Reborn As The Minor Villain In A Romance Fantasy Novel - Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Completely Moving In
Emilia pouted as she sat in the back of the limousine with her arms crossed and cheeks puffed out like a sulking child.

“You didn’t even tell me we were moving…” she complained, glaring at her sister who sat next to her. “What happened to our sisterly bond and all that other shit? Or do I need to grab your chest again to remind you?”

Vanessa shot her an annoyed look. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would,” Emilia said, leaning back against the soft leather seat and sighing.

Behind their limousine, a large white delivery truck followed closely.

Inside were most of their belongings from the old mansion… clothes, documents, furniture, and Emilia’s countless “toys,” the ones she refused to leave behind no matter how many times Vanessa tried to tell her there was no need for them.

They had been on the road for nearly half an hour, leaving the busy streets of the city behind as they climbed higher toward the hills.

Emilia’s impatience was starting to show.

She bounced her leg with her eyes flicking toward the tinted window again and again.

Villy sat quietly on her other side, her gaze fixed outside as well.

The maid hadn’t said a word since they started the trip and it was clear her thoughts were somewhere else.

Emilia nudged her.

“What’s with the gloomy silence, Villy? You look like your favorite show got canceled.”

Villy blinked and forced a small smile. “Ah, I was just thinking about Lord Lucius,” she said softly. “He must already be there by now.”

“Of course he is,” Emilia replied, “He just came back… I hope he’s taking care of himself.”

Vanessa sighed, resting her head against the seat. “Can you stop being dramatic for five minutes?”

“Not a chance.” Emilia turned to face her sister fully now.

Vanessa exhaled slowly and adjusted the cuffs of her long-sleeved shirt.

The movement was graceful and even now… sitting casually in the limousine, she somehow managed to look like she had just walked off a high-end magazine cover.

“Besides,” Vanessa said flatly, “I thought the council was joking.”

From the other side, Villy finally spoke up again. “My lady did not think the council was joking. In fact, she was very happy about it. But she was keeping it as a surprise for everyone—”

“Shut up, Villy.” Vanessa glared playfully at her.

The maid instantly went quiet, pressing her lips together as Emilia tried not to laugh.

“I knew it,” Emilia said smugly. “You just didn’t want to admit you were excited. You act all calm and collected, but deep down you’re just as giddy as the rest of us.”

The limousine rolled through the open roads, passing through patches of forest and small estates.

The hills stretched endlessly ahead, each one dotted with homes that looked more like palaces.

When they finally reached the upper area, the wind changed.

And they could smell something… it wasn’t a regular kind of smell but rather the kind of smell that screamed money.

Emilia leaned toward the window, practically pushing Villy against the door to get a better view.

“It smells… rich,” she said, taking a deep breath. “Like, really fucking rich.”

Villy coughed softly, trying not to get squashed.

“I think this is how noble estates smell,” Elara added from the opposite side.

She was dressed in her finest clothes… a white and gold outfit that matched her hair and looked completely at home among all this luxury. “The Hohenberg household used to smell the same.”

Emilia turned and looked out again, spotting a man in a tuxedo walking his dog.

The animal was small and fluffy, wearing a hat and a tiny coat that looked more expensive than most people’s rent.

“What the hell…” she muttered. “Even the dogs are rich.”

Vanessa leaned toward her and sighed. “Get away from the window. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, sis,” Emilia said proudly, flipping her crimson hair as it flew in the wind. “You can’t embarrass yourself in a limo. It’s physically impossible.”

Elara chuckled quietly, while Villy hid her smile behind a gloved hand.

Emilia leaned forward again, about to say something else, when her eyes went wide. “Wait… hold on.”

Her mouth dropped open as the limousine turned another corner, revealing a massive structure ahead… it had towering walls and iron gates that stretched wider than any mansion she had ever seen.

“Are we staying there?” she asked, pointing straight ahead.

“Where?” Vanessa asked, frowning as she followed her sister’s gaze.

She leaned closer to the other window, pressing Elara to the side in the process. “Sorry, Elara.”

Elara waved it off, though her eyes were also glued to the view.

The sight was surreal. Even from a distance, the mansion looked enormous… easily the size of something close to a royal castle under the afternoon sun.

Sure, Vanessa had submitted recommendations to the council about an ideal residence for their growing household, but she had never imagined this.

“What the fuck,” she whispered, “I’m sure that’s another person’s place.”

Emilia snorted. “Right? Living in a castle in 2025 is crazy.”

But as the limousine drew closer and rolled smoothly up the driveway, the truth became harder to deny.

The vehicle soon came to a stop and the driver stepped out immediately, straightening his suit before opening the passenger door.

Vanessa and Emilia both stepped out at once.

Elara followed, holding the side of her dress, and Villy trailed behind quietly.

They stood together, staring at the towering gates before them.

Beyond it, the estate stretched into the distance… a courtyard lined with fountains, trimmed hedges, and tall white pillars.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be staying in a place like this…” Elara whispered in disbelief. “If the mansion was intimidating, then this is just overkill.”

