How To Survive As a Villain on the Verge of Death

Slowly, her vision became brighter. As soon as she opened her eyes, she looked around blankly. For a moment, she thought, ‘Isn’t this wisdom?’ This was because the surroundings where she stood have not changed at all. She was in Diane’s bedroom just as she had been a moment ago. Diane’s bed, the tightly closed window, warm bedding and carpet, and the faint smell of scented candles wafting through the room. No matter where she looked, it was so similar that she couldn’t tell the difference. There was only one thing that changed. It was a servant cleaning the fireplace, and the Duke and Duchess standing behind it. And Diane was there with them. The duke sighed as if it were absurd as he watched the servant dusting the ashes from the fireplace.

 

“I never thought the princess would do something like this to us…”

 

Princess? Her? She was startled and tried to approach them, but Diane, who was a little distance away, suddenly shouted.

 

“Look at that! I’m right!”

 

She belatedly looked at Diane. Diane was wearing her white nightgown as usual. She looked similar to the one that had greeted Lot and her a little while ago. But there was something different about her. Bright red spots appear again on the nape of her neck and wrists, visible through her pajamas. It wasn’t as red and dark as before, but there were definitely reddish spots all the way from her wrists to her lower arms. Was she in bad shape again? She was talking about the dress while looking at her wrists and arms that had been cleaned just a moment ago. Why did this happen again? She was also concerned about what the Duke had just said. It was now clear to her what the princess had done and what she had done. Then, as Diane looked at the duchess once again, she became angry.

 

“It’s not that there was a problem with the scented candle! It was all done by Princess Sorel!”

 

‘Sorel? What did she do?’

 

The Duchess, who had been watching her silently, asked her husband quietly: Unlike usual, she had a very serious expression on her face.

 

“Is this revenge for what happened last time?”

 

If it happened last time, was it about the wedding? Sorel took revenge on the dukedom for that? Why…? Of course, she had the Duchess act as her witness, but does that mean Sorel needs to get her revenge? She wouldn’t know if she had become an empress.

 

The Duke coldly ordered his servant.

 

“Wash away all the ash thoroughly.”

 

The servant was scraping the ash from the fireplace and wiping down the inside with water. She’s saying Sorrel did something to the fireplace here. What could she do with the fireplace? She looked at the fireplace where the servant was scrubbing. It was an ordinary fireplace found in any mansion. The fire was turned off and the firewood was put away, so the inside was clearly visible. There was a passage at the top for smoke to escape, and a small hole at the bottom for the ash to go out. Ever since she began treating illnesses with water boiled in scented candles, the doctor treating Diane has been boiling water in this fireplace. Since the treatment used steam seeping out of the water, it was convenient to boil the water in the room. The mansion’s kitchen was downstairs, so if you boil the water there, it would get cold on the way back. Boiling water in a small pot was possible even on the fireplace in the bedroom. It looked like Sorel did something to interfere with Diane’s treatment. What exactly did she do? She was watching the fireplace closely for some hint when the Duke spoke.

 

“Tell them to repaint the inside walls too. The scent should not remain at all.”

 

Scent?

 

‘Did Sorel put incense here?’

 

The Duchess let out her sigh.

 

“But I’m glad I found it quickly. I didn’t even know there was fragrance in it and I thought it was a side effect of the scented candle.”

 

You put spices in the fireplace?

 

‘Spices.’

 

Suddenly, she remembered what the doctor told her when she asked about scented candles. He told her that he didn’t even use air freshener in Diane’s bedroom because she didn’t like strong perfume in this bottle. That’s why he never considered scented candles as a treatment until now. He probably thought that everything that smelled was bad.

 

‘In fact, it was said that the fragrance used in air fresheners was the cause of Diane’s illness worsening.’

 

Her gaze went inside the fireplace. What if spices were hidden or buried in the area that touches the firewood? In the winter, a fire was always lit in the fireplace. Along with the firewood, the spices would also burn and emit smoke. Smoke went out through the chimney along the passage, but some inevitably remained in the room.

 

‘For fear of cold air coming into Diane’s room, she only seems to ventilate when absolutely necessary.’

 

Now Diane was healing by basking in the steam from her scented candle water. If steam from water was effective in treating diseases, it was not surprising that smoke from burning spices has a negative effect on diseases.

 

‘Even if it’s a perfume, if the scent isn’t strong, it can be hidden.’

 

The scent of scented candles permeated everywhere in Diane’s interior, including the reception room, lounge, and bedroom. If it had a faint scent, it would be difficult to notice because of the scent of this scented candle wafting through the room.

 

‘But why did Sorel do that?’

 

There’s no way Diane would die just because she put a little incense on the fireplace. She looked at Diane standing next to the Duke. The spots came back, but they weren’t as bad as before. Moreover, fireplaces were cleaned regularly by servants anyway. Because the remaining burnt ash piles up in layers and becomes covered with soot. Even though there was a passage to remove ash, it needed to be cleaned every few days. Even if it didn’t get caught, as time passed and the servants cleaned the fireplace, the scent that Sorel buried would disappear. So, even if you mix incense, the condition would only worsen for a few days. If you treat it with scented candles, you will recover quickly. But why did you have to do something like this to get caught? The moment she thought about it, enlightenment came.

 

‘Could it be because I saved the scented candle?’

