Episode 2
I Became the Original Heroine in a World Where the Villainess Reincarnated
I left Flora’s Dress Shop with a blank expression.
Originally, I had planned to meet Flora today, talk things through, wear the dress she made, and attend the Emperor’s birthday banquet this spring.
But someone had already done that?
And not just anyone…
“Cecia Eos.”
The sense of foreboding I’d felt when I first saw the flashy sign of Flora’s shop brushed past me again.
I hurried to the marketplace.
And there, I ended up witnessing yet another scene I shouldn’t have seen.
“Ma’am… don’t tell me this is….”
“Hm? Tomatoes and potatoes? Want some?”
“No, I mean—weren’t those called devil’s fruits that nobody eats…?”
“Oh my, that was ages ago! Lady Cecia explained how good tomatoes and potatoes are!”
“That’s right! During the famine in the western region last time, wasn’t it her merchant company that sent potatoes? They say people survived thanks to that! Who would’ve thought those ugly things were so tasty and nutritious?”
“And the tomatoes are delicious! It’s such a relief that Lady Cecia didn’t monopolize them and shared the information. Thanks to her, even commoners like us can enjoy them freely!”
“But where are you from, miss, not to know something like that?”
Unable to reply to the people in the market, I forced my feet to move again.
This time, I headed to the blacksmith.
And there, I heard the same kind of thing.
“Huh?! A new mineral deposit?! Is there another mine besides the one Lady Cecia discovered?!”
From there, I rushed to the Magic Tower headquarters.
“The archmage’s diary written in code? Miss Eos has already translated it.”
Next, I went to a dessert specialty shop.
“All of our newly released dessert recipes were created by Lady Cecia. The chocolate tart, especially, is incredibly popular!”
Finally, I visited the trade center of the Merchant Union building.
“We’ve long since succeeded in domestic cultivation of cacao and coffee beans. All thanks to Lady Cecia. She also developed new methods for mass-producing soap and salt. Because of her, everyone in the Empire can use them now.”
Everywhere I went, people said the same thing.
‘Lady Cecia Eos is the treasure of our Empire!’
I trudged out of the Merchant Union building.
The sunlight stabbed at my eyes. When I looked up at the sky, the sun was already sinking beyond the horizon.
“It’s sunset already?”
And my life is setting along with it~ lalala~
I just stared at the fading sky in a daze.
Even when debt collectors seized everything in the house, I hadn’t felt this hopeless.
“Let’s go home first.”
After running around all day, my legs were trembling.
I barely managed to reach the shabby mansion of Baron Sein.
“Nana…”
“Miss! What happened to you?! You look terrible!”
Nana caught me just as I was about to collapse.
With her help, I entered Father’s room on the first floor.
The empty room had only a worn blanket laid out on the floor—who knew where she had managed to get it.
“I borrowed it from a maid I used to be close with. Do you remember Mary?”
“Not really.”
Of course I wouldn’t. And that wasn’t what mattered right now.
I stared only at the blanket and muttered,
“Nana. Let’s go to the blanket first.”
“Alright. Careful now.”
Nana sighed deeply, wondering what on earth I had done to exhaust myself like this.
I couldn’t even answer properly and flopped face-first onto the blanket.
“Nana.”
“Yes, Miss. Let me take off your shoes first.”
“How can this even happen?”
“There was no choice. I wanted to borrow a better blanket, but Mary’s situation isn’t good either… Still! I managed to get towels, soap, and fresh undergarments! The water hasn’t been cut off yet, so you can wash up properly at least for today!”
Nana waved the towels and soap with a bright smile.
That cursed soap.
The mass production and luxury refinement of soap were also Daphne’s ideas.
The high-end soap business for nobles became such a success that it was exported to other countries.
The profit? A staggering five billion gold!
“And yet it’s already been carried out.”
I buried my face into the blanket and thought of the name I’d heard all day.
Cecia Eos.
The only daughter of Duke Eos, a beautiful young lady with fresh green eyes.
As far as I knew, in the novel, she was the villainess who bullied Daphne and was eventually expelled from high society.
But now?
Everyone was busy praising Cecia.
If I had heard her name only at Flora’s shop, I might’ve dismissed it as coincidence.
But in every place where Daphne originally shone, Cecia’s praise echoed instead?
How could I not be suspicious?
“Did that woman reincarnate too?”
Yes. Honestly, it made more sense that way.
These days, reincarnating as the villainess is more popular than becoming the heroine.
Reincarnate into the villainess to avoid execution endings, save your favorite character, or live as a wealthy jobless noble.
