Chapter 81 …
But the man didn’t move aside as if I had any business with him. His gaze slowly scanned my entire body. The disgusting look didn’t even require me to guess his intentions.
“Still, we had a good relationship in many ways.”
He put his hand on my shoulder with a vile smile. The touch was far from innocent—anyone could tell it had a sexual undertone.
“Your dress is neat today. In a place like this, showing off a bit would be prettier.”
“Ah, yes.”
I understood. This young lady’s past hadn’t been particularly good.
‘What a nuisance.’
Yet, as if unaware, the man kept lingering around. Then his gaze, which had been on me, shifted somewhere else, and a greedy glint shone in his eyes.
“Oh, today you came with your little sister? I’ve only heard rumors before…”
He pushed my shoulder aside and approached Reina. Trying to appear impressive, he suppressed his awkwardness as much as possible and acted like a proper noble.
“I am Josh Bettel, second son of the Bettel Count family. May I hear the name of such a beautiful young lady?”
“Ah… I’m Reina Merdin of the Merdin Baron family.”
Even so, Reina watched everything from beside me, and hurriedly bowed following the man’s greeting.
Despite his displeased attitude, the man didn’t care at all. If anything, perhaps captivated once again by her voice, his smile deepened.
“As beautiful as the rumors say.”
“Thank you…”
“This is fate too, so would you—”
“This child is accompanying me.”
I pulled Reina’s wrist toward me.
A petty villain doing an obvious move. Naturally, that man probably didn’t like me.
“You? Are you jealous or something?”
“You’re not in a position to call me foolish.”
How could he reach such a conclusion? No need for this much self-importance.
‘Such a blatant villain, aren’t I?’
The man, clearly enraged, approached me threateningly, his face turning red and purple.
“You think you’re something just because I treated you nicely—”
“Well, then, goodbye.”
I had no intention of entertaining him. Besides, other people’s eyes were all over me.
‘Ignoring him is the answer.’
I gestured for Reina to follow. She quickly clung to my side.
“Geez, why do you keep blocking the way?”
If he wouldn’t move voluntarily, I had no choice but to remove him. I didn’t want to waste more time, so I stepped on his foot.
Thanks to my high heels, he collapsed immediately. The dress was long enough that it didn’t show I had stepped on him.
He bent awkwardly, like someone picking up a fallen object.
“You… get off, ugh, won’t you move?!”
“Oh, sorry.”
He whispered through the pain.
“There was some dust.”
As I removed my foot, I brushed his shoulder. Of course, nothing actually transferred.
“You…!”
“Well then, goodbye.”
He probably wouldn’t block me again. Not knowing when he might explode, I quickly moved on. I could see him standing up, pretending as if nothing had happened. Reina kept glancing nervously at him.
“Is it really okay? What if he tries something?”
“We’ll deal with that if it happens.”
“That’s true. Ah, thank you for helping me…!”
“No need to thank me.”
It’s not like I hadn’t encountered people like him before. Even though I promised to change, it wasn’t enough to alter their perceptions.
Everyone would approach, assuming I was that young lady, ready to gossip and criticize. Changing that reputation wouldn’t be easy.
‘It’s not just me; the Merdin family is a problem too.’
Even if the baron and his wife disappeared, the value of the Merdin family would remain at the level of roadside trash. I needed something to lift the Merdin name while changing myself.
‘Maybe I should frame it as a misunderstanding.’
The quickest way to turn public opinion around is exactly that. Shift the problem to just the baron and baroness, not the entire Merdin family.
“What if the baron and baroness died and I started doing good deeds? Would my reputation change?”
“If your sincerity shows… maybe people would have no choice but to follow Lady Laila?”
“As the poor daughter who couldn’t reject her terrible parents?”
“Hmm, if it’s not to escape punishment, it might have some effect.”
Even with such a sudden question, Reina answered earnestly. Instead of asking why, she thought more deeply, narrowing her eyelashes with seriousness.
“But if the results aren’t noticeable—”
“What if I spent half the estate on the welfare of the villagers?”
“Th-then it would definitely have an effect. Reducing taxes or opening facilities like an orphanage would make it even more visible.”
“You know your stuff.”
