The Villainess Wants to Make Her Husband Slim Down

CHAPTER 0

A branch family of the royal line, a prestigious lineage that has ruled the Duchy of Mohnton in the north of the kingdom for generations, a perfectly suited marriage for a member of Count Storm's house. Rather, the Count's house had more to gain.

However, this was still a punishment. Despite Alois Montchat's high status, he was not a well-thought-of man.

In the gossip of high society, he was routinely referred to as 'The Toad of the Swamp'.

The swamp referred to the geography of the Duchy of Mohnton, which was covered in marshes and wetlands. The 'toad' part referred to the figure Duke Montchat cut.

A grotesquely fat body. His skin was a hive of pimples and acne, covering his pudgy and ugly face, giving him the likeness of a disgusting toad. All of that alongside the fact that his huge body caused him to sweat profusely, giving off an awful smell, was the origin of his name.

He had a withdrawn and gloomy personality, hardly ever talking with anyone. It was only for the most pompous of royal occasions that he crawled out of his swamp to visit the capital. And even then, everyone kept their distance.

From afar, you could still see just how freakish he truly was. His stomach was three times the breadth of a regular man. His gray hair was always damp and slimy as if he had just emerged from a bog. Those two eyes that peeked between his locks of hair were like a reptile's, cold and unfeeling. His red eyes retained deep magical power and no one would meet his gaze, for fear of falling under his curse.

That Duke Montchat will turn twenty-three this year. It was about the time in his life where he should consider marriage. But just which unfortunate soul in polite society would ever deign to marry such a man? He was another horror story spoken of in hushed whispers by the daughters of nobility, akin to ghosts that haunted the royal palace.

In short, he was treated as a source of trouble.

So, it was with welcome relief that people celebrated Prince Julian's decision.

There was no noblewoman who wished to marry the gloomy and unsightly Duke Montchat. It seemed an appropriate fate for Camilla, a villain who had callously wielded her family's power to put Liselotte through all sorts of ordeals.

The newspapers of the kingdom ran with the conclusion of the beautiful love story of the royal couple, the extra editions in the hands of everyone in the capital.

I can't possibly accept this. Why on earth must I have to see such a dreadful place?

As she looked over the swampy marshes, extending as far as the eye can see, Camilla tried to steady her quivering hands.

Certainly, she had desired to be the fiancée of the Prince.

But, that was the desire of every noble girl that age. In high society, there were very few people who didn't greatly admire Prince Julian, who had stunningly good looks even amongst the other members of the royal family. In addition, compared to the stern and humorless First Prince, he was compassionate and jovial, the kind of man who was always popular with women.

Certainly, Camilla was responsible for starting a rumor along the lines of 'Liselotte Ende is a loose woman'.

But, she hadn't fanned the flames of gossip on purpose. Camilla had seen Liselotte walking with a man other than the Prince one day and had simply brought it up idly with other noble daughters. The story had acquired legs and a new pair of shoes by the time it had arrived back at her feet. Even if Camilla may have inadvertently started it, if the story takes on a life of its own as it spreads, she could hardly be blamed for what it became.