The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 14

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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 14

The salon held by House of Claudius was a very prestigious art event.

Although it wasn’t an officially recognized competition, submitting works to the salon itself meant that the ducal house was keeping an eye on that artist’s potential.

In fact, Claudius had selected and sponsored several artists.

Additionally, many nobles attended as observers.

That was a considerable advantage for the artists.

After all, the more they could make an impression on the nobles, the more it would help their future artistic activities.

If they were lucky, even if they weren’t chosen by the ducal house, they might find new patrons.

In fact, I know that quite a few famous artists have emerged from this salon…

‘Then by now, they should be incredibly busy preparing for the salon, right?’

Is it really okay for me to go visit?

Or is this silent pressure for me to come and help with the salon preparations?

Just as I was feeling bewildered.

“Um, Miss.”

Amy called me cautiously.

I quickly came to my senses and turned around.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Instantly, I felt an ominous feeling run down my spine.

‘This… feels bad?’

That’s because Amy had a very troubled expression.

I knew well when Amy made that kind of expression.

Like that time when Gregory and Seraphina barged into the townhouse without even contacting us.

Amy opened her mouth.

“Lady Lopez has come to visit.”

As expected.

I scrunched up my face.

‘Why does she keep being so clingy?!’

But Amy’s words weren’t finished yet.

“But… Lady Bentner has accompanied her.”

“What?!”

I was horrified.

Because Lady Bentner was…

‘Gregory’s aunt!’

* * *

A little later.

I went down to the reception room, unable to hide my sullen expression.

“Aunt, thank you so much for coming with me.”

Seraphina was speaking sweetly to the stern-looking middle-aged noblewoman sitting beside her.

The two of them were so friendly that anyone would think they were mother and daughter.

“If it weren’t for you, Aunt, I wouldn’t have had the courage to come here alone.”

“I can’t believe that Larite girl was so rude to Gregory.”

The middle-aged noblewoman smiled generously at Seraphina.

“If it weren’t for you, there would have been no way to correct such rudeness.”

“A-Aunt…”

“So rather, I should be the one thanking you.”

…Really, do I have to listen to such refreshing nonsense on this pleasant morning?

By the way, the reason Seraphina is calling Gregory’s aunt ‘Aunt’ is because,

“If she’s my aunt, then she’s your aunt too, Sera!”

“Really? Is it really okay for me to call you Aunt?”

“Please do. I’m delighted to have such a pretty niece.”

It was a title decided after going through such a maddening collaboration.

By the way, Lady Bentner had tried to act like a mother-in-law toward me when I wasn’t even married yet…

‘Speaking of which, I never knew her intentions could be so transparent.’

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Seraphina.

Since I kept refusing Seraphina’s visits, she must have brought someone I’d find difficult to refuse as her ally.

Just then, Seraphina suddenly turned this way.

As soon as our eyes met, Seraphina smiled a victor’s smile.

‘No matter what you do, everyone else is on my side.’

…As if she were saying exactly that.

“Lari!”

Seraphina addressed me, pretending to be glad to see me.

“Good morning. Aunt said it’s been a long time since she saw your face, so I brought her along. And…”

“Seraphina.”

Cutting off Seraphina’s rambling in the middle, I spoke coldly.

“Coming without even giving advance notice. How many times is this now? Isn’t this too rude?”

Upon hearing my words, Seraphina opened her eyes wide as if she had received a tremendous shock.

She drooped her shoulders and lowered her eyelashes.

She looked so fragile that anyone who didn’t know the situation would think I was oppressing Seraphina.

“Are you scolding Sera right now?”

At the same time, Lady Bentner quickly interjected into the conversation.

“I heard from Sera. You dared to send a letter breaking off the engagement to our Gregory?”

Through her wrinkled eyes, fierce pupils gleamed brightly.

“And you openly embarrassed him in front of others?”

Well, to be precise, the person who embarrassed him would be Lady Claudius.

It was amusing how she couldn’t say a word to Lady Claudius, yet came to me to nag like catching a mouse.

“Don’t tell me you’re acting so arrogant just because you’ve become a little friendly with Lady Claudius?”

Lady Bentner shook her head and spoke in a pitying voice, as if addressing an ignorant child.

“Men don’t like it when you act so stiffly. There’s a reason Gregory dislikes you.”

Oh, she’s definitely Gregory’s aunt alright.

Every time she opens her mouth, various kinds of nonsense pour out…

“A woman should be sweet and pretty with charm like Seraphina. Don’t you think?”

But since I had no intention of listening to that nonsense obediently any longer.

I answered sarcastically.

“Then you should engage Gregory to Seraphina.”

“…Are you finished talking?”

Lady Bentner’s face hardened.

Meanwhile, Seraphina flinched and stiffened her shoulders,

“L-Lari. You really…”

Tears rolled down her pretty cheeks as she protested to me.

“Gregory and I are just good friends. You know that, right?”

Seraphina trailed off in a trembling voice, as if she had heard something unbearable.

“How could you slander our friendship like that…”

The old me probably would have been completely fooled by that expression.

I might have even gone on and on about how my words were too harsh and apologizing to Seraphina.

But now…

“No matter how close you are as friends, Gregory took much better care of you than me, his former fiancée.”

“That’s just because we’re childhood friends…!”

“I was your childhood friend too.”

Toward Seraphina, who was rarely at a loss for words, I shrugged and asked back.

“But you two just used me as a supporting character for your relationship and never once respected me. Isn’t that right?”

I suddenly thought of Lady Claudius.

Lady Claudius, who holds the highest position in the Empire, had shown courtesy even to me, a lower-ranking noble she had never met before.

And,

“What’s the big deal about pouring a cup of tea? Why are you suddenly putting yourself down?”

Even that one piercing remark.

Recalling that moment, I steeled my resolve once again.

‘I won’t let Seraphina and Gregory continue to look down on me any longer.’

But just then.

“Hey, Larite!”

Lady Bentner shouted at me thunderously.

“Seraphina has saved your life before! How can you be so ungrateful and treacherous?!”

Well, it was a familiar pattern.

First, they would use people around me like this to invoke guilt.

And Seraphina would…

“It’s alright, Aunt.”

“Sera.”

“Lari is just saying that because she’s angry, she doesn’t really mean it.”

Like this, she never forgot to act kind.

“How can a child be so endlessly good…”

Lady Bentner couldn’t hide her pitying expression.

Seraphina, who had wiped away her tears, gazed at me with sorrowful eyes.

“But Lari, I hope you think carefully.”

“About what?”

“Honestly… there’s no way Lady Claudius would treat you sincerely, right?”

Seraphina continued speaking gently.

“I’m really saying this for your sake. No matter how coldly you treat me, you’re still so precious to me…”

“Ah, so.”

I asked Seraphina back with a sigh mixed in.

“You’re the only one who truly cares about me?”

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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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