The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 10

I was shocked.

“What?!”

My pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck.

Am I already getting criticized?!

B-but. Wasn’t today’s atmosphere going pretty well?!

Lady Claudius even smiled several times!

Right at that moment.

Lady Claudius declared coldly.

“I can’t even make you a temporary friend with such tacky attire. This is a matter of my pride.”

Ah…

I sighed inwardly.

Of course it’s natural that my outfit doesn’t meet Lady Claudius’s lofty aesthetic standards.

Until now, I had always worn only drab-colored dresses so that Seraphina could stand out.

Even if I turned my wardrobe inside out, it’s not like missing dresses would magically appear.

Still…

“Wh-when I came to visit Lady Claudius this time, I tried to wear the most decent thing I had…”

“Decent?!”

At my timid protest, Lady Claudius’s eyes blazed with fire.

“That drab gray dress is decent?! Even our late grandmother wouldn’t have worn such a dress!”

“…”

I couldn’t overcome Lady Claudius’s intensity and meekly shrank back.

But Lady Claudius’s anger wasn’t over yet.

“And that hair too!”

“Wh-what’s wrong with my hair?”

“You just let it hang down limply without any care at all!”

“…Is that not allowed?”

“Of course not! You were born with such abundant hair! Don’t you think it’s a waste?!”

Her blue eyes gleamed with something close to madness.

“Really, does Lady Lopez only care about making herself look pretty? That’s why people mock Lady Ansi even more! What kind of friend is that?!”

Lady Claudius was now practically stomping her feet and breathing fire.

“Lady Lopez, you know, it’s obvious she deliberately takes you around like a sidekick! To make herself stand out more! It’s so sinister, really!!”

What? She’s really seeing right through Seraphina’s true intentions?

I was a little surprised.

A moment later.

After ranting for a while and calming down a bit, Lady Claudius placed her hand on her forehead and shook her head.

“Hah, what’s the point of having decent features if you can’t make use of them at all.”

Huh?

I suddenly widened my eyes.

“Re-really?”

When I reflexively asked back, Lady Claudius narrowed her eyes and glared at me.

“What?”

“Th-that you just said my features are decent…”

I trailed off hesitantly.

Lady Claudius didn’t even try to hide her exasperated expression.

“What, are you going to put yourself down again?”

“N-no. It’s not quite that, but.”

Seraphina and Gregory had always told me.

Where could you find a lady as ugly as me.

How dare I try to wear fancy jewelry and dresses, know your place…

After becoming aware of the original story, I realized that Seraphina’s words were full of hypocrisy and malice.

But the words that had been drilled into my head all this time weren’t easily forgotten.

“Really, do I have to spell out even this with my own mouth for you to understand?”

Lady Claudius, who had scolded me, continued while folding down her fingers one by one.

“Lady Ansi has clear skin tone, a slender figure, and well-proportioned features. Your straight and elegant posture is especially an advantage. It shows you’ve been well-educated.”

Then she frowned and snapped at me.

“You should at least be aware of your own strengths. That way you can enhance those strengths, can’t you?”

“Y-yes, that’s true.”

I nodded blankly.

How should I put it, hearing someone say ‘actually, you’re a person with these various strengths’…

‘So this is how it feels.’

Deep in my chest tickled as if being brushed with soft down.

But I couldn’t indulge in such sentiments for long.

“Anyway, we’ve gotten off topic.”

Because Lady Claudius had placed both hands firmly on her hips.

“If you want to be even temporary friends with me, not just your clothes and hairstyle, but even that habitual self-deprecation!”

Then she glared fiercely.

“You have to fix everything!”

“I-I’ll take it to heart!”

I reflexively straightened my posture.

At the same time, Lady Claudius opened her mouth decisively.

“Tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll come pick you up at the Townhouse, so be waiting.”

“Yes?”

…I really can’t follow the flow of this conversation.

As I kept repeating ‘Yes?’, Lady Claudius clicked her tongue loudly.

“Why? Didn’t you say friends go shopping together and eat delicious food together?”

O-of course I did say that.

But so suddenly?

“If you stand me up, I won’t let it slide. Got it?”

Only after repeatedly emphasizing this did Lady Claudius let me go.

“See you tomorrow then.”

“Ah, yes… I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I got into the carriage feeling dazed.

The carriage began to move slowly.

Behind the carriage, the splendid townhouse gradually grew distant.

“…”

I suddenly lowered my gaze.

A sweet fragrance rose from the rose bouquet placed on my lap.

I carefully picked up the bouquet and buried my nose in it.

“…It smells lovely.”

Somehow I thought this rose resembled Lady Claudius.

Even though it was covered with sharp thorns all over.

Those thorns didn’t matter at all, because it had such sweet fragrance and soft petals…

A lovely rose that anyone would have no choice but to love.

* * *

Beyond the large window, Evangeline could be seen hurrying back into the townhouse with quick steps.

Dietrich, who had been watching this scene, casually spoke to his sister.

“Eva.”

“Oh, Brother.”

Evangeline blinked her eyes as she looked up at her brother.

“Well, well, I see you’re socializing with a lady your age. Did you finally make a friend?”

“Sh-she’s not a friend!”

Evangeline suddenly flared up and shouted.

“She’s just a temporary friend! Brother, you don’t know anything!”

“….”

If she’s a friend, she’s a friend. If not, then she’s not.

What on earth is a temporary friend?

Dietrich’s expression became somewhat puzzled, but he decided to give her points for the fact that Evangeline was trying to form something resembling a friendship.

“More importantly, earlier you seemed quite happy?”

“Happy? What do you mean happy!”

“Your laughter was echoing loudly throughout the garden. Are you saying you weren’t enjoying yourself?”

“I-I just laughed a little. I didn’t even laugh that loudly…!”

“Alright, alright.”

Dietrich waved his hand dismissively, then asked with a somewhat curious expression.

“By the way, that lady earlier—isn’t she from the House of Ansi?”

“So what if she is?”

“From what I’ve heard, Lady Ansi is close with Lady Lopez. But you dislike Lady Lopez, don’t you?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Evangeline pouted her lips, then turned her head away with a huff.

“Well, she doesn’t seem to be as narrow-minded as I thought.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Today I talked about my hobbies, and… it was reasonably fun.”

Dietrich was surprised once again.

From that prickly Evangeline’s mouth came the praise “reasonably fun”?

That meant her satisfaction level was at its peak.

“Lady Ansi has a good personality for listening to others. She was comfortable to talk to.”

Evangeline continued chattering away.

“However, Lady Ansi said she doesn’t have any particular hobbies.”

“No hobbies?”

“That’s what she said. Wow, I thought, there are actually people who live such boring lives.”

Evangeline added innocently.

“So I’m thinking of trying various things together with her from now on.”

“So she is a friend after all.”

“She’s not a friend! I told you, she’s a temporary friend!”

At her brother’s indifferent response, Evangeline immediately glared at him with fierce eyes.

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