I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Not a party day, but Freesia, adorned in a dress after a long time, sighed awkwardly as she looked at her uncomfortable reflection in the mirror.
“If I were to be reborn in a novel, I wish I were born prettier.”
For some reason, her ordinary face wasn’t much different from her past life.
Due to her conspicuously outstanding sisters, Freesia, who appeared ordinary, lacked any notable advantages.
She thought so, anyway.
“Come this way, Lady.”
The investor seemed to be looking forward to the meal with her sister, as he escorted her with a noticeably polite attitude. After riding the carriage for about an hour, they arrived at the estate of the Crawfords.
The beautifully decorated garden and the sight of the fountain were quite magnificent. Passing through such scenery that could be called a small royal palace, she could see him sitting at the table beyond.
“Did you like my gift?”
Looking at the nonchalant duke, she felt an urge to give him a good smack. However, she decided not to say anything recklessly; messing with him might result in unpredictable consequences.
“Did my sister have no idea who the investor was?”
“I borrowed the Marquis de Lothair’s name. Since he is famous for his personality,so I’m sure he’d be happy to let her go alone.”
“Quite cunning.”
While facing such a leisurely duke, it somehow felt like an impulse to give him a slap. However, she decided not to say anything lightly, considering the consequences.
“I heard that you invested a large sum in my sister.”
In front of her wary eyes, the Duke casually poured out his heart to her, because you never know when one minute he’s being friendly and good-natured and the next he’s going to stab you in the back.
“You needn’t return it,” he said, “for it is a sum of money which, though much needed by you, is at the same time nothing to me.”
“But!”
“Or perhaps, now that the mission is over, you could easily overturn the previous promise. Something like that, wouldn’t you say?”
Just as the conversation reached her heart, the attendants brought the food.
The lavish menu was filled with everything Freesia usually enjoyed, but even that made her lose her appetite, thinking it might have been prepared knowing her preferences in advance.
As soon as she put down the fork that she was holding for a few bites, the duke carefully observed her as if criticizing her.
“Doesn’t the food suit your taste?”
“I just lost my appetite.”
The moment she said that, at his gesture, a dozen chefs in kitchen uniforms rushed to her, bowing 90 degrees with their heads down.
“Forgive us, Your Grace. We will prepare it again.”
“Please don’t.”
Even if she reached out in disappointment, it was already too late. The attendants took away the remaining food, and not long after that, even more splendid dishes were placed in front of her.
“Do you feel like eating now, Lady Devlanc?”
Watching him like that made her lose her appetite even more, but if she said something, the duke would casually reprimand the kitchen staff, blame their incompetence, and once again call for something new.
Without a hint of guilt.
How could he do such things so unscrupulously? But villains were born that way.
Warm emotions were something he didn’t know, and for over a hundred years, he had wielded his power as the tyrant of tyrants without any hesitation.
To act recklessly would only result in more bone-chilling schemes.
“Will you eat now?”
“Sure, I’ll eat.”
As she put a mouthful of food into her mouth, the duke, not touching anything, watched her with a satisfied smile.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Is there something wrong with looking at the person who will become my wife?”
Unable to understand his shameless behavior, she had nothing to say. A villain was born as a villain, but it was heartbreaking to be in such a powerless position.
“You look like you’re enjoying it.”
“I am. I’ve been craving a delicious meal since the task was completed.”
While seemingly carefree, she couldn’t help but feel pity for him. The man sitting in front of her, who had been wielding his power for over a hundred years, was like a child who had never tasted the warmth of genuine emotions.
Feeling so sorry for him, Freesia stopped exposing her feelings and simply ate.
“Your joke has gone too far.”
“It seems you don’t believe me.”
Fortunately, having eaten a sufficient amount, the head chef did not appear again.
After sipping a post-meal tea, Freesia made up her mind.
“It seems Gondair Viscount created a situation that made your position more difficult.”
“It was indeed difficult. As you know, to carry out the reforms that the Emperor desires, Cromford’s power is needed.”
Apparently the Emperor was willing to give his daughter into the Duke’s arms in order to ensure a stable imperial succession for the Crown Prince, who was only eighteen years old.
However, the Duke didn’t particularly like the imperial family from the start.
Readers who immersed themselves in the protagonist cursed the author, leaving comments like “Why don’t you just kill him quickly?” However, due to the bias, the setting for the Duke Crowford is still clearly remembered.
What mattered most to him was his own benefit.
