The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 101

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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 101

When I hesitated, Lord Claudius drooped his eyebrows as if feeling disappointed.

“If Lady Ansi finds me uncomfortable…”

“No!”

I reflexively waved my hands.

“Then that’s settled.”

Lord Claudius smiled so beautifully it was almost tear-inducing.

I instantly made a subtle expression.

…I feel like I’ve been caught somehow.

This is just my imagination, right?

* * *

Lord Claudius and I headed toward the small hill behind the villa.

The forest path, colorfully dyed with autumn leaves, was as splendid as a flower garden.

I forgot about my worries over how to treat Lord Claudius and became absorbed in the picturesque scenery.

“Ahh…”

I took a deep breath in and let it out.

The refreshing air filled my lungs completely.

It was the cold, clear air created by early morning and the forest path.

“My goodness, this is so wonderful.”

I looked back at Lord Claudius with sparkling eyes.

“If I had known it would be this nice, I should have come to see the forest path sooner.”

“I’m happy that you’re enjoying yourself, Lady.”

Lord Claudius looked at me with smiling eyes as I delighted in everything.

“It’s even more beautiful if we go deeper inside.”

“Really? Let’s go quickly!”

I grabbed the hem of my dress and walked briskly into the forest.

And.

“Wow…”

Lord Claudius’s words were true.

The autumn foliage was truly spectacular.

Colorful autumn leaves were densely clustered overhead.

Not only that?

Red and yellow leaves had fallen abundantly on the ground, giving the feeling of stepping on a soft carpet.

“My goodness, it’s so beautiful…”

Just as I was absorbed in the scenery with shining eyes.

Plop.

A water droplet fell on my cheek.

“Huh?”

I looked up with a confused expression.

Certainly when we came out this morning the weather was clear, and even now the sky itself is blindingly blue.

But.

Plop, patter, plop.

Water droplets continued to fall, beginning to tap against the branches and autumn leaves…?!

I looked back at Lord Claudius with a flustered face.

“Is, is it raining right now?”

Lord Claudius also had a troubled expression.

“It certainly seems that way…”

With those words.

Whoooosh—

A torrential downpour began.

My mouth fell open.

No, how can rain suddenly pour down like this?

Moreover, a torrential downpour from a clear sky.

Is this even possible?!

My clothes got soaked in an instant.

If this continues a little longer, I’ll look like a drowned rat.

“Oh dear.”

Meanwhile, Lord Claudius clicked his tongue briefly, then glanced at me.

“Would you come this way for a moment?”

And so the place we arrived at was…

‘A cave?’

Actually, it was hardly worth calling a cave—it was a naturally recessed spot near the cliff.

It was just deep enough for two people to sit and take shelter from the rain.

Lord Claudius, who had reached in to feel around inside the cave, looked back at me with a relieved expression.

“Fortunately, it’s dry inside here.”

Lord Claudius took out a handkerchief from his jacket and spread it out, then gestured toward me.

“Come sit here.”

Such natural, effortless consideration.

Every time I receive this kind of care, I can’t help but feel my heart flutter.

“Ah…”

After hesitating briefly, I bowed my head and crawled inside.

“Thank you.”

And so Lord Claudius and I found ourselves sitting side by side, waiting for the rain to stop.

Perhaps because of this, our conversation naturally increased.

“But how did you find a place like this?”

“When I was young, I used to play here often with Evangeline.”

Lord Claudius’s eyes were gentle as he recalled the past.

“We covered it with bushes, calling it our secret base, so our parents were terribly worried thinking they had lost us siblings.”

“Really?”

“Yes. When we went down around dinnertime, there was quite a commotion.”

Lord Claudius shrugged lightly.

“Well, we got scolded terribly too.”

“My goodness, how could that be.”

I giggled softly.

Lord Claudius and Lady Claudius getting scolded together by their parents!

Just imagining it is so cute!

“So you don’t need to worry too much. Evangeline knows where this place is, so if we’re late returning, she’ll come looking for us.”

After reassuring me like this, Lord Claudius looked up at the sky with concern.

“More importantly… there’s no sign of the rain stopping.”

The raindrops were getting thicker and thicker.

The raindrops that hit the ground and shattered into white sparkled like diamonds.

Since this is a forest path, the dense autumn foliage is blocking the rain and it’s still this much.

Just how hard must it be raining outside?

More than that.

‘Ugh.’

I shrank my body slightly.

‘It’s so cold…’

My teeth were chattering.

The inside of the cave seemed a bit warmer, so I was about to quietly move backward when.

“Please take this.”

Lord Claudius, who had taken off his outer coat, handed it to me.

I hurriedly waved my hands in refusal.

“No, you’ll be cold too, Lord Claudius…”

“I’m fine.”

Lord Claudius answered firmly.

But something seemed strange.

Why was he avoiding my eyes?

And why was his face so red like that?

At that moment.

‘Oh, could it be?!’

I looked down at my body.

As my dress became increasingly soaked by the rain, my skin was starting to show through faintly!

‘Aaaah!’

I reflexively gasped and wrapped my arms around myself.

At the same time, Lord Claudius reached out his hand to me.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Swoosh!

The large coat settled over my shoulders.

It was so loose that it wrapped around my entire body with room to spare.

Large hands carefully fastened the collar for me.

Perhaps because Lord Claudius’s body heat remained in it, the cold definitely subsided a little as soon as I put on the coat.

The trembling of my body slowly calmed down.

However, what worried me was.

‘Lord Claudius, your clothes are too thin…’

I looked at Lord Claudius with concern.

It was autumn when the leaves were turning.

Moreover, Lord Claudius and I had come outside right after finishing breakfast, so the air hadn’t been warm even when we first came out.

Most importantly, wasn’t it pouring rain like this?

It would be difficult to endure with just a thin shirt…

“I’m fine.”

No, you don’t look fine to me!

You’ve seemed to be in poor condition lately, what if you catch a cold from this!

Unable to sit still with worry, I made a decision.

“Um… then.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and moved carefully.

As I sat close beside Lord Claudius,

“Lady Ansi?”

Lord Claudius widened his eyes and looked down at me.

“W-well, it would be warmer if we stay close together. It’s raining so much, we can’t keep losing body heat. So…”

I fidgeted with my collar for no reason and rambled on incoherently.

Lord Claudius, who had been staring at me quietly, opened his mouth with a slightly husky voice.

“Then.”

Huh?

I blinked my eyes.

At the same time, Lord Claudius stretched out his arm and pulled my shoulder toward him.

“I know it’s rude, but just for a moment…”

Wh-what?!

In an instant, the distance between Lord Claudius and me closed.

When I came to my senses, I found myself held tightly in Lord Claudius’s embrace.

Through his thin shirt, I could feel his firm arm gently wrapped around my shoulder.

“…Are you uncomfortable?”

Lord Claudius, who had lowered his head slightly toward me, asked carefully.

Beneath his platinum hair dampened with moisture, his blue eyes were closely observing my mood.

“Oh, I’m…”

I felt my mouth go completely dry.

My heart was beating so wildly that I was afraid Lord Claudius might hear my heartbeat.

However, apart from that, I wasn’t uncomfortable at all.

Rather.

‘This feels so good…’

To have an opportunity to be close to Lord Claudius so naturally like this.

I felt so excited I thought I might faint.

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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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