The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 44
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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 44
The reactions of people accepting my greetings were varied.
“Ah… yes, Lady Ansi.”
From noblewomen staring at me with surprised gazes,
“What a truly wonderful party. It’s worthy of Lady Claudius’ attendance.”
To nobles who were greatly conscious of Lady Claudius,
“Excuse me, are you really Lady Ansi? That’s… no, never mind.”
Even to young nobles who were so stunned they nearly asked rude questions before quickly coming to their senses.
That wasn’t all.
“That person is Lady Ansi?”
Various conversations flowed from behind opened fans and champagne glasses.
I thought Lady Claudius would be the one receiving everyone’s attention.
Surprisingly, stories about me occupied quite a large portion.
“My goodness, I’ve never seen her dressed up like that before.”
“She always wore such dreary clothes like a crow…”
“Lady Lopez was so beautiful that I didn’t notice, but Lady Ansi looks quite splendid when dressed up too.”
I deliberately pretended not to hear those whispers.
However, one part that was pleasant to see was,
“Baroness Ansi! Lady Ansi, how is she so pretty?”
“Her hair looks so lustrous, is there some secret? I’d like to do the same for my daughter.”
My mother was surrounded by her friends, finally able to hold her shoulders straight with pride.
And.
“Baron Ansi, you must have spent a fortune getting your daughter’s dress tailored?”
“Haha, wouldn’t I do at least that much for my only daughter!”
My father was also bursting into hearty laughter in front of his friends.
My parents had always only worried about their lacking daughter, but this time they seemed to be smiling because of me.
I watched that scene with warm satisfaction.
“Lady Ansi!”
At the same time, Lady Claudius approached me with quick steps.
“You look absolutely beautiful today.”
Lady Claudius looked me up and down, then showed me a thumbs up with a proud expression.
“This is what it takes to be my friend!”
“Thank you so much, Lady Claudius.”
I answered politely.
Then Lady Claudius turned her head coyly and asked me back.
“So, who was it that made Lady Ansi so pretty today~?”
“Why, it was Lady Claudius, who leads the fashion trends of the Empire’s high society with her outstanding aesthetic sense.”
When I flattered Lady Claudius for all to hear, she burst into delighted laughter.
Just then.
Lady Claudius’ eyes sparkled when she spotted cookies arranged on the table.
“Oh, those cookies! Those are my favorite!”
Lady Claudius scurried toward the refreshment table.
She looked just like a cat in front of salty snacks.
‘Our Lady Claudius is so adorable…’
As I was feeling pleased inwardly, a man stopped in front of me.
“Lady Ansi.”
Hm?
I glanced up.
A man was smiling broadly while extending his hand to me.
It was the gentleman’s etiquette for asking a lady to dance.
“May I request one dance with the lady?”
“…”
I stared blankly down at the hand extended toward me.
‘This man’s name was… Philip Todd, wasn’t it.’
Philip Todd.
The heir to House of Todd, and one of Seraphina’s followers.
He was someone who had never even glanced at me before…
‘How sudden.’
A wallflower.
That had always been my nickname.
The person who always received dance requests was Seraphina.
My role was to make Seraphina shine with my dreary attire and hunched shoulders.
Even Gregory, my fiancé, had only ever extended his hand to Seraphina.
To think a dance request would come to someone like me.
However.
‘Should I be grateful that he asked me to dance?’
I glanced at Todd Youngshik.
And I saw it.
‘Of course you can’t refuse my proposal, right?’
The superiority complex written all over Todd Youngshik’s face.
At that moment, I made my decision.
“I’m sorry.”
“Pardon?”
Not having expected to be rejected by me, Todd Youngshik’s face contorted with shock.
But I had no intention of taking back my refusal.
‘Todd Youngshik… he worshipped Seraphina so much.’
I definitely remembered.
That disgusting gaze that looked me up and down appraisingly while asking Seraphina to dance.
“The combination of Lady Lopez and Lady Ansi? Beauty and the beast?”
