The Villainess Who Accidentally Stole Their Hearts - Chapter 27

Chapter 14.1

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About ten minutes later, I was sipping my coffee alone.

During that time—

“Hah, so Belinda is also Ulysses’s girlfriend?”

“Lady, too…?”

“I was in a relationship with Ulysses for four years…”

The cycle of rechecking, which I had lost count of how many times it had repeated, continued. Watching them like that, I couldn’t help but ask:

“Why did you all keep it a secret?”

“Well—”

All three of them avoided my gaze at the same time.

“Because the lady would throw a fit.”

“Because the lady is so possessive of her friends, she’d get jealous.”

“Because the lady wouldn’t leave me alone…”

“….”

This… Ulysses, this insane bastard. He dragged me into this and used me as an excuse for the affairs?!

“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know, and I ended up blaming the lady.”

“I actually charged extra for the lady’s dress…”

“I said some awful things. I’m sorry.”

All three women lowered their heads to me at the same time. They looked so apologetic, it seemed like they were about to bow all the way to the floor.

I shook my head, my dizziness only worsening as I touched my forehead.

“Forget it. It’s all that crazy jerk’s fault.”

“He’s out of his mind! He wears the clothes I made for him and then goes around flirting with other women!”

“He told me it was his parents’ anniversary, so I organized a private party for him, and he used that to pick up another woman!”

“Ha… He said he was going on a family trip, so I rented him a vacation house, and he was there with another woman…”

A heavy silence fell.

It turned out that the gifts Ulysses had given us were actually things he had gotten from his other girlfriends. Everyone collapsed, stunned by the harsh truth.

I wasn’t going to sit by and watch these innocent victims fall apart helplessly.

“So, are you just going to let that trash off the hook?”

At my question, the three women perked up as if they had just been revived.

“We’re going to destroy him!”

“We’ve got to take him down!”

“Let’s wreck him!”

Good.

And so began the unfaithful wrecking expedition.

That was the moment the ‘Refund Brigade¹’ was formed.

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Ulysses had noticed that his girlfriends had been acting strangely toward him lately.

Selena, in particular, had become very cold. On top of that, she started talking about other couples, something she had never done before.

“Apparently, the young lord left first because she was five minutes late. He couldn’t even wait that long.”

“If it were me, I’d have waited not just five minutes, but five hours.”

“Really?”

“Selena, waiting for you is a joy for me.”

“Even if it’s raining or snowing?”

“Even if there’s thunder, lightning, or an earthquake.”

At those words, Selena finally smiled for the first time in a while. It seemed like her mood had lifted, and she even suggested going on a date.

“How about we go to Nondera Forest tomorrow? I want to get some fresh air.”

Nondera Forest was a quiet, remote spot just outside the capital. There were so few people around that it was sometimes used as a date spot, so Ulysses nodded.

“Sounds good. I’ll see you there tomorrow, my love.”

But then…

‘Why isn’t he here yet? It’s already thirty minutes past the time we were supposed to meet.’

It wasn’t like Selena, who was usually so punctual, to be late for an appointment.

Ulysses decided to wait.

One hour.

Two hours.

Out of nowhere, yesterday’s conversation crossed his mind.

‘Wait… could this be a test?’

And by the third hour…

Ruuumble, booom!

Thunder and lightning roared.

Whoooooosh—

The rain came down in sheets, battering his body like a downpour.

‘Damn it, there’s no shelter from this rain.’

It was such a remote spot that there was nothing in sight. It would’ve been better if he’d come by carriage, but instead, he’d brought a horse. He always did this when coming to Nondera Forest. It was better for the mood when he’d ride with his girlfriend, taking a leisurely trip through the woods.

‘…Should I go back?’

The chill of the rain froze his body, and the thought came to him instinctively.

But…

‘The deal with Marquis Bethril is coming up soon.’

Before that, he had to calm Selena down.

Four hours.

Five hours.

Ulysses’s lips were so pale they almost looked purple. Eventually, he hardened his expression and took a step forward.

