I'm Being Raised by Villains - Chapter 3
Upon my arrival and beautiful, glamorous appearance, all the lowly peasants in the meeting room turned to look at me, their queen.
My kokoro went doki-doki extremely quickly.
‘Honestly, I hate socializing with peasants…’
I had no knowledge that I would be surrounded by this many peasants. I swallowed my saliva and skipped over to find my throne.
My throne was placed in the center of the room, obviously. It was a place which showed my position clearly.
“Who is that young’un?”
“Ah, so you know about that bastard. The one who was disgraceful enough to be kicked out of the house.”
“Oh… so he managed to get preggo produce a child. It is my wish to have a child too.”
Uwufied:
Upon my awwivaw and beautifuw, gwamowous appeawance, aww da wowwy peasants in da meeting woom tuwned to wook at me, theiw queen.
My kokowo went doki-doki extwemewy quickwy, uwu >///<~
‘Honestwy, I hate sociawizing with peasants…’
I had nu knuwwedge that I wouwd be suwwounded by this many peasants. I swawwowed my sawiva and skipped ovew to find my thwone.
My thwone was pwaced in da centew of da woom, obviouswy. It was a pwace which showed my position cweawwy.
“Who is that uung’un?”
“Ah, so uu knuw about that bastawd. Da one who was disgwacefuw enuugh to be kicked out of da house.”
“Oh… so he managed to get pweggo pwoduce a chiwd. It is my wish to haz a chiwd too.”
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!
<Chapter 3>
With my appearance, everyone in the meeting room turned their attention towards me.
My heart was beating fast.
‘I don’t like crowds to be honest…’
I had no idea that there would be so many people. I swallowed my saliva and moved to find the tag labeled with my name.
My seat was indeed placed in the corner of the spacious meeting hall. It was a place which showed my status clearly.
“Who is that child?”
“Ah, you know about that bastard. That scoundrel who got kicked out of the house.”
“Oh… so he managed to produce a child. It is our wish to have a child.”
“Has it been seven years? It’s difficult for the Etam family to have children, be it the main family or branch family. So just how much has that scoundrel been playing around outside with his lower half? To think he could have a child despite that low probability…”
The murmur broke through the silence and slipped into my ears.
‘…What in the world was that person actually doing?’
He wasn’t merely a bastard. It seemed that he had a notorious enough reputation to be called a ‘scoundrel’.
“Still, for a man who used to reek of alcohol, he did pretty well to be able to produce a child…”
“What if you guys adopt and raise her?”
“Adopt?”
“Yeah, it’d be better for that child to be adopted than to grow up without parents like that. A descendant is already rare to begin with.”
Huh…?
Oh my, is there an option for me, who is from a branch family, to be adopted by this family too?
‘Of course, no. Firstly, I’m not really related to this family by blood, right?’
If that fact is revealed today, will that thought disappear as well?
As I was thinking, the door swung wide open. The sound of murmuring was cut off.
Everyone slowly stood up while holding their breath.
I also hurriedly got up from my seat and stood next to the chair.
“The 12th Head of the Etam family, Duke Mirel Etam, has arrived!”
With the loud voice of the doorkeeper resounding, an old man with great looks strode over the carpet.
There were veins sprouting from the top of his fist, which was decorated with gold and silver rings. There was also a long scar on his cheek.
And the members of the main family, who had black hair and red eyes, followed behind him in a row.
Among them was Erno Etam, who was smiling brightly.
He, who had been walking languidly with arrogance, stopped walking to wave at me, as if he had found me.
‘…What’s that supposed to mean?’
If I don’t wave back at him, he’ll probably wave persistently till the end.
“What is it? That rascal’s sudden action…”
“Rascal my ass. That jerk is just a devil…”
“But why in the world is he waving…?”
“Why else? Is that jerk being fickle for a day or two? It seems he’s acting up again.”
As he persistently continued to wave his hand, his eyes began to focus on me alone. I also quickly waved my small hand.
Even though he was the last to come, he sat proudly and leisurely next to Duke Mirel Etam.
“We’re going to start the New Year’s meeting. I hope everyone has come up with a plan they have in mind.”
Plan?
‘What is this all about?’
While I was lost in bewilderment and rolled my eyes, a verse from the novel suddenly came to my mind.
<The Etam’s New Year begins with everyone gathering and announcing their annual plans.
“Did you bring along with you something like this as a plan? You went mad last year, abandoning your family and becoming addicted to alcohol. Your brain must have been soaked in it. I might even let you live in a liquor jug for the rest of your life.”
Hm, no, I’m correcting it.
The year begins with a great crack.
Almost no one came up with a plan that Duke Mirel Etam liked, and if he didn’t like the plan, all the things they did in the past year would get exposed.>
I opened my mouth widely.
‘Mylaaaa… You didn’t tell me this kind of thing!!!’
When I was drenched in astonishment with my mouth wide open, the first person who was called tensed as he stood in front of the head of the family with a gloomy face.
The Duke nodded his head with an arrogant expression.
The man standing in front of the duke carefully put down a stack of thick papers and opened his mouth to speak.
“This year, I’m going to start a new round of research… Recently, a new plant was discovered in the Eastern Continent, and it is said that this plant emits a unique scent which calms the mind and body. Based on this…”
“Haven’t you read the previous research data?” The Duke, who had been listening intently while reading through the papers, cut off his words and lightly threw the papers.
