The Villainous Family Loves Me Too Much!

The bustling streets of the imperial capital served as the social center where numerous nobles from all corners of the Empire gathered and mingled.

From the rapidly changing fashion trends among noblewomen to the juiciest gossip about who from which household committed what scandalous act – all could be readily encountered here.

Among them, the most attention-grabbing shops tended to set up in that prime location, which is where Roati’s main branch was established.

With no time for interior decorating, the building lacked proper furnishings inside.

Instead, it was filled with large ornaments specially made for the Crown Prince’s wedding, invitation cards for nobles, and all sorts of other items.

Though the windows were curtained, some still tried to sneak peeks inside out of curiosity, without even pretending to save face.

“When did the Roati Company become so famous?”

As all focus was on the imminent, crucial wedding preparations, full-fledged imperial services had yet to commence.

Yet every passing noblewoman seemed aware of Roati, at least by name.

However, the Roati main branch currently had no wedding commissions aside from handling the Crown Prince’s ceremony.

With Beatrice’s wedding rapidly approaching in just a few days, all employees were frantically busy.

Among them, a young man with a modest appearance and short hair stood by the window, surveying the outside with piercing eyes.

‘It feels like someone is watching us.’

The young man was Lucian Felosite, the Archduke, disguised in a mask.

Whenever he turned his head, the gaze seemingly observing Roati would vanish, only to reappear when he looked away.

Such behavior was only possible by deliberately concealing one’s presence.

Likely realizing Lucian had noticed, the suspicious figure didn’t reveal itself again.

‘Moreover, I sense an ominous mana presence in this vicinity. Could it be…?’

* * *

In the Crown Prince’s bedchamber.

Even at high noon with the sun overhead, Liam still lay with eyes closed, sprawled on the bed.

Just as his complexion darkened to an unsightly hue, Liam’s mental state deteriorated increasingly gravely as well.

‘I’m not that bad a guy!’

He certainly hadn’t anticipated things would turn out this way when he initially accepted Beatrice’s proposal.

Liam was simply the most unloved child of the Emperor.

Compared to the exceptionally talented and outwardly perfect Crown Prince Gabriel, Liam paled – much like the strikingly beautiful yet unexceptional Princess Karena who resembled Gabriel.

Among them, Liam had nothing noteworthy to distinguish himself.

The only advantages he possessed over others were being born into the imperial bloodline and with the ‘Ability of Wind’.

Yet even those were woefully lacking compared to his siblings who awakened their powers early and achieved decent control.

The envy and sense of inferiority towards his superior older brother Gabriel, the Crown Prince no less, only deepened Liam’s loneliness and torment.

Amid such circumstances, Beatrice, Gabriel’s fiancée at the time, approached Liam.

At first, he merely thought she favored him.

-I like Liam, but as the Saintess, I have no choice. The Saintess is destined to marry the Crown Prince.

Just like the male lead in those vapid romance novels beloved by noble ladies.

Liam believed he was rescuing the ill-fated Beatrice.

-Liam only needs to do as I say, understand?

But he never imagined she would turn him into such a monster.

-Congratulations on becoming our Great Demon today, Liam.

Yes, even when enveloped by that initial shock, he somehow thought it would be alright.

But having to devour people daily, then violently expel the fact which tormented him…

Beatrice showed no concern for Liam suffering in agony.

-Such a weakling… Gabriel would have been better. Did we make a mistake and choose the wrong one?

Though collapsed on the bed, Liam heard every word.

From then on, Liam avoided encountering Beatrice except during designated meal times for the demon.

“A wretch like me… is utterly repulsive. Truly repulsive…”

Unmoving on the bed, Liam kept muttering the same words over and over.

Then a woman’s hand gently caressed Liam’s head.

“What troubles ail our Crown Prince so?”

“Co… Colin! Where have you been?”

The voice belonged to none other than Colin.

“I went away briefly to hide. But…”

Perched on the bed, Colin soothingly stroked Liam like a child.

“That won’t do. See how frail our Crown Prince grew in Colin’s absence.”

Liam wriggled over and clung to Colin’s warm embrace like a child to its mother.

“Our Liam needs Colin, not Beatrice.”

“I’ve had… a really hard day. It hurt so much, Colin.”

“Whatever do you mean? Who in this palace dared hurt our Crown Prince?”

Still visibly shaken, Liam’s frail body trembled.

“The… Lord Roati.”

“Roati… you mean that commoner woman from Felosite?”

“Yes, and the brat with her hurt me.”

Upon Liam mentioning Roati’s name, Colin stared directly into his eyes, as if awaiting this, and said:

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I shall take proper measures to ensure Roati cannot do such a thing.”

* * *

“How are you here?”

“If you don’t want trouble, it would be better for me to get in quickly.”

In the dead of night, when even breaths could be heard, Beatrice quickly shut the door upon finding Colin outside.

Seemingly about to retire for the night, Beatrice wore a negligee.

“Why have you come all this way? We clearly agreed you would stay away until the wedding. What if someone sees-“

“Why? Afraid the Felosite company people might recognize me?”

Colin shot back sharply at the flustered Beatrice, leaving her lips quivering as if struck directly.

“Rest assured. For now, no one at that company could recognize me. Nor could I recognize anyone there.”

Sauntering in, Colin plopped down on the bed as comfortably as entering her own home.

Though irked by Colin’s brazen act of reclining without removing her shoes, Beatrice clenched her fists, refraining from raising her voice.

“It seems there’s a healer at the Roati Company.”

“How did you know? I did get a massage. But why a healer?”

Colin began recounting a memory she had recently recalled.

“When I wrote this novel, I had set up a character as the continent’s sole healer, you see.”

“Is that so. A healer… I don’t recall that at all.”

As if recalling something, Colin suddenly furrowed her brow and chewed on her lips.

“The character eventually became a Felosite Archduke’s close aide, but based on the timeline, he’s probably still a child. There’s only that one healer in the entire continent.”

“Ah, that little brat who came by earlier? Quite the brazen one for a brat…”

“That brat is a healer. Who knows what he’s done to your body!”

Taken aback by Colin’s intense agitation, Beatrice scoffed dismissively.

“I’m perfectly fine. For your information, as the Saintess I merely received a divine power massage, nothing more.”

Yawning, Beatrice lay down properly on the bed.

“Why is a healer even at that company…”

Colin remained engrossed in her own contemplations.

“Maybe he came to make money since his family is poor. Why are you so serious about this?”

No sooner had Beatrice finished speaking than Colin burst into frenzied laughter.

“Colin, be quiet!”

“His family is poor? Fuhahaha! Do you have any idea whose child that brat is?”

Of course, Beatrice had no way of knowing. After laughing uproariously, Colin tenderly whispered while gazing at Beatrice:

“County Kenoch. In other words, our Princess Karena’s cousin.”