The Villainess Intends to Have It All - Chapter 80

“A life where I am denied in the place that makes me who I am, stripped of everything I have, unable to obtain what I want.”

Connie’s eyes trembled painfully.

Erina’s words, which hit the mark, dug into Connie’s heart and tore it apart.

“The agony of wanting to escape but no one understands or helps, I know it better than anyone, that’s why I’m reaching out.”

In Connie’s view, Erina’s hands that had seemed purely clean and white, and her golden eyes that had only sparkled, now felt as dark as if covered by storm clouds.

Behind the white hands, a lonely shadow could be felt, and the golden eyes, hurt and worn down, shone lonely and alone.

“Take it, I’ll help you.”

A tear fell from Erina’s eye.

“Why do you…”

Erina felt upset and pained.

Why must people like you and I suffer so much, why must we fight alone against an unfair reality, I really don’t know.

Erina, unable to express her true feelings, firmly pressed her lips together.

Connie felt strange.

When had anyone ever reached out a hand to her?

In the Kingdom of Trumto, where prejudice against illegitimate children was harsher than in any other kingdom, had there ever been anyone who pitied her, who received only dirty looks?

Connie felt somehow utterly dejected.

The Asilium Empire, with more kind people than where she was born and raised, was truly strange.

It was strange that her husband, who only knew her as a fallen noble, stayed by her side without saying anything about her excessively luxurious behavior, and that Countess Medelia wept on her behalf and reached out her hand in pity.

“It’s all strange.”

She couldn’t understand why her husband, who made her want to live in this place when she only wished to die, or Countess Medelia, who made her lean on such paltry sympathy, were doing this.

“Why…”

“Lady Borbom also asked me for help.”

“Sereni?”

“I must dismantle and destroy the alliance of small kingdoms. So I’ll say this one last time.”

Connie saw a tear that had formed on Erina’s chin fall to the floor.

Connie truly felt peculiar.

Her tears seemed mysteriously like diamonds.

The woman who claimed to be her savior strangely seemed to be glowing.

“Take my hand. I’ll help you, Countess Jabel.”

Connie, with trembling hands, grabbed Erina’s hand as if in a trance.

At the warm sensation flowing through her hand, Connie’s whole body shook as if electrified.

There was only one thing felt at the thrilling fingertips.

‘I too can escape.’

Erina shattered Connie’s obsessive thought that she could only escape through death in a single moment.

Connie’s legs kept threatening to collapse, so she tensed her muscles to stand firm.

Afraid of losing it, she held onto her fading consciousness and grasped and grasped again her weakening hand.

Erina had saved Connie from hell.

[This is the timeline separator]

As the banquet time approached, Erina left Connie with Heila and headed to the banquet hall with Varun.

In front of the banquet hall stood Sandes Dvil Kerenik, dressed splendidly.

“Sandes?”

Puzzled that he was standing there without entering the banquet hall, Erina hurriedly approached him.

A jet-black formal uniform embroidered with gold, a purple cravat similar to Erina’s hair color, blue cuffs that Erina had previously gifted him.

Erina placed her hand on her left chest to calm her pounding heart as she faced him.

Sandes burst into laughter at the sight of Erina’s cute face looking at him with surprised eyes.

“Countess Medelia, you look beautiful as always today.”

Erina smiled shyly, her eyelashes fluttering in embarrassment.

“Would you honor me with the chance to escort you?”

Sandes bowed slightly and extended his arm politely.

Erina took his arm and whispered quietly.

“Gladly.”

Sandes loved how she was shy yet did not hide her emotions.

Whether or not the delegation waiting nervously inside the banquet hall noticed, he just wanted to embrace her and bask in the happy atmosphere.

But knowing he couldn’t, Sandes sighed deeply and entered the banquet hall.

Everyone except Enzo was already seated at the large, round banquet table.

As Erina entered the banquet hall, the delegation and nobles all expressed their admiration.

“My, it’s the first time I’ve seen Countess Medelia dressed so splendidly.”

“They truly are a beautiful couple.”

“It seems the rumors are true.”

“The dress appears to have been sent by His Majesty.”

Conversations among the nobles began to be heard here and there.

Sandes and Erina, paying no heed, moved to their assigned seats.

Whether intentional or not, Enzo had assigned the seats on either side of him to the two of them.

It was clearly a deliberate display of who he trusted.

Sandes pulled out Erina’s chair and seated her, then sat down himself. Just then, the attendant standing at the entrance to the banquet hall suddenly stomped his feet.

“The wise ruler of the Great Asilium Empire, His Majesty the Emperor, enters!”

