The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 98

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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 98

Crash.
With a dull thud, a stack of boxes collapsed in the Palace Garden. A servant unloading cargo from the carriage had lost his grip.
“What is this?”
Ludwig, the master of the Palace, furrowed his brow. The garden, which had been meticulously arranged just moments before, had descended into chaos in an instant.
“Ah, well, that is….”
The servant organizing the boxes startled and bowed his head. The gloves in his hand, damp with perspiration, slipped from his grip.
He wanted nothing more than to demand what gift he had sent without even knowing what it was, but such audacity was unthinkable. He swallowed hard and straightened his posture.
“The, the young lady of Rosenthal….”
“Evelyn?”
Ludwig’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Evelyn sent this gift to me?”
It had been mere hours since he ordered her to send him a gift. Yet a reply had already arrived.
If she sent it as thanks upon receiving his gift….
A smirk played across Ludwig’s lips.
“That’s not—”
“Of course it is.”
“Your Highness?”
His curt words carried absolute certainty. The anxiety he had harbored moments before vanished in an instant.
There was no way Evelyn Rosenthal would go anywhere else. It was true that absurd rumors circulated about her—whatever misunderstandings she caused—but calling Evelyn a “Saint” was utterly preposterous.
‘That Eve and Evelyn are the same person is somewhat surprising, though….’
Even that thought didn’t linger long.
She was merely indulging in a brief whim of playing the Saint.
Evelyn had always been that way.
Whenever it seemed his attention had strayed from her even slightly, she would resort to all manner of eccentric behavior to draw his gaze back. Sometimes she would discard propriety and pride without hesitation.
This occasion was undoubtedly of a similar nature.
Ludwig nudged the collapsed box with his toe. Strange objects peeked through the gap in the open lid, but he felt no inclination to examine them further.
“….”
The image of “Eve” whom he had encountered on a dark night suddenly surfaced in his mind. The sense of incongruity he had felt then crept back insidiously, but he quickly suppressed the sensation.
Pointless thoughts.
Evelyn Rosenthal was an existence that required no suspicion. Merely a foolish woman who destroyed herself through obsession with a single man.
True, it was unexpected that her relationship with Duke Cashen had completely deteriorated, but if he handled this woman carefully, victory would tilt toward him once more. After all, he had not cast her out precisely in preparation for such circumstances.
“I should offer her some praise when I see her tomorrow.”
“Your Highness? Your Highness, this is not that kind of—”
A pale-faced servant spoke urgently.
Yet Ludwig merely gazed down at the boxes with a cool, detached expression.
“See that the gifts are properly organized and stored. I would prefer to discard them, but it seems prudent to keep them for now.”
“Your Highness, that is—!”
“Enough. Do you have anything else to say?”
“…!”
The servant’s mouth froze shut. His lips fluttered uselessly, swallowing nothing but air, before finally closing in defeat.
For a moment, he considered correcting the misunderstanding, but any further protest might result in being dragged away on the spot. The servant chose silence over truth.
His life was in danger now, not later.
‘He’ll find out when he meets Evelyn anyway.’
He reasoned with himself.
Evelyn had always favored the Crown Prince, so perhaps returning the gifts was merely an honest mistake on her part.
The servant picked up the boxes one by one without concern, handling each with careful hands to avoid damage.
They might be sent to Evelyn again, after all.

