The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 19

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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 19

My first impression upon seeing the male protagonist of this world was…

‘Wow, I can definitely see why Seraphina would lose her heart to him.’

Simply describing him as ‘handsome’ would be an insult to Lord Claudius’s beauty.

Would a sculpture that God had painstakingly crafted look like this?

Light platinum hair and deep blue eyes that resembled an icy sea.

A tall, lean frame and a solid build to match.

That alone would have been perfect, but there was an added nobility that seemed innate.

Every gesture of his hand movements and each glance he cast this way was aristocratic.

Of course, Lady Claudius was also dazzlingly beautiful, but Lord Claudius was…

‘Overwhelming.’

I felt my mouth go completely dry.

“What, brother!”

Just then, Lady Claudius addressed Lord Claudius with a delighted voice.

“Didn’t you say you were busy?”

“That’s right, I am busy.”

Lord Claudius replied plainly, then gave a light shrug of his shoulders.

“Still, I thought it would be good to show my face at the salon at least once.”

At the same time, his blue gaze swept past me.

“Eva, so when are you going to introduce me to this lady?”

“Ah, this is my… friend, Larit Ansi. I’ve mentioned her a few times, haven’t I?”

Lady Claudius hesitated for a moment, but still introduced me as her ‘friend.’

‘Thank goodness.’

Since we hadn’t even written a friendship contract yet, I had been worried it might be a bit awkward.

Just then, Lady Claudius glanced back at me.

“Lady Ansi, this is my brother. Dietrich von Claudius.”

I swallowed hard.

…To think I would be greeting Seraphina’s destined man.

Somehow I felt like running away, but I planted my feet firmly and stood my ground.

Then I offered a respectful greeting.

“Larit Ansi, I am honored to meet Lord Claudius.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ansi.”

Lord Claudius placed his hand on his chest and bowed respectfully.

“…”

I felt somewhat strange.

Both Lady Claudius and Lord Claudius before me now.

There was no sign of them ignoring me or looking down on me.

Rather, wasn’t it me who had wanted to avoid this situation for no reason?

‘Let’s not act awkward.’

I hesitated as I tried to smile, albeit clumsily.

‘Ah.’

Was it my imagination?

I felt as though Lord Claudius’s deep blue eyes were looking straight through me.

…My breathing became erratic.

But just then.

Guests came streaming into the salon, being escorted inside.

Lady Claudius’s eyes widened, and she hurried over in that direction.

“Brother, I need to greet the guests! Please take care of Lady Ansi!”

As soon as I heard that cheerful voice, I snapped back to attention.

What? So suddenly?

Just Lord Claudius and me alone?

My pupils shook with shock.

“It’s, it’s fine. I can be alone…”

Then Lady Claudius, who had been moving busily, whipped around to look back.

“Oh my, she’s my friend… well, a temporary friend, but still!”

Lady Claudius, who had been about to say ‘friend’ without thinking, hastily corrected herself.

Then she added primly.

“Anyway, how could I leave my friend alone?”

“But…”

“Brother, if you leave Lady Ansi hanging, I won’t let it slide. Got it?!”

Lady Claudius shook her clenched fist, then quickly moved away again.

What should I do about this?

I was stunned.

At the same time, Lord Claudius glanced down at me.

“Lady Ansi.”

Then he extended his arm to me.

It was the perfect posture of a gentleman escorting a lady, something you’d see in an etiquette manual.

“Shall we go then?”

At the same time, Lord Claudius’s eyes curved gracefully.

It was a dizzyingly elegant eye-smile.

“Ah, yes…”

As if enchanted, I placed my hand on his arm, then belatedly snapped back to my senses.

With such beauty and such an eye-smile, this is cheating!

* * *

Lord Claudius and I walked side by side into the salon.

The guests who had arrived earlier were viewing the artworks displayed throughout.

As I looked around the interior of the salon, my eyes lit up.

‘Ah, they removed all the flower decorations as I advised.’

With the decorations gone, it had definitely become more comfortable to view the artworks.

And you could tell they had paid attention to the lighting too.

The lighting was gentle and subdued so as not to damage the artworks.

“Eva recently sent me documents regarding the salon’s traffic flow.”

Just then, Lord Claudius spoke.

“She said that Lady Ansi had given her advice on those documents.”

Why, what, why?

Was there some problem?!

I tensed my shoulders and looked back at Lord Claudius.

“Eva insisted she did almost everything herself, but… I think Lady Ansi contributed significantly.”

His blue gaze held a faint smile as he looked at me.

“Am I right?”

“Ah, well…”

What should I say in response?

I suddenly recalled Lady Claudius’s extremely excited face.

“With these documents, I’ll be able to flatten brother’s nose, won’t I?”

…She had been so happy about it.

Saying that I had done most of the work would be a bit much, wouldn’t it?

“If it’s difficult to answer, you don’t have to.”

Lord Claudius shrugged his shoulders, then met my gaze with a gentle smile.

“I just wanted to tell you that it was excellent.”

“…Ah.”

Feeling my face flush for no reason, I deliberately turned my gaze to the paintings hanging on the wall.

“Y-you flatter me.”

Then a puzzled question came back.

“Why do you think it’s flattery?”

“Pardon?”

“I sincerely think those documents were excellent.”

…You’re being sincere?

It’s not just polite words?

I completely forgot about being embarrassed and stared blankly at Lord Claudius.

Lord Claudius nodded lightly.

“I pride myself on having seen quite a lot of documents so far… but yours were outstanding.”

“Ah…”

What should I do, I’m so happy.

Not knowing what to do, I bowed my head deeply.

Lord Claudius, as if being considerate of me, smiled gently and changed the subject.

“So, do you like the artworks?”

“Ah, yes. I like them.”

I nodded hastily.

Come to think of it, Lord Claudius said he was quite knowledgeable about art.

Perhaps that’s why, the exhibited artworks were all incredibly beautiful.

The only problem was that none of those artworks caught my eye.

Because, my honest feelings were.

‘L-Lord Claudius looks the most like an artwork…’

I swallowed the words that had risen to my throat.

Since Lord Claudius had such dazzling beauty, it was difficult to focus on other artworks…

Just then.

I noticed nobles having a conversation in front of a sculpture.

It was a sculpture depicting a nymph fairy transforming into a tree.

‘Ah, is this a sculpture of the nymph fairy legend?’

That legend was so famous that even I knew it roughly.

The story goes like this.

There was a nymph fairy who served a god.

The fairy loved the god she served with all her heart, but the problem was that the god never looked back at the nymph fairy.

Eventually, the nymph fairy was deeply wounded in her heart and transformed into a white birch tree…

“This sculptor probably wanted to emphasize the nymph fairy’s pathos and sadness.”

A stout middle-aged nobleman was showing off his knowledge.

“The nymph fairy grew tired of unrequited love and eventually abandoned even herself.”

Perhaps to heighten the atmosphere.

The nobleman, who had paused to clear his throat, continued his explanation in a dramatic tone.

“Choosing to transform into a birch tree means her self-hatred was that deep, don’t you think?”

“Ooh.”

“How could that be…”

Perhaps because the nobleman telling the story was so serious, a strangely solemn atmosphere pervaded.

Meanwhile, listening to that story, I muttered unconsciously.

“It might not necessarily be like that, though?”

“Then what are your thoughts, my lady?”

Gasp.

I looked up at Lord Claudius with startled rabbit eyes.

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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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