The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 71

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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 71

 

* * *

 

That was how I came to be at the Opera House.

 

Lady Claudius said she had some matters to handle and told me to go ahead first.

 

So now I’m just waiting idly for Lady Claudius…

 

‘When on earth is Lady Claudius going to arrive?’

 

The opera is about to start soon.

 

Click.

 

Just then, the box seat door opened.

 

I turned around with a delighted expression.

 

“Are you here, Lady Claudius?”

 

But.

 

‘Huh?’

 

I stared at the person with startled rabbit eyes.

 

And for good reason, because the person who opened the door and entered wasn’t Lady Claudius whom I was waiting for…

 

“Lord Claudius?”

 

It was Lord Claudius!

 

‘Why is Lord Claudius here?!’

 

I couldn’t hide my bewildered expression.

 

Meanwhile, Lord Claudius also seemed not to understand the current situation, looking somewhat perplexed.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

A long silence flowed.

 

We stared blankly at each other.

 

After a moment.

 

“First of all… I apologize.”

 

Lord Claudius pressed his forehead and let out a long sigh.

 

“It seems like something Evangeline orchestrated.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Well, Evangeline suddenly said she had a headache and told me to go in her place…”

 

Lord Claudius glanced down at me with a helpless expression.

 

“I didn’t know Lady Ansi would be here.”

 

Ah, Lady Claudius…!

 

I sighed inwardly.

 

Of course, it’s not that I dislike Lord Claudius at all.

 

But whenever we’re alone like this, I keep getting nervous and flustered!

 

At the same time, Lord Claudius carefully spoke up.

 

“If you’re uncomfortable, I can leave now.”

 

“No!”

 

I frantically shook my head.

 

“I’m not uncomfortable!”

 

The male protagonist of this world, and Seraphina’s destined man.

 

Honestly, it was burdensome.

 

But.

 

‘It’s not that I dislike it.’

 

No, rather.

 

“If I could watch the opera together with Lord Claudius…”

 

My voice kept getting smaller.

 

I felt my face burning up and hung my head low.

 

“I would be truly happy.”

 

“…”

 

At those words I spoke by gathering all the courage I had and didn’t have.

 

Lord Claudius stared at me intently with an unreadable gaze.

 

And.

 

“I’m also happy to be able to spend time with Lady Ansi.”

 

Lord Claudius smiled gently and sat in the seat next to me.

 

I tried to smile back and quickly turned my head to face forward.

 

But the problem was.

 

‘There’s nowhere to look…’

 

On the stage, there was only a thick red curtain drawn, with no sign of the opera starting.

 

‘What should I do.’

 

I swallowed my dry saliva.

 

‘…My heart is beating too fast.’

 

At this rate, Lord Claudius might hear the sound of my heartbeat.

 

I hastily opened my mouth.

 

“Come to think of it, Miss Morgan debuted with support from Claudius, didn’t she?”

 

“Ah, did you hear from Evangeline? That’s correct.”

 

Lord Claudius nodded lightly.

 

“From the moment I first saw her, I thought she had talent. She was that outstanding.”

 

“…”

 

At that moment.

 

I felt as if a needle had pricked deep into my heart.

 

‘This is strange.’

 

I bit my molars firmly.

 

Miss Morgan was an opera singer discovered by Claudius.

 

So it’s perfectly natural for Lord Claudius to pay attention to Miss Morgan…

 

‘Why am I feeling like this.’

 

I tried to speak with a nonchalant air.

 

“Then did Lord Claudius personally discover Miss Morgan?”

 

“Mm, you could say that.”

 

Lord Claudius continued his explanation calmly.

 

“Claudius’ Salon has quite a high threshold, so not everyone can enter.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“Miss Morgan was originally an employee doing odd jobs at the Opera House, but I happened to hear her singing.”

 

A warm light flickered in Lord Claudius’s eyes.

 

That must mean he has affection for Miss Morgan.

 

“Usually, people compare it to a pearl buried in mud. Miss Morgan was exactly that kind of person.”

 

…That means Lord Claudius personally took notice of Miss Morgan.

 

Miss Morgan is someone who shines that brightly.

 

“However, since she’s such a talented singer, I think she would have debuted somewhere even if it wasn’t through me.”

 

I know.

 

Lord Claudius is someone who clearly separates public and private matters, and he’s been so thorough that not even a single romantic rumor has ever surfaced about him.

 

So even if Lord Claudius harbors some feelings, I wouldn’t be able to notice.

