How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

Her own image was reflected blurry in the frost-covered white glass. Diane was wearing a thick dress that reached just below her chin. As always, she had her entire body covered except her face. She couldn’t help it. Her entire body, from the nape of her neck to the tips of her toes, was covered in a bright red rash. This rare disease of unknown cause was a terrible companion that had been with her since childhood. Fortunately for her, she did not feel any pain or itchiness from the rash, but as the days passed, the area eroded by her disease expanded and her whole body became weak. Because of this unusual illness, Diane spent most of her childhood sleeping in her bed.

 

‘I will never be a bride.’

 

As she imagined her wedding, she suddenly had such a bitter thought. In fact, she was betrothed to someone when she was young. He was one of the Duke’s close relatives. Her father, the Duke, was so concerned about his only daughter’s future that he chose a marriage partner for Diane from among her family’s collateral relatives. The person she chose was a man seven years older than Diane and held the title of Baronet. Diane liked that guy, she thought. He often visited her mansion and treated Diane kindly. But it didn’t last long.

 

‘It’s gross.’

 

Because one day she heard him say this to his friend.

 

‘If it weren’t for a matter of commission, who would ignore such a patient? I don’t know if I can touch that disgusting body. I feel sick just looking at it.’

 

14-year-old Diane was shocked by his words. Perhaps because of the shock, she developed a fever that day and fell ill. After suffering from a high fever for several days, she woke up and asked her parents for a favor. She wanted to break off the marriage. Her parents were worried and asked her why, but she didn’t tell them the real reason.

 

‘I have no intention of getting married. I don’t like him.’

 

She wanted to tell the truth. But she changed her mind, only because she knew her parents would be more sad than Diane herself if she said it. So she said she didn’t want to marry him. Her father, the Duke, was dismayed, but her mother, the Duchess, persuaded her husband to break off her engagement without asking any further. Her relatives developed a strong resentment towards Diane and her mother.

 

“Preparing for a wedding is good, but don’t overdo it.”

 

Rot’s bright voice woke Diane from her thoughts. His concerns were uncharacteristically adult.

 

“Rot is all grown up. He speaks like an adult well. I know how to be polite and polite.”

 

“I’m 9 years old now.”

 

Diane laughed as she listened to Rot’s dissatisfied words. Although she didn’t see him often, Rot was a cute and kind kid.

 

“Anyway, the wedding is a little over a week away. You just need to prepare a little more.”

 

“I see. I hope the wedding takes place soon.”

 

Rot said with a happy expression while holding the ball.

 

“After marriage, the princess will come here and live with us.”

 

“Rot also likes the princess. The princess is a really sweet and good person.”

 

Diane also liked Princess Eve. As they hung out together preparing for her wedding, she saw that Princess Eve was affectionate and had a gentle personality.

 

“Anyway, I’m glad that Terence likes the princess now.”

 

She muttered something without thinking, and Rot was surprised to hear it.

 

“Did he not like the princess in the past?” 

 

“You didn’t know? Well…”

 

Diane unconsciously shut her mouth to bring up the rumors she had heard. She couldn’t just blurt out something that wasn’t confirmed. She also didn’t want to talk about the princess, who she had now become a close friend of.

 

“There were rumors like that. Actually, I haven’t seen it in person, so I’m not sure.”

 

Her mother and her father refrained from discussing politics or social circles in front of Diane. 

Both of them were cautious people, so they didn’t say much about other people’s stories, but they were also more careful because they were afraid that Diane, who only lived in her mansion, would feel left out. In particular, the story about Princess Eve was an even rarer topic. All Diane knew was that the Crown Prince’s younger sister, Princess Eve, had a difficult and violent personality. At least this was information she learned from the maids who worked at her mansion. The maids told bad rumors about the princess. It was mainly a story related to Terrence. They said that Princess Eve had become infatuated with her cousin Terence and was pursuing him, tormenting him relentlessly. In the end, she begged the Emperor and even semi-forced them to become engaged.

 

At that time, Diane felt sorry for Terence, who was forced to marry such a princess.

 

‘His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was a very kind and polite person. What’s wrong with his younger sister, the princess?’