That kind of lifestyle is the trend, isn’t it?
I’m not judging that, but—
“This is too much….”
“Should I massage this side too?”
Nana asked, kneading my swollen legs.
Feeling the dull ache, I suddenly shouted,
“They say people with everything are the greediest!”
“Miss! Are you alright?”
“I don’t even know who she is, but isn’t this just petty?! If you were born as a rich noble’s daughter, couldn’t you at least leave one thing for someone else?! What’s lacking that you have to take everything?! Isn’t that just too greedy?!”
“Miss must’ve had a hard day. It’s okay. It’s okay.”
Nana gently stroked my back and hair.
The only thing comforting this injustice was Nana’s warm touch.
I flipped over and stared at the ceiling.
“Nana, living in this world really isn’t easy.”
“I was wondering when you’d say that today.”
Come to think of it, that was Daphne’s catchphrase.
Daphne’s father, Baron Sein, was an archaeologist who was always away exploring remote regions.
So Daphne had managed the household finances, and the Baron Sein family was always strapped for money.
That was how she developed the habit of sighing that life wasn’t easy.
“Speaking of which, what happened to the original Daphne?”
“Yes?”
I shook my head at Nana’s question.
Oh right. We’d have to vacate this mansion soon too.
Because of course—it had been sold at auction.
The thought made me sigh again.
“Ah, right. A letter came for you. Just like you said it would. How did you know?”
“Just a feeling.”
I answered lazily as I took the letter from Nana.
Breaking the seal, I read its contents.
Just as I expected.
At least this part was following the original plot.
“What does it say? You look relieved.”
“Lady Rosanna says if we have nowhere to stay, we can come to her estate.”
“Milady?”
“Yes. But she says she has no way to help with the debts.”
“Well, her circumstances aren’t exactly comfortable either.”
I’d thought the debt would be resolved quickly.
Lying down, I finished reading the letter and set it aside.
Too many things had happened at once.
My heart was screaming to come up with a solution immediately, but my brain declared it was off-duty for the evening.
Guys, either think of a solution or go to sleep. Fighting each other won’t help.
“At least we won’t be homeless right away. I didn’t expect Milady to look after you. She didn’t even attend the Baron’s funeral.”
Chatter, chatter.
As Nana kept talking, something appeared in the lower right of my vision.
At first, I ignored it.
But once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop seeing it.
…What is that?
I squinted at it.
Floating in midair was a small, translucent circle.
Inside it were three horizontal lines stacked vertically.
I’d seen something like that in games before.
Cautiously, I reached out my hand toward it.
The moment I did, the circle stretched vertically into a long bar.
“Ah! Nana! Nana! Look at that!”
I jumped up, searching for her.
But she had already left the room.
When did she leave?
What on earth is that?
I stared at the elongated bar and read the words written above it.
“Buff Gauge?”
Looking closer, I saw a golden gauge inside, filled halfway.
Wow. I really am seeing all sorts of things in this life.
I’ve seen status windows, affection meters, dialogue choices in other novels—but a ‘Buff Gauge’ is new!
Judging by the name… is it something good for me?
Isn’t there some kind of tutorial?
Carefully, I reached out to touch it.
But my hand passed right through.
Am I dreaming?
I raised my hand to pinch my cheek, then lowered it again.
No need. I did that plenty yesterday after reincarnating. It wasn’t a dream then, and it just hurt.
I tried reaching for the buff gauge several more times.
Nothing changed. I felt nothing.
I experimented—moving my eyes around, shaking my head—to see how long it would stay visible.
No matter how much I moved, the buff gauge followed my vision. When I closed my eyes, it disappeared.
It was translucent and small, so it didn’t obstruct my sight.
“But am I the only one who can see it?”
I waved my hand toward it again.
This wasn’t in the original novel.
I couldn’t touch it, move it, and there was no explanation.
How am I supposed to use this?
As I was absentmindedly flailing my hand around, Nana returned.
“Miss, I’ve filled the bath so you can wash up—… What are you doing?”
“Nana, can’t you see this?”
“See what? Don’t tell me—bugs?! Those persistent pests! I killed them all while you were out. How dare they show up again!”
“Really? You’re very brave. Wait! It’s not a bug, so you can put that club down!”
Have I lost my mind?
Where did she even get that club?!
With her sharp gaze, Nana looked like a professional bug assassin.
Calming her down, I gestured again toward the small circle beneath the gauge bar.
The gauge shrank back down and disappeared.
Oh. So I can hide it like that.
Nodding faintly, I headed toward the bathroom.
It seemed I would need to investigate this so-called Buff Gauge further.
