The Villainess Intends to Have It All - Chapter 72

After that, the auction started right away.

However, it didn’t burn as fiercely as the fairy painting.

Mila and Connie tried to win the bid by raising the amount little by little while watching Erina’s reaction, and Tanya openly participated in all the artworks that Erina participated in.

When Tanya and Erina participated, the amount soared up, but in the end, Erina was the one who won all the bids.

After the heated charity party auction ended, various words passed through people’s mouths.

The value of the paintings Erina won, the unexpected wealth of the Count Isaac family and the Count Kovel family, the relationship between Tanya and Erina, and so on.

Numerous rumors covered the social world, and those involved remained silent.

Tanya, who returned from the charity party, felt like she was going crazy with her insides burning like fire.

Rose told her everything that had happened when she met Erina without hiding anything.

The Countess Medelia in her story was not the person she admired and longed for.

The stories were too realistic to simply not believe Rose’s words, and she couldn’t help but believe them.

Moreover, seeing her sweep away all the items in the subsequent auction without conceding even one point to herself, she came to believe everything Rose had said.

She was a petty person with a lot of greed and a narrow mind.

The wonderful woman who had steadfastly pursued her own path despite difficult circumstances was nothing more than an exaggeration.

When Tanya encountered this fact, she felt like she was going crazy.

She had been harboring feelings alone since Sandes Dvil Kerenik received the title of Marquis.

As soon as she learned that the seat next to him was vacant, she begged her father to let her stand by his side, but her father’s reaction was only one of embarrassment.

She understood her father’s reaction as she watched Sandes maintain only cold responses to people at every banquet.

So, to approach him slowly, she had been making appearances at every official occasion and greeting him to make an impression.

But at some point, without her knowing, rumors were circulating that Sandes and Erina were lovers.

On top of that, the fact that he was the lover of Erina, who was as useless as a rotten onion with her insides showing, was unbearable.

“Father!”

Tanya went straight to her father’s study as soon as she returned home from the charity party.

“Tanya, knock.”

Tanya realized her mistake for not thinking of her sharp father when he was working.

“I’m sorry, Father. But it was so urgent that I…”

Tanya’s father, Marquis Papia, sighed at his still immature daughter’s behavior and put down the documents he was holding on the desk.

“What’s the matter that you’re making such a fuss?”

“Why, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

Marquis Papia was already overwhelmed with work due to the turbulent situation caused by the magic stones.

He pressed his temples, getting a headache from his daughter’s sudden intrusion.

“That Marquis Kerenik and Erina, Countess Medelia are lovers.”

Because Rose had been whispering names without using titles so much at the charity party, Tanya blurted it out without realizing it.

“Have you become close with the Countess?”

Marquis Papia asked, relaxing his hardened face, thinking they must have become close if she was calling her by name.

“Of course not! How could I possibly with that person!”

Marquis Papia read from her expression that Tanya’s “How could I” was different from what he had in mind.

Marquis Papia’s face hardened coldly.

“If you’re thinking of getting on the wrong side of the Countess, tell me now.”

“Why? Are you going to send me to a convent?”

“Yes.”

“Father!”

Marquis Papia spoke firmly to his second daughter.

“Come to your senses, Tanya Papia!”

“Fa-Father.”

He was a father who had never raised his voice even when she showed immature behavior.

Tanya was shocked by her father’s action and stumbled backward.

“Count Iolls, who took a mistress and ignored Countess Medelia, is now struggling with financial difficulties, lost his position as the 2nd Knight Commander, and entered the 8th Knight Division, which is said to be for youngsters.”

Tanya couldn’t refute.

Count Iolls was losing his footing day by day, and there were rumors that the Countess Iolls, who liked to show off, was even selling off her possessions.

“Baron Zillon, who mistreated Countess Medelia and took away her title, was driven out to that remote place with only one bag allowed.”

Tanya pressed her lips together, becoming more and more miserable as Marquis Papia continued.

“What do you think will happen to the Marquis Papia family if we get on the wrong side of Countess Medelia out of mere jealousy, Tanya?”

“Mere jealousy? Father, you know my feelings well!”

“It’s because I know well! That’s why I’m doing this! Because I don’t know what you might do!”

Tanya choked up at her father’s rebuke and hung tears in her eyes.

She had expected him to comfort her as before and say he would consider sending a proposal to the Kerenik family.

“Everyone is being deceived! Because they don’t know that woman’s true nature! Father, do you know what I went through at the charity party?”

“Who on earth did you hear this from? The Countess Iolls? Baron Zillon’s daughter?”

