I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Lady Lily Devlanc was considered the most beautiful woman in the capital.

When she first arrived in the capital, Lady Lily faced torment from jealous ladies, but being the youngest, she quickly learned how to be loved in high society.

“Lily, you honored us with your presence.”

“It’s an honor to be invited.”

Lady Sohee, the wife of Viscount Blado, was the daughter of a noble family on the eastern continent.

Although she had considerable influence due to her husband’s powerful position, conservative nobles subtly avoided her.

In her unwittingly scorned position, Lily became her good friend.

“Did your sister not accompany you today?”

“She overexerted herself yesterday because of me. Unlike me, our sister is delicate.”

Unlike the imposing elder sister who looked like a general, the second sister Freesia did not enjoy socializing.

Preferring to read books in Alster’s study rather than attending social events, Freesia always attended these tedious gatherings for Lily, who was suffering from depression.

Of course, the perceptive and resourceful Lily quickly learned how to use people’s favor to her advantage.

“At any rate, our sister seems to have caught the eye of Duke Crawford.”

“Lady Freesia and the Duke?”

After yesterday’s bombshell declaration from her sister in the carriage, Lily was deeply troubled.

Originally, Matthew, the son of Viscount Naphier, followed the three sisters around because of his affection for Freesia. Unaware of this, the clueless elder sister, in front of Matthew, declared that she would only marry Duke Crawford, creating a complicated situation.

“Who is he exactly that she’s so fixated on?”

Sohee, who came from a foreign land, had no knowledge of Duke Crawford’s infamous reputation.

After briefly considering how to explain this, Lily came to a simple and clear conclusion.

“To put it bluntly, he’s malicious.”

“Malicious?”

The third son, Wilfred, succeeded the Marquessate through a fierce struggle for succession, so brutal that it was called a war for inheritance. Although the details were only known through rumors, it was widely accepted that this recent succession battle was exceptionally intense.

“I can’t send my sister to such a family.”

In such a notorious family, delicate Freesia wouldn’t be able to endure.

Seeing Lily’s fiery eyes whenever her sister was mentioned, Sohee suddenly became curious.

“Does Duke Crawford know Lady Freesia’s feelings?”

“There’s no way he does.”

She might have heard some strange stories and started liking him, but it was just an unrequited love. The possibility of it becoming a reality was as small as a fingernail.

“I want to do whatever it takes to help Matthew confess to my sister!”

“Tell me anything. I’ll do my best to help too.”

In the foreign land where Sohee came alone without any friends, hearing Lily’s story about the ‘Operation Marry My Sister’ was her only solace.

The entire day passed as they enthusiastically planned the operation to ensure that Matthew and Freesia’s relationship would progress beyond childhood friends.

It was only just before evening that Lily finally returned to the Devlanc family.

“Oh, the smell of brownies is in the air.”

It seemed like Freesia had baked brownies, and the lingering aroma at this hour was unusual.

Jumping off the carriage and rushing straight to the kitchen, Freesia was busy distributing the barely cooled brownies to the maids.

“Sister!”

“Lily, did you have fun?”

If Lily could taste Freesia’s brownies, she could endure skipping dinner tonight.

While enjoying the sweet chocolate flavor handed over by her sister, Lily noticed Mileva calling her from a distance.

“Youngest miss.”

At Mileva’s request to come to a quiet place for a moment, Lily discreetly glanced around and hid in a corner.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, um…”

Knowing Rose’s fiery temperament, Mileva decided to inform Lily of what happened earlier.

“It seems a messenger from Duke Crawford visited?”

“Yes. Along with a letter and a pair of shoes, but your ladyship sent him away as if she hadn’t seen him.”

Certainly, Freesia, being directionally challenged, had managed to lose one shoe in the palace while wandering around yesterday.

But to have Duke Crawford’s messenger personally deliver it and even send a letter was a bit too much.

“What does the letter say?”

“We don’t know.”

In the meantime, a freshly baked brownie was sent as a thank-you for finding the lost shoe.

Just the fact that Freesia, the beloved second sister, sent back a letter without reading it concerned Lily more than anything.

“But keep it a secret from Sister Rose.”

“But, miss…”

“If Sister Rose finds out, you know what she’ll do.”

The eldest sister Rose openly favored Freesia.

Even though Matthew had harbored a one-sided crush for so long, he never managed to confess, all because of the overprotective nature of the elder sister.

Unlike Lily, who treats Matthew like a close older brother, Rose didn’t particularly like Matthew. To be more precise, she didn’t want to let Freesia go to another household. In a way, Rose had several times more sister complex than Lily, but she was the only one unaware of this fact.

