Playing the Perfect Fox-Eyed Villain Chapter 36

Episode 36. Bad Blood and Worse Blood (1)

“Are you thinking of going to declare war on the Cryphat family?”

As I was about to buy a decent coat based on the employee's recommendation, I turned my head when a voice suddenly interrupted me.

There was Irene de Donatien, looking dumbfounded.

Dark blue hair reminiscent of the night sea, and contrasty red eyes.

The harmony was so vivid that even her frowning expression was not diminished.

“Hello. It looks like you need some clothes, too, Miss Eileen.”

“Yes, I’m sure we’re headed toward the same destination.”

My destination is the same.

She also seems to have been invited to the wedding since she's in the formal wear corner. Maybe she doesn't have a regular formal wear like me.

“It seems like Miss Eileen has been invited to Sister Renia’s wedding.”

“Yes, I am also a member of the Donatien family, one way or another.”

"okay."

I answered as if I wasn't interested, and was about to buy the coat I was holding when I remembered what she had said.

“But, Miss Eileen, what do you mean by what you just said?”

“……You don’t know that pattern, do you?”

Eileen pointed her finger to the chest of the coat I was holding. There was a sophisticated pattern of golden crowns and swords.

“It is the emblem of the royal family of Febrans, a few knightly families who had the power of the imperial family behind them, who executed their rivals under the pretext of disrupting the imperial authority.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right? It’s a design that has lost its meaning now, but it still has political significance. If you wear it to your family’s wedding, what will everyone think?”

Well, I guess you could think of it that way.

I vaguely understood why she used the word 'declaration of war'.

Yurian is a member of the 'Closed Eyes', an organization exclusively for the imperial family, and isn't the Cryphat family the head of the noble council of elders who could be called the opposite of the imperial family?

My current objective is to secure the soul stone of the 'Cryphat family' in advance.

It is not wise to make a fuss about the relationship between Gamun and Yurian, as it is definitely not a good one.

“It definitely seems like a bad choice.”

“It’s good that I know now.”

“But that’s too bad. Right now, we don’t have this color anymore.”

I sighed lightly and returned the clothes I was holding to the employee.

“Then why don’t you just choose a different color?”

Irene speaks as if it were a given.

That is a very reasonable statement.

To be honest, with 'Yurien's' face and body type, anything she wears would look good on her.

I'm ordinary! I want to buy a dark series that's okay!

But why is it that what catches my eye is pink, fluorescent color?

The instinct of 'Yurien' that was sleeping deep in his heart was expressing his ego in a high manner. It was so severe that he kept looking at the fluorescent star-shaped sunglasses hanging on the wall.

'Because all the conventional concept of formal attire that I know of are closer to black.'

No matter how you think about it, the combination of pink and fluorescent colors is not within the category of 'normal'.

Still, seeing myself thinking those things were 'good', I didn't think I would be able to successfully complete this shopping trip today.

If this is the case now, the clothes I will buy in the future will have a strong 'Yurian' feel. But isn't the reason I went shopping today to have 'Lee Sihoo's' normal fashion sense?

'Oh, yeah.'

As my eyes continued to wander towards the bright colors, an idea suddenly occurred to me.

Looking at Irene's clothes in front of me, at first glance, she looked much more ordinary than 'Yurien'.

If I were to get a recommendation from her, wouldn't this worry be somewhat resolved?

“Then, this would be good.”

Since she had no intention of helping him, he decided to use the tactic of betrayal.

Thinking that way, I smiled with satisfaction and took out a plain dark gray top.

And after pretending to think deeply for a moment, I chose a pair of pants that went well with the formal top.

Of course, in pink.

“Okay, just a moment.”

“Why are you doing that?”

Her voice was a little embarrassed.

Okay, that's the reaction I wanted.

“That, that combination… is that right?”

“Yes, I don’t think there is a color combination that goes better than this.”

“No way…… who the hell mixes pink and gray!”

As I watched her stick out her tongue and look dumbfounded, I started to feel like I could slowly stimulate her pride.

“A plain, yet somewhat dull gray. I chose pink to add a point to that plainness. You could say it was a choice that thoroughly followed the trend.”

“You’re saying you’re going to add a point, but you’re going to make the entire area a single color that stands out… That’s a case where the belly button is bigger than the stomach!”

