I Thought a Villainess' Divorce Would Be Easy

Anthea let out a short sigh.

She didn’t know things would turn out like this. Anthea believed in the flow of the original and let her guard down when she saw the proposal that came from the duke’s family, even though the situation was different from the original.

‘I knew that the original could change when I saved Nathan.’

Anthea realized her mistake and faced Richard again. Richard’s face returned to his usual blunt expression when the conversation stopped.

When Anthea stared at him and smiled, Richard’s lips twitched in a slight reaction.

When Anthea saw Richard’s efforts, Anthea felt slightly happy and then anxious without realizing it.

The relationship between the duke and duchess was simply a couple determined by the emperor’s order. There shouldn’t be any feelings at all. However, Richard was showing excessive intimacy with Anthea now. Just a few days ago, no, just a day ago, Richard hadn’t been this attached to Anthea.

Even though she wondered what happened last night, all she did was toss and turn because she was worried about Richard behind her and then slowly fall asleep.

Whatever the cause, it was not good for the Duke and Duchess to become intimate. What Anthea needed was a divorce, not a happy marriage.

‘We need to find the flow of the original story quickly before Richard changes any further.’

The most urgent thing was to get rid of Richard, who was acting like a completely different person.

* * *

It was only in the afternoon that the aide, tired of waiting for the Duke, came to the living room next to the couple’s bedroom.

Thanks to the aide who came to see Richard with a mountain of reports, Anthea was able to return to her room. However, judging from the fact that he said he would come pick her up in the evening before leaving, it seemed like she would cling to him again once the urgent matter was over.

She was worried that she might be able to witness a scene where Bianca and Richard meet alone like in the original. Still, Anthea couldn’t shake off her hopes.

Hoping that she might see Bianca and Richard being affectionately together like in the original, Anthea watched intently outside the window in the Duchess’s room. However, despite looking out the window all day, Richard was nowhere to be seen, as if he had been locked up in the office as planned, and even Bianca didn’t show a single hair.

Today was not the day, as neither of them could be seen. This was a waste of time.

She had to somehow turn the situations that might have gone wrong into opportunities.

Without waiting any longer, Anthea decided to act immediately.

“I’m going to make Bianca my dedicated maid starting today.”

At Anthea’s sudden statement, the maids who had been chattering and touching her hair became quiet as if they had been hit by a bomb.

Anthea looked back at Julie and Ellie, who had become quiet, and smiled kindly.

“We don’t have a dedicated maid anyway, so if there are more dedicated maids, you guys will be comfortable and happy.”

The two of them briefly showed a slight look of joy at Anthea’s consideration, but it quickly subsided. The two of them carefully expressed their opinions with serious faces.

“Madam, if we were lacking, we will try harder.”

“How about bringing in a skilled maid instead of the unknown Bianca who has only been in the duke’s household for two days?”

Julie and Ellie were not happy about Bianca being with them.

It was a reaction that came from anxiety about outsiders and at the same time aversion to a woman who might be the duke’s secret lover.

Seeing that she was a commoner maid but was honest with the duchess, it seemed that she had become much more comfortable in the past few days.

Anthea wanted to take the side of the servant who worked hard for her master, but she couldn’t give up on Bianca.

“I want to keep her by my side. Bring Bianca.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Julie immediately nodded in agreement, but Ellie showed a look of disappointment that made her eyebrows droop.

Since the maids were not pleased, she was worried that there might be a misunderstanding while bringing Bianca.

“No, I’ll tell you myself.”

Julie and Ellie’s eyes widened at the Duchess’s action of going to fetch just one maid herself.

They wondered what on earth Bianca had in mind for the Duchess.

When they arrived at the laundry near the servants’ quarters, Bianca and several maids were huddled together doing laundry.

“I think Lira has really nice hair. I envy her.”

“But she hides it tightly while she works, so it’s not even visible. Bianca, didn’t the head maid say anything if you didn’t wear a head scarf?”

“I have a lot of hair that’s useless, so it’s too heavy if I put it up. The head maid said you can let it down until you get used to it.”

“Useless. Bianca, you have naturally curly hair, so it’s thick and pretty.”

“That’s right. That mean head maid didn’t scold you for being ill-dressed, but instead praised you and left.”

Even as Anthea approached, the maids were busy moving their hands and feet, absorbed in endless chatter.

