How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

“Diane was not feeling well and had been resting in her bedroom until recently. I told her that the princess has arrived, so she will come down here soon.”

“Oops… Is she not very good?”

“But she felt a little better today. She even went downstairs to see the ballroom.”

“Thank god.”

Was it that she usually had a hard time walking around her mansion? It was unfortunate.

“I can’t ask a sick person to come out,” she said. “I’ll go up to Miss Diane’s parlor.”

“I will guide you. Diane will be very happy too.”

She followed the Duchess upstairs.

The duke’s mansion was just as gorgeous on the inside as it looked on the outside. As she passed through the hallway, it was full of extravagant decorations. But where was the maid with the suspicious powder in Diane’s medicine? A mansion of this size would have dozens of maids. The question was, who was the maid she saw?

‘Should I call all the maids in this house and look for her face?’

No, she couldn’t do that. Even if she looked at her face and found out who it was, it’s a problem.

‘That maid is going to put some strange powder in Diane’s medicine! I should search the room!’

…Saying that would only make her feel like a crazy person.

‘Besides, I don’t know what the powder is or where it is.’

She couldn’t stick around all night with Diane, whom she didn’t even know very well.

‘She might not use that powder if I’m around.’

Then, even if she was sure that maid was the culprit, she couldn’t catch her. Because there was no evidence at all. Even the powder she was carrying didn’t seem to be poison. After much thought, she asked the Duchess.

“The mansion is so beautiful. Can I take a look later?”

“Sure. Let me guide you.”

“No, you must be busy, and I can’t bother you that much. Send the lady-in-waiting, and I will look around by myself.”

In the meantime, she passed through the hallway and went up to the fourth floor. The moment she entered the hallway on the 4th floor, she was shocked to see a familiar landscape. It was definitely the hallway she saw in the vision.

The same decorations in the same hallway. It’s like experiencing déjà vu.

“This is it.”

Diane’s boudoir was in the middle of the fourth floor. The inner chamber where the nobles lived had a structure in which the closet, drawing room, bedroom, bathroom, and resting room were connected as one.

The Duchess opened the door with a short knock. A small confinement room came out, just like the one seen in the vision. From there, she opened the door and entered the parlor that she had seen in the vision. From the location of the furniture to the color of the curtains on the windows, it is the same as the vision.

By this point, she was certain. The day that appeared in the vision was definitely tonight.

“Diane, the princess came to see you in person.”

Upon entering the drawing room, a girl came out in a white dress.

“Woe, Princess.”

She was the brown-haired girl she had seen with her foreknowledge. Judging from her vision, she didn’t have time to examine her face closely. The Diane she actually met was a beautiful girl with brown hair and blue eyes. The white, clear-looking skin on her features that draws out her fine lines and her small frame made her look thin and weak even in loose-fitting clothes.

“Hello, Miss Diane.”

She had a delicate and cute face, but she certainly gave off the impression of being pale and sickly. The stuffy white dress that covered her chin even more made her white skin stand out even more. They said she dresses like that because of her illness.

She looked closer and saw a faint bright red spot under her chin.

“Hwa, Princess, it is an honor to meet you.”

“Miss Diane, nice to meet you.”

She sat at a table by the window with mother and daughter. The maid in the drawing room served hot tea and a simple dessert. She was supposed to be the maid who had put the poison, but she was a completely different person.

“You said you would be a bridesmaid at my wedding, but I haven’t even thanked you until now.”

“Oh, no. I am…”

Diane flushed her pale cheeks as she glanced at her and the Duchess. It’s not like she was afraid or disliked it, but she felt like she couldn’t speak properly because she was shy. They said she only lived inside the mansion, so she seemed like a very quiet and timid girl.

Diane hesitated for a long time before she managed to get her word out.

“There was something I wanted to show you.”

“Something you want to show me?”

“It’s a bridesmaid dress to wear at the wedding… Ho, I’m afraid you might not like it.”

Ah, the bridesmaid dress. The Duchess said it was made ahead of time.

