The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 166

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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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Part 2, Episode 36
“Well, Rozelin.”
I smiled widely, deliberately tensing my stomach and raising my voice.
From various corners of the room, I caught people pretending not to notice.
Unless they were blind, there was no way they wouldn’t realize I was being openly ignored.
‘How childish…’
It was petty and pathetic.
If it were me, I’d be far more subtle about it.
“Huh? Yes?”
Rozelin had gone deathly pale, as if she’d only just grasped that this situation was anything but normal.
Looking at my young self’s ashen face, I felt an unexpected pang of sympathy.
Unlike those fools, whenever I wanted to go out, I had to endure endless examinations and swallow countless medicines just to leave the house.
“This tea party seems to be quite low-class!”
“What…?”
“Let’s just go home. Come on, let’s go out and have fun instead. A new boutique opened on Boutique Street, and they have the most beautiful dresses.”
I reached out and gently took my young self’s hand, which trembled with alarm.
Just as pale as her face was, her fingertips were cold to the touch—a telltale sign of how tense she’d been.
‘…At this rate, we’re definitely looking at a fever when we get home.’
I know my own body better than anyone else, after all.
Gauging the stress my younger self had endured from the pallor of Rozelin’s face and the chill in her hand, I made a swift calculation.
At least four days.
“Father told me to shop freely if I wanted, so let’s go buy some clothes.”
“What? Wait a moment. Rose, we can’t just—the tea party is—”
Her words came out stiffly, clipped and rigid.
As her voice began to tremble, I finally understood why she’d once earned the epithet “stammerer” in that other world.
“It’s fine. If you want to attend a tea party, I’ll host one soon. I’ll send you the first invitation…”
Smiling broadly, I interlaced my fingers more firmly with her cold hand.
“But I won’t participate in a shabby affair like this, where the staff disrespect their guests so openly.”
“Is that…really the reason?”
“Yes, that’s exactly it. If the staff are this incompetent, what does that say about the host who sent today’s invitation?”
As I smiled faintly, Rozelin blinked slowly, her eyes still trembling.
“What I mean is—”
I retrieved the invitation I’d brought, released her hand for a moment, and held it between both palms as I finished speaking.
“If we stayed here playing along, we’d end up just as lowbred as these mindless fools whose standards have completely rotted away.”
Riiip—
I tore the invitation slowly and tossed it to the floor, then turned sharply and took my young self’s hand again.
At the same moment, murmurs erupted from various corners of the room.
The staff members were the most rattled.
Their calculations clearly hadn’t accounted for me reacting this boldly. But so what?
There was only one Duchy in the entire empire, and very few Marquessates.
Moreover, both families were so vast in scale that they effectively controlled a significant portion of the empire’s commerce.
A children’s quarrel wouldn’t escalate to the adults—ordinarily.
‘Though there are ways to make it escalate.’
All my younger self had to do was go to grandfather, uncle, and father and play the victim while reporting what happened.
“Do you want to stay here, or would you rather come shopping with me, Rozelin?”
“…Can I really go?”
“Of course you can. There’s nothing you’re forbidden to do. There’s no need to show courtesy to someone who lacks it.”
As I spoke with a smile, my young self’s eyes widened, and she slowly nodded.
“I want to go shopping.”
“An excellent choice.”
“Please, just a moment, young ladies.”
As it became clear we were truly leaving, one of the staff members rushed over to call us back.
“No.”
That was my answer.
I know, honestly, that the staff member bears little blame for this situation.
But that didn’t mean I could stay here and argue about whether their master orchestrated this or what have you.
Without evidence, they’d simply deny everything, and that would be the end of it.
It was far more efficient to show them through action rather than waste time on tedious argument.
“Do you prefer a dress or a one-piece?”
“A dress without decorations…?”
“Ah, there’s nothing quite like it.”
I dismissed the servant and, holding Rozelin’s hand, turned lazily to retrace our steps.
The Coachman must have heard the commotion starting up, for he was watching me with a rigid expression.
“I don’t like it here. Would it be all right if Rozelin and I just went shopping on Boutique Street instead?”
“Of course, miss.”
The Coachman nodded at once.
Unlike his usual smiling face, his expression had gone stiff as wood—he was clearly furious at what had been done to me.
“Young ladies, I do apologize. We failed to notice, and I’m afraid… but I shall escort you inside at once.”
“Rozelin, do you want to go first?”
“Oh, yes. Sure.”
The young girl’s cheeks flushed slightly, her face a little flushed with excitement, and she nodded before taking the Coachman’s hand and climbing up.
“Oh, and—do you need the invitation card? I can throw it away for you.”
“I could just toss it myself…”
“Rozelin, remember: there’s no need to carry garbage like this.”
I tore the invitation card Rozelin had given me in half and, grasping the bewildered servant’s hand, placed the pieces gently into their palm.
“Tell your master for me.”
I smiled then, radiant as a flower, for the first time in ages.
“Tell them never to send trash like this again. And… I’d appreciate it if they didn’t cross my path either.”
“I… !”
“I despise vulgarity.”
When I turned away, the Coachman lifted me up with that same rigid expression, then passed the servant without a glance and swiftly sent the Carriage forward.
Well, our Coachman certainly knows what he’s doing.
* * *
“Ah, I’m exhausted.”
After shopping and lunch and more shopping, I gave my shoulders a light tap.
Perhaps because this body was young, fatigue caught up with me quickly whenever I spent long hours away from home.
‘I should have done this when I was younger the first time.’
As I was thinking, a maidservant, having heard of my return, knocked on the door and entered.
“Shall I help you out of your dress?”
“Yes.”
I gazed down at my pale blue Dress and absently scratched my cheek.
Before I went to the Tea Party Venue, Selena had come all the way to my room and given me detailed instructions about what I should be careful of and how I ought to speak.
To be honest, if Selena hadn’t told me, I probably would have grabbed that servant and caused a scene before leaving.
Selena had said that unless something unexpected happened, if anyone was rude to me, I should simply tear up the invitation card and leave.
If a fight breaks out, the one who started it gets criticized more, but if I do that instead, the rude party gets blamed more.
“Most importantly… don’t forget that Rozelin’s father is Garren. You are Rozelin Wilbred. No matter what you do, your father will stand by you.”
So if anything happens, don’t hesitate—just tear up the invitation card and remove yourself.
She added that in high society, this is the most effective approach.
‘And honestly, there was no need to raise my voice at all, just like I usually do.’
Simply tearing a single sheet of paper and turning to leave was enough to make everyone flustered and anxious.
“…Miss?”
“Hmm…?”
I answered belatedly, and the maidservant let out a soft laugh.
In the old days, I probably would have snapped at her for laughing, but in the Marquis Family, this was perfectly natural.
“Hehe, you must be quite tired. You’ve had quite a day. Was your first Tea Party Venue visit fun?”
“Hmm? Oh, I didn’t go.”
I answered curtly and let the maidservant help me out of the Dress.
Knowing that I disliked ornate things, the Dress was not flashy, but it featured delicate embroidery that made it look extraordinarily refined.
But the maidservant who was helping me change suddenly paused.
“You didn’t go? Why? Did something happen, miss?”

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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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