A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

Violet helped Mary up. Leon had also unsheathed his sword.

“This is exactly why you were stripped of your title as heir.”

Violet’s eyes blazed with a raging fire. Instead of being subdued like lakes, her eyes were truly burning with anger.

“You’re still not admitting your sins until the end?!”

Mikhail roared once again. Commotion rose like waves amongst the watching bystanders. The situation had truly gone out of hand this time.

“Violet, if you—!”

“…I didn’t expect you to be this foolish, Elder Brother.”

At that moment the situation was brought to a halt only because Roen, who now stood on equal grounds with Mikhail in terms of his position, had arrived.

Even though Roen was up to his neck with work, he made sure to hear out the reports relentlessly being sent to him about Mikhail’s unexpected behavior.

And, the reports quickly reached the duke’s ear as well, but it was Roen who arrived to deal with the situation.

“…Under the orders of the Duke, drag him away.”

“Roen, you…!”

Sighing, Roen brought a hand to his forehead.

He found out recently that Mikhail had been indulging himself with alcohol. Even so, he didn’t know that Mikhail would go as far as this.

He heard that Mikhail had slapped Violet many times before. It was frightening when an ignorant person was so set on his beliefs, but this was exactly who Mikhail was.

“……”

Violet glared at Roen. It wasn’t the kind of gaze that you’d give someone who’s here to help.

Roen smiled bitterly.

In Violet’s case, there’s no particular reason why she was displeased to see Roen. She was receiving help from him, but the fact that she managed to escape the situation only through this manner made her feel helpless—that’s why she was glaring at Roen.

She had no other place to vent her feelings.

Even though Roen wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“…The carriage is on standby. The maid can be examined by the family doctor.”

“…I will not thank you.”

“I know… and I’m sorry.”

“…Even if you say that, I will not feel grateful.”

“I’m just… here to deal with Elder Brother. You don’t have to thank me.”

Violet helped Mary into the carriage. Roen’s assistance was something to be thankful for, but rather than feeling any gratitude at all, Violet felt only contempt.

It was a renewed sense of contempt for herself. She wished she could be honest and thank him.

Zylo and Leon remained and were tasked to help the other knights stabilize the commotion. Roen, on the other hand, dispersed the spectators and told them not to spread false rumors.

“Mary, are you okay?”

“That, shi… If I could just shove cow and pig fodder into that punk’s mouth to shut him up…”

Even as they were already safe in the carriage, Violet was still worried about Mary’s condition. Nonetheless, she was relieved to hear the maid’s colorful swearing.

All this time, Mary had been refraining her potty mouth from saying all sorts of curses in front of her lady, but it was all being released now.

Hearing the various creating swears spilling through the girl’s lips, Violet smiled softly.

It was a good thing that, though she had been slapped, Mary seemed to be fine.

“I feel so fortunate that you’re my maid. Although I feel the opposite about how you have to go through this.”

“I feel fortunate that I can serve you, too, Milady. If I hadn’t stepped forward, you’re the one who would have been hit. I’m the one who voluntarily took it.”

“…Still.”

“Milady will make sure that I’ll be treated, right?”

Without a word, Violet drew Mary into an embrace.

Mary fumbled for a moment, but she soon patted Violet’s back.

Violet truly thought that she was lucky to have Mary as her maid.

* * *

The one who’s on the receiving end of Mikhail’s rampage was Violet, who was under probation.

Violet did not complain about her probation, and the reason behind this was simple—she was too lazy to do so.

So, while Violet was slacking off under the pretense of her probation, rumors about Mikhail went rampant.

“I’m not sure, but it seems the Young Master slapped the Young Lady on the cheek.”

“It’s probably the Young Lady’s fault.”

“It isn’t though? My friend was right there when it happened, and I don’t know about you but…”

Groundless rumors also began to spread quickly. Or, well, rather than a groundless rumor, perhaps it’s better to say that they’re rumors that had shaky foundations?

Roen did not stop these rumors from spreading. No, he even added a bit of lies here and there to bolster the truth.

Mikhail caused such a disturbance because of Aileen, and one poor maid’s head had gotten lopped off.

If Mary would have heard of this, she’d undoubtedly be shocked to hear it. After the incident, she received only the best treatment for her injury and was currently living a normal life.  Rumors were rumors, after all.

Moreover, for the duration of Violet’s probation, she was not allowed to be visited by anyone at all. Her activities had also been restricted.

As she was keeping a low profile again, Violet only snorted. Ever since she had been confined to the annex, she had already been placed on probation several times.

It was obvious that the duke only handed down this order for Violet’s protection. The knights stationed everywhere around the annex were testament enough to this. Of course, Violet did not care.

As escort knights who failed to fulfill their duties to guard Violet, Leon and Zylo asked to be punished but did not receive any such punishments.

They wouldn’t have been able to stop a duke’s son anyway, so it had been acknowledged that their actions were warranted.

The others’ daily lives were also peaceful. As was usual, Mary made a fuss while taking good care of the ducal lady, and the ducal lady herself, who was called a ‘villainess’, just went about her days leisurely and did nothing.

As they each spent their time freely, Roen couldn’t even get any shut eye because of how busy he was.