The Villainess is on a Quest - Chapter 57

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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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Chapter 57
“I attended because it had been so long since one was held, but to be honest, I’m quite disappointed.”
“I wondered if anyone with any sense would actually show up to this affair, and it seems I had far too many expectations.”
Sharp gazes turned toward her. Aine understood perfectly well whom those cold words were aimed at.
‘No different from the palace.’
Aine recalled how, thanks to Leixi, she had managed to reclaim her position at the Orion Royal Palace, though restoring her fallen honor proved far more difficult.
All manner of slurs—that she was a witch, filthy and abhorrent—had descended upon her like a torrent.
They hadn’t wounded her much. After all, the contemptible and sordid misdeeds she’d committed were real.
Yet even so, she’d had a steadfast ally at her side in those days.
Leixi—that precious presence in her life.
“Aine. Are you alright?”
“Ah.”
The voice beside her pulled her from her reverie about that absent figure.
Aine found herself curious about the man next to her. She wondered how Kleid would react to what she’d just heard.
“If you find this distasteful, you need only say the word. I’ll handle it.”
The Kleid she observed was angry. It was strange. He couldn’t possibly have failed to anticipate such remarks.
Wondering if she’d misread his expression, Aine studied Kleid’s face intently.
Furrowed brows and eyes full of displeasure, as though he found this situation utterly intolerable.
She couldn’t understand it. The insults were aimed at her, yet why was he so furious?
Above all, wasn’t the proper response in such moments simply to let it go in one ear and out the other?
‘If I were to nod, what would he do?’
Would he march straight over to those speaking and make some sinister threat? A warning not to let loose with their mouths so carelessly.
Imagining such a scene, Aine let out a small, involuntary laugh.
Hearing her laugh, Kleid turned his head at last, meeting her gaze.
“I don’t mind, Kleid.”
“You are not someone who should have to hear such things.”
“No, I’m fine. I anticipated that remarks like these would come.”
The war hadn’t ended—it had only just quieted down.
Aine wasn’t foolish enough not to know there would be those who didn’t welcome her.
And so she was perfectly capable of enduring these persistent gazes and the whispers that reached her ears.
Provided she remembered that this gathering formally acknowledged her and Wilhelm’s existence.
“Aine. How have you been?”
“Oh, Lady Emilia.”
In that moment, a familiar voice reached her ears.
It was Emilia—Kleid’s aunt and Odin’s sister.
Delighted to see her approach, Aine had begun to smile and offer a greeting.
But Emilia’s words came first.
“Why do you keep calling me Lady Emilia? Why not call me aunt, like you should?”
A display of intimacy in a public setting.
There was no reason to doubt her intentions.
Emilia was accepting her as family.
“Thank you, Aunt.”
“I wish you’d drop the formal tone too, but I suppose time will sort that out on its own.”
The standing of imperial blood and the mistress of the distinguished Andre house.
Emilia, who held both titles, was unmistakably a luminary of High Society.
“It seems Lady Emilia holds you in quite high regard.”
“Is that so? Do you think she might introduce us to you as well?”
Emilia winked at Aine. Was it just her imagination, or did it look like a signal that she would help?
“I too am curious about you.”
“My, the Duchess of Theodore?”
“It has been a while. Duchess of Andre.”
Whether Emilia had broken the ice or not, after she approached and greeted Aine, the luminaries of High Society began to come forward and pay their respects.
Aine was caught somewhat off guard by the unexpected turn of events.
‘I expected cold indifference.’
Regardless of her past actions, they all seemed to welcome Aine, who was now making her debut in High Society as though she were brand new to it.
* * *
“Hi, I’m Wilhelm! What’s your name?”
Wilhelm had smiled brightly upon meeting a girl who appeared to be roughly his age, and asked her name.
Yet the girl did not seem particularly pleased by the meeting, her response lukewarm.
Wondering if she disliked him, Wilhelm examined her while trying not to pay it much mind.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“Oh.”
Wilhelm had no right to force her to speak, and no desire to do so either. His attention drifted back to the pastries on the table.
The chocolate-coated confection looked so appetizing that no child could possibly resist it.
The girl watched Wilhelm savor one of the sweets, then bit her lip before speaking.
“You shouldn’t eat too much of that.”
“Huh? Why? Is this someone else’s?”
Alarmed by her words, Wilhelm felt a moment of panic. Had he just eaten something he shouldn’t have?
Worry flooding through him, he opened his mouth to speak.
“My mother said eating too much of it makes you fat.”
“Fat?”
Wilhelm stared at her with a blank expression.
He had never once heard such a thing, much less considered it.
Every adult he’d ever met had always told children to eat plenty and grow strong and tall.
Of course, they’d also warned that too many sweets could rot his teeth, so he should eat them in moderation.
But the girl standing before Wilhelm was so thin that he began to doubt whether she had any fat on her body at all.
‘Does she even eat?’
He found himself wondering this more than once.
Seeing her so gaunt that even an innocent like Wilhelm felt concern, he couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“But it tastes so good. Why don’t you try a little? Your mother probably won’t even notice this much.”
When he held out the chocolate for her to taste, her mouth suddenly filled with saliva.
‘Mother said not to eat anything at all.’
She’d been strictly forbidden from touching any of the food in the Banquet Hall without permission.
But she hadn’t eaten anything but water since this morning, and hunger gnawed at her terribly.
‘Just a little. Just the smallest bite.’
She believed his words that no one would notice. It was strange to believe him at all, really.
They’d only just met. But she simply chose not to think about it and placed the pastry in her mouth.
Before she knew it, the entire piece in her hand had vanished.
Fear cascaded over her like a waterfall. What should she do? Should she spit it back out?
“How is it? Delicious, right?”
It was then that Wilhelm spoke with a bright smile. Only after hearing those words did she notice the lingering sweetness still on her tongue.
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and spoke.
“My name is Sonelopy.”
He had shown her kindness. She couldn’t repay such kindness with rudeness, so she revealed her name.
Upon hearing her name, Wilhelm’s lips curved upward in a smile.
Sonelopy was slightly taken aback. Even though he’d heard her name, he seemed not to know who she was.
There was no one in the Empire who didn’t know her name. Wherever she went, whoever she met, everyone knew exactly who she was.
“What a pretty name. Let me introduce myself again. I’m Wilhelm.”
But Wilhelm seemed entirely unconcerned, extending his hand toward her warmly.
Sonelopy hesitated at the gesture full of genuine welcome.
‘Mother always says not to touch strangers carelessly.’
But Sonelopy didn’t want to refuse the hand he offered.
Wilhelm gave off no sense of hidden intention or anything unpleasant.
Feeling only his sincerity in that touch, Sonelopy disregarded her mother’s words and took his hand.
‘It’s warm.’
She tried to remember when she’d last held hands with someone like this, but nothing came to mind.
“There are more pastries here. Want to have some more?”
“…Yes.”
Surely this meeting would be the last time they saw each other. Sonelopy wanted to memorize his face, to hold it in her heart a while longer.
Even as gratitude and something else entirely stirred within her at his tenderness.
“Forgive me for being so late, Wilhelm.”
“Grandfather!”
The door suddenly swung open, and at the word that left Wilhelm’s lips, Sonelopy’s expression froze.

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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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