I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 78

Chapter 78

No matter how much power he holds, Wilfred is still a duke. However, the Crown Prince, with his promised position as the future monarch, is still unmarried, leaving ample room for hope.  

“Your Highness.”  

“How fortunate you’ve come. Please, come here.”  

As discussions of his marriage approached, all eyes turned in anticipation. If the Crown Prince were to take an interest, today could witness the birth of a historic Cinderella tale.  

But only Lily knew the truth.  

“That man…”

Avoiding her gaze annoyingly, he rearranged his seat to face her directly.  

Initially, she thought he was just a servant, but the careless remarks she had let slip undoubtedly weighed on her mind.  

Sure enough, he said, “It’s surprising to see you here, Duke.”  

“I wanted to see for myself if this is a suitable situation for handing over my precious sister-in-law.”  

“Oh dear…”  

The Duke was practically asking if they were worthy of taking Lily away. The Crown Prince burst into laughter.  

They were friends through horseback riding, so the Prince quickly understood the Duke’s unusual behavior.  

“In the name of the imperial family, I will do nothing to offend you.”

“Oh?”  

“First, let’s talk some more. Lady Lily, could you come this way for a moment?”  

The request for a private audience from the Empress meant the next steps were entirely in Lily’s hands.  

With Wilfred watching, Lily squared her shoulders and took a step forward, looking straight ahead as she prepared to get what she wanted.  

“Do well.”  

“Thank you, brother-in-law.”  

Wilfred provided only one thing: a kind of talisman.  

Had she been with Freesia, the ladies would have thrown out rude remarks deliberately for her to hear, but in front of the Duke, they couldn’t dare to speak carelessly.  

By simply being there, Wilfred became Lily’s greatest ally, allowing her to express her desires without having to hear unwelcome comments.  

Her older sisters, always pushing their limits, and her sweet younger sister would never understand his feelings.  

“Where should I begin?”  

Though Lily had always received affection, she wasn’t foolish enough to be unaware of her sisters’ sacrifices. They had always stepped in to handle everything for her.  

This time, she would take the initiative to secure the position she wanted.  

“I heard there will be heavy rains again this year. If we don’t make sure to maintain the city’s drainage systems, many areas will suffer from flooding again.”  

“Oh?”  

“To think you are knowledgeable in that area. How surprising!”  

Having exchanged glances, the Crown Prince and Lily naturally continued the flow of conversation without hesitation.  

No matter how you looked at it, this dialogue was entirely set up for Lily alone.  

Just the youngest of the Devlanc, a fragile existence easily overshadowed, no one would have guessed that Lily Devlanc could pull the Duke himself into her plans.  

A wave of confusion swept through the ladies observing Wilfred, who gazed seriously at his sister-in-law.  

‘‘No way…’’  

What could possibly be the reason for choosing Freesia over the stunning Lily Devlanc?  

Could it be that this moment was the singular purpose behind that choice?  

“How interesting.”  

With that remark from the Empress, the matter of marriage began to progress rapidly.  

Now mere bystanders, the ladies watched the Duke act with unusual vigor, igniting sparks of doubt.  

If Lily were truly to become the Crown Princess, Wilfred, lacking any blood relatives, could effectively play the role of the Crown Prince’s father-in-law and seize control of the future court.  

“If Crowford supports the Crown Prince, what more could I ask for?”  

“Your Majesty!”  

To fulfill the wishes of the royal family, anyone from Crowford would suffice. The moment the Crown Prince’s marriage was decided, only the princess would be cornered and risk losing everything.  

“We’ll discuss the details later.”  

“It was an enlightening conversation, Your Majesty.”  

Having enjoyed a pleasant exchange, Lily and the Crown Prince now stood side by side, naturally sharing smiles as they gazed at one another.  

While their innocent looks resembled the early stages of first love, the ladies around them, feeling like they were chasing after a fleeing chicken, found no space in their hearts to bless the moment.  

“This is absurd. How dare we be relegated to mere bystanders!”  

Everyone belatedly realized that this was an event arranged solely for Lily.  

Instinctively, she recognized who had orchestrated this situation.  

“You don’t have a sister complex, do you?”

“It’s true that I like relationships.”

Lily was twenty, while the Crown Prince would soon turn nineteen in the coming New Year.  

Though she had always lived under the scornful gaze of her elder sister, at one point, she had believed it was genuine interest and love. The one to shatter that belief first was her sister.  

“At some point, I became curious about who my sister despised so much.”  

“I certainly didn’t expect them to be this cute and charming.”  

“Of course, I never expected that.”  

“Your Highness, answering that way at that moment makes me look like an odd one!”  

