Translator: Nox

The Baddest Villainess Is Back

Chapter 11

“I shall take my leave now.”

“……I’m sorry I cannot see you out, Young Lady.”

“…….”

“……I hope to see you again.”

As he added those words with an anxious face, Roselyn gave a faint smile and nodded before bowing her head.

Turning away, Roselyn walked down the long, opulent corridor under the guidance of a servant.

Click, clack.

With every step she took, the eyes of those around her focused on her.

Roselyn clicked her tongue at their behavior, which lacked even the most basic etiquette.

“My, where are you headed in such a hurry?”

At the sudden voice, Roselyn came to a dead stop.

Her eyes widened, and she whipped her head toward the direction of the sound.

* * *

“G-Good afternoon, Imperial Father.”

“Ah…… You’ve come, my youngest.”

At the sight of the Emperor, who wore a mischievous smirk unbefitting his age, Arma let out an awkward laugh and scratched his cheek with his white-gloved hand.

“Yes, Imperial Father. Have you been in good health?”

“What is there to be healthy about when my children never show their faces unless they need something?”

“……Ahaha, I’m sorry. I’ll visit more often.”

Thinking that he was quite good at spitting out words he didn't mean, the Emperor shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve cleared everyone out from the vicinity, so let’s end this boring performance, child.”

Arma blinked once, and then his eyes curved into a soft, melting smile.

“Um…… I’m sorry. I’m quite dull-witted, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Imperial Father……”

“……My, what a boring fellow you are.”

The Emperor waved his hand in the air.

The faint presence that had been above the ceiling soon vanished.

With a naive expression, Arma approached the windows and slowly drew the curtains.

“So, my youngest, this father of yours never summoned you, so what on earth is the matter?”

As the curtains were drawn, the office plunged into darkness in an instant.

Only the chandelier and the light leaking through small gaps illuminated the room.

Having closed the curtains, he turned around slowly. The young man, who looked like a boy but had deep shadows cast over his face by the backlight, smiled quietly.

He slowly ran his hand through his hair, sweeping it back.

With his bangs gone, the face of the innocent, sun-like boy was nowhere to be seen.

In its place was a young man exuding a somewhat cynical aura.

All he had done was push his hair back and change his expression slightly.

Instead of answering the Emperor’s question, Arma walked directly into the small pantry on one side of the office.

A moment later, he emerged with a steaming kettle and sat on the sofa opposite the Emperor with his legs crossed.

Arma poured tea into a cup that still bore a smudge of red lipstick, set the kettle down, and picked up the cup.

“What did you discuss with the Young Lady?”

Arma asked in a low voice, a mysterious smile playing on his lips as he held the teacup.

“She said she wants to break off the engagement with you.”

“And?”

“I told her she could.”

“…….”

Arma, who was about to bring the cup to his lips over the red lipstick mark, faltered.

“Why?”

“She offered to give me something I need. I decided that if the goods were certain, I would grant her wish.”

The Emperor chuckled at the sight of those eyes, which had turned as sharp as a blade and as cold as frost.

“At this moment, the Young Lady was of more value than you. That is all.”

The Emperor spoke while leisurely tilting his teacup.

“What proposal did she make?”

After a brief silence, Arma finally asked as he tilted his own cup.

The Emperor reached for the teapot Arma had prepared.

“Well, I promised not to tell.”

The moment the tea filled the Emperor’s cup, Arma spoke.

“Since you’ve poured the tea I brewed, you should tell me.”

“……Isn’t that a bit petty?”

“You were the one who acted petty first.”

“The negotiations with Kaluta and the investigation into the disappearances.”

Clack.

At the Emperor’s brief words, Arma set his cup down.

The Emperor shrugged nonchalantly, looking at the red lipstick smeared on Arma's lips.

“The Young Lady has become strange.”

Originally, she was someone who didn't know what to do with herself out of embarrassment if their eyes even met.

But throughout today, she had met Arma’s eyes properly.

