The Villainess Proposed a Contractual Marriage

The capital always buzzed with energy.

As the empire's heart, the finest goods flowed in, fueling lavish spending. Rare, pricey items scarcely seen elsewhere were commonplace here.

The capital's nobility often whiled away their time at salons and tea parties.

Viscount Chandler's mansion was no exception. Today, ladies gathered to embroider handkerchiefs made of precious fabric. Many flocked there for social pleasures.

"Wow, Lady Chandler. That butterfly you've drawn is beautiful."

"Your embroidery skills are so exquisite... I should learn from you, but it's not easy."

"Really? To me, your embroidery looks splendid too."

Linia Chandler, true to her status as heiress of a distinguished viscount family, displayed modest humility. Her seemingly innocent smile conveyed sincerity, further warming the gathering's atmosphere.

"Ah!"

"Come to think of it, isn't there someone whose embroidery skills are unmatched?"

"Unmatched, you say..."

As Linia's eyes rolled in a certain direction, the other ladies' gazes followed.

There sat a striking young lady on a spacious wine-red sofa, embroidering with a bored expression.

Even at this gathering of luxury, her dress fabric was in a league of its own.

Every item adorning her was beyond imitation in price.

Undoubtedly a powerful family's daughter. Yet not a soul stood by her side.

"Ahah..."

Someone let out a derisive snicker. The mockery, started by an unknown lady, spread like ink in water.

One of the ladies chattering beside Linia narrowed her eyes and spoke.

"Well, I suppose we must give Lady Luminel credit for her embroidery skills, if nothing else?"

With that, the floodgates opened.

"I wonder how many hours a day she spends on such embroidery?"

"Such remarkable skill... indeed."

"But what good is skill? Now... she'll have no one worthy to embroider for, will she?"

"Hehe... who would've thought? To think Lady Luminel would end up sold off to a commoner."

"My, isn't it harsh to say she's being sold off?"

"Harsh? Have you heard how much dowry she's bringing? Meanwhile, the man's utterly penniless, they say."

"Goodness! If she were at least being sold off, that'd be one thing, but this isn't even that, is it?"

"It's literally... a donation."

They laughed uproariously, openly mocking. Their usual roundabout speech had long vanished. Yet Elphisia Luminel maintained her bored demeanor throughout.

Her steadfast posture was almost haughty in its stillness.

"Still, it might not be a total loss? I hear the man Duke Luminel approved is 'that man' from the illegal auction incident."

"Ah, I've heard. They say the palace was in an uproar for a while because he used divine power."

"Rare as it may be, so what? He's still a commoner, and using divine power privately is punishable."

"At this point, doesn't it seem the Duke dislikes the lady?"

Still, everything the lady wore was top-quality, purely for the family's image.

Clearly, even His Grace has given up on the ever-expressionless "Scentless Flower".

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In hushed tones... perhaps Elphisia Luminel might be illegitimate.

... and other such harsh gossip circulated.

The atmosphere blatantly ostracized one person. And the instigator - Linia Chandler - hid a sneer behind her hand.

'How impressive, Elphisia Luminel. Keeping that stoic face even now!'

It was laughable. She wanted to laugh out loud.

Linia had always despised that woman who seemed to look down on others.

From her innate beauty and talent to her aloof gaze that screamed she lived in a different world, everything irked her.

Their deep-rooted bad blood was nauseating.

'What kind of walk is that? You're my age, yet you exude such grace!'

'You call that embroidery? I hear even Duke Luminel's handkerchiefs are embroidered by her. They say it's so intricate it could steal your eyes, but this...

Haah.'

'Second place again! We're in the same academy, yet how is she so different...'

'If only that child had been my daughter.'

When Lady Chandler said such things, Linia's world finally crumbled. Looking up, she felt as if Elphisia's shoe was there.

If she couldn't win, why not try to be friends? She'd thought that at times.

But whenever Linia spoke to her, Elphisia ignored her completely. Even persistent attempts didn't elicit so much as a sigh.

To Linia, it seemed like Elphisia was saying they were different classes of human beings.

If anyone knew inferiority well, Linia could confidently say it was herself. That's why she loathed Elphisia to the point of madness.

Surely, that woman must've been born without emotions.

So she hated Elphisia without guilt. Though she knew she couldn't win, the situation changed dramatically.

'Finally... finally... I've won.'

Elphisia Luminel, the best bride candidate, is to become a penniless commoner's wife. By her own father's will, no less.

A woman's self-esteem ultimately stems from her marriage prospects.

Even a baronet's daughter can look down on countless women if she becomes a duchess.

Thus, Linia's self-esteem, promised the title of duchess through her engagement to the 2nd Prince, soared.

Even Elphisia's few admirers eventually turned to her.

'Stay crushed... Elphisia Luminel. Just take off those fancy clothes and walk into the gutter...'

She indulged in fantasies of Elphisia in rags, fawning over a commoner.

It was then that Elphisia took a noticeable action.

Whoosh!

She unfolded a red fan, covering her alluring lips.

All eyes turned to her at this unusual display.

At last, Elphisia spoke.

"I'm delighted to have everyone's attention. I must thank Lady Chandler for holding such a meaningful gathering."

She smiled, grinning. Truly, no one present had ever seen Elphisia show emotion before.

The audience was shocked.

While everyone's composure crumbled, Elphisia continued.

