The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 27

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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 27

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Ludwig Bernhardt and I were currently in a cold war.
Though we hadn’t made an official announcement yet, my engagement to Rakiel had become a foregone conclusion.
I was staging a hunger strike with my door locked.
“Young Miss, will you not be taking meals today either?”
“Didn’t I tell you that I won’t eat anything until Father gives me what I want?”
“But it’s already been two days. Please, at least have this….”
Crunch, crunch.
“That’s enough! How many times do I have to say it before you understand?”
Slurp, smack smack.
“But Young Miss….”
“Go tell Father that I’m not eating anything!”
I snapped sharply while shoving the chicken skewer I’d bought earlier into my mouth.
Mmm, this flavor truly was exquisite.
Street food had always been the most delicious.
Thanks to locking the door completely, the maids couldn’t enter my room without my permission, and I was savoring a freedom I hadn’t felt in ages.
A space entirely my own—something a noblewoman could never truly have.
‘Always coming and going with their talk of fetching clothes, combing hair, and all that nonsense….’
After finishing, I made sure to open the windows wide for ventilation.
I’d been secretly visiting the Capital City to continue clearing quests, and with each trip back, I’d pick up snacks—I was having so much fun that my stomach felt ready to burst these days.
‘Thank goodness my room is on the first floor….’
Otherwise, I would have been forced into a genuine hunger strike.
And what was fortunate was that this behavior itself fell under Evelyn’s hysteria, so I could get away with it quietly without actually causing trouble.
‘Thanks to that, my throat hasn’t been hurting as much lately.’
Since it was already the second day, I’d need to stop by tomorrow. It seemed like the time was approaching for the Duke to visit.
No matter how much of a wayward child I was, he wouldn’t ignore rumors of me not eating for three days.

* * *

At that same moment.
“…You’re telling me she didn’t eat again today?”
Ludwig Bernhardt set down the documents he’d been reviewing, his expression turning cold as he muttered to himself.
“She said she wouldn’t eat anything until Your Grace grants her wish…”
A servant spoke to Ludwig Bernhardt with an awkward expression.
The Duke pressed his tired eyes with his fingers, rubbing them firmly.
He already had so much to think about, and he simply didn’t have the patience to indulge his daughter’s whims on top of everything else.
He pondered for a moment.
“…Are you certain her refusal to leave her room is because of the engagement?”
“Yes.”
He had anticipated some level of resistance, but he never imagined she would go so far as to starve herself.
Despite being treated so harshly by the Crown Prince, she still clung to him like this.
It was because her mother was gone, and he had raised her by indulging her every whim. Rather than disciplining her properly, he had always appeased her by giving her whatever she wanted.
No wonder the Crown Prince thought he could have her in the palm of his hand.
‘…I honestly don’t understand what’s so appealing about that pretty-faced fool.’
The Duke did acknowledge Crown Prince Ludwig’s abilities.
But as a husband, or a son-in-law….
He seemed like the type who would calculate everything and make demands later.
Yes, if it came to choosing a son-in-law, Prince Rakiel would be better….
In that moment, imagining Evelyn being married off, the Duke’s face darkened. For some reason, he didn’t want to think about it any further.
Even Prince Rakiel didn’t sit well with him. That smooth-talking face of his, that gentle smile while saying whatever he pleased—it was quite….
He slowly tapped his fingers on the desk. It was a gesture laden with complex emotions.
The servant still stood before him, waiting for an answer.
“…Your Grace?”
When no response came, the servant asked with a puzzled expression.
The Duke reluctantly opened his mouth.
“I understand. Go on. I’ll visit her after I finish today’s work.”
He had been working from home anyway, unable to go to the palace because there was so much to handle at the estate. If he finished his work quickly, he could spare a brief moment to see his daughter.
Even as he signed the documents he’d been reading, the Duke couldn’t set aside his worries.
‘I have no idea how to even begin this conversation.’
Having just told his heartbroken daughter to become engaged to another man, he couldn’t think of what to say to comfort her. He wasn’t even accustomed to comforting anyone.
But one thing was certain—this was the best option for Evelyn.
Since she had been broken off with by the Crown Prince, it would be difficult for her to marry into a respectable family. Wouldn’t it be better for her to become engaged to another prince instead?
Yet Evelyn didn’t understand his intentions….
“…Sigh.”
“….”
“…Your Grace? Are you listening?”
“Ah.”
The Duke looked up.
Before his eyes stood Joshua, his chief administrator, wearing a worried expression. Coming to his senses, he accepted the paper Joshua offered him.
“My apologies. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
“I hope nothing is troubling you, sir.”
“…No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry yourself.”
The Duke accepted the documents and began reading them naturally.
‘Hmm?’
His eyes, which had been skimming over the pages casually, suddenly stopped. He returned to the beginning and read through the documents again, this time with complete focus.
“Is this truly accurate?”
“Yes, sir.”
Joshua nodded in confirmation.
He continued, adding further explanation.
“You recall when Prince Rakiel previously spoke to you about the Northern Front, do you not?”
“Indeed. We agreed to dispatch a portion of the family’s 4th Knight Order to support his forces.”
It had been a condition Prince Rakiel had requested.
He had asked that reinforcements from the Rosenthal family’s knight order be sent to bolster his troops stationed at the Northern Front.
The Northern Front was a region plagued by constant conflict, both large and small. It bordered the Great Plateau, and disputes with the foreign peoples living in the border regions were frequent.
Yet the contents of this document suggested something remarkable—that these conflicts could be completely resolved.
In other words, the matter had already been settled before the Rosenthal family even needed to dispatch their knights.
“…This is Prince Rakiel’s achievement.”
“Precisely, sir.”
His stationed forces had resolved the conflict—and not just any conflict, but this deeply rooted tension that had persisted for so long.
At this time, such news was indeed welcome to the Duke.
“Has there been any communication from Prince Rakiel?”
“Not yet, sir.”
The Duke pondered for a moment before speaking again.
“The next council meeting will be quite eventful. I cannot help but reward his forces for this.”
“There will likely be considerable opposition, sir. Since they have not completely subjugated the border regions, merely resolved the tensions with the foreign peoples.”
“Fools who don’t understand that this is the best approach.”
What possible reason could there be to escalate matters and spill blood unnecessarily?
The Duke greatly admired Prince Rakiel’s peaceful disposition and methods—so much so that he found himself smiling without realizing it.
“It seems I can begin lending my full support to Prince Rakiel starting with the next council meeting.”
“An opportune moment indeed, sir. It would be an excellent time to bring the other nobles to your side, one by one.”
The Duke nodded slowly. Things were progressing better than expected.

