The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 170

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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 40
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“Bang!”
“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!”
Wolf, who had been bouncing about restlessly, slunk backward at the relentless sneezing and huddled into the corner.
“Whimper, whimper…….”
“Wolf, I told you so. Rozelin has a fur allergy.”
I’d gotten permission to bring him along because he hated being alone, but I should’ve seen this coming.
“It’s, it’s fine.”
Young me waved my hand dismissively, laughing.
Wolf perked up his ears and snapped his head upright.
“Achoo! Achoo!!”
At the sound that erupted again, he crumpled into a crouch.
I scratched my cheek and sighed.
Four days later, I finally made my debut into High Society.
In the meantime, I’d looked into both Maklucsa and the Bynac Cult, and it had grown far bigger than I’d anticipated.
It had spiraled so far beyond control that touching it now seemed impossibly complicated.
‘What on earth is the Emperor thinking?’
Or had the Emperor already been infiltrated by the Bynac Cult himself?
“You sure you’re alright? Let me get you some allergy medicine.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
Young me smiled faintly.
Over these past weeks, I’d been coming and going from this Mansion constantly, relentlessly telling Father things like “You’re so gloomy,” and “I don’t think you’ll be able to attend the debutante with me”—and if there was one thing that had changed most as a result, it was this:
“……You’ve come, Rose.”
“Good afternoon, Your Grace.”
“Ahem.”
Father had developed a taste for dressing well.
And he kept appearing in those clothes and clearing his throat awkwardly.
“Good afternoon, Rozelin.”
“Oh, yes. I hope you slept well……! Oh, Father, your outfit looks wonderful.”
Young me, cheeks flushed, fumbled out a compliment.
And the next change was that despite barely speaking before, we now talked regularly.
We’d greet each other in the mornings, and I heard we’d started sharing at least one meal a day together.
Of course, that came after I’d told him multiple times that I’d die if he got the slightest bit excited and released Poison Mist everywhere.
“Wow, thanks to Your Grace, I’ll finally kick the bucket in my early teens. Much obliged.”
“Your Grace spews poison the moment I say a word. Are you perhaps some delicate butterfly who pricks with a sting and scatters poison powder?”
“Really, Your Grace. Wouldn’t it be better to just learn to control that instead of killing first and regretting later?”
“Gloomy people are never popular with their daughters anyway.”
“Good to see you. You’re being gloomy again today, Your Grace.”
As a result of offering him these countless remarks whenever our eyes met, Father’s mental resilience turned out to be tougher than expected.
That wasn’t what I’d been aiming for, though…….
‘The saying goes even a tumbling stone ends up at the capital, so things will work out.’
In any case, young me and young Father had grown close.
Thanks to that, I’d settled into the Mansion with quite an easy heart.
Since I was visiting twice a week, the servants seemed to think of me as some sort of second daughter to this house and paid me no mind no matter where I wandered.
Well, that certainly made things easier.
At this age, I’d always spent time alone in my room, staring out the window.
But young me in this world now often talked with Father about this and that.
And I’d stopped bottling everything up inside.
‘It seems like she might’ve learned something from watching me…….’
But surely speaking rather than staying silent is far better.
It was quite nice, sitting at the table like this and watching the two of us talk.
“Rose, have you decided what dress you’re wearing to the debutante?”
“Yeah. You picked it out with me anyway.”
“Right. Thanks for that.”
Young me blushed, and he gave a light shrug.
I found myself thinking that young me had once been able to smile like this.
“No, really—are you sure you’re okay with having your debutante delayed because of me?”
“Yeah. Doing it with you is more than enough.”
Young me flushed and gently gripped the back of my hand.
“I like that you’re here.”
“Good to know.”
Rozelin, who had softened like wax the moment her defenses came down, had become rather endearing in her vulnerability.
‘I’m thinking my own self is cute. How narcissistic.’
Anyone who saw this would think I had vanity issues.
Still, the fact that Rozelin had grown quite fond of me seemed to have made her believe that her family had grown warmer because of my influence.
I thought so too, of course.
After all, her relationship with her father had improved, and we were having tea time together this frequently now.
And as she grew closer to Father, Rozelin became increasingly forward with me, striking up conversations on her own.
‘Now that I think about it, Molpo Count’s Daughter did come here to apologize.’
It had taken more than half a year for Molpo Count to make his daughter recognize her wrongdoing and truly repent for it.
In truth, it would have been enough to simply convince her to offer an apology and send her over.
But Molpo Count had apparently made his daughter confront exactly what she’d done wrong and why.
Whether Molpo Count had explained the circumstances in a letter, Garren Wilbred had given him sufficient time.
Surprisingly, the Bellion Duke had also waited in silence.
And just recently, Molpo Count’s Daughter had come to call, bowed deeply, and confessed her wrongdoing with a sincere apology.
She said that since everyone disliked Duke’s Daughters anyway, she had acted out of displeasure that I, born into a good family, held a higher rank than she did.
Her face flushed with shame as she apologized, and it looked as though she might burst into tears at any moment, but she did not cry until I told her it was alright.
‘After the Molpo Count’s Estate affair, I hear my grandfather and I have grown quite close.’
Of course, it was I who had reported every sordid detail of the Molpo Count’s Estate’s despicable conduct, hoping for suitable punishment.
She recalled the incident that had taken place not long ago.
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“Your Grace, did you know about this?”
“……What are you saying, barging in while someone is changing clothes? And how did you even know where to find me!”
“Why maintain propriety between family? How embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing? You brazen little thing…….”
“I found you with my Love Radar.”
“What?”
“I’m joking. I asked the butler.”
Seeing the gaze as sharp as a honed blade, I tucked my tail appropriately and answered.
“Anyway, I went to the Tea Gathering today, but I didn’t attend.”
“Why didn’t you attend?! You were excited about going.”
“Yes. Since your gloomy and dishonest granddaughter wouldn’t tell the family these things, I’m telling you first.”
I watched to see what sort of expression Grandfather made at my words.
Ah, he let out a hollow laugh as though he were witnessing something utterly unprecedented in this world, then muttered that I was really exasperating.
“Why am I exasperating?”
“……Never mind. Go on and speak.”
“You just said never mind, but now you’re asking me to continue…….”
The Duke’s eyes flashed sharply.
I carefully folded my tail in on itself once more and held my peace.
“Yes, well, I was invited to the Count’s Estate today for a Tea Gathering, but none of the servants acknowledged me. They attended to the guests who arrived after us, though.”
“……What do you mean? Those wretches completely ignored you and my granddaughter!”
“Not completely ignored, really. I was more like invisible.”
“……So what did you do? Did you throw food in the host’s face?”
It was strange to see the Duke angrier than I was.
At this point in time, the Duke was someone I found frightening.
“I simply…….”
“Simply?”
“Tore up the invitation and told her that if we lingered in such a low-class place, the stench would cling to us, so we should go shopping instead. Then we left.”
“……Pardon?”
The Duke let out a strange sound through his slightly parted lips.

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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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