Emilia crossed her arms and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, this looks like something out of a drama. You sure we didn’t just drive into another dimension?”

Villy’s gaze softened.

“It’s beautiful,” she said quietly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Emilia muttered. “But how the hell do we even get in?”

The driver, standing a few steps ahead, gestured politely toward a metallic device beside the gate.

“One of you wonderful ladies will have to place your hand on the scanner,” he said. “Once it recognizes you, the gate will open automatically.”

Vanessa stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”

She pressed her hand flat against the cool glass surface of the scanner.

The machine gave a hum, followed by a chime as blue light rippled across its panel.

『Identifying… Vanessa, Entry 2. Gates are being opened.』

The mechanical voice echoed through the air and the massive gates began to slide open.

The women stared in awe as the world beyond revealed itself… a sprawling estate that made even the wealthiest mansions look small.

And standing on the porch, far away yet clearly visible, was Lucius.

They could see Luna standing beside him, her hair flowing in the breeze.

From this distance, Vanessa immediately recognized the other woman… Alexia.

She remembered her clearly; the same woman who had dropped Lucius off after the photoshoots.

But Lucius wasn’t just standing there.

He was laughing.

Not the normal kind of laugh either… it was the dramatic kind that came straight from the chest.

As the group walked past the open gates, the sound reached them more clearly, and they all stopped for a moment.

He sounded like one of those cartoonishly rich people on television.

“Ah… Boss, I really think you should stop,” Alexia said beside him. “You sound really weird.”

Lucius blinked, genuinely confused.

“What? No, no, this is perfect.” He adjusted his collar and straightened his back. “I was perfecting my rich laugh. We’re living in a rich neighborhood now… don’t I have to laugh like a rich man?”

Alexia facepalmed. “That’s not how it works, Boss.”

Lucius ignored her and turned to Luna, clearly seeking backup. “Come on, Luna. Tell her it sounds nice.”

Luna crossed her arms, looking unimpressed. “Hmph. It sounds like you’re choking on shit.”

“Hey… language,” Lucius muttered, but she only gave a little smirk.

He sighed, scratching his neck and then noticed the familiar group approaching from the gates. Vanessa, Emilia, Elara, and Villy.

The whole gang, apparently.

His grin returned instantly.

“Ah, perfect timing.” He raised a hand casually, and in the next instant, space warped in front of him as Villy was teleported straight into his arms.

The dwarf woman blinked, startled at first, before a bright smile appeared on her face.

“My lord,” she said warmly, pressing a gentle hand against his forehead, checking him like a worried nurse. “You’re getting better. Please don’t stress yourself out.”

Lucius chuckled. “You’re saying that like I was unconscious for a month. I’m perfectly fine.”

Villy giggled softly, clearly relieved just to see him again.

“Hey, Villy,” Lucius continued, his smirk widening, “my laugh sounded amazing, right?”

“Yes, my lord,” Villy replied without hesitation, nodding eagerly. “It was very elegant and powerful.”

“See?” Lucius said proudly, looking back at Alexia. “At least someone appreciates art when they hear it.”

Alexia stared at him flatly.

By then, the rest of the girls had reached them.

Vanessa gave him a knowing look, Elara smiled politely, and Emilia… well, Emilia didn’t even wait.

“Lucius!” she cried out happily, running straight toward him.

Before he could react, she had already wrapped herself around his free arm, clinging tightly.

He looked down at her with a sigh. “Hey, Emilia.”

“Guess what?” she said, her face glowing with excitement. “I got an admission into the Academy! Can you believe it? They didn’t even make me write the entrance exams… just straight admission!”

Lucius smiled knowingly. “You can thank me for that.”

“Huh?” she blinked, staring up at him. “You did that?”

“Of course,” he said smoothly. “I put in a few words for you while I was there.”

Emilia froze for a second before her cheeks flushed red.

‘Will I have to pay him back later… with my body?’ she thought, her imagination already running wild.

The thought alone sent a shiver down her spine, and she had to look away quickly before anyone noticed the perverted grin creeping onto her face.

‘She’s definitely thinking something weird again,’ Lucius thought, sighing internally.

He looked around, counting everyone with a glance… They were all here now.

He couldn’t help but smile. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

He motioned toward the open doors of the mansion, and the group began to move forward together.

“Open.”

The automatic doors slid open with a soft chime as they stepped into the massive entry hall

As the last of them entered, the doors closed behind with a low hiss, sealing the outside world away.

Meanwhile, Ryder was perched on the thick branch of a tall tree just outside the mansion grounds.

A pair of binoculars hung around his neck, and his expression was dead serious.

He watched as Lucius and the women disappeared into the mansion, his eyes burning with determination.

‘I need to prove myself…’ he thought, tightening his grip on the binoculars. ‘I can’t stay just another face in the crowd. I’ll show him that I’m worthy.’

He nodded to himself dramatically then, without warning, hurled the binoculars aside in an exaggerated flourish.

They flew through the air… and hit the head of a random jogger passing by on the road.

“Ow!” the man yelled, clutching his head.

“Sorry!” Ryder shouted back, waving awkwardly.

The man glared before limping away.