The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 66

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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 66

Yan had naturally stepped aside once Rakiel regained consciousness, and he was observing the situation with considerable interest. His eyes sparkled as if witnessing something entirely new.
‘They’re certainly close, Rakiel and her.’
Even from the brief conversation moments ago, it was evident. She treated him without formality despite knowing he was Prince Rakiel.
And that meant most of the information about Rakiel came through Twilight.
‘Hmm, perhaps it would be better to use Twilight’s information network together instead….’
I sighed and abandoned the thought.
What I needed was ‘someone who would bring me information without questions or hesitation’.
But given that he was already close with Rakiel, any request from me would only raise his suspicions. Unlike him, I already knew the future.
‘It would be less suspicious if I came in Evelyn’s position.’
I didn’t have enough time to use ‘autonomous action’ this far ahead.
I had to preserve as much time as possible to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.
‘Tsk, there’s no helping it.’
I finished my thoughts and turned my head back to Rakiel.
“I’m really fine now, so you don’t need to worry so much.”
“Because of me….”
“Never mind that. I should get back soon. Evelyn will be looking for me soon.”
I stood up with a slightly hurried gesture.
I bowed respectfully to Yan and tried to leave, but an ambush attached itself to me.
“…Your Highness? Why are you following me?”
“I’ll take you back.”
“Pardon? Your Highness… why?”
Whether he heard me or not, Rakiel exchanged a meaningful glance with Yan.
Yan smiled mysteriously and nodded. It seemed to mean I should go ahead.
Rakiel followed behind me as I headed toward the Manor.
Really, there’s no need for this.
He made a slight mistake, but it was truly just that—a ‘mistake’. Besides, there seemed to be circumstances that weren’t easy to guess.
“…I’m sorry.”
At his belated words, I glanced at him.
Rakiel still wore a dejected expression, clearly remorseful.
“I’m sorry. I had business at the Imperial Palace today, and without realizing it… though I suppose that’s just an excuse.”
I shrugged my shoulders and answered casually.
“Like I said before, it’s fine. Everyone has their circumstances.”
Yes, I didn’t know exactly what it was, but the conflict between brothers seemed quite serious. That’s simply how the Royal Court works, isn’t it?
Prince Rakiel rarely appeared in the original work, so I knew very little about him. Besides, I had no desire to pry into the intimate family affairs of the royal family….
“…My older brother has hated me since childhood.”
…I hadn’t wanted to know.
‘Suddenly?’
I widened my eyes and fixed my gaze ahead. I sensed an awkward tension in the air, but Rakiel seemed oblivious as he continued in a bitter voice.
“No, he didn’t even want to treat me as royalty. Whether it’s because of this cursed black hair or not….”
“But His Majesty the Emperor….”
“Do you think anyone would believe that?”
“…!”
His voice dripped with resignation.
‘So he was never treated as royalty from childhood.’
I frowned and closed my mouth.
I had assumed that once the Emperor acknowledged him, he would be accepted as a member of the royal family, but it seemed the situation was far more complicated than I thought.
‘Then… it must have been quite difficult for him.’
A prince acknowledged by no one—it was obvious that establishing himself within the Imperial Palace would have been extraordinarily difficult. Perhaps he even suffered harassment.
As I briefly recalled the Ducal Palace of the Rosenthal Estate, I clicked my tongue inwardly. If it was harassment, I had endured it long enough to understand his pain to some degree.
And if he was just a child back then….
“There was some sort of contract with my mother, so the Emperor turned a blind eye, but that didn’t mean he showed me any affection.”
His quiet voice continued.
“Whether it was the Emperor’s fault or not, the entire Imperial Palace was indifferent to me. Only my mother looked after me. Of course, that was likely too much for my mother, who became a concubine as if she were being sold, but because of me, even after the Emperor’s favor faded, my mother couldn’t leave the Imperial Palace.”
Ah, I had heard about that. His mother, the First Concubine, was the daughter of a baron, and when the Emperor took a liking to her face, the baron family offered her to him….
She, who had been little better than a commoner until then, must have found it difficult to adapt within the Imperial Palace.
‘But why is he telling me all this?’
I rolled my eyes and observed Rakiel carefully. The conversation had already progressed quite far, making it difficult to interrupt.