* * *

“Hmm, have I gained weight?”
I muttered while looking in the mirror.
When I touched my jawline, it felt slightly buried under a layer of softness. It was the result of indulging in snacks instead of proper meals.
While handling minor Quests and taking a brief rest, I was contemplating methods to make Rakiel an Emperor.
‘First, let me start with what I can do right now.’
The most essential thing was to elevate Rakiel’s reputation to match Ludwig’s.
No matter how much he desired to become Emperor, no matter how superior his character compared to Ludwig, without the people’s recognition, everything would be meaningless.
In other words, the most urgent task now was to engrave his name into people’s minds.
‘Preferably in a positive light.’
There were several methods available.
Among them, the easiest one for me to execute was….
At that moment, I heard footsteps outside the door.
“Young Miss, the Duke has arrived.”
Ah, has it already been that long?
It was the evening of exactly the third day. My intuition that the Duke would visit proved accurate.
I started to rise from my seat but hesitated.
….
“…Tell him I don’t wish to see him right now.”
“Pardon?”
“Hurry!”
A grumbling sound came from outside.
But soon, just as I expected, Genie’s flustered voice stammered.
“Y-Young Miss, the Duke insists that today….”
The door burst open!
“Evelyn, what on earth is this behavior?”
The voice of Ludwig Bernhardt, suppressing his anger.
His face was expressionless as always, but his brows were slightly furrowed.
‘Oh, he’s angry.’
It was a rare sight to witness.
I didn’t even turn my head to look at him. I simply remained in my seated position on the sofa.
“What behavior? I was simply in my room.”
“I heard you’ve been skipping meals for three days.”
“I’m not hungry.”
….
The Duke’s gaze turned cold and sharp.
“Leave.”
“Y-Yes!”
Genie hurriedly closed the door and departed.
As a heavy silence settled over the room, I secretly swallowed. This was my first time facing the Duke when he was this angry.
“Evelyn.”
The Duke called my name in a cold voice.

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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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