 

Because she found the scented candle and Diane got better? She was told that as the Duchess went to return the favor, she told the story of the scented candles to the other ladies. Thanks to this, the news that she discovered scented candles and was curing Diane’s illness spread everywhere. Could it be that he heard that and did this with the purpose of interfering with treatment? If Diane’s condition got worse again, she would think the scented candles weren’t working and she would stop treating her.

 

‘Is she out of her mind?’

 

She was making Diane’s illness worse just because of that? If she got caught, she would incur a grudge against the Duke and Duchess, right?

 

‘Is Sorel a little out of his mind because of what happened last time?’

 

Otherwise, this behavior was completely incomprehensible. Diane looked at the fireplace with disapproval. It’s not that she didn’t like the fireplace, it’s that she didn’t like Sorel.

 

“Princess Sorel is really bad. Because of her, I couldn’t even go to the dinner party.”

 

Diane bit her lip as if trying to suppress her emotions. So this was right after the dinner hosted by the Duchess. It looked like Diane couldn’t attend the dinner because she got spots again. The Duchess wrapped her arms around Diane’s shoulders as if to comfort her.

 

“Don’t worry too much. If you continue receiving treatment, you will get better again.”

 

With those words, the surroundings became pitch black again.

 

* * *

 

As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Lot and Diane looking at her.

 

“So where are you going after you finish eating?”

 

They were both waiting for my answer with bright eyes.

 

“…yes?”

 

What were they just talking about? Times like this were the most embarrassing. Since the vision suddenly appeared, she became a strange person who was completely absorbed in not talking. Diane and Lot also looked at each other in bewilderment.

 

“Where are you going after having dinner with Terence in the garden today?”

 

Were they asking about her date course? Of course, she had no idea where to go, so she had no answer. She just spoke honestly.

 

“…well. Won’t you come back to the mansion?”

 

Since she would eat out, she should come home, wash up, and sleep. For a moment, the eyes of Lot and Diane, who were looking at her, hardened in shock. What’s wrong?

 

“It’s our first date since getting married… You’re just coming back home?”

 

Since it’s their first date, should they do something different?

 

“It’s cold.”

 

But it’s winter now. Wouldn’t it be okay to eat and talk in the warm garden and then come back? Diane’s eyes were full of worry as she looked at her. She seemed worried as to why the relationship had already become so dull even though she had been married for less than a month.

 

“Hmm… But since it’s my first time out, wouldn’t it be nice to go somewhere else?”

 

Diane suggested very cautiously. Lot suggested with worried eyes.

 

“…Can’t we go get some ice cream?”

 

She hurriedly made an excuse while receiving worried looks from both of them.

 

“That… Actually, I don’t know. Let’s eat and talk and discuss what to do. Maybe Lor… or rather Terence, has something planned.”

 

Since Terrence was the one to suggest a date first, he might be thinking of a different course, right? The two seemed relieved after hearing those words.

 

“Then you should go back early today and prepare.”

 

“You just have to go back before dinner.”

 

While answering that question, she glanced at the fireplace where a fire was burning. To sum up the predictions they just saw, Sorel would come to the Duke’s mansion in the near future and put incense on the wall of the fireplace in this bedroom. A scent that worsens Diane’s illness.

 

‘Because the scene where the vision appeared was right after the dinner. It must have been near the banquet when Sorel came to the mansion.

 

If so, there was still time. Moreover, considering the conversation in her premonition, Diane must have been aware that Sorel was up to something suspicious. She didn’t know how she noticed.

 

‘First, let’s gather a little more information.’

 

She thought it would be a good idea to look at the vision more to figure out exactly what happened. After hanging out with Diane, they met the Duchess, said hello, and returned to the mansion.

 

“Your Highness the Grand Duchess. I have the dress ready for you.”

 

“Ok, thanks.”

 

Without thinking, she passed through the boudoir and entered the dressing room. The inside was full of fancy dresses, accessories, cosmetics, etc. All the dresses were taken out and hung up here and there, and shoes and accessories were also scattered here and there. What was this? Nell hurriedly ran over and made an excuse.

 

“It took some time to bring it up and discuss it. I will sort it out soon.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

Fortunately, the dress she had prepared was hanging neatly next to the dressing table. 

The dress they chose was a combination of light purple and white, like the dawn sky. The neckline had white lace and a light purple ribbon, with pearls and small diamonds in between. There was a similar decoration at the end of the sleeves that reached down to the wrist. Because it was winter, not much bare skin was exposed, but the atmosphere was pure and elegant.

 

“A little… Don’t you think it’s too much?”

 

But she thought it was too extravagant to just go out. Nell retorted, asking what he was talking about.

 

“You said it to the Grand Duchess while speaking to the princess. Clothing like this is normal.”

 

Actually, when Eve lived as a princess, she wore many more extravagant dresses than this. 

Anyway, she just did as they told her to do. She sat down at the dressing table and started putting on a quick makeover before putting on the dress.

 

‘Simple… I was going to do it.’

 

“Your Highness the Grand Duchess. Close your eyes.”

 

Nell demanded, using all her might to apply light colored rouge around her eyes. From behind, Chloe was tossing and decorating my hair with a serious expression, as if she was creating a work of art.

 

“You can just do it normally.”

 

But no one listened to her. After adjusting her clothes for almost an hour, she was able to change her dress.

 

“Well, how do you feel?”

 

After she finished dressing up, she stood in front of the mirror.

 

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