The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 94

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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 94

The Duke’s Mansion had become quite bustling lately.

Less than a week after I woke up, all sorts of flowers and gifts began pouring in.

At first there were just one or two, but they gradually increased, and now they filled up one side of the room. Even with Mia constantly organizing them, there was no end.

Most were sent by northeastern nobles who had attended the hunting festival. Even nobles who hadn’t participated somehow heard the news and sent letters wishing for my recovery without exception.

Carlos had thoroughly silenced everyone regarding information related to magical energy. Yet seeing gifts pour in like this, it seemed their target was Carlos rather than me.

That made sense, since according to Mia, quite a few people had seen Carlos frantically running to the Duke’s Mansion while holding me that day.

That Duke who had been living in seclusion with emotions dried up like they’d been severed since the carriage accident 11 years ago, running while carrying a bloodied princess – it would have been quite the spectacle.

They probably judged it would be faster to win over the young princess rather than trying to court Carlos.

‘With the Imperial Family’s purification stone distribution being delayed now, they’re more serious about magical energy detoxification than anyone.’

Otherwise, there’d be no need to curry favor with me like this.

While the title of princess was still valid, I was no longer affiliated with the Imperial Family and was living under the Duke’s roof – who would try to gain favor with someone in such a position?

Still, getting this kind of response meant the existence of purification stones revealed at the hunting festival had spread far and wide.

It wasn’t bad, better than expected.

‘I’ve definitely caught their attention.’

Thinking of the Dukedom’s position just a few months ago, this was like a lie.

Land steeped in magical energy that no one paid attention to. A place called abandoned land.

Now nobles were frantically trying to establish connections with the House of the Duke that had been such a place.

‘Soon, if we sell purification stones through Hella’s Trading Company, the story will spread beyond the northeast.’

Next would be Central.

When rumors of purification stones reached that place ruled by the Imperial Family, the situation would change.

I looked down at my hands.

‘And then…’

The power of purification.

Would the day come when I’d use this?

I was secretly training with Sion, but there wasn’t much progress. I had succeeded in creating a faint light at my fingertips, but couldn’t advance beyond that. Purifying stones steeped in magical energy was still failing.

And I decided to keep the fact that I was a purifier secret from Carlos and Demian for now. It wasn’t time yet.

‘I’m glad Sion covered for that day’s incident well.’

He had told them that the magical energy explosion at the hunting festival stopped because the purification stone I happened to have with me when I arrived at the scene exerted its power at just the right timing.

There was no need to cause confusion by suddenly revealing this fact to the two of them.

‘I’m not sure about Carlos, but Demian won’t stay quiet.’

I could already picture his face shouting angrily.

Of course, I’d have to tell them someday.

‘I want to delay it as much as possible.’

Anyway, for now I had to focus on spreading purification stones starting from the continent’s outskirts.

“But it’s too quiet, isn’t it.”

Actually, it was strange that the Emperor was being so quiet.

Considering his temperament, he should have already heard the news and started moving, but it was too quiet, far too quiet.

Did he not know we were moving yet? Or was he staying quiet despite knowing?

Either way, with no news coming in, it was puzzling and unsettling.

“Or maybe I should borrow Hella’s information network again…”

Just as I was seriously considering this, the door burst open.

“Just how many of these are there?”

It was Demian coming in with another armful of gifts.

He set them down with an exasperated expression, then clicked his tongue at the gift boxes filling the room.

“They’ve been coming continuously since morning with no end.”

I sat on the edge of the bed, swinging my feet back and forth.

“Yes, the nobles’ interest is greater than expected. How fast rumors spread.”

Demian snorted.

“The nobles who used to tremble just seeing Your Highness are now busy trying to curry favor.”

“Well, isn’t that a good thing? It means they want to get on the Duke’s good side.”

Demian tilted his head at my words.

His face said ‘what are you talking about?’

“They want to get on Your Highness’s good side, not the Duke’s.”

“…Me?”

What did that mean?

Why me? What did I do?

“Come to think of it, Your Highness collapsed so you wouldn’t remember what happened after.”

Demian crossed the room and sat beside the bed. His expression said he was going to tell me something.

“At the hunting festival, you remembered and looked after each and every name of the noblewomen and young ladies who were there?”

“That was because to show the purification stones and draw out reactions, it was better to help them relax…”

“When you were with Countess Harper and the magical energy exploded, you had the Countess evacuated and protected first.”

“That was because Countess Harper was weak to magical energy…”

“Yes, exactly.”

Demian stared at me as if asking ‘don’t you get it yet?’

“That day, after Your Highness collapsed, all the nobles were stamping their feet in worry about Your Highness’s wellbeing before returning. The hunting festival and banquet were all ruined, but not a single person complained.”

“Why is that?”

“…Have you already forgotten what position you held in the past?”

Of course I knew that well.

The Imperial Family’s half-demon. The cunning witch.

I could clearly see the people who would hold their breath just hearing my name in the banquet hall. The nobles who would turn their heads away in fright when our eyes met. The voices whispering behind my back.

That was the world’s attitude toward me.

An object of fear. An object of hatred. A being that should never be approached.

“But why is that, ah…”

Don’t tell me.

“Because I’m not as scary as they thought?”

“To be precise, weren’t you kind and gentle.”

Just because I memorized some names and evacuated people in danger, they show me this kind of favor?

“Nothing wins favor as easily as a leader who protects the people.”

“But I’m not a leader.”

“You’re still royalty anyway.”

What kind of logic is that.

When my expression became ambiguous, Demian emphasized again.

“These are people who want to make a good impression on Your Highness the Princess, not the House of the Duke.”

I was at a loss for words for a moment.

‘…Because they think well of me?’

It was strange.

I had been an object of fear, not an object of favor or enthusiasm. So this kind of attention felt unfamiliar. I couldn’t believe that I could receive goodwill rather than contempt from people.

I thought I was naturally someone who should be notorious. I thought I would never escape that yoke for the rest of my life. I thought I would live receiving only cold and sharp gazes. But it wasn’t like that.

Even though I understood, it was hard to accept. One side of my chest became strangely hot.

Only then did the gifts piled up in the room look different.

‘Not simply trying to curry favor with the House of the Duke, but things sent to me…’

I fidgeted around, touching a nearby box for no reason.

‘I don’t know what to say.’

Whether I should be happy or bewildered.

Then Demian chuckled and reached out to pat my head. His large hand rested on top of my head.

“Well, even I look at Your Highness differently than before, don’t I?”

“…That’s true.”

The face that called me a demon and wench when we first met was still vivid in my memory.

“Do you find me a little less hateful now?”

“Yes, to be precise, I used to want to chase you away, but now I kind of want to tease you.”

“Hey, Grand Duke.”

“It’s exactly because of that expression that I want to tease you. You don’t seem to know.”

Demian, who was grinning cheekily, was annoying.

I seriously wanted to hit him once. My hands were itching. I was clenching and unclenching my fists when Demian’s expression suddenly became serious.

“So, speaking of which.”

He stared at me intently.

“Are you by any chance interested in succession?”

“…What?”

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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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