The Villainess Has No Regrets in this Life - Chapter 5

I looked back and forth between Father and Leila after hearing Father’s words.

Father, seemingly displeased with this behavior, slammed the table once more with a bang! and looked at me.

“It’s because of you, isn’t it, Rowenloa!”

Coming to my senses at his shout, I realized everyone in the dining room was staring at me.

Not just my brothers, but Leila as well.

To think they would blame this on me.

I never thought the invitation from the Duchess would bear fruit so quickly.

I shrugged my shoulders once towards them and then opened my mouth.

“How is this my fault?”

“If you hadn’t invited the people from the Duke’s family, this wouldn’t have happened.”

My second brother, Rembro, opened his mouth with an incredulous expression in response to my question.

My third brother, Rubert, who was standing beside him, nodded his head as if agreeing with him, which was rare.

I mean, I did invite the Duke’s people with that intention, but how is this my fault?

Who was it that brought Leila, who isn’t even a member of the Marquis family, to that dinner in the first place?

“There was no need to invite her when Leila had just entered the Marquis’ residence and was likely to be confused.”

I snorted at their words.

Their faces crumpled at that.

“No. If we’re going to blame someone, it’s Father’s fault for bringing Leila to that dinner.”

The people of the Masipacius family laughed dryly as if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

It was a clear sign of anger.

But I didn’t back down.

“It’s because of Father, who brought a child who doesn’t even know proper noble etiquette in front of the ducal family, who are also important business partners, and Leila, who thoughtlessly followed along, and my brothers who tacitly agreed.”

They rolled their eyes as if flustered by my words, and then began to avoid my gaze.

“Duke Posilia isn’t disappointed in me. He’s disappointed in Marquis Masipacius, Father, for bringing a child who doesn’t know basic etiquette to an important occasion. He probably deliberately closed one business deal as an expression of his displeasure towards Father. So how is this my fault?”

Father’s face turned red as if he was about to shout at me right away, but he couldn’t say anything and just gritted his teeth.

At that moment when they were looking at me with disapproval, I took out the invitation I had received from the Duchess.

The Duchess had told me to keep it a secret, but it shouldn’t be a big problem if it just looks like I kept it secret.

“The Duchess of Posilia sent me an invitation.”

“…What do you mean?”

Father, upon hearing my words, focused his gaze on the invitation in my hand, as if he had thrown away all his anger from earlier.

“Actually, I was told not to tell anyone in the family, but since the Duke seems to be so disappointed that he withdrew one business deal… I thought I should tell you.”

With that, Father approached me and snatched the invitation from my hand irritably.

After confirming that its contents were real, he looked me up and down once, then handed the invitation back to me.

“…The Duchess of Posilia’s party is famous among young noble ladies who have debuted in society, but you were invited?”

“Yes. You know the Duchess has always been fond of me. But there was a condition.”

“…A condition?”

“The Duchess set the condition that I attend this party alone.”

I finished speaking and then glanced at Leila standing next to me.

The Duke’s gaze also turned towards Leila.

“…What does that mean?”

“As I said earlier, the Duchess wanted me to keep this a secret from my family and attend. If my family found out and came along, she said she wouldn’t let them into the ducal residence.”

Of course, the Duchess never said such a thing, but given her personality, if I were to attend the party with Leila, she would probably kick us out.

The Marquis sighed upon hearing this.

I scanned the dining room once again.

The piercing gazes that had been directed at me had now changed to bewildered looks.

Only my eldest brother, Bershua, was looking at me with indecipherable eyes, but I didn’t have time to accurately grasp the meaning of his gaze right now.

Well, I can roughly guess what he’s thinking.

Based on his actions so far, he seemed to think that I was threatening his position.

“I’d like to ask Father to prepare a dress for this party in a few months. If you prepare a beautiful dress, I might be able to bring up Father’s name to the Duchess somehow.”

It meant I would create an excuse to bring up his name.

Father nodded after seeming to consider something at my words, and I excused myself saying I needed to study, then left the dining room after greeting everyone.

