The World Mistakes Me for Terminally Ill - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The World Thinks I’m Terminally Ill Episode 069

Due to the morning’s events, I started the day in a lower mood than usual, only to encounter a forgotten ambush.

“Being so venomous is why the Grand Duke avoids coming near you with such distaste. How can you produce an heir like that? A truly virtuous woman should always be obedient to her husband and docile to her son.”

The owner of this statement that seemed to regress about 200 years in time was naturally Countess Herman.

I was heading to the Duke’s study when I was suddenly notified of class time, which brought me to the lesson location.

Normally I would have counterattacked with a bit more courtesy(?), but since I was in a bad mood right now, I threw a fastball.

“Being so obedient and docile, someone who should have stepped down long ago is still clinging tightly to the family affairs and won’t let go.”

“Such impudence! Really, these young people nowadays…!”

“Ah, yes. Unlike you, Countess, I’m one of those young and pretty modern ones.”

After answering as docilely as she wanted, I thought to myself.

‘When some suitable incident occurs, I’ll deal with it halfheartedly and say I’m quitting due to mental shock.’

My mood wasn’t good enough right now to meekly avoid an opponent who was carefully preparing to mess with me.

I should trip them up even more carefully and return the favor.

Then if I act sick afterward… I wonder if the old lady’s blood pressure will be okay.

“Should I do more?”

When I demonstratively performed even the obsolete old imperial etiquette she brought out to make me do all sorts of things, her eyelashes trembled. It seemed she couldn’t find anything to criticize even if she wanted to.

Naturally, though I was of commoner origin, I had been a major conglomerate heiress. Upper-class lady etiquette was naturally ingrained in my body.

I’m originally the type who must see something through to the end once I start it.

When I was learning etiquette extensively, I had a track record of pestering my tutor until I mastered even the previous etiquette forms.

“…A noble lady’s virtue is modesty. You’re rotten to the core.”

“Really? Thank you.”

“What did you say?”

“Weren’t you complimenting me for being confident?”

The Countess looked shocked.

How is it that her emotions show so plainly on her face as time goes on? Can an imperial etiquette teacher be like this?

Just as I was bickering with the Countess to the point where I might develop a grudging affection for her, I heard a knock.

Since the Countess had all authority over the lessons, this was the first time someone had knocked during this time.

I realized intuitively.

‘The Elliot family’s reinforcements must have arrived.’

It seemed to be time for the ‘guide lady’ to finally make her appearance.

When I frowned slightly, thinking it had become bothersome on an already bad day, the Countess smiled with satisfaction for the first time.

She said gently.

“Come in, dear.”

The door opened.

Appearing from there—

“Countess! Your beloved doll Vivian is here!”

Seeing the cheerful seventeen-year-old girl with silver hair, I realized.

Ah, Lord Luke. That must have been difficult for you.

“…Miss Elliot. You must greet properly, with refinement.”

“Huh? I did greet you?”

So the character of Vivian Elliot that I grasped from our first meeting was as follows.

A torturer. Someone who torments both allies and enemies equally.

Fatigue rapidly accumulated on the Countess’s face, who had initially welcomed her.

“Wow, but the Grand Duke’s Castle is unexpectedly splendid! I heard it was really gloomy. This is my first time here. Mom always said I shouldn’t go there, so I couldn’t come. Why shouldn’t I go there?”

Her character was so uniquely outstanding that I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

Just then, that youngest lady of the Count Elliot family spotted me.

“Gasp, could you be the unprecedented villainess who’s supposedly corrupting the Duchy…!”

She opened her rabbit-like eyes wide.

“You’re Bella, right?!”

Once again, I inwardly offered words of respect to Lord Luke.

“I didn’t know such interesting rumors were going around. Nice to meet you. I’m Elisia Runein.”

“Oh, I’m Vivian Elliot.”

We faced each other and curtsied by lifting our skirts slightly.

Vivian, thinking that alone made her and her counterpart friends, approached me and whispered.

“But ma’am, do you know? Your reputation is really bad. Everyone’s talking badly about you behind your back.”

