The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 129

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

Chapter 129

She had lived her entire life being loved.

Seraphina was pretty, clever, and knew how to please others like a tongue in one’s mouth.

Because of this, she had never doubted that she was the protagonist of this world.

Just as one doesn’t appreciate the air they breathe, Seraphina was accustomed to everyone cherishing and loving her.

But.

‘Why am I in a position where I have to beg for affection from others!’

High Priest Evans was the same way.

Other people mistakenly believed that romantic feelings flowed between Seraphina and High Priest Evans.

And Seraphina was making the most of that misconception.

But in truth, she knew.

High Priest Evans was just like the Empress.

The High Priest had no interest in Seraphina whatsoever.

Not even the slightest bit.

‘No.’

Seraphina tried her best to think positively.

‘The situation is much better now than it was back then.’

Objectively speaking, Seraphina was currently the most popular lady in high society.

She had connections with both the Empress and the High Priest.

She had successfully hosted the Imperial Curia’s charity party.

No one could look down on Seraphina.

‘First… let me go find High Priest Evans.’

Of course, she knew that only those who received invitations could attend the diplomatic mission’s welcome banquet.

But who knows?

‘Perhaps the High Priest might use his influence somehow.’

Seraphina comforted herself with this thought.

But there wasn’t an ounce of strength to be felt in her figure as she headed toward the carriage waiting area.

* * *

Immediately after the Nobility Council meeting ended.

Lord Evans stormed straight into the Imperial Curia.

“Isaac!”

Bang!

The marquis burst open the study door and strode inside, his face flushed red and blue with anger.

“Father, what brings you here?”

Isaac stood up in surprise.

The marquis glared fiercely at his son and snapped sharply.

“How shameful you are, Isaac.”

Isaac’s face went blank for a moment at the sudden verbal assault.

“Pardon?”

“Must I suffer such humiliation because of my son?”

In that moment, Isaac realized what his father was talking about.

“I believe High Priest Evans was in charge of the orphanage support project.”

“If House of Claudius directly enters charity work, the Imperial Curia’s influence will be reduced accordingly…”

“If the Claudius Foundation is launched, it might not be bad to donate to them instead.”

The nobles’ murmuring voices still seemed to echo in his ears.

‘Damn House of Claudius!’

His chest burned with rage as if a thousand fires were lit.

Lord Evans raised his voice again.

“You can’t even properly maintain a single charity project!”

“…Father.”

“Do you know how much money I’ve spent pushing you to become High Priest?!”

The marquis pointed accusingly at Isaac.

“Show me results worth the money I poured in! Do you want me to end up like Lord Gusto? Huh?!”

“…”

Isaac’s face contorted at those humiliating words.

At the same time, Lord Evans grabbed his son’s shoulders tightly.

“Don’t forget.”

The hands gripping his shoulders tightened with force.

“I was also a direct descendant of House of Claudius.”

The marquis continued with gleaming eyes.

“Though I was pushed aside by my damned older brother and never even got a chance to seize the ducal title…”

Grind.

The sound of grinding teeth flowed out eerily.

“Perhaps, perhaps… the Claudius Estate could have been mine.”

Old feelings of inferiority tormented the marquis.

Just because he was born second, he couldn’t inherit the title.

Still, the marquis didn’t give up and worked hard.

He had eliminated his troublesome older brother and sister-in-law together.

He would have liked to send the young Claudius siblings along when he dealt with his brother and his wife…

‘If the entire family disappeared, it might arouse suspicion from others.’

Still, he thought manipulating Dietrich would be as easy as eating cold soup.

At the time, Dietrich was just a ten-year-old child.

He never doubted that with a few sweet words, Dietrich would hand over all of House of Claudius’s interests.

“It’s unnecessary.”

Young-faced Dietrich drew a line with Lord Evans, looking at him with ice-cold eyes.

Dietrich held onto House of Claudius with all his might and desperately protected his younger sister.

Thus, the marquis ultimately couldn’t grasp anything.

“You can’t live groveling like me. You can’t live being pushed around by that bastard Dietrich too. Right?”

The marquis muttered like a madman.

“You’re not planning to be satisfied with just being a branch family of House of Claudius forever, are you?”

His gaze, filled with madness, glared at his son as if to devour him.

“We too must somehow… become the masters of House of Claudius. Right?”

Isaac clenched his teeth tightly.

That gaze.

That gaze that constantly compared him to Dietrich, finding only his shortcomings compared to Dietrich, mercilessly digging into his inferiority complex.

Whenever he stood before that gaze, Isaac felt like he became the most worthless trash in the world.

“I’m also doing my best, so…”

“No, just doing your best isn’t enough.”

Lord Evans immediately shook his head.

“Do it well. Well!”

After raising his voice several times like that.

Bang!

The marquis couldn’t control his temper and stormed out, kicking the door.

“Damn it!”

Isaac couldn’t contain his anger and swept away the pile of documents on his desk.

The papers scattered to the floor.

Dietrich von Claudius.

Too outstanding, too perfect.

His damned cousin whom he couldn’t even see a way to catch up to.

To Isaac, Dietrich was an eternally unreachable spire and an impenetrable wall.

How much would he have to struggle to even reach Dietrich’s toes…

‘Just how long do I have to keep being compared to that bastard?’

It was beyond tiresome—it was nauseating.

“Damn it!”

Thwack!

Just as he angrily kicked at the documents scattered on the floor again.

Knock knock.

A brief knock sounded.

Isaac stopped his kicking foot.

“…What is it?”

Isaac, trying to compose himself, asked calmly.

An answer came from beyond the door.

“Um, Lady Lopez has come to visit.”

“Lady Lopez, you say?”

Why is that woman here again all of a sudden?

Isaac’s face contorted with displeasure.

Though he desperately wanted to turn her away immediately.

“Show her in.”

Today Seraphina was supposed to have tea time with the Empress.

So perhaps she might bring some useful information.

Isaac irritably gathered up the documents scattered on the floor.

A moment later.

“Hello, High Priest Evans.”

Seraphina entered the study with a bright smile.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face, so I thought I’d pay you a visit. Have you been well?”

“What do you want?”

Isaac snapped irritably, skipping even basic greetings.

Seraphina reflexively tensed her shoulders, then asked cautiously.

“Is there perhaps something troubling you…”

“There isn’t. Just state your business.”

Isaac snapped again with an impatient voice.

Seraphina, carefully reading the mood, opened her mouth.

“By any chance, High Priest Evans, were you also invited to the diplomatic mission’s welcome banquet?”

Ha, what is she trying to do exactly?

Isaac felt his irritation surge.

Don’t tell me she came here to ask him to get her invited to the banquet?

What a waste of time!

“Please, Lady Lopez.”

Isaac pressed his forehead and shook his head as if exasperated.

“Know your place.”

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