The Villainess Intends to Have It All - Chapter 60

The mansion of the Medelia family was bustling and chaotic like a marketplace.

“Pack that right now! That, that too! Hurry!”

“That! I told you to pack that too!”

Romdrick and Camille were running around the mansion, rushing the servants.

It was already tomorrow that they had to return to Baron Zillon’s estate by the Emperor’s order.

The two were desperately trying to pack everything they had gained from the Medelia family to take as much as possible.

Watching this, Viana was dumbfounded.

Unlike the Medelia family, whose mansion was not far from the capital, Baron Zillon’s estate was located in a remote corner.

Just the time spent in the carriage to visit the capital took a fortnight.

Returning to Baron Zillon’s estate meant they could no longer set foot in the capital.

It meant never again feeling the sweetness of wealth they had tasted since their youth.

If only they had never tasted it, but now they had to lose everything after being so intoxicated by it.

“Tsk, if only you had done better.”

Viana turned around at the twisted voice behind her.

The man with navy hair similar to Romdrick’s and lemon-colored eyes lighter than Viana’s was Viana’s brother and Erina’s cousin.

“Terik! Viana! You should be packing too! What are you doing? Hurry and put it in the carriage!”

Camille shouted towards Terik and Viana.

Terik snorted at the ridiculous actions his parents were committing.

“What’s the point of five carriages for a journey that takes a fortnight? We’ll be lucky if we’re not robbed without proper mercenaries.”

Viana’s lips trembled at Terik’s cynical words.

Her brother, who always stood apart and observed, seemed extremely displeased with this situation.

“Then, what would you do, brother? After losing everything!”

Terik looked at his sister, who was the spitting image of Romdrick and Camille.

Dissolute like Romdrick, arrogant like Camille.

Terik had always quietly warned them when Erina was staying at the mansion.

That they should take good care of her because she was family and the rightful heir, that nothing lasts forever so they should cherish what they have.

Terik was disgusted by their foolish choices, always snorting at his words.

“We should be groveling and begging, yet here we are whining about losing everything.”

Terik’s cold gaze fell on Viana.

Viana involuntarily stepped back, startled by Terik’s icy stare.

In truth, Viana wasn’t unaware.

Erina, whom she had always yearned for in her heart, was of a gentle nature. If they followed Terik’s advice, she might have shared a bit of warmth.

But the pride enveloping Viana tied her feet.

“Damn it!”

Viana stomped her feet, unable to find her bearings amidst her wavering selfishness.

Terik looked at Viana with contempt before throwing one last remark and disappearing.

“Don’t covet what you can’t have. It’ll make you burst.”

The sight of him always looking down from a step behind, so aloof, completely upset his unworthy kin.

“Hey!”

Viana shouted at Terik, but he had already vanished.

“Quickly, load everything and move! That painting is expensive, isn’t it!”

“Wrap that porcelain carefully. It must not break!”

The sight of Romdrick and Camille, unable to stand still as if their feet were on fire, jumping about, was laughable even to their daughter Viana.

Watching the two, Viana chewed on her nails for a while before moving.

“Count Medelia, a guest has arrived.”

“For me?”

“The young lady of Baron Zillon requests an audience.”

At the mention of Baron Zillon’s young lady, Erina, after pondering for a moment, finally remembered that the estate her uncle’s family had returned to was Baron Zillon’s.

“Shall I send her away?”

“No. Please prepare the reception room.”

“Yes, Count.”

The maid who announced Viana’s visit left the room.

Sitting in front of the mirror, Erina couldn’t help but smile at her reflection.

Her face was full of excitement at the news of Viana’s visit.

She was eager to see how Viana would debase herself, how far she had fallen with their reversed positions.

After gazing into the mirror for a long while, Erina moved upon hearing the maid’s announcement that Viana had been shown to the reception room.

As the maid opened the door and stepped back, Erina could see Viana pacing in the reception room.

Uneasy steps, a distorted face, shoulders hunched with anxiety.

There was nothing about Viana that didn’t please Erina.

“Viana.”

Viana, who had been fidgeting, involuntarily stiffened at the sight of Erina calling her name with a bright smile and gentle manner.

It was because Erina’s appearance was too unfamiliar.

Despite being in comfortable attire, her dress looked luxurious, and her well-groomed hair gleamed. Her flushed cheeks were fair.

It was the beautiful appearance of her cousin that Viana had never seen before.

