Villainous Lady, The Obsession Begins

【Chapter 38】

 

In the strange atmosphere, Lafesch approached hesitantly but willingly. To her, I pointed at Esadien with a folded fan and said.

“Here, take your partner.”

“Pft.”

In a situation where the treatment of gloves and the prince was no different, someone couldn’t bear it and let out a small laugh.

It seemed to be effective, and the sound of small giggles echoed here and there.

Lafesch, who was unaware of the previous situation, was restless, but no one came forward to tell her.

Everyone had figured out who the woman Esadien had met while lying to me.

Meanwhile, Esadien abruptly snatched the gloves from the clueless servant and put them back in his own embrace.

“If you dislike it, if your feelings have changed, it would have been better if you had said so.”

At that statement, I was genuinely surprised and widened my eyes.

Because it was so similar to what I had thought just an hour or two ago.

“Your Highness, I understand you’re saying that now, but… the scene you showed me just a little while ago was quite different.”

The words that Lafesch was completely naked were left unspoken.

‘Imagination is scary.’

Someone might be thinking of innocent kisses, while someone else might be thinking of affectionate actions that would be too embarrassing to mention.

Even now, the murmurs from behind and occasional bursts of enthusiastic exclamations were proving that reality. 

Within that quiet commotion, Esadien looked at me for a while, with eyes full of waves, then turned away.

‘Why are you making a face as if you’re the one who got hurt and causing a fuss?’

Some blood vomits, nosebleeds, and faints. 

Lafesch didn’t follow Esadien, but naturally, she was pushed by the backs of the noble ladies and was pushed out of the circle with a little force.

“Wow.”

It was an elegant shoulder pad that made me involuntarily exclaim in admiration.

Indeed, power and justification are on this side, and moreover, Lafesch has a beautiful face that could make any noble lady wary.

In the current atmosphere, I thought that even if I asked someone to pour a barrel of alcohol on Lafesch, they would follow it.

‘Power indeed has its own taste.’

Seeing the interesting aspect of this situation, I realize that perhaps I’ve been a villain all along.

However…..

‘Should I stop venting my anger?’

I decided to take the ending of Minuelle in the original work as a warning and stop here. In fact, destroying someone’s household just because you lost a man is a ridiculous act.

‘A person should live with grace. Hm.’

After giving them a final piece of my mind in the direction they disappeared, I completely turned off my attention.

 

Sister Elga and Ramande approached after a while, around the time I got tired of occasionally hearing the young ladies chatting and even providing some occasional banter.

“Minuelle, shall we go back now?”

“Seems like you might be getting tired.”

Both of them seem unusually happy today. Or is it just my imagination?

“Lady Minuelle, it’s regrettable to part like this.”

“Oh my! I feel the same way. Did our hearts connect? However, it’s late today, so I’ll be going now. Let’s send each other invitations.”

The young ladies tried to hold me back, but I made a polite farewell and slipped away from between them.

Would I really respond to their invitation? Well, who knows. 

If it were Renee, I’d think about it a bit, but I didn’t forget that there were people among them who talked about how the commoners smelled.

I especially had no intention of accepting an invitation from Lucien Levimer.

💧

Now, I’ve truly become an adult!

It’s the season when parties and receptions will be held one after another for a while.

In my previous life, as soon as the new year dawned, people who turned twenty would excitedly go to bars, and here it was a similar atmosphere.

I could also become a party queen, splashing around with precious liquor that’s been aged for five hundred years, if I wanted to, but that’s something only diligent people do.

As a homebody by nature and a lazy person, time flew by quickly as usual, just staying cooped up inside the house. If you ask what I did during that time…

“I was so busy chasing Esadien that I didn’t pay any attention to myself.”

Because of my personality, I tend to immerse myself in one thing to death. Ramande, who was listening to me, raised an eyebrow and questioned with a curious expression, his fist clenched.

“So?”

“So, I set a goal!”

 

[Future Goals]

1. Let’s be healthy!
2. Let’s gather handsome men!

 

“……”

With a crisp sound, Ramande’s eyebrows trembled as he scanned the paper spread out before him.

“Number two….. What is it….?”

I grabbed my waist with one hand and forcefully struck the table with the other, speaking with a serious expression.

“Ramande, this will be kinda twisted.”

“So what does that have to do with a handsome guy?”

In fact, number 2 was halfway, no, about 68% joking, but Ramande’s reaction was surprisingly intense.

‘Oh?’

When a childhood friend falls for a joke, it’s only natural to tip them over completely!

I shamelessly spoke with a poker face.

“Of course it matters whether it’s relevant or not. What I’m saying is, from now on, I won’t be only looking at one person!”

However, I want to be in a relationship.

No, I didn’t want a serious relationship because it’s tiring, I just wanted to feel like I was in a relationship. Of course, he had to be handsome, because handsome guys are everywhere.

“What do you think?”

Upon hearing my explanation, Ramande burst into a hollow laugh.

