The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 199

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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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Special Side Story Episode 12

Time flew by quickly, and it was already the end of the year.

Usually, people spend cozy time with their families during the year-end.

But there are people in this world who cannot enjoy such warm moments.

Therefore, there was one thing Larite always made sure to take care of every year-end.

‘Hmm, is there anything missing?’

Larite carefully examined the document densely filled with a list of items.

Toys and small-packaged snacks, crayons, sketchbooks, scarves and gloves, and socks…

They were all gifts to be sent to Roman Orphanage.

‘Still, I’m really glad.’

A faint smile appeared on Larite’s lips as she double-checked the gift list.

‘The Childcare Foundation seems to have established itself well.’

‘Claudius Foundation’ had now grown into one of the most famous foundations in the Empire.

Father Pedro, who had transferred to the foundation, was serving and showing love to the children day and night.

Support for the children had also become much more detailed.

By connecting with various institutions such as the Imperial Court and Trade Guilds, they provided vocational education to the orphanage children.

They also provided related assistance so that children who left the orphanage could properly become independent.

How to save money, what loans are, and so on.

The purpose was to prevent them from experiencing difficulties when they first entered society by providing essential practical education including finance.

Perhaps that’s why.

The graduates of ‘Claudius Foundation’ settled more easily throughout the Empire.

Sometimes, children who got jobs with support from the childcare foundation would send letters.

[I got a job as a general store clerk this time. I really wanted to express my gratitude to Lord and Lady Claudius.]

[I’m currently working at a bakery. Whenever I smell freshly baked bread, I remember the taste of the bread I first had when I entered the orphanage. It was really delicious…]

They would chatter about their small daily lives.

These were letters filled with gratitude to the orphanage and Lord and Lady Claudius.

Every time she read those letters, Larite’s heart would also warm up.

“Mother, I finished writing my letter!”

Just then, Lucas, who had been lying on his stomach on the floor diligently moving his pen, suddenly got up from his seat.

Letter paper was firmly held in his adorable little hands.

“Look at this, I didn’t make any mistakes!”

Lucas proudly shrugged his shoulders and acted smug.

Larite chuckled and took the letter paper to examine it carefully.

Although the letters were crooked because he was young, there were no typos at all.

Her rose-pink eyes shook violently.

‘My goodness, is our son a genius?’

That’s right.

Larite was inevitably a son-obsessed parent too…

“Yes, our Luca.”

She patted her son’s head with a bright face.

“You’re really amazing. How can you be so smart?”

“Hehe.”

Lucas burst into giggles with a proud face.

What Lucas wrote was a letter to send to the orphanage.

It had been going on for almost a year now.

The story was like this.

Larite occasionally went to volunteer at the orphanage run by the foundation.

Lucas also followed his mother to the orphanage and built friendships with several children.

So they naturally began exchanging letters.

“You know, Mother. Tommy said they had chicken dishes as a special meal this time.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He said it was really delicious. And for dessert, they had biscuits…”

As Lucas was chattering away with sparkling eyes.

“Lariteeee!!”

A clear shout echoed from far away.

At the same time, a dazzlingly beautiful lady came running into the drawing room, her gorgeous blonde hair flowing behind her.

That appearance, like a Persian cat with its fur all puffed up…

“Larit, I’m so frustrated!!”

Evangeline gasped angrily and made a tearful face.

At the same time, Lucas blinked blankly.

“…Aunt Eva?”

“You know what!”

Evangeline, who was raising her voice again, belatedly noticed her nephew in front of her.

‘Oh no.’

Startled, she quickly came to her senses.

This wouldn’t do.

Her dignity and authority as an aunt…!

Evangeline hastily composed her expression.

Suddenly becoming a haughty lady, she smiled elegantly.

“It’s, it’s nothing.”

“…”

“Our Lucas, have you been well?”

“…”

“Oh my, goodness. Were you writing a letter just now?”

Evangeline pretended nothing had happened and deliberately spoke more affectionately to Lucas.

Larite looked at Evangeline with a dubious expression.

‘…Somehow I have an ominous feeling.’

What on earth is it?

* * *

That afternoon.

They had lunch, ate dessert, and even played three rounds of Lucas’s favorite card game.

But even though it was time to return to the Imperial Palace.

Evangeline was still clinging to Lucas.

“You need to brush your teeth, Lucas.”

“Ew, I don’t want to.”

“No way. What if your teeth rot? Then your teeth will hurt, you’ll be banned from eating chocolate that Lucas likes, and then…”

Evangeline rattled off all sorts of scary things.

Lucas, thoroughly frightened, eventually ran off to the restroom to brush his teeth.

Evangeline, who burst into giggles, quickly followed her nephew.

Larite watched the retreating figures of Lucas and Evangeline with a mysterious expression.

It was certainly the usual appearance of the two with nothing particularly strange, but…

‘This is somehow suspicious.’

An inexplicable sense of déjà vu uncomfortably crept into Larite.

Meanwhile, regardless of Larite’s suspicions, Lucas was very excited.

With Aunt Eva, whom he usually followed well, by his side all day, he couldn’t help but be happy.

After finishing brushing his teeth.

As he was returning to the drawing room, holding hands amicably with Evangeline.

The child looked up at his aunt with sparkling eyes.

“Aunt Eva, how long will you stay at our house today?”

Lucas asked this hoping that Evangeline would stay at Lord Claudius’ Town House for a long time. Farewells were always sad, after all.

But Evangeline’s reaction was somehow strange.

“Huh?”

She suddenly stiffened her shoulders with a start, then glanced sideways at Larite sitting on the sofa.

As if she had no intention whatsoever of returning to the Imperial Palace.

Larite found that expression very familiar.

From the time that now felt so distant, when the two first became friends.

She recalled how Evangeline would primly turn her head away back then.

Yes, just like a cat that had caused trouble and was playing innocent…

‘That’s…’

Larite narrowed her eyes and stared intently at her dear friend.

Evangeline, who had been looking away, glanced back with her eyes and ended up making direct eye contact with Larite.

“…Hic!”

Evangeline’s body jerked greatly.

A long silence passed.

“…”

“…”

Evangeline was the first to look away.

She seemed to break out in a cold sweat, then turned her head away sharply.

Then she deliberately started speaking more affectionately to Lucas.

“Hey, Luca. Should Auntie read you a fairy tale?”

Larite furrowed her brow.

‘Something’s definitely strange.’

From earlier, when she came to Lord Claudius’ mansion without even making an appointment beforehand.

To suddenly crying out that she felt wronged.

It seemed she needed to hear the whole story.

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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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