* * *

The moment I gave the order, Genie had the boxes delivered directly to the Royal Court servant who’d brought them—unopened.
‘There’s no point in keeping up the act now that my identity is exposed.’
Ludwig was someone I’d crossed paths with countless times even while disguised. Whether he still clung to the rumors or not, I was utterly sick of the sight of his face.
While the gifts were being removed, Duke Cashen and Killian watched me with bewildered expressions. They were trying to act as though they weren’t paying attention, but unfortunately, it was painfully obvious.
‘Anyone would have noticed.’
They deliberately took the long route past my room, craning their necks to peer as they passed—there was no way to miss it.
“Is something wrong? Has something happened?”
When I casually asked Killian, who was glancing at me, he startled and bolted.
“Oh, it’s nothing at all!”
I caught sight of Duke Cashen hastily retreating from the corner where he’d been spying.
‘Sigh….’
If they were so curious, they should just ask.
It was obvious they were wondering whether something had happened between Ludwig and me, or if I’d made some other decision.
I’d thought they’d accepted me well enough even after the “Saint” rumors spread, without much suspicion. Perhaps I’d misjudged. I’d believed the Freedom stat was gradually revealing my true self….
What was I to do?
The person I’d show going forward would be far less “Evelyn.”
Gaining freedom in an instant had brought problems beyond this alone.
My contact with Rakiel had abruptly ceased.
There were times I’d sneak out wearing a different hood, but I’d never encountered him outside. He would have recognized me instantly.
I’d wanted to hear what happened after he seized the Chamberlain’s weakness, but now everything was falling apart.
‘This is serious….’
As the day of the Saint’s arrival drew closer, my anxiety grew by degrees.

The next day.
The Manor was in absolute chaos from morning.
“Do we really have to go this far?”
I held my breath as powder scattered before my face, muttering under my breath.
Genie, who had been patting my face with a pad, shrieked in alarm.
“My goodness, what are you saying! Of course we do—who are you meeting?!”
“…The Crown Prince?”
“Your ex-fiancé!”
Ah…
Now I understood what she meant. Was this some kind of “revenge makeup”? Or perhaps that thing women do when preparing to attend an ex’s wedding after he cheated on them.
“But why do you seem more fired up about this than I am?”
“Hmph, how dare the Crown Prince treat our Miss so carelessly. Though I never believed you truly loved that blonde fool in the first place…”
Ah, so she never believed it after all.
“…You know the saying—when the old carriage leaves, the golden one arrives? That’s exactly it. So you need to hold onto Prince Rakiel and succeed in marrying him all at once.”
“…Why is Prince Rakiel suddenly coming up?”
Every time she opened her mouth, Rakiel seemed to pop out. I couldn’t even begin to guess what kind of image he held in Genie’s mind.
“Goodness, I told you I heard everything!”
“…Heard what?”
“When the riots broke out a few weeks ago! While you were fleeing in a panic, you encountered assassins, and Prince Rakiel appeared like a prince on a white horse and dealt with the assassins—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!—and even gave you that meaningful look asking everyone to step aside…”
Hmm, she seemed to be seriously misunderstanding something.
No wonder things felt odd lately…
“I don’t know what you two talked about, but surely he said something sweet about how worried he was?”
“You have quite the imagination.”
“I wish Prince Rakiel could come this time too. Then the Crown Prince’s pestering would end quickly. Oh, I should send word to Prince Rakiel…”
I sighed while listening to Genie. With each passing day, her imagination only grew, and I’d long since given up responding.
“Stop it. I told you we’re not like that.”
“But still…”
“Are the preparations finished?”
Genie let out an exclamation and hurriedly rummaged through a drawer, pulling out a box. Inside was the tiara made of blue diamonds that the Duke had gifted me before.
Along with the blue diamond earrings and necklace I’d ordered additionally. Blue diamonds glittered across my body in such abundance it seemed almost excessive.
It was definitely overdone. Overdone, but that was precisely the goal this time.
“All done!”
“Has an hour passed?”
“Probably.”
After checking the time, I nodded.
“If we don’t go soon, he’ll just leave.”
Ludwig had arrived at the Ducal Mansion an hour ago. Only then did I finally lift my weary body from the seat.
The Duke had gone to the Palace this morning, and I’d sent Killian away from the Manor temporarily. In other words, I was the only one to receive him.
I’d made various excuses to leave him in the Drawing Room for a full hour—claiming my preparations weren’t complete, that it wasn’t proper to greet such a distinguished guest unprepared—deliberately dragging out the time.
‘I hope he’s realized just how foolish his actions have been all this time.’
This alone won’t be enough.
I made my way toward the Drawing Room with deliberately unhurried, leisurely steps. Despite the First Reception Room being the most ornate in the entire Manor, I could feel the scorching heat of his fury seeping through the very doorway itself.
My hand, finally reclaimed by perfect freedom, grasped the door handle.
Now it was truly time to greet him with my genuine self.

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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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