I Will No Longer Live As Your Villainess

Anne could not hide her frustration. Illina felt the same way. They were already displeased with Laurencia being officially registered as a member of the Pol Heredian family. But Brant had urged them to endure it for the sake of the grand plan. So, they had swallowed their anger time and time again.

“And now, they want us to organize that monster’s debutante ball!”

Anne raised her voice and slammed her palm onto the table. The years of pent-up resentment boiled over. To have her reward for enduring all this be something as humiliating as preparing the debutante ball of a “monster” was more than she could tolerate.

“That monster said something to Prince Luance, and now my date with him was canceled! Mother!”

Illina, furious after her canceled date with Luance, had stormed into Laurencia’s room the previous day, throwing objects and shouting. But Laurencia hadn’t even blinked. Instead, she had smirked, fanning Illina’s flames of anger.

“She should be torn to pieces and thrown out for the dogs to eat, not given a debutante ball! Prince Luance is being too generous!”

Luance’s bombshell announcement earlier had shocked Anne and Illina to their core.

“There’s now a reason for the monster to have a debutante ball, Lady Anne,” he had said.

“A debutante ball for the monster…?”

“I’ll arrange for the chaperone, so neither Lady Illina nor Lady Anne needs to worry about that.”

“That won’t be necessary. She may be an illegitimate child, but as a daughter of the Pol Heredian family, I will personally be her chaperone and prepare the monster’s debutante ball.”

“If you insist, I’ll leave it to you, Lady Anne.”

“Prince Luance, if I hadn’t volunteered to take on the monster’s debutante, who were you planning to entrust it to?”

“Oh, I would’ve asked the Marchioness of Montbellionst.”

“The Marchioness of Montbellionst?”

“Yes. The Montbellionst family never questions my decisions. You’ve heard the rumors in the social circles, I’m sure… And they’re true. The Marchioness’ daughter has been rather eager for my attention.”

Luance had said this while staring directly at Illina, whose face flushed with embarrassment. Illina had known that Luance weighed the Montbellionst and Pol Heredian families against each other. But she hadn’t expected him to admit it so brazenly.

“I’ll ensure the monster’s debutante is successful, Prince Luance. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

Anne spoke to Luance with forced politeness. She was furious but had no choice but to endure.

“Then I’ll leave it in your capable hands,” Luance replied.

Anne drummed her long fingers on the armrest of the sofa, thinking about how she could vent her rising irritation and stress.

“We don’t need to put too much effort into the monster’s debutante, do we, Mother?” Illina asked.

“You’re right, Illina. It should be a debutante fitting for an illegitimate child.”

Anne felt deeply humiliated at the thought of personally preparing a debutante for an illegitimate child. Her jaw clenched involuntarily as memories from 20 years ago surfaced.

Back then, Brant had been on an extended trip to the Polloid Empire. When he returned, he brought with him a pregnant woman.

“Who is this, Brant? Surely, you haven’t taken a mistress?”

The beautiful woman with striking red hair and deep blue eyes had hidden her swollen belly as she followed behind Brant.

“She’s pregnant with my child.”

“If she’s carrying a bastard, there’s no need to bring her here.”

“Even if it’s a bastard, the family must take responsibility for the child.”

“You should have bought a courtesan instead of bringing back such a filthy half-breed.”

“Enough, Anne.”

The shock Anne had felt then was indescribable. No words could express the pain she had endured.

At least there was some consolation:

“It’s just a bastard. I’ll keep them confined to the tower’s highest room so they’ll never set foot outside.”

Later, the truths Brant revealed turned out to be more interesting than she had expected. Yet, no matter how intriguing, it didn’t change the fact that he had been unfaithful. The wounds he had inflicted on her hadn’t healed.

The mistress was long gone, but the detestable evidence of that affair—Laurencia—remained alive. If nothing else…

“Yes, the monster’s first dance partner should be Baron Loryrols’ heir. He’s perfect for the role.”

“Mother, he’s more than perfect. If someone as lecherous as Loryrols’ heir sees Laurencia’s unimpressive appearance, he might still consider her a woman.”

“It’s unfortunate to waste him on a bastard, but he’ll likely agree to be her partner.”

“I hope that monster gets humiliated by Loryrols’ heir and loses Prince Luance’s favor entirely.”

“Illina, Prince Luance has no interest in the monster. His focus is entirely on you.”

“But all he ever does is look for Laurencia!”

“She’s just a tool to be discarded when her usefulness ends. Until then, we’ll have to endure her presence.”

“I hope Laurencia ends up in disgrace with Loryrols’ heir. That would be such an amusing spectacle, Mother.”

“It certainly will be.”

“Oh, Mother, I’ll send a letter to Loryrols’ heir myself.”

“Go ahead.”

Illina sent her letter directly to Baron Loryrols’ heir at the Stofuga estate, unaware of the consequences it might bring.

Baron Loryrols’ heir was a man unworthy even of being called trash. A man who couldn’t control himself at the sight of a woman. That was Loryrols. While it wasn’t unheard of for men to be womanizers, Loryrols’ dark demeanor and his unabashed lust were the reasons people avoided him.

