The Puppet Villainess’s Splendid Rebellion - Chapter 96

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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 96

Carlos lifted his indifferent gaze to look at me. His red eyes scanned me up and down.

He hadn’t even brushed off the snow powder on his feet.

“Uh…, oh. Huh.”

A moment of silence passed along with my stupid exclamation.

‘What should I do?’

I was more nervous now than when I broke the Emperor’s precious porcelain before my regression. My mouth felt parched and I couldn’t say anything, when Mia came running from far away.

“Oh my, Master! Why were you standing there!”

Then she wrapped her arms around me and complained toward Carlos.

…Huh?

“Our Princess was startled!”

Carlos’s brow furrowed slightly at Mia’s fuss.

“…Are you saying it’s my fault?”

“Of course it’s Master’s fault! What wrong could the Princess have done?”

Mia spoke shamelessly and hugged me tightly as if to show off. She even glared at Carlos.

‘Well, I’m grateful but Mia… is this okay?’

Is it really okay to talk back to the Duke like that? Mia is a servant of the Duke’s mansion. Her master is him, not me.

In this tense situation, I looked around nervously instead.

Meanwhile, Carlos, who had been looking back and forth between me and Mia, let out a hollow laugh as if amazed. Fortunately, he didn’t seem angry.

He turned around and said.

“Princess, come see me for a moment.”

“…Right now?”

Then without even answering, he went inside.

After hesitating, I followed him into the study.

He’s probably going to scold me. No matter how much of an accident it was, I did throw a snowball at the Duke.

But wait, I’m a princess too, right? Strictly speaking, I’m royalty, and uh… Carlos is royalty too. Though a collateral branch.

He even had legitimacy for now. I’m officially only half-royal anyway.

‘Why do I feel defeated?’

While I was having these idle thoughts, Carlos crossed the room, sat at his desk, and adjusted his glasses.

He seemed about to say something, but suddenly looked at me standing blankly across from him and made a subtle expression.

“…A ball.”

After a brief silence, Carlos muttered quietly.

His voice was too small for me to understand.

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing.”

Carlos shook his head and looked at me.

“I have something to discuss. Sit down.”

He gestured with his chin toward the chair across from him. From his attitude, it didn’t seem like he was going to scold me. Thank goodness.

As soon as I hopped onto the chair, Carlos held out a stack of documents.

“Take a look at this.”

“This is…”

It was the Jeongjesa production status report that Sion had left. Since this would be a business conducted under the Duke’s household name, it seemed it had been shared with Carlos too.

I opened the documents.

The content was very neat. The current and expected production of Jeongjesa stones were divided by time period, with expected schedules marked. Even logistics routes and distribution priorities were written in detail.

“The produced Jeongjesa stones will be distributed free of charge first to the people of the Empire’s borderlands with the help of merchant guilds. We’ll gradually expand the range while proposing prices to nobles first. Cheaper than the Imperial Court’s Jeongjesa stones, as the Princess suggested.”

To be honest, I was incredibly surprised.

‘He organized it this thoroughly?’

To think he could organize what I had only thought about in my head so clearly and systematically.

I flipped through the documents admiringly.

“…Duke, you’re good at your job?”

When I looked up, Carlos was staring at me with a face that said ‘what kind of strange thing are you saying?’

“No, I just meant. You’ve been secluding yourself all this time. So I thought you wouldn’t care about things like this.”

“…Who does the Princess think has been managing the Ducal Palace’s administration for 11 years?”

Ah.

Come to think of it, that was right. Even while locking the domain’s gates and never stepping foot outside the Duke’s mansion, it was Carlos who processed the documents inside. If the administration hadn’t functioned, the Ducal Palace would have collapsed long ago.

Eleven years cut off from the outside world. During all that time, he had done all of this alone.

Thinking about it that way, it felt lonely rather than impressive.

“This seems sufficient.”

I said while closing the documents.

“We should gradually request the merchant guilds to spread Jeongjesa stones along with rumors.”

As I said that and tried to put the documents I was holding back on the table, perhaps because I was wearing too many layers, my body lost balance and tilted.

“Whoa.”

At that moment, Carlos quickly reached out and caught my body.

“….”

It was silent again.

‘So, so embarrassing.’