“Is that important right now? I’m asking if you know what I went through!”

“It is more important! Because from now on, there will be no interaction with those families at all.”

“Father, how could you possibly…”

Tanya was so shocked by his cold attitude, wondering if he was really treating his daughter, that she ended up shedding tears.

“Even though I, I suffered such humiliation at the party…”

“Tanya, you must have shown unnecessary stubbornness, didn’t you?”

Tanya couldn’t understand why her father was only taking that woman’s side and treating her like this, not her own.

That woman who was full of greed and jealousy.

“Don’t regret it later!”

Tanya stormed out of Marquis Papia’s study.

Marquis Papia pressed his increasingly throbbing temples and called for the aide standing to one side.

“Who was with Tanya at the charity party?”

“Lady Rose Asila, the Count’s daughter, and Lady Bellody Anzle.”

“Who seemed closer to the reason why Tanya is acting like that?”

“Lady Rose Asila, the Count’s daughter.”

“Slowly cut off transactions and exchanges with Count Asila.”

“Understood, Your Excellency.”

Marquis Papia rubbed his face with both hands, feeling frustrated.

Countess Medelia was not only under the Emperor’s protection but also the beloved of Marquis Kerenik, who had a hand in the Empire’s overall affairs.

If his daughter were to carelessly meddle out of jealousy, even his own position could be in jeopardy.

The Emperor, who was focusing on nurturing talent, was merciless to those lacking ability or lazy.

That was because there were many rising from below.

At this age, trying so hard to maintain the Marquis family, he had no choice but to be cold, even as a father, if his daughter acted in such a way.

Marquis Papia’s eyes were sharp as he picked up the documents again.

[This is the timeline separator]

Meanwhile, Erina, who had returned to the mansion, finished her official duties and conversed with Terik in Heila’s presence.

“Baron Semul, keep an eye on the Borbom Marquis family. Be mindful of any approaches from the Small Kingdom Alliance.”

“Understood.”

“We’ve acquired many items from this auction, so use that as an excuse to arrange a meeting with the Borbom Marquis’s wife. The location must be set at the Count’s residence.”

“Is there a reason for this?”

“The Borbom Marquis’s wife personally requested help. While using an artifact that prevents sound from escaping.”

Both Terik and Heila were startled.

“Erina, was that the reason there was no sound in the reception room? Because of the artifact?”

“Yes, that’s right. The Borbom Marquis’s wife mentioned that the Marquis family is a passage for the Small Kingdom Alliance. It seemed like all ears of the Small Kingdom Alliance were focused on the Marquis family.”

“This is not a problem we can solve at our level.”

“Indeed. Heila, please relay this to Sandes. Tell him to keep an eye on the Borbom Marquis family, the Isaac Count family, and the Kovel Count family.”

“Understood, Erina.”

Heila excused herself and left first to relay the information to the Marquis family.

Terik seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment before speaking to Erina.

“We should arrange the meeting with the Borbom Marquis’s wife as soon as possible. If we’re to use the auctioned items as an excuse, we should hurry.”

“All the winning items will arrive at the Count’s residence tomorrow, so pretend to check them and try to induce a meeting.”

“Understood, Your Excellency.”

Terik also concluded the conversation and moved first.

Erina, feeling somewhat tired, moved to her room.

The moonlight shining beyond the terrace seemed particularly strong today.

Erina walked towards the terrace as if in a trance.

As she opened the door and stepped out, a cool breeze enveloped her.

Leaning her arms on the terrace railing, Erina looked up at the bright moon and unconsciously muttered.

“I miss you.”

Surprised by her own words, Erina was startled.

Although the time spent at the Kerenik mansion wasn’t long, it was the most prominent among the memories left in her mind.

Sandes greeting her when she opened the door and got up in the morning, Revil always welcoming her with the same appearance, Shimildun always answering kindly.

Having been deeply immersed in that warm life, sometimes when she left her room and saw the empty corridor, she felt an inexplicable chill.

She couldn’t understand why, but now it seemed she missed the people.

Sandes, whom she had relied on and leaned on more than she thought, was no longer someone she could see whenever she wanted.

That fact hit her particularly hard today, making her feel chilly despite wearing a dress that came down to her wrists.

Strangely, she missed him even more today.

The one who would lend his embrace without a word when she was struggling, the one who understood her better than anyone else without her having to say anything.

“…I miss you.”

“Do you mean me?”

Startled by the sudden familiar voice, Erina moved her arms from leaning on the railing to grip it and looked down.

The one she missed was standing there with a bright smile.