“A letter? For me?”

Loryrols relished the fact that people avoided him. So when his servant informed him he had received a letter, he couldn’t believe his ears. It was as if the alcohol from last night had instantly evaporated from his system.

“Where did it come from? Are you sure it’s for me? Truly!”

“It’s from the Pol Heredian family, my lord.”

There was only one reason a wealthy Count’s family would send a letter to someone who had been expelled from high society.

“They must want to use me for something, huh?”

Loryrols let out a bitter laugh.

“Hand it over.”

Taking the white envelope from his servant, Loryrols brought it to his nose and sniffed it like a dog. He knew this scent well. It was a mix of refinement and seduction, reminiscent of an aging courtesan’s perfume.

“Hah… It’s been ages since I smelled something this pungent. Pol Heredian, huh?”

His lips curled slightly as he took in the familiar aroma. His servant produced a letter opener, but Loryrols tore the envelope open with his fingers and began reading its contents.

“To be a debutante’s first dance partner? What’s this? Not even a portrait? How thoughtless!”

Loryrols muttered as he read. Then, his eyes narrowed at the mention of the word “illegitimate.”

Although he had been cast out of society, Loryrols still kept up with gossip through his gambling companions. One rumor that stood out was about the illegitimate child locked away in the Pol Heredian mansion.

“Ah, yes. I heard the bastard was officially registered as a Count’s daughter.”

Putting the letter down, Loryrols burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! So that’s what this is about. How amusing.”

Three elements are crucial for a successful debutante ball: the color of the dress, the jewelry worn, and the partner for the first dance.

“So, they think a piece of trash like me is the perfect escort for a bastard’s first dance?”

Though the letter was written politely, its true message was enough to sour Loryrols’ mood. However, the compensation offered by the Pol Heredian family was tempting. Accepting too quickly, though, might bruise his pride.

“Laurencia Pol Heredian, huh?”

He wondered what kind of woman Laurencia would be. Having been locked away, she was likely innocent, perhaps even untouched. The idea piqued his curiosity.

The thought crossed his mind that they might suit each other. Perhaps they could even marry. There were no women interested in marrying him, nor any he found appealing.

If the Pol Heredian family was asking him to be her first dance partner, it could very well mean they were considering him as a potential husband.

Why else would they stoop to asking someone like him?

And if the Countess wanted to get rid of the illegitimate child quickly, it might even come with a generous dowry.

“They might offer a large dowry for the marriage,” Loryrols mused aloud, exhaling in satisfaction. Then, he called for his servant to bring him some wine and writing materials.

Meanwhile, Julie was struggling to feed Laurencia’s kitten, Leo, under Illina’s orders while Laurencia was away for her bath. Julie and the maids had been trying to coax Leo into eating, but the kitten bared its teeth and hissed aggressively.

Grrrrr!

Unlike the affectionate and playful kitten who wagged its tail and purred in Laurencia’s arms, Leo exuded a fearsome, almost predatory aura. He looked like a miniature black panther, ready to attack.

“Why won’t he eat?”

“How should I know? Let’s just catch him and make him eat!”

Hissss!

Leo’s cries grew louder and more menacing, as if he were ready to bite Julie and the maids.

Rawrrr!

“What kind of kitten acts like this? Look, his fur is all bristled up!”

“How can that thing even be called a kitten? Ugh, it’s terrifying.”

One maid cowered behind Julie, trembling. Julie, too, was breaking into a cold sweat. She had seen countless cats in her time, but none had ever displayed such ferocious hostility.

The standoff between Leo and the maids was tense and unyielding.

“Laurencia will finish her bath soon…”

“What should we do, Head Maid Julie? We haven’t fed the kitten yet.”

“We have to figure something out. We can’t disappoint Lady Illina.”

Just then, Leo, who had been growling and hissing with his fur bristled, suddenly started wagging his tail.

“What’s this? Our little Leo isn’t eating his food? Is that going to mess up Illina’s plan?”

The sudden voice startled Julie and the maids. They turned to find Laurencia standing silently behind them, her presence unnoticed until now. Lowering their gazes, they swallowed nervously.

Meow!

The ferocious Leo immediately transformed, meowing softly and circling Laurencia’s dress affectionately. He rubbed his head against her leg, purring loudly.

Meow!

“Leo,” Laurencia called gently, kneeling slightly and opening her arms.

Leo eagerly approached, and Laurencia stroked his head with the back of her hand.

“Do you want me to hold you?”

Meow!

At her words, Leo closed his eyes and trembled slightly, basking in the warmth of her touch. Laurencia smiled and scooped him up into her arms. Nestled there, Leo gazed up at her with tender, adoring eyes.

“Lady Illina instructed us to feed the kitten a porridge made from bonito,” Julie explained nervously.

“Ah, you’ve brought food for Leo,” Laurencia replied with a serene smile.

“Yes.”

“So, that’s Leo’s meal for today,” Laurencia said, glancing at the bowl of porridge on the floor.