My face felt like it was on fire.

To show such a sight in front of Carlos.

“…It’s because Mia made me wear too many thick clothes.”

I said like an excuse while subtly avoiding his gaze. I felt even more embarrassed remembering how I looked all round like a ball.

“It seems the Princess being short is also a factor.”

“…Short, you say.”

Carlos helped me sit up straight. Then he quietly looked down at me.

“…Do you like snow?”

It was a sudden question.

“Pardon?”

I tilted my head, not understanding what he meant. Carlos spoke calmly.

“You looked excited.”

Did he see everything when I got excited seeing the pure white snow earlier? Even when I exclaimed “Wow” in admiration. I became embarrassed.

“It’s not that I like it, just… it was fascinating. It was my first time experiencing snow. And seeing it up close too.”

“Doesn’t it snow in the capital too?”

“I’ve never gone outside on snowy days.”

“Did the Emperor confine you or something?”

“Of course not. It’s just…. It would look undignified.”

Carlos’s eyebrow twitched.

“Dignity?”

“That was important to me back then.”

I smiled.

“Because I’m an illegitimate child.”

In the Imperial Palace, I always had to maintain dignity. I had to be more perfect than anyone else to cover up the flaw of my birth. I had never particularly complained about such a life. What I wanted was the Emperor’s favor and power, not something trivial like the innocence of playing in the snow.

Carlos slightly frowned and looked at me. His gaze was intense. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

Somehow feeling my face getting hot, I subtly bit my lip.

A moment of silence passed.

Carlos looked away first. He organized the documents on his desk and spoke.

“…I heard Demian talked about adoption.”

It was a casual tone. I was flustered by the sudden change of topic, but at the same time felt strangely relieved. That intense gaze from earlier had been somewhat burdensome.

‘But I can’t believe Demian actually told Carlos about that.’

Is it okay for the heir of a ducal house to be this careless?

I nodded composedly.

“Yes, well. But don’t worry, I have no intention of securing a position that way.”

“I heard Demian explained reasonable reasons why adoption is necessary.”

“…Pardon?”

I was slightly surprised and widened my eyes. I thought he would oppose it, saying it was preposterous.

In contrast, Carlos’s expression was extremely calm.

“It’s not bad to consider a rational direction.”

He said in a calm voice. I couldn’t read his emotions.

I clenched my hands placed on my knees.

At this moment, I couldn’t help but think of just one thing above all else.

‘Will Carlos be okay with this?’

Adoption means becoming father and daughter on paper. Of course, we wouldn’t consider each other real family, but it was definitely different from a guardian relationship.

‘Won’t he regret becoming family with me?’

Even if he says it’s fine now, if he regrets it someday, it would be too lonely.

The image of Carlos regretting accepting me. I didn’t want to imagine that. Because I liked being able to stay by his side like this.

“…Are you really okay with it?”

I asked carefully. Carlos tilted his head.

“What do you mean?”

“Accepting me.”

My voice became small.

“Won’t you regret it?”

A moment of silence passed. Carlos looked at me quietly and then opened his mouth.

“…Regardless of Loreia’s current intentions, you’re already drawing the attention of the nobles, aren’t you? Originally, Loreia’s plan was to put the Duke’s household at the forefront. At this rate, the Emperor’s threat will be directed toward Loreia. Rather than creating unnecessary noise, it would be rational for Loreia to hide behind the Duke’s household as a shield according to the original plan.”

A calm voice. As if analyzing point by point. Like reading a document.

“In which of these contexts should my regret fit?”

That was all.

My chest felt strangely cold.

‘This is a strange feeling.’

When I had collapsed, it seemed like he had stayed by my side for days and nights, worrying about me. When he told me to protect myself, that it was my duty to do so, there was definitely emotion in his words. That voice when he said he was worried, telling me not to act recklessly.

Now he spoke as if there were no emotions whatsoever in his words. Saying it was rational. That there was nothing wrong with it. As if that was all there was to it.

I was confused. I couldn’t understand what this person was thinking.

I knew I shouldn’t ask. I also knew that even if I asked, I wouldn’t get an answer. But my mouth moved first. I couldn’t stop it.

“…Tell me, what kind of existence am I to you, Duke?”

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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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