“Minuelle, you’re really… getting more and more innovative. Brilliant.”

“Is that so? A good idea, isn’t it?”

“It’s not praise, you know? Even Flendena would be amazed!”

“Ugh, tsk. It’s because I’m ahead of my time, you know? Can’t be too old-fashioned.”

“Again, with the strange talk.”

Hah. Ramande let out a deep sigh, covering his eyes with one hand and leaning back. Ramande, who had been lost in thought for a moment, asked in the same position.

“Is it harder after the breakup?”

“Huh? No. I’m fine.”

Here, without anything like photos, it was somewhat easier to forget. Since our usual meeting place wasn’t my house but the Imperial Palace, there were no traces that reminded me of him. Of course, from time to time, I still remembered the faint smile on his expressionless face. Fortunately, it usually ended with a momentary pang. 

Instead of confessing that fact, I casually said.

“It’s okay. Come to think of it, first love was never meant to be.”

“Who said that?”

Suddenly, Ramand straightened his posture and asked aggressively.

“Who on earth said such nonsense?”

“Well, why are you suddenly angry? People usually say things like that.”

“Neither Flendena, the Apostle nor the High Priests ever said that.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Ramande leaned over me, gripping the table with both hands. Then, he growls at a close distance to the tip of the nose.

“It’s not because you broke up with the Third Prince as your first love, it’s probably just because you two didn’t match.”

After that, he abruptly got up and stormed out. The sound of the door slamming shut was so loud, ‘Bang!’ echoing, it was immense.

“……”

After joking around and getting angry for no reason, I was left alone, feeling confused, muttering to myself.

“Hey, you. You’ll make the house collapse….”

What’s going on? Who does he like now?

We’ve been together for ten years, but Ramande has never shown interest in anyone. Who could have ensnared such an impassive person?

“Wow! I’m curious! I’m so curious!”

As I wandered around the room, unable to make up my mind, I soon came to a conclusion.

“The likelihood of Ramande stepping forward and telling me is close to zero. For now, I should act like a decent friend and quietly observe the situation… No, I should wait patiently.”

My first love may have been unrequited, but I hope Ramande finds happiness. Because he’s my friend.

“He’s grown up, hasn’t he?”

It feels like just yesterday when I met Lamond, with his skinny frame and messy hair but eyes shining brightly. And now, he’s already become an adult, harboring feelings for someone.

I smiled contentedly and tapped the paper.

 

「1. Let’s be healthy!」

 

Even with overflowing wealth and the option of having a handsome man lying beside me in bed, it’s impossible to enjoy it. 

In order to do so, first, I had to expel the lingering remnants of the spirit that were occupying a corner of my body without permission.

Additionally, what worried me was the Church of Fire. Since I had broken up with Esadien, they wouldn’t target me anymore.

“What bothers me the most is receiving ‘fire itself.'”

If that refers to spirits, then surely they must have been intending to remove everything from my body, like collecting pieces of a shattered soul bead.

And that process…

 

“Oh dear, I’ll just be a moment. Are you in pain?”

“Yes, it hurts.”

“Yes, yes. Just bear with it a little longer, and it’ll be over.”

“If it was going to be like this, why did you ask me if it hurts?”

 

Things wouldn’t progress with laughter and jokes like this.

If it had, then I wouldn’t be occupying the houses and burning down the homes of innocent people in the southern region right now.

Therefore, I assumed that the Church of Fire was the one I should be most wary of, and I decided to start by investigating the spirits.

As a result, my actions were naturally limited to the mansion library and the Temple of Flendena.

💧

“Yeah. In the end, you’ve come to know about spirits too.”

The Apostle gladly met me, and we spent time together.

“Did you breathe fire on the day of the coming-age-ceremony? I didn’t witness that moment firsthand, but I didn’t sense any other energy inside the temple.”

“That’s…”

In a moment of slight disappointment, the Apostle emphasized once again.

“It seems to be pure fire without magic mixed in. However, there was no intermediary who caused the fire.”

My steps involuntarily came to a halt.

‘As expected, Theodore was right.’

Just before collapsing, my memory was hazy, but I vaguely felt the sensation of heat radiating from my body.

But a power I couldn’t control, that was just a nuisance.

“It would be useful if I could control it.”

“Why?”

“I could protect myself when threatened.”

“Oh my.”

The Apostle chuckled softly, covering his mouth.

“What I had in mind was fireworks.”

“That’s nice too. But… I don’t want to always stand behind someone whenever there’s danger. I want to stand alone.”

“Minuelle, humans are beings who rely on each other.”

With a warm smile like the early spring sunshine, the Apostle gently patted my head.

“If you receive another contact from the south, let me know. Don’t feel too impatient and try to have a conversation with your inner self. Unexpected paths may open up.”

Conversation with my inner self? How exactly do you do that?

“Yes…..”

Even as I grumbled in frustration, unable to grasp anything, the Apostle’s affectionate smile remained unchanged.

💧

Thank you for reading!