When A Villain Meets A Villain - Chapter 51

As she was angered to the point of frustration, Atalante missed the opportunity to fix that aristocrat named Cherman or Cherry. To be exact, it was taken away by Lionel.

 

She suddenly recalled what Lionel had said in the returning carriage while leaning against the window with an expression of discomfort.

 

“Something like this won’t happen again, but please let me know if it does.”

 

“As I’ve already mentioned, I’ll take care of that myself…”

 

“Please don’t draw a line like that. Please remember that it’s very painful whenever it feels like you think of me as a mere stranger.”

 

My beloved Atalante.

 

As he added those words habitually, the carriage that they were in arrived at the townhouse.

 

“I don’t have high hopes. Please just remember that when you’re hurt, I too feel the same pain, maybe even more than you do.”

 

Whether it’s love or sleep, in the end, what remained was nothing but another’s. Why would this person feel pained over her wounds, when he’s unable to read her mind or feel her pain?

 

“What are you saying?”

 

Atalante mumbled to herself and hugged herself with both arms.

 

She shivered for a long time, feeling both hot and cold.

 

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“I heard that there’s a party today…?”

 

After being carried to the bathroom on a stretcher as soon as dawn broke, Atalante asked back with a tired look.

 

Unlike how she was nodding off previously, she was wide awake at Gianna’s words.

 

Gianna frowned, shrugged and replied as if she was stating the obvious.

 

“Of course! The Founding Festival is practically a month-long event. The same goes for the balls in the Imperial Palace. On the first day of the Founding Festival, yesterday, the debutante was held, and the Rose Banquet will be held today!”

 

“How annoying.”

 

Gianna, who understood Atalante’s recitation like a ghost, shouted.

 

“The first banquet of the Founding Festival is an event that’s just as important as the debutante! If yesterday was comparable to young aristocrats playing house, then today! It’s an actual banquet, where all the nobility of the Empire gather!”

 

As Atalante once again thought that not everyone could be an aristocrat, she leaned against the bathtub and looked up at Gianna.

 

“In other words, it’s a great opportunity to consolidate Atalante’s position in aristocratic society.”

 

“I don’t need that kind of opportunity.”

 

“Ah, I heard that the Grand Duke declared you as the next Grand Duchess! Before you get engaged officially, you should secure a satisfactory position!”

 

Gianna thumped her chest and shouted, probably because she found it quite frustrating. The face of one of Argo’s executives overlapped with her hysterical face.

 

“Boss! Didn’t I tell you that you can’t buy everything Yuffie wants to eat! Argh, there’s also going to be a hole this month because of that glutton!”

 

Starting with Jenna, the faces she missed came to mind one after another, and the tip of her nose stung to a disconcerting degree.

 

To hide the fact that she became emotional, Atalante rubbed her face with her wet hands for no particular reason.

 

“Most importantly, the dress that Miss Atalante wore yesterday was greatly favoured by the public!”

 

“Dress?”

 

“Rumours have already spreaded throughout the capital already! About how beautiful Miss Atalante’s dress was! Thanks to that, all the purple dresses in the capital’s salons are all sold out. Other than that, there’s a lot of people speculating about the identity of the dress designer1”

 

‘Aha, so that was your objective?’

 

It seemed that Gianna wanted to show off her work a little more under the guise of a mask.

 

“Yesterday, I was afraid of His Highness the Grand Duke and wasn’t able to dress you up earnestly…You’d better be mentally prepared today.”

 

“What?”

 

“The Grand Duke might have had some business or something, and he left the townhouse early this morning!”

 

After bursting into a fit of mad laughter, Gianna clapped her hands, and women that’s dressed similarly to her entered to form a long line.

 

Cosmetics, shoes, jewellery, combs, etc. For some reason, the beauty tools that each was holding looked like a weapon.

 

“They’re my employees. Today, I’ve requested for backup. Now that the identity of the Grand Duchess candidate has been completely exposed, there’s no need to hide Atalante away.”

 

“Wait a minute, don’t come here!”

 

Atalante had even splashed water, but they approached her without hesitation.

 

Perhaps artists were more tenacious than the members of an underworld gang, and nothing could stop them.

 

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The grand duke’s return was quite late, unlike how he left the townhouse early in the morning.

 

The gatekeepers that recognised their master’s face opened the large gate immediately.

 

However, after getting off his horse, Lionel stood there for quite a long time without entering the front door.

 

“Your Highness, what’s wrong……”

 

Was he still feeling irritated because of that good-for-nothing piece of trash that approached Atalante yesterday during the debutante?

 

‘Was it Cherman Noen? But didn’t the Grand Duke, to that man yesterday…’

 

Unable to stop himself from recalling the terrible events, Paul shook his head lightly.

 

Soon, Paul carefully examined Lionel’s mood with a puzzled expression.

 

“Was I…behaving too thoughtlessly yesterday?”

 

“What? What did you do this time!”

 

After thinking about the various ‘wilful mischief’ that Lionel might have done, Paul’s face turned pale.

 

A ballroom plastered with blood, or a sword aimed at the emperor.

 

It could have been an overactive imagination, but Paul’s master was definitely capable of finishing such a difficult task easily.

 

“But she preferred someone that’s kind.”

 

The murmur that followed soon after caused Paul, whose strength was depleting, to barely stop himself from instantly sinking to his knees on the spot.

