The villainess will survive!

Part 78: Accusations at the ball

The ball was interrupted by Albert's voice, and all eyes fell on him. 

"Apologies for the interruption, but I have something I want to announce."

Some were annoyed that their time got interrupted, others were slightly interested and amused by this intervention. 

In the original otome game, Albert and Ivy had already prepared the evidence against Roselyn. 

Ivy was truly a pure flower in the game, she didn't have any thoughts of retaliating against the villainess until her life was aimed at. 

Although the same couldn't be said for the Ivy in this world.

I glanced at Ivy who was sitting calmly on the side, not looking bothered by anything at all. 

Albert and Ivy publicised Roselyn's wrongdoings together on this ball event, which was awfully strange that Ivy wasn't invited as a partner this time. 

Did Albert brand Ivy as too foolish to actually do this sort of official business, which was why he took on the job by himself?

Ivy noticed my staring, and turned her head to slap a mocking smile at me. 

I frowned as I looked away, as if I was going to let her get to me. 

'Ivy, I'm not a weak person to just give in to my fate. I'll fight until I can't anymore, and even when reduced to a person rolling in the mud, I'll still bite back.'

When the original Roselyn was in this ball, she was probably holding her head up high, unknowing of her fate. 

Even when accused, she probably still thought she had a chance due to her position as the Duke's daughter. 

Knowing Roselyn's persistence on unrealistic outcomes, it must have been until she was facing the guillotine in the flesh that she truly finally understood. 

Spoiled from birth and having a mindset of that she held the whole world in her hands, her ending was quite pitiful but reasonable. 

But you could still feel a spoiled aura from the current Ivy, but it was much more tamed. 

Her death definitely caused her personality to change, and imprinted the fact that to get what you want, sacrifices must sometimes be made. 

I also had to keep in mind that she had to live in a baron household, and a countryside one at that. 

I did ask around her childhood, and there was nothing strange or abnormal about it. 

She was a normal child, not too obedient but neither too spoiled and tantrum-throwing. 

I don't think I could regard her as the same spoiled, arrogant, and immature villainess who bullied the heroine due to jealousy. 

Although she may still hold some twisted morals, she has definitely matured and understood more aspects of this world. 

In some way, I was proud of the villainess for finally moving on. 

But the unanswered mystery of where the original heroine was, I have no idea. 

However, Albert's fresh and clear voice slapped me back to the present, so I had to leave my thoughts aside. 

I had truly been a good citizen of society as Roselyn, so even with the Crown Prince's words, situations and reputations can't be overturned this quickly and efficiently. 

So was he going to fabricate some evidence? 

That would actually be quite interesting to see, except the fact that this was going to be against me ruined the original intrigue. 

"Ladies and gentlemen. Today, I would like to reveal the very mastermind behind the distribution of the vials of poison." 

Some people were confused, 'which poison' ?

But everybody here had at least heard of the famous trial against the Temple, and the rather intellectual ones figured it out after thinking a bit. 

As soon as Albert took out a vial of purple liquid himself, everybody now understood. 

Most of the people, after the impression of the trial, were slightly worried about the spread of the poison. 

It wouldn't kill a person, but anybody with a brain would be aware the danger of this vial. 

A single normal cut, if not treated well, could lead to long term bleeding and infection, even with treatment. 

How else could so much casualties happen at the hospital, otherwise?

And the Temple had recently been denounced, if the poison kept on being ingested by innocent, then the country would definitely shake. 

So with these thoughts in their hearts and Albert's words, they decided to listen carefully. 

If they could find the main person behind this illegal business, then that would probably throw the whole trade in disorder. 

And the majority of the people here were important figures in this country, powerful and wealthy. 

So the likeliness that the person leading this commerce increased by tenfold. 

Wait...would Albert be pinning the blame on me? 

But I was a victim of the poison too, the Magic Tower had proof!

Even if Albert was the Crown Prince, the noble faction wouldn't dare to mess with the Magic Tower. 

They didn't get along, but they didn't fight either. 

Both factions just minded their own business, not bothering to mess with one another. 

And the Magic Tower wouldn't side with the nobles, even with the Royal Family if it were something so simple as confirming my diagnosis. 

So no, falsely putting charges wouldn't work at all. 

Unless....

"Hey, do you think it's Duke Villinie? Why else would His Highness the Crown Prince take in a lover so boldly? Or is that the reason the Duke started it? I'm sure he favours his daughter a lot, unable to watch her suffer..."

I didn't whip my head towards the gossiping voice near me, but a drop of cold sweat rolled from my forehead. 

But after hearing that theory, horror invaded my heart and my thoughts started to blur. 

Let's see, the only reason Roselyn could be so arrogant was because of her father's influence, right?

But since I'm Roselyn, although different, the key rule of where all her power came from never changed. 

If Albert wanted to strike me down, he would have to go against the Villinie Dukedom. 

But since I hadn't done anything bad, the Villinie Dukedom could afford to protect me against charges, unlike the original Roselyn who dug her own grave enthusiastically. 

I had grown up knowing my father, obviously I would be able to predict what he was going to do and not going to do. 

He was a big defender of justice, he would never harm innocents like this. 

But the wealth and power were already displayed out in the open for everybody to see, and there was a concrete reason for my father to do these things. 

Instead of putting the blame on me, was Albert going to falsely condemn my father instead?!