And unlike usual, she didn't stutter but spoke clearly, nor did she give her usual shy smile.

“Indeed. But as long as it doesn't cause harm, it doesn't matter.”

Arma slowly rubbed his lower lip once with his thumb.

The lipstick from the cup transferred slightly, smudging over his lips and bringing a touch of life to his pale complexion.

“Next month, I plan to have the Bellion Young Lady participate in the diplomatic mission to Kaluta.”

“I will go as well.”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes.

“My youngest, if you get involved, you will be the one in charge. Do you understand what that means?”

Resting his chin on his hand, the Emperor asked indifferently.

The Emperor knew why Arma was acting out that dim-witted personality.

In truth, Arma was the one who resembled him the most, and the Emperor knew Arma just as well.

“I have little interest in the throne.”

Arma snorted.

“From the Young Lady’s perspective, you really are a fellow with no charm as a man.”

Arma frowned at the Emperor’s laughter-filled voice.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t go anyway.”

Arma’s gaze landed on the Emperor.

At that cold, menacing gaze that seemed to scatter frost, the Emperor laughed contentedly like a sated predator.

Out of his three children, one had turned out quite excellent and just like him—how could he not be satisfied?

“The Young Lady has already named the person she wants to go with.”

“……Who is it?”

“Yuldian.”

Arma’s eyes widened slightly.

“Your brother will be going on the mission instead of you.”

At his words, the young man’s face hardened, and the Emperor’s smile deepened.

* * *

“I like this one. And everything over there as well.”

“Ah, could I have this jewelry too?”

“That one over there, too.”

The boutique famous for being the most expensive in the Empire.

Pluie Boutique.

And the mood of its owner, Pluie, was swinging wildly.

Just thirty minutes ago, her mood had been the absolute worst.

It was because of two nobles who had suddenly shown up without an appointment at a shop that operated on a 100% reservation basis.

However, her mood quickly improved.

Not only were the two visitors the talk of the town, piquing everyone's curiosity……

But they were also placing orders in a truly magnificent manner.

The only daughter of a Duke in this country, Roselyn Bellion, who was talked about in social circles for all the wrong reasons……

And Marquis Geron Wilbrid, the mysterious noble who always wore a smile, whose thoughts were impossible to read, and who struck gold with every business he touched.

The fact that these two, who seemingly had no connection, visited the shop together was gossip Pluie couldn't afford to miss.

Of course, the most surprising thing was that the sickly, timid, and even frail stutterer of a Young Lady was nothing like the rumors.

She, who was rumored to wear only shabby, worn-out dresses, had entered the shop escorted by Marquis Wilbrid, wearing a jet-black gown.

Contrary to the rumors that she couldn't even lift her head in front of anyone, she was the very picture of an arrogant noble raised with everything she could ever need.

Having entered the shop with confidence, Roselyn did not act picky like other nobles.

As soon as she arrived, she simply looked around the interior of the shop leisurely and pointed at things that caught her eye, requesting to purchase them.

Since a single dress was priced as low as several hundred Ollang and as high as several thousand or even hundreds of millions, Pluie’s mood naturally improved.

However, when the number of dresses she intended to buy exceeded ten, Pluie became overwhelmed, and now that it had surpassed twenty, she was starting to feel a bit frightened.

The total for the clothes and accessories, which were mostly the most expensive items, had long since entered the hundreds of millions.

“Ah, this one is quite nice too.”

Whenever Roselyn murmured softly and tilted her head, the staff moved quickly.

The clothes she had already agreed to buy were filling up five racks.

From evening gowns to daily dresses, outing dresses, and even samples of negligees and pajamas—she had chosen from every category, not to mention a handful of shoes and accessories.

“Do you intend to buy all of this?”

When Marquis Geron Wilbrid asked with a smiling face, Pluie, who was tapping away at a calculator in her head, peeked at their reactions.

Then, Roselyn arched an eyebrow, gave a short laugh, and opened her mouth to speak.