The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 51

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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 51

* * *

The party came to a successful conclusion.

The lights at Ansi Mansion’s banquet hall didn’t go out until late into the night.

Incidentally, Lord Claudius returned to his hotel first when the party was ending.

“You could stay at our manor if you’d like.”

“No. Eva is already causing enough trouble, isn’t she?”

Saying this, Lord Claudius fixed his eyes with intensity and glared at Lady Claudius, but.

“Hmph.”

Lady Claudius stuck out her tongue and hid behind my back.

“…Anyway, since things have turned out this way, I’ll entrust Eva to you just for today.”

Lord Claudius continued speaking while staring at Lady Claudius with a piercing gaze.

“I’ll come to pick up Eva tomorrow.”

“Hmm.”

Lady Claudius, who had suddenly ended up having to return to Jedo with Lord Claudius first, looked up at me with a tearful expression.

“Well, Lady Ansi hasn’t been back to her hometown in a long time. She should spend a few days with her parents.”

Then she continued speaking, trying to act aloof.

“I’m not someone who lacks that much understanding.”

Her slender, pretty hand wiggled and quietly grasped mine.

“But you can’t stay too long, okay? I’ll be bored. Got it?”

“Of course.”

I smiled warmly at Lady Claudius.

After that.

I saw off each guest individually before finally being able to return to my bedroom late.

“Lady Ansi, you’re so late!”

Lady Claudius in her nightgown lifted her head brightly to greet me.

She must have been unwrapping the gift Lord Claudius had given her.

Ribbons and wrapping paper were scattered all over the bed.

“Wow, it’s beautiful.”

I opened my eyes wide.

Clink.

Under the light, a bracelet made of strung blue turquoise beads was revealed.

“Brother put some thought into it this time. But…”

Lady Claudius, who had been examining the bracelet from all angles, suddenly turned to look at me.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, this? Lord Claudius gave it to me as a gift.”

I showed Lady Claudius the gift box I had been carefully holding in both hands.

“He said when he bought Lady Claudius’s gift, he bought one for me too.”

Feeling my face flush for some reason, I fidgeted with the corner of the gift box.

“I’m so grateful, but I don’t know how I should repay him…”

“Oh?”

Lady Claudius’s eyes sparkled.

“Brother got a gift for Lady Ansi?”

“Yes, he did, but…”

“Wow, what’s gotten into that insensitive man?”

Lady Claudius pressed close to my side.

“It’s a bit awkward to say this as his sister, but our brother has absolutely no sense at all.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Of course. Even bringing gifts back from business trips – I just trained him to do that. He would never buy them on his own. But~”

Lady Claudius grinned mischievously and glanced at me slyly.

“He bought one for Lady Ansi on his own~?”

“That’s because I’m Lady Claudius’s friend, isn’t it?”

“Well, that could be it, but.”

Lady Claudius shrugged and continued.

“At the very least, our brother definitely likes Lady Ansi quite a bit.”

“Oh come on, that can’t be.”

I tried to laugh it off, but instead Lady Claudius looked at me with a serious expression.

“I’m telling you it’s true? If that weren’t the case, no matter how many letters I sent, he wouldn’t have bothered coming to the party…”

Lady Claudius, who had gotten that far, went “Oh no” and closed her mouth.

But my eyes had already shot up sky-high.

“Lady Claudius, don’t tell me you sent more letters to Lord Claudius without telling me?”

The day Lady Claudius declared in front of Seraphina and the other ladies that ‘Ansi Mansion would be holding a party.’

I had caught Lady Claudius in the act of sending a letter to Lord Claudius.

“Lady Claudius, Lord Claudius is a busy person.”

“His work should all be finished by now anyway.”

“Still, you can’t do that.”

Lady Claudius seemed quite displeased and pouted her lips.

But unable to overcome my persistent persuasion, she promised not to send the next letter.

However.

“Did Lady Claudius perhaps… ask Lord Claudius to come to our party?”

When I asked that, the deep fatigue that crossed Lord Claudius’s face.

“Well, I can’t say it’s completely untrue.”

Even that weary voice!

“No matter how much Eva pestered me, I wouldn’t have attended a party I didn’t want to go to.”

“I’m saying I came because I wanted to.”

Of course, he did kindly add this explanation, but…

Meanwhile, Lady Claudius, who was quite flustered, only moved her lips.

“Huh? No, I mean, well!”

“Really, I told you not to send letters to Lord Claudius. But in the end…”

Seeing signs that a lecture was about to begin, Lady Claudius hurriedly burrowed under the covers.

“I-I’m sleepy! I’m going to sleep now! Lady Ansi should wash up and sleep too, okay!?”

Then she squeezed her eyes shut and pretended to sleep.

‘Sigh.’

I let out a deep sigh inwardly.

Really, being cute was truly an amazing thing.

Even though she was so obviously shouting ‘I don’t want to hear a lecture!’ with her whole body, she was just adorable.

“I’ll go wash up. Sleep well.”

I shook my head and got up.

* * *

Click.

The sound of the door closing was heard.

‘…Lady Ansi left, right?’

Evangeline poked her head out from under the covers and looked around.

Just then.

The gift box that Larite had left on the table caught her eye.

Evangeline crawled out from under the covers and peered into the gift box.

Light pink earrings came into view.

‘These are clearly not something chosen carelessly.’

The delicate craftsmanship, and even the color that perfectly resembled Larite’s eye color.

It was obvious that he had carefully chosen something that would suit Larite.

‘Even if Lady Ansi is close to me, she’s being this considerate?’

This is somewhat suspicious?

Her blue eyes narrowed with suspicion.

* * *

I returned to the bedroom late.

‘Lady Claudius is… hmm, she’s asleep.’

Lady Claudius was lying sprawled on the bed, sleeping soundly.

After neatly arranging her disheveled golden hair on the pillow and carefully covering her with a blanket up to her neck.

I glanced away.

Under the moonlight streaming through the window, the rose quartz earrings sparkled as they caught the light.

‘I really owe Lord Claudius a great debt today.’

He deliberately attended our family’s party and put Count Gusto’s House in their place.

He asked me for the first dance.

In front of everyone, he showed consideration for my parents.

Moreover.

‘If it hadn’t been for Lord Claudius… I might have been stuck with Gregory for quite a while.’

The words Lord Claudius had said to me echoed in my ears.

“Enduring others’ rudeness isn’t always the answer. At the very least, don’t let others treat you carelessly.”

“You are not someone who should be treated that way.”

That resolute voice.

I suddenly smiled bitterly.

‘How enviable, Seraphina.’

In the past, I couldn’t even bring myself to envy Seraphina.

I merely looked up to Seraphina, thinking she was someone I couldn’t dare compare myself to.

But now it’s different.

I had resolved not to be swayed by Seraphina anymore, and I was making my own efforts toward that goal.

Yet still.

‘There are people… I can never reach.’

Lord Claudius was the first person, along with Lady Claudius, to acknowledge my abilities.

When I think that such a person will someday fatefully fall in love with Seraphina…

‘Enough, let’s stop thinking about it.’

I collapsed onto the bed.

I try to force myself to sleep beside the soundly sleeping Lady Claudius.

But it was truly strange.

Even though my body was already exhausted from being tormented by the party all day.

…I simply couldn’t fall asleep.

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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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