That’s How I Became a Villainess - Chapter 47

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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 47

“You’ll hear the details another time. And the butler will receive this.”
Cedric took the two letters that Count Nicholas handed him.
Each bore the names of Cedric and Anna. Bridget had written them.
“Instructions to pack according to what’s written there.”
“Understood. It shouldn’t take long.”
Cedric accepted it respectfully and divided it with Anna.
The letter was quite thick. The first page held a brief explanation of their current situation.
‘The King and the lady’s mood seemed off lately.’
He recalled what Bridget had said about stepping away for a time.
‘So that was what she meant to say. She wasn’t planning to visit her family home after all. That’s actually a relief.’
Cedric felt relieved.
If Bridget earned the King’s favor, she wouldn’t have to endure horrors like yesterday again.
But there was one thing he couldn’t understand: the matter concerning Penelope.
Bridget had written that she would not punish Penelope and to leave her as she was, as before.
Cedric, who had assumed Penelope would be dragged to prison, felt a slight disappointment.
‘She must have her reasons for this as well.’
Knowing that Bridget would ultimately drive out both Isaac and Penelope, he decided not to be hasty.
The following pages contained a lengthy list of luggage to bring.
‘This is odd.’
Bridget had written the luggage list horizontally, line after line.
‘Usually something like this would be written vertically for clarity.’
As Cedric patiently examined the confusing list through to the final page, his eyes halted at a particular section.
He suddenly glanced around, then quickly crumpled the last page and thrust it into his mouth and swallowed.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Anna in the distance hastily put one of the letter pages into her mouth and chew it away.
Their eyes met, and the two exchanged a nod as though passing a signal.

* * *

Shortly after, the servants loaded Bridget’s luggage onto the carriage.
Isaac, having quietly escaped upstairs to avoid Count Nicholas, approached hesitantly and watched the servants move the trunks.
Though Isaac had not received a letter, he quickly understood from the signs that Julian intended to keep Bridget at the Royal Palace.
‘The King has taken a fancy to Bridget. Given that he wishes to negotiate with me, he must be arranging a Royal Mistress contract.’
Though he had just lost his wife to the King, and had every reason to be angry and bitter, Isaac felt nothing of the sort.
His mind spun with petty calculations.
‘Is this what they call turning misfortune to advantage?’
Not only had Bridget become the benefactor of House Spencer, but she had managed to seduce Julian in the bargain.
It was admirable, even remarkable.
‘I thought I’d been entangled with Count Kensington by bad luck, or that I’d die from Collective Punishment for what Penelope did.’
He suspected that Bridget had somehow caught Julian’s eye through her growing friendship with Milea Spencer.
‘Yesterday, the King came to fetch Bridget. But precisely then, Penelope committed that insane act…….’
The true cause and effect was the reverse, but Isaac could only speculate this way.
‘Bridget as the King’s Royal Mistress, no less!’
In such a case, both Bridget and her husband—himself—would receive enormous rewards.
Isaac thrilled at the thought that he might even seize this opportunity to enter the halls of power.
History showed many instances where a Royal Mistress favored by the King had secured positions for her husband, her birth family, and her in-laws alike.
Isaac couldn’t help but bounce on his heels with joy.
His enormous ambition for elevation in status eclipsed yesterday’s fear entirely.
‘If only Bridget speaks well of me to the King……!’
But then his own past actions flickered through his mind.
‘Surely she won’t take the money she received from the King, pay off her debts to me, and ask for a divorce? I’m anxious. I should meet Josh soon. Borrow more money from him. Enough that Bridget can never repay it.’
Money flowed abundantly.
If only he could break into aristocratic society, such an investment was nothing.
Besides, he had an attractive investment opportunity with which to tempt Josh.
The trade business in the Cartania Kingdom that Bridget had mentioned.
After considerable investigation, Bridget’s words had proven true.
There were reports that the Kingdom of Cartania had opened new trade routes, and if all went well, maritime commerce with the Eastern Continent might soon be possible.
Bridget likely didn’t realize how significant that information was.
‘Bridget asked me to invest in it under her name, so I’ll make a modest investment and push Josh to borrow a bit of money for his own stake. Of course, I’ll be investing substantially more than that myself.’
No matter how many gifts Bridget received from the King through her flattery, she could never accumulate wealth faster than through shrewd business ventures.
Isaac had decided to simply outspend her.
‘I should send gifts to my mother-in-law as well. Wait—didn’t Bridget mention a younger sister who couldn’t marry due to financial hardship? I can use that girl as leverage too.’
Isaac knew well that family was Bridget’s Achilles heel.
She couldn’t refuse anything if it involved her relatives.
This marriage itself had come about precisely because of that vulnerability.
As long as he held her family’s fate in his hands, she would never dare broach the subject of divorce.
Yet one thing nagged at him.
‘But didn’t the rumors say the King was dying soon? I heard he didn’t have much time left.’
Isaac recalled Julian, who had appeared perfectly healthy to his eye.
‘How could such a man be lusting after a woman? If he’s supposed to be on death’s door, his frame still looked robust, healthier even than mine. I can’t make sense of any of it.’
Isaac casually probed one of the servants moving trunks.
“Why bring so much luggage? Anyone who saw this would think you were staying there forever.”
There was no point hauling all this if the King died soon—they’d only have to pack it all up again and bring it back.
The servant answered with a tone that bordered on insolence.
“Anna said that His Majesty is in perfectly fine health! The mistress told me not to worry. Please step aside—we’re in a hurry.”
His mood worsened, though the attitude was ambiguous enough that he couldn’t quite call it out.
The servants had never felt warmly toward Isaac and Penelope to begin with, and after witnessing yesterday’s events, their loyalty had evaporated entirely.
All that remained for them was pity for Bridget.
Isaac bristled at the servant’s manner, but this wasn’t the moment to press the issue.
He immediately summoned Anna.
“What do you mean the King is fine? I heard rumors that a curse has left his health in terrible decline. Tell me everything you know.”
“Why are you asking me? You’re the one who saw His Majesty up close yesterday. I know nothing.”
Isaac glared at Anna as she answered evasively.
“I know Bridget sent you with messages. So speak truthfully or not at all.”
“I really don’t know!”
“Hand over the letter you received.”
“Sir, why are you doing this?”
“I said hand it over.”
Isaac eventually wrenched the letter from Bridget out of Anna’s hands.
Only then did Anna relent.
“Like it says in the letter—His Majesty is only pretending to be dying. I’m too ignorant to understand the details, but it’s all political maneuvering or something like that.”
Indeed, the letter contained exactly such words.
Bridget wrote that the King was healthy and cared for her deeply, and urged Anna not to worry but to come to the Royal Palace to be with her.
She mentioned bringing plenty of clothing and belongings, as she seemed likely to remain there for quite some time.
“All the royal bloodlines cursed with the Shadow Curse have died young, so what is she talking about…”
Anna leaned in and whispered a conspiracy theory that lurked between the lines to the uncertainly muttering Isaac.
“The truth is, those people bearing the Shadow Curse are so incredibly strong that they’ve always been hunted by other royals or kings from other kingdoms. Assassinated, poisoned. But they say the current King is a monster—poison doesn’t even work on him.”
Anna, who had been speaking as though the King’s good health were something to boast about, suddenly slapped her own mouth. “Oh! The mistress told me never to tell anyone! My big mouth! Please give the letter back!”

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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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