The Villainess' Son is Innocent - Chapter 35
Chapter 18.1
After completing the last week of my final school year, I returned to Castone. The first person I met was Tilly.
“He visits the capital every few months. But he never stays for long. Just a few days, then he’s gone again.”
And every single time, Tilly mentioned that Emil would visit the imperial palace.
“As for the duke, he hasn’t said much. If anyone knows something, it’s the butler… but as hired help, we simply do as we’re told.”
Should I ask the butler when I get the chance? Her words made me wonder.
I couldn’t shake my unease. The man I met at the graduation party… his behavior, tone, and manner of speaking were uncannily similar to Emil’s
‘But why would he be in Croscentine…?’
Still troubled over whether that man could be Emil, I parted ways with Tilly and flopped onto my bed, hoping to untangle my messy thoughts. Even though I’d come home every seasonal break, it was impossible to ignore the four years that had passed. My room and bed now felt unfamiliar to me.
Just as my thoughts began spiraling into darker territory, Elena entered my room.
“Are you feeling tired, my lady?”
“…A little. Why?”
“A letter arrived from Marquis Raymon’s estate. It’s from Lord Hildred.”
I took the letter from the silver tray in Elena’s hands. As I broke the seal, a faint scent of cinnamon drifted into the air.
“It’s an invitation for an outing.”
My words caused Elena to look at me curiously.
“My lady, are you interested in Lord Hildred?”
“Interested…?”
“Every seasonal break, you meet with him. I thought perhaps there might be mutual affection between you two.”
Mutual affection? Hardly. I met with Hildred because he was reliable and provided help when I needed it. Of course, as long as the terms were agreeable.
For instance, when I’d asked him to tell the marquis that he had invited me to the Raymon estate, I’d exchanged that favor for information about a future poisoning attempt against him.
Although the attempt would ultimately fail, Hildred would come so close to death that it was enough to leverage a deal. However, I couldn’t explain all that to Elena, so I laughed it off.
“Is that how it seems?”
“Yes. Even the maids have started placing bets on it. I placed my wager on someone else, though.”
I’m not sure who she bet on, but I had a feeling Elena would soon be disappointed. Sorry about that.
I hesitated over how to respond. If I denied it, while we kept meeting frequently, that would only seem suspicious. But if I claimed there were feelings between us, it would spark unnecessary rumors.
In that case, it’d be better to stay vague. That way, it’ll be easier to deny later.
“I’ll write a reply. Could you wait for me?”
“I’ll be on standby, my lady.”
I opened my drawer for the first time in ages, searching for ink. Since Hildred’s letter carried the scent of cinnamon, I chose a red-brown ink with a golden shimmer to match.
Instead of my usual fountain pen, I picked up a quill and dipped it into the ink. When I finished writing my reply, the golden shimmer glinted beautifully under the light.
I sealed the letter with red wax and handed it to Elena.
“I’ll deliver it right away.”
“Thank you. Since it’s cold out, why don’t you stop by your favorite café on the way back?”
I pressed a gold coin into her hand, and Elena’s face lit up with gratitude.
“I’ll be back soon!”
Elena left in the afternoon, efficiently completing her errands and returning before evening. She carried a bag of cookies from the café where I often met Hildred, as well as a small box.
“I bought back cookies for you, my lady. And this…”
“A box?”
Inside was a headband crafted with layers of delicate silver threads, arranged in intricate, irregular patterns. The band was adorned with closely set gemstones.
“Did Hil give this to you?”
“He said it was your graduation gift. He even sent a carriage to ensure I returned home safely.”
I appreciated how considerate he was toward my people. With the weather being so cold, I’d been worried about sending Elena out unnecessarily.
‘It’s beautiful, no doubt.’
But I knew the meaning behind his gift wasn’t romantic.
Hildred was the illegitimate son of a distant family from House Raymon. He’d clawed his way up to becoming the marquis’ successor, and someone like him would use every advantage at his disposal. And I was one of those advantages.
‘Since I’m helping him, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to play the part of an ally for now.’
I always repaid my debts, and this would be no exception. I decided to go along with the rhythm he had set.
On the day I was set to meet Hildred, Elena fluttered about excitedly, as if she were the one going out. As I put on a fur coat, I couldn’t help but giggle.
“Why are you so excited?”
“It fills me with pride every time I get to dress you up, my lady.”
Seeing how much joy she took in picking out my dresses and accessories, I made a mental note to help her secure a position at a boutique someday. If that’s what she wanted.
Aside from my parents, Elena and Isana were the two people who had stayed by my side the longest, across both my lives. Especially Elena, since she’d lived with me throughout my four years at the academy.
Now that I thought about it, was Elena seeing someone? If she wanted to get married, I’d gladly support her.
‘In my past life, I think she had someone she liked…’
My thoughts turned to the Elena of my previous timeline, the one who’d tended to me on the evening before that night.
‘What happened to my family after I died?’
The shocking news of my family’s mysterious demise must have caused an uproar in the capital. I wondered how the imperial family had reacted.
‘But now isn’t the time to think about that.’
Whenever I was alone, such thoughts always found a way to haunt me, drifting in and out of my mind.
“My lady?”
“Hm?”
“Doesn’t that hurt? You split your lip.”
Only then did I realize I’d been biting my lip hard enough to draw blood.
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