The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainess Hides Her Identity, and Everyone Misunderstands
Chapter 112

Her gaze was as if she knew everything—no, as if she had already seen through to the very last move of this game.
A bead of cold sweat formed on Daylen’s forehead.
‘…Damn it.’
Liliana’s serene eyes swept across him.
In that instant, his breath caught, and he hastily averted his gaze. Beside him, the other two envoys who had entered the Ducal Mansion with him were conversing amongst themselves.
“The aroma is quite pleasant. Though I must say, it seems somewhat lighter than what we enjoyed at Valter Court. Though, I suppose it could be a matter of personal taste.”
“Is this teacup pattern in the Bernhardt style? Hmm, quite distinctive. At Valter, we do tend to favor more delicate craftsmanship.”
…These fools.
I had deliberately selected only those without much sense to bring to the Ducal Mansion, fearing they might cause trouble, yet their interests lay nowhere near the Saint. They merely sought opportunities to indulge in vanity and luxury.
‘Well, the rest of them back at the Imperial Palace will have handled everything anyway.’
Everything would be decided at this reception, after all.
Perhaps Prince Rakiel was scheming to use his betrothed to draw the Saint in, but it was not the sort of matter I could interfere with.
I feigned composure and lifted my teacup to my lips, taking a sip.
Unaware that another pair of eyes was gleaming as they fixed upon me.

* * *

‘Oh, quite suspicious circumstances detected.’
I narrowed my eyes upon catching the momentary exchange of glances between Liliana and Daylen. It was because Daylen had turned his head away, beads of cold sweat dripping down his face.
The other two showed no interest in us, but Daylen alone reacted with excessive sensitivity.
As if I mustn’t become close to the Saint. It seemed he was mindful of the fact that I was Prince Rakiel’s fiancée.
I added Daylen to my list as the top suspect.
During the four days they stayed at the Ducal Mansion, I had examined the knights, servants, and maids who came with them, but none particularly stood out. Then again, there wouldn’t be much for them to do at the Ducal Mansion. It would be different at the Imperial Palace.
As I observed him for a moment and savored my tea, Genie approached and whispered to me.
“Miss Evelyn, wouldn’t it be wise to wrap this up soon?”
Had the time really come to that already?
I smiled brightly and spoke.
“I suppose it’s about time we got going.”
“Already?”
Liliana opened her eyes wide with reluctance.
“The welcome reception begins this afternoon, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, this reception has been prepared rather uniquely as an outdoor banquet, I hear. We should hurry with our preparations to avoid being late.”
After breakfast, I had kept them occupied under the pretense of tea time, and now it was time to move to the next phase.
This moment I had been waiting for so long was already drawing near, just a few hours away.

