The Abandoned Villainess Decides to Take It All Chapter 65

Chapter 65.The Engagement Ceremony!

An engagement ceremony.

Although it was essentially a contract forming an alliance between noble houses, the nobles of the Perniès Empire preferred to keep such events modest.

Because if they made them too grand, something embarrassing could happen.

The high mortality rate probably plays a role too.

In a world where monsters roamed freely, it couldn’t be helped.

Perniès—this terrifying empire.

Actually, I talked about this with the villain before.

They had spent quite a bit of time together lately: eating meals, walking while holding hands, guiding him.

It would have been awkward to sit there in silence.

“Your Highness, do you have many friends?”

“No. What about you?”

“Neither do I.”

Sadly, Lillian and the villain had something in common.

They had no one to invite to their engagement ceremony.

Aside from the Shadows and the Baltazar side.

But things had changed a lot.

“We received many invitations, but if we attended them properly, we’d have to understand all the relationships between the guests.”

Which salons were prestigious.

Which noble families hosted the best hunting parties.

Which couples were secretly having affairs with whom…

But I have absolutely no confidence the villain could tolerate all that!

So instead—

Wouldn’t it be better to gather everyone in one place?

Let’s keep it to a reasonable scale.

Thus, Lillian picked up her pen.

And began writing what would soon become the most fiercely contested invitation in the capital—

the invitations to her engagement ceremony.

Even inside the castle, war broke out.

At Castle Baltazar

Inside a dim meeting room:

“If even a single mistake occurs, it will not be tolerated.”

Duke Enoch Baltazar began sternly.

In the room were Elias, the Shadows, and several vassals of the ducal house.

“This engagement ceremony must be handled more seriously than any battle or monster hunt we have ever faced. Make it so magnificent that Lillian completely dominates the entire scene!”

Technically, the castle managers should have handled such preparations.

But the Duke was so eager to participate that no one could stop him.

And his “interference” came with a very generous budget.

He turned to Elias, who would soon inherit the title of young duke.

“How much dowry should we give Lillian?”

“…Give? Not receive?”

“Of course give! What could we possibly receive from that child?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Come to think of it, why would a prince be given money?

The Duke casually handed over a list of fashionable engagement traditions he had researched.

“And have her try all the things young ladies do at engagement ceremonies these days.”

“It doesn’t seem like Lady Lillian considered such details…”

“Good grief!”

Duke Baltazar reacted as though someone had coughed directly in his face.

“She is the future granddaughter-in-law of Enoch Baltazar.”

“The wedding hasn’t happened yet.”

“Then she must lack nothing during the engagement! It must be even better than what daughters of other houses receive!”

He had already decided.

Lillian’s engagement ceremony would be far more splendid than the one she had with that Favil bastard.

As for Prince Ebren—well, he was already fortunate enough to be engaged to Lillian.

But—

“So what exactly is His Highness planning to give Lillian?”

“…He hasn’t mentioned anything.”

“Honestly!”

The Duke clicked his tongue.

He no longer hated Ebren the way he once had.

He had already confirmed that Ebren truly cared about Lillian.

Still—

Could one truly trust the “heartless Tarandia” bloodline?

Did they merely lack hearts—

or also the instinct for courtship?

“…Sigh. Always prepare with the possibility that His Highness might be rejected.”

“…Understood.”

On the Way to the Imperial Palace

Lillian was heading to the palace with the villain.

There was a very practical reason.

“Whoever invented the tradition of personally delivering engagement invitations clearly had nothing better to do…”

Ebren grumbled.

Lillian silently agreed.

This was essentially—

a gathering to hand out engagement invitations.

She gently patted the hand she had grown used to holding.

Good boy. Just endure a little longer.

“If someone picks a fight over etiquette, the trouble never ends.”

“Haah…”

Even the smallest pretext could explode into a massive scandal.

Better to deal with it proactively.

And this is also a chance to access the deepest part of the palace.

That place was called the Sanctum.

No one except the Emperor and Empress could normally approach it.

Today’s gathering of noble ladies would take place closest to the Sanctum.

But why did she need to go there?

Because the material needed to break Ebren’s imprint is there.

It was connected to the third event of the original story—

“The First Prince’s Rampage and Imprisonment.”

Despite everything that had happened so far, Lillian hadn’t forgotten their earlier conversation.

“Your Highness, have you ever heard of the ore called Nightfall?”

“Are you trying to sell something to me, Lady?”

“An artifact made by combining that ore with a Control Stone can break an imprint.”

She knew she would need to break the imprint with the man whose hand she was holding now—

in just a few months.

But first she had to deal with the sharp-eyed nobles waiting in the palace garden.

The Gathering of Noble Ladies

The women gathered today came from many influential houses.

It was meant to be a playful gathering teasing the newly engaged couple.

Naturally, there was also some malice mixed in.

After all, they had entered the Empress’s domain.

“Congratulations on your engagement, Your Highness. Lady Lillian.”

For example, Countess Edmund, famous for her rigid propriety.

“We heard the two of you are already living together after announcing your engagement.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Oh my! Isn’t that rather scandalous? Even if you awakened as a Guide.”

And surprisingly—

Iris was also present.

Despite ruining the welcome banquet, the title S-rank Guide still carried overwhelming influence.

Lillian lazily watched as the Countess and Iris exchanged subtle signals.

So since they can’t attack my awakening, they’ve switched to moral criticism.

But—

“Oh my, Countess? Why would that be scandalous?”

Lillian tilted her head innocently.

“His Highness and I simply take walks together while holding hands every day… Even Duke Baltazar knows.”

“What? Even the Duke—?”

“Why would that be scandalous, Your Highness? What exactly is the Countess imagining?”

She didn’t actually expect Ebren to answer.

He rarely acknowledged people he had no interest in.

Instead, he casually speared a small sandwich with his fork and held it toward her.

“Lillian, ah. You didn’t eat properly today.”

“Ah—”

Lillian obediently ate it in front of everyone.

Several spectators looked like they might vomit.

It was extremely satisfying.

But then—

The Empress finally spoke.

“My, my. You two look wonderful together.”

You’re saying that with eyes that look ready to vomit.

“I never realized how well you suited each other. I must have overlooked it.”

As though pairing Lillian with Karkin had been a mere misunderstanding.

Just as Lovellia always tried to position herself above the line of the First Empress.

“Why not hold the wedding immediately, Lillian?”

“…Pardon?”

“I feel guilty letting you be engaged twice, especially because of my nephew.”

The Empress smiled warmly.

“Why not open the central hall of the Imperial Palace and hold a magnificent ceremony there?”

“….”

“No one has used that beautiful place since my time. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you were the next to do so?”

Lillian smiled sweetly.

Inside, she thought:

Your Majesty, you’re digging that jade floor trap with great enthusiasm.

But I’m not stepping into it.