The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 67

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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 67

 

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The doctor who was summoned by Lady Claudius’s urgent call truly did his absolute best to examine me.

 

It was almost as if he mistook me for a critically ill patient.

 

Actually, from the doctor’s perspective, he had no choice.

 

With Lady Claudius glaring with such fierce eyes, he would try everything he could, even if reluctantly.

 

And.

 

“Lady Ansi is very healthy.”

 

…Naturally, my body was perfectly fine.

 

“Are you really sure she’s healthy?”

 

Lady Claudius widened her eyes and pressed the doctor.

 

“What if she has signs of a cold, or her heart is pounding from shock, or she’s feeling dizzy!”

 

“From what I can see of her current condition, that doesn’t seem to be the case….”

 

“But you never know! What if Lady Ansi falls ill?”

 

“Please don’t worry, Lady Claudius.”

 

The doctor broke out in a cold sweat as he tried to reassure Lady Claudius.

 

“She’s really fine.”

 

“Really? Really?”

 

“Yes, how could I possibly lie to you, Lady Claudius?”

 

Only after hearing confirmation several times did Lady Claudius finally calm down a bit.

 

After that.

 

“Then I shall take my leave now.”

 

The doctor slipped out of the room.

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

An awkward silence filled the room.

 

Until just moments ago, Lady Claudius had been so agitated that I got swept up in it too.

 

I glanced at Lady Claudius out of the corner of my eye.

 

‘Is she feeling a bit better now?’

 

She’s seemed strangely upset lately.

 

At the same time, Lady Claudius carefully called out to me.

 

“Lady Ansi.”

 

“Yes, please go ahead.”

 

“Um… you know. Earlier….”

 

Lady Claudius, who had been cautiously watching my reaction, squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out.

 

“I’m sorry for eavesdropping on your conversation with the other noblewomen.”

 

Ah, that?

 

I shrugged my shoulders and replied.

 

“It’s fine, I already knew.”

 

“R-really?”

 

“Of course. The hem of your dress was sticking out from behind the columns.”

 

I smiled mischievously.

 

“In the future, if you’re going to hide somewhere, you should take better care of your dress.”

 

“Ugh….”

 

Lady Claudius’s face turned as red as a ripe apple.

 

“Why, why didn’t you tell me?!”

 

“When did you give me a chance to say anything?”

 

Hit right on target, Lady Claudius shut her mouth with a pout.

 

After a moment.

 

“Anyway, I’m really grateful for what you did today.”

 

Lady Claudius murmured like a sigh.

 

“But please don’t do this again in the future.”

 

“Lady Claudius?”

 

“For Lady Ansi to get doused with water instead of me… this is, how should I put it.”

 

Lady Claudius bit her lip hard.

 

“It makes me feel like I’m the same kind of person as Lady Lopez.”

 

I was momentarily speechless.

 

“We’re friends, you know. I….”

 

Lady Claudius took a deep breath and finished her sentence.

 

“I don’t like having a friend suffer something harsh in my place.”

 

I tried to respond but only moved my lips silently.

 

Something felt off.

 

The phrase Lady Claudius usually said like a habit.

 

“We have a friendship contract, so that’s why I care about you!”

 

…She didn’t say that today?

 

At the same time, Lady Claudius swallowed nervously.

 

Then, as if making the most important confession in the world, she called out to me seriously.

 

“Lady Ansi.”

 

“Yes.”

 

At that serious tone, I unconsciously straightened my posture.

 

“I, I’ve realized that I haven’t been rational until now.”

 

Lady Claudius clenched her hands tightly on her knees.

 

“We’re adults, and I can’t monopolize Lady Ansi.”

 

“Lady Claudius?”

 

“When Lady Ansi was socializing with the other noblewomen, you looked so happy. So I….”

 

Lady Claudius hung her head low.

 

“I was jealous.”

 

Jealous?

 

I widened my eyes.

 

Lady Claudius avoided my gaze and continued in a voice as small as a mosquito’s.

 

“To be honest, at first it’s true that I associated with Lady Ansi because of my reputation.”

 

“…That’s.”

 

“But now it’s different.”

 

Lady Claudius suddenly lifted her head.

