“Are you referring to the malicious rumors?”

It was a calm question that matched the quiet dining atmosphere.

Clea didn’t seem particularly concerned.

This was because there had already been more than a few unfavorable rumors circulating about her.

She thought this would undoubtedly be another rumor not worth listening to.

In contrast, the expressions of the others completely hardened.

They glared at the aide, seemingly very displeased with the current situation.

The aide cleared his throat and then explained about the rumor.

“There’s a false rumor spreading that Clea Odoi is a, a murderer.”

“Ha, a murderer? Now that’s ridiculous.”

“I agree. This skinny child, a murderer? Even a passing dog would laugh at that.”

“Anyone who could fall victim to Clea must be quite something.”

“Admund, how can you say that when you’re constantly getting bitten by me?”

The more they spoke, it seemed less like they were defending her and more like they were teasing her.

Clea furrowed her brow, but they were already laughing.

A murderer? It was an expression that came from thinking it was an absurd story.

However, the aide’s expression was still not good.

“So who is this supposed victim?”

“Well, that…”

“Aide, speak without hesitation. I don’t have the patience to wait.”

The person urging the aide was neither Odin nor Admund, but Elaina.

She was very curious about who was the subject of the rumor.

As someone who had suffered several times due to rumors in her youth, she didn’t want Clea to walk the same path as herself.

So she wanted to quickly hear from the aide who this other party was.

With these kinds of rumors, it’s usually best to first suspect the one known as the victim.

A moment later, the name of that person flowed from the aide’s lips.

“It’s the Duke’s daughter of House Hersher.”

“…Who?”

“I mean the Duke’s daughter from the Hersher ducal family.”

Those who heard the aide’s words were all dumbfounded.

“Is she dead?”

“No, that’s not the case.”

“Then calling me a murderer seems quite mistaken, doesn’t it?”

“Well, since it’s a rumor…”

“If false rumors are spreading, shouldn’t correcting them be the first priority?”

Clea was right.

If false rumors were spreading, the first move should be to find the source of those rumors and cut them off immediately.

Not leisurely giving reports here.

But the aide was swallowing nervously while looking at Clea.

In fact, aside from the Crown Prince’s Palace, a considerable number of people in the Imperial Palace didn’t look upon her favorably.

Generally, the higher the nobility, the more their future could be considered almost predetermined.

Among those predetermined futures, until recently, even the position of Crown Princess was almost confirmed to one person.

They had spent years preparing to welcome the new Crown Princess who would be born for the future.

Not for Clea, who had suddenly popped up from somewhere, but for Aria.

“We haven’t received a reply from House Hersher.”

The same was true for the aide. Perhaps that’s why his eyes looking at Clea were actually not kind.

The ducal family was expressing dissatisfaction over this matter.

In his personal opinion, Clea was not a suitable person to be Crown Princess.

He thought it would be right to consider the rumors about her before confirming her as Crown Princess. That’s why he prioritized reporting over explanation.

Odin smiled at the corners of his mouth while looking at the aide.

Seeing Odin’s smile, the aide bowed his head and smiled brightly.

He thought Odin had understood his intentions well.

At least until he opened his mouth.

“The intention is so blatant that it’s rather absurd.”

At Odin’s first words, the aide looked at him with wide eyes.

“Did they refuse to cooperate?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then we just need to force them to submit, don’t we?”

“Y-Your Majesty! What are you saying!”

“If the ducal family first refused the imperial order, I think we already have sufficient justification.”

Odin’s eyes were shining fiercely.

With the eyes of a beast looking at its prey, he didn’t look old at all despite the wrinkles on his face.

He seemed ready to take up a sword and visit the ducal family right now, but no one at the table tried to stop him.

Rather, both Elaina and Admund seemed to be in agreement with him.

The aide who watched this was perplexed.

“So, how are people reacting?”

While he was frantically thinking about how to resolve the situation, an additional question was heard.

At Clea’s question, the aide looked at her in bewilderment.

She was still smiling slightly with her wine glass to her lips.

He wanted to say that such things weren’t important right now, but he couldn’t because of the gazes of the three people.

So he forcibly gave an answer.

“People seem to believe those words completely.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, the stories of how you bullied the Duke’s daughter since your academy days are too famous. That image has been imprinted on people’s perceptions.”

