The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 186

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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 56
“Where are you going?”
“To see the Youngest.”
“I actually came to visit the Young Duke as well — would it be all right if I went with you?”
I’d easily grasped why Grandfather was in such a foul mood, so I smiled and finished moistening my lips.
“Grandfather.”
He flinched, his shoulders jumping, and looked down at me with an expression that suggested he was none too pleased at being caught red-handed.
“You cunning little fox…….”
“Are you discriminating against foxes today?”
“Discrimination? What nonsense! Why would a fox be discrimination? It’s a compliment, you see. Now, go on — try to explain that with that small, clever mouth of yours.”
“But Grandfather, you didn’t call me a cute fox — you called me a cunning fox. In that case, aren’t you emphasizing the cunning rather than the cute? And cunning means being deceitful and scheming, so with my limited understanding, the only conclusion I could draw from that word was something discriminatory and unpleasant. So if there were any other way for me to interpret your words differently, I would truly…….”
As I rattled on without pausing for breath, Grandfather’s face grew progressively paler.
“Ugh, be quiet, you brat!”
At last, Grandfather glared at me, clenched his fist, and spun around sharply.
“But what makes noise is when you raise your voice, Grandfather…….”
His eyes snapped open fiercely, pinning me with his stare.
Knowing I was treading dangerously close to crossing a line, I quickly shut my mouth.
“Are you angry?”
“I’m not angry, you imp. Though I do feel like I could give you a good thrashing.”
He walked in long strides, yet at the same time subtly shortened his pace and slowed his speed to match mine.
Glancing at the Butler, I noticed he too had caught on to his master’s behavior — his shoulders were silently trembling a beat behind.
Suddenly, I noticed Grandfather’s hand swinging loosely at his side.
‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I held hands with Grandfather — or Father, for that matter.’
And there was no reason to hold hands with Garren Wilbred.
“Can I hold your hand?”
Looking at Grandfather’s swinging, trembling hand, I thoughtlessly blurted out the thought that had just occurred to me.
“Are you my granddaughter?”
“Yes.”
That was a fair point, and I had nothing to say to it.
Here, I wasn’t a member of the Bellion Family Estate, so he had no real reason to indulge my request.
Besides, frankly, I was always causing trouble.
‘If I were him and found myself annoying, I’d find myself annoying too — I certainly wouldn’t find myself pretty.’
Once I’d reached that conclusion, I could accept it completely and gave a light shrug.
‘At least he doesn’t actually dislike me, so that’s something.’
I thought this to myself, looked down at my hand, studied it for a moment, then glanced back up.
Somehow, I could see Grandfather’s hand was completely open, fingers splayed.
“……?”
It looked like his hand might be having a spasm.
“Ahem!”
Wondering if his trembling fingers really were cramping, I turned my head to alert the Butler.
The Butler’s face had taken on an expression suggesting he was about to choke — his lower lip pressed firmly between his teeth.
The Butler gave me a subtle hint with his eyes.
He pointed at Grandfather’s hand with his index finger, then made a light interlocking motion with both his hands, as if gently clasping them together.
Ah.
I stepped closer and gently grasped the tips of his splayed, trembling fingers.
In an instant, his large hand enveloped my small one and gripped it firmly.
“Goodness, what a troublesome creature you are.”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“Be quiet, you imp. How am I supposed to let go of someone who keeps clinging to me because she likes it? Unlike our granddaughter, you have not a shred of charm about you.”
Yet he made no move to release the hand he was holding so firmly — careful not to hurt me.
‘……But we’re the same person inside, after all.’
I didn’t dare say it aloud.
Certainly, the Rozelin of late had become so bright and cheerful that I could hardly believe she was the same person I used to be.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as a kind of bright, crystalline madness?
Or perhaps — the sort of person who smiles while breaking others’ bones……?
‘……That’s strange. Why is she starting to look like Garren Wilbred?’
The way she smiles while getting under people’s skin — it’s exactly…….
No, no. Don’t think about it.
I quickly shook my head, trying my best to escape the train of thought.
