Chapter 111
When a gentleman who remembered Dolly’s gossiping from the previous day made a sarcastic remark, laughter erupted uproariously throughout the entire salon.
Those who had been offended by the maid’s slander, as well as those embarrassed to realize they had believed false rumors, all began pointing fingers at Dolly.
[ Current Negative Reputations You Possess:
▶ Vicious and Wicked Lady (0 people / ▼32 decreased)
▶ Selfish Purifier (12 people / ▼3 decreased)
▶ Arrogant Flower of High Society (8 people / ▼18 decreased)
▶ Empty-headed Young Lady (0 people / ▼23 decreased) ]
‘Even the rumor about being a selfish purifier has gone down?’
It seemed that, since the other rumors were proven to be false, people started to assume that the one about the “Selfish Purifier” was also nonsense.
That meant she might be able to erase the “Selfish Purifier” rumor without having to perform a purification at all.
I secretly sighed in deep relief. Then Dolly’s eyes darted toward me.
I mouthed the words silently to her, “You idiot.”
Dolly’s face turned crimson. She bowed her head, filled with hostility—no doubt gritting her teeth in silent fury.
‘Yes, get angry. Come back with your usual clever little tricks. Bring your oh-so-great fiancé into it too.’
Just like in the last life—come at me in that same vulgar way. Attack me in a more twisted, more provocative manner this time.
Dolly cared deeply about her reputation. That’s why, when she attacked others, she always targeted their reputation first.
Her fiancé, Rudolf Caspar, was a perfect match for her.
He was the president of a gossip magazine called “Secret Leak,” a third-rate tabloid published in the capital.
Odette’s infamy hadn’t spread merely because she refused to perform purifications.
It was also because there was a gossip paper that consistently published “Odette rumors.”
Rudolf and Dolly had a long-standing symbiotic relationship. Rudolf earned a fortune by publishing articles based on “rumors from Lady Odette’s closest aide,” while Dolly found joy in tormenting Odette through those same rumors.
‘Dolly never lets herself be humiliated without retaliating.’
Secret Leak had reported Odette’s wicked behavior with consistent, tedious detail, but in my previous life, there had been an article far worse than all the others.
It was about Karl coming to the estate—mixed with a vile story about Odette’s “bizarre sexual tastes.”
The article claimed Odette had requested Karl as a slave because she wanted to use and abuse him for that purpose.
‘And her so-called “closest aide” even confirmed it as true.’
In my past life, Dolly had spread those rumors as revenge—because she had been humiliated in front of others and blamed Odette for it.
About a month from now, in that previous life, the Crown Prince was struggling to suppress his unstable power, writhing in agony.
Odette was invited to a meeting with the Emperor, Empress, and the Count to discuss the matter. The Empress herself had begged the Count to bring Odette just once.
In front of the Empress, Odette had to act cold and arrogant. She’d asked Dolly to cool her tea.
But Dolly, showing an unbelievable lack of manners, had stirred the tea round and round with a spoon—causing everyone present to gasp in shock.
Of course, Odette hadn’t meant to embarrass her. But Dolly blamed Odette anyway.
She always had the habit of venting her anger only at those weaker than herself.
So, as revenge, she had Secret Leak publish that disgusting article.
Secret Leak sold like wildfire. That year, it became the most profitable newspaper of all.
A scandal far more sensational than the usual tales of Odette’s cruelty.
And they even had a photo.
It showed Odette and Karl together in the annex garden—Karl in ragged clothes, glaring at her with bloodshot eyes, and Odette reaching out toward him with a startled face.
In truth, Odette had never even touched him. But the composition of the photo made it look as though she was caressing his body.
It was all nonsense.
In her past life, Odette had met Karl only three times:
the day he came to the Count’s mansion,
the day that photo was taken,
and the day she died.
But Odette never even knew that article existed—because the Count actually welcomed it. By the time she found out, the rumor had already spread throughout the Empire as fact.
‘Now that I think about it, Dolly must have been the one who arranged for me to run into Karl during his experiment that day.’
Odette’s reputation plummeted overnight.
A socialite flower entangled in a sexual scandal. A depraved lady who brought in a slave for obscene purposes.
Rudolf described every detail in a voyeuristic tone—their posture, their expressions—making it sound all too real.
Rudolf spread the story among men as though it were the truth, while Dolly, as “Odette’s closest aide,” vouched for it publicly.
And so Odette, despite her supposed vulgar tastes, was mocked again for not even holding Johann’s hand.
She only learned of the rumor after she had fallen completely from grace. No matter where she went to seek help, that article was the first thing people brought up.
And Odette knew that in this life, Dolly would choose the same method again.
After all, she’d just publicly humiliated Dolly today—exactly as planned.
‘Besides, I confirmed Rudolf Caspar is here too.’
The Emperor had invited a swarm of journalists to cover his visit to Athena Island, and Rudolf Caspar was among them.
As Odette quietly sank into thought, a voice suddenly addressed her.
“Lady Odette.”
“Yes, Lady Brentano?”
The Duke of Brentano’s daughter was biting her lip, looking restless—as if she had something she desperately wanted to say.
It was a face Odette had never seen in the game—cold and severe.
‘I knew she disliked me in my past life, but I didn’t think she’d go so far as to team up with Dolly.’
Odette felt a pang of bitterness.
Even in her previous life, when she’d been dull and oblivious, Odette had noticed how openly the lady glared at her.
And even now, unlike the other noble ladies dressed in “Odette-style dresses,” she wore a plain brown gown.
Her hair was twisted into a strict, no-nonsense bun—like a stern governess.
“Please come to the lounge for a moment. There’s something I need to say.”
Her voice was stiff and formal. Odette grew wary—was this a trap?
‘She wasn’t the type to set traps in the game, though.’
But the fact that she was cooperating with Dolly was already unlike the Karin Odette knew—someone utterly rigid and inflexible.
‘Still… better be cautious.’
“I’m sorry, but I have nothing to discuss with you, Lady Brentano.”
Odette refused coldly.
And in that moment—Lady Brentano began to cry.
“……!”
‘What the hell—?!’
Lady Brentano was famous for never showing her emotions.
Yet here she was, clutching Odette’s sleeve and sobbing miserably, shocking everyone in the room.
[ The rumor “Vicious and Wicked Lady” spreads. ]
[ The number of people who agree with the “Vicious and Wicked Lady” reputation increases. (0 → 2) ]
‘What kind of scheme is this?’
Odette rubbed her temples. If not for this cursed quest, she would’ve left immediately.
If she ignored this event, both Sion’s and Johann’s affection levels would drop by ten points each.
With a quiet sigh, Odette said,
“Fine. Let’s go to the lounge.”
She discreetly checked the ruby ring containing sleeping powder once again—ready to use it on Karin if necessary.
Even after they reached the lounge, Karin kept sobbing. Odette handed her a handkerchief.
“……hic… sniff…”
But Karin just held it, not wiping her face.
‘What, she doesn’t even want to use a handkerchief I gave her?’
Then why take it in the first place…
Though she’d brought Karin here to avoid worsening her reputation, Odette had no real intention of comforting her further.
She still couldn’t tell what kind of trap this might be—so she kept her mouth shut.
After a long silence, Karin finally spoke.
“……Lady Odette, you dislike me, don’t you?”
