A Guide to Raising a Villainess-Chapter 128: Victory

The conflict did not disappear immediately — it lay dormant.

After the Trevern visit, the pressure became more subtle and dangerous. The letters no longer contained direct threats, but they carried a warning. Attempts were made to bribe the mine managers, copies of documents suddenly "went missing" in the capital, and rumors about my involvement in the count’s death began to spread faster than I had expected.

That’s when I realized that defense wasn’t enough. We could reinforce the walls, hire guards, build barricades of laws and connections, but that would only delay the inevitable. The Trevern family was like a river washing away the shore: slowly but surely. If we didn’t take the initiative, they would flood us.

"We will act openly," I told Ruby one morning as we sat in my office. Ruby nodded, but I saw a flicker of anxiety in her eyes. "And we will be the first."

"Are you sure, Auntie? That might attract even more attention."

"That’s exactly why," I replied, clenching my fists. "Let them fear us, not the other way around."

I ordered independent engineers and the royal mining inspector to be summoned.

Not those recommended by the capital, where the Treverns had their people in every ministry, but those whose names did not appear in any of the Treverns’ letters.

I spent weeks searching: I corresponded with universities in distant provinces, consulted with retired officers, and even turned to my father’s old acquaintances.

In the end, I assembled a team of five people: two engineers from the northern mines, a geologist with a reputation for being an honest, stubborn man, and a royal inspector known for his intolerance of corruption.

The inspection of the mine lasted three days, and each day was like a battle. The rock was tested for strength — not just visually, but with special instruments that measured cracks and hidden faults. The tunnels were measured to the nearest inch, comparing them with the drawings we found in the dusty archives.

The result was clear.

The collapse had occurred in an ancient, long-abandoned branch that was not listed in the official plans and had been opened on the personal orders of the deceased count. Moreover, it was he who insisted on going deeper, ignoring the manager’s warning.

When the report was ready, I sent it to three authorities at once.

To the royal chancellery.

To the city court.

And a copy to Edmund Trevern.

The response was not long in coming.

He arrived in person.

This time without mourning clothes, without harsh words, and without an entourage. We met in the same living room, but the conversation was different.

"You’ve thought this through," he said after a long silence, leafing through the report. "If this becomes public knowledge, my cousin’s name will be tarnished."

I stood by the window, looking at the nature outside.

"Tarnished?" I asked, turning to him. "Or finally cleared of lies? Your cousin was not a hero, but a reckless adventurer who ruined people for his own whims. And you knew that, Edmund. You covered for him to preserve the family’s reputation."

He looked up, and I saw anger flash in his eyes.

"I’m not looking for scandal," I said calmly. "I’m looking for peace on my land."

The man pressed his lips together.

"What do you want?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"For the Trevern family to officially renounce all claims. Publicly. And for the rumors that have begun to spread to be refuted just as publicly."

Edmund looked at me for a long time, then smiled coldly.

"You are a dangerous woman, Lady Grace."

"I am simply defending myself," I replied.

Several more tense weeks passed in this manner.

Investigators came and went, papers were shuffled from place to place, interrogations were followed by waiting. I said the same thing over and over again — calmly, consistently, without backing down an inch.

The mine manager, the surviving miners, the count’s guards — their testimonies all agreed on one thing: the collapse was an accident caused by the dilapidated state of the old tunnel, which had been warned about in advance.

Edmund Trevern’s attempts to pressure me did not stop. Through hints, through acquaintances, through semi-official letters in which he "kindly" advised me to give up the disputed property for the sake of peace.

I did not give up.

On the contrary, my attorney in the capital did an impeccable job. The documents signed by the late Earl Henry Trevern were reconfirmed. The medical report, which the deceased earl had so confidently referred to, turned out to have been backdated and raised too many questions for the royal chancellery — already directed at the Trevern family.

Slowly but surely, the tide was turning.

The final decision was delivered in a dry, almost indifferent manner: neither the mine owner nor its managers were found guilty of what had happened. All claims by the Trevern family were deemed unfounded. Moreover, they were strongly advised to refrain from further attempts to exert pressure.

When I received this news, I allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief for the first time in a long time.

"It’s over," Ruby said, rereading the document for the third time, as if afraid the words would disappear.

"Yes," I replied with a slight smile.

I felt a real sense of relief that this whole war with the count’s relatives was finally over. At least for me.

Ruby and I sat in the living room, bathed in soft daylight, drinking tea. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed tea — black, with hints of bergamot.

The estate finally stopped feeling like it was under siege.

We chatted about trivial things — the new dress I had ordered from the tailor and how Ruby was planning to redecorate her room in an oriental style. Her light, infectious laughter filled the room, and I felt the tension of the past few weeks melt away like ice under the sun.

At that moment, the butler entered with a tray.

"Madam," he bowed, holding out the tray. "A letter with the royal seal for you. The messenger has just arrived and insisted on delivering it personally."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise and took the envelope.

Ruby froze, her cup halfway to her mouth, and a flicker of curiosity crossed her eyes.

I took the envelope, feeling the heavy wax seal with the crown’s coat of arms—a golden lion on a blue shield — under my fingers.

My thoughts raced: what could be inside? I broke the seal and unfolded the letter, trying to hide the tremor in my hands.

The letter was short.

Restrained lines, written with a confident hand.

Prince Richard thanked me for my prudence and restraint in a difficult situation — he was referring to the count’s family feud, where I had played a key role in preventing the conflict from escalating into an open scandal.

He expressed his desire to meet in person — without formalities, without the court or witnesses.

At the end, the place and time were added: a small coffee shop in the capital, in a quiet neighborhood not far from the palace, tomorrow at noon.

I was somewhat puzzled, rereading the letter several times in a row, but finally put it down just as Ruby was watching my actions with interest.

Her eyes, usually full of mischief, now sparkled with curiosity, like a kitten that had sensed a secret.

I tried to keep a straight face, but inside I was in real turmoil: Prince Richard, heir to the throne, was inviting me to a private meeting? Without witnesses, in a modest coffee shop?

It could be a compliment for my role in settling the count’s family quarrels, but it could also be something far more dubious.

"Auntie, has something happened? Why did you receive a letter from the palace?" Ruby asked, her voice sounding a little louder than usual, echoing off the walls of the living room.

She set her teacup aside and leaned forward, her dark curls almost touching the tablecloth.

I hesitated before answering, feeling the words catch in my throat.

For some reason, I wondered whether I should tell Ruby about my upcoming meeting with the prince.

"Nothing special," I finally replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "Just business. Probably another invitation to a ball or something like that."

"Really?" she asked, narrowing her eyes, a shadow of disbelief flashing across them. She knew me too well to believe such evasiveness.

"Yes. Really, nothing special," I confirmed, forcing myself to smile distractedly, as I wanted to change the subject as quickly as possible.

I quickly looked out the window, where the sun was playing in the treetops, and asked about her plans for the evening — the new novel she was reading or a walk in the garden.

Ruby sighed but didn’t insist, returning to her tea and cookies, although her curiosity was clearly not satisfied.

To be honest, I didn’t have the highest expectations for my upcoming meeting with Richard.

My hands trembled slightly as I tucked the letter into my dress pocket, and I thought maybe it would be better not to go at all.

But refuse the prince? That would be tantamount to insulting a royal person in a society where loyalty to the imperial family was valued above all else.

The war with the count’s relatives was over, but it seemed that a new battle was just beginning for me — and this time, the stakes were personal. I sighed, trying to focus on Ruby’s chatter, but my thoughts were already racing ahead to tomorrow, a day full of uncertainty.