The Villainess Hides Her Wealth

Chapter 12

My mother was someone who never went to social gatherings.
However, she was worried that my reputation would be tarnished by the breaking up of my engagement with my fiancé, so she went, hoping that at least nothing provocative would be said where she was.

“Duchess Primrose… right?”

For now, my mother’s goal was successful. No one had talked about Sir Vieira publicly confessing to Lilika when she was there.
However, neither I nor my mother expected that it was due to other facts, not the power that came from her status as a duchess.

“I wasn’t sure if you were really the Duchess of Primrose at first!”
“I can’t believe your skin is so good when you don’t even apply powder. I’m so jealous!”
“You didn’t go around with powder on your face when your skin was this good, right? On the contrary, you look even more beautiful than when you did.”

When my mother, who used to thickly apply powder to cover her face due to her poor skin, stepped forward with no makeup on her face, the people at the gathering were surprised. Then, they gave up their usual graceful appearance and poured questions.

“Since you’re asking so many questions at once, I don’t know where to start.”
“Ah, our apologies. We must have surprised you.”
“But how can I endure it when I’m so curious?!”

I also felt that it was a dramatic change after seeing my mother’s face every day. How amazing it would be for people who had not seen her in a long time?

“I used to have extremely dry skin… My face, which was prone to eczema, has improved.”

Even though cosmetics using calendula are good for moisturizing, I didn’t expect them to be so effective.
It had a proper moisturizing effect, unlike the crappy cosmetics that circulated around, but I didn’t expect it to be this effective even if it contained the power of the blessing due to being a crop I grew.

“I don’t want to use powder either, like the Duchess…”
“There are some ladies who died because they used powder with lead. But there is no other substitute, so I can’t not use it… Duchess, what is your secret?”

The pestering for information reached its peak, but because I asked her not to tell anyone about the calendula cosmetics when I gave her the cream—I didn’t expect this kind of response—my mother tried to be evasive so as not to break her promise.

“It’s a difficult question for me to answer…”

She was unintentionally playing hard to get. An unintended mysticism.

My mother’s changed skin was a tremendous sensation.
Everyone wondered what secret she had used to improve her skin so much that she didn’t even need things like powder.
My mother’s purpose for attending the social gatherings—because she was afraid that I would be attacked—seemed to have been achieved enough.

Having my fiancé make a public confession to my sister at Lilika’s birthday banquet… was something I did at the risk of suffering some damage in the first place.

“Didn’t her fiancé fall for her sister because she has such a nasty personality?”
“I’m not saying this because I’m a man, but honestly, who would want to have her as their wife…”

I was sure there would be a lot of talk about Lilika seducing her sister’s fiancé, but it was equally funny that I had lost my fiancé to my own sister.
However, everything that was going to flow badly towards me was only driven in the direction of damaging Lilika’s image. My engagement was broken anyway, so it was inevitable that there would be talk about it.

In the meantime, when my mother made her appearance with healthy skin without applying powder, it made those who tried to attack me calm down. When my mother didn’t tell them the secret, they were even more anxious.

“Haha, I’m getting more invitations than ever. But I decided to go out with my daughter today.”

My mother did not appear to apply any powder even when she went out with me today.
She had been depressed ever since the birthday banquet, but when the social world moved on to talk about her, she seemed relieved.

‘She’s less stressed, and goes out more often. No matter what, now that the cause of lead poisoning is eliminated, she will be much healthier than she was in my previous life, right?’

I talked about all sorts of things with my mother while looking at the flowers that were in full bloom as the seasons changed.

‘I don’t know how long it’s been since I walked down the main street with my mother.’

The path I had walked alone; I felt more comfortable than ever walking it with my mother.

“The flowers are really beautiful.”
“Yes, they have a different feeling from the ones in the castle’s garden.”
“The sky is really blue, too.”
“… It’s a nice day, but, um, aren’t there some clouds?”

My mother and I both burst into laughter at the same time. Everything seemed beautiful to her, maybe because her worries had disappeared.