Reina spoke with conviction, as if she had already witnessed it.
She had worked at a bakery, so she hadn’t received much formal education, busy with life.
‘Even though she’s been learning recently, this probably wasn’t taught to her.’
Maybe it’s just her protagonist traits? Still, Reina let out a small breath of astonishment.
“…I wonder how she knows this.”
“She must have been subtly interested.”
“Seems like it.”
She nodded absentmindedly. Helion was smart, so it made sense Reina would be too.
“I’ll stay here. What about you?”
“I’ll be with you.”
We stopped by a less conspicuous window. I intended to study the direction of change more carefully from here.
“Oh my, that person is…”
“She’s quiet today.”
“Recently, she’s been quiet, hasn’t she? Is it because of Helion?”
“I heard some rumors saying she’s crazy too.”
The looks directed at Reina and me were like hot and cold baths. Still, it was better than I expected. Maybe things were gradually changing.
“What crime did she commit? Even though she’s a relative, she’s in a den of demons.”
“Exactly. Something terrible could happen.”
“Oh, recently about the Shafin Kingdom—”
The frivolous glances soon disappeared. These incidents repeated, though sometimes there were polite greetings. It was a dull time. Reina seemed endlessly amused.
‘Still, I have to keep attending.’
It was at least a meeting place. To understand the constantly changing situation, this was invaluable. Honestly, Katie said a tea gathering would be better…
‘There’s no one inviting me, and I can’t really mingle.’
So the compromise was to endure this banquet. I drank some wine to alleviate the boredom.
‘As expected, Helion isn’t here.’
A few men like the one earlier had arrived, but Helion wasn’t in sight. Even though it was fortunate we didn’t meet, I unconsciously looked for him.
‘He really isn’t here.’
Eventually, I gave up looking midway through the banquet.
“Isn’t that strong?”
“Not particularly.”
The wine wasn’t very high in alcohol. The host was a marquis, so the quality wasn’t bad.
“Even so, you seem to have drunk quite a bit…”
“I’m still fine.”
I was far from drunk. My vision was steady, my speech precise. Yet Reina couldn’t hide her glances.
“…I’ll go get some fresh air.”
“Ah, yes!”
Reina smiled as if she had been waiting. I guess she finally felt comfortable with me. How could a misunderstanding make a villain seem approachable?
‘Unexpected goodwill.’
I had no idea how she imagined me. What if she betrayed me later? If I were truly a villain, the heroine might have met a bad ending.
With that pointless thought, I went out into the garden. I greeted everyone politely as I passed. They all reacted as if they had seen a ghost, but they’d get used to it.
‘It’s quite hot.’
The wind was muggy. If only I hadn’t worn long sleeves, it might have been better.
‘Maybe I should lure them toward my legs from now on.’
Instead of guiding them to a safe area, I focused on finishing quickly, but now a change seemed necessary.
“It’s quiet here.”
Unlike the banquet hall, the garden was rather peaceful. Its careful design reminded me of someone.
“I’ll just let it go—”
“You won’t, right?”
I almost remembered. A meddler prevented me from doing so. I turned my body to avoid the man running toward me. The footsteps were so loud, I had noticed from the start. Wasn’t that Josh Bettel? Apparently stepping on his foot earlier wasn’t enough. Why did he suffer unnecessarily?
The man who tried to grab my shoulder flailed in the air. Feeling humiliated, he stomped and glared at me.
“You knew and did nothing? Hah, what confidence! Do you think anyone here would help you?!”
“No one’s needed.”
“I don’t think you know who I am. You’re finished now.”
With that cliché line, I momentarily felt like the heroine in a novel.
I watched as he stomped and approached, his vile smile predicting the future he expected.
“Your voice is loud.”
“What, ah!”
Here we go again.
I stepped on his foot first, and he collapsed in an instant. By now, he should have learned his lesson, yet it always happened in the same place.
Clutching his foot, he cried out.
“T-this is real!”
Now he glared at me as if he were ready to kill.
“I’ll just borrow this a bit.”
“Ugh, you, mmm…!”
I untied my cravat and gagged him. He continued struggling, but after stepping on his hands a few times, he quickly calmed down.
