The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 50

Chapter 50.Life Is Easier When You Live Slightly Tipsy

Duke Tillard was the first to barely manage a word.

“How are you here…?”

His powerless granddaughter should have been quietly recuperating in the annex.

So why was Lillian Tillard standing here?

People were equally stunned by the way she was dressed.

She always dressed a bit vulgarly.

That had been the common judgment—by people who didn’t know she had only dressed that way to suit Karkin Favil’s taste.

The Lillian who appeared now wore a violet chiffon dress dusted with pearl powder.

“Oh my…”

Someone near the entrance sighed unconsciously.

It was understandable.

This was the first time Lillian had worn clothes that actually fit her properly.

And on top of that—

She had entered alongside the First Prince’s party.

Why was she holding the First Prince’s hand?

At the Ball

These were people she had not seen for a very long time.

“L-Lillian?”

And they were also people who had never once worried about her while she was gone.

Lillian smiled beautifully.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

What a lovely evening.

As expected, His Majesty the Emperor isn’t here…

He was the sort of man who didn’t care what his children did, as long as they married within the Five Sacred Houses.

Instead, the figures drawing attention were the Second Empress Lovellia Tarandia Perniès de Favil, the male lead of the original story—

And of course, Lillian’s own family.

Her grandfather.

Kuern Tillard.

And Iris Tillard.

Kuern was the first to approach.

“You…! Why are you here—? Ramio— no, why—?”

It was far from elegant behavior for a young duke.

But that was understandable.

The sight of Lillian standing beside the man beside her—like some ominous totem—was absurd.

“I’ve missed you, Young Duke.”

“Lillian—”

“I’m still a daughter of one of the Five Sacred Houses, you know. It isn’t forbidden for me to attend.”

“You were recuperating in the annex. So how did you end up here…?”

“Oh my, well, you see…”

Lillian shyly covered her mouth.

“His Highness the First Prince and I… have become people who look upon each other with mutual affection…”

“…What?”

“Oh my, why are you acting as if you had no idea…?”

“What?”

Kuern looked completely dumbfounded.

Ignoring his reaction, Lillian gently led the villain toward where the duke stood.

“Your Highness, Duke Tillard is over there. Shall we greet him?”

“Ah. Yes.”

The villain smiled prettily with his eyes.

True to being a villain, he seemed to enjoy teasing people immensely.

“It’s good to see you at the ball, future grandfather.”

“Hah…! Grandfa—?”

“Why are you so surprised? If I become engaged to Lillian, then naturally Duke Tillard would become my grandfather too, wouldn’t he?”

“…!”

Duke Tillard nearly grabbed the back of his neck.

Lillian could understand his shock.

Having something announced without warning was alarming and absurd.

But if we do this, it’ll look like Duke Tillard has been secretly lining his own pockets behind the Empress’s back.

Iris was meant for Prince Kyle.

And after Lillian’s broken engagement, it would appear as if she had instead been handed to the First Prince.

The Five Sacred Houses needed each other.

But they also quietly distrusted one another.

This was the perfect chance to shake both House Tillard and House Favil.

Right.

Never forget.

A crisis… is an opportunity.

Lillian touched one cheek with her hand.

Then she gathered her courage.

“Oh my, Your Highness. How embarrassing.”

She lightly tapped the villain’s shoulder.

To the onlookers, it must have seemed astonishingly bold.

Even Lillian herself felt her nerves tighten.

But then she heard it.

“My goodness… then you two are…?”

“But Lady Lillian was—”

“She already broke off her engagement with the young Duke Favil, didn’t she? That’s why she left!”

“But it seems the Tillard family must have known?”

Exactly the reaction Lillian wanted.

House Tillard, surrounded by eyes full of suspicion and curiosity.

But just then—

A refined voice filled with smiling warmth cut through the murmurs.

“It truly has been a long time since I’ve seen your face.”

“….”

“You chased after Karkin so desperately, and now to find you in a place like this, with that child. Lillian.”

Once, this woman had practically been Lillian’s future aunt-in-law.

And now—

The male lead of the original story had arrived as well.

Prince Kyle looked back and forth between Lillian and the villain as if they were filth caught in a gutter.

“What whim brought you here?”

“A whim? Well, I came out to get some air with Lillian.”

The villain adjusted his grip on her hand.

This time, he didn’t simply hold it.

He interlaced their fingers tightly.

Anyone could see that he was enjoying this moment.

But instead of attacking him, the Second Empress turned her attention elsewhere.

“Oh dear… Lillian. This is all so sudden.”

To the most convenient prey.

“It is painful, of course, when a man brings up a broken engagement.”

Empress Lovellia smiled beautifully.

“But overlooking the foolish games of youth—even just once—is the virtue expected of a lady.”

“….”

“That is exactly what a woman of the Five Sacred Houses should embrace and soothe.”

“….”

“Lillian? What do you think?”

Yes.

Seeing her again confirmed it.

This woman had not changed at all.

This was what Lillian disliked about Empress Lovellia.

It would almost be better if she shouted openly and showed her true nature.

Instead, she always pretended to understand—

Only to side with the man of her own house in the end.

And always in front of everyone.

Since my mother died early, there was even a time when I wanted to see her as a substitute mother.

That was why Lillian had once believed her words about yielding and compromising.

But Lillian smiled sweetly.

You know me.

But I know you too.

“My apologies, Your Majesty—”

“Yes, Lillian. You are such a kind child, so—”

“My standards have become far too high.”

“…What?”

“After meeting His Highness the First Prince—oh my, truly!”

Lillian pressed a hand to her cheek again and let her eyes sparkle.

House Favil is jealous by nature.

Well.

Who wasn’t?

But that house especially tended to react immediately—even to the smallest comparisons.

No matter how well they trained their manners.

“Y-Young Duke Favil simply can’t compare.”

And the Empress was extremely sensitive when it came to the name of her house.

“Oh dear… after seeing such beauty, I can no longer bear to look at anything else…”

The room fell silent.

So silent it felt like one could hear sweat dripping.

No one had ever declared so openly that Tarandia beauty surpassed that of House Favil.

Both the male lead and the Empress looked completely stunned.

But Lillian already knew this.

Sometimes—

It was easier to act a little insane than serious.

“Lillian. A man should not be judged by appearance. As time passes, they all become the same.”

“If all men are the same anyway, I’d rather spend my life gazing at a handsome face while getting angry…”

But because she knew about this man’s destructive impulses—

She absolutely intended to make the safest possible exit later.

“You are still young, Lillian. You haven’t yet learned to value a partner’s character above outward appearance.”

“Character matters, of course. But His Highness the First Prince surpasses the young duke even in that.”

The hand she held trembled slightly.

Apparently even he found that statement ridiculous.

“And above all, he cherishes me even though I’m powerless.”

Lillian smiled at her own lie.

If she had never awakened, there would have been nothing between them.

Still—

Now everyone’s minds would start racing.

Because she was powerless, perhaps it was fine to give her to the First Prince?

Or perhaps her background made her far too valuable?

They would exhaust themselves calculating out of greed.

But the Empress sighed as if weary of childish antics.

“This sort of announcement is terribly improper. It shows no decorum at all. Let us treat it as a charming little joke—”

From behind Lillian came a low, mocking voice.

“What is there to make difficult of it, Lovellia?”

“…!”

A faint wrinkle appeared at the Empress’s pale chin.