“And?”

Clea demanded an answer from the aide, thinking there must be more.

The aide reluctantly continued with the rest of what he had to say.

“Not only the graduates of the academy, but even the current students are all stepping forward, saying they can prove it themselves.”

This much would have made the rumors spread quickly.

Clea looked at the three people for a moment. There was no doubt that each of them was excellent at handling matters.

Various clever strategies were mentioned from the mouths of the three, but Clea felt that this time, she shouldn’t leave it to them.

“I think I’ll have to resolve this on my own this time.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The first person to react to Clea’s words was Admund.

He probably thought he would step in personally to resolve the situation.

Usually, she might have left it to him.

After all, being terminally ill, she didn’t have time to take on troublesome matters unnecessarily.

But this time, she decided to move a bit differently.

“I’d like to resolve this myself, if that’s alright?”

She asked, looking at the three people.

Odin and Elaina looked at her with concerned eyes, but soon nodded.

Admund was still staring at Clea with an expression that couldn’t accept it.

He didn’t want her to take on everything alone.

As she was already burdened with heavy circumstances, he wanted her to be as light-hearted as possible.

But Clea’s words broke down his stubborn heart.

“If I am to be your wife, I need to gain not only your heart, but also people’s acceptance.”

It wasn’t just the position of an individual’s wife, but the title of Crown Princess.

If people’s eyes were not kind, it would naturally impact Admund as well.

Clea didn’t want that.

Odin and Elaina, realizing Clea’s intentions, quietly stepped back.

“Still, I don’t want you to overexert yourself.”

“I’ll allow myself to overexert just this once.”

“Clea.”

“If you’re that worried, stay by my side.”

“I’ll always be by your side.”

She smiled and continued her meal.

This topic was no longer important. The same was true for the others.

They continued their meal in a joyful atmosphere once again.

But even so, each of them harbored a strange hostility towards House Hersher in their hearts.

Clea alone was lost in different thoughts.

‘I knew this problem would come someday.’

As is often the case with the final fate of a villainess role, she had expected to one day await death amidst people’s hatred.

That’s why she had already anticipated something like today’s events.

‘I’ll show you how I escape the trap you’ve set.’

* * *

“Is this really the right thing to do?”

“It’s true that that child bullied our Aria first, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Clea bullied me throughout our school days.”

House Hersher was bustling with activity.

They gathered people who shared their intentions and spread rumors as much as possible to lower the perception of Clea.

Even if there was no substance to a rumor, its credibility increased dramatically if there were witnesses who claimed to have seen it.

It wasn’t wrong since Clea had indeed been mean to Aria in the first place.

“But even with a request for cooperation from the Imperial Family, I’m not sure if ignoring it like this is right.”

To the Duchess’s concerned voice, the Duke spoke firmly.

“The Imperial Family started this first. How much loyalty have we shown them, and this is all we get in return? Does that make any sense?”

“What if His Majesty becomes angry, thinking we’re being presumptuous?”

“The Emperor is old now. In contrast, our ducal family has grown a lot.”

Hearing the Duke’s confident voice, Aria smiled.

‘Why did you covet the place beside Admund, Clea? That place beside Admund is mine.’

She was certain.

Because of this incident, Clea would be abandoned not only by the Emperor and Empress but also by Admund.

No matter how much he liked her, how could he accept her as a member of the Imperial Family when her reputation had plummeted?

To become a member of the Imperial Family, there shouldn’t be even a single blemish.

Especially for the position of Crown Princess, the Emperor’s companion, there should be no whisper of scandal.

Clea was already well-known to the point where there was no one in the Empire who didn’t know about her.

Known as a wicked villainess, that is.

The more she thought about it, the better she felt. Aria hoped that she would be punished as a villainess as soon as possible.

Only then could she finally become the Crown Princess, surpassing her.

“You’ve surely cut ties with Lloyd, right?”

“Yes, Father. I told him we shouldn’t meet or contact each other.”

“Good, well done.”

Aria nodded at the Duke’s question.

Although some suspicions remained, Aria thought she had cut him off, at least in her own way.

In her own way, that is.

Satisfied with Aria’s answer, the Duke praised her.