Guests invited to the comingofage ceremony began to arrive one after the other. Half were there at the request of the mother, and the other half were there out of curiosity about Lilia.
They praised the countess’s generosity as Lady Berium had intended.
“To openly present a bastard like this in high society. Indeed, the Countess of Berium has a great magnanimity.”
But when Lilia, wearing a yellowish dress, appeared shyly, people realized it was not just because the Countess of Berium was magnanimous.
Lilia immediately attracted people’s attention.
Objectively, Liz was a bit more beautiful, but Lilia, with her kind impression rather than Liz’s somewhat stubborn look, appeared more beautiful in people’s eyes.
Furthermore, Lilia had a warm personality and was good at speaking.
She hardly expressed her own opinions but readily agreed with others, quickly recognizing what others wanted or wanted to avoid, and pleasantly led the conversation.
Even before the atmosphere warmed up, the ballroom was bustling with people trying to woo Lilia.
Her partner, Viscount Bert, was doing his utmost to keep Lilia at a distance from them so as not to be pushed aside.
Liz quietly watched all this spectacle from one corner, with a glass of wine at her lips.
“Right, that’s exactly the protagonist’s buff.”
Even in the original work, Lilia had received such attention.
And because of that, Liz was even angrier. Lilia, whom she thought was much inferior to herself, was receiving all the attention, leaving herself behind. So what did she do?
“Shamelessly flaunting yourself like a bastard. Isn’t that right?”
Princess Eunice Luna and Countess Youngae Celia approached Liz and spoke.
Only then did she remember.
“Right. I joined these guys in a plan to torment Lilia. Then, I pretended to accidentally spill wine on her clothes?”
That was roughly how it went in the original. However, Liz had long since decided not to follow the original work.
“Will you back off?”
Liz replied coldly. Luna and Celia looked at Liz in surprise, seemingly unable to believe the sudden change in Liz.
“You… why are you like this? You hated your sister, didn’t you? You were frustrated because you couldn’t have her.”
“Not anymore.”
“Not anymore?”
“That’s right.”
The two ladies stared at each other as if they still couldn’t believe it.
Gradually, a deep disappointment filled their eyes.
That cunning vixen Lilia had taken even their partner’s attention away, and they were a little hotheaded about it. They dared not act alone, and encouraged the bold Liz, but she refused to play along, which was why.
“Why? All of a sudden?”
“Because it’s childish.”
“…….”
Luna was a little angry at being called childish. So now she turned her anger on Liz.
“Let’s see if you don’t get angry at this.”
“Just a while ago, I went near your sister and saw.”
“……?”
“She was wearing Count Ernest’s latest ruby set? Where could it have come from?”
“…….”
Liz’s brow slightly wrinkled at this.
Luna silently cheered at the sight, knowing Liz and her mother’s strained relationship since childhood.
The attempt hit the mark. Liz realized. This was what Mirabel had been talking about.
“Don’t be disappointed, whatever you see at the ball. You understand?”
Liz squinted her eyes and looked at Lilia’s necklace, earrings, and the ring on her second finger.
Just as they said, it was a limitededition topgrade ruby set from the jeweler, Count Ernest.
Giving her own daughter some cheap, outoffashion piece, but bestowing such a noble thing on her adopted daughter?
She was angry with her mother even without expectations. Had she not known the original, she would have lost her sanity and plotted with Luna and Celia.
Liz barely swallowed her anger and downed the wine she had been holding.
“See, you’re angry?”
Luna flashed a triumphant smile. Less mischievous Celia spoke to Liz with a worried look.
“You can’t handle alcohol well, Liz. If you drink like that, you’ll get drunk.”
“I’m fine. I’ll go in before I get drunk.”
It will take some time to get drunk.
Soon, music played, and Count Bert led Lilia to the middle of the ballroom.
Lilia followed her partner, blushing timidly on her cheeks.
They looked like a pictureperfect couple. It would have been even more picturesque with Kain…
As the protagonist danced, others also began to dance with their partners one by one. Those without a partner quickly found one and danced. But no one asked Liz to dance.
Some conversations went back and forth with the nobles, but it didn’t lead to a dance.
Ah… Come to think of it, during the conversation, they subtly glanced at the forehead.
Could it be because of the scar? I thought it was not noticeable, but was it only to my eyes? Was Mirabel not being sensitive?
Suddenly, Liz felt herself shrinking.
Lilia in the center of the stage was shining so brightly, and she looked so shabby in comparison, even in a much more beautiful and splendid dress than Lilia.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