“Mother, we’ve walked more than usual. Are you alright? You often go to gatherings these days, I wonder if you’re not overdoing it…”
“Still, my body is more relaxed than before. Shall we just go to the boutique to check the dresses I got fitted the other day and go back?”

Like that, my mother and I headed to the boutique in the downtown area. Normally, the designer was called to the castle because my mother didn’t feel well, so this was the first time she visited the boutique like this.

“Oh my, Duchess. Young Lady.”
“I’m sorry for coming here without saying anything. But since I was nearby, I wanted to check out some of the completed dresses.”
“Oh my, it’s no problem. You can follow me.”

I sat in a prepared seat in the boutique and waited for my mother. The boutique clerk approached me and asked if I needed anything.

“Just a warm cup of tea.”

How long had it been since my mother disappeared to try on the dresses and I sat down in the chair?
An unwelcome face opened the door to the boutique.

“Ah, Lady Yuria?”
“Sir Vieira.”

He also looked dumbfounded to see me.
It was a perfect day, so why did I have to come across this human? My calm face stiffened slowly.

‘Did he come to the dressing room because he wanted to give Lilika a gift?’

Sir Vieira strode towards me with a smile as I clicked my tongue inwardly.

“Word that the Duchess’ skin has improved has swept through the social world, but it seems the mother and daughter are living confidently?”

I didn’t have a good premonition as I looked at his harsh tone, with no intention of being polite, and crimson eyes.

I was alone. My mother was changing clothes elsewhere, and it was customary not to have an escort knight inside the boutique because it was cumbersome.
When the man with a big frame lowered himself over me, I felt a sense of physiological intimidation.

“Your face is looking great. Lady Lilika and I are rolling in hell.”

No wonder my face looked better. I also applied the cream I made for my mother. I also have dry skin, even if not as dry as hers.

Sir Vieira grabbed my wrist without saying a word.

“… Let go of my wrist and say what you want to say.”

I clenched my teeth to avoid groaning. Was he threatening me, or thinking I was going to run away? How tightly was he going to squeeze the wrist of a noble lady like me?

“At least make an excuse. Was it good to pretend to be nice all by yourself? While saying that you were praying for our happiness!”
“Then, would you have been satisfied if I had cursed you who betrayed me, and cried that I couldn’t let you go?”

“Ugh,” I let out a low groan, hopelessly. He had squeezed my wrist even more tightly as I spoke.
But instead of trembling with fear, I didn’t stop.

“Whoever heard you might think I was threatening Sir Vieira to like Lilika.”
“Ha, you must have threatened. But Lady Lilika, not me. Isn’t that why Lady Lilika, who said she loved me, didn’t accept me? After making acting so abominable in front of me…”
“I wonder why you think I am the cause of everything. Why do you think it’s me who is abominable?”

As opposed to the exasperated Vieira, I smiled coldly. It was funny how he resented only me, not Lilika, until the end.

“S-Sir Vieira. You can’t do this.”

The boutique clerk tried to pull Sir Vieira. But he didn’t even budge. He didn’t win the swordsmanship contest for nothing.

“The fact that I made a public confession was all…”
“If Lilika had said she would accept you, even if I objected to it or whatever, you would have been together already. Why are you angry with me for the fact that Lilika’s emotions have cooled down because Sir Vieira is unattractive?”

In the end, Sir Vieira was just a trophy for Lilika in her battle against me.

“Shut that mout—!”

Then, as Sir Vieira raised his voice, and just as I was about to squeeze my eyes shut,

“I was going to pretend not to notice because it’s a private conversation, but since I also have a younger sister, I am dumbfounded and can’t help but interrupt.”

My wrist, which was being squeezed, was released. I gently opened my closed eyes.
In front of me, there was a man dressed in a neat suit. He had such a wide back that even if it was Sir Vieira, who had a big build, he could not push against him.

“Your Highness…?”
“Sir Vieira. Aren’t you just directing your anger at Lady Yuria, who is your ex-fiancée, because Lady Lilika, her sister, didn’t accept you?”

——