The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 59

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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 59

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After the first meeting, the reading group continued smoothly.

Well, I was reasonably satisfied.

I had always enjoyed reading, and the ladies were passionate enough about books to form a reading group.

Sharing impressions and opinions with each other was quite enjoyable.

However, Lady Claudius was…

‘Hmm, it seems she really doesn’t like the reading group.’

Inside the carriage heading to the Sherwood Estate.

Lady Claudius was resting her chin on her hand with a bored expression, her gaze fixed beyond the window.

Regardless of what Lady Claudius thought about the reading group, I found her a bit admirable.

Honestly, our Lady Claudius isn’t the type who enjoys reading.

Yet the way she diligently read books and wrote reviews was, how should I put it, very conscientious?

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Just then, Lady Claudius, who had been looking out the window, glanced at me sideways.

“Oh, well.”

I smiled sheepishly.

“I was thinking that Lady Claudius is truly a diligent person.”

“…Suddenly?”

“What do you mean suddenly? I’ve always thought that way.”

“Hmph.”

Lady Claudius, who had been staring at me intently, soon turned her head away demurely.

“Did Lady Ansi find this selection interesting?”

Still, seeing her initiate conversation with me first, it seemed her mood had improved a little.

‘Speaking of which, the book selected by the reading group this time was…’

It was a romance novel that had now become a classic.

The review described it as expressing the essential conflicts of humanity through a male protagonist torn between love, wealth, and power…

“Hmm… honestly.”

After pondering my answer for a moment, I shrugged my shoulders.

“It was rather boring, wasn’t it?”

“Right?”

At my answer, Lady Claudius’s eyes sparkled as she turned to face me.

“This book, you know, the male protagonist was so— frustrating.”

“Exactly. Whether it’s family or lover, he should choose decisively. Instead, he just wavered between them.”

“Ha, this is so like Lady Ansi. This is why I enjoy talking with Lady Ansi.”

As we continued exchanging complaints about this book back and forth.

Finally, the carriage stopped in front of the Sherwood Townhouse.

But.

‘Huh?’

An unfamiliar carriage was parked in front of the townhouse.

The crest on the carriage was…

“House of Sanchez?”

Lady Claudius immediately recognized which family it belonged to.

I looked puzzled.

That was understandable, since the lady of House of Sanchez was…

‘She should be participating in Peony, the group Seraphina belongs to.’

Lady Sanchez was the second-in-command of Peony, regularly socializing with Seraphina.

I had seen her face a few times through Seraphina.

‘True to being friends, she had a personality exactly like Seraphina’s.’

In other words, she was unpleasant.

However, that wasn’t what I was curious about.

“Um, Lady Claudius.”

I carefully posed a question to Lady Claudius.

“How did you recognize the House of Sanchez crest so quickly?”

After all.

Lady Claudius was famous for never acknowledging any family, regardless of which one it was.

Until now, I had thought she simply wasn’t interested in other families and didn’t bother memorizing their crests…

‘Nobles usually remember the crests of high-ranking noble families, marquess level and above.’

But Lady Claudius had maintained an indifferent attitude throughout, as if she couldn’t recognize anyone.

That attitude had ended up supporting the rumors of her being “arrogant and haughty” that Seraphina had intentionally spread.

At my puzzled voice, Lady Claudius shrugged and replied.

“I’ve memorized all the crests of count families and above.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. My brother nagged me until my ears bled, saying I should at least know that much.”

“…Then why do you usually pretend not to know?”

“Because it’s bothersome.”

“…”

Ah, I see.

I was at a loss for words.

At the same time, Lady Claudius, who had been wearing a sullen expression all along, smiled brightly for the first time.

“But I memorized the Ansi Marquess Family before my brother even nagged me about it.”

“…Our family?”

“Of course. Waves and swan, right?”

I did well, didn’t I?

As if asking that, Lady Claudius looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Feeling somehow touched, I quickly nodded.

Lady Claudius, who had been looking at me with a proud expression, suddenly seemed to catch herself.

“D-don’t get the wrong idea.”

She primly turned her gaze away.