 

Also, I know well that needlessly worrying about other people’s love affairs is unseemly.

 

And yet.

 

‘My chest feels stuffy.’

 

I tried to maintain a smile by putting strength into the corners of my lips.

 

If I didn’t, it felt like the expression would keep disappearing from my face.

 

‘Larite, please don’t act presumptuously.’

 

I gripped the hem of my dress tightly.

 

‘Why am I feeling down about this?’

 

I had no right to feel this way.

 

Even if Lord Claudius did have feelings for Miss Morgan, that wasn’t something I could comment on.

 

Lord Claudius was simply Lady Claudius’s older brother, my friend’s brother.

 

He had nothing to do with me at all…

 

But then.

 

The surroundings grew dark.

 

The stage curtain rose.

 

Under the intense spotlight, Sophia Morgan appeared dressed in a glamorous stage gown.

 

She began to sing.

 

“Will he come to find me tonight, through twenty-two nights I spent in tears…”

 

Her voice soared endlessly in dizzying high notes.

 

It was truly a voice as beautiful as an angel’s.

 

And listening to that song.

 

…I felt even more depressed.

 

* * *

 

I’ll admit it.

 

Sophia was incredibly beautiful, and her singing was enchanting.

 

The opera’s content would have been interesting too.

 

However, the reason I speak in assumptions is.

 

‘What should I do, I can’t remember the content at all.’

 

Honestly, I couldn’t remember what the opera was about at all…

 

That was because all my attention was focused on Lord Claudius sitting beside me.

 

But objectively, the opera was a great success.

 

Because.

 

“It was really entertaining, wasn’t it?”

 

“Indeed it was.”

 

As soon as the opera ended, the audience became extremely excited and poured out all kinds of praise.

 

“Miss Morgan’s singing was excellent today as well.”

 

“My goodness, I was so moved that I even shed a few tears.”

 

“Next time, I’m thinking of inviting Miss Morgan to our party.”

 

“Would that be possible? Miss Morgan is so popular these days.”

 

The opera itself was entertaining, but Miss Morgan was truly in a league of her own.

 

Everyone was praising her to that extent.

 

‘Well, she must have such talent for Lord Claudius to personally discover her.’

 

I felt my mood sink once again.

 

But then.

 

Lord Claudius glanced back at me.

 

“Shall we go, Lady Ansi?”

 

Huh? Go where?

 

When I looked at Lord Claudius in confusion, he lightly shrugged his shoulders.

 

“Since we’ve come this far, I thought it might be nice to at least exchange greetings with Miss Morgan.”

 

Then he smiled with his eyes.

 

“Lady Ansi, please come along as well.”

 

“…”

 

Currently, Sophia Morgan was the most popular opera singer in the Empire.

 

You could tell just by how distinguished nobles were trying to invite Miss Morgan and were desperate to exchange even a word with her.

 

The opportunity to have a direct conversation with such a Miss Morgan was rare.

 

So this proposal was Lord Claudius being considerate of me.

 

I understood that well.

 

And yet.

 

‘…I’m not really in the mood for it.’

 

I forced a smile.

 

“Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

The area in front of Miss Morgan’s waiting room was surprisingly quiet.

 

Since she was such a popular figure with high fame, the guards were keeping strict watch.

 

‘Wow.’

 

I was inwardly amazed.

 

The guards standing in front of the waiting room bowed 90 degrees and stepped aside as soon as they saw Lord Claudius.

 

How impressive, to wield influence even in such minor details.

 

As expected of Claudius.

 

Knock knock.

 

Lord Claudius knocked briefly and opened the door.

 

“Miss Morgan.”

 

At that call, the woman sitting in the waiting room quickly stood up and turned around.

 

“My goodness, Lord Claudius?”

 

Rich chestnut hair cascaded luxuriously over her shoulders.

 

Her skin was white as jade, and her eyes beneath long lashes sparkled like jewels.

 

She was truly a dazzlingly beautiful woman.

 

“I received the bouquet you sent.”

 

The woman, Miss Morgan, smiled as brightly as a peony blossom.

 

“If I had known Lord Claudius would come to watch this performance, I would have put more effort into my singing.”

 

“Not at all, today’s performance was also excellent.”

 

Lord Claudius replied courteously.

 

The two people conversing like that made such a well-matched pair.

 

…I felt my mood plummet somehow.

 

Just then, Miss Morgan glanced over in my direction.

—————
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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