The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 165

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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 165

“….”

“I’m not asking you to trust me. I’m telling you to trust the power of Claudius.”

Seraphina looked at Larite with eyes full of wariness.

“As you know, the Claudius Medical Research Institute is one of the Empire’s leading medical institutions.”

The calm voice soothed Seraphina’s agitated heart.

Seraphina gradually calmed down.

“Countless researchers from that institute will dedicate themselves to saving you alone.”

“How can you believe those people… will help me?”

“Because you’ll pay the price.”

Larite gazed intently into Seraphina’s eyes.

Hatred and resentment, rejection, twisted self-love, and trampled pride swept past.

Only one emotion remained.

A faint emotion sparkling over her green eyes.

The name of that emotion was….

Hope that had not yet been abandoned.

“The truth.”

To that hope, Larite gave strength once more.

“Then… both I and Claudius will do our best to help you survive.”

Seraphina sensed it intuitively.

She couldn’t know if this lifeline could truly save her.

However, at the very least, this lifeline.

…Would not be constantly watching for an opportunity to make Seraphina fall.

* * *

At that moment.

A carriage smoothly stopped in front of a dilapidated building on the outskirts of the capital.

“We have arrived.”

The informant acting as coachman politely spoke as he opened the carriage door.

The person who emerged from within was….

“Right.”

It was Dietrich von Claudius.

The handsome man who seemed like he would never have any connection to such a shabby street in his lifetime rose from inside the carriage with familiarity.

After adjusting his clothes once, Dietrich stepped into the dim building.

“This way.”

Following the informant’s guidance, Dietrich headed underground with leisurely steps.

“He was quite rebellious, so we had to tie him up a bit.”

The informant walking alongside continued speaking.

“Still, we followed your instructions to be careful not to harm his body as much as possible….”

“Damn it, untie this right now!”

Just then, a man’s voice echoed loudly.

“Confinement? What kind of behavior is this! Where is this place, and why am I…!”

“….”

Dietrich quietly listened to that voice.

Perfect standard Imperial language.

It was identical to what the garden owner had testified.

“Oh my, it seems you followed my words too well.”

Dietrich let out a hollow laugh.

“This one’s too lively.”

At the same time as those words, Dietrich and the informant reached the basement.

Dietrich lightly grasped the door handle.

Creak―.

The old door let out an unpleasant scream.

Dietrich stepped boldly into the room.

The scene inside the room was simply bleak.

Two chairs and an iron table.

Above the ceiling, a dim lamp flickered as if it would go out but never did.

“Untie me! I said untie me!!”

The middle-aged man who had been shouting wildly while tied to a chair widened his eyes as soon as he saw Dietrich.

“D-Duke Claudius?”

“Oh.”

Dietrich, who had been staring with round eyes, soon smiled with amusement.

“You recognize me right away?”

“….”

He had hit the mark.

The man, momentarily flustered, hurriedly continued speaking.

“W-well, that’s because Duke Claudius is such a famous person….”

It was a crude excuse.

No matter how famous Duke Claudius was, there was no way a commoner would memorize the faces of nobles one by one.

Yet to recognize him so immediately….

‘It means he had familiarized himself with my face beforehand.’

Well, it would become clear with some investigation.

After all, that man’s personal information had been in his hands for a long time.

Dietrich tilted his head with the same smiling face.

“Well, anyway, to get to the main point… Warren Torres.”

A name that suddenly popped out.

Though he tried to pretend not to know, the man’s eyes were already trembling finely.

“You’re an employee who worked at Delis Garden for about 6 months, aren’t you?”

His blue eyes sank coldly.

“…And you’re also the very person who recommended the Lascott variety rose to my sister.”

“W-what’s wrong with recommending roses?”

The man tried desperately to make excuses.

Dietrich continued languidly.

“Well, it is something a garden employee should naturally do. However.”

His bright blue eyes looked through the man piercingly.

“If there was an impure intention behind that recommendation. And if the identity of ‘Warren Torres’ itself was stolen….”

Dietrich’s eyes curved elegantly.

“Naturally it would be a problem, wouldn’t it?”

“….”

Toward the silent man, Dietrich continued in a tone as soft as down feathers.

“Above all, I think I know who you are.”

The man flinched and stiffened his shoulders.

Dietrich’s smile deepened a little more.

“You look strangely familiar.”

“Y-you must be mistaken. This is the first time I’m meeting you today, Your Grace….”

Toward the man speaking incoherently, Dietrich calmly drove the nail in.

“Lies.”

“….”

The man froze like a mouse before a predator.

Dietrich asked again.

“On the day of my father’s funeral, you came along accompanying Marquis Evans. Isn’t that right?”

Even though it was almost a dozen years ago.

When I close my eyes, those scenes still come to mind as vividly as if they happened yesterday.

Snow falling pure white.

Lord Evans raising his voice in excitement.

Isaac standing close by the Viscount’s side, watching Dietrich with cold eyes.

…And even the attendant who held an umbrella over the Viscount while comforting him.

Evangeline was probably too young at the time to remember the attendant’s face.

However.

“It’s been a while, Jacob?”

Dietrich calmly spoke the man’s real name.

The man, Jacob, despaired.

“I heard you retired after my father’s funeral, but you’ve been continuing to serve as the Viscount’s shadow ever since.”

“…”

Jacob kept his mouth firmly shut.

Regardless, Dietrich continued speaking quietly.

“How is your family doing? I heard you have one son and one daughter.”

“…”

“Among them, your eldest son was around High Priest Evans’s age, wasn’t he? So.”

Dietrich narrowed his eyes as he stared at Jacob.

“Your eldest son once served as the High Priest’s personal servant. He’s married now and quit, though.”

“…”

“And your daughter is currently working as a maid at the Viscount’s castle, right? When the current head maid retires, she’s likely to be promoted to the next head maid.”

“…”

“I heard your wife recently profited quite well from investing in the bridge construction project in the Viscount’s territory?”

Dietrich smiled warmly.

“As far as I know, your wife has no particular connection to House Evans, so I’m really curious where she obtained such insider information.”

That was naturally information obtained through collusion with House Evans.

Jacob tried to lift his chin, pretending to be calm.

Even so, he couldn’t prevent his expression from slightly crumbling.

‘Damn it, I never thought he’d have figured out even those details…’

Of course, since this was House of Claudius and nowhere else, it was information that would eventually be thoroughly investigated.

Still, seeing him lay out the family relationships as if reading from his palm.

…It sent chills throughout his body.

“You’d better think carefully. Now that we’ve identified who you are, there’s quite a lot House of Claudius can do.”

“That’s…!”

Jacob, who was about to protest, gritted his teeth tightly.

He knew it too.

No, it would be more accurate to say he couldn’t not know.

Having lived as House Evans’s shadow all this time, he had felt firsthand just how powerful House of Claudius was.

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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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