The Villain’S Daughter-In-Law Is Inherently Powerful [EN]: Chapter 61

“Why?”

“Well……. You’ll know once you see it. But if I take you, Young Lord will try to kill me, so I can’t show you.”

Merrem chuckled and straightened her clothes. Andre pouted, looking very hurt.

“I see. Well, since we’re here, shall we go find Inanna and have some tea?”

“Sounds good.”

“Great!”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Merrem and Andre were, in fact, barely acquaintances until recently.

I chose them myself to stay in the Heir Apparents’ Residence, but it was more like… an elimination method. After removing the kids who sided with Gerd, Merrem and Andre were left.

There was one more, but she was so timid that I hardly ever spoke to her. She would tremble whenever I talked to her, so I didn’t bother seeking her out.

Anyway, the fact that we, who weren’t very close, became so close was all thanks to Inanna.

After my fainting incident, there were a few changes-

First, Dante and Ian began receiving joint training from both Father and Stepmother. They said that if they were going to be so energetic, they should be squeezed dry.

And second, during the time those two were gone, Inanna had the less noticed heirs come out and spend time together.

It didn’t matter if we just read books, drew pictures, or even took naps; she had us stay in the same room for about two hours a day, which was surprisingly effective. Merrem and Andre were both sociable and quickly became friends.

Then, when I found out that neither of them aspired to be the Lord, I felt much more at ease.

‘Not everyone in the family needs to be focused on being the Lord.’

It would be great if these two grew up well without fighting and supported the main pillars of the family.

“Speaking of which, Florin. Have you decided who you’re going to the tea party with? It’s tomorrow already, isn’t it?”

“Who are you going to the Imperial Palace banquet with?”

Merrem was genuinely curious, and Andre was asking because he wanted to go. Andre had been singing about wanting to go to the Imperial Palace for a while now.

The difference in their attitudes was so clear that I chuckled.

“Well, for the Imperial Palace banquet, I’m going with…….”

Gulp.

Andre swallowed and stared at me eagerly.

I smiled and turned away.

“It’s a secret!”

“Ah, Florin!”

“Meh!”

I don’t know why I want to tease Merrem and Andre so much.

I laughed and ran down the hallway towards Inanna.

Andre chased closely behind, and Merrem shouted from a distance.

“Wait for me! You’re too fast. Huff…….”

“Come on, Merrem!”

I shouted back and smiled brightly.

“Got you!”

As soon as I slowed down, Andre grabbed my shoulder.

“Aww, I’m caught!”

“Now you catch me!”

Andre immediately ran ahead, and I quickly chased after him.

‘It’s strange, really.’

It seems like my body has become much healthier after being sick. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to play tag with Andre like this before…….

‘Anyway, it’s exciting!’

Ian and Dante are severely overprotective of me these days.

But when I play with Merrem and Andre, I can run around all day, which is great.

“Phew, I finally caught up.”

“Hey, you’re too weak.”

“Weak? I’m normal, and you’re just overly strong.”

Merrem wiped away sweat and bickered with Andre.

I watched them with amusement, then tapped Andre’s back and ran.

“Now you’re it!”

It’s springtime, when kids are most excited because they can run around as much as they want without catching a cold.

‘Tomorrow’s tea party will definitely be fun too.’

I have that confidence for no reason. It feels like everything will work out.

I held my skirt and twirled around with a happy face.

“Ah, I’m so happy!”

* * *

After much deliberation, I decided to go to the more important Imperial Palace banquet with Ian.

Ian is serious, calm, and thoughtful, so he doesn’t act recklessly. He doesn’t get easily excited and knows how to control his anger, so even if something happens at the Imperial Palace, I can trust and rely on him.

Because you never know what might happen at the Imperial Palace……. Impulsive Dante won’t do, no way.

‘Besides, I have to meet with the Emperor.’

The audience is said to be held on the first day of the banquet, during the day. I’ll probably be seeing His Majesty alone, but no one knows how the situation might change.

