Chapter 51

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Reason the Villainess Held a Sword
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‘She doesn’t disappoint.’

Corelia looked at Erin and offered a beautiful smile.

“Erin, it’s been a long time.”

“It has. It really… really has been a long time.”

“…”

“I missed you.”

At Erin’s words, Corelia furrowed her brow. She doubted her own ears.

Erin saying she missed her?

Corelia didn’t believe Erin’s “I missed you.” But at the same time, she found the clearly changed girl intriguing.

She wanted to know what thoughts were brewing in that little head to prompt such an unexpected action.

“You’ve matured quite a bit, haven’t you? Have you finally decided to acknowledge me as your mother?”

Corelia said, stepping closer to Erin.

At her gesture, Charlotte closed the balcony door.

Charlotte stood with her back to Corelia and Erin. Then, guarding the balcony door, she began to watch for anyone approaching.

Once she confirmed that all other gazes were completely blocked, Corelia’s eyes changed.

“Erin… where did you put the dress I gave you? I told you it was naughty to disregard your mother’s thoughtfulness.”

“…”

“I said it would suit you… so why did you come wearing such a strange dress?”

Corelia swept her gaze over Erin with a look of pity. At that, Erin smiled at her.

“Indeed, could any dress be worse than the one you picked?”

“What?”

Erin said, slowly tilting her head to the side. At the sight, Corelia doubted her own ears.

What did Erin just spout at her?

“Are you mad, Erin?”

At Corelia’s question, she fell into thought for a moment.

Mad? Erin didn’t particularly want to refute Corelia’s words. Because she was, indeed, half-mad.

How else could she stand face-to-face with Corelia without being mad?

So, her words weren’t exactly wrong.

“It seems you lacked proper discipline after going to the academy.”

“No. I didn’t lack it.”

“How could that be? If you didn’t lack it, would you be acting like this towards me?”

Corelia stepped even closer to Erin.

Erin suddenly recalled her childhood. How did she act whenever Corelia aggressively approached her?

It was an old memory, many years past, but it resurfaced as vividly as if it had happened yesterday.

“Mother… I’m sorry.”

“I was wrong. Please forgive me just this once. I’m a bad girl.”

Looking at Corelia, who had approached right in front of her with a face unable to contain her anger, Erin whispered softly in her mind.

‘No, Erin. You didn’t do anything wrong. That person is the bad one.’

She asked Corelia.

“When I was a child… why did you do that to me?”

“Why did I do what? What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden?”

“I… never did anything wrong to you.”

Corelia scoffed at Erin’s words.

“Why wouldn’t you have done anything wrong?”

“…”

“Your very existence is a sin.”

Through that answer, Erin realized once again what kind of person Corelia was.

According to Roham’s words, Corelia had come to the Resus Marquisate by the Emperor’s command.

‘Was it to prevent a Sword Master from being created?’

For such a trivial reason… did she have to drag her down to such depths?

If it was merely to prevent a Sword Master from being created, if that was all, there was no need to push her to such mental and physical extremes.

If Corelia had raised Erin as an ordinary lady, she would have lived that way.

She might have found other interesting things and lived happily. Perhaps she might even have called Corelia ‘Mother’ and followed her.

For young Erin, parental affection was desperately longed for.

There were times she thought she would give up everything Corelia disliked, just to receive a small smile or a single warm touch from her.

Yes, there were such times.

But Corelia had hated her for no particular reason.

Erin placed a hand over her chest. Her heart was beating rapidly. But it wasn’t beating out of sadness.

Because she was happier than anyone to have met Corelia.

“A child who doesn’t listen needs to be punished, wouldn’t you agree?”

Corelia said, raising her hand.

It was then. A momentum like a finely sharpened blade enveloped Corelia and Charlotte. It was an incredibly chilling sensation.

Corelia flinched at the killing intent, as if someone had held a knife to her throat. It was the same for Charlotte.

Charlotte, who had been standing with her back turned, turned her gaze to Corelia. Confusion was etched in her eyes.

However, neither of them knew who had unleashed that killing intent.

Charlotte, who was supposed to be guarding the balcony to prevent anyone from approaching, was flustered and failed to do her job. And that was exactly the situation Erin had intended.

“Mother? …Sister?”

Corelia’s hand, which had been heading for Erin’s cheek, stopped. The hand, halted by a hair’s breadth, was trembling.

Corelia’s face twisted horribly. Erin calmly looked at the open balcony door.

Karon was there. He was looking at Corelia and Erin with a shocked expression.

“What in the world… is going on here?”

“Karon… this is…”

“No, no. Step away from my sister immediately.”

“Karon!”

Ignoring Corelia’s words, Karon hurried towards Erin. His complexion was pale.

But unlike his ashen face, his eyes were bloodshot with seething fury.

Karon embraced Erin with both arms as if to protect her. Erin, nestled in his arms, met Corelia’s gaze.

Corelia’s heavily distorted face seemed ridiculous.

‘It was such an easy thing to do.’

Erin smirked at Corelia and Charlotte. It was a smile Karon, who was embracing her, wouldn’t see.

And when he lowered his head, Erin put on a sad face as if she had never smiled.

Erin was returning Corelia’s own actions, mimicking them perfectly.

Corelia’s face, watching the scene, was tinged with shock.

‘If someone hates me for no reason, then I’ll give them one.’

It was Erin’s favorite saying from her modern life.

***

Karon’s head felt like it would explode with complicated thoughts even as he prepared to go to the banquet.

He didn’t know how he was supposed to face both his sister and mother, who would be together at the banquet hall.

And to him, Erin’s words, urging him to definitely come find her at the banquet, made even less sense.

“Karon, you’re a good boy.”

“You’re my pride and joy.”

Karon couldn’t forget the words Corelia always whispered in his ear.

To Corelia, Karon had always been a good son, and he didn’t know how to defy her.

But at this moment, the good son, Karon Resus, no longer existed.

Karon’s face, as he looked at Corelia, was twisted like a demon’s.

“What were you trying to do to my sister?”

At Karon’s words, Corelia was utterly flustered. She had never imagined him looking at her with such furious eyes.

Karon’s rage was vividly conveyed through their locked gazes. However, Corelia was an experienced actress.

Even in this sudden situation, she knew how to respond calmly.

“What in the world are you talking about?”

“Don’t deny it. Weren’t you about to strike my sister’s cheek?”

“Karon, you misunderstood. I was merely going to tidy Erin’s hair, as it was disheveled. Ask Erin yourself.”

Corelia and Karon’s gazes turned to Erin. Erin thought about what her past self would have said in this situation.

She probably would have answered that Corelia was right.

“That’s right, Karon. My hair was disheveled, so Mother was just tidying it for me.”

“And it’s my fault again.”

Because she had thought that if she told Karon the whole truth, Corelia would harm Karon too.

She had no words to say even if someone called her foolish. Indeed, her past self was truly idiotic.

“Karon.”

Erin quietly called his name. In truth, she didn’t like clinging to others.

She was no longer weak enough to rely on someone. But if it was to make her younger brother come to his senses, wouldn’t it be unavoidable?

It would be troublesome if Karon were swayed by Corelia in the events to come.

That’s why Erin decided to become the villainess who would make him face reality, even going so far as to put on this ridiculous show.

“Those words, they’re all lies.”

Erin said, gripping Karon’s sleeve. Her eyes settled into a chilling coolness.

Corelia’s mouth twisted at the abyss-like eyes staring back at her.