She is the Daughter of the Villainess in a Ridiculous Novel - Chapter 100

‘She drank it.’

Now, Vilred just needs to use his magic at the precise moment.

Idel, who confirmed that the ring lid was properly closed with her opposite finger, tightly sealed her mouth.

Watching Melisa readily drink the beverage somehow made her throat feel completely choked up.

How much effort had she put in to ensure he felt no suspicion toward her?

‘It was a long, hard, and irritating process.’

She had spent a long time, complicated enough to give her a headache, deceiving him. Since there was a time when she couldn’t resist the brainwashing curse, she had to be on edge every day.

‘All of that was so I could be free at the critical moment.’

Yes, just like now.

Deliberately ignoring her vigorously pounding heart, Idel lightly hugged Melisa. Melisa returned the embrace and quietly moved her lips.

“Thank you, Idel.”

Her greeting included both the meaning of ‘thank you for coming to greet me first’ and ‘thank you for granting Mom’s request.’

As if Idel had already granted his ‘request.’

Hearing Melisa’s greeting, Idel lightly clenched her fist.

‘This person is cruel to the very end.’

It was strange that the first proper expression of gratitude she received from the person she believed to be her birth mother was so ambiguous.

It was truly strange.

She knew what kind of person Melisa was, and she knew that she was only using her, yet…

‘But it’s so annoying that this action suddenly leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.’

As if she were no different from the ‘Idel Clementine’ in the original story who had craved Melisa’s affection.

Idel subtly swallowed her emotions and deliberately showed an even brighter smile.

“…Yes, me too! Thank you too.”

It was the truth.

Thanks to her, she felt confident that she wouldn’t feel even a goldfish turd’s worth of guilt.

Idel, having pulled away from Melisa’s embrace, went about her duties as if nothing had happened.

“Hello? Are you enjoying the party?”

“Ah, of course! We were just discussing it ourselves, but the music, the food, and the atmosphere—there’s nothing to fault! Happy debut, young lady.”

This meant she was meeting the invited guests, exchanging greetings, offering the prepared flowers, and sometimes clinking glasses.

Just as Idel was busily making her rounds through the party hall, someone suddenly extended a long, white hand in front of her. On the palm of the extended hand lay a candy that Idel frequently enjoyed.

“Lady Idel.”

Hearing the familiar gentle voice, Idel smiled lightly and reached out her hand to take the candy.

“Count, Evan.”

“Happy birthday, Lady Idel.”

“I’m the one who’s grateful that you came.”

“I was going to avoid holding you up, as you seem quite busy, but Vivian suggested that taking a breather like this would be better…”

“Of course. It was a long time ago, but exchanging greetings on my debut day was truly an ordeal. The young lady seems to be experiencing something similar.”

Moreover, the young lady has more than one or two things to pay attention to today, besides greetings.

Idel lightly nodded, hearing Count Bright’s quietly whispered words.

“Still, I feel less burdened because the two of you are here. At least I can focus on just one person without having to worry about things like being a bastard or anything like that.”

“That is true, but…”

Evan, agreeing with Idel’s words, quietly trailed off. Concern clouded his eyes. It was a reaction that stemmed from knowing Idel’s birth and the identity of the ‘one person’ she mentioned.

Looking at Idel with worried eyes, he lightly squeezed and released her hand. It was Evan’s own form of encouragement.

“Then we will see you again shortly.”

“Alright, don’t be too afraid; we’ll be with you until the very end.”

Idel answered the two people’s encouragement with a light nod. After completing one more round of the party hall, she was finally able to face two boys her own age.

“Idel, you’ve worked hard.”

“You finally made it?”

Receiving the greetings from the two, whose personalities were fully evident, Idel slightly shrugged her shoulders.

“Are both of you enjoying the party?”

“No way. People keep staring at me.”

“Well, I was enjoying the food, though. Sigmund… didn’t eat any.”

“That’s a good choice.”

“Hmm?”

Unlike Dante’s expression, which looked puzzled, Sigmund wore a knowing expression.

Idel watched Sigmund and tilted her head slightly.

‘Hmm… what is it? Was he originally a boy whose emotions showed so clearly on his face?’

Perhaps because it had been a long time since she had seen him, his expression felt somehow more vivid.

She slightly narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Sigmund anew.

He was still leaning against the wall, his head tilted askew, but the uniform he had complained about in the note, which was so uncomfortable, suited him quite well.

He, who somehow had a ghostly sense of being observed, raised one eyebrow and looked at Idel.

“What? Do you have something to say?”

“Huh? No.”

Despite her immediate answer, Sigmund slightly furrowed his brows at Idel’s subtle expression.

However, that probing was brief. He briefly scanned the surroundings with his red eyes, pushed himself off the wall, and asked Idel.

“Are you done with your greetings? You still have a flower left in your hand.”

“Ah, that’s right. If it’s because of us, please don’t worry and proceed. This can also count as a greeting.”

Idel lightly shook her head at Dante’s words. Although she still had a flower in her hand, it was an extra, and she was mostly finished with greetings.

“No, I’m mostly done with the greetings. There’s only one sequence left now.”

“A dance?”

“Yes.”

And that would probably be the highlight of this debut ball.

Just as Idel was steeling her resolve, thinking of the final moment that was rapidly approaching, a hand was once again abruptly extended into her sight. The only differences were that this time there was no candy to soothe her mouth, and…

“Then, how about one dance with me?”

“The last dance—dance it with me.”

There were two people extending their hands. She suddenly felt as if the noisy party hall, full of enjoyment, had instantly quieted down.

‘I wish it were just a delusion, but I guess it’s not.’

Even with just a slight roll of her eyes, she could see that everyone around her was looking their way.

‘Why wouldn’t they be?’

The Duke’s successor and the Crown Prince extending their hands to the debut protagonist for the last dance?

‘Even I would watch, out of curiosity.’

As Idel was thinking that, Dante, seeing Sigmund’s resolute request to Idel, readily withdrew his hand.

“Ah. I didn’t know Sigmund would want to dance with Idel too. If that’s the case, I will yield this time. It’s alright for me even if it’s not this time.”

“Is that so? Then, I’ll ask you for this favor. Because I promised to marry her.”

“Pardon?”

Dante’s eyes widened at the answer, which had all the surrounding context completely cut out. Before Dante could open his mouth again, Idel first shook her head.

“What are you talking about? I’ve already decided who I want to dance with.”

“Ah, between me and Sigmund, you mean?”

“No.”

The murmuring of the people around them grew louder at Idel’s denial. Everyone seemed curious about where this exciting story would lead.

“We can dance later if you get a chance, but for now…”

“For now?”

Leaving the two men who had awkwardly withdrawn their hands behind her, Idel moved her feet without hesitation.

The place where she stopped walking was in front of the Duke of Clementine.

“Oh my!”

“…What is this?”

The Duke frowned and looked at Idel, while the Duchess covered her mouth with a face full of laughter.

He looked as if he couldn’t believe that Idel had bypassed everyone else and stood in front of him.

“…”

“…”

In the space full of silence, the first to move was Idel.

Idel quietly extended her hand toward the Duke, who was standing awkwardly, having lost even his words. It was an unmistakable request for a dance.

The Duke of Clementine’s gaze passed from Idel’s small hand to her face.

Similarly colored blue eyes met at close range. Idel looked directly into the Duke’s unusually trembling eyes and spoke with confidence.

“Today is a special day, isn’t it? So, I thought from the beginning that I wanted to dance the last dance with the Duke.”

“…”

“Dance with me, Dad.”