The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 10

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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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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 10

On a spring day when warm sunlight peeked through the window.

Children dressed in luxurious clothes stared intently at the checkerboard with tense faces.

A boy who had been taking deep breaths for a while finally flicked his finger with force.

Snap!

With a crisp sound, a white stone raced across the smooth surface.

However, the flying stone stopped right in front of its target.

The boy grabbed his head and cried out in despair.

“Argh! Just a little more and I could have taken out two at once!”

“Hmph! That’s what happens when you rely only on strength! Originally, the bigger the task, the more you need to abandon greed and empty your mind.”

That’s a lie. Actually, I was terrified that kid might knock out my stone in one shot.

I snorted triumphantly and lay flat on my stomach to find the perfect angle.

Above my head, a hastily made paper decoration fluttered.

【Adelaide’s 1st Marble Tournament】

Clack!

With a crisp sound, a black stone flew from afar, knocked only the white stone off the board, and stopped precariously.

Exclamations of “ooh” and applause erupted from here and there at the acrobatic skill.

The remaining stones were two black and one white.

Without the same miraculous skill as before, white’s defeat was certain.

“Graaah…!”

Facing the boy who sensed defeat and contorted his face, I savored the leisure of victory.

For someone like you to challenge me, you’re still ten years too early, rookie!

* * *

When Antoine said he needed friends, Father promised to invite their children to the next Merchant’s Guild meeting as well.

And finally, the day of the meeting arrived.

Major merchants specializing in eastern trade, financiers entangled with them through monetary relationships, lawyers, and others playing various roles large and small gathered at the Charmeuze Estate with their children.

While the adults held their meeting, Antoine would catch new friends, and I would catch—no, befriend—talented individuals with fresh potential.

It was a perfect plan.

Until I opened the door to the banquet hall.

‘What?’

As soon as I opened the banquet hall door, the movements of children who had been gathered in small groups playing with toys came to an abrupt halt.

And gazes that could hardly be called friendly poured down on Antoine and me.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Antoine flinched and clung to my arm, hiding behind my back.

Among the gazes mixed with wariness and curiosity toward strangers, there was a clearly hostile stare glaring at me.

At the end of that gaze was Guillaume’s son.

‘Felix Hedebeau…’

The Felix Hedebeau I remembered was a wastrel who received investments by trading on his father’s name but failed and ultimately ruined his family.

Fortunately, right now he seemed more interested in dunking biscuits in milk than in his family.

“…”

“…”

Our eyes met, but he said nothing and just stared at me intently while munching on cake.

As if demanding that I greet him first.

To me, it was merely laughable.

No matter how hard you glare, it only hurts your eyes—does it put a hole in the back of my head?

When I turned my gaze away from him first, the children gathered around Felix like sycophants snickered.

“Older Sister…”

Antoine, don’t be scared. Even if we fight, I’ll win. And that kid isn’t even worth fighting.

* * *

“Felix, are you really sure it’s okay not to greet them first…?”

“The person in a hurry always comes first. Just wait leisurely.”

The boy swallowed the words “But…” that were rising to his throat.

“Hmph.”

Felix had never once thought he was poor or lacking.

Especially here, he thought he was the best.

He was the oldest, his father had the most wealth, and he was the tallest.

Everyone praised him mercilessly and looked up to him.

But the moment he learned of Adelaide’s existence, his seemingly eternal throne began to shake from its roots.

He could easily get his hands on anything he wanted, but status was something he could never buy, even if he died and came back to life.

‘Just because she was lucky enough to be born a noble…’

That was exactly what Felix didn’t like.

A being who was born holding something he could never have, no matter what he did.

A being who could order him around with a single word because of that.

Adelaide was even a few months older than him and seemed a little taller too.

‘No, that’s because of her shoe heels. Girls wear shoes with high heels. If we stood barefoot, I’d be taller!’

His wounded pride boiled with jealousy.

So he had to completely suppress her spirit from the beginning.

So she could never act arrogantly toward him.

However, the situation flowed strangely.

“Hello? I’m Adelaide. This is my younger sibling Antoine.”

Adelaide, who had averted her gaze first like a dog with its tail down, was now talking to other kids.

Looking closely, they were all either young, boring in personality, or from ordinary families not worth befriending.

Felix couldn’t understand this situation at all.

* * *

“Can I play with you too?”

“Uh… uh… Ah, Lady Adelaide…?”

“What’s with ‘Lady Adelaide’ between kids? You can just call me Sister Adel. What’s your name?”

Someone among these children would surely grow into someone who could help me in the future.

Lawyers, bank presidents, high-ranking officials, and so on.

So I should get close to them from now. Mom and Dad told me to get along with friends.

“Hippolyte… Hippolyte Rivières. Dad and Mother call me Polly though…”

Contrary to his shrinking voice, a small smile like wildflowers spread across Hippolyte’s face.

And a bright smile appeared on my face as well.

I remembered the Rivières family clearly.

The owner of the largest bank in Loire and the culprit who rejected my loan application in my previous life, forcing me to be evicted without a home!

Conversely, it meant that if I built a friendship with Hippolyte now, I wouldn’t have to worry about financial difficulties in the future.

“That’s a pretty name. You were playing with dolls? I like dolls too.”

I happened to have a doll that Guillaume had bought me recently.

Chubby arms made of pale porcelain, a dress made of real silk, and even the brooch on the chest was real ruby, though crude.

If it looked this gorgeous and pretty to me, how much more so to young Hippolyte?

Hippolyte’s chick-beak-like lips opened so wide they seemed ready to touch the floor, and he hurriedly made room for me.

And a little later.

“You, you! Where do you think this is to dare butt in?”

“Oh my, you should show respect to your future mother-in-law.”

I put on a passionate performance while shaking the dolls in both hands.

“Mother-in-law? Why would you be my mother-in-law!”

“Because I married the Duke. Your fiancé is now my son.”

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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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