The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Lillian’s engagement to the First Prince.

Elric Tillard could not accept such a match.

As a man who despised the Baltazar bloodline, this union was utterly intolerable.

“The fact that the Empress deliberately left out only Karkin’s name means she’s telling us to deal with it ourselves.”

“Hah.”

The duke laughed, open contempt written across his face.

And this, despite the fact that he himself had practically given Lillian informal imperial approval.

He had intended to settle this matter quietly—

not be humiliated like this.

But when he sent word demanding that Lillian come out to meet him, what answer had returned?

“Because of the status of the person accompanying me, I am unable to travel.”

If he wanted to see the prince as well, then the Tillard family would have to come instead.

A girl who lived only because of the bloodline he had passed down dared to say such a thing—

“I must meet with the First Prince and Lillian. Prepare at once.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

After finally leaving the room, Kuern Tillard covered his face and swallowed a groan.

“Haah… how are we even supposed to solve this?”

Because of his younger brother, many other families had been investigated alongside them.

Those households had been pressuring them every single day to fix the situation somehow.

“Young Duke, isn’t it far too humiliating to bring this directly to His Grace?”
“So please—we beg you to settle it as quickly as possible!”

But Kuern had never dealt with anything like this before.

Meanwhile, Iris Tillard was busy preparing to receive the princess of Tenevrin.

After all, Princess Meliora von Albrecht was one of Iris’s regular clients.

“Oh dear, Brother. I’d love to help you right now, but it’s difficult.”

“You’re so capable that we depend on you. Just give us a little of your time—”

“Oh, come now! Her Majesty the Empress personally ordered this.”

Iris played dumb.

In truth, when it came to the kind of talking needed for outside dealings—

I always left all of that to Lillian.

So she was deeply grateful for this welcome banquet for that unpleasant princess.

Just then, Duke Tillard emerged, ready to leave.

“Is everyone prepared?”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

Elric Tillard’s eyes flashed.

“We’re going to make that girl come to her senses.”

At the Castle

Lillian had invited her blood relatives to the castle.

This was, truly, the first time the Tillard family had ever stepped inside this side’s stronghold.

It was always beautiful here, but…

The moment the servants heard that Duke Tillard, the young duke, and Iris were coming, they all but staked their lives on the preparations.

“Not a speck of dust! Brush everything off!”

“Aah! Who polished this silver ornament? Do you have a death wish?”

“This flower arrangement won’t do—call the gardener immediately!”

They were determined not to let the Tillards find even a single flaw.

And when the day finally came—

Even Margaret Rubelli looked visibly tense as she announced them.

“My lady. Duke Tillard, the young duke, and Iris have arrived.”

That strange hostility showed even in the greeting, which fell just short of full formality.

Lillian looked at her relatives for the first time in a while.

Somehow, all of their faces looked a little rougher than before.

Why did her grandfather and brother already look like that?

Of the three of them, only one looked remotely well.

A woman with dazzling platinum-blonde hair streaming behind her as she ran forward innocently.

“Noona!”

Iris spoke first.

But before she could even take another step, she stopped cold.

What had Margaret said about today’s outfit again?

“We absolutely have to crush her spirit!”

The lips of Iris—who had always chosen Lillian’s clothes for her—tightened.

“It’s been a while, Iris.”

“It has, noona. I almost didn’t recognize you. What’s the occasion? Wearing clothes like that?”

Her gaze scraped over Lillian from head to toe.

“And your complexion looks so much better. We’ve been so worried we could hardly sleep…”

“Oh my, really?”

Lillian covered one cheek with her hand and tilted her head.

“Oh? I thought by now you’d be staying up all night working on your new product. But your complexion looks good too.”

A tiny spasm flickered across Iris’s cheek.

The new product is one I bought from the information guild.

That suddenly bothered her.

After all, her grandfather and the rest of the family still believed all those products were Iris’s own work.

Surely Lillian isn’t going to say that here?

No.

Even if she did, what proof could she possibly have?

Still, Iris forced a smile.

“Really? It wasn’t difficult, that’s all.”

“I see.”

“Some people might stay up all night agonizing over this sort of thing, but…”

Lillian smiled faintly.

It was genuinely fascinating.

How could someone be so confident after stealing someone else’s work?

“You’ll do well no matter what you prepare, won’t you?”

“Of cou—”

“How long are you all going to stand there doing nothing but exchange greetings?”

At the sound of Ebren’s voice from the doorway, the Tillard family froze in the middle of trying to maintain their composure.

Lillian almost panicked too.

What is wrong with the way that man is dressed?

He wasn’t even wearing a proper cravat, and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone.

His hair was loosely tied back with a single ribbon, making him look less like someone receiving the empire’s highest nobles—

and more like someone who had been lounging in his room.

Not like a prince receiving guests.

Like a servant.

Lillian hurried over to him.

“Your Highness, if you come out dressed like that—! What happened to the person in charge of your clothes?”

“But it’s annoying.”

“Haah. I’ll fix it quickly.”

At Lillian’s unconscious remark, her family’s expressions darkened even further.

The point of arranging this meeting was not simply to make her family cut her off.

It was to make them destroy themselves with their own hands.

These people still don’t know I awakened.

Because Ramio, of all people, had failed to witness it before being beaten half to death by the villain.

The Meeting

Duke Tillard swallowed his anger, veins standing out from his neck to his jaw.

That damned First Prince.

If not for the Power of Annihilation, he would have been stripped of power long ago.

He won’t even offer a proper greeting.

And this wasn’t even an ordinary meeting.

He wasn’t seated across from them.

He was sprawled alone across a chaise longue like a cat.

By etiquette, that meant the Tillards could not address the prince first.

It was an attitude that made one thing clear:

he had no interest in them at all.

He was leaving everything to Lillian.

And besides—

Lillian and the prince? Truly?

The prince’s attitude.

His loose, half-dressed appearance.

And Lillian’s own casual treatment of him.

He must have thought she’d make suitable bait to tear apart our alliance with House Favil.

The duke’s eyes burned with fury.

This stupid, ungrateful girl.

She must have thought she could take revenge by betraying the family like this.

But—

“You put some thought into it, but it’s far too shallow, Lillian.”

“Grandfather.”

“Did you truly think you could threaten Elric Tillard with something like this?”

This lavish drawing room.

The servants standing stiff with tension.

The prince behind her.

Did she really think the head of House Tillard would be frightened by such a display?

“Just because His Highness happens to favor you for the moment, do you think you can rise arrogantly against your own grandfather?”

“….”

“How dare you even go so far as to send your own younger brother to prison?”

Once upon a time, a single bark from him had been enough to make her shrink and bow her head.

So surely—

with just this one question—

she ought to show some sign of breaking.

But Lillian calmly placed a Recording Stone on the table between them.

When her index finger lightly touched the gem, a familiar voice rang out.

Click.

“Buy one more and hurry back with Lillian.”

Click.

“Buy one more and hurry back with Lillian.”

The room turned ice-cold.

Kuern’s face went deathly pale.

Lillian replied blandly,

“Oh, I thought perhaps you hadn’t heard it. Would you like me to play it again?”

“What do you think you’re doing!”

“I’m showing you evidence that the young duke of House Tillard committed an illegal act.”

Clack.

The Recording Stone settled back onto the table.

“I think everyone in this room has misunderstood something.”

“Lillian—”

“I did not invite you here to be threatened.”

She looked at them calmly.

“I invited you here to make a deal. So let’s not waste time just because you failed to understand what this meeting was for.”