Chapter 71
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Chapter 71: Getting Virtue Points From Protagonist
“Joking? Hah, ridiculous joke, just a joke. How could this young master possibly be afraid of you?”
Winnie put one hand on her waist, biting into a goose leg dripping with sauce, and mumbled indistinctly.
“Who is this young master? In the Kingdom of Camilla, I’m the number one delinquent! Back when I was causing havoc in the capital, you didn’t even know where you were. Do you think you are worthy of making me afraid? Hmph.”
“Poof.” For some reason, the thought of Winnie, who had mingled with the children in the orphanage a few days ago, made Aesphyra want to laugh a little.
“Laughing at what? Is it funny?” Winnie raised an eyebrow.
“No, I just thought of something funny.”
“Inexplicable woman. Boring. Young Master is too lazy to pay attention to you.” Winnie gave Aesphyra a blank look, turned to a corner away from her, and continued eating his goose leg.
“Lady Aesphyra.” Just then, a voice behind her stopped Aesphyra in her tracks.
Aesphyra gradually retracted her smile.
No, it couldn’t be said to be a restrained smile.
To be precise, it was more like her smile gradually shifted into something polite.
“Good evening, Sir. How may I assist you?” Aesphyra turned around and greeted the noble young master holding a glass of red wine behind her in a friendly manner.
Looking at his appearance of a humble gentleman, if Aesphyra hadn’t been reborn, she might have been deceived by his facade.
But unfortunately, she had lived two lifetimes, and these aristocratic young masters appeared utterly ridiculous in her eyes, nothing more than a group of children pretending to be mature while still wearing metaphorical diapers.
She could see through their intentions at a glance and had no interest in them whatsoever.
Honestly, the so-called villainous young man in the capital is far more interesting than those hypocrites.
At least he doesn’t trouble her, if anything, he goes out of his way to avoid her.
This made Aesphyra increasingly curious about why Winnie in this life was so different from the Winnie of her previous life.
What exactly was influencing the direction of the worldline?
Could it be that her rebirth, as a person who had lived twice, had caused a double butterfly effect, leading to a significant change in the original worldline?
Unlikely. She should be the only Reborn.
Aesphyra fell silent for a moment, recalling that she hadn’t encountered a single Crimson Demons in the Orel Forest this time.
Who had caused the change in the worldline?
Was it her rebirth?
While that was possible, her gut told her it wasn’t that simple.
She silently shifted her gaze to the person most affected by the changes in the worldline, Winnie, who was quietly munching on roast goose in the corner.
The most significant change was this heinous villain.
Although his reputation in this life was as bad as ever, and everyone’s attitude toward him remained as disgusted as in her previous life, his behavior was strikingly different.
If nothing else, the unpaid help he provided to the orphanage was definitely not something the Winnie of her previous life would have done.
And then there was his attitude toward her.
In her previous life, Winnie had made no secret of his malice, often setting up stumbling blocks for her, though those obstacles had seemed as trivial as the pranks of an immature child.
Back then, Aesphyra had initially dismissed Winnie as nothing more than a jumping clown, paying little attention to him.
But that clown had eventually orchestrated a major event that completely upended her life.
At this thought, Aesphyra felt that she would not let her guard down around Winnie.
She had to keep an eye on him at all times and be ready to deliver a fatal blow when his true nature was revealed.
But……
What if this villain had truly changed his essence due to the shift in the worldline?
What if he was no longer the evil demon he had once been?
How should she approach him then?
For a moment, Aesphyra was dazed.
Even if Winnie becomes a better person, it doesn’t erase the fact that he and she shared a so-called “lifelong friendship” in their past life. So, should she simply let him go?
As Aesphyra pondered these troubles, an untimely voice pulled her thoughts back to the present.
“Lady Aesphyra, may I call you that?”
“Who are you?” Aesphyra looked at the elegant young man standing before her.
He was dressed impeccably, handsome, and appeared to be quite talented.
“Excuse me, please allow me to introduce myself. I am the second son of Marquis Barclay, Carrick Barclay.” The young man introduced himself with a humble demeanor.
In the kingdom, the title of Marquis is already among the most prestigious noble ranks.
After all, in name, the Kingdom of Camella’s highest title is only equivalent to that of a Duke.
The Barclay family was regarded as one of the founding heroes of the Kingdom of Camella, and their influence was spread throughout the realm.
Although the other party was not the eldest son and couldn’t inherit the family estate, being approached by a noble of such status was undoubtedly a sign of recognition from the kingdom’s upper aristocracy.
“Well, Lord Carrick, do you have any advice?” Aesphyra’s smile carried no emotion, neither rude or inappropriate, merely polite.