A short while later.
As the carriage came to a stop, I took the hand Rakiel offered and descended.
Liliana was scheduled to make her appearance later with the Imperial Court’s introduction, so we parted after tea time. I would only see her again inside the banquet hall after that.
As I lifted my head while quickly adjusting my dress with practiced hands, an exclamation escaped me.
“Wow, it’s far more elaborate than I expected!”
The banquet was being held in the Aerial Garden. It was the upper level of the Palace where the indoor banquet hall was located—a sort of terrace.
Looking upward, I could hear music as if a festival were taking place, and I felt the presence of people moving about.
As I felt the pleasant weather and sunlight, which wasn’t too hot, I realized that summer was passing.
‘Time has already gone by so quickly…’
For some reason, I felt oddly restless. In ninety-nine cycles, there had never been a single day where I had the leisure to notice such changes in the weather.
The entrance near the stairs leading upward was crowded with nobility. We quickly lined up behind them.
Though it was an Imperial Court-hosted reception, Rakiel didn’t move separately. Since he had to enter with me as his fiancée, it seemed we would go in like ordinary nobles.
“This is my first time going up to the banquet hall.”
As I spoke, trying to calm my racing heart, Rakiel glanced at me.
“The Aerial Garden isn’t used much, but it’s been opened for this reception.”
“Have you been up there before, Your Highness?”
“Well, occasionally.”
With those words, he led me forward. Before I knew it, we were stepping onto the stairs.
“Whenever there’s a reception, I come up here. As you well know, the garden beside the banquet hall is always crowded, so there’s no other choice.”
Even as he said this, he subtly reached out and brushed back the strands of hair that were fluttering near my eyes. It was an incredibly natural gesture.
‘He must be referring to noble couples who enjoy secret meetings.’
I understood what he meant immediately, having used it myself several times before.
‘I won’t be using him again after this.’
My relationship with Ludwig had completely fallen apart. And I had no intention of repeating this tedious cycle anymore.
No matter what happened, I would end this cycle this time.
Shortly after, we went through a simple identity verification procedure before ascending to the upper level. There wasn’t much to verify anyway.
As I stepped into the Aerial Garden, my vision opened up completely.
“My goodness, I never knew such a place existed here.”
Beyond the railing, the entire Capital City sprawled below, and beneath the warm sunlight, music and laughter mingled together.
A marble fountain stood in one corner of the garden, its waters shimmering brilliantly, and around it, nobles gathered in small groups.
If I’d known about this place earlier, I would have come occasionally. In previous cycles, or the one before that, or the one before that, or the one before that… anyway.
“Your Highness is rather petty, keeping this all to yourself.”
“Even if you’d known, it would have been difficult to enter. It’s not open to the public normally.”
“Ah….”
Rakiel shrugged his shoulders.
“But if you wished to see it, that would be a different matter.”
“Pardon?”
He had drawn close to my side without my noticing. His crimson eyes curved lazily.
“What’s so difficult about opening a door? If you desire it, something like this is nothing. That’s what this position is for, isn’t it?”
His languid voice swept softly across my ear. Rakiel was already leaning slightly forward, speaking in a whisper. His hand pressed into my waist.
With the corner of his mouth drawn up diagonally, he murmured softly.
“Tell me what you want.”
A low tone that tickled my heart slowly sank in.
“The Empire or myself—I’ll give you everything.”
I stared blankly at Rakiel for a moment, then my lips trembled as I let out a sigh.
“When did I ever say I wanted the Empire?”
“Hmm?”
“The Empire or myself? Is that something the future Emperor should say? I understand you feel indebted to me, but you don’t need to go that far.”
An amused glint flickered across his eyes.
“After all, we’re working together because our goals align, aren’t we? Besides, even if we’re concerned about the eyes around us, we don’t need to go to this extent.”
I knew he was doing this deliberately. This place was filled with many nobles, and we needed to demonstrate that the bond between us was too strong for the Crown Prince to interfere with.
And whether his plan was working or not, people continued to glance in our direction.
“Ah, so that’s what it was.”
He murmured something incomprehensible and straightened his posture.
“I was wondering what you kept misunderstanding….”
As he clicked his tongue softly, I looked around. Then a platform raised one level higher caught my eye. It was a place where anyone standing on it would naturally draw all eyes.
And I noticed several gazes directed at us. Eyes that had been lingering on us since earlier.
“Have you heard the rumors? They say the Rosenthal heiress is a ‘Saint.'”
“I’ve heard too! Goodness, who on earth spread such an absurd rumor? Just look at how she switched from the Crown Prince to Prince Rakiel! For a Saint, isn’t she rather… vulgar?”
“I wonder what the Prince sees in such a woman… Of course, he must be doing this to gain the Rosenthal Duchy.”
At the whispers and chatter, my lips trembled.
‘Yeah, you don’t believe it either, do you?’
I can’t believe it either.
Saint? That’s nonsense. I desperately wish someone would spread the word far and wide that Evelyn of the Rosenthal Estate is no saint—I’d even beg them to do it right now. Such gossip and slander were, after all, a villainess’s most basic skill.
Spreading rumors and insults came naturally to someone like me.
Moreover, Prince Rakiel’s continued attendance at these banquets was quite rare, so many guests found themselves stealing glances at him.
“Still, I prefer Prince Rakiel. Look at those sharp eyes—isn’t that languid atmosphere so enchanting?”
“I don’t know… I prefer the Crown Prince’s charismatic smile. He always seems so confident, and he looks like he’d be truly kind!”
“Oh my, but didn’t the Crown Prince break his engagement? He separated from that wicked Evelyn of Rosenthal, so shouldn’t he be looking for a new Crown Princess?”
“I wish it could be me!”
…Had I misheard something?
I tugged at my ear and tuned out the young ladies’ conversation. Any longer and I feared my ears would rot from the poison of their words.
As I sat lost in thought, a sudden commotion drew my attention. I lifted my head and glanced around—people were whispering and pointing in my direction.
‘Ah.’
Ludwig had arrived.
He wore the perfect mask of a Crown Prince, exchanging pleasantries with guests as he strolled deeper into the garden.
Though he was quite far away, that distinctive golden hair somehow caught my eye perfectly. The realization that I would never stand beside him again filled me with an odd sensation.
A good one, naturally.
Ludwig’s expression remained serene, as if whatever had transpired between us was nothing but a lie.
‘Tsk, I wish something would slip through, even for a moment.’
I craned my neck, hoping to catch even the briefest crack in his composure, when suddenly a broad chest filled my vision.
“…?”
I looked up to find Rakiel’s displeased expression. The backlighting cast deep shadows beneath his hair.
“What is this, all of a sudden?”
“I’m blocking my fiancée’s view of her former betrothed.”
“…Pardon?”

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