The Villainess Hides Her Wealth - Chapter 79.1

Chapter 79.1

“I-I didn’t buy it from Yunette, but I didn’t mean to deceive you. It’s because, of course, the cosmetics are only sold at Yunette!”

“… Did you say Lady Lilika Primrose? Can we know exactly how you got it?”

As it turned out, Lady Fakira was one of the ladies attending Lilika’s social gathering.

Of course, she didn’t have a great friendship with Lady Fakira, so the lady didn’t hide the fact that Lilika had given it to her.

Sinking her teeth into Yunette despite using fake products…

She was trying hard to pin it down as Lilika’s fault, not hers.

But… it was a little strange. I heard that she had recently succeeded in attending a social gathering.

‘Lilika couldn’t even meet my mother. She couldn’t ask Father and Brother Jiksen for a favor either. I thought she wouldn’t be able to get the cosmetics. But she said Lilika gave her Yunette’s limited-edition cosmetics?’

It was strange.

I confirmed that Lilika had not been able to obtain the limited edition. If she got it, it must have been the regular version.

She couldn’t even ask for the limited edition, since I instructed the maid not to let Lilika meet my mother.

‘This is…’

A fake.

I said firmly, “It’s a fake container.”

“What?”

“The craftsman’s container is not this coarse. I am certain it is a fake container. The cosmetics were spoiled while transferring the product’s contents because they did not disinfect the glass container.”

I finally found the cause.

I didn’t do anything wrong. The training of Yunette’s staff or the cosmetics manufacturing process… Besides that, there weren’t any problems with other things I cared about.

It was a problem with a fake product, not a product that passed through my hands.

Only then did I let out a sigh of relief.

As Crown Prince Enoch said… I guess it was right to figure out the problem first rather than blaming myself.

‘It was all because of the person who gave Lady Fakira fake cosmetics.’

At the same time, a lot of information flashed through my mind.

The reports I obtained from the maids and knights said that Lilika, who had been isolated from everyone, went to social gatherings and mingled with Lady Fakira and other people, and couldn’t get the limited edition of cosmetics they asked for…

Ah, there was something that Lilika had recently done that was difficult to understand.

‘She suddenly changed her usual boutique.’

Even if she had a reason to do so, it didn’t make sense.

But, if the reason Lilika gave was all excuses…

What if she realized that the people within the duchy wouldn’t move for her and tried to do something through the boutique?

‘My assumptions aren’t baseless.’

Looking at the calendar, I remembered the day Lilika went to the boutique.

Perhaps… It was all her fault that a problem happened with the cosmetics.

“I need to check what the boutique staff did around that time.”

I whispered to myself and suddenly thought, ‘My identity…’

I was hiding it because I was afraid that the image of a villainess would be detrimental to my business.

‘If Lilika’s reputation falls to the ground…’

If Lilika’s reputation rose when my reputation fell, would the opposite be possible?

Then, one day, I might be able to stand in front of people as Yunette’s representative.

***

After hearing Lady Fakira’s testimony, we immediately started an interrogation based on what the noblewoman had said.

Of course, Lilika denied it.

“I bought this at Yunette!” she said. However…

“When did you buy it, Lady Lilika?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“The container is different. The curves that are unique to the limited edition are weak and less durable. This is hard to imitate unless you’re a craftsman who can use magic.”

“… It doesn’t look that much different to me?”

“Above all, other ladies have testified that you also gave the products to them, not only the affected Lady Fakira.”

“… I mean, how can I remember exactly the day I bought the cosmetics?”

“It’s alright even if it’s not the exact date. You can just roughly pinpoint the day, Lady Lilika.”

“…”

“We can compare it with the sales history. It’ll be easier with the sales of a small number of limited-edition items.”

Despite the staff’s simple words, Lilika shook her head and raised her voice.