The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 41

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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 41

“By any chance, are you planning to attend the House of Ansi’s party, Lady?”

It was an openly difficult question to ask.

The flustered lady rolled her eyes and trailed off.

“Pardon? I, I am…”

“I believe our friendship isn’t so light as that.”

Seraphina’s smile deepened slightly.

“Right?”

“Ah…”

Lady Pailrun looked around helplessly, gauging the other ladies’ reactions.

The ladies sitting around them also had complicated expressions.

“…”

“…”

An awkward atmosphere settled over them.

After a moment.

“Well… attending parties is something our parents decide!”

“Me, me too.”

“That’s right. I’d love to attend Count Gusto’s party too!”

Lips trembling slightly from forcing fake smiles.

Even their attitude of constantly avoiding eye contact.

‘What on earth is this supposed to be?’

Seraphina felt a deep sense of foreboding.

That day.

Not a single one of the ladies gave Seraphina a definitive answer that they would ‘attend Count Gusto’s party.’

* * *

Bang!

Lady Claudius, who had thrown open the coffee house door grandly, moved quickly.

Being dragged along helplessly by Lady Claudius, I carefully spoke up.

“Um, Lady Claudius?”

Thud.

At that call, Lady Claudius stopped in her tracks.

Already feeling guilty, I quickly continued.

“That, what the ladies said earlier. About me using you – that’s completely unreasonable…”

At the same time, Lady Claudius turned serious and called me.

“Lady Ansi.”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t finish my words and shrank back.

However, Lady Claudius only took a deep breath, showing no sign of speaking.

The longer that silence stretched, the more frightened I became.

‘Is she very angry?’

Well, she might be.

The ladies were being so unreasonable that I snapped back in anger too.

In a way, my words might have sounded like I was calling Lady Claudius ‘convenient to stick close to and use.’

But then.

“Were you that happy to be friends with me?”

“Pardon?”

At the unexpected question, I was left dumbfounded.

At the same time, Lady Claudius whirled around.

Her blue eyes gazing at me sparkled like stars.

“It can’t be helped.”

Lady Claudius spoke primly.

“From now on, you can freely sell my name wherever you go.”

“Sell your name…?”

“Yes.”

Lady Claudius nodded firmly.

“Take pride in being Lady Claudius’s one and only friend, and go around telling everyone you’re my friend.”

“La, Lady Claudius?”

“Don’t shrink back like that, walk with your shoulders straight.”

Lady Claudius’s lips kept twitching as she suppressed her bursting laughter.

“This much between friends isn’t difficult.”

Lady Claudius shrugged her shoulders proudly.

Then, with an ‘oh no’ expression, she hastily added.

“We, we have a friendship contract! So we’re just pretending to be close, I’m just fulfilling the contract…!”

Her flustered excuses made her look like a cat with its tail on fire…

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Of course. I understand what you mean perfectly.”

Though she’s going on about friendship contracts and such, Lady Claudius is right now.

‘Being considerate of me.’

…Somehow my heart felt warm.

“But, but.”

Just then, Lady Claudius carefully gauged my reaction.

“You’re not troubled because I decided to throw a party on my own, are you? Don’t worry about the cost, I’ll pay for it…”

“No, Lady Claudius.”

I immediately shook my head.

“I’ve always wanted to knock Seraphina and Gregory down a peg too.”

“Oh, really? Good, that’s perfect.”

Lady Claudius, full of enthusiasm, clenched her fist tightly.

“Let’s flatten that annoying Lady Lopez’s nose!”

Just then.

Lady Claudius narrowed her eyes and looked at me sideways.

“…What is it, why are you grinning like that?”

“Oh, well.”

I sheepishly touched the corner of my mouth.

I felt the corners of my mouth that had risen sky-high.

Since it had come to this.

I smiled brightly and answered.

“Because I like you so much, Lady Claudius.”

“…”

At my answer, Lady Claudius stared at me blankly.

And then.

“I, I too.”

Lady Claudius’s red lips moved slightly.

“Don’t… dislike Lady Ansi.”

Then she primly turned away.

“Let’s hurry back. July 5th isn’t far away, and there’s a lot to prepare if we’re throwing a party, isn’t there?”

“Yes, understood.”

I followed beside Lady Claudius with a beaming smile.

* * *

‘Frantically busy.’

These past few days, if Dietrich’s daily life since coming down to the Southern Region were to be summarized in one line, it would be this.

From lunch with merchants, to meetings with staff, to encounters with captains commanding the fleets.

The schedule was packed so tightly that it could be written as ‘efficient’ but read as ‘grueling.’

Dietrich had to move around saving even his sleeping time.

Thanks to that, he was able to return to the hotel early today…

“Ha, no matter what happens today, I have to sleep early. Soak in hot water, and then…”

The attendant with dark shadows under his eyes leaned back against the carriage seat, giggling eerily as he muttered ominously.

“…”

Dietrich, who had been looking at his attendant sitting across from him with a disapproving gaze, suddenly turned his eyes toward the window.

On the path leading to the hotel, a splendid street stretched out.

It was one of the finest upscale shopping districts in the Ansi Viscountcy.

“Make sure to buy me a gift!”

Suddenly, Evangeline’s cheerful voice came to mind.

She had said she was also going to visit the Ansi Viscountcy, so she could buy what she needed herself.

‘I wonder if that girl Eva won’t be bothering Lady Ansi.’

Dietrich, who had been shaking his head, suddenly thought of his sister’s friend.

Larit Ansi.

Her long, flowing black hair.

Her pink flower-colored eyes that looked straight at him without wavering.

When he listened to her calm voice gently soothing Evangeline, somehow his heart would feel at ease too…

‘I wonder if there will be a chance to meet her.’

Dietrich, who had been thinking that absentmindedly, soon smiled bitterly.

‘That’s unlikely.’

Although the Ansi Viscountcy wasn’t a vast territory, it wasn’t small enough to expect to run into someone by chance either.

Besides, Larite would be staying at the Ansi family’s residence.

Still, it’s a bit disappointing…

‘…Disappointing?’

Dietrich paused for a moment.

‘Why?’

After all, there was absolutely no reason to feel disappointed.

Dietrich, who had been momentarily bewildered, soon squeezed out a reason.

‘Lady Ansi is… Evangeline’s only friend.’

Also, isn’t she the only person who can smooth out Evangeline’s rough edges?

That’s probably why.

The reason he kept being concerned about Larite.

Dietrich tried hard to convince himself of that.

‘More importantly, that girl Eva.’

Dietrich clicked his tongue briefly and stared out the window with displeasure.

‘If I don’t bring something back, she’ll whine for three days and four nights…’

Just then, a shop that seemed perfect for Evangeline’s taste caught his eye.

His sister’s gift preferences were actually simple.

Sparkling, small, and pretty things.

To satisfy those preferences, nothing was better than jewelry.

Dietrich lightly tapped the carriage wall.

The carriage came to a smooth stop.

At the same time, the attendant who had been half-asleep drowsily lifted his eyelids.

“L-Lord Claudius?”

“I’m going to buy a gift for Eva.”

Toward the attendant who was blinking his eyes, Dietrich casually added.

“I’ll go look around by myself, so you can catch some sleep in the meantime.”

“But I must accompany you, Lord Claudius… mmnya.”

The attendant who had been muttering something fell asleep just like that.

Dietrich, watching this scene, felt a slight pang of conscience.

‘Maybe working him day and night for three days was a bit too much.’

Well, to be precise.

It was because the attendant had volunteered to come along, his eyes rolling at the enormous bonus…

Dietrich shook his head and stepped out of the carriage.

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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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