There was still quite a distance before we would arrive at the Ducal Mansion.
“Do you know why my mother died?”
“…?”
As for the First Concubine, I knew she died when he was around twelve years old….
‘Was it a riding accident?’
As far as I knew, it was an accident.
An accident that occurred while the royal family was enjoying horseback riding together.
“…As far as I know, it was an accident—”
I was carefully speaking as I recalled the memory.
“My older brother pushed her.”
“…!”
I turned to him with a shocked expression, but he continued speaking as if it were nothing.
“They were riding together on the same horse. My mother, whom His Majesty loved like his own son, was riding rather aggressively to teach my older brother the joy of horseback riding.”
“Surely….”
“My older brother was ashamed of my mother. And he was displeased that I, who didn’t even carry royal blood, had become a thorn in his side. Well, the accident happened in an instant.”
“B-but then, why hasn’t the Crown Prince done anything….”
Rakiel sighed as he watched me stumble over my words in confusion. His eyes had grown cold and distant.
“She was a concubine everyone treated as if she didn’t exist anyway. She never received the Emperor’s favor, and I was only acknowledged as a prince despite not being his child.”
“Then His Majesty the Emperor…?”
“His own son would have been his priority. Wouldn’t you think so?”
“….”
I pressed my lips together, unable to continue speaking.
At twelve years old, one could understand everything that happened. There was no way he didn’t know what had occurred.
Besides….
‘People must have gossiped endlessly. The Imperial Palace is that kind of place, after all.’
Just how much must people have talked about that young child.
‘…He was hiding such a secret all along.’
When I recalled those brilliant green eyes that occasionally held a hint of mischief, I felt a chill run down my spine.
I had known that as Crown Prince, he disregarded means and ends, always insisting on standing above others, but I hadn’t realized it was to this extent.
‘He’s a complete psychopath.’
Well, that would explain why he started a war again over just one saint.
“If Mother had never become a concubine in the first place, she could have lived a happier life. If I hadn’t existed, she might have escaped the Imperial Palace long ago. And those who followed me—if I hadn’t been….”
Every time he saw Ludwig, he must have been consumed by that thought. Even in the war he fled to escape him, he lost someone because of him.
He must have believed he could never escape from Ludwig’s grasp, not for a single moment.
“…Ha, I don’t even know what I’m rambling about anymore.”
He let out a hollow laugh and wiped his face.
“So the conclusion is, I wanted to say that I went too far.”
“….”
“Thinking about my older brother made my emotions run a bit high. In the end, I’ve caused you harm. That shouldn’t have happened….”
In the dark night, silence settled deeply around us.
Only the two of us walked along the path dimly lit by moonlight, and only the faint sound of our shoes brushing against the dirt ground could be heard.
After those words, Rakiel pressed his lips firmly shut. Because of that, the atmosphere remained subtly heavy.
“….”
I glanced at him struggling in silence, then opened my mouth casually.
“Be angry.”
“…What?”
“Why do you keep blaming yourself? ‘If I hadn’t existed,’ ‘If I weren’t…’ You keep taking all the blame on yourself. But is that really your fault?”
It was something I’d found strange since earlier.
“Is it wrong that you were born? Is it your responsibility that your mother became a concubine? It’s not. So why are you carrying that guilt?”
This wasn’t his fault. He had no reason to blame himself for this.
Rakiel’s lips trembled as if he’d lost his words.
I slowly stopped walking and faced him directly. In the darkness, I could see his red eyes wearing an expression of resignation.
Perhaps because of that, a competitive spirit rose within me instead. I would change his mind, no matter what.
“Your mother wasn’t pushed to her death by you. It was Ludwig—no, the Crown Prince. It was him who saw you as a thorn in his side, him who disrespected your mother, him who started the war… All of it was done by the Crown Prince. So why do you say ‘it’s my fault’?”
Unless he became someone else, the day would never come when I could perfectly understand his heart.
Yet at least I could tell him this much with certainty.
“The one who made the mistake is someone else entirely. Why must you suffer for it, Your Highness?”
“…!”
Rakiel’s eyes widened.
“Don’t torment yourself over the Crown Prince alone, Your Highness.”
Why must the victim always suffer instead of the perpetrator?

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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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