“Sorry…?”
He took a short breath and opened his mouth. “So your head has become like a flower bed, huh? Is it because you have only studied medicinal herbs that flowers have bloomed on your head too? This is a plant which has already been researched, you stupid piece of shit. Are your eyes placed on the soles of your feet? That’s right, it could be because you went to a high-end bar using the research funds and screamed that you were the blood relative of the Etam family while drunk. You harassed women there and picked up poisonous herbs while tarnishing my name. Why? Did you leave your brain in the afterlife after you died and was resurrected? Where in the afterlife do you want me to bring it back to?”
“N-No.”
“No? Fine enough, how well-spoken you are. Let me hear what’s a no.”
“N-No, that’s not it… What Your Grace said is correct! Your Grace, I’m sorry… I’ll try again.”
What we encountered before our eyes was a scene of great disclosure and grilling. He was almost on the verge of crying in panic.
‘…No, but that’s something worthy of scolding, isn’t it?’
I mean he was drunk and ended up even harassing someone while in such a mess.
After that, when a person stood before the duke, they were repeatedly shaken off.
An endless stream of criticism and shameful pasts resounded in the large meeting room.
‘What have these people been doing in the past year?’
The faces of those who had yet to stand in front of the podium were getting paler as time passed.
The next in turn was a boy. He looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old.
He seemed to be one of the children on the other side of the room, but he was so petrified that he was on the verge of crying.
“Y-Your Grace… M-My goal and plan for this year is…to be in the top ten in the academy…”
“Last year, you placed 87th in the first semester and 128th in the second. And yet you’re saying you want to be in the top ten? Do you think that’s realistic? Or did you just blurt that out and plan on trying to get away with it now?”
“N-No… I-If I work hard…I think it’s possible.”
“You think it’s possible? So you mean it. Then what do you think your chances of success are?”
“That is…”
“I heard your story. Teacher evaluations have hit rock bottom recently. I heard that you were hanging out with bad kids, leaving your studies behind and bullying your classmate…”
The child’s face grew paler at the duke’s words.
“Liam, some bricks are recyclable, while some are not. I definitely like to suppress others with my power, but that’s only possible because of the power I have achieved. What would be of you if it wasn’t for me? Do you think you’re sane after making me hear about you bullying your classmate and causing a commotion over a suicide while not having a clue about what you have? It seems that non-recyclable brickheads are reserved for my family, huh? Brick doesn’t burn, so do you know how troublesome it’ll be for me to deal with them?”
Duke Mirel continued to fire. I opened my mouth and rolled my eyes.
If he had been born in Korea, he would have been a famous rapper.
“I-I’m sorry…”
“Mark my words. If a rumor regarding this sh*t enters my ears once again…”
His voice, which had been spitting out words calmly, suddenly took on a gloomy undertone.
The Duke’s gaze slowly moved towards the middle-aged man and woman sitting at a side.
Seeing that their faces were pale, it was obvious that they were the child’s parents.
“You know that you can make a scoundrel of yourself.”
Gasp, a famous line was said.
The biggest humiliation and curse in this mansion were those lines.
“You know that you can make a scoundrel of yourself.”
In other words, my father… It refers to someone who is considered to be like him. It was a sign to let you know that you would be getting kicked out of the family.
There was nothing more painful than being kicked out of the Etam family.
“G-Gasp, yes…y-yes.”
I pity that the child can’t even cry when his soul was on the verge of tears. Still, school violence is unacceptable.
After that, the nagging towards the children of the branch and main family continued.
As I was watching it, I suddenly had a question. ‘Huh? Do I perhaps have to do this too?’
As they continued to go down the line, sweat began to drip down my back.
…Huh?
Huh…?
Huuhh…?
I feel like something ominous crawled up.
“Next, Sir Callan Etam, Sir Shillian Etam.”
At the call, two boys with gorgeous looks stepped out.
“I don’t have many things I want to do this year. I’m planning on taking a break this year, Your Grace.”
“I don’t have any plans for this year either. I’ve reached a bottleneck at my fifth circle, so I’m going to take a break.”
A boy with dark hair, who looked just like Erno Etam, and a boy with red hair, which stood out, stated their aspirations.
‘So these kids are the sons of Erno Etam.’
In the novel, ‘Adopted’, they were siscon brothers to the heroine.
Although they looked like that, both of them had wounds, so they were helplessly attached to the sunshine-like heroine.
“Yeah, you need a proper rest too.”
The other children were nagged at like that, and yet the Duke did not say anything, despite their proud declaration that they would rest.
‘After all, the world is all about money, connections, luck, and talent…’
And I have nothing, right?
“Keep going.”
“Understood. Next, Miss Ayrin, please come forward.”
“…”
…I’m doomed.
My turn, which I did not expect, has come.
“Miss Ayrin?”
“Y-Yes…”
I stood up from my seat, hesitated, and stood in front of the duke.
He had a great intimidating presence.
It felt like his whole body was made of muscles. He could not be called an old man, even as a joke.
The Duke’s indifferent gaze reached me.
“Speak.”
‘What plan? …What plan? …What plan?’
My head went blank.
“M-My plan…”
I only have one plan right now though?
“T-That is…to leave this house safely…”
Was it because my mind went blank?
The words came out without going through my head first.
<To be continued>