The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

158 - Magdalin

Horror.

Momentary horror paints her flustered and now pallid face.

Then anger.

She reaches down with the maddened eyes of a bull and grasps my hair with her sweaty blistering hand and pulls, so the hair and her nails rips at my scalp like a razor... and then the strikes fall again... on my chest, stomach and arms.

...She looks so desperate...

"I'll make you regret this..." I hiss out, laying in smears of my own blood and tears.

I know the truth... that mother does this because she's so terrified she cannot bare it. That she feels it's unfair I became like this though she never cheated. But this is enough.

—-*—-

"...Mmmm I may be able to find someone fitting... but are you sure about this? It will cost you, Miss Magdalin Ruche."

The man stares at me with a cautious look as though he worries for my safety. I'd snuck away from Michael who has been guarding me ever since mother's whipping.

Michael is not letting anyone near, but thankfully that includes mother.

In the end he is afraid as well.

"Yes. As long as it brings no harm to Lily-sama," I reply dryly as I turn my gaze down upon the marble floor to stare at my reflection.

My skin burns and stings at the mere touch of the fabric, but I must endure.

"Shouldn't you go to Lily Celeste for something like this? Why make a deal with me?"

As little as I want to go into details of the matter, I feel like he might go to Lily-sama if I don't answer him. It may be a deal we are making, but I am not the one with the leverage here.

"Lily-sama's solution is simple. She will eradicate them until House Ruche consists only of me. I don't want them to die. I want them to regret every single time they said I wasn't theirs. Something like this plan is something far more indirect than Lily-sama would ever do."

I look back up and find him give a nod.

"I see. Though, wouldn't it be as easy to get married and cut off all contact with them?" he asks as though that would be easier than the plan we just discussed... no, it would be, but...

I squeeze my hands together tightly as I answer.

"Even if I had a person in mind..."

I hesitate a bit. After the battle I've seen Milet-sama and his father, Count Greenhall, but...

"...I see. It is fine. Everything you planned should be ready for when you return from the peace negotiations, but you'll have to put in some effort if you want it to go well," he replies calmly.

In the end, I end up faking a smile.

"It won't be a problem."

—-*—-

Lily's Point of View - A Couple Days Later

It's uncomfortable.

Magdalin is acting off. Her movements. Her smile. They feel off...