“It’s easy to say no. It’s hard to believe that a member of the Donatien family, renowned for its artistic talents, has such a lack of aesthetic sense.”

Eileen frowned at my provocation, walked briskly around, took out the clothes one by one, and showed them to me.

“If it were me, I would coordinate it like this. It might look okay to you, but at least it doesn’t look as clown-like as the outfit you chose!”

With those words, Eileen turned her head and left.

In the place where she had left, there were the ordinary clothes that she had chosen excitedly a moment ago.

I said to the staff with a satisfied smile.

“Please calculate with those.”

***

A beautiful garden that seems to embrace the seasons.

The quaint mansion of the Craiph family seen beyond could be considered a work of art.

Arriving at the Cryphat family, I felt a sense of inward awkwardness.

There is nothing more awkward than attending an event of someone you have never met before.

'Even though we are from the same family, the only person I've seen in person is Herand.'

It is truly a regrettable situation to be surrounded by relatives that no one knows, and to have to bless the marriage of a person with no face.

However, since the goal is to secure the soul of the 'Cryphat family', I have no choice but to attend the banquet even if I have complaints.

I handed the invitation to the security guard, hiding my discomfort.

The guard was quite embarrassed when he saw the invitation I received and my face.

“……You, Yurian Kraipart Prasson. I have confirmed your invitation.”

I guess he didn't expect me to come to the banquet hall.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Yurian has now cut ties with the Cryphat family, but he must have been surprised that he came to the banquet hall in person.

“Yes, thank you.”

After briefly greeting the security guard, I headed straight to the banquet hall, guided by the attendant.

There were numerous paintings and expensive-looking crafts lined up there, and dazzling chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

The hall, which was quite crowded, was as chaotic as the crowds of people.

But the hustle and bustle was short-lived.

As I entered the hall, the bustle began to slowly die down.

Like a drop of water falling into a lake, the calm spread around me.

‘… … How embarrassing.’

These are the eyes that look at an uninvited guest at a party. It's probably not a guess, but a certainty.

A collateral branch of the family and the empire's 'smiling executioner' showed up at a wedding that should be filled with only blessings?

It was enough to make them look at me with disgust.

“Doesn’t that guy have any sense? Why did he show up in a place like this?”

“That’s right. If you’re from a collateral line, you should act like a collateral line, and if you’re a royal dog, you should act like a royal dog.”

“Who said no? That bastard is so ugly.”

Even some nobles opened their mouths and did not hide it.

I'm already sick of those kind of idiots. If they just tilt their head slightly and give me a small smile, I'll back down.

“……Ugh.”

“Ahem.”

That's what it is.

That doesn't mean this uncomfortable seat has become more comfortable.

The goal is to take the 'soul stone' from the Cryphat family, so it's best to move as quickly as possible after the banquet ends──.

“Yurien! You came!”

A voice broke through the uncomfortable silence. I turned my head to see its owner, and a sophisticated wedding dress caught my eye.

Judging from her attire, she is clearly the main character of this banquet and Yurian's older sister, 'Renia Cryphat'.

“Sister Renia.”

She approached me with frequent steps, holding onto the middle of my dress skirt with her hand. As the distance between us grew closer, she stretched out both hands and hugged me tightly.

What the heck, there are people who express their feelings to Yurian like this?

“It’s been a while, Yulian. Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

It was a heartfelt tone as he spoke to his younger sibling after a long time.

Have you ever met this type of person?

No, there isn't.

Because of that, I felt a sense of alarm and looked at the <color of negativity> above Renia's head.

There is no color?

“It’s been a while, Sister Renia.”

“Those squinty eyes are still the same! How come nothing has changed since you were little!?”

I never thought there would be someone who would show favor to Yulian in this way.

Since I was here to steal the soul, it was a positive thing that there was someone who was showing me kindness, but I was extremely embarrassed.

I'm friends with this piece of human garbage…

While exchanging greetings with Renia, a familiar face, Eileen, approached her from behind.

“Irene, I’m sorry. I ran out in the middle of the conversation.”

Lenia turned her head away, her arms around my neck, and apologized to her. It seemed like the two had been chatting before I arrived.

