How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

Lot was worried about the relationship between his older brother Terence and Eve. The two seemed to get along well in front of Lot as if nothing had happened, but Lot became more worried the more they did. Seeing that they were even acting to hide their cold relationship, it seems like a really serious situation. There was a cold feeling between the two owners, and the atmosphere in the mansion was extremely depressed.

 

“…It would be nice if the two could reconcile. I want to help.”

 

Bayan lifted his head and meowed as if to comfort Lot.

 

[No, it’s better to leave it alone. Time is short for these things.]

 

Diane, who could not understand Bayan’s words, affectionately stroked the cat, which made cute noises, as if to soothe it. Seeing Bayan brought back memories of her childhood, crying that she wanted a cat. However, her father, the Duke, was vehemently opposed to it after hearing that it could have a negative effect on Diane’s illness. When she gets better someday, she wants to raise a lot of cute animals. Clear morning sunlight seeped through the window. Hearing that Terence and Eve had been fighting made her feel lonely and sad, even though it was none of her business. She thought the two of them would only have happy and enjoyable days together. In Diane’s eyes, the Grand Duke’s mansion was a beautiful and happy place, like a fairy tale. A couple who loves each other and a friendly lot. Even cute cats. But it was such a pity that she faltered from the first step. As Diane was thinking about that, a good idea suddenly occurred to her.

 

“Hmm… Then how about we reconcile the two?”

 

“How?”

 

Lot immediately showed interest.

 

“I read in a book that when newlyweds fight, the people around them usually use funny tricks to make up for it.”

 

The book Diane saw was a beautiful romance novel that her maid brought her. After hearing her explanation, Lot immediately agreed with Diane’s idea.

 

“I think it’s a good idea. What should I do?”

 

“To execute it properly, you have to plan it perfectly.”

 

Bayan, who had been listening to her silently, clicked her tongue and tried to dissuade the two.

 

[Don’t do that. You are young and don’t know anything, but you said that third parties are not involved in matters between a man and a woman.]

 

But still no one understood Bayan’s words. All she could hear was a cute meow. Lot ignored Bayan’s cat calls and stepped forward to help.

 

“What is your plan? I will help you!”

 

“First, we must ask the servants of the mansion for help.”

 

“I can ask you a favor. The servants will help me if I ask them to. Everyone hopes that you and the princess will reconcile!”

 

After hearing that, Bayan started to get really worried. What were these young people trying to do by bribing the servants?

 

[Don’t do that. If you do something useless now, the situation will get worse.]

 

“Then, ask the servants to decorate it in advance and prepare the paper.”

 

[Stop.]

 

Bayan continued to dissuade the two. Diane, who had been discussing with Lott, turned her attention to Bayan. Diane smiled and gently stroked Bayan’s head.

 

“Bajan seems to be in a good mood. He keeps looking at us and meowing.”

 

“I know. I guess Bayan is happy to go out like me.”

 

No matter what Bayan said, it still just sounded like a cat to them. She was fortunate that her true identity would not be discovered, but she felt frustrated in this situation. Bayan slapped the bed with his paw and sighed. She never thought not being able to communicate would be so frustrating. Coincidentally, there was a doll that Diane had made where she hit it with her front paw. The doll that was hit by Bayan’s paw rolled to the side. Diane saw it and exclaimed that she thought it was cute.

 

“Bayan is playing with a doll! I think you like the doll I made.”

 

Lot quickly picked up the rolled doll and thrust it in front of Bayan’s nose.

 

“Cute. Now, roll some more.”

 

Bayan closed his mouth, staring blankly at the fluffy stuffed animal touching his face.

 

[…Let’s not talk.]

 

‘Okay. You guys do whatever you want.’

 

Well, she didn’t think anything would happen to the kids’ pranks. Bayan recalled the recent deeds of the saint, Eve, and her husband, the Grand Duke. These days, the saint was distraught after she saw a future where she would die. However, she did not actually tell the Grand Duke about the future she saw. The Grand Duke, who knew nothing, was walking out of her mansion as if he was hurt when the saintess ignored his confession. He didn’t watch with much interest, but even a quick look at it showed that it was a very frustrating situation.

 

‘…Yeah, I think those two need to talk.’

 

Bayan curled up indifferently, with the doll next to her.

 

“Then we have to decide on a location first…”

 

In front of Bayan, Diane began explaining her plans in detail to Lot.

 

* * *

 

The Duchess led them into the reception room. In a warm room with a burning fireplace, hot tea and neat refreshments were prepared.

 

“Thank you for visiting in person. “It must have been a great comfort to Diane.”

 

As the three sat across from each other in the reception room, the deep sorrow that had been hidden on the Duchess’s face was revealed. Even though she says she’s fine, the reality is that Diane is not feeling well.

 

“Excuse me, Duke…”

 

“He went to the imperial palace early because of work. “As soon as he returned to the island, he was confined to the mansion due to illness.”

 

The duke seems to be busy. It was a very good thing. That way she could come here often. At that time, Terence, who had been quietly listening, spoke to the Duchess.

 

“If you don’t mind, may I call the doctor in Diane’s room for a moment?”

 

“Doctor?”

 

Terence’s eyes turned to me for a moment.

 

“I have a question to ask you about Diane’s illness.”

