I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 72

Chapter 72

“About that…”

Mrs. Bailey was taken aback by the unexpected proposal.  

Though her illness kept her bedridden most of the time, just looking at this lively young woman made her feel as if her condition had improved slightly.  

“Are you serious?”  

“It’s cowardly to drag a child into adults’ disputes, isn’t it?”  

Mrs. Bailey smiled with interest at Freesia, who stood before her with a surprisingly earnest expression, saying she wanted to respond properly to the situation.  

“So this is why it had to be you.”  

In the worst kind of tournament where only one survivor wins everything, Wilfred, Duke of Crowford, had claimed the throne at the cost of countless lives. He was no longer the boy she once knew.  

“It seems the Duke is happy,” Freesia remarked.  

“Well, naturally. He was born with everything he could ever want.”  

“I’ve heard the Duke and his wife have a very good relationship, and that he treasures her immensely.”  

“Sounds like those rumors are a bit exaggerated.”  

Though Freesia pouted, she couldn’t hide the faint smile that followed—a clear sign of newlywed bliss.  

There was a time when Mrs. Bailey had been like that, too.  

Tracing back memories of the past, she gently clasped Freesia’s hand with her frail fingers.  

“I’ll help however I can. If there’s anything I can do for that child, just let me know.”  

“Mrs. Bailey…”  

“Who could understand the sorrow of leaving a child behind?”  

Suppressing the emotions that welled up, Mrs. Bailey forced a smile.  

The imperial court seemed to be plotting something, but it was evident that Freesia wouldn’t let herself be an easy target. The thought of the princess’s flustered reaction made Mrs. Bailey chuckle.  

“I’m looking forward to that day. Truly.”  

She held Freesia’s hand firmly, as if asking the heavens to grant her just a little more time.  

—

“Luca, you’re adorable! Or should I say, Lucia?”  

“Lady Freesia, you’re too much!”  

Though he was sulking, Luca had mastered Rashita’s signature skill—concealing weapons under a dress—within just a few days.  

“Don’t be upset. You’re our secret weapon.”  

“Just imagining the princess’s shocked face makes me laugh. Don’t you think so, sister?”  

It was, as always, Lily who made the biggest contribution to the preparations. She had her own firm goals, regardless of the princess’s whims.  

Lily checked her reflection several times, carefully inspecting the color of her lips.  

“Even the crown prince won’t be able to resist my dangerously stunning beauty!”  

“If only you wouldn’t talk…”  

“Luca!”  

No one could argue with him. As perfect as Lily looked, her fiery personality was something else entirely.  

“For that reason, I’ll be acting independently today.”  

With a determined air, Lily declared that she would go her own way. Freesia, along with Rashita and Luca, would manage without her.  

As a reward for keeping her promise, the Duke of Crowford—her brother-in-law—had generously offered to become Lily’s strongest supporter.  

“Lily.”  

“I can do it. I’m your sister, after all.”  

Though she had no intention of giving up her role as her sister’s adorable brat, for today, she’d gladly take a break. Holding her sister’s hand tightly, Lily smiled brightly.  

The imperial family enjoyed staging mischievous trials when choosing the crown princess.  

—

“Here it is.”  

Guided by the appointed maids, Lily was led to an opulently decorated room.  

Though she half-expected to meet the Empress herself, she was greeted instead by a middle-aged woman in a court maid’s uniform.  

“I’ve heard much about you, Lady Devlanc.”  

“Please, just call me Lily.”  

While Lily smiled brightly, the woman overseeing the test scrutinized her with a stony expression.  

“Life in the royal family is grueling. From birth to death, it’s a constant series of obligations.”  

“With privilege comes responsibility.”  

“All freedom will be lost.”  

“I’ve already enjoyed enough of it. I have no regrets.”  

Entering the imperial family meant gaining much, but also losing a great deal. Becoming the crown princess was no different.  

“Let’s begin the trial.”  

This test was reserved only for the most promising candidates—a privilege known only to those in the know. Had Lily not borne the name Devlanc, she might never have known it existed.  

“Discovering such things is a skill in itself.”

When matters between nations arise, even a single piece of information can turn the tide. Life is rarely fair, after all.  

