The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 36
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 36
* * *
[To my beloved Lari.
The weather has become quite warm lately.
Are you staying healthy and well?
The reason I’m sending this letter today is because we received word from Count Gusto’s House.
I heard you sent Gregory a letter breaking off the engagement. Is this true?]
“Ugh.”
I stiffened my shoulders with a start as I read the letter absentmindedly.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
Lady Claudius, who had been sitting beside me, looked at me with a puzzled expression.
But I forgot to even answer and hurriedly read through the rest of the contents.
[I’m not writing to scold you about the broken engagement.
I trust that our daughter handled things well on her own.
However, I’d like to hear the details, so won’t you come down to the Ansi Viscountcy after such a long time?
It’s been ages since I’ve seen your face, Lari.
—With love, Mother]
The letter ended there.
I felt my conscience pricking at me.
‘That’s right, I didn’t tell my parents that I broke off the engagement…’
It had been something I did in a fit of anger to begin with.
And after that, what with the ducal salon and retainer meetings following one after another, I’d been so busy…
“Oh, really. Lady Ansi!”
Just then, Lady Claudius puffed out both her cheeks in displeasure and called out to me.
“Yes, yes!”
I snapped to attention and looked at Lady Claudius.
Lady Claudius asked me bluntly.
“What kind of letter is it that has you acting like this?”
“Ah… well.”
I organized the letter and put it back in the envelope as I answered.
“My parents are asking me to come down to the Ansi Viscountcy for a while.”
“The Ansi Viscountcy?”
Lady Claudius’s eyes widened.
I nodded.
“Since I broke off the engagement with Count Gusto’s House. They seem to want to hear an explanation about it.”
Of course, they wouldn’t be too angry with me.
My parents hadn’t been particularly pleased with my engagement to Gregory from the beginning.
‘Come to think of it, I caused my parents a lot of heartache by stubbornly insisting on getting engaged to Gregory…’
I tried to suppress the sigh that was about to escape.
Why had I been so obsessed with Gregory back then?
I shouldn’t have done that.
Not when it meant hurting the people who cherished me…
But then.
‘Hm?’
Feeling as if my cheek was stinging somehow, I glanced to the side.
And I saw it.
Lady Claudius with her eyes sparkling brightly, talking to herself as if she wanted everyone to hear.
“Oh my, I’d like to visit the Ansi Viscountcy sometime too.”
“…”
“Lady Ansi and I even wrote a friendship contract together.”
“…”
“I heard that friends introduce each other to their families and such.”
“…”
“I even introduced my brother to herrrr.”
…When she’s so blatantly saying ‘Take me with you too!’, how could I pretend not to notice?
I smiled wryly and asked Lady Claudius a question.
“Would you like to come with me?”
“Yes, I’d like to go!”
Lady Claudius exclaimed, completely excited.
But that was only for a moment.
“It’s, it’s because Lady Ansi asked me to come along.”
Lady Claudius added unnecessarily primly.
“Of, of course I did say I wanted to go. But still, it’s because Lady Ansi invited me!”
“Of course, I suggested it because I wanted to go together with you, Lady Claudius.”
“Right? I’m not forcing you to take me by being stubborn, am I?”
Only then did Lady Claudius smile brightly.
* * *
…Anyway, for that reason, Lady Claudius and I are now riding in a carriage together.
Lady Claudius, who had been looking out the window, rested her chin on her hand and muttered bluntly.
“Really, you don’t know how much my brother nagged me right up until we departed.”
“Nagged?”
I tilted my head.
Lady Claudius pouted her lips in displeasure.
“He told me not to bother Lady Ansi.”
Then she drooped both shoulders and asked in a pitiful voice.
“You know, Lady Ansi. Am I bothersome…?”
“Of course not.”
I smiled and shook my head.
How should I put it, it felt like watching a proud pedigreed cat gradually becoming a lap cat?
At first, I was extremely nervous because I didn’t know how to treat Lady Claudius.
But seeing Lady Claudius treat me so warmly like this, I somehow felt a bit proud…
“Right? I’m not bothersome, am I?”
Lady Claudius, who had quickly perked up, grumbled.
“But my brother always scolds me. Do you know what he said to me?”
Lady Claudius hardened her expression and imitated Lord Claudius perfectly.
“You, don’t wander off anywhere else and stay put. I’ll come pick you up myself when it’s time to return.”
“Pfft.”
I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
‘Oh no, she really sounds just like him?’
After giggling for a while, I wiped away tears and asked.
“But what did you mean about him picking you up? What was that about…?”
“Oh, my brother said he’s going on a business trip to the south this time too.”
“A business trip?”
If Lord Claudius was moving personally, it must be quite an important matter.
Lady Claudius shrugged her shoulders lightly.
“Recently, the Ducal House invested in some southern trading fleets. There’s something related to that he needs to look into?”
“Ah…”
I thought I understood.
The southern region where the Ansi Viscountcy was located bordered the sea.
So most people were engaged in fishing and trade, and several merchants had established headquarters in the south to operate trading fleets.
I believe there’s one in the Ansi Viscountcy as well, and that name is probably…
“By any chance, is the fleet that His Grace invested in from the Larit Trade Guild?”
“Huh? How does Lady Ansi know about that?”
Lady Claudius’s eyes became like those of a startled rabbit.
I shrugged my shoulders lightly.
“Among the trading companies in the Southern Region, the Larit Trade Guild is the largest. So I thought I’d ask.”
“From what I’ve heard, the Ansi Viscountcy is famous as a resort area. Does it even have a trading company headquarters?”
“Yes, well…”
I smiled bitterly.
Lady Claudius was absolutely right.
Although the Ansi Viscountcy was small in size, it was quite a wealthy territory with both tourism income and trade combined.
Well, that’s why Gregory wanted to kill two birds with one stone by obtaining the Ansi Viscountcy.
Even though he found me distasteful, he continued to maintain our engagement…
But then.
“Honestly, who else would be such a workaholic… Oh, look over there!”
Lady Claudius, who had been listing complaints about His Grace, stuck her head out the window and exclaimed.
“Look, you can see the ocean!”
The Ansi Viscountcy was just around the corner.
* * *
The Ansi Marquisate’s Main Estate.
The three-story mansion where I had stayed since childhood welcomed me back.
It was a tearfully heartwarming sight.
After getting out of the carriage, I ran straight toward my parents.
“Mom, Dad!”
“Lari!”
My parents smiled brightly at me.
That sight was exactly as I remembered, and somehow my heart felt a little moved.
However, my parents’ situation was a bit different.
“L-Lady Claudius.”
As soon as Lady Claudius appeared from inside the carriage, my parents froze solid…
“We greet Lady Claudius.”
“It is truly an honor to host Lady Claudius.”
My parents, gulping down dry saliva, greeted Lady Claudius respectfully.
However, the problem was…
‘Mom and Dad… they look like their souls have left their bodies?’
Even wind-up dolls wouldn’t move this stiffly!
Well, I suppose it wasn’t incomprehensible.
Although I had sent word ahead by letter, it was none other than Lady Claudius who was visiting.
‘I was also extremely nervous when I first met Lady Claudius.’
That was at least when I had requested to meet her first.
But for my parents, encountering Lady Claudius was like a bolt from the blue, wasn’t it?
‘Lady Ansi, what should we do about this?’
Facing my parents who had stiffened like boards, Lady Claudius looked back at me with trembling pupils.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