Although the exact reason is not known because the episode is not fully revealed, scenes where the Duke annoyingly fulfills the Emperor’s requests were vividly remembered by her, too.
“I didn’t expect you to know all that.”
For a moment, she felt a bit surprised by Duke Cromford’s words, but she casually avoids eye contact, pretending to be indifferent.
“Anyway, since you’ve achieved your goal, can I consider my role fulfilled?”
“Lady Devlanc seems not to be comfortable having a private discussion with me.”
How could she dare to openly express her dislike for someone in front of that person or say that their household is unpleasant like a bean? It would be better to pass it quietly, as if nothing happened.
“There’s no choice. I can only recover all the investment.”
“What?”
On the topic that was just mentioned as an insignificant amount, he began to carefully calculate the amount with a serious expression.
“I thought I would spare no effort to provide full support to prevent Gondair Viscount from rising again. If I slightly modify his bill, it could be very beneficial for me.”
“Modify the bill?”
“A clause like ‘the above law does not apply to noble families with the title of a duke or higher’ or something like that?”
From the moment he casually began to calculate the amount after the assumption that the marriage would not be realized, she felt a sudden chill in her heart.
If the Duke pushes forward Gondair Viscount’s bill after he is out of the way…
Only Rose is at risk of shedding blood, let alone if Crowford Duke, despite the Emperor’s anger, personally steps forward to defend him, the situation will be seriously messed up.
“Are you serious?”
“If you were going to reject my proposal, you should have been prepared to pay a corresponding price.”
From the moment when the assumption that the marriage would not be realized was put forward, his tone became strangely twisted.
Seeing a fully visible attitude change, she realized that, to this man, Freesia was really nothing.
“You’ve wasted my time.”
“Wait, I haven’t finished talking yet!”
As she desperately threw herself forward and grabbed his arm, light sparkled through the bushes.
Without time for rational thought, her body moved first. The moment she blocked his path, an arrow pierced through the air and embedded itself in her back.
“Assassin!”
Soldiers rushed to her defense, and as her body tilted, she found herself in the arms of a stranger.
The sensation of being securely held against broad and sturdy shoulders was almost unreal, and tears welled up in her eyes from the burning feeling along her spine.
“Just pulling it out would be unbearable for your teeth. Bite down on my arm.”
“Ugh…”
“Wake up, come on!”
The man’s urgent voice echoed in her ears.
In her mouth, biting into the unfamiliar flesh, she screamed as the arrow was forcefully pulled out, causing intense pain.
“Ugh…!”
It hurt so much, almost like she was about to die.
Tears streamed down her face, and the taste of bitter blood permeated her mouth. Due to her strong bite, the man’s arm bore a wound.
“Excuse me.”
The expensive dress carefully chosen for this important occasion was torn apart with a sound that seemed to echo through the silence.
There were many things she wanted to say, but what was the use?
“It hurts…….”
As tear drops rolled down her cheeks, Freesia lost consciousness in the Duke’s arms.
* * *
“…Why are you always looking at that?”
A dim and distant memory flashed before her eyes like something very old.
While discussing the scenario problem, she was suddenly asked by a member of the planning team, and she covered the screen, saying it was nothing.
I didn’t want to reveal what I liked at the company, even if the atmosphere wasn’t particularly closed.
“<Leveling Up Because of a Villain>, is that fun?”
But that employee, pretending to know everything, would often initiate the conversation first.
She didn’t want to expose her own hobby life to people at the company.
She usually avoided and mumbled, but he even approached her at the company dinner with that excuse.
“Are you still reading <Leveling Up Because of a Villain>?”
“I am.”
“That’s interesting. What’s so good about that story?”
Where is the good in that story? She was annoyed by the scenario staff’s question.
“I really like it. I like Duke Crowford, and our author who faithfully serializes every time is also wonderful. What’s wrong with that? Why do you always make a big deal out of it!”
“Oh, this friend. You’re drunk. Come here. Calm down.”
Why does anyone care about what others like?
After venting her anger once, there was no more questioning.
The week after it happened, she quickly forgot about it, thanks to the grace of the writer who wrote a two-part series a day.
But why is that incident suddenly coming to mind?
“Asshole.”
The face of the scenario manager, who used to talk to me so often, overlapped with Duke Crawford’s face.
Whether he heard all the muttered words or not, the Duke frowned and glared at Freesia.
“Are you saying those words to me just now?”
“Smile Love”