I, The Villainess, Will Seduce All The Heroines Instead
Chapter 67: Penelope’s Birthday Debut (4)

Chapter 67: Penelope’s Birthday Debut (4)

The spotlight slammed down on them like a divine theater cue.

Verena blinked, utterly unbothered. Public humiliation? Please. She gave corporate presentations during HR audits with charts titled ’Why Chad Needs to Be Fired.’ This was child’s play.

"You tripped me!" Penelope hissed.

"Oh? I didn’t know gravity worked on command now," Verena replied sweetly.

"You witch!"

"Flattered, but I prefer ’freelance miracle worker.’"

These nobles had never heard the word "freelance" in their lives, so Verena might as well have been casting spells with syllables.

To most, Penelope now looked like a tantrum-prone heiress who’d lost to gravity and to some, Verena was a mystery wrapped in scandal, dipped in cosmic rumor.

"It could be Verena..." one lady whispered behind a fan."Isn’t she the Conduitor of the Lost Zodiac? I heard she speaks to shadows!" another added dramatically.

Perfect. Verena batted her lashes like she was innocent and ethereal - if ethereal meant "definitely up to something."

"I know you did something!" Penelope accused.

"Well, if I could control gravity, wouldn’t I be doing something more productive?" Verena replied with a gracious shrug. "Like making your wig fly off?"

"This is slander!"

"Then sue the floorboards, dear. They’re the ones that betrayed you."

The nobles snorted. A few even clapped.

One point: Verena.

[SYSTEM ALERT: STORYLINE DISRUPTION DETECTED]

[Status Update: Key Heroine Missing from Event.]

[Suspicion Level: Rising Among Nobility.]

[Trigger Condition Met: Public Inquiry Imminent.]

[Reminder: You are currently in the Danger Zone.]

[Proceed with Caution.]

The grand doors at the top of the staircase burst open with a slam, silencing the chatter like a needle scratching off a record.

There stood Raphael, face twisted in fury with that trademark "someone’s-about-to-die" look.

Even as a young master, that expression was enough to make seasoned nobles break into polite sweats.

He stormed down the stairs, practically slicing through the crowd with sheer presence.

"L-Lord Raphael, is something the matter?" a trembling noble asked.

"Evelyn. She’s missing."

That was it. The plot drop was heard across the ballroom.

All eyes turned. Gasps. Whispers. Suspicion.

Verena swallowed.

Please let Clarina be following the plan.Please let the emotionally intelligent one have brain cells today.

From the twitch in Penelope’s left eye, it was clear: this night was not going the way she or her lovesick co-conspirator Norvan had envisioned. Her grand debut was circling the drain.

First, she tripped like a cartoon character. Now, the guest of honor, sweet little Evelyn, was missing. Iconic.

"It’s true," came Norvan’s smooth, too-calm voice as he stepped forward like a smug serpent in a tuxedo. "We haven’t seen her since yesterday..."

Oh, this bastard.

Then he turned his gaze, slow, deliberate, straight at Verena.

And he smiled.

[Warning: You are about to face a potential Death Flag.]

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

[You have gained a Buff: Composure]

[Effects: Increased Calmness under pressure. Minor ability to sway emotions and perceptions of others.]

"I understand the tension," he began smoothly, eyes sweeping the crowd. "But surely, we must ask ourselves: who benefits from Evelyn’s disappearance?"

He looked back to Verena, gaze steady.

"She vanished the day after Verena returned to the capital. Verena, who shares a complicated strained history with her. Verena, who has recently displayed... unusual magical capabilities. Powers we still don’t understand."

Murmurs rippled through the noble crowd.

"She’s the Conduitor of the Thirteenth Zodiac, is she not?" Norvan continued. "A Zodiac that was lost. One with an affinity for fate. And yet, she just so happened to appear now, right as Evelyn goes missing?"

He turned fully toward Verena now, eyes narrowing.

"I’m not accusing anyone. I’m merely pointing out a pattern... a dangerous one."

Okay, that was... annoyingly well-played.

He wasn’t dumb. That was the worst part. He could sound like a protective knight and a clever prosecutor all in one breath.

Penelope, still fuming from the earlier embarrassment, crossed her arms and sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Verena always has to be at the center of attention. Of course, she’d try to steal the spotlight on my big day. She probably planned this whole drama just to mess with me," Penelope joined in. "Especially out of jealousy."

Penelope strutted over to Raphael, her hand lightly brushing his arm as she gave him a sugary-sweet smile. "After all, Raphael has considered marrying me," she said, her voice dripping with sweetness.

Wait, what?

Since when did Raphael consider marrying her?

"Surprised, are we?"

It was officially two against one now, and the whispers were beginning to build. If it weren’t for her subtle buff, Verena would’ve been drowning in pressure by now.

"Really, Verena?" Raphael frowned, his voice dripping with disappointment. "I trusted you."

Of course, he’d believe them.

This man was notorious for his trust issues in the damn novel.

The whispers around them grew louder, as if the whole room could feel the tension tightening.

"Guards, seize her!" Penelope snapped, her hand raised in command.

The Imperial Guards wasted no time, grabbing her with a firm grip and dragging her away. It felt like deja vu, but at least this time, it wasn’t a death sentence yet.

"Really, Raphael?" Verena sneered, her frown deepening as she struggled against their hold. "I didn’t do anything!" she snapped, her voice sharp with frustration as they hauled her through the crowd.

She shot him a glare, every ounce of her anger seething beneath the surface.

How dare he, of all people, believe this ridiculous charade?

On the sidelines, Evelyn’s family was bawling like they’d just lost a treasure. Since when did they give a damn about her?

"My Evelyn! She hasn’t come home!" Her mother’s voice was filled with fake concern, probably for show.

"Let go of me!" Verena hissed, yanking against the guards with all her might, but they only gripped her harder, dragging her off.

This was ridiculous. Suffocating. Like being trapped in a room full of people who had no idea what was going on.

They dragged her down to the dungeons of the Imperial Palace, the cold stone walls closing in as the heavy door slammed shut behind her. She was tossed into a filthy cell like an afterthought.

"Stay put, bitch!" one of the guards snickered.