If the elder sister were to find out Freesia’s feelings…

“She’ll surely find a way to make her give up.”

With her glamorous appearance and outgoing personality, Lily was confident she could survive in the palace without any problems. However, Freesia was an exception. The second sister, who managed the gentle role of the Devlanc Countess, suited much better to finding simple happiness with a kind partner than someone flashy.

If she became the wife of the notorious Duke Crawford, the public’s attention would undoubtedly focus on her. In such a renowned family, Lily couldn’t bear to watch her sister suffer after marrying into such a household.

“Just wait and see.”

“What are you planning?”

“Keep it a secret from the sisters.”

To avoid escalating the situation further, Lily decided it was better for her to meet Duke Crawford directly and negotiate.

“I have to protect my sisters.”

With that determination, Lily looked at the unsuspecting Freesia, who was happily smiling.

The next morning, Rose, with the brownies baked by Freesia, went straight to her business at the trading company.

“Freesia’s brownies are the best in the world.”

“I’m happy if Sister enjoys them.”

Although Rose seemed relieved, Freesia, who smiled on the outside, was feeling a deep sense of sadness.

Thanks to the strict control over the household employees, Rose managed to avoid knowing about the current situation.

***

While pondering and tying her hair, Freesia was surprised to find Matthew visiting early in the morning.

“Mother sent a gift. She heard you lost a shoe, so she sent these.”

Matthew’s mother, Lady Naphier, treated the three sisters like her own daughters. Usually, Rose or the adorable Lily would be the first to receive such gifts, but Lady Naphier particularly favored Freesia.

“I found them.”

“You found them?”

They decided not to mention that the messenger from Duke Crawford personally delivered the shoes.

The shoes, adorned with blue velvet as a gift carefully chosen by Lady Naphier, looked beautiful even at a glance.

“Tell the lady I thank her.”

“And she also asked you to visit our house sometime. She said she misses you.”

“I’ll tell my sisters about it.”

Freesia suggested that the three of them should go together, thinking it would be better that way, but Matthew seemed disappointed for some reason.

“Why are you like that?” Despite shaking his head in confusion, Freesia couldn’t help but feel pleased with her new shoes.

“Matthew, why did you come?”

“What’s this? You had plans with Lily?”

“Yes. We planned to go on a date together.”

“Lily!”

Freesia never dreamed that things would progress to this point so quickly.

If Lady Naphier is the mother of Matthew, then there might be no need for a dowry, and Rose’s burden could be lessened.

With a pleased look, Freesia gazed at Matthew, but he seemed to be trying hard to deny it, nervously raising both hands.

“It’s not like that. Lily said she needed someone to go out with.”

“She’s in safe hands with you, Matthew. Have a good time.”

“Then, Sister, don’t go too far from home.”

Lovely Lily aligned her cheek with her sister’s and, with a determined look, held onto Matthew’s wrist.

It seemed that hiring a bodyguard was a good idea for the outing, considering how confident and nonchalant Lily was about it.

“Lily is really cute.”

“That’s what she said, and that’s what you said, Matthew.”

“Lily is cute?”

“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”

Mileva sighed before she could say anything.

She couldn’t imagine that the two had already become a couple, but if Lily chose him, they should support her.

On the day Lily made her debut into society, the three sisters stayed up all night, swearing to each other.

If they ever had a lover, they would inform their sisters first.

So, if the two officially became a couple, she believed that Lily would tell them first.

“Now, what should we do today?”

Since Lily’s melancholy had improved, Freesia suddenly found herself with a lot of free time.

It felt like the days were exceptionally long when there was nothing to do, as if she had suddenly become independent.

“Maybe I should read a book.”

For Freesia, who loved reading, Rose had renovated the mansion last year, creating an enormous library.

Among them, the books by the author Alster were the sisters’ favorites.

They became passionate fans because of the cruel, sad, and sometimes touching stories with delicate descriptions. Last year, Rose even imitated a sonnet from Alster’s book to comfort her.

Although sometimes cruel and sometimes sad, Alster’s works always captivated the three sisters. However, since last year, the author, who used to be quite active, hadn’t released any books, and there was no news from him.

“Are you kidding me…….”

Even her introverted self wanted to meet the author Alster at least once.

With a regretful heart, Freesia began her daily reading from the first book again.

“Miss!”

Around the third book, Mileva, who looked pale again today, found Freesia.

It seemed like an unwelcome guest had come again.

“Did the messenger come again today?”

“The Duke himself came in person.”

It seemed that refusing him had its consequences. Mileva clutched the hem of her crumpled dress as if she were being led to the gallows.

“Smile Love”