Chapter 26

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[Respected Princess Merdelia.]

Hello, Princess Viviana. I am indebted to the Merdelia Ducal Family. Not only did I briefly enjoy the high prestige of the Merdelia Ducal Family, but the enchanting performance you shared was an excessive honor for someone as humble as me. I will never forget the hospitality and kindness of that day.

Given the overwhelming consideration of the Merdelia Ducal Family, I do not wish to impose further on you, which is why I am writing this letter.

Your time is far too precious to be spent on me, and I believe I have found an unexpected solution myself. Therefore, I wish to retract the proposal I previously made. This decision was made after careful consideration, and I hope you will graciously understand.

The time I spent with you will remain a cherished memory in my heart forever. I sincerely wish you blessings on your path ahead and bid you farewell.

If we happen to meet again someday, I hope we can greet each other with smiles.

Wishing Your Highness peace and continued prosperity and happiness.

Take care.

With respect,

Tina Blanchard.

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*Crunch!*

The elegantly decorated letter was crumpled without a second thought.

“…Hah.”

A growling voice escaped from between her delicate lips. Her faintly glowing purple eyes swirled with an unknown emotion.

“…I clearly told her to wait for my response.”

She is the sole heir of the Merdelia Ducal Family, one of the most powerful noble families. Her cooperation is not something to be taken lightly, not even for a mere verbal proposal.

With just a single word from her, nobles would line up to kneel and beg for an alliance. Such is the unshakable prestige of the Merdelia Ducal Family, rivaling even the imperial authority.

And yet, this young lady couldn’t even wait a week?

She had offered to provide beneficial information to the Merdelia Ducal Family in exchange for protection. She had been considering the proposal positively and was about to respond within the week.

But now, barely five days later, it was the young lady of the Blanchard family who sent the letter first, and it was to nullify the proposal she had made.

Surely, it was she who needed help…

Why does this feel so uncomfortable?

“What kind of scheme is this, young lady?”

*

“Tina.”

“Lady Mardian!”

With a blooming smile, she ran into Mardian’s embrace. Mardian wrapped her arms around her, gently stroking her back as she spoke.

“I didn’t expect you to come to me first.”

“I couldn’t see you properly last time… I missed you, so I came. Was I a bother?”

Mardian’s eyes widened, and she bit her lip tightly. But after a moment, she smiled warmly and gently stroked her head.

“Of course not. You’re my pet, after all.”

Thank goodness.

She doesn’t seem as angry as I thought.

The last time I saw Mardian was on the third night of the banquet at the Imperial Palace. When Viviana suddenly appeared and took me away, Mardian’s expression was far from pleasant.

Though she is kind to me, Mardian is infamous as a villainess in the game. Worried about repercussions, I came to her mansion directly, but seeing her expression now, it seems she isn’t as angry as I feared.

“So, did you have a good talk with Princess Merdelia?”

But perhaps it still bothered her. Mardian immediately brought up Viviana. I smiled innocently and shook my head, leaning my head on Mardian’s shoulder.

Originally, I had planned to use Viviana to curb Mardian’s increasingly erratic behavior, but I changed my mind.

“No… actually, I was a bit dissatisfied. She took away the time I could have spent with you, Lady Mardian.”

Perhaps not expecting my words, Mardian raised an eyebrow and looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“You two seemed quite close. Was I mistaken?”

“…Princess Viviana does treat me kindly, but the truth is…”

I hesitated, glancing at her before cautiously continuing.

“I find her a bit overwhelming, even a little scary…”

“…Pfft.”

Seemingly pleased with my words, the corners of Mardian’s lips curled up slightly. After a satisfied smile, she pinched my cheek and gave me a gentle smile.

“Well, she is a bit ferocious. I thought she didn’t fit in with us, being more suited to the battlefield. It seems you feel the same way, Tina?”

“Yes, and I much prefer you, Lady Mardian.”

Unlike Viviana, whose expressions were hard to read, Mardian’s face showed clear reactions. Watching her expression change in real time, I realized I had been mistaken.

Why did I even approach Viviana? Mardian is much easier to handle.

“My lovely Tina… you’re truly adorable and clever.”

Mardian brushed my hair behind my ear with a ticklish touch. I could naturally sense the increasingly sticky look in her eyes. Her filthy desires were rearing their head again. Before she could speak, I opened my mouth first.

“Lady Mardian, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“I… had a bad experience when I was younger…”

Mardian, who had been stroking my head, stopped and raised an eyebrow, looking at me curiously.

“A bad experience?”

“It’s something I don’t want to talk about, but I feel like I have to…”

Mardian gently held my hand. The lust in her red eyes was gone, replaced only by curiosity.

“Tell me.”

“I… really like you, Lady Mardian… I really like you…”

I looked up at her with drooping eyes. She waited silently for me to continue, and after a moment, I did.

“I have a trauma.”

“Trauma?”

“It’s… when I was young… my father touched my body…”

“What?”

Mardian blinked in confusion, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing, then grabbed my shoulders with trembling hands and asked again.

“He touched your body? Am I understanding this correctly?”

“My mother rushed in and saved me, but if she hadn’t…”

Mardian’s face, a mix of disbelief and anger, turned to shock. Anyone would react the same way upon hearing that a father had sexually assaulted his own daughter. Even someone called a villainess.

Of course, it’s not true.

I’ve never even seen Tina’s father, nor do I care what kind of person he was. But seeing Artasha staying up every night to handle the debts because of him made my blood boil.

It’s wrong to speak ill of the dead, but if someone is inhuman, isn’t it okay to sell them out?

“…Tina.”

A faint sense of guilt seeped into Mardian’s eyes. It seemed she was recalling all the things she had done to me. I hid the smile rising within me and made my eyes look even sadder.

“…Tina, I…”

“I really like you, Lady Mardian… but every time I get scared of you, those memories…”

Before I could finish, Mardian hugged me tightly, her eyes filled with a faint sense of guilt.

“…I’m sorry. I had no idea the former head of the Blanchard family was such trash.”

Bonnie Blanchard, the former head who ruined the family’s reputation with gambling and affairs. I always thought of him as a pest, but who knew he’d be useful like this.

“Why didn’t you tell me? If I had known, I would have been more careful.”

I buried my face in her chest and secretly smiled.

“But… I thought you were happy. I wanted to give you some comfort, Lady Mardian.”

A wave of emotions stirred in Mardian’s red eyes. She bit her lip with a complicated expression for a while, then hugged me tightly and buried her face in my shoulder.

“…Tina.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to… I can handle you spanking me if I think of you, Lady Mardian… but kissing is too hard for me…”

I could clearly see the turmoil in Mardian’s expression. I was certain that the answer I wanted would come soon.

“…Alright. Tina, let me know when you’re ready.”

That day will never come, Lady Mardian. I’m not a perverted sadistic villainess like you.

“Yes… thank you, Lady Mardian.”

Nodding weakly, I harbored sinister thoughts within.

Once again, I was certain.

Yes, I don’t need Viviana’s help.

I can handle this on my own.