The Villainous Family is Against Independence

hasn’t even been published yet, but you’ve heard the news,”

The Duchess replied with a grin. 

 

It wasn’t exactly a reproachful tone, but somehow the atmosphere seemed overwhelming.

 

I chewed my salad and pretended not to listen to the story.

 

I was the one who invented the antidote.

 

It was just like Jansi Perdia, who is also a well-rounded information collector, to have already come across information that has not been published.

 

‘Anyway, I’m number one for being gloomy.’

 

The conversation continued.

 

“You can make the poison well, but it took a long time to develop the antidote, so I was wondering what happened this time.”

 

“I was lucky.”

 

“Luck?”

 

“Yeah, I found a good pharmacist,” The Duchess replied easily. 

 

Those words made me extremely nervous.
I wondered if the Duchess would look at me.

 

But her eyes were on Jansi.

 

‘Phew.’

 

For some reason, my mouth felt dry, so I quietly drank water.

 

Jansi looked at the Duchess seriously, asking, “Pharmacist? Is he reliable?”

 

“Well….”

 

“If something bothers you, Mother, I’ll do a background check.”

 

Cough, Cough….!

 

‘No background check!’

 

For a moment, when I choked and coughed, all the eyes of my family turned to me.

 

I glanced down at the food as if nothing had happened.
Fortunately, they quickly turned their attention away from me.

 

‘Janis’s background check won’t reveal anything because the Duchess is the only one who knows I made the antidote.’

 

All I could do was to believe in the promise I made with the Duchess.

 

I looked at the Duchess with some uneasiness, and when I met her eyes, I saw that the corners of her lips were slightly raised.

 

“Don’t talk nonsense.” She concentrated on her meal again, leaving a short warning to Jansi.

 

Fortunately, my secret seemed to be kept well.

’

 

Relieved, I started eating again.
The cooking skills of the chef of the main house were excellent.

 

“Lili.
You don’t have to force yourself to eat if you don’t have an appetite.”

 

“Huh?” I took a look at my empty plate and looked at Jansi again.

 

He was sitting quite far away, so he looked kind of embarrassed as he noticed how much I had eaten.

 

“You…ate it all.”

 

I smiled at Jansi, who smiled awkwardly.
“Yes, it’s delicious right?”

 

Not long ago, I went back to the annex after barely eating, unable to stomach chewing food in an uncomfortable dinner atmosphere, but there was no reason for that anymore.

 

After all, there is no such thing as family love.

 

No matter how hard I try, we can’t become a family….

 

‘I’m just going to live comfortably.’

 

Food is innocent.

 

After finishing the last dessert neatly, I put down the tableware and got up from my seat.

 

“Then, I’ll go back.”

 

The atmosphere was a mess, but the meal was really delicious!

 

***

 

What….

 

Carlot froze, his knife in his hand.
His gaze remained at the entrance to the dining room where Elodie had left.

 

“….
Hey, are you crazy..?”

 

No one responded to Carlot’s astonished murmur.

 

At family dinners, Elodie was always there until the end.
She left the dining room after saying she had eaten it all, but why doesn’t anyone point that out?

 

“Father, isn’t she acting a bit strange?”

 

He asked Duke Perdia as if to warn him, but instead of answering, the Duke just quietly drank wine.

 

It seems that Carlot was the only one confused.

 

‘All are crazy – why is everyone not doing anything?’

 

Contrary to what Carlot had thought, the other three also secretly stared at the door of the dining hall where Elodie had disappeared.

 

***

 

Even though I was sentenced to probation, I was required to attend official family events.

 

One of them was the emperor’s Birthday Banquet today.

 

My undesired fiancé and I were now on the way to the Imperial City in a carriage.

 

“Do you have something to say?”

 

When I asked Adenmir, who was staring at me, he furrowed his brow and immediately denied it.

 

“No way.”

 

For such a vehement denial, he almost pierced my face because he looked at me the whole time we were moving.

 

After thinking about it for a long time, I came to a conclusion. 

 

‘Do you want to receive an apology for what happened?’

’

 

The carriage stopped as I chewed on that thought.

 

First of all, I had to enter the banquet hall, so I was escorted by Adenmir and moved to the venue.

 

As soon as he entered the hall, the first prince was surrounded by his aides.

 

“We will talk for a while.”

 

“Yes, see you later.” I sent the first prince off.

 

It seemed that he had something to share with the nobles of his faction.

 

Even if I attend a party as the partner of the first prince, we never spend time together, and if I danced with him, it was just because it was a formal engagement anyway.

 

Anyway, I had one thing to do at today’s party, so it was better to be alone.

 

Eventually I moved from my spot.
The place I chose was in front of the West Pillar.

 

An inconspicuous position.

 

The reason for standing there was clear.

 

“Nice to meet you, Princess.”

 

Just to give this man a chance to approach me.

 

The second prince Beltran Locke Wallent was in front of me.

 

“I see your Highness the Second Prince.” I gave him a light greeting.

 

The second prince approached me.
What that fact meant was clear.

 

The Tector Arnold, Aide of Duke Perdia, was in communication with the second prince, long before the contents of the book began.
I had trapped a traitor. 

 

***

 

“If you do, I’ll take care of it as Your Highness instructed, but there is one more problem… Your Majesty?”

 

“………..”

 

The aide swallowed, looking nervously at the clearly distracted Adenmir.
“Your Highness….?”

 

“Wait a minute–”

 

Adenmir was witnessing a scene.

 

It was a scene where his fiancée, Elodie, had a conversation with Beltran, the human he hated the most.

 

He was dumbfounded.

 

‘Are you laughing?’

 

Elodie even smiled lightly as she greeted Beltran.

 

At that moment, the image of Elodie, who was blushing and talking shyly, flashed through his mind.

 

“Actually, I have a crush on someone.”

 

“……What?”

 

“It’s so embarrassing to say.” 

 

Adenmir was exasperated and worked to control his expression.

 

Ha.

 

“Is that the guy?”

 

‘The guy you fell in love with?’