That mocking voice that loudly chattered to his friends.
…And even Gregory, who couldn’t stop him but laughed along beside him.
“Lady Ansi!”
At the same time, Lady Claudius poked her head right in front of me.
“L-Lady Claudius?”
Todd Youngshik flinched and hastily corrected his expression.
He couldn’t dare show a sour face in front of the only daughter of House of Claudius.
The lofty prestige of the ducal house had never been more welcome.
“I think I ate too many sweets. I’m thirsty?”
Lady Claudius clung to me like a cat.
“Shall I bring you a glass of juice?”
“What do you mean bring me? We can go together.”
Lady Claudius linked arms with me conspicuously.
Then she glanced sideways at Todd Youngshik with an indifferent look.
“Since that’s how it is, I’ll be taking Lady Ansi with me?”
“…”
Lady Claudius immediately led me away from the spot.
Todd Youngshik, who had openly shown displeasure toward me, couldn’t even twitch his lips in front of Lady Claudius.
‘Hmm, so this is how intoxicating the taste of power can be.’
Meanwhile, as soon as we had put some distance from Todd Youngshik, Lady Claudius eagerly whispered to me.
“You did well to refuse! That ugly thing, how dare he make advances on my friend?”
“Pfft.”
I bit down on my molars, trying to hold back the laughter that was bursting out.
Honestly, Todd Youngshik didn’t have the kind of looks that warranted such harsh words.
He just looked ordinary, that’s all.
But Lady Claudius just shrugged her shoulders smugly.
“Right? I can’t stand it when men uglier than me come near my friends.”
Ah, so Lady Claudius herself was the standard?
Then I’ll acknowledge that.
If we use Lady Claudius’s beauty as the measuring stick, most men wouldn’t even be worth as much as a toenail…
“Oh my, why aren’t they coming?”
Just then, Lady Claudius stamped her feet and muttered to herself.
‘Who isn’t coming?’
I became a little puzzled.
And then.
A commotion broke out in the banquet hall.
“Did, did you see that?”
“The, the crest on that carriage…!”
People started stirring from the entrance.
‘Who on earth arrived to cause such a fuss?’
I turned around with a puzzled expression.
But I could immediately understand that excessive reaction.
“That was the crest of House of Claudius, wasn’t it?!”
Because exclamations burst out from among the people.
‘Could it be that Lord Claudius has arrived?’
I opened my eyes wide.
People were all busy making a commotion.
“My goodness, Lord Claudius attended the Ansi Mansion’s party?!”
“Did he come to see Lady Claudius?”
“Then both direct members of the ducal house have come to this party!”
“Who would have thought the Ansi Mansion had such deep connections with House of Claudius!”
At the same time, a man stepped into the banquet hall.
How should I put it—if you were to personify the word ‘noble’ into human form, would it look like that?
His pale platinum hair was neatly arranged.
He wore a perfectly fitted tailored suit, looking as perfect as if he had stepped out of a luxury store catalog.
His upright posture and distinctive aristocratic bearing.
No matter how I looked at him, it was Lord Claudius whom I knew.
‘Really… Lord Claudius has actually come?’
I became a little dazed.
At the same time, Lady Claudius ran over to Lord Claudius’s side.
“Really, brother!”
Then she became sulky and glared at Lord Claudius…
“Why are you so late? I was waiting!”
“…”
“Making a lady wait—you’re disqualified as a gentleman!”
“…”
Well, I’ll just say that Lord Claudius had an expression that showed he really had a lot to say.
Strength entered his elegant jaw, and Lord Claudius soon narrowed his eyes with a smile.
A voice pressed through Lord Claudius’s gritted teeth flowed out.
“Let’s have a little talk later. Okay?”
At those words, Lady Claudius’s eyes shook like an earthquake.
“Wh, what talk? I don’t have anything to discuss with you, brother.”
“I do.”
Lord Claudius replied firmly.
‘Lady Claudius, did you perhaps cause some trouble recently?’
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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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