The Villainess Who Has Been Killed 108 Times - Chapter 22.3
Chapter 22 part 3
I wasn’t feeling well, probably because of anxiety as Wendell is no longer with me.
But it’s still a long time until he returns…I must stay strong.
And just when I was re-steeling myself with determination, my father-in-law shows up.
The memories of that nightmare night reignited.
Cold sweat covered my forehead.
「…poor with your greeting…as usual.」
The mother-in-law said to me with a sneer.
「Shameful that a woman like you should have a child of Lingard blood.」
She said loudly again and snarled, slapping at my abdomen with her cane.
I was shocked, I covered my belly and turned, and the next hit struck my back.
Just an old lady though, so no real power.
But I had no idea why these people could be so nasty.
「Greeting your husband’s father, ass-forward? Is that how they do it in the country? I guess you really can’t just raise someone from the lower classes.」
Hit again, strongly in the back, I turned to see that now it was the father-in-law that had hit me with his cane.
Even though he was elderly, he still hit me with brute force.
I almost stopped breathing due to the pain.
I couldn’t believe it.
The child of Wendell was inside of me.
And my father is not some subordinate as well.
Since the loss of my mother, he was proud of me and kind with me, raising me himself.
「Such a thankless woman. She probably doesn’t even have the child of Wendell inside her. Instead, she probably slutted herself out to a butler when he was away?」
The mother-in-law said with a snort.
With all that talk, I finally snapped.
And it wasn’t just the slander directed to me, but to my Wendell as well. Don’t they even notice?
I stopped trying to contain myself, and tore into both of them,
「I am Wendell’s WIFE! We’d never betray one another!」
「Heh, well, I am the mistress of Wendell…seems as though your love is unrequited.」
Behind the marquis of Vygod was a gaudy dressed woman who suddenly spoke to me.
Her boobs were practically spilling out of a dress, making it hard not to look at them…she really must be proud of her body.
It was a gorgeous dress, but no one would wear such a thing to travel in during the daytime…I may not know nobles, but even that was obvious.
She also was covered in tacky jewelry and gold that made her look even more slutty.
Like some kind of poisonous moth…was my impression.
「Mistress?」
I knew that Wendell disliked that type of woman the most.
I was taken aback. No matter how he that this woman were connected, it made no sense.
And the fact that she was searching for my reaction was also disturbing.
「I am Ambrosine Shylock…nice to meet you…Madam.」
She greeted me with distorted, crimson lips…lips that looked like blood was smeared on them.
And I knew the Shylock name.
Notorious rich commoners. Their financial ownings were said to surpass the crown’s.
And I also had seen Ambrosine’s mocking eyes before.
She had those same eyes as the other red-blood nobles.
Eyes that judge and look down on others.
I thought of the bow and arrow I had stowed away, and I turned pale.
The devil was tempting me.
Even with the bow shut away, I knew that Wendell had taken good care of it.
All I had to do was string it and use it immediately.
「Your beloved husband is staying at my mansion. That whole trip of his is a ruse.」
「What Miss Ambrosine says is true. Because you can’t keep Wendell in this shabby mansion forever…he’s a hero after all.」
「You could have at least been high-class enough to keep this garden and mansion looking decent. When I was here, it was a glorious place.」
What the hell are they trying to say?
Weren’t THEY the ones that destroyed this territory and this mansion?
And Wendell would never betray me.
「You’re right. There is a limit to frugality…I mean, excuse me. You are a duchess and a model of chasteness. If you’d like, I can offer some of my clothes for you to improve your look?」
Looking at me from top to bottom, Ambrosine laughed.
I could feel my face get hot.
Wendell was a far better man than these overtaxing vultures.
I am proud of Wendell’s noble way of living, so what do these people know?
「You can’t even call her a wife. Makes you want to spit. A woman like this has no idea how to dress herself. I’m just glad my son had the sense to finally leave her.」
「Beasts like this, when cornered, are far stronger than normal people. She should do us a favor and miscarry.」
「Heh heh, don’t worry, I’ll have the Duke’s child soon. Then I’ll be able to be closer to you two. It will make things more flexible for you.」
Ambrosine said, while the Vygod’s smiled in greedy joy.
What horrific smiles.
All they wanted was funding from the Shylocks.
「I’ll be looking forward to it. You Shylocks will finally be awarded a noble title.」
「In that case, I have to think of the successor. We can keep this child in her belly in case there’s an emergency.」
My vision was turning red as the anger within me burned into a conflagration.
Did these three idiots just stop here to mock me?
And the life I’m about to give birth to?
I’ll shoot all three of you dead…I mean it…it’s easy.
Three arrows. That’s all I need.
Since they have no heavy fur protecting them, all it takes is a single shot for each.
They don’t treat me as human, after all…so I won’t treat them like one either.
They are all vermin…and vermin must be eliminated to protect other humans.
So let’s see!
Maybe I should show you what happens to prey that attacks without fangs or claws!
I was just about to run and grab my bow, when the rain began to pour mercilessly.
I was stunned at my own rage when my sanity suddenly returned to me.
What was I trying to do?!
「I can’t wait any longer! If you give birth, even if a boy that can succeed or a girl that can’t, you will divorce him immediately! You hear?!」
The wife of the marquis than hurried into the carriage.
「I wouldn’t recognize a boy born to this barbarian as a grandchild, hmph!」
Then the marquis followed her.
「I don’t think you’ll be rewarded as such. I wonder how much longer she can stay sane…such a sad sight.」
She whispered to me and left, so only Ambrosine and I could hear.
I had no idea what she meant, but it was dripping with venom.
Then she disappeared into the carriage with a high, piercing laugh.
All three people inside, the carriage then tore off to the gate.
With the sound of rain fading, I noticed I was soaked.
I couldn’t hardly move, and not out of dislike or fear.
I was a second from running inside and killing them,
There was a horrifying fiend that lived inside of me, after all.
And so I stood there stunned until the old gatekeepers ran over and rushed me indoors.
・・・・・・・・・・
Maybe because I stood in the rain so long, I got sick.
My head hurt and there was pain in my chest.
I couldn’t forget those cold eyes of my mother-in-law, who had hit my stomach.
「Instead, she probably slutted herself out to a butler when he was away?」
Those words from my father-in-law stuck in my head.
「I guess you really can’t just raise someone from the lower classes.」
「If you give birth to a girl, then you divorce immediately.」
Those words repeated in my mind.
I was so irritated.
It was strange.
「I don’t think you’ll be rewarded as such. I wonder how much longer she can stay sane…such a sad sight.」
I noticed Ambrosine’s words and thought them over.
An alarm rang in my mind, but I refused to really think it through.
I felt so sick I couldn’t even walk straight.
I was so suspicious of Wendell, who I never doubted before, it swelled before me like a huge, strange cloud.
Why didn’t he tell them to not visit me under any terms?
He’s their kid, right?
Had he abandoned me?
Was I too much of a burden for him?
If so, that story about the mistress might be true.
No, it must be. I was deceived as usual as I’m just too kind.
Everyone is an enemy.
Not one to help me. Why am I the only one in such pain?
It seems as if everyone in this world ridicules and mocks me.
I could only think of the worst things that could happen to me.
I was going insane.
