I’m Leaving the Villainess Station

Chapter 30

“That’s a separate issue, Hyde. Raina wasn’t part of Armen back then. She had no idea what happened. And I’m her guardian. If there had been any disgraceful incident, I wouldn’t have let her into Armen in the first place.”

At that, Diane, who had been quietly watching, suddenly gave Raina a scornful look before turning to me with an overly sweet tone.

“But I heard you were too sick to attend any social gatherings. Yet, despite that, you’re taking care of someone else? You’re such an angel. Are you feeling better now?”

Hyde followed up with an even more sarcastic remark.

“Exactly. Helping the woman who stole another’s fiancé prepare for her wedding….”

I wasn’t sure how to respond. Should I agree? Stop them? Get angry as her guardian? My expression became ambiguous.

Just then, Raina bit her lip and, in a firm tone I’d never heard before, said,

“I have never stolen someone else’s fiancé. My birth may be lowly, but I have never taken another woman’s man.”

It was the first time I’d heard her speak like that. Surprised, I turned to look at her.

Her eyes weren’t teary, nor was she trembling. She met Hyde’s gaze with clear determination and continued.

“Bern is not an object to be stolen or taken. He gave up a lot to choose me. Don’t insult his decision.”

The atmosphere in the small gathering instantly turned cold. The others shifted their uneasy gazes from Raina to Hyde, worried about what might happen.

Hyde had a reputation for being hot-tempered and ruthless. If she exploded here, things could get messy.

But surprisingly, Hyde curled her lips into a chilling smile. She then gracefully rose from her seat. Diane, startled, stood up as well, though she hesitated, unsure whether she should intervene.

“Oh, you have a sharp tongue. No wonder you dared to pull such a stunt. Did he whisper sweet words to you? Make some promises?”

Her tone was sickeningly sweet, as if coaxing a child. She walked toward Raina slowly, speaking leisurely.

“Did you think that loving him first meant you could have him? Did you believe he was yours?”

Sensing the danger, I was about to step in when Hyde extended a hand and pressed her index finger against Raina’s chest, laughing mockingly.

“Animals don’t marry humans, do they? Why would a beast try to enjoy what belongs to humans? Are you a little slow? Do you not understand why people say you stole someone’s man?”

Hyde leaned in closer, her green eyes piercing into Raina’s. She whispered clearly and cruelly.

“It’s because someone like you was never meant to marry a man like him.”

Raina’s face turned pale. Hyde smirked at her reaction and continued her taunts.

“You were talking back so well earlier. What, did your tongue get stuck? Oh… or maybe, since you’re just a beast, you can’t speak like a real person?”

More people had started to notice the growing tension, their curious gazes turning toward us.

I hadn’t planned to interfere, but if this continued, Hyde might tear Raina apart before the wedding even happened.

I spoke firmly.

“Lady Hyde. That’s enough.”

At my stern tone, Hyde folded her arms, looking slightly annoyed. She glanced between Raina and me before tilting her head in confusion.

“…Is she worth you defending her, Carmilla?”

Her emerald eyes gleamed as she stared at me, her red lips twisting into a smirk. Most people would have found it terrifying.

“If I say yes, will you be disappointed, Lady Armen?”

The only daughter of the Solar family was known for her beauty, wit, and charm. But more than that, she was infamous for her cruelty and unpredictability.

Backed by the Empress’s favor, few dared to stand against her.

Her moods had become so erratic that even those who once pleased her struggled to keep up. She could shower a maid with pearls one day and cruelly cast her aside the next over a trivial mistake.

But I wasn’t afraid. I had something to rely on.

So I simply looked at her with warm eyes.

“You know that’s not what I meant, Hal.”

Hyde held my gaze, her eyes filled with reluctant irritation. Slowly, ever so slowly, the hostility in her eyes faded.

Finally, she sighed and turned away, her tone softening.

“If you say so, then fine. But I don’t like her. So don’t expect me to treat her well.”

I smiled.

I understood. That was the best concession Hyde was willing to make.

Diane let out a quiet sigh of relief. If Hyde had started a full-blown fight here, the whole banquet could have turned into a disaster.

This gathering had been carefully prepared by the Rust family, and ruining it would be unwise.

I kept my smile as I looked at Hyde. I had wanted to see familiar faces today, and hers was one of them. It had been a long time since we’d met.

Hyde first appeared in the palace when the Empress married in. Since we were of similar age, I often saw her.

Back then, she had been smaller and frailer. Though we were the same age, she was weak and petite, so I treated her like a younger sister.

And she, in turn, followed me like an older sister.

Perhaps because of that old bond, she was always weak against me calling her by my childhood name.

“Thank you, Hyde.”

Of course, we were adults now, so I didn’t use that name often.

But occasionally, when I did, it brought back the warmth of our past relationship.

Though I wasn’t trying to manipulate her, I knew it was a card I sometimes played.

I turned to Raina and took her hand. It was ice-cold, making me flinch for a second.

“…Come with me. Let’s step out for a moment. You need to rest.”

She didn’t say a word and simply followed as I led her away.

Her movements were stiff, her face emotionless. She was so light that it felt like dragging a straw doll.

We arrived at the terrace. It was chilly, so I pulled down the thick velvet curtains to block the wind.

After seating her at a table, I hesitated, unsure of what to say. Instead, I turned to leave.

“Take your time. Come back when you feel better.”

Just as I was about to step out, Raina murmured behind me.

“You’re lucky, Lady Carmilla. You were born human, not a beast.”

My footsteps froze.

I started to turn back but hesitated. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see her expression right now.

I didn’t want to see it.

Soft, suppressed sobs reached my ears.

For a brief moment, countless responses ran through my mind—turning around, comforting her, saying something sharp—but I ignored them all and took another step forward.

“I wish I had been born as you instead…”

I stopped in my tracks.

Then came the sound of choked, muffled cries, like rain falling.

I couldn’t turn back.

I couldn’t leave either.

I stood there, frozen.

“Everything was decided the moment I was born. How I had to live, what I could have… My first memories were just me and my mother. She was the only family I had. But even then, she had to give up her milk to the young master. I grew up eating porridge.”

I didn’t want to hear this. But I also didn’t want to back down.

So I asked coldly,

“And so?”

But Raina kept speaking as if my reaction didn’t matter.

“My mother always put the young master first. But she was my whole world. In that huge, terrifying mansion, the world was filled with people to run from. Only my mother was my safe place.”

I couldn’t imagine it.

I had never lived in a world that revolved around just one person.

The closest feeling I had was when I fell in love with Bern—when my world seemed to shrink to just him. But that was only a faint comparison.

“Then… she was killed.”

Her voice cracked. I didn’t want to hear anymore.

But I couldn’t move.

I stood there, helplessly listening.