 

When she heard that Diane was ill, the Duchess called her servant without further inquiry. She quietly drank tea and waited for the doctor. Actually, when she came here, she wanted to hold Diane and the Duchess’ hands and see foreshadowing. The moment she saw the duke’s doctor, she changed her mind. What exactly are the herbs in Diane’s bedroom, and how can they be effective? The person who knew this better than anyone else was Diane’s doctor.

 

‘Given that the Duchess discussed the treatment with the doctor, she most likely developed the treatment herself.’

 

So it would be quicker for her to see a doctor in person. After a while, the doctor came inside. He looked more nervous than when I saw him in Diane’s bedroom.

 

“Are you looking for me?”

 

“Come here. His Royal Highness says he has something to ask.”

 

The Duchess turned to her and heaped praise on the doctor.

 

“Dr. Lennon is a competent doctor. He works as a professor at the academy.”

 

“I’m fortunate to have a capable person by my side.”

 

The doctor came closer to the table where we were. She got up before he got to her. He approached the surprised doctor, grabbed his hand, and spoke in an earnest tone.

 

“Take care of Miss Diane. Please make sure she gets her strength back.”

 

“Yes, yes. of course. I will do my best. Your Majesty the Grand Duchess.”

 

The doctor hid his embarrassed expression and tried to pull his hand away from her. She held his hand tighter and didn’t let go.

 

‘Not yet. The vision didn’t come out.’

 

Holding his hand firmly, she asked again in a desperate voice.

 

“Is there any treatment that can cure Miss Diane’s illness? I heard somewhere that if you keep a special herb nearby, it will be effective.”

 

The Duchess reacted to those words before the doctor.

 

“Is that true?”

 

“Yes, I’ve seen it in a book before. I already wanted to ask that, so I came with Terence.”

 

The Duchess looked back at the doctor as if she had heard me and found her hope. The doctor looked skeptical after hearing what we exchanged.

 

“When you say it’s a special herb…?”

 

“I’m not sure exactly what kind of herb it is, but I heard there are some like that.”

 

A thought flashed through the doctor’s eyes as he looked at me, wondering if this was nonsense, but he desperately tried to hide his embarrassment and gave a serious answer.

 

“Well, I don’t know. There are also herbs used as inhalants. In most cases, making it into a medicine and taking it will be more effective.”

 

“But if it’s a really special herb, wouldn’t it be effective just to fill the room with it?”

 

This time there was no easy answer. The doctor looked at her blankly, as if at a loss for words. It was a view of a pseudo-religionist who claimed that he could cure a patient’s illness by hitting him with a blade of grass. Hey, you’re definitely going to fill Diane’s room with blades of unknown grass in the future. Seeing that there are so many herbs in the room, it is clear that ‘just keeping them nearby’ has some effect. The doctor just told her about inhalants. Maybe just smelling the scent of the herb can have some effect. While she was thinking that, her vision began to blur quickly, like black water was spreading across her vision. It was the prediction she had been waiting for.

 

She opened her eyes again with anticipation and nervousness. As soon as her vision cleared, a strange smell hit her nose. She saw a bookcase filled with books. And the flower pots lined up on the wall. Each flower pot contained unique flowers and shrubs. And on one wall, there was a cabinet full of medicine bottles. Thanks to this, the smell of damp soil and grass from flower pots was present in the not-so-spacious room. The strange smell of medicine and the stale smell of old books were mixed together. She carefully passed the bookshelf and turned to the side, and saw a man sitting by the window. It was Diane’s doctor whom she was holding on to. The doctor was leaning against the window and reading a thick book. He wondered if it was a book about the herb I was looking for, so he quickly walked closer and looked at the cover. But what about the pandemic… The moment the word caught her eye, she stopped, feeling disappointed.

 

It’s not about Diane.

 

As she was looking around with disappointment, a young man in plain clothes opened the door and came in. He was holding a box containing blades of grass in his arms. She knew at a glance what it was. It was the unidentified grass in Diane’s room. She prayed to be shown the future related to that grass, and she thought she finally found the right prediction.

The man carrying the box approached the doctor and asked:

 

“How should I do this?”

 

“I don’t need it anymore, so throw it all away.”

 

The doctor answered in a blunt tone.

 

“Now that the princess is dead, I don’t need anything anymore.”

 

Even though he already knew, hearing those words made his mind feel cold. This was the future after Diane’s death. The young man carrying the box asked with a regretful expression.

 

“So is the drug research over?”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Then the other patient…”

 

The doctor put down the book he was reading and turned to the man. There was now a complex glow on his face.

 

“I don’t want to do that either. But how many patients in the entire empire are suffering from that disease? Who will fund the research now that the princess is dead?”

 

After hearing that, she understood what happened. Diane’s disease was rare and there were not many patients, so proper research had not been done so far. The reason this doctor started research in the first place was probably because the Duke of Rohan provided money and support.

 

“Then what should we do with this?”

 

The young man asked again in a deeply subdued voice. Now that the research was over, were you planning to throw it away?

 

‘No. Tell me what that is and send it to me.’

 

While she was looking at him eagerly, the doctor turned his attention back to his book. Then he spoke harshly.

 

“Take it to a perfumer on the street and sell it. I’m going to make some scented candles.”

 

The moment she heard those words, a flash of realization came to her. An extremely important clue has emerged.

 

Scented candle.

 

That was not an herb, but a fragrant herb used to make spices.

 

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