“I don’t know how much I envy Bianca’s thick hair. Should I braid it a little on the side during our break and tie it with flowers?”

“Thank you, Sasha. Your fingers are so thin and pretty. They’re too precious to be hand-washed.”

“Oh my, what are you talking about? Your fingers are thin and long.”

“That’s right. Bianca, you’ve been riding mountains, but your skin is so smooth and soft. Even if you just change your clothes, you wouldn’t look like a commoner.”

From the side, it was a relay of gentle compliments, and the atmosphere was really friendly. Even Julie and Ellie, who were not happy with Bianca, had their stiff expressions slightly loosened. However, unlike the two, Anthea’s evaluation of Bianca changed a little as she listened to their conversation.

‘That way of speaking seems a bit intentional.’

They were praising the other person, but all of the things they were praising were things that Bianca herself had that were worse. So naturally, the person who was being complimented smiled pleasantly and praised Bianca’s strengths even more.

Bianca said that the people around her were pretty, but all she got in return was several times more compliments. Every time, Bianca shook her head so gently that her voluminous hair swayed, denying it with a smile. If this was the kitchen or the hall where they were cleaning, it was a fancy movement that would make you worry that her hair would fall out.

In the original, she was portrayed as a kind heroine who complimented even the smallest features of the people around her, but when she actually witnessed her, she felt different. However, Bianca’s behavior of praising others seemed humble, but it seemed otherwise, only to Anthea. The maids’ faces were filled with smiles.

While Anthea stared blankly without speaking, Bianca was the first to notice Anthea’s arrival.

“Oh, ma’am!”

“Ma’am? Why would she be here… Huh, oh, why is the mistress here?!”

Unlike the other maids who were flustered, Bianca smiled brightly at Anthea.

Although she was only called ma’am, her accent and cheerfulness were almost like that of a neighborhood friend. Without any discomfort or hesitation, Bianca, filled with only joy and happiness, ran toward Anthea with soap bubbles all over her hands.

“Ma’am, did you come to see me?”

Anthea nodded lightly at Bianca’s natural wittiness as she spoke to her as if it were a joke.

“I’m glad I’ve already made a friend.”

“Yes, everyone is so kind. They even taught me how to make bubbles in cold water and how to prevent my fingertips from freezing.”

Listening to Bianca’s subtly appealing words about how hard it is to do laundry in the increasingly cold weather, Anthea handed over the handkerchief she had left for Julie.

“Wipe it.”

“Oh my, this is so precious that I dare use it…”

The handkerchief with only small initials engraved on it, so plain that it looked plain, didn’t look that precious. She just kept it separately because she thought it might be useful to Bianca.

That’s why Anthea needed to explain.

“It’s okay. The Duke doesn’t seem to be a person who treasures things like handkerchiefs anyway.”

“Is it the Duke’s… handkerchief?”

“Yes. Oh, that’s perfect. How about Bianca washing that handkerchief and giving it to the Duke? If you want it, you can go see the Duke and ask him in person.”

Bianca blinked twice as if she was surprised, then smiled brightly and nodded shyly.

“Yes, I will. I will wash it clean and return it to you.”

If it were another maid, she would have strongly refused or stepped back in surprise.

Bianca showed no fear at all, but instead, with a face full of anticipation, she folded the handkerchief carefully and put it in her bosom. She wiped her wet hands on her apron and her smiling face looked innocent.

Her every action was filled with her goodwill toward the Duke. Richard said they were not related, but judging from Bianca’s attitude, it seemed like there was something between the two of them that Anthea did not know about.

Even in front of Anthea, Bianca did not try to hide her feelings. Rather, she was honest enough to seem generous. After all, she had to take steps to make the two of them closer.

“Bianca, come to my room starting tomorrow.”

“Yes? Madam, what does that mean…”

Unlike Bianca, who was just blinking with an innocent face, the maids who were still holding onto the laundry were so surprised by the outrageous proposal that they covered their mouths with their foamy hands.

“Madam, you wouldn’t have told me right now… you wouldn’t have…”

Bianca never spoke with her own mouth. She waited, holding her breath, with both hands clasped together on her swollen chest as if she wanted Anthea to speak.

It wasn’t something she wouldn’t say if she wanted it that way.

“Yes. Be my dedicated maid.”

 

—————————————————————

Translator Note: