited several professors to teach princely studies—people who would support Dayson unreservedly.
‘The frail Casion won’t even be a proper rival for Dayson.’
Julia turned away with a smile.
“Your Majesty, here you are. We’ve completed the final inspection.”
“Was anything amiss?”
“No, Your Majesty. Everything is absolutely flawless. With your personal attention, even the weather has cooperated beautifully. Ha ha.”
The ceremony coordinator lavished praise upon Julia without pause. She appreciated flattery so transparent—one could read it at a glance.
Ordinarily she would have pressed a handful of coins into his hand, but with this coordinator, she needed to maintain distance.
“Nonsense. You’re the one who decorated and arranged this venue, not I. I merely heard your ideas and offered the occasional comment. Isn’t that right, Rena?”
“Indeed, Your Majesty. The ceremony coordinator worked very hard.”
Julia’s modest disclaimer, backed by Rena’s agreement, left the ceremony coordinator’s mouth gaping wide.
“I shall certainly convey your efforts to His Majesty. You’ll see what comes of it.”
After Julia departed, the coordinator clenched both fists and shadowboxed at the empty air.
He thought to himself:
‘I’m getting promoted!’
***
The moment I saw the engagement hall, my first thought was, ‘Dazzlingly white.’ White symbolized purity and blessing. Yet surrounded by all that pristine whiteness, I felt as though happiness were being forced upon me.
‘Julia prepared this venue, didn’t she? It’s unsettling.’
A royal engagement ceremony rivaled a wedding in scale and procedure.
First, the two principals must prepare separately in different waiting rooms before the ceremony begins.
When the fanfare sounds, both enter hand-in-hand down a white carpeted aisle.
Then they receive the priest’s blessing and exchange rings.
After that, they share a drink called Goddess’s Tears.
Adult engagement ceremonies include the Kiss of Oath, but we had arranged beforehand to forgo that.
‘Add just three or four more steps and this becomes a wedding.’
I surveyed the hall.
Despite being merely an engagement ceremony, there were a considerable number of guests.
Though I’d deliberately invited only a modest group, somehow the Irenber Family section was packed with people—I wasn’t sure who’d brought them.
The crowd was gathered in concentric circles around someone, deep in conversation. I narrowed my eyes to see who it was.
‘Count Colcos.’
I clicked my tongue.
“Ha ha ha, my nephew is quite remarkable, isn’t he? But no matter how impressive he is, he’s still just a child. It’s thanks to me speaking well to the queen consort that the Irenber Family has received this blessing, wouldn’t you say?”
Colcos was holding forth so loudly that I couldn’t avoid hearing his nonsense.
What utter drivel he talked.
I let the count prattle on. His days of such boasting were numbered. Besides, I didn’t need to lift a finger, because—
“That’s strange, Count. I heard you didn’t even know that Miss Diana and Prince Casion had met.”
—there were plenty of people willing to step in for me.
It was Rumdracks, attending the ceremony in his capacity as my teacher, who had shamed Colcos.
Rumdracks could be trusted to handle Colcos. By the end of today, the count would likely be utterly deflated by Rumdracks’s words.
‘My pockets might get picked.’
The thought of Colcos discovering he’d been swindled, his fury—it eased my nerves considerably.
“Hasn’t Cho arrived yet?”
“Oh! Here she comes now. They say dragons appear the moment you speak of them, and look—perfectly timed. Hello, Cho.”
“Ugh, aren’t you uncomfortable? How are you even managing a dress?”
Cho stepped inside, fussing with the wig that sat oddly on her head.
“Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen you in a dress. It really suits you, doesn’t it?”
“This suits me?”
Cho looked horrified, making no secret of her desire to tear it off immediately.
“I pulled off your identity rather well, though.”
My mother’s side of the family was known not to exist. Mother had been the daughter of a dying noble house in Nobel, and her one sibling was recorded as having left home long ago.
Rather than introduce Cho now as my close confidant, it was better to let her live in the shadows as she preferred.
‘That made it easier for her to move about anyway.’
It was a decision where her desires and my interests aligned perfectly.
Yet even for a hidden family member, I’d wanted to invite her to the Engagement Ceremony. Cho had desperately wanted to come as well.
So I’d disguised her as my mother’s friend and sent her an invitation.
“Did you notice anything strange?”
I’d already checked when I arrived, but Julia couldn’t be ignored—so I asked Cho to do another sweep.
“Nothing particularly odd.”
“What about the structures hanging from the trees?”
Dropping objects was one of the most common ways to sabotage an event like this.
“They were sturdy.”
“Any slippery spots on the ground?”
I doubted Julia would invest so much effort in making me stumble foolishly, but I asked anyway, just to be safe.
“Nothing like that either.”
“Any suspicious people?”
“This is a Royal Palace event. They’ve already checked their side thoroughly. It’s impossible for us to verify right now.”
Of all the ways the Engagement Ceremony could go wrong, only methods involving people remained.
As Cho said, there was nothing more we could do from our end.
“Which would seem more convincing and easier—planting a bomb or starting a riot?”
I Bought the Villains with Money (Serialized)
Author | Lee In-hye
Publisher | Kim Joo-hyung
Publishing House | J-Plus Media Co., Ltd. – Tiramisu
Marketing | Han Jae-hyuk
Address | 11th Floor, Ace Techno Tower 8th Building, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, 1101)
Email | [email protected]
Website | http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1
© Lee In-hye 2021
※ This work is published by J-Plus Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder.
No part of this content may be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
Violation of this may 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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