My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 83

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

Chapter 83

“Why are you being so well-behaved lately? It’s not like you.”

At his melancholy question, I kept my mouth firmly shut. It wasn’t because I had nothing to say, but rather because I had too much I wanted to say and was choosing my response.

“Why didn’t you do anything? What the hell are you scheming!”

Unable to wait through that brief pause, the Duke started going off again. The Duke muttered to himself that it couldn’t be true and began trembling once more.

“You! There’s no way you would do that, but everyone’s saying strange things! Even rumors are spreading! Do you know how shocked I was!”

“What do you mean there’s no way? It’s good if I don’t do anything and behave quietly.”

“There’s no way you would do that! What’s with the silent courtesy, and what about the books! You who takes people lightly, showing silent courtesy! Besides, I haven’t seen you read a book since you were nine years old!”

“…”

I really had nothing to say about this part.

I only realized that Riana Winsor was a more remarkable person than I had thought.

‘Was being a scoundrel to that extent?’

Just as I was contemplating how far a person’s reputation could fall, the Duke slumped down like someone who had lost all energy.

He was bound to be exhausted after shouting like that.

“I heard you’ve been skipping meals frequently lately too. Did you hate the house arrest that much?”

It wasn’t exactly because of that, but the flow of conversation wasn’t bad.

“I wasn’t trying to protest to Father. As I told you before, I was just trying to reflect on my irresponsible actions.”

After all, my original purpose in wanting to see the Duke was to lift the house arrest.

‘I need to find Azel.’

Even if this was the early part of the game, it wasn’t like there was absolutely nothing I could do. I was thinking of somehow expanding my range of movement and finally going out to find Azel first this time.

To do that, I had to gradually pretend to be a new person and gain the Duke’s trust.

“R-reflect?”

However, the Duke’s reaction was different from what I expected.

“Reflection! Riana, you talking about reflection-!”

His face instantly turning ashen was no ordinary serious situation.

“P-priest!”

“Father?”

Why is that man acting like that again?!

The Duke jumped up from his seat and shouted toward the butler before I could even stop him.

“Butler! Tell those people I sent away earlier to come back immediately!”

The Duke was calling back the priest he had just sent away.

The fact that he was looking for a priest instead of a physician meant he was worried about my mental health. I was starting to get a headache too.

When I spoke up, suppressing my rising anger, fortunately the Duke’s gaze turned toward me.

“It’s a lie. I was protesting because I wanted the house arrest lifted, so just sit down, please.”

“…Really?”

“Really.”

“Right! I knew it! There’s no way you would do that for no reason! Of course, that’s right!”

The Duke’s eyes, filled with subtle madness, sparkled like someone who had finally found a reasonable explanation. That made me even more annoyed.

It seemed like my carefully planned ‘Villainess Becomes a New Person!’ strategy wouldn’t be helpful at all.

Anyway, now that I knew it wouldn’t work, I had to quickly move on to the next method. I immediately leaned back carelessly against the sofa backrest.

And in that position, I declared,

“Now that you know, please lift the house arrest. If you don’t lift it, I’ll keep refusing to eat.”

“…!”

The Duke’s expression was finally colored with emotion.

If this was what he wanted, I could become the immature eldest daughter of the Duke’s family as much as he liked.

‘Azel, wait just a little longer. I’ll come looking for you soon.’

Only I didn’t know that my eyes were already subtly spinning too.

*

As a result, the Duke only half-lifted my house arrest.

“There’s a condition. If you want the house arrest lifted, attend the upcoming Flores Marquis’ birthday party.”

The Duke had set a condition for me.

When I expressed doubt at his sudden request, the Duke added this:

“If you show your most well-behaved side there, I’ll lift the house arrest.”

The marquis’ eldest daughter was getting married soon, so there would be a grand party? He was saying that if I behaved properly there, he would lift the house arrest.