It was as if, were it not for the need to maintain decorum, Aesphyra would not have engaged with him at all.
Aesphyra’s overly bland reaction left Carrick somewhat dissatisfied.
After all, throughout the kingdom and beyond, who wouldn’t stammer or fawn upon hearing the name of his family?
Aesphyra’s reaction unsettled Carrick, though he did not let it show.
“Lady Aesphyra, you were born into the Galactus family, so you must be from the south of the kingdom, correct? Truth be told, I’ve visited the Viscounty Galactus’, and the dried fruit there is quite delightful,” Carrick said with a smile.
This kind of small talk, devoid of any real substance, was merely a transition and prelude to the main topic.
What the other party was about to say next, Aesphyra knew perfectly well.
These aristocratic young masters were exactly the same as in her previous life.
How strange. Was it only Winnie who had changed?
Carrick thought Aesphyra was fully focused on him, unaware that even as she spoke to him, her mind was preoccupied with another man.
While she appeared to be engaging with him, in reality, she couldn’t care less.
“Lady Aesphyra is incredible! Back on the platform, when the academy’s unicorn lost control and frightened everyone, you remained so calm and composed. I truly admire you,”
“You flatter me, Lord Carrick. It was merely a stroke of luck.”
“Haha, how can it just be luck?” Carrick replied approvingly.
“Your composure alone shows that you are far stronger than the children of our great noble families. Even the tutors are very optimistic about you. Lady Aesphyra has already secured an admission quota this time.”
“I truly don’t deserve such praise.”
“Lady Aesphyra, we are both subjects of His Majesty the King and may soon become classmates at the same academy. There’s no need to be so formal. To be honest, I admire you greatly.”
“Come, Lady Aesphyra, let me propose a toast to you. May we both achieve great success.” As he spoke, Carrick raised his glass of champagne and gestured toward Aesphyra.
“Very well, I’ll take your kind words to heart.” Aesphyra poured herself a glass of red wine and took a small sip.
She didn’t care for the taste of wine and would never touch it except during necessary social gatherings.
“Lady Aesphyra, you and I are both from the Kingdom of Camella. We are compatriots. When we arrive at the examination hall, we will face not only our own people but also those from the Empire, the Grand Duchy, and other kingdoms. I believe we should stand united and support one another.”
“Tonight’s gathering includes nearly all the rising stars of our kingdom. It’s no exaggeration to say that this is the future of our entire kingdom. With that in mind, I’ve decided to host a dance tonight, not only to wish us all success but also to celebrate our families, our kingdom, and our king. Lady Aesphyra, you wouldn’t refuse to participate, would you?”
Here it comes, the main point.
Aesphyra remained outwardly composed. “Young Master Barclay, you jest. I wouldn’t dare to be so unsociable.”
“Hahaha, then, Lady Aesphyra, do you have a dance partner in mind?” By now, it was clear what Carrick was hinting at.
Aesphyra had just learned about the ball, so naturally, she wouldn’t have chosen a dance partner yet.
The next step was obvious. She would say she hadn’t yet selected a partner, and at that moment, Carrick would offer himself, suggesting that if she didn’t mind, they could pair up for the evening.
Carrick was confident. He was certain Aesphyra wouldn’t dare to embarrass him by refusing.
After all, who wouldn’t be thrilled to have the attention of a marquis’s son?
As the second son in his family, Carrick knew his chances of pursuing Her Royal Highness were slim.
So, he had long decided to settle for the next best option.
What could be better than choosing a talented and beautiful noble lady?
Carrick knew that his magical talent wasn’t among the best, even among the nobles. If it weren’t for hisfamily’s resources, many commoner geniuses might have surpassed him.
But while his magical aptitude might not beexceptional, he prided himself on his ability to read people.
Although he had yet to test her magical aptitude or elemental affinity, his intuition told him that this silver-haired girl had a promising future and was far from ordinary.
Thus, he decided to make a favorable impression on her.
With that in mind, he extended his hand to Aesphyra, confident that she wouldn’t refuse his invitation.
After all, he was the second son of a marquis, and with the backing of his family, it should be a simple matter to win the favor of a viscount’s daughter.
“I’m sorry, Lord Barclay, but I’ve already made an arrangement.” However, Aesphyra did not take his hand.
Instead, she politely declined with a smile.
“Ah, I see. What a coincidence.” A flicker of embarrassment crossed Carrick’s face, and he withdrew his hand, pretending to be apologetic.
But inwardly, he was accusing Aesphyra of making excuses to reject him.
