The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 140

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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 140

* * *

Seraphina stood blankly near the exhibition hall, her face hidden beneath a large hat.

Not daring to enter inside, she stared vacantly at the bustling exhibition hall.

Nobles who had just finished touring the exhibition passed by Seraphina, chatting amongst themselves.

“Did you also apply for regular donations to the Claudius Foundation?”

“Of course. Miss Morgan herself is making regular donations!”

Seraphina’s eyes trembled slightly at that moment.

Sofia Morgan, the opera singer enjoying the greatest popularity in the Empire.

To think even Miss Morgan would choose Claudius…

“But weren’t you donating to the Imperial Curia?”

“Well, donating to both places simultaneously is a bit burdensome… I’ll have to wrap that up.”

With that conversation ended.

The two nobles boarded their carriage and departed.

Seraphina felt her chest tighten as if she had swallowed a stone.

‘Did I… choose the wrong side?’

Seraphina was clearly treated as ‘Isaac Evans’ prospective lover’ in high society.

But recently, High Priest Evans had been making nothing but mistakes.

Which meant.

Seraphina’s position was diminishing accordingly…

‘What on earth is the High Priest doing!’

Seraphina fumed inwardly.

‘It seems… I should keep some distance from High Priest Evans for a while.’

Having made that judgment, she turned around irritably.

Seraphina’s face was completely contorted as she strode away.

* * *

At that moment.

Isaac was having a private meeting with the High Priest.

The untouched tea grew cold.

‘Another story about that bastard Dietrich, I suppose.’

Isaac maintained his smile outwardly while grinding his teeth inwardly.

As soon as news came that Claudius’s childcare foundation had achieved great success, hadn’t he been summoned?

That alone made his intentions transparent.

“That foundation newly established by Claudius, what was it… Claudius’s Children?”

The High Priest, who had been silent for a while, spoke with a displeased expression.

‘Damn it.’

Isaac cursed inwardly.

Sure enough, it was about Claudius’s foundation again.

“All citizens of the Empire are the goddess’s children, yet how dare they… tsk.”

The High Priest clicked his tongue in displeasure and continued.

“I heard enormous regular donation contracts were signed at this exhibition.”

“…That’s.”

“What do you intend to do?”

Beneath his wrinkled eyes, the High Priest’s gaze glinted ominously.

“Wasn’t the childcare foundation under High Priest Evans’ jurisdiction?”

“…”

Isaac waited for the next words, feeling like he was sitting on a bed of thorns.

The High Priest continued reproachfully.

“I even heard Her Majesty the Empress attended this exhibition.”

Isaac’s eyes instantly sharpened.

He knew it rationally.

The Empress had always attended the Imperial Curia’s events faithfully.

This time too, she probably just visited Claudius’s event for the sake of fairness.

So.

Even knowing there was no need to feel inferior…

“What was it, connecting vocational education to orphanage children? She praised that aspect highly.”

At that moment, like a compressed spring bouncing back, deep-seated inferiority complex surged up.

“Ha, what meaning is there in teaching this and that to orphan brats?”

Isaac snapped sharply.

“Do those vermin ever become useful?”

“What?”

“It’s just a waste of money. Acting like they’re doing something so great…!”

“Watch your words, High Priest Evans!”

Thud!

The High Priest slammed the armrest of his chair violently.

However, looking at his true feelings, he wasn’t angry about the disparaging remarks toward children.

“The words may be right, but the situation has become this twisted.”

The High Priest scolded again.

“It’s not like the High Priest is entirely without fault!”

He was merely blaming the damage dealt to the ‘childcare business’ that the Imperial Curia was conducting.

Damn it.

Isaac, who had no words regarding that matter, clenched his fist tightly in frustration.

He applied so much force that bluish veins bulged prominently on the back of his hand.

“If you hadn’t unnecessarily brought up Lady Ansi and provoked the Duke…”

The High Priest, who had been glaring at Isaac with a pathetic expression, soon let out a long sigh and concluded.

“Sigh, I shouldn’t have entrusted the childcare foundation to you.”

“…”

Isaac’s face contorted violently.

The High Priest waved his hand as if he couldn’t be bothered to speak further.

“Enough. After you’ve calmed your emotions, we’ll continue our conversation. You may leave.”

Isaac left without even responding, storming out of his seat.

Bang!

The door slammed shut roughly.

The High Priest, left alone, stared at the closed door and clicked his tongue.

“I kept him in the High Priest position out of respect for Viscount Evans’ face, but…”

The High Priest shook his head as if disgusted.

“It might be better to cut him off soon.”

* * *

‘I must somehow reverse this situation.’

Isaac crossed the long corridor with an anxious feeling.

Honestly, his position within the Imperial Curia wasn’t what it used to be.

The childcare foundation, which had been Isaac’s main jurisdiction, was experiencing a crisis.

Due to various mistakes made up until now, other priests had also been avoiding Isaac recently.

Most of all, the High Priest’s open display of dissatisfaction dealt the biggest blow.

‘What cards do I have available to use right now?’

Isaac, who had been racking his brains, bit down hard on his molars.

‘Damn it, Seraphina!’

Seraphina Lopez.

To create a connection with the Empress, and to manipulate public opinion in high society.

A card he had cultivated with considerable effort.

Seraphina, who would normally visit every two or three days to sweet-talk him, hadn’t shown even a trace of herself lately.

‘I didn’t think she’d cut off contact completely just because the situation got a bit bad.’

Isaac ground his teeth furiously.

‘After all the support I gave that wench!’

Nothing, absolutely nothing was going according to plan!

Unable to contain his rising irritation, just as his eyes were about to roll back in fury.

“High Priest Evans.”

A voice calling Isaac could be heard.

Isaac squeezed his eyes shut, barely managing to calm his emotions, then glanced back.

“What is it?”

“Well, Lord Evans has sent you a letter.”

But this too was unwelcome news.

“Ha, really.”

Isaac furrowed his brow deeply.

Recently, Lord Evans had been staying at the Town House of the Estate instead of going down to his viscounty.

Well, the content of the letter his father sent was obvious.

To summarize in one line,

‘That bastard Dietrich is thriving like that, so what the hell are you doing?’

…Something along those lines.

Through his tightly clenched teeth, a suppressed answer flowed out.

“Throw it away.”

“Pardon? But you should at least check it once…”

“I said throw it away!”

Isaac shouted with veins bulging in his neck.

“Don’t my words sound like words to you? How dare a mere priest like you ignore me!”

“I’m, I’m sorry!”

The priest, startled by Isaac’s fit-like outburst, hurriedly bowed his head.

Even so, he couldn’t help feeling rebellious.

‘Why are you taking it out on me?’

It seemed he’d been quite beaten down in his meeting with the High Priest.

Frankly speaking, it wasn’t like he had scolded High Priest Evans.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you leaving?”

Isaac snapped irritably at the hesitating priest.

‘Geez, he’s really being annoying.’

The priest suppressed his surging emotions and answered meekly.

His business wasn’t finished yet.

“Well, there’s been a request for an audience with you, High Priest.”

“A request for an audience? Who is it, Lady Lopez?”

“No, it’s the Orphanage Director from Roman Orphanage.”

“What?”

At the unexpected name, Isaac slightly furrowed his eyebrows.

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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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