‘In the end, he’s telling me to go and recover even a little of my reputation that’s scraping the bottom.’

Of course, it wasn’t a difficult task for me.

“How much further to the shop?”

“We’re almost there! Just past that dessert shop ahead and we’ll arrive right away!”

Thus, we were currently heading to the dress shop to get fitted for a dress to wear to the party.

‘The Duke was insisting we should just call the staff over, but that wouldn’t work.’

I pushed my opinion through like an immature daughter, rolling on the floor.

“If you don’t let me go, I won’t eat!”

“Why won’t you eat!”

I didn’t want to use food as leverage either, but somehow this turned out to be the most effective method.

Anyway, I wanted to quickly check the outside situation even if it meant doing this. Only then would I get a sense of what I could use and how.

‘But indeed, the Duke’s family prestige is truly tremendous.’

Seeing people hurriedly clear the way when they spotted the Duke’s family crest carved large as a door on the carriage, Winsor’s prestige was certainly impressive.

‘Well, I suppose that’s natural?’

Bolton of the East.

Lutis of the West.

Winsor of the South.

Egmund of the North.

These four families are called the four great nobles supporting the Empire.

Among them, ‘Winsor’ was a great noble family that ruled the entire South.

Unlike Lutis, which has produced outstanding magicians for generations, Bolton, a renowned swordsmanship family, and Egmund, which has imperial descendants as its head, Winsor is famous in a different way.

‘Living gold. It’s truly amazing when I think about it again.’

Winsor does anything profitable except illegal activities, right?

Thanks to this, Winsor, with gem mines and various private businesses under its umbrella, boasted tremendous wealth even among nobles.

“The money Father gave you. You’re keeping it safe, right?”

“Of course! I’ve brought all the gems and gold coins safely! He said if it’s not enough, I should withdraw money from your account, so please tell me anytime if you see something you want!”

When leaving the manor, the butler suddenly handed me a heavy pouch, and when I wondered what it was, it was all money.

And this was just for one dress.

Since I had never experienced holding this much money, my hands were secretly trembling.

“Be careful not to lose it.”

“Yes! Don’t worry!”

I finally turned my gaze outside the window to see how much further it was to the dress shop.

But then.

“…Huh?”

At that moment, someone familiar caught my eye in the distance at the edge of my vision.

The hem of a long robe in dark brown.

It was a common design, but there was no way I could have mistaken that familiar silhouette. I hurriedly pressed against the window and followed him with my gaze, but he quickly disappeared into the alley.

“Stop.”

“Miss?”

“The carriage, stop it! Right now!”

Azel,

He was there.

*

I know I shouldn’t be doing this.

“Miss! Why are you acting like this!”

However, my hands were already shaking off Bel’s grasp as she tried to hold me back.

“Miss-!”

“What’s happening?”

When I roughly opened the door, the guard outside approached. Since I had forced my way into getting permission to go out, this was absolutely something I shouldn’t be doing.

“Sir Knight! Please stop the miss!”

“Stop her? Miss? Huh? Wait! Wait a moment, Miss! Stop! Please stop, quickly!”

But when I came to my senses, my legs were already running frantically.

Who would have thought that being somewhat good at running would be this helpful.

I could hear the urgent voices of people chasing after me, but I just kept running.

‘Azel!’

Because he was right there.

Click click click! The high heels I was wearing made running very uncomfortable, but I couldn’t stop. After running and running, I finally entered the alley when I heard screams from behind me.

“Miss!”

I felt sorry for the people who were desperate not to lose me, but I was just as desperate.

‘Azel! Azel, please!’

I wanted to call out his name, but I couldn’t.

I couldn’t carelessly call out the name of a widely known villain in the middle of the territory.

“Stop! Please wait!”

That’s why I had to catch him by running.

I was briefly frustrated by the silhouette that wasn’t visible even after entering the alley. Finally, I took off the high heels I was wearing and threw them away.

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