However…

“Where’s my horse?!”

The horse he had been riding was gone.

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After hours of walking in the rain and trudging a long way, Ulysses finally managed to catch a cart, but he ended up catching a terrible cold.

“Oh no, what should I do?”

The kind April heard the news and rushed over right away.

He had thought she’d been keeping a bit of distance lately, but seeing Ulysses sick like this, she burst into tears.

“Ulysses, seeing you in this condition feels like my heart is breaking.”

“Don’t cry, my love. I already feel so much better, thanks to you.”

“You’re going to the social gathering the day after tomorrow, right? It would be nice if I could be there to help you…”

“You know how Nike is. If you act like that, she’ll…”

“Yes, the lady will grab my hair.”

April cast her eyes down with a sad expression.

“But… sometimes, it makes me so sad that I can’t tell anyone you’re mine…”

“So that’s why you’ve been so down lately?”

“…Even if you don’t say it outright, I wish you’d show people that you’re mine.”

“How?”

“There’s going to be a statue displayed at the gathering the day after tomorrow. I hope you’ll think of it as me and treat it with love.”

It was a very simple request.

Ulysses nodded.

Then, the day after tomorrow, at the gathering…

“Ah, such a beautiful statue! Just looking at it moves your heart. I’ve never seen a piece of art with more artistic value than this.”

Nikaearsha, who was standing next to him, said with an incredulous look.

“Ulysses.”

“….?”

“That’s a counterfeit.”

“….”

A brief silence.

And then…

“Pfft!”

“Heehee.”

Stifled laughter.

Nikaearsha gave Ulysses a light tap on the back.

“You were so full of yourself, acting like you had great taste… but now it seems like it’s fake? That’s really embarrassing.”

“….”

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A few days later,

Belinda’s Boutique.

“So, what do you think, darling? This is my crowning achievement!”

Ulysses couldn’t hide his shock as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Belinda smiled brightly, eagerly awaiting his reaction.

“Huh? Well? What do you think? You love it, right? I really am a genius designer!”

“…It’s, it’s great. I guess I’m just behind on the latest trends.”

“Hoho, when it comes to trends, Belinda is the trend! I spent a whole month working through the nights just thinking of you. Make sure to wear it proudly today.”

“…The seams are all coming undone here.”

“That’s art! I did that on purpose! You’re not suggesting it’s just ‘some piece of junk whipped up in a day,’ are you, darling?”

“…Of course not, my love.”

“Then, you’ll wear it with pride, won’t you?”

“….”

Eventually, he gave a nod.

There was hope.

The clothes Belinda made for him always received positive reactions, so maybe it was just that he wasn’t up to speed with the latest trends.

That was how he arrived at the party.

As soon as Nikaearsha saw Ulysses, she immediately spoke up.

“Ulysses, do you want me to lend you some money?”

“…What’s this about all of a sudden?”

“Why are you wearing that ragged thing? There are countless ways to beg.”

“….”

Ulysses stood frozen, completely caught off guard by the unexpected remark.

“Pfft!”

“Kuh-huk!”

Amid the stifled laughter, someone whispered.

“Last time, he said a fake piece was beautiful. His taste is really…”

“It’s disappointing…”

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A private room in a coffeehouse in the capital.

The Refund Brigade had gathered.

“Hah! That was so satisfying!”

“Seriously! It was like drinking sparkling water!”

“Oh, when the lady said ‘There are countless ways to beg,’ Ulysses’s face was priceless!”

Lady Bethril grabbed my hand, her face glowing with excitement.

“The lady’s infamous reputation isn’t for nothing. The way you looked at Ulysses like he was a worthless bug, it was incredible…!”

When she met my gaze, she quickly shut her mouth and turned away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

¹ [ The author used the word ‘환불,’ which primarily means ‘refund,’ but in certain contexts, it can also refer to ‘taking back’ or ‘undoing’ something. In the name ‘환불원정대’ (Refund Expedition/Crew), it plays on the idea of getting back what’s owed in a fun, exaggerated way. ] ↩/span>