“I don’t know. I’m curious too. How can that happen? Even though I investigated so thoroughly, a witness who remembered that the journalist who wrote these newspapers was actually involved with Libertan has only now come out. I wonder if a person’s memory can be so inaccurate but consistently strange.”

The red eyes were ferocious, like a predator about to devour its prey. A somehow threatening anger could be felt in his voice.

‘Scary.’

I lowered my head, afraid to meet Johan’s gaze. Unknowingly, my shoulders trembled. The newspapers scattered on the floor were visible.

Estelle Libertan.

My name was clearly visible in small letters.
“Did the Marquis of Libertan really go as far as to do such a thing?”

It’s the first time I’ve sworn I heard such a thing.

“I just thought people hated me…”

Actually, even the journalists Johan brought just now testified that they tore me apart due to unavoidable circumstances as the most sensational figure in the Empire, right?

That’s why I thought I became a villain.

People want to hate as much as they admire someone fortunate.

“Will Johan believe me?”

I am the victim in this case, but I knew nothing. Even though I lived in the Libertan Marquisate for so long, I never noticed anything. In short, it’s completely useless.

“Now, even with the knowledge of what the Libertan Marquis couple did, how can I know about that strange incident?”

The sound of Johan approaching, stepping on newspapers, was heard. But I couldn’t raise my head. Johan’s shoes came into view.

After quietly staring at me for a while, Johan asked.

“Do you know about this?”

“…I don’t know.”

Johan’s elegant and slender hand held my chin. It was a careful touch. Fortunately, Johan, whom I met eyes with, didn’t seem to be angry.

“I didn’t know that my parents manipulated even my notorious reputation. Come to think of it, that’s right. My parents had no choice but to do that.”

I thought that the Libertan Marquis couple hated me, so I tolerated Mireu spreading strange rumors about me in society.

But that wasn’t it.

Since they wanted to make me a villain anyway, Mireu must have been a very good tool for that. In Johan’s dismayed yet quiet smile, his lips hardened.

“Other than that, do you have anything to say?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.”

I looked at the handsome Johan like a picture and spoke as cautiously as possible.

“I really never thought about things like this. I was always oblivious to news because my body was weak, always staying in the mansion.”

“But why does your expression look like that?”

“Huh?”

Holding the hand that was fidgeting, he touched my cheek.

‘What expression am I making?’

Johan bit into that reaction, saying slowly.

“Right now, you’re making an expression that isn’t sad at all. Just as I expected.”

“…”

“Really, nothing to say?”

My mind went blank.

‘Johan is suspicious of me.’

My heart pounded loudly. The back of my neck became chilly, and cold sweat broke out. My head didn’t function properly due to fear.

‘Even though I was already quite suspicious…’

Knowing that the Libertan Marquisate wanted to make me a villain was quite shocking. But I’ve already let go of any lingering feelings for those two for a long time.

So, I wasn’t that sad. And I ended up exposing that face in front of Johan.

‘I should have kept acting.’
Until now, I wasn’t just “Estelle” in front of Johan. I had to be in front of Johan as an adopted daughter “loved in Libertan.”

“When did it become like this?”

I seemed to have forgotten the thought that I should act in front of Johan at some point. I was too guarded, and I fell into the trap too easily.

“Already, since he investigated even the newspapers, Johan must have known that I wasn’t loved.”

Instinctual fear flowed down my spine.

“But in the meantime, it seemed like I knew something too.”

I should have pretended not to be loved from the beginning. I couldn’t grasp how disgusting I would look in Johan’s eyes.

“I, I am… um…”

I acted like a beloved daughter all this time.

“Now, what should I do?”

In times of crisis like this, I need to keep a cool head. But I couldn’t calm down at all. Even though I believed I was walking the right path so far, it seemed like I was realizing that I was falling off a cliff.

“I-I didn’t plan to deceive Johan.”

Tears welled up in my voice.

“Why am I trying to cry again?”

I got caught acting as a beloved daughter, so showing this kind of appearance would make things worse. So, I had to show a more composed appearance. Even now, I had to somehow salvage this situation.

“So, I…”

My body didn’t move as I intended. Johan’s red eyes seemed to shine even more fiercely. Frightened, I desperately grabbed Johan’s sleeve.

“I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

Without further explanation, my true feelings came out again.

“I’m scared that this moment will end.”

“…”

“I was wrong. If you ask, I’ll answer everything. I’m sorry for deceiving you all this time.”

Johan, why aren’t you saying anything?

“So…”

As an unloved daughter, I no longer had value as a target for revenge. Did he realize that and decide to discard worthless me?