“Really? I’m looking forward to it. I want to see it soon.”

Diane looked at the Duchess sitting next to her. The Duchess also urged with a smile.

“Quickly show it to the princess.”

Emboldened by these words, Diane went into her bedroom with her maid.

After the door closed, the Duchess, who had been sitting with a smile on her face, looked at Eve with a worried look.

“Please forgive me even if my child seems lacking, Princess. Diane lives only in the mansion, so she has never met anyone in high places.”

She didn’t make her debut in the social world, and she’s not in good shape, so she only stays at home, and she’s not good at dealing with people. Still, she didn’t look distorted or depressed. Most people would fall into depression in such a situation, but it must be that her nature was so bright and kind. She must also have the virtue of the Duchess that took special care of her one and only daughter.

“She’s wanted to see the princess for a long time, but she is embarrassed to speak in front of you.”

Hearing those words made her realize that she really lived only in the mansion, with no social circle. If she was out in society, there’s no way she would have wanted to meet Eve. Didn’t she have a particularly close young lady…? Perhaps the only close relative was the Grand Duke.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

She put down the warm teacup and comforted the Duchess.

“It makes me rather ashamed that Miss Diane and the Duchess are so kind to me. I should have visited and said hello earlier, but I was too indifferent.”

Then Diane came out, having changed her clothes. When she entered she was wearing a white indoor dress, but now she was wearing a light pink dress.

“Do you like it, Princess? It’s my bridesmaid dress.”

“Ah. It was a bridesmaid dress. Somehow really…”

She thought for a moment about what to say. It was… simple, right? A little boring. With no decoration… It was such a monotonous dress that she couldn’t find any other way to express it.

In the dressing room, there is a dress pattern that only holds the shape of the dress with paper. Literally, it was just the paper that made the shape of the skirt and top without any decorations, but Diane’s dress looked as if it was made by connecting those patterns. There were no patterns, no lace, no decorations to that extent.

“…You are pretty. It’s such a cute dress.”

She managed to squeeze in a decent compliment.

“You, I tried to make it not too flashy…”

Diane blushed as she patted her plain bodice.

“The princess is the main character, so I shouldn’t stand out.”

‘Oh, that’s why she made it so simple.’

Well, even in real life, it was said that bridesmaid dresses were deliberately made roughly to make the bride stand out. Anyway, this was a bit harsh. The Duchess also took into account Eve’s shrewd personality and must have convinced her daughter that she should do this. But in Eve’s opinion, people’s eyes would be more focused if she wore a dress that was rather plain and eccentric like that.

“Hmm… It’s really pretty. How about adding lace or shuffle embellishments?”

“…really?”

Diane couldn’t hide her delight at her words. Well, the person involved probably wanted to make it a little prettier than that.

“Yes, I’m not forcing it, but I think it would look pretty with more decorations. I’m fine, so don’t mind and make Miss Diane whatever you want. There is still time before the wedding.”

Diane was delighted, and the Duchess was clearly relieved. Both of them made dresses like this to avoid Eve’s bad temper.

“Yes, I brought a present for Miss Diane too.”

She called Nell to bring the gift box she prepared in advance. Inside the box was a necklace made of pink gems.

“I chose it because the color is pretty, but now that I see it, it goes well with the dress.”

Diane opened her eyes wide and peered blankly into her box. Beside her, the Duchess caught her breath in surprise when she checked what was in her box.

“This precious jewel…”

After hearing Nell’s explanation, she knew this was a very expensive jewel, but judging from the reactions of the two, it seems that it was more amazing than she thought. Eve had so many jewels that even after donating most of them to the temple, there was still plenty left.

She also picked out the most expensive ones separately and that necklace was one of them. Still, it’s a gift for the Duke’s daughter, and she thought she’d have to choose among the most expensive ones, so she brought that one.

“It’s a reward for being my best friend. Please accept it without burden.”

As Diane looked at the necklace, her pale white cheeks turned red as if moved.

“So pretty… Princess, thank you.”

So cute. She was like an innocent and cute little sister.

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Translator Note:

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