“It’s just that Lady Ansi and I even wrote a friendship contract. So I memorized it out of courtesy. You understand?”

“Of course, Lady Claudius was simply trying to be faithful to the contract.”

When I quickly agreed with Lady Claudius’s words, she pretended to look elsewhere for no reason.

“…Well, it’s not only that.”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Let’s get out now.”

Lady Claudius hurriedly escaped from the carriage.

Her flustered appearance was somehow like a cat with its tail on fire.

I chuckled and followed behind Lady Claudius.

Then, there was one person who came striding toward us first.

That person was none other than Lady Sanchez.

“Hello, Lady Claudius!”

Lady Sanchez greeted Lady Claudius with a bright smile.

“…”

Lady Claudius looked at Lady Sanchez with a displeased gaze, then glanced at me sideways.

‘This person is the lady who used to hang around with Lady Lopez, right?’

That was roughly the meaning conveyed by her look.

‘It’s fine.’

I gave her a subtle nod.

Then Lady Claudius made a thoroughly displeased expression.

“Yes.”

After responding like that, she haughtily turned her head away.

There wasn’t even a polite greeting exchanged.

“Ah…”

Lady Sanchez looked somewhat embarrassed, but quickly brushed away the awkward atmosphere by striking up a conversation with me.

“Lady Ansi, you’re here too. It’s been so long!”

…How should I put it, the sheer audacity of openly greeting me like this is really quite thick-skinned.

When was it that she used to hang around with Seraphina and subtly ignore me?

However.

‘If I point that out, I’ll just look like the petty one.’

To explain this subtle situation, you’d need to understand the difference between the ladies of Jedo and the ladies of the Southern Region.

The ladies of the Southern Region had known me well since childhood, and had long observed Seraphina’s dismissive treatment of me.

As a result, like clothes getting soaked in drizzle, they gradually began treating me like a servant following Seraphina’s lead.

But the ladies of Jedo, in contrast, took a somewhat more refined approach.

They might mock me behind my back, but they maintained pleasant smiling faces in front of me.

It felt bad from my perspective, but it was just ambiguous enough to make it difficult to confront directly.

Moreover.

‘There’s also the matter of Lady Claudius’s reputation.’

If I were to clash with Lady Sanchez over my personal grudges and it somehow affected Lady Claudius, that would be problematic.

‘Especially when Lady Claudius’s reputation is finally improving.’

Having made that judgment, I smiled brightly and nodded.

“Indeed. How have you been?”

“Wow, Lady Ansi. Are you worried about me?”

As if this was perfect timing, Lady Sanchez clung to me and began chattering away.

“I heard the party at Ansi Mansion this time was incredible?”

“Huh? That was…”

“A party attended by both Lady Claudius and Lord Claudius himself. Oh, I’m so envious!”

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

I could see right through Lady Sanchez’s ulterior motives.

Though she was outwardly talking to me, her real interest was focused entirely on the House of Claudius.

So I was, in a sense…

‘A bridge.’

She wants to somehow use me to establish connections with Lady Claudius, right?

‘That’s not going to happen.’

I have no problem with Lady Claudius making good friends.

But seeing someone deliberately approach Lady Claudius like this, trying to somehow exploit Lady Claudius’s influence…

‘That’s definitely annoying, isn’t it?’

Just as I was thinking this, my shoulders stiffened.

Wait, could this be one of those situations where it’s romance when I do it, but adultery when others do it…?

Feeling unnecessarily guilty, I deliberately straightened my back even more.

So what?

I made an equal friendship contract with Lady Claudius.

It’s not a relationship where one side is taking advantage of the other!

“So, how did you end up attending the Watkins Reading Group?”

“Ah, my mother is very close with Countess Sherwood. So I asked my mother for help.”

“I see, that’s how it was.”

While outwardly chatting cheerfully with Lady Sanchez, I was deep in thought.

To think that Lady Sanchez, who was the second-in-command of the Peony Club, would break away.

‘Is the group starting to cut ties with Seraphina?’

Just as I was busy thinking,

Someone suddenly grabbed my arm.

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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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