“Ah, we have another guest visiting at the moment.”
“Another guest?”
“Yes, it seems that fool has finally taken it into his head to bring home a mistress.”
So he actually did it.
A sigh escaped before I could stop it.
Was Father’s taste really inclined toward that type?
‘Or could she have used Hypnosis on him again?’
That was certainly possible.
Wondering how to drive her out, I opened my mouth.
“Her name wouldn’t happen to be…….”
I was about to ask if it was Carmel.
“Was it Amon? Or Amour? Something along those lines.”
“You don’t even know her name?”
“The name didn’t stick in my memory. The woman herself seems decent enough, but I’ve no idea where she comes from…….”
Grandfather rubbed his chin as he spoke.
‘……Hmm?’
What was this? Since when had Grandfather been so tolerant of someone of unknown origin?
From what I knew, he wasn’t the type to be that lenient. Lady Carmel hadn’t seemed all that pleased with the arrangement either.
It appeared he was simply tolerating it for Father’s sake.
The moment I stepped inside, I froze.
A strikingly familiar woman was seated across from a man, chatting away merrily with Rozelin, the two of them laughing and talking with obvious delight.
“Oh? Grandfather!”
“There you are.”
Ahem!
Grandfather cleared his throat with a broad smile, rushing forward to scoop his granddaughter into one arm.
‘……When is he going to let go of my hand?’
As I was beginning to hope he’d release it soon, somehow sensing my impatience, Grandfather made a soft clicking sound before abruptly letting go and lowering himself slightly.
“Would you like to give your grandfather a hug too?”
He stretched out the arm that had been holding my hand and scooped me up on the other side.
“……No?”
“……?”
“I was just wondering when you’d let go of my hand.”
At my flat response, he let out a surprised noise, then a rueful chuckle, before shrugging his shoulders.
Anyway…….
“My, who is this, darling?”
‘What is she doing here.’
I stared blankly at the woman as the thought crossed my mind.
A beautiful woman with vivid crimson hair asked the question, her red eyes fixed on me.
Her gaze was seductive, tilted elegantly at the corners.
“A friend of Rozelin’s. Her name’s Rozelin——”
“Ah, I remember now. Rozelin Wilbred. The Marquis Wilbred’s adopted daughter. Is that right?”
“Yes. But why are you here?”
I tilted my head slightly as I asked.
There was nothing subtle about it. There was nothing to probe.
The woman with the long lashes tilted her head back at me with a blink.
“What do you mean~?”
“Just the other day you were telling our father you loved him……!”
“……Excuse me?”
As I opened my mouth to employ the same tactic I’d used at the banquet before, the woman Amon blinked stupidly back at me.
“You’re the one who kidnapped me! The one who said you loved Father and would spend your whole life with him…….”
“Hmm, I’m afraid I don’t understand what our young mistress is saying.”
She let out a bewildered murmur, then composed herself, interlocking her fingers beneath her chin and smiling as she spoke.
I frowned.
Glancing around, everyone wore expressions of complete confusion at my words.
‘Is this woman’s ability also a form of Brainwashing?’
Now that I thought about it, she could manipulate emotions as well.
Scowling, I fell silent for a moment and began to think.
There were three ways to temporarily break free from Hypnosis or Brainwashing.
The first was to render the hypnotized or brainwashed person unconscious.
The second was for them to verbally deny the information that had been implanted through Brainwashing or Hypnosis.
This was the method I’d once used on the illegitimate child Lili Bellion had borne. The one where I told them to deny Marlux.
And the third method is to prove the contradiction itself.
For instance, you can brainwash or hypnotize someone into believing fire sprang from water.
But the moment that person recalls the basic truth—that fire cannot arise from water—the contradiction surfaces.
When you recognize that contradiction, the Mental Abyss breaks, or so Garren Wilbred explained to me not long ago.
Though I can’t say I’m pleased that Garren Wilbred was the one who helped me understand it.
“Don’t you all remember? This woman—she’s the one who said she’d kidnap me. The stalker we met at that banquet recently.”

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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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