“May I ask who the fortunate individual is? Who has earned the favor of Lady Aesphyra at tonight’s banquet? I’d love to know who this exceptional person is.” Despite the rejection, Carrick asked with a forced smile.
Carrick was convinced that Aesphyra was simply making excuses to brush him off.
He expected her to stumble over her words, unable to name anyone.
If she did name someone, he planned to confront that person immediately and expose her lie.
“That person?” Aesphyra’s purple eyes glanced meaningfully toward a corner of the banquet hall. “You should know him, Lord Barclay.”
“Oh? Who might that be?” Carrick asked, his curiosity piqued.
“He is a truly distinguished gentleman. Yes, it’s the young master of the Varelis family, a descendant of the goddess—Lord Vinny Varelis.”
The corners of Aesphyra’s lips curved slightly as she pointed her delicate finger toward someone who was busily indulging in the food in the corner, completely unaware that he was being used as a shield.
Carrick was momentarily stunned.
He had expected Aesphyra to name someone else as a pretext, but he hadn’t anticipated it would be Winnie.
What did this mean? That he wasn’t even as good as Winnie?
“Ah, is that so? Lady Aesphyra has… quite unique taste.” Carrick’s expression tightened, and his tone carried a hint of mockery.
“I wonder if Lord Winnie is aware of this arrangement?”
“Of course he is. I’ve already extended the invitation to him, and if there’s a ball, he is the only dance partner I’ll consider.” Aesphyra smiled beautifully.
At that moment, Winnie, who had been engrossed in his meal, suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Instinctively, he sensed that he had once again become the target of some unseen malice.
Raising his head and glancing around, he caught sight of Aesphyra walking toward him.
The silver-haired lady seemed to draw attention wherever she went.
Winnie quickly glanced to his left, then to his right, confirming that there was no one else nearby.
A sense of impending danger flashed through his mind.
‘Oh no. She’s coming for me!’
Winnie was about to casually stand up and make his escape when that melodious voice called out from behind him.
“Lord Winnie, have you given it any thought?” Aesphyra’s lips curved into a charming smile as she spoke, throwing him a playful wink.
“？？？”
Winnie’s head was filled with question marks.
‘What is she talking about? What is this woman up to now?’
“What are you referring to?”
“Oh, don’t play coy, Lord Winnie~ I invited you to be my dance partner earlier. Surely you haven’t forgotten already? Playing hard to get can backfire sometimes, you know?”
Aesphyra batted her beautiful eyes, her cheeks tinged with a delicate blush, as if she were a lovestruck maiden.
“？？？”
Winnie’s confusion only deepened.
‘What is this expression she’s making? What is going on?’
For a moment, Winnie was utterly baffled by Aesphyra’s behavior.
But when he noticed the noble young master trailing behind her, it all clicked in an instant.
‘Of course.’
He was being used as a shield by Aesphyra.
This woman…!
Winnie let out a bitter laugh, initially wanting to refuse outright.
But then, a new idea struck him.
‘Fine, if she wants to play games, I’ll play along. Let’s see how she likes it.’
He couldn’t be blamed for this.
He hadn’t planned to provoke Aesphyra, but she had brought this on herself.
He didn’t go looking for trouble, but Aesphyra always seemed to drag him into it.
If he didn’t take the initiative now, she’d probably keep causing him headaches.
Besides, as long as he didn’t take the villainous route and stayed reasonable, Aesphyra wouldn’t dare to do anything too drastic to him.
At that moment, Carrick, who had been following Aesphyra, witnessed Winnie’s reaction and was almost certain that Aesphyra was simply using Winnie as an excuse.
But before he could say anything, Winnie spoke up.
“Oh, you’re such a persistent woman.” Winnie snorted coldly, crossing his arms.
“Didn’t I already tell you? There’s someone else in my heart. I told you to stop bothering me, don’t you get it?”
“Ah, what can I do? It’s simply my fate!” Winnie sighed dramatically.
“A handsome young man like me, elegant, graceful, adored by all! Flowers bloom at my sight, and even carriages get flat tires just to catch a glimpse of me. I can’t help but charm the girls along the roadside.”
As he spoke, he ran a hand through his hair, utterly enamored with himself.
“But unfortunately for you, You aren’t my type. No matter how much you cling to me, it’s pointless.”
“You, your body is too small. This young master, do not like it. Give up.”
As he spoke, Winnie glanced at Aesphyra’s chest, revealing a look of disdain and contempt.
“Crack.”
No one knew what had happened, but Winnie just heard the sound of something breaking, and then…
+100 Virtue (Main Character’s Mood Swing)
Current Virtue: 114
