The villainess will survive!

Part 76: Adriana's secret revealed

Probably out of respect or self-conservation in case what they asked was a stupid question, or even fear of offending the Royal Family itself, Adriana's identity and last name was never questioned publicly. 

It seemed that Albert was somewhat close to Adriana, which was proved in the library. 

It would have been much better if Adriana was a real blood relative to Albert, in my opinion. 

The fact that they're still close to each other as cousins but aren't really blood-related leaves a sour taste in my mouth. 

I waved good-bye to Albert as he slipped away from the ball, to whatever he had to do.

This wasn't exactly jealousy, but rather distaste at the fact that someone like him was supposed to only get along with the heroine and not have eyes for other women. 

Albert in the otome game didn't have any 'true' friends, or someone he got along well with because he had a hard time understanding the important meaning behind such 'unnecessary' things. 

Until he met Ivy, that is. 

But the change of personality in my role as the villainess changed drastically, which most likely caused his interest in Ivy to lessen. 

Without an antagonist, it is impossible for the protagonist to shine. 

But there indeed was a period where Albert was interested in Ivy, which I would never forget.

The stress and pressure I felt at the time was an unforgettable feeling.

It was now much harder for anybody to announce something I was guilty of that was deserving of the guillotine, so I was much more at ease knowing this. 

Before, when I thought Albert would ditch me for Ivy, it still made me unhappy. 

Although we don't have any feelings for each other, the fact that we're both engaged to each other still remains. 

To disobey something our parents set up for us made me frown. 

If it were Ivy, then that would be understandable but not an enjoyable situation. 

If it were Adriana, then that would simply be horrendous. 

Perhaps back then, I considered Albert someone who would abandon a legal contract for 'true love', somewhat heroic but at the same time detestable. 

That's why I had much suspicions when it came to Albert getting along with Adriana. 

But it seemed that it was only a casual conversation in the library, they must have known each other for a long time as family.

In some way, I was very relieved to know that Adriana was only Albert's cousin, nothing else. 

Personally or objectively, I don't know.

I could only hope it was the latter, because that would sound much better to me and my pride.

                                                                          ***

"Your Majesty, Your Grace, personally I think that we should get along well. There's no need to act like this." 

My father and the King were caught up in a very imposing staring contest. 

My father wasn't backing down on arguing with the King, but the King wasn't letting my father get his way either. 

Count Castria was trying discussing and trying to calm them both down to reach an agreement, but he was pitifully ignored. 

Count Castria never had a close connection to the King nor the Duke, yet why was he trying to be the mediator? 

Well, the answer lies in what exactly was holding the top 2 most powerful men in this country in an eye-lock. 

The problem was already predicted by me a while ago, but it took a while for it to actually manifest. 

My father doted on me as his only daughter, this much was known to everybody. 

Now, if that daughter's fiance allegedly had a lover somewhere of lower status and talent, would you not be angry and be stomping down at the fiance's household's door?

Alas, that was exactly what my father currently was doing. 

One of the bigger reasons nobody dared to oppose me was the well-known truth about my doting father. 

If anything happened to me, there was certainly going to be retaliation from the Villinie Dukedom. 

None of the nobles could afford to offend us in any way, since none of the nobles even came close to our power and influence. 

Even the Royal family had a hard time holding a candle to us, so we settled on a harmonic agreement instead of opposing each other. 

If the Villinie Dukedom really went against the Royals, then this country wouldn't have been as peaceful as it is at-present. 

But the country couldn't afford to have this happening, so I was getting quite worried about my Father challenging the King like this. 

Even if you were able to stand eye-to-eye in terms of power with the King, you still shouldn't offend the monarch. 

I wanted to pull my father out of there, but the aura was too oppressing to join. 

Count Castria had obviously taken this chance and used it to his advantage. 

He was currently trying to make peace with the bigwigs of society, but they were barely paying attention to him. 

Count Castria was really too much of a simple-minded person who truly didn't understand the higher-up nobles. 

His ideal solution was to settle things between the Duke and King while acting as a good-hearted person who doesn't like conflict, but to think your position as the father of the lover would cause more good than harm was too ideal and unrealistic. 

He was very much involved in this mess, but he was only digging his own grave to what he considered conciliating. 

It would be too easy for my father to crush the Count like an ant under your feet, which is why the Villinie Dukedom has not pettily raised a hand against the Count. 

"Duke, be reassured that my son has it under control. You should know how good at managing situations he is."

"That was for other situations, Your Majesty. It doesn't seem like the situation is getting solved very well, do you plan to dismiss the Villinie Dukedom just like this?"

Even using the Villinie Dukedom's name like this for me, I appreciated it but wanted to yell at him to stop this madness. 

No matter what, the Villinie Dukedom should never fight with the Royal family!

If that happened, then the country would truly plunge into hell!