Then, after dismissing all the maids in the hallway, I listened to the conversation inside the dining room.

“…To think that Rowenloa, who hasn’t even debuted in society yet, received an invitation to that party.”

“Um… Marquis, what kind of party exactly is the one Miss Rowenloa was invited to…?”

“Leila, I told you it’s okay to call Rowenloa ‘Sister’. …The Duchess of Posilia always invites outstanding young noble ladies to the ducal residence to make them her subordinates. The fact that Rowenloa was invited to that party means that the Duchess thinks very highly of her.”

“…So it was because of my mistake that the Duchess viewed me unfavorably… It seems I’m only causing trouble for our family…”

At Leila’s tearful words, the Masipacius family members began to sweat profusely and started comforting her.

Next, I heard Bershua’s voice.

“It’s not your fault. It’s just that Rowenloa is too greedy.”

“…Miss Rowenloa is greedy?”

“She’s naturally smart and seems to be learning martial arts these days too… She just happened to catch the Duchess’s eye with what she was born with. It’s not something she achieved through effort.”

Starting with Bershua’s words, they began badmouthing me under the guise of comforting Leila.

All the mistakes I had made when I was very young became something they could use to attack me.

As if all the good things I had done were forgotten.

As if my efforts to receive their affection had never existed.

I headed to the study, leaving behind their aggressive words directed at me.

Then I immersed myself in books for a long time, only heading to my room when it was almost time to sleep.

* * *

And the next morning, when I woke up, I heard noisy sounds coming from the garden.

Looking down through the window, I saw Leila and my brothers laughing and chattering with some light snacks in the garden.

The Masipacius family members who were unusually favorable towards Leila,

And many people I would meet in the future who would reject me, were obsessed with her.

I wonder what the reason is.

I watched them chattering happily for a long time, then called Mylene to prepare my outdoor clothes.

And at that moment, sentences floating in the air appeared before my eyes again.

[Certainly, if you act like that, the brothers can’t help but fall for her. Leila herself is warm.]

[It’s true that when someone comforts you like that in difficult times, you can’t help but like them.]

[Huh, even though Leila seems cute and kind… don’t the Marquis family seem to be pushing Rowenloa too hard?]

[It is annoying when someone born into a good family takes everything with their innate talents. Her environment is so different from Leila’s. And she’s not even humble. Isn’t humility the virtue of a protagonist?]

[By the way, who is that man? The appearance of a new man?]​

[Meanwhile, how did Rowenloa know that fairies live there and that she could make deals with fairies?]​

…I’m so busy, what’s this noise about now.

Does it mean a new person is appearing?
​
If I read the last line… it seems that if I go where I’m planning to go now, I might encounter the being I want.

With that, I heard Mylene’s call saying the carriage was ready, and I hurriedly made my way out of the castle.
​

* * *

My name is Leila.

My last name… I don’t know.

The director always called me ‘Abandoned Leila’.
​
But I don’t even know how I was abandoned by my parents.

I’ve just lived thinking that I shouldn’t exist in this world, always hearing from the orphanage director, “You were abandoned because your very existence is a hindrance.”

But one day, a blessing came to me.

People who liked me appeared, people who took care of me appeared.

And so, I’m fortunately living a life in the Masipacius family that could be called luxurious compared to before.

When I first met Marquis Masipacius, I felt something special.

It felt like something a bit special might happen in my life by meeting the Marquis.

Following him like that, all the people in the Marquis family treat me warmly.

…Except for one person.

A fine young lady from a noble family who probably doesn’t know what hardship is.

Someone I couldn’t even look at properly when I was in the orphanage is now wary of me.

For some reason, that fact made me feel bad, but also good.
​
Was I valuable enough for that person to be wary of me?

If she’s lived her whole life wearing nice clothes and eating good food, couldn’t she at least give up the family’s love to me…

I don’t know why.

From the moment our eyes met, I disliked her.

Rowenloa Masipacius.

I want to break you and take your place.

And… I wonder if God has heard my earnest wish?