 

Her lake-blue gaze looked straight into my eyes.

 

“I, I’ve come to truly cherish Lady Ansi. So.”

 

Her previously dejected voice no longer wavered.

 

Lady Claudius declared with determination.

 

“Now I want to become real friends, not a relationship bound by a ‘friendship contract.'”

 

What?

 

I doubted my own ears.

 

Lady Claudius spoke clearly with conviction.

 

“Lady Ansi is such a wonderful person, so you’ll make many more friends besides me in the future. Still….”

 

Lady Claudius trailed off for a moment, then carefully asked me a question.

 

“I want to become Lady Ansi’s best friend from now on. Would that be possible?”

 

Ah.

 

In that moment, something hot surged up from deep in my chest.

 

First of all, this was the first time anyone had ever thought of me so seriously.

 

…And I never could have imagined that person would be Lady Claudius.

 

‘What should I do.’

 

My nose stung sharply.

 

Feeling like tears might trickle down at any moment, I bit my lips tightly.

 

‘I’m so happy…’

 

Meanwhile, interpreting my silence in some way, Lady Claudius immediately looked worried and watched my reaction.

 

“Um, Lady Ansi?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

Perhaps because my throat was choked up.

 

The words wouldn’t come out properly.

 

Lady Claudius tilted her head curiously.

 

“Hm? What did you say?”

 

That sight looked like a cat staring up at its owner.

 

Even in my emotional state, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“I said I’d like that.”

 

R-really?

 

Lady Claudius looked at me with surprised rabbit eyes.

 

I nodded my head vigorously.

 

“Of course. I’ve always wanted to…”

 

Struggling to swallow the tears that kept welling up, I smiled brightly.

 

“I wanted to become Lady Claudius’s closest friend.”

 

As soon as she heard that answer, Lady Claudius let out a long sigh and slumped down.

 

“Haaaaah…”

 

“L-Lady Claudius?”

 

Flustered, I looked at Lady Claudius.

 

Lady Claudius looked half tearful as she whined to me.

 

“I was completely nervous.”

 

“Huh? Why?”

 

“I was worried Lady Ansi might reject me.”

 

“That would never happen.”

 

Shaking my head, I continued with sincerity.

 

“Rather, I’m so happy that Lady Claudius said that to me.”

 

At those words, Lady Claudius looked at me with an indescribable expression.

 

It was an expression where joy, delight, satisfaction, and overwhelming emotion were mixed together chaotically.

 

“So now, we’re getting rid of the friendship contract, right?”

 

At Lady Claudius’s question, I readily nodded.

 

“Of course. That said, since we’re dissolving the friendship contract…”

 

I brought up an issue that had been weighing on my mind for a long time.

 

“The clause about providing dignity maintenance fees will also disappear, right?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Lady Claudius suddenly looked flustered as she stared at me.

 

“Do we really need to remove that clause? Wouldn’t it be okay for you to accept at least that much?”

 

“I understand Lady Claudius’s caring heart for me.”

 

After drawing that line.

 

I paused to choose my words carefully.

 

Since money was a sensitive issue, I didn’t want to cause any misunderstandings.

 

Especially since the other party was Lady Claudius.

 

I really didn’t want to be misunderstood by someone precious to me.

 

“However, I think true friends are bound by hearts, not by money.”

 

“B-but.”

 

“Of course, I know Lady Claudius included that clause because you wanted to treat me well. I also know how much you’ve considered me all this time.”

 

Having said that much, I smiled gently.

 

“But a relationship where I only receive one-sidedly is… still uncomfortable for me.”

 

Actually, ever since we wrote the friendship contract.

 

I hadn’t touched a single penny of the dignity maintenance fees Lady Claudius had given me.

 

Our family’s finances weren’t that difficult to begin with.

 

And once I cut off the money that had been flowing to Seraphina, things became quite comfortable.

 

Most importantly.

 

‘How could I take money between friends?’

 

When we wrote the friendship contract, I was too overwhelmed and filled with satisfaction from ‘having written a contract’ to object.

 

But I had been determined to settle that clause someday.

 

‘It’s actually good that things turned out this way.’

 

I nodded with satisfaction.

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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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