The Villainess' Son is Innocent - Chapter 19
Chapter 10.1
“M-Miss Lancaster…”
After that, things took a turn for the worse. Valencia found me standing in the corridor and approached.
“Lady Velsia…”
I thought she was alone, but Hildred wasn’t far behind her.
“What happened to Emil Calixt?”
Examining my urgent expression, he quickly surmised what had happened.
“I’m assuming Duke Calixt took him?”
“…”
“Did something happen in the process of the duke taking him away?”
“You– I don’t want to talk to you right now.”
“Well, if that is what you wish. But you still need to greet the emperor, and standing here like this will only result in His Majesty reprimanding you for a mishap he did not witness.”
That’s true. After the banquet, I had to go and pay my respects to the Emperor and Princess Elsie. Maybe I’ll see Emil then.
“I-it’ll be okay. And…”
Valencia mumbled and tried to console me.
“Lord Calixt isn’t exactly a weak person either…”
I’m not sure. The Emil Calixt I know is a resilient boy who can endure humiliation, even with deep wounds. But today, he seemed vulnerable…
Thanks to Valencia and Hildred, I regained my composure and returned to the playroom. As I entered, I saw Rastain cooling his bruises with ice. When he noticed me, he muttered,
“One might think he’s a treasure trove with the way you’re treating him.”
Says you…! Yet, I still saw the image of Emil getting slapped, and I couldn’t back my anger.
“At least in my eyes, Emil is a better person than you, Lord Rastain.”
When Rastain Lucretius proposed to me shortly after my debut, he seemed like a decent match.
I actually accepted his proposal, and as my fiancé, Rastain treated me very well. When I was mulling over inheriting the family name, he swallowed his pride and even offered to step down, and thanks to that, we pushed forward with the wedding.
Aside from my lack of romantic feelings, living together seemed reasonable at the time. However, the circumstances have changed.
“So don’t act petty.”
“…What did you say?”
“I don’t want you to disappoint me even further, Lord Rastain.”
I have to protect my family, and Rastain could be a big distraction.
Right now, Emil was more important. Moreover, if he continued to fight with Rastain, I didn’t know if Emil’s dormant madness could be triggered.
“I hope we won’t run into each other again today.”
I turned away resolutely, and Rastain fell into silence.
* * *
Even as the celebration neared its end, Emil did not return.
‘Has he left already?’
However, given the nature of such events, with the imperial family and other important figures gathered, it seemed unlikely that Emil had left. Yet, there was no sign of Emil, not even a glimpse of the duke’s silver hair.
‘Did he really leave?’
The children of the nobles have yet to clumsily present themselves in front of the princess, who couldn’t even babble yet.
I discreetly glanced around, even though I was at the front with Rastain and Hildred. With my head slightly bowed, my furtive glances went unnoticed.
How much time had passed? The emperor’s long congratulatory speech had finally concluded.
“It is done. You may now lift your heads.”
Under the chandelier’s light, the emperor’s black hair appeared very dark.
“The caprice of fate brought me to this position, and I’ve endured many hardships.”
Seated lazily on the imperial throne was the emperor, who had appeared as the crown prince in the story I read before.
He was the one who regarded his younger sister, Princess Roveline, as a thorn in his side. He fiercely insisted that she should be dragged down from her position and executed as soon as her crimes were exposed.
“But seeing for myself the talents that my close aides often mention brings me great joy and satisfaction.”
Next to the emperor was a small cradle. The baby inside was sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the surrounding noise.
“My daughter will honorably lead the nation with your help.”
Although the emperor’s words were tedious and lengthy, he finished with a decree that we children, the key figures of the future political arena, were to take good care of the princess.
After the formalities, my mom made a beeline for me straight away.
“I heard what happened earlier.”
Dad was still mingling with another group.
“Mommy, is Duke Calixt…”
I asked, hoping he might still be in the banquet hall, but Mom shook her head.
The ominous feeling hit the mark. Even after the banquet ended, I didn’t see Emil for a long time.
* * *
It was a week after the princess’ birthday party that I heard news of Emil.
‘He’s being put on restriction? Just for getting into a fight with another kid his age?’
While it’s true that Rastain is a high-ranking noble, Emil is also of the same—or rather, he had a higher status, with imperial blood running through his veins.
But restrictions? With the situation unfolding like this, it was impossible not to feel strange.
‘Why would the duke go to such lengths to mistreat Emil?’
Was it because he was the son of a villainess? But if that were the case, the duke wouldn’t have sent Emil to our house in the first place.
‘If that were true, he would have ignored my request and said there was no need to be nice to the son of a criminal.’
If he intended to create a good impression on the outside world by sending Emil, why bother? Our family, and the unusual kindness we showed to Emil, were already attracting attention.
The duke’s reaction to this incident seemed more like expressing irritation at causing an “accident” he hadn’t anticipated.
‘It’s as if he’s trying to control Emil…’
Nervously chewing on my nails, they tore, and blood oozed out, but my anxiousness outweighed the pain. The taste of bitter blood lingered on my tongue.
But that wasn’t the only problem.
“He’s not planning on restricting him for a few days, no, he’s going to take him to another domain and detain him there.”
When Dad returned home, he let out a deep sigh.
‘No, this can’t be.’
The uncertainty of when Emil would return to the capital left me feeling distant.
“Shall I speak to the duke?”
Mom stepped forward with a stern expression, but Dad shook his head.
“I doubt that would change his mind. For now, they say he’s still in the capital.”
It was a small relief amid the unfortunate circumstances. Secretly listening in on their conversation, I stepped back from the crack in the door.
‘Is there any way to sneak into the duke’s residence?’
The entire climb up to my room, I felt intense stress, causing me to feel nauseous. Eventually, unable to bear my churning stomach, I reluctantly summoned Elena.
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