Episode 51. The Villainess’s Reputation (1)

I chuckled and opened my mouth, thinking along those lines.

“I’m not curious about anything, really.”

“Yes, what are you curious about?”

I am curious, but could you not say it like that? Lately, you’ve all been pinpointing my intentions so well that I feel like I’m taking on a contrarian role.

“…I didn’t make any mistakes, right?”

Anyway, I asked out of curiosity. But then…

“…”

The maid who was supposed to answer smiled as if she had drawn the sun in a child’s drawing and didn’t answer!

‘What is that meaningful smile?! Did I make a huge mistake?!’

It was an overall unsettling situation. Just as I was about to ask more specifically what mistake I had made, the maid spoke with that painted-on smile.

“Will you have your meal first?”

It seemed like she was refusing to discuss the topic any further. I crossed my arms and turned my head sharply as I answered.

“I don’t know.”

Since I don’t know, tell me what happened yesterday. What mistake did I make yesterday?

I was about to insist, but then I heard something irresistible.

“His Grace said he would have breakfast with you. It would be good if you washed up and went to the dining room.”

Percy wants to have breakfast together!

‘Then I can’t keep him waiting.’

Grumbling, I subtly got out of bed.

“Why is that man so bothersome?”

“Indeed. I didn’t know His Grace could be so affectionate either.”

The maid naturally draped a shawl over my shoulders as I slipped my feet into slippers. I yawned loudly. Wearing a shawl over my pajamas and wandering around made me feel like the Stewart mansion was now my home.

Dragging my slippers, I entered the dining room, where the butler bowed his head and greeted me.

“Good morning, Madam.”

‘Madam?’

For a moment, I doubted my ears. The title he called me was so unfamiliar.

However, the butler did not repeat what he had said to me, quickly turning away.

“His Grace is washing up now. Please wait.”

I obediently sat in the seat the butler guided me to. But unlike usual, the butler placed a folded newspaper on a tray and put it in front of me.

‘What is this? Is he telling me to read this?’

I tilted my head in confusion and sighed softly. I opened it like I would a magazine at a salon.

The moment I opened it, I nearly tore the newspaper in half.

‘W-What is this?!’

On the front page of the newspaper I opened, there was a huge headline.

[The Duke of Stewart, in Love!]

The Duke of Stewart! Is this the Stewart Duke I know?

There was even an illustration that left no room for doubt. Though it didn’t completely capture his radiant beauty, it was unmistakably a portrait of Percy, no matter how you looked at it.

‘Who is Percy in love with?’

There could only be one person. But my eyes didn’t want to go down easily. With trembling hands, I grasped the bottom of the newspaper.

There, the shocking truth of yesterday was written.

[…He tried to put on her shoes while kneeling, but Princess Sienna threw her shoes and asked to be carried…]

‘Oh my goodness!’

It said that I, attending the tea party, got drunk and made such a fuss at Percy! And the kind-hearted Percy had carried me out without any resistance!

‘This is insane! Insane!’

I slapped my cheeks with my palms. Then, a status window appeared before my eyes.

※Warning: A villainess does not feel embarrassed by such things. (1/3)

Who cares about warnings!

‘How can I not be embarrassed when I’m so embarrassed!!’

But indeed, slapping my face with both hands was too noticeable. I curled my fingers and tucked my hands under my thighs. I was worried I might unintentionally hit my face again out of excitement.

‘If I drink again, I’m not human. I’m not human.’

Grinding my teeth and trembling with shame over yesterday’s embarrassment, a sneaky thought crept into my mind.

‘…Could I have done something else?’

Yes. No matter how embarrassing, I should not avoid it and read the article. Only then can I respond.

As I thought this and focused on the newspaper again, a very, very low voice tickled my ear.

“Sienna?”

“Eek!!”

Startled, I unintentionally screamed. The familiar warning window popped up again.

※Warning: A villainess does not scream strangely. (2/3)

I covered my lips with both hands.

‘At this rate, I’ll get a penalty.’

I knew exactly what the penalty was, having received one before. It was the unlocking of Sienna Liata’s past memories.

‘But they were all unpleasant memories. I don’t want to see them. I’m not even curious.’