As they playfully bickered, an invisible pink atmosphere began to swirl around them.  

The Empress, fully aware of this, sighed deeply and turned to the Duke of Crowford seated before her.  

“Regarding the dowry, it would be wise to discuss that gradually.”  

“I will take care of the necessary aspects.”  

Had Lily been the humble daughter of the Devlanc family, she would have faced countless comparisons and criticisms from the moment she entered the royal family. However… for the current Lily, there was no one who could stop her. Except for Freesia.  

“Then I look forward to working together.”  

With no unnecessary interruptions, everything flowed smoothly.  

With the Duke himself guaranteeing that she would receive equal treatment to Crowford’s direct descendants, the royal family rapidly approved the engagement.  

“This could cause quite a stir.”  

“Indeed.”  

As if a new Crown Princess had rolled in to displace the previous one, the most troubled by this development would undoubtedly be Princess Hyacinth, who had effectively been acting as the Empress all this time.  

“Lily, I want to show you my room.”  

“Brother-in-law.”  

“Go ahead.”  

Though still inexperienced, the Crown Prince should be more than capable of protecting Lily.  

After sending her off, Wilfred turned to the princess.  

“I would like to have a word.”  

“Are you here to mock me?”  

“Where is Serial?”  

The moment she heard Serial’s name, the princess stepped back, her face filled with alarm.  

“W-what about him…?”  

“What were you expecting?”  

How was he supposed to handle this utter fool who couldn’t grasp the problem at all? 

“You must feel wronged and resentful.”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Wasn’t it you who threatened me over my work in the first place?”

To manipulate people as she wished, Princess Hyacinth tried to seize his weakness by mentioning his secrets.

That was always her way. She endlessly coveted what she could not have, and she didn’t hesitate to belittle even her own blood, her younger sister.

“It seems the whole world views you as nothing more than an accessory to make them look better, doesn’t it?”

“That’s…”

“Was it fun playing with the clueless Freesia?”

By luck or chance, she had dodged it a few times, but Freesia had always been exposed to the malice disguised as the princess’s favor.

Pretending to care while stabbing him in the back, the princess continued to act as if she was the greatest victim in the end.

“I’ve already lost everything. It’s all your fault.”

“You must find it comforting to blame others like that.”

The duke, who never offered a word of comfort, was busy scanning his surroundings with sharp eyes.

Watching Wilfred, who was indifferent to her from beginning to end, the princess clenched her fists with all her might. It felt like getting slapped would hurt less than this.

“How dare you say that to me when you’ve killed your entire family with your own hands?”

“…This is how it is. Your attitude of wanting to win at all costs, even if it means pouring salt into someone else’s wounds, is what terrifies people.”

No matter how many times he told her why he rejected her, nothing reached the princess’s ears. She saw only what she wanted to see, heard only what she wanted to hear, and thought only what she wanted to think. That was all there was to it.

With such a shallow and insignificant personality, how big of a scheme did she think she could pull off?

“You should feel ashamed.”

Her shamelessness had already crossed the line.

Seeing her act like someone who relied on another’s kindness, it was only natural to feel disgust.

I wonder if she realizes how terrifying her selfish attitude becomes the more you see it, but looking at her face, it’s clear she still doesn’t have a clue what the problem is.

“You!”

“Tell Serial I wish to meet him.”

“Is that it?”

Wilfred glared at her with a look of disdain, watching the princess who seemed to be dripping with regret.

Even breathing the same air as her was now utterly disgusting, yet she looked at him with the most wronged expression, as if she had no idea what the problem was.

“…You’d better be careful now. My sister-in-law may look pretty, but she has a terrible temper.”

“What did you say?”

If she messes with Lily, who was sitting above her two bear-like sisters, she might find it hard to even piece her bones back together.

Leaving the princess, who still didn’t grasp the seriousness of the situation, Wilfred looked toward Lily and the crown prince, who were already deeply in their own world. The two were gazing at each other with youthful smiles as if they had fallen in love at first sight, looking quite adorable.

Just as their mood was brightening, a sudden chill swept through the air, and Lily sprang up and rushed over to him.

“Brother-in-law, just in time! Waffles should definitely be dipped in maple syrup, right?”

“You should pour it beforehand so the waffles can soak up the sweetness better.”

“Oh, you really don’t know what you’re talking about. Am I right?”

“Do we really need to argue about this?”

“Of course we do!!!”

How could they shout in unison like that? Watching the two, who seemed to be getting along so well, Wilfred couldn’t help but burst into laughter. At the same time, a slight chill settled in his heart.

“I want to go home.”

Why did such words slip out? Wilfred absentmindedly touched his lips, instinctively recalling Freesia’s figure.