She had always been a woman who hunched her shoulders and never uttered a proper response.

The Erina that Viana was looking at now looked more radiant and noble than anyone, even believable as royalty.

“What brings you here? You must be busy preparing.”

With that single remark hiding a barb, the pride Viana had been suppressing threatened to resurface.

Seeing Viana’s lips twitch, Erina entered the reception room and sat down.

The maids had already swiftly set out all the refreshments.

Erina picked up a teacup that had cooled to the right temperature and savored it slowly.

She enjoyed the tea very slowly, wanting to remember the scene before her for a long time.

“Sit down, what are you doing?”

When Erina smiled and told her to sit across from her, Viana sat down awkwardly.

The images of her parents from earlier and her brother’s words flashed through Viana’s mind once again.

‘We should be groveling and begging, yet here we are whining about losing everything.’

Viana bit the inside of her cheek hard, trying to come to her senses.

If she returned to the rural Baron Zillon’s estate like this, it would be difficult to set foot in society again.

Not only that, the nobles would gossip about her fall from grace until they were sick of it.

Viana had seen several women disappear from society like that.

The news of those who had vanished thus was not very good.

Some had no choice but to marry commoners and lose their titles, some deliberately sought remarriage, and some married in other kingdoms.

It wasn’t exactly a good ending.

She didn’t want to end her future life like that.

Viana swallowed hard and spoke.

“Erina……”

Startled by her own husky voice due to nervousness, Viana was flustered.

Erina smiled slightly and gestured towards the teacup.

Viana hurriedly gulped down the warm tea.

“Drink slowly.”

Viana’s hand, about to put down the teacup, froze for a moment before moving slowly.

“Um, Erina.”

“Speak.”

Despite Erina’s response, Viana hesitated for a long time, unable to speak.

Seeing this, Erina sighed openly and deliberately set down her teacup with a clatter, saying,

“Don’t be so frustrating. If you have something to say, say it. Stop acting like a fool.”

At Erina’s words, Viana’s face cracked.

Those words, somehow familiar to Viana, were what she always used to shout at Erina.

‘Don’t be so frustrating and speak! I told you not to act like a fool in front of me!’

At those times, Erina would shrink even more and mutter apologies.

Viana’s lips quivered and then closed.

From Erina’s brightly smiling face, which was almost irritating, Viana couldn’t help but realize that she had said those words deliberately.

Viana’s hands, clenched so tightly her nails dug in, began to tremble.

Her terrible pride, still not dead, surged and subsided repeatedly.

But in the end, greed won out.

“…I’m sorry, Erina.”

“Hm?”

“Forgive me, I was wrong. Please forgive my past immature behavior.”

“Suddenly?”

Erina’s innocent face, tilting her head in confusion, plunged Viana’s mood into the abyss.

“Please, I don’t want to go back to Baron Zillon’s estate.”

“Oh, my Viana. So that’s why you came to see me.”

At Erina’s artificial response, Viana deliberately bowed her head, wanting to hide her distorted face.

“Please allow me to stay here.”

“Why should I?”

At Erina’s calm question, Viana jerked her head up and shouted.

“Please! If I go back to that rural backwater, I might go crazy! I can’t even imagine how…”

“Viana.”

Viana, who had been shouting incoherently, closed her mouth tightly at Erina’s quiet call.

Then suddenly, Viana stood up and approached Erina.

Erina didn’t look at Viana.

At Erina’s graceful gesture, which seemed almost arrogant, Viana bit her lips and knelt down.

Then Erina’s gaze slowly turned to Viana.

Viana looked up at Erina, pressing her hands on her knees.

“Help me, please. I’m begging you like this. If not everyone, at least just me, okay? If you allow it, I’ll even become your maid!”

Erina felt both elation and revulsion at the sight of Viana kneeling and pleading.

“You know, Viana.”

Erina slightly turned her body, crossing her legs and resting her chin on her arm propped on her raised knee.

The tip of her jewel-encrusted shoe flickered in front of Viana’s face.

Shame washed over Viana, but she reminded herself that she would have to leave for Baron Zillon’s estate at dawn tomorrow.

Looking down at Viana, who maintained her humiliating posture despite trembling, Erina found it impossible to express her feelings.

How could she be so happy, so joyful, and so disgusted all at once?

“Do you remember? What happened around the time my marriage was decided.”

At Erina’s words, Viana inhaled sharply with a surprised face.