I quietly looked at Vivian, who said such things with an innocent face, then opened my mouth.

“Oh, really.”

“Yes!”

I briefly wondered if this was extreme acting skill, but concluded it wasn’t.

More precisely, it was malice, but malicious curiosity, I’d say.

She knew her words could hurt the other person, but didn’t care because her own curiosity took priority.

A child for whom the world revolves around herself.

‘She’s a step above Shasha.’

That was because her head was so full of flowers that she didn’t read the room.

Seeing my lack of reaction, Vivian tilted her head.

“Your reputation is bad, you know?”

“So?”

“Huh?”

“Why should I care about the babbling of losers who can’t say anything to my face anyway?”

At my words, Vivian rolled her eyes around.

“Uh…”

“I am curious though. Exactly what kind of things they’re saying.”

“Um, they say the North has its own order, but a money-obsessed villainess from the capital is ruining Lunein.”

Ah, high praise.

It seemed to be the words of the dregs who weren’t chosen for the hot spring business.

‘There are shameless families who hovered around when things were going well, then turned away when Lunein was declining, but still hope to share in the good things.’

Since Lunein was still small(?), it was difficult to teach all those families a lesson.

Having seen too much of Lunein’s bottom, should I say it’s like a big kid? The people are all simple-hearted too.

‘But I can’t just leave the frustrating situation alone.’

Thinking it was difficult to wield the family’s prestige itself, I simply took small revenge in my own way.

Of course, the Count Elliot family was included in this.

I smiled brightly.

“Thanks for the kind words.”

At my response, even this pure evil with a flower-filled head seemed unsure how to react in this situation and closed her mouth.

I managed my expression while unconsciously fiddling with the pendant at my neck.

‘Bella, huh.’

Just hearing it, it’s not a big deal of a title.

Considering Vivian’s personality, it seemed like she arbitrarily combined ‘Young Madam’ and ‘Duchess of Runein’—that level of address.

But considering that she’s an unmarried noble young lady with an innocent face, the rapidly developing situation of the Duchy recently, and the fact that news of my terminal illness has spread throughout the empire?

Those two belong to the Third Prince’s faction. And the Third Prince was someone with ambitions to devour the North.

‘Since ancient times, the easiest way to acquire control of territory has been… absorbing power through marriage.’

If Count Elliot and several other retainers argued that I was too sickly(?) to possibly produce an heir, bringing in a new bride wouldn’t be entirely impossible.

‘How presumptuous.’

Perhaps because my mood was low today, everything seemed irritating as I let go of the pendant.

As if sympathizing with my mood, a red light briefly flickered around the crystal butterfly pendant.

I said to the Countess.

“It seems today’s lesson goal was to introduce Miss Vivian to me, so may I return now?”

“Nonsense. Class time is entirely at my discretion. You will continue repeating classical greetings. Until I tell you to stop.”

“Wow, that sounds fun. Then can I watch while eating cake?”

“Do that, dear. Let’s have tea together.”

“How wonderful!”

They were all excited and making a fuss among themselves.

As Vivian had said, she seemed to have been selected as the Duchess’s pet doll, essentially a suitable target for inflicting humiliation.

Speaking such malicious words with such a cheerful face must have been humiliating for the proud young ladies.

‘Of course, there’s no reason I should put up with that.’

I addressed the Duchess with a perfect greeting using classical etiquette that was unnecessarily complex and bothersome but incomparably elegant.

“However, Duchess, having directly received your education, I feel there’s nothing more for me to learn. Since my golden time is precious, I shall take my leave now.”

At my words, the Duchess screamed with a face that turned red and blue.

“You! Stop right there!”

I ignored her with a face that seemed to ask where a dog was barking and turned around.

Click-clack.

As I headed toward the exit with flawless steps, the Duchess commanded the maids.

“Bring that insolent thing back!”

The maids approached me.

Just as I was wondering why they had to be so troublesome and considering whether to transform Kaiseus into a magic gun.

“This is Countess Herman’s bridal lesson time! You cannot enter—”

The person blocking the door was roughly thrown aside and the entrance opened.

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