Her brother-in-law hadn’t provided her with any answers either.  

“When we encounter the impossible, we say it’s harder than finding a needle in a desert.”  

She knew the phrase well, but how she overcame this challenge was entirely up to her. Even if her brother-in-law was remarkable, a sandcastle built by another’s hands would easily crumble.  

“This is the test.”  

As the door opened, the room revealed a large space filled with sand.  

“Please find the needle in this sand. Use any method you like. You have ten minutes.”  

A mountain of sand stretched before her, with bits of iron dust mixed in—rendering magnets useless. The disheveled mounds showed signs of the struggles of previous participants.  

“How interesting.”  

Freesia’s advice echoed in her mind: “Understand the intent behind the test.”  

Her humble sister never seemed to realize how extraordinary she truly was.  

But Lily knew. She had been raised by that brilliant woman. To fail to understand the examiner’s intent meant unnecessary toil.  

“Please bring water. Enough to fill this entire space.”  

The maids hurriedly connected a hose to the water supply and began filling the area.  

“Oh?”  

“If nothing else, you should know how water behaves—half of all disasters involve water.”  

After about five minutes, the heavy sand and iron particles began to settle. Lily drew a curtain and shined a light on the water’s surface.  

“There it is.”  

Removing her gloves, she plucked the needle with graceful precision and presented it to the examiner.  

“Did you deliberately hold it that way?”  

“If I had held the sharp end, you might have hurt yourself.”  

The examiner glanced at the clock, intrigued by Lily’s composure.  

“Six minutes and ten seconds. If you’d rushed, you could’ve finished even faster.”  

“But that would’ve been unrefined. Rushing might have disturbed the sand, costing more time.”  

“Indeed.”  

“I’d also like to attend the ball with my sister, so I must manage my time well.”  

The examiner shook her head as if already knowing the outcome.  

“There’s no need to test the others now.”  

“But…….”

“I’ll have to speak to Her Majesty again.”

The examiner turned to face Lily, who stood confidently, without a hint of nervousness.

No matter how good you are, no matter how smart you are, you doubt yourself at this crucial moment.

But Lily’s eyes show no sign of hesitation.

Considering the crown prince’s somewhat fragile personality, she needs that kind of bottomless confidence.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Why?”

“Because one line of my assessment here will determine your future.”

At the examiner’s impassive question, Lily smiled broadly and replied.

“I don’t think I’m so lacking in qualities that I’d have to be deliberately flattering to you, do you?”

Lifting the end of her dress gracefully, Lily bowed to her opponent with haughty but perfect manners.

“My sister always said: No one can beat me.” 

When asked if she knew about the trial in advance, Lily laughed mischievously.  

“Of course not.”  

She recalled a time when she’d accidentally spilled her sister’s embroidery supplies into a sandbox. Freesia had effortlessly retrieved them with magic.  

“I don’t believe in myself, but I believe in my sister.”  

The examiner smirked. “The Duchess of Crowford, I assume?”  

“She’s always on my side. With her behind me, life in the palace won’t be scary at all.”  

No candidate for crown princess has ever been so adamant that she will not be deterred, no matter how harsh the imperial hand is dealt. Unlike the others, who bowed and groveled to be seen, Lily stood before the examiners with a confident, even arrogant, demeanor.

She is very modest, but that doesn’t make her flawed. It takes a lot of guts to represent a country.

“It’s funny, the other girls were busy grabbing my skirt and begging for five more minutes.”

“I don’t see why you should have to beg.”

Oozing confidence and arrogance from head to toe, this young lady’s distribution would not be out of place in the presence of the Empress. After all, there’s a reason why she’s a household name.

“When will the next step be?”

“It shouldn’t be long now.”

“I look forward to it.”

Lily left, and the maids trembled in fear that the Empress would retaliate.

“This is troubling, Devlanc.”

“The trial must be fair.”

After all, the crown belongs to those who can bear its weight.

“I can only wonder if I will crumble under its weight, or if I will stand tall in its place.”

And because she knows her worth so well.

For the first time in a very long time, someone who has everything has stepped foot in the imperial palace.