"Of course, I've been as interested in all of you as you've been in me. For instance, let's see... You in the navy dress."

"M-me? Navy dress?!"

The lady addressed so rudely stood up, bristling.

Regardless, Elphisia continued with her sculptural smile.

"You're wearing quite a jewel-adorned dress. I wonder if the confiscation papers related to your cousin's illegal auction involvement have reached your family home yet?"

"W-what are you saying?!"

"One of the criminals my husband-to-be caught was your relative."

The lady whose family's dirty laundry had been aired collapsed in a daze.

Her cousin had indeed brought illegal auction items to her father, but unfortunately, it was discovered.

This gave legal grounds to confiscate profits from her family home.

"Ah, and you with the pearl earrings - your fiancé is quite the charmer, isn't he? So charming that he changed women daily. In brothels, of course."

"Wh-what, wait, Lady Luminel! Please, tell me more about that...!"

"You, whose embroidery looks more like a crow than a dog... What gives you the confidence to be meeting two men? Moreover, both think they took your virginity. I'd say you're more progressive than anyone here."

"Huh...!"

With each word from Elphisia's lips, an invisible dagger struck deep into the guests' vulnerabilities.

Some were indignant but didn't dare look up, while others gasped before fleeing the mansion entirely. The once-lively tea party rapidly fell apart.

Soon, Linia Chandler and Elphisia Luminel were left to confront each other.

"Lady Luminel... What are you trying to do?"

"What am I doing? You have eyes and ears. Just see and hear for yourself."

"I'm asking why you're suddenly acting out like this!"

"Ah..."

Elphisia exclaimed as if she truly hadn't realized. Her affected attitude made Linia's anger surge.

"Lady Chandler."

"Yes, Lady Luminel."

"Future Duchess."

"..."

Linia kept quiet, fearing what those disastrous lips might say next.

"The 2nd Prince is so overweight he can barely manage. Perhaps because of that, he's not trusted and long ago gave up on the throne."

"... Does it matter? Rather than getting tangled in bloody politics, it might be wise."

"Of course. I don't mean to insult His Highness's judgment. In fact, I empathize."

"Then... why on earth..."

Why?

Questions filled her mind. It was impossible to predict this sharp woman's intentions.

Snap!

Elphisia closed her fan.

"Sharing a bed with His Highness must be torturous. Especially if you're crushed under all that flesh, you might feel something..."

"You... vulgar...!!!"

Linia's face burned crimson. In contrast, Elphisia wore a faint smirk as she continued.

"Perhaps the handsome young nobles who flirted with you will haunt your nights?"

"That's... I could just take a lover if needed. After all, marriage is business. It's common to find love with a lover rather than a spouse."

"Mm, that's right. I agree. Your family's marital bliss is rather the exception, isn't it?"

If one were to distill all the world's pretenses into a narrow society, the aristocracy would be the epitome.

They act out marital love at banquets, yet indulge in passionate affairs the moment they're home.

Taking lovers has essentially become culture, so Linia's statement wasn't particularly shameless.

"Hmm."

However, Elphisia's mouth curled, revealing pretty dimples.

"So in the end, a woman finds happiness with a commoner, is that it?"

"... What did you say?"

"Shall I put it more crudely? In the end, you're just another woman who'll moan while clinging to a commoner's neck."

"Ha! You... You've gone too far...! Have you thrown away all your dignity now that you're to be a commoner's wife?!"

"Gone too far, you say... You're free to run your mouth, but don't mistake your rank."

Tap tap.

Elphisia tilted her head, tapping her hand with the folded fan.

"As you said, I'm a commoner's 'wife'. At least I can openly show who my partner is."

"What... does that matter..."

"Hmm, do you really not understand? How much more do I need to explain?"

Elphisia opened her drowsy eyes as if looking at something pathetic.

"I can openly call out my partner's name. You must whisper names in secret. You should understand by now, but let me be kinder and elaborate."

"Elphisia...!"

"While you preach about true love, in reality, you'll be too ashamed to show it openly as a duchess. The very comparison between us is shameful.

Do you finally understand now?"

Then Elphisia drove a verbal dagger deep into Linia's heart.

"From the start, you and I were on different levels. It's been that way since birth, and it will remain so. Outwardly, you'll mock the commoner's wife for comfort, but...

Inevitably, you'll spend your whole life in misery, thirsting for something more."

You.

Buried in vanity and inferiority, utterly broken, may you live unsatisfied no matter how many wrinkles you acquire.

When happiness shimmers like a mirage, today's tea party will suddenly come to mind.

This is an incantation.

It was also a curse.

A curse of resentment and bondage that will be engraved in your heart for life unless you face the mirror, look deep into your soul and change.

"..."

A single tear rolled down Linia's cheek.

Though they had exchanged only a few words, a woman transformed into a miserable state stood there.

Elphisia patted Linia's shoulder lightly and left with parting words.

"You shouldn't have dared to sully that person's name with your filthy mouth."

"... Whose."

Linia mumbled incoherently.

This wicked woman had always brushed off insults without a care. That's why Linia thought she was empty, without pride or self-respect. A response filled with emotion like this was unprecedented.

Elphisia stopped in her tracks. Then she turned her head towards Linia and smiled brightly.

"Who else could it be?"

She declared cheerfully.

"The man who will be my husband."