Above all, I was now living freely without any ties to the imperial palace.

Anyway, I turned around, tense, trying not to act unvillainous. Percy was standing there.

“Percy.”

He was dressed simply in a shirt and pants, but he was wearing gloves. His slightly damp hair dripped water, suggesting he had just washed up.

He tilted his head and asked.

“Is your head okay?”

“Do you mean to say I’m strange?”

He twisted his lips into a smile at my retort.

“I meant, is your hangover okay? Judging by your misunderstanding, it seems you find your scream earlier embarrassing.”

“Hmph, never mind.”

Don’t point out my embarrassment! What if the system does something weird again?

As I turned my head and pretended to be indifferent, his broad chest loomed closer behind me, casting a shadow. When I tensed up in surprise, his long arm reached out and snatched the newspaper I was reading.

“Ah! Don’t read that! It’s trash!”

I tried to stop him, worried he might tease me after reading it, but his arm was so long that no matter how I flailed, I couldn’t get the newspaper back.

Percy, with one hand on his hip, skimmed the part about me throwing my shoes.

“Hmm.”

His peculiar hum seemed to deny the article.

‘Of course! No matter how weak I am to alcohol, there’s no way I made such a mess.’

I felt relieved thinking that, but then Percy put the newspaper down on the table and said.

“They wrote it in a very toned-down way.”

“What?!”

‘So I made an even bigger scene than what’s written there?’

I stared at Percy with a pale face, shocked. Percy poked his cheek with his finger and said.

“You kept pinching my cheeks, saying I was cute and handsome without stopping.”

‘Ugh.’

Afraid of screaming and getting another penalty, I covered my mouth with my palm. What he said next was unbearable without covering my ears.

“You twisted your body, saying you could overpower me.”

“You lay down, asking to use my thigh as a pillow.”

“In the end, you fell asleep, and I carried you to the bedroom.”

In other words, I did all sorts of things while drunk.

I wanted to bury my head and apologize profusely, but that wasn’t something Sienna Liata would do. I just tried to act nonchalant with a trembling voice.

“That, that could happen, right? You’re not trying to pressure me now, are you?”

Percy responded with a smile.

“How could I, when I even said it was strange for you to be kind?”

‘Ugh.’

I had said all sorts of things! When did I say he was kind!

Looking at me, who felt like I had turned into ash, Percy smiled softly.

“You were quite adorable in your candidness, so don’t worry too much.”

‘There’s a fine line between adorable and being a nuisance.’

To me, it felt like I had been a complete nuisance.

I vowed never to drink again. No, never again. Even after closing my eyes and opening them again, the shadow behind me hadn’t disappeared. I tilted my head and asked.

“Why are you standing there idly?”

“I’m waiting for you to get up.”

“Why?”

Why on earth are you standing behind me like a puppy?

At my question, Percy shrugged and answered.

“Didn’t you say you would sit on my lap from now on?”

“Forget it, immediately!!”

Die, past me!

* * *

‘I might die of shame, really.’

Percy kept bringing up things I had said during breakfast, making my cheeks blush like peaches.

I was in such a state that I couldn’t even tell if my food was going down my nose or my mouth. I returned to my room, feeling like a jellyfish, and collapsed with a deep sigh.

“I’m going to sleep today…”

At my mumbling, the three maids who followed me in clenched their fists and cheered me on.

“Don’t be embarrassed, Princess. It was a very successful debut!”

“That’s right! You don’t know how happy everyone in the mansion was to read that article.”

“Especially the butler, he was so moved he even cried.”

Did they show that article to everyone! The embarrassment intensified.

But what bothered me more was something else.

‘The butler cried?’

So that’s why he changed my title to “Madam.” It wasn’t a mistake!
I recalled the butler I faced in the dining room earlier. His stiff and stern expression was the same as always, making it hard to imagine him even tearing up, let alone crying.

‘Could it be he’s happy he finally gets to call me “Madam”?’

That would be scary.

TL/N: From Chap 1 – 50 Read on Salmon latte or you could search the name on NU
This novel will be continued here from now on
Updates: Expected Thursday with advance chapters.