The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess’s Favorite - Chapter 85

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 85

 

The ladies gathered together had their eyes sparkling brightly.

 

How should I put it, as if they had just heard some very exciting news.

 

Overall, there was a strangely excited feeling in the air…

 

“This time, Gusto Youngshik actually…”

 

“But didn’t Lady Ansi say that never happened?”

 

Gregory and Larite?

 

In an instant, Seraphina’s face hardened stiffly.

 

‘Could it be that something happened between those two while I wasn’t aware?’

 

Even in the midst of this, the reason self-loathing washed over her was.

 

‘In the past… there was never any occasion where I would hear news this late.’

 

The center of high society, the most pure white lily.

 

Usually, people were desperate to even say a word to Seraphina.

 

Even though her body sat in the shared townhouse, she could quickly receive all the news of high society through various letters and postcards.

 

Those beautiful days now felt incredibly distant.

 

‘No, I need to at least figure out what happened first.’

 

Seraphina shook her head and quickly put on a poker face as she joined the conversation.

 

“Excuse me, but what do you mean by that? Are you talking about Larit and Gregory?”

 

At that question, the ladies who had been deep in conversation glanced at Seraphina sideways.

 

It was a subtly condescending look.

 

“My goodness, Lady Lopez, you haven’t heard the news yet?”

 

“You’ve mentioned several times that you have a very close relationship with the Gusto Estate, so we naturally assumed you would know.”

 

At that mocking tone, Seraphina’s face turned bright red.

 

‘This is unbelievable, these people who couldn’t even say a word to me before!’

 

But it felt a bit awkward to openly crush them like she used to.

 

Now Seraphina was in a position where she couldn’t receive support from the Ansi Mansion or the Gusto Estate.

 

Toward Seraphina, who was left speechless, another lady opened her mouth as if doing her a favor.

 

“This time, Gusto Youngshik proposed to Lady Ansi.”

 

“What? A proposal?”

 

Seraphina was shocked.

 

But the lady’s bombshell statement wasn’t over yet.

 

“That’s not all. I heard the two of them have already completed their marriage registration?”

 

That’s a lie.

 

Seraphina’s pupils shook wildly as if an earthquake had struck.

 

Facing such a Seraphina, the ladies each wore faint smiles on their lips.

 

It was blatant mockery.

 

“I was honestly quite surprised too. Gusto Youngshik usually took such good care of Lady Lopez, didn’t he?”

 

“I had heard they already broke off their engagement, but such a sudden proposal.”

 

“Surprisingly, Gusto Youngshik must have been sincere about Lady Ansi.”

 

“…I see.”

 

Seraphina tried to smile back nonchalantly.

 

“I have something to attend to for a moment, so I’ll be going now.”

 

After leaving her seat like that.

 

Seraphina, whose legs had lost their strength, collapsed right onto the floor.

 

‘This can’t be happening.’

 

Her empty green eyes groped through the air.

 

‘Gregory… couldn’t choose Larite over me.’

 

At the dizzying sensation before her eyes, Seraphina squeezed her eyes shut.

 

She had been vaguely thinking.

 

Although Seraphina would someday meet a wonderful man and have the wedding of the century.

 

Still, Gregory would devote his lifelong devotion to her, such thoughts.

 

Therefore, Seraphina always said to Gregory.

 

“You’re Larite’s fiancé.”

 

The reason she said those words was rather because she had firm belief that Gregory would absolutely never marry Larite and would only look at her.

 

Larite was a kind of insurance.

 

For when Seraphina would meet the perfect groom and live a glamorous life.

 

It was for the purpose of preventing Gregory from holding her back.

 

But when she actually heard the story that Gregory had cut ties with Seraphina and chosen Larite.

 

Seraphina felt an anxiety as if her throat was being strangled.

 

‘No, it must be a misunderstanding.’

 

Gregory had said so.

 

That I was the most lovable person in the world.

 

That he had never even thought of anyone other than me as a romantic interest.

 

Seraphina clenched her fists tightly.

 

Tomorrow I’ll go find Gregory right away and have a conversation about this matter.

 

Gregory will surely clear up this misunderstanding.

 

That kid couldn’t leave me…

 

Seraphina tried hard to think positively.

 

But the sticky anxiety clinging to her entire body showed no signs of disappearing.

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

As soon as I opened my eyes in the morning, I rushed to the Marriage Registry Office.

 

First, I checked the marriage registration that Gregory had supposedly filed…

 

‘Ugh, my past self… what on earth did you do?’

 

Unable to overcome the throbbing headache, I pressed my forehead.

 

I felt like I was going crazy.

 

I figured out how things had unfolded, but I couldn’t get a direction on how to solve this problem…

 

Noble families usually designate unique identification phrases whenever new members are born into the family.

 

You know, like.

 

When taking the Korean language section of the college entrance exam, phrases like ‘The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves.’

 

It was a system of assigning such phrases to each individual.

 

Those phrases are shared only by the family head and the person concerned, and whenever a new member is born, that phrase is registered with the imperial family.

 

How should I put it, it’s like combining South Korea’s resident registration number with a personal seal?

 

So when submitting various important certification documents, those phrases must be included…

 

‘Even if you were naive, how could you think to tell Gregory that phrase?’

 

I shed tears of blood internally.

 

Gregory, who remembered my identification phrase, used it to file a marriage registration in my place.

 

The Marriage Registry Office, knowing nothing, accepted Gregory’s marriage registration!

 

I examined it thoroughly with fire in my eyes, but there were no problems with the documents.

 

Even more so.

 

“…Even the Nobility Council chairman’s seal is properly stamped?”

 

I looked at the marriage registration with suspicious eyes.

 

Marriage registrations of noble family heads and heirs who inherit titles have not only the Marriage Registry Office director’s seal but also the Nobility Council chairman’s seal stamped together.

 

This is because family heads and heirs later become members of the Nobility Council.

 

Also, since I am the heir of the Ansi Mansion, I naturally must receive that seal, but.

 

‘How on earth did Gregory obtain the chairman’s seal?’

 

To begin with, stamping the Nobility Council chairman’s seal is itself classified information.

 

And since that seal is directly managed by the chairman, to get it stamped, one must persuade the chairman…

 

Doesn’t this mean things proceeded without me, the person concerned?

 

“Haaa…”

 

I let out a long, deep sigh that welled up from the depths of my chest.

 

Do I really have to start a legal battle with the Gusto Estate?

 

But as far as I know, an annulment lawsuit takes at least 3 years, and before proceeding with the lawsuit, I’d have to give advance notice to the Imperial Curia as well…

 

‘Wait.’

 

I suddenly paused.

 

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t checked the Imperial Curia’s documents yet, have I?’

 

In ordinary cases, you just need to file the marriage registration at the Marriage Registry Office and that’s it.

 

But marriage registration for noble family heads and heirs to titles worked a bit differently.

 

The Temple and Marriage Registry Office each kept a copy of the same marriage registration, creating a double safety net.

 

Since family heads and heirs tend to be sensitive about titles and property, this safety net was created to prevent document tampering.

 

And since I was the heir to the Ansi Mansion, a copy of my marriage registration should have been filed at the Temple as well.

 

‘Like the ceremonial seal, the Temple keeping a copy was confidential, wasn’t it?’

 

Still, Gregory isn’t exactly the meticulous type.

 

Who knows?

 

Maybe Gregory didn’t know about filing documents at the Temple, or perhaps he forgot…!

 

I hurriedly boarded a carriage heading to the Imperial Curia.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————