Chapter 34

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: The Villainess Imprinted with the Male Lead: Chapter 40

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Was it because he had finally unraveled the mystery about his partner?

Unbeknownst even to himself, the corners of his mouth—which had been rigidly set until just moments ago—loosened as if by some spell.

‘Sis, why’s the Duke acting like that?’

‘I don’t know either…….’

They seemed shocked and hesitant, yet somehow relieved. The two had been radiating a fierce aura, but now they exchanged subtle glances upon seeing Richt visibly relax.

‘Whoever it is, as long as this mess ends, I don’t care.’

She desperately wanted to drag Richt off to a corner right then and give him a piece of her mind.

Did her wish somehow reach the heavens?

Suddenly, someone called out to Richt and inserted themselves into the group.

“Ah, Duke?”

“!”

That golden hair…!

Luciana, who spotted Deborah first, froze like a statue.

“Wow! It really is you, Duke! Fancy running into you again here?”

“……Hey.”

By now, he should have blushed at the sight of Deborah, but instead, he was as prickly as he’d been at the very start of the novel.

“Hehe.”

But Deborah paid no mind to his tepid response and slowly flushed her cheeks.

A soft halo seemed to glow faintly behind her warm smile, perfectly suited to a day like this.

Just like in the original story, Deborah gazed only at Richt, like a sunflower turning toward the sun.

“Um, if I may…….”

At that moment, Deborah’s violet eyes turned toward Even, who was standing awkwardly at his side.

As someone who harbored a crush on Richt, she couldn’t help but feel bothered by the person occupying the spot next to him.

“Y-You don’t look familiar…….”

Deborah hesitated for a long moment with her drooping eyes, but ultimately gave in to her curiosity about his partner.

“I’m afraid I’m late with introductions. I’m Even Rone, vice-captain of the Karanta Knights. Today, I’m standing in as the captain’s partner at his request.”

“Ah! I thought your posture was impressively disciplined—you’re a knight!”

Guessing how Deborah had misunderstood, Even made it clear they were absolutely not involved that way. Relieved, Deborah smiled shyly and took the lead in the conversation, her tension visibly easing.

“Hey, sis! Hold on! You can’t just bail like that without a word!”

“Whatever, just hurry up and come here!”

Didn’t they know that avoiding the protagonists was the secret to a happy side character life?

‘That gave me a scare. I never expected the heroine to show up out of nowhere.’

Once she’d put some distance between them—like a rabbit fleeing a predator—Luciana finally glanced back.

Was it because the original plot had gone off the rails?

The protagonists, who should have been here together by rights, were each stuck with different partners in awkward situations.

Deborah still gazed at Richt with eyes full of goodwill, but his stony expression refused to soften.

Not content with that, he even started whipping his head around as if searching for someone.

“!”

No way it’s me.

Fearing she might get caught, Luciana quickly melted into the crowd.

Was it because it was their first encounter since getting entangled with him? A faint pang of guilt weighed on her shoulders.

Those red eyes staring indifferently at Deborah lingered in her mind.

‘If it weren’t for the imprint, everything would have played out just like the original.’

Luciana lowered her gaze, her emotions tangled.

Unlike the spring breeze carrying a languid floral scent, her first Spring Festival felt like it wouldn’t be smooth sailing.

“Duke? Are you looking for someone?”

Deborah cautiously asked, noticing his eyes weren’t on her.

What was he chasing after? Richt’s gaze as he scanned the surroundings carried a subtle urgency.

For Deborah, who had only ever seen his cold side, this impatience from Duke Cassio felt utterly unfamiliar.

“What. You still haven’t left?”

“Pardon? But……”

His offhand snap cut through the air sharply.

Her heart twinged again. Her violet eyes, like violets themselves, glistened faintly with moisture.

She knew intellectually that the distance between them wouldn’t close easily, but the disappointment welled up anyway.

‘Looks like I’m the only one chattering away here.’

Deborah’s lips pursed like a little bird’s beak. Even then, Richt’s attention remained fixed on the vanished Luciana.

‘She was definitely nearby—I could sense her presence…… Ah, there she is.’

Disappearing without a word. How did she get all the way over there so fast?

Spotting the cotton-candy-like hair with ease, Richt turned to leave Deborah behind without hesitation. But the next words stopped him.

“Gathering here for the sake of our splendid Spring Festival. Thanks to you all, it’ll be a grand ball. Welcome, everyone.”

“We pay respects to Her Highness the Second Princess, jewel of the Empire!”

“Skip the flattery. Now, straight to the point.”

Idris von Odellia made her way to the dance floor, escorted by her partner.

“Oh my! That’s……”

“The Second Princess, as expected. To think she’d bring the Prince of Murata……”

Her partner was the third prince of the Murata Kingdom, a vassal state of the Empire for several years now. Lacking political clout but renowned for his striking looks.

As the princess began her waltz to herald the start of the Spring Festival, all eyes instantly turned to the center.

‘Damn it.’

Now he couldn’t go to that girl.

Where had she vanished to in that brief moment of distraction?

The head of hair that had been in his sight just seconds ago disappeared as if playing a cruel game of hide-and-seek.

“Captain? Is something bothering you?”

“……No, nothing.”

Her constant hiding felt like she was avoiding him, stirring a restless thirst.

Didn’t she know that, bound by the imprint, she was always within his grasp no matter where she went?

Richt frowned in dissatisfaction, staring toward where he faintly sensed Luciana’s presence.

By then, the princess’s solo had ended, and the nobles’ dances followed.

All attendees had to perform before the crowd, so Luciana lightly stepped in time with Lorraine.

“Sis.”

At Lorraine’s low call, Luciana glanced up.

“About His Grace the Duke.”

She flinched.

“You listening?”

“Huh? Y-Yeah, go ahead.”

Why was Lorraine suddenly bringing up Richt?

‘He hasn’t noticed something, has he?’

Her grip tightened unconsciously on their joined hands.

Lorraine eyed her curiously for a moment before speaking again.

“At first, I thought he was interested in you.”

“What! N-No…… W-What nonsense is that.”

Luciana blurted out loudly before catching herself and denying it incoherently.

As if that Richt would ever take an interest in her. It shouldn’t happen—and it wouldn’t, ever.

“Is it such a bad thing? Anyway, he started firing questions at me out of the blue, so……”

“…….”

Luciana fidgeted anxiously with her lips. Truth be told, this was something she’d wondered about too.

‘The way he watched over Lorraine, grilling him about this and that……’

The Dalton family wasn’t without status in high society, but hardly special enough to draw Richt’s attention.

“So I changed my mind. Figured he must be interested in our family for some reason.”

Their joined hands tightened again.

This time, it was Lorraine’s doing. Luciana’s face flashed with puzzlement as she listened silently.

“……Lorraine?”

She asked, bewildered by his tense expression, as if he were on edge.

What was up with this unflappable kid all of a sudden?

The mystery didn’t last long.

“Thing is…… I hope I’m wrong, but the Duke’s been staring right at me persistently for a while now?”

“What?”

If even the usually laid-back Lorraine said it like that, it wasn’t something to brush off.

“Lemme check it out. Strike a pose or something.”