The attendant, aware that this was not a gathering solely of imperial nobles, announced the entrance with added honorifics.

The delegation and nobles all rose from their seats.

The banquet hall doors opened and Enzo entered.

Upon entering the banquet hall, Enzo surveyed the table and sat down at the head seat between Erina and Sandes.

As Enzo took his seat, everyone else sat down.

Then the maids and attendants standing behind each person filled the empty glasses with champagne.

After those who had poured the champagne stepped back, Enzo raised his glass.

Everyone then raised their glasses and held them forward together.

“Welcoming those who have come to the empire, each with their own circumstances.”

“Cheers!”

All responded to Enzo’s welcome speech and raised their champagne glasses.

As Enzo took a sip of champagne, the course dishes began to be served.

As the lavish imperial banquet began, the delegation showed various reactions.

Enzo surveyed the delegation with eagle eyes.

Most of the kingdoms were present, except for those too far from the Kingdom of Tula for their delegations to arrive.

Those who came as delegates were mostly royalty.

Enzo began greeting those seated nearby.

“Crown Prince of Sepia, it’s been a long time.”

Enzo spoke first to the Crown Prince of the Sepia Kingdom.

The Sepia Kingdom was the homeland of Viscountess Ratsha, the mother of the empress.

It was close by and had long been a friendly nation.

“Your Majesty, Emperor of Asilium, it is an honor to greet you like this.”

The crown prince, who was of the same age as Enzo, exchanged greetings warmly.

Starting with the Crown Prince of Sepia, Enzo chose to greet the friendly nations first.

As the order progressed, the faces of the delegations who had not been greeted began to look uncomfortable.

Countries that had engaged in even a single instance of smuggling could not hide the anxiety on their faces.

Feeling that the kingdoms had been sufficiently warned, Enzo looked at the last remaining person.

Prince Hedton, second in line to the throne of Trumto Kingdom, which had the most smuggling incidents after the Kingdom of Tula, couldn’t hide his sour expression.

“Second Prince of Trumto, perhaps the banquet food is not to your liking?”

Hedton pressed his trembling lips together and replied.

“N-no, Your Majesty.”

“I see.”

Hedton put down the fork he was holding and gulped down his champagne.

Enzo did not speak to Hedton any further after that.

Not even the common greetings he had extended to other kingdoms.

Even the dull-witted Hedton could not fail to understand.

That Enzo’s behavior was sending a perfect warning to Trumto, which had failed to erase the traces of smuggling.

Hedton wanted to leave this place immediately.

When had he ever received such treatment?

Hedton swallowed the curses that threatened to spill out and continued to gulp down champagne.

Erina quietly observed Hedton.

The cruel aspect that had trampled on Connie was now curled up and hidden in the face of immense national power.

Shrewdly, his instincts seemed to know that the moment he showed his useless tail, it would be cut off mercilessly.

“Ah yes, let me introduce. A shining talent of the empire, and the owner of the magic stone mine.”

At Enzo’s introduction, the eyes of all the delegates began to sparkle.

“Countess Erina Bril Medelia, would you like to greet everyone?”

“It is an honor to be given the opportunity to greet everyone, Your Majesty.”

Erina stood up, holding her champagne glass.

As she rose, exclamations of surprise at Erina’s beauty were heard here and there.

“I am delighted to have the chance to greet such esteemed individuals.”

As Erina smiled prettily and made eye contact, the unmarried princes and crown princes’ eyes lit up.

Erina made eye contact in the order Enzo had greeted them, and finally gave Hedton a brief glance before looking away.

Hedton licked his lips, coveting her beautiful appearance, but when he sensed Erina’s disregard, his gleaming eyes instantly turned cold.

Though she was said to be the owner of a mine, Hedton imagined dozens of ways to cruelly trample and subjugate Erina, who arrogantly ignored him despite being merely a countess.

It was an impossible fantasy, but Hedton felt his frustration ease a little.

“I am Erina Bril Medelia. I hope there will be another opportunity to meet those who remain as friendly nations and are seated here.”

Quoting what Enzo had said to each country, Erina tactfully modified the greeting that might have seemed somewhat presumptuous for a mere countess.

Everyone except for one person smiled and raised their champagne glasses to Erina’s greeting.

“To the future.”

Hedton, covering his lips that threatened to twist at Erina’s lovely smile with his champagne glass, glared at her with a sharp gaze.

As if sensing Hedton’s cold yet heated gaze, Erina took a sip of champagne and looked at him.

Hedton’s face hardened at Erina’s fleeting sneer that passed by so quickly.

To quell his rising anger, Hedton thought he should summon Connie, who had surely returned to the Jabel County, once again.