 

“But I couldn’t just remain still yesterday.”

 

“It would have been weirder to remain still. Anyone would have acted like Your Highness did when their fiancee suffered such an insult.”

 

Paul, who wants to avoid as much violence as possible, had the same view as the Grand Duke just this once.

 

That punk must have done that because Atalante was a lowborn. It’s irritating enough that he looked down on her even when Atalante was already declared as the next Grand Duchess.

 

Paul was of the opinion that a man like that spouting nonsense was akin to disregarding the entire Grand Duchy.

 

Lionel’s expression softened a little when Paul supported his actions.

 

“I feel much better when you say so. As expected, my behaviour yesterday wasn’t too much.”

 

That barely perceptible smile reminded him of the days when Lionel was known as the ‘Lovely Grand Prince’. Just as Paul’s oddly touched eyes were about to moisten.

 

“How much I’d endured to not crush that punk’s head on the spot.”

 

‘Ah, that’s a little hard to relate to.’

 

Instead of responding, Paul bowed his head with a troubled look. He thought to himself that from now onwards, he should gradually give up on his hopes that Lionel would return to those days.

 

After the grand duke glanced at Paul, who was contemplating as such, he then moved towards the mansion and whispered.

 

“I’m quite tense today, unlike my usual self.”

 

An odd gleam appeared faintly within Paul’s eyes as he stared at the retreating back of the grand duke, who disappeared with elegant steps.

 

‘Come to think of it, the Grand Duke was reflecting upon himself. It’s been more than ten years!’

 

Lionel Blanc was reflecting on whether his actions were excessive. This obviously should be recorded in his diary.

 

Paul didn’t want to admit it, but due to the power of love… That was the only explanation for this phenomenon.

 

‘But she absolutely cannot become the Grand Duchess.’

 

Upon recalling Atalante’s arrogant smile, Paul clenched his fists and began to move his legs, like he was trying to control his weakening will.

 

‘Because I’m the Grand Duke of Blanc’s 341st lord chamberlain.’

 

Paul followed closely behind Lionel into the mansion, and felt that something was amiss.

 

Aside from the minimum number of servants that came out to greet their master, the mansion was too quiet.

 

In addition, the servants greeted the grand duke in a somewhat awkward fashion.

 

While it might be because Lionel rarely went out as he didn’t want to be separated from Atalante for more than a second, their attitudes were still questionable even with that in consideration.

 

“What about Miss Atalante?”

 

“T—that’s…”

 

Even the servants were unable to answer the grand duke’s questions properly.

 

‘No way, did you only run away now?’

 

It was a plausible assumption.

 

Her status as a wanted criminal had already been revoked as of yesterday, and as such, there weren’t any obstacles if Atalante were to return back to her previous life.

 

Perhaps because he had a similar train of thought as Paul did, Lionel’s face immediately turned frigid.

 

“I asked where Miss Atalante was.”

 

“A, about that…”

 

“About that, that’s. Is that all that you’re able to say?”

 

After whispering chillingly, Lionel immediately unsheathed his long sword. As the grand duke tried to approach the paling servant unhesitatingly, Paul displayed his quick wit.

 

It’s because he couldn’t allow bloodshed to occur in the capital’s townhouse.

 

“A man that’s kind, generous and magnanimous!”

 

It was very upsetting that he had to use Atalante even at this point, but there’s no other way.

 

As expected, the effect of Paul’s words was quite obvious as Lionel threw his sword to the floor with a short curse.

 

“Atalante!”

 

Lionel called her name loudly and immediately scoured the mansion.

 

Not here, she isn’t here. Not here either.

 

The mansion was so quiet that only Lionel’s voice reverberated.

 

Did Atalante run off after taking care of all the servants?

 

Just as a hasty gleam tinted his eyes, he detected a sign of activity from the furthermost room of the annex.

 

Lionel hurriedly turned towards it and opened the relatively old and unrepaired door.

 

To be exact, he shoved it open and it broke.

 

“Ata…!”

 

However, his call for Atalante wasn’t finished.

 

“Lionel!”

 

Fluttering crimson hair filled Lionel’s vision one step ahead of him. Rather than that lovely movement, the thing that caused his heart to pound was his own name.

 

“What did you just say…”

 

Before Lionel could break out of his dreamy mood, Atalante grabbed his arms suddenly and shouted.

 

“Do something about those crazy people! I’ve been suffering the entire day, washing up, putting something on and washing up again without being able to eat a single meal! They’re doing this while you’re away… Wait a minute, are you crying?”

 

As Atalante continued to describe the series of hardships that she had suffered without pausing, his expression became distorted strangely.

 

She was also surprised by what she had said, but she couldn’t help but ask.

 

Even though there wasn’t any moisture in his eyes, it seemed strangely red.

 

Lionel searched for words to say several times, before opening his mouth in a low voice.

 

“…I thought you disappeared.”

 

“What do you mean? Why would I run away at this juncture? I’m not an idiot.”

 

Atalante looked up at him with an absurd expression. It was sweet and lovely, as if this moment by her side was all a fantasy.

 

Lionel was silent for a moment like he was ruminating over Atalante’s words, and gave a weak smile.

 

“That’s right. So I was… an idiot.”

 

He only looked at the woman before him properly after calming down.

 

With every blink, Atalante entered his field of vision more clearly, and as Lionel confirmed her face and outfit, his cheeks slowly but surely turned red.

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