“No, it’s okay, Lady Renia.”

Eileen smiled and answered Renia's words, then turned her gaze and began to examine the clothes I was wearing.

As this series of actions continued, for some reason the corners of her mouth seemed to slightly rise, and she also felt more confident.

“Let me introduce you to Yurian Kreifart. My younger brother… Ah, there’s no need to introduce him anyway, right? The two of you are seniors and juniors, after all.”

At Renia's words, I glanced at Eileen.

We were seniors and juniors.

That means, the reason why he showed a 'disgust' when he first saw her might have something to do with his time at the academy.

“By the way, Yurian. How neat you look when you dress so plainly. You usually dress like a clown.”

“That’s the style that’s popular in the system these days.”

“Oh my, if that style becomes popular, I’ll leave the system as soon as possible. Haha.”

Renia chuckled, satisfied with her own joke.

Leaving that smile behind, I was about to open my mouth to say why I came here.

“Sister Renia.”

At that time, there was someone who came before me and mentioned Renia's name.

“Oh my, Joshua!”

The young boy, whose name was Joshua to Renia, approached us with a sharp expression.

A young appearance that has not yet become an adult, and the symbol of the Cryphat family tattooed on his shoulder. And a face that gives off a different kind of arrogance than 'Yurien'.

He was the kind of guy who gave off the impression that he would be annoying if you got involved with him.

“You came, Joshua.”

“Yeah, sis. Your clothes are pretty.”

"thank you."

“But…what are you doing now?”

They say you should play it as it comes.

Renia was quite taken aback by the guy's sudden change in attitude.

“Why are you chatting with these two lesser men, when you have left the other noble attendees at such an important event?”

It was indeed an unpleasant remark, but Renia did not show any particular dissatisfaction. She just smiled and acted coquettishly, just like she did to me.

“I’m glad to see you. Now that I think about it, it’s been over ten years since Joshua last saw Yurian…….”

“Who calls someone like this a hyung? Are you crazy? A sister?”

When Joshua started swearing with a grim expression on his face, only then did Renia's smile disappear.

“Don’t you remember how your father got angry when you said you would send an invitation to that guy too?”

“I, I’m sorry…….”

“Not only are you being so stubborn, but you’re openly talking to the collaterals at the wedding hall… And don’t you have any sense?”

“Joshua, we were the ones who spoke to Renia first…….”

“Half of the Donatiens family, who told you to open your mouth!”

A flustered Eileen tried to help Renia, but Joshua pointed at her and made a gesture telling her to watch her mouth.

Eileen frowned as if she felt offended when she saw that sight, but there was nothing she could do about it.

This is Renia's wedding hall.

If he were to do something that would be met with gossip, the blame would fall on him and his collateral relatives.

"and you."

Joshua's complaints continued, as if something was still lacking.

This time the target is Nanga.

The guy pointed his finger at me.

“What made you come here? Do you think they would accept a lowly collateral like you as a member of the family?”

“I am not here as a member of the Cryphat family. I also received an invitation, so I came.”

I confidently took the invitation out of my bosom and showed it to Joshua. Then he snatched it away and started tearing it to pieces.

“Is that enough? Get out now.”

“That can’t be. I came here to bless Sister Renia’s future.”

As I tried to refute Joshua's words in the most gentle tone possible, a red haze appeared above his head.

The red of 'anger'.

At that moment, Joshua picked up a glass of wine on a tray held by a servant serving nearby.

‘… … Are you planning to sprinkle it?’

They say Seolma catches people.

Joshua's hand holding the glass of wine was reaching out to me.

A dark red wine.

If I were to turn that inside out, my clothes would get dirty. Even considering that, I decided to accept it.

The reason I came here was not to cause a commotion, but to secure the 'soul stone' of the Cryphat family.

For that, it's like pouring wine over it──.

'… … Wait a minute. If my clothes get dirty right now, I have to change into… … .'

I realized that the clothes I'm wearing now are the only 'ordinary' clothes I own.

The cobalt blue coat that I liked the most was taken for alterations after visiting Bernieden.

That is, if you don't have these clothes.

'Only pink and fluorescent colors remain.'

Crack──!

I was so crazy that I slapped Joshua on the cheek.

As for pink… I hate it to death.