 

She thought so, and there were times when she struggled alone. When she was asked to be a bridesmaid, she accepted because she thought of her cousin Terence and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, but she was still worried. She was afraid that the princess would get angry and harass her while she was preparing for her wedding. Her mother and her maids all had the same concerns. She thought that everyone should not let the princess find fault with her, and suggested that her bridesmaid dresses be as plain and simple as possible. However, the Princess Eve she met in person was a gentle and kind person. She never got angry with people around her and never once did anything that went against the common sense. How could it be so different from the rumors? The more she looked, the more she wondered, so Diane asked her mother about the princess. She had heard bad rumors about the princess, but when she met her in person, she was completely different. The Duchess said with a slightly perplexed look on her face that the Duchess’ personality seemed to have changed a lot since she got along with Terence. Since her cousin Terence softened his heart and treated her kindly, the princess seemed to have become more generous in her heart. Other people’s opinions were similar. The princess’ personality changed after she won the heart of the Grand Duke she was in love with.

 

The nanny saw that Diane continued to look puzzled and dismissed her with one word.

 

‘The work of her men and women is not known by looking at her natural appearance.’

 

Was that really the case? At this point, another answer naturally occurred to Diane.

 

‘Actually, isn’t it because of Terrence that the two of you didn’t get along well?’

 

Looking at the two of them now, she couldn’t believe that Terence really hated Princess Eve so intensely. Perhaps their discord may have been part of a strained relationship before they became lovers. So, wasn’t it actually her older cousin, Terrence, who was the cause of the discord? Even though she was her older cousin, Diane was always a little afraid of Terence. 

Terence was a cool-headed, shrewd man who always stuck to his work.

 

‘Maybe it’s because the princess is stressed because of Terence.’

 

Diane was vaguely guessing that.

 

‘After all, you don’t know what’s going on in the world until you experience it yourself.’

 

Well, so was Princess Sorel. Everyone in the world said that Princess Sorrel was the kindest and gentlest woman in the world. From the moment Diane first met her, she did not like Princess Sorel. In her past, her father, the Duke of Rohan, had invited Princess Sorel to his mansion to heal his only daughter’s illness. However, Princess Sorel’s holy powers had no effect on Diane’s illness. Princess Sorel was very sorry and comforted Diane who was disappointed.

 

‘Don’t be too sad. Miss Diane has good parents.’

 

At the end of those words, she added with a smile as sweet as candy.

 

‘Where I lived, children with this disease were thrown into the mountains, saying they were cursed.’

 

If you think about it, she may have just been trying to comfort Princess Sorell. But when Diane heard those words, she felt subtly upset. She couldn’t logically explain why she was in a bad mood, which made her feel even more offended. Since she was sick and confined to her mansion, she felt like she had become a very petty and sensitive person. So she couldn’t tell anyone that she was offended. Even her maids praised Princess Sorell as a kind and generous person, so she couldn’t show her displeasure any more. She would be truly ungrateful if she resented the kind princess who came directly to treat the duke’s daughter. Luckily for her, she never had to meet Princess Sorel after that.

 

As time passed, Diane tried to forget about her affair with Princess Sorel. She thought she was attaching too much meaning to what she said in passing.

 

‘But she definitely did it on purpose today too.’

 

When she suddenly encountered her today at the temple. Princess Sorel said those unpleasant words again. Fortunately, this time, Princess Eve, who was next to her, pointed out to her what Princess Sorel had said.

 

‘I heard that Princess Eve also hates Princess Sorel.’

 

Diane had never seen the two together, so she only heard people’s rumors, and she said she was. But when she saw it in person, it didn’t seem like the two were getting along that well. When Princess Sorel suddenly appeared today, Diane was nervous that a fight would break out. But rather than arguing, she came here with the three of them. Although they were a little embarrassed, there was no sign of them disliking each other at all.

 

‘I was very nervous to help Princess Eve when the two of you fought.’

 

Diane thought that of course she had to take Eve’s side. While Princess Sorel was not likable at all, Princess Eve was a kind and good person. Besides, she was Princess Eve. She was now marrying her cousin, so she would be a relative. Not only was she a benefactor who helped her greatly on the day of the prom, but she was also the younger sister of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

 

‘And more than anything, I really like Princess Eve.’

 

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