‘What if His Majesty suddenly asks for my partner to come in too?’

Merrem wouldn’t be able to withstand the Emperor’s aura, and Andre, who lacks the ability to handle sudden situations, would freeze up.

‘Ian is the only one I can trust.’

So, I had Linda send a message to Ian, asking him to go to the Imperial Palace banquet with me.

Then there’s the question of who to go to the tea party with-

“Dongle!!!”

Looking at Dante running towards me with an overflowing expression of emotion, I was convinced that my choice was right.

‘He’s really handsome.’

Fair skin and a sharp nose. The already defined jawline and long eyes blended together, making him undeniably handsome.

He looks even more dashing because he’s wearing a uniform instead of his usual training clothes.

‘Ugh, this uniform preference of mine.’

I scolded myself for being weak to handsome men and held out my hand to Dante.

“Escort me.”

“Yes!!!”

Dante was very high-spirited today, full of confidence.

He never thought he would be chosen and was digging a hole in the ground, but when I suddenly asked him to go to the tea party with me, he must have been very happy.

“But why did you choose me? I’m very, very happy, but! I’m curious……!”

Soon, I got into the magnificent carriage, straightened my skirt, and sat primly.

Dante was just grinning happily, and I stared at his face before tapping his nose.

“Don’t smile like that at the tea party.”

“Huh? Oh, of course! I only smile like this in front of you, you know?”

“Yeah. That’s why I’m going with Dante.”

The tea party is being held at the Roybaium mansion. So, if you think about it, it’s enemy territory.

Of course, Celina might turn out to be a really nice kid and become my eternal best friend, but I was thinking more in a negative direction.

‘Even if we become friends later, it would be good to establish some dominance so that they can’t treat me carelessly at first. It’s our first meeting, after all.’

Unfortunately, I tend to trust people’s malice more than their kindness. That’s how my life was before I came into this body.

I am currently known externally as the adopted daughter of the Idaho family. But people will definitely wonder what family I came from before that.

‘More than anything, I’m an albino.’

Being an albino alone is enough to show disgust.

‘My family members all like me now…… but the external families won’t.’

So, I needed a shield.

‘Dante looks incredibly cool when he has a blank expression.’

And…… his status is impeccable.

Dante would be helpful to me just by being there quietly at the tea party.

“Have you ever met anyone from the Roybaium family, Dante?”

“No! It’s my first time too.”

“Ugh, yeah. I’m a little worried.”

I can’t avoid external activities. I will gradually expand my activities little by little.

There will be more people who hate me than people who like me.

There will be people who despise me for being an albino without even knowing what kind of person I am.

It would be easier if I were just a naive child who couldn’t anticipate such things…… but I can’t help it that I’m not ‘just a child.’

“Florin.”

It was then.

Dante suddenly leaned his face in front of me as my hands grew colder with the carriage’s movement.

“Are you okay? You’re pale. You don’t seem to have a fever.”

Dante put his hand on my forehead and compared it to his own to check for a fever, and soon became serious.

“Let’s turn the carriage around, Florin. Ah, why didn’t I think of bringing a doctor?”

He looked like he was about to tell the coachman to go home any minute, so I quickly stopped Dante.

“No, Dante. I’m not sick, I’m just nervous.”

“But…… your hands are so cold?”

Ah, it’s warm.

Dante held my hand tightly.

It was a hand calloused from training, with blisters that had burst and hardened over and over again. But that strong hand was so warm…… that I felt better before I knew it.

“Should I hold your hand like this until we arrive?”

Dante, who had been scrutinizing me, smiled sheepishly and came to sit next to me.

I didn’t stop Dante and just nodded.

The horses moved clip-clop, and the carriage traveled neither too fast nor too slow, finally leaving the manor grounds.

The academy was heavily sponsored by Dribljane, so it was fine, but teleporting to another family’s mansion is extremely rude. So, for the first time, I had to ride a carriage for a long time.

And during that long, long time, Dante never let go of my hand.