The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 25

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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 25】

There was one reason for Vanessa’s indignation.

Her own downfall was starkly visible in contrast to Rianel’s elevated position.

Vanessa would have loved to wear Madam Selon’s dress if she could.

However, lacking the financial means to match her ambitions, she wore a dress from a shop of lesser prestige.

‘This is all because of Rianel.’

Vanessa had never saved money.

She had been pocketing the large sum the Duke sent monthly for Rianel’s living expenses, and her hotel business had been thriving with considerable income flowing in.

The problem was that after Rianel pointed out Vanessa’s tax delinquency issues, somehow word got out and customers stopped coming to Vanessa’s hotel entirely.

On top of that, tax notices demanding payment arrived daily.

“Aaaaah! Again, again!”

Vanessa had no choice but to put the hotel up for sale. But no one wanted to buy a building whose customers had completely dried up.

With no other option.

“Rupert, my love. Look at me.”

“….”

Vanessa decided to try persuading the person she could most easily manipulate to secure funding, but.

“You have that villa in the Southern Coastal District. You don’t travel often anyway, and you don’t like the salty sea air, right? So couldn’t you sell that building? I want a new dress.”

“No….”

Rupert, who had readily given up the Altin Plains, unusually shook his head.

His usually hazy, wet eyes rarely held such determination.

“That’s for Rianel…. Mother and, promise, to keep….”

Vanessa, who had been driven to this point because of Rianel, exploded.

“What does Rianel matter? I’m the one you love! You should love ‘only’ me!”

Vanessa gave Rupert more holy water and tried again, but the answer remained the same.

“Hah….”

If she didn’t want to show her shabby appearance, she could simply not attend, but Vanessa had a compelling reason to be there.

‘But Father is coming to this ball.’

Having not seen Duke Vincenheim since being expelled from the ducal house, Vanessa was determined to somehow contact the Duke and earn his forgiveness.

But unexpectedly, she encountered Rianel instead of the Duke….

‘I was right not to bring Rupert, but this is utterly unpleasant.’

“Who is she anyway?”

Evan tilted his head when he saw his cousin frowning.

Unlike his father, the Minister of Finance, Evan lacked academic aptitude and had failed the civil service exam multiple times.

Moreover, since he loved to play and disliked attending formal occasions, this was his first time seeing Rianel.

“You don’t know her? That’s Rianel.”

“That’s her?”

Vanessa grumbled, reluctant even to speak of her, but Evan’s eyes widened.

Based on his father’s words alone, he had expected an aggressive, nasty-tempered, constantly noisy and unattractive woman.

‘…But she’s pretty?’

The Rianel he saw in person was less flashy than the women Evan had met before, but she was someone who caught attention in a different way.

A beauty whose quiet, lustrous black hair and pure white dress created an aura of purity and elegance.

“She seems pretty decent….”

“What?”

Vanessa’s eyes narrowed sharply as she caught that quiet remark, but Evan paid no attention.

“Come to think of it, you must know her. Perfect. Could you introduce us?”

“Her?”

Vanessa was aghast, but Evan was serious.

“Think about it. If I can sweet-talk the Vincenheim Duke’s daughter, it might help you too, right? She could persuade the Duke to take you back home.”

Vanessa was about to refuse but paused, lost in thought.

Not because she was attracted to the possibility of Evan persuading Rianel, but because of his flaws.

Though his father Royhum somehow managed to cover up the scandals, Evan was a libertine.

He had extensive romantic history and multiple incidents of violence against former lovers who tried to break up with him, leaving several women disabled.

He was the worst possible person to introduce to anyone, but.

‘He might be perfect for Rianel.’

A twisted smile spread across Vanessa’s lips.

Moreover, Rianel’s partner, Bureau Director Asil, had stepped away on business.

Only minor officials were gathered around her.

‘Now’s the perfect time.’

Vanessa approached with Evan in tow.

“Rookie, you today really….”

“Is it that strange?”

“Strange? I’m joking! What are you saying when you’re dressed like that?”

“So it was a compliment. Thank you for the praise.”

“Hearing that weird way of talking, I can tell you’re definitely our rookie. It feels real somehow.”

“My speech is not strange. It contains no grammatical errors or logical fallacies.”

“That’s it! That’s what’s strange! Normal people don’t worry about that when they talk!”

While the Special Tax Bureau people were having another chaotic time as usual.

“It’s been a while, Rianel.”

Vanessa approached and opened the conversation.

The Tax Bureau people who didn’t know her looked at Rianel, then at Vanessa, and asked.

“Who is she, do you know…?”

“This is Lady Violen.”

Rianel simply stated the facts.

Vanessa, who had worried she might be embarrassed, inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

‘Well, that girl isn’t stupid enough to cause a scene at a place like this.’

But Vanessa’s embarrassment came from another source.

“Ah, the tax delinquent?”

Vanessa’s face turned red.

“Why, why am I a tax delinquent…!”

“Because you have not yet made payment.”

Rianel answered bluntly.

Her monotone voice sounded like a civil servant processing paperwork, which made it seem more credible.

“I, I can’t help it! A building that big doesn’t sell easily…. And I don’t have that much cash on hand!”

“Regardless of the reason, if you haven’t paid your taxes on time, you are indeed a delinquent.”

Vanessa heard murmuring voices around her.

“So that person is….”

“Taxes….”

“Really? While wearing such an expensive dress?”

All voices mocking and ridiculing her.

‘How dare these people humiliate me in front of so many people?’

Vanessa glared at the Special Tax Bureau officials. Her face burned with shame, unbearably so.

Vanessa sincerely believed the Empire should have laws against factual defamation.

Setting aside Vanessa, who could only fume, Evan stepped forward.

“You have an interesting personality, just as I heard.”

Though he had just witnessed Vanessa’s humiliation right beside him, Evan didn’t care.

Why should he worry when he wasn’t the one being insulted?

Evan looked Rianel up and down.

Up close, her tall, slender figure and refined features stood out even more.

‘His personality is a bit… peculiar, but having someone slightly sharp-tongued would be interesting. There would be fun in taming her.’

Evan, who had been thinking about the various benefits that would come from getting close to Rianel, smoothly stepped forward.

“It’s an honor to meet you face to face like this, my lady. I am Evan, the eldest son of House Martis. Others have said I greatly resemble my father, but I wonder how I appear in your eyes, my lady.”

“I am Rianel of House Vincenheim.”

Rianel gave a brief self-introduction and then closed her mouth.

Evan found this somewhat unexpected.

Usually people would be surprised upon realizing his father was the Minister of Finance, or conversely try to become friendly by revealing their own background connections.

Rianel showed no such reaction.

‘Does she not know who my father is?’

If she worked at the Ministry of Finance, there’s no way she wouldn’t know, right?

But directly stating who his father was would be embarrassing, so Evan scratched the back of his neck.

“How do I appear to you, my lady?”

“I don’t understand the intent behind your question.”

“I’m asking for an objective evaluation.”

Even as Evan asked the question, he harbored expectations inside.

“You appear to be a mid-thirties adult male, 169 centimeters tall with abdominal obesity and severe bad breath.”

Rianel spoke truly objectively.

“Not that!”

Having his complexes pointed out mercilessly, Evan turned bright red and flew into a rage.

‘The mouth from hell has done excellent work once again.’

‘And it hurts even more because she only spoke the truth.’

The people from the Special Tax Bureau were impressed.

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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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