No More Regrets, Just K*ll Me

As I looked in confusion, the maids quickly opened the door. The person who appeared was…

 

“Uh?”

“Huh?”

“How did you get here…”

“Ariadeline, what are you doing right now?”

 

It was none other than Dorothea. She looked around with a surprised expression.

I couldn’t help but glance at Dorothy’s face. Now that I thought about it, wasn’t she quite close with Dorothea? But Dorothy’s face was flushed with confusion.

 

“…What’s going on here?”

 

Dorothea’s expression hardened as she saw me kneeling. Dorothy and her friends opened their mouths in surprise. 

 

“…You’d better explain this properly.”

 

A low voice followed. I instinctively turned my head once more.

 

“D-Duke.”

 

Carlothian was looking at me with a fierce expression as I knelt. Um, excuse me. I didn’t cause any trouble.

 

“Make sure you get it right.”

 

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

 

Around the time Ariadeline was leading the guests to the reception room, a lavish carriage stopped in front of the Duke of Denaves’s residence.

 

“Oh?”

 

The person who got out of the carriage was none other than Dorothea.

 

“It seems there’s another guest.”

 

Seeing the other carriage, Dorothea tilted her head in confusion. It was a carriage she had never seen before.

Dorothea thought it must be someone she didn’t know, so she entered the mansion without checking the seal engraved on the carriage.

At the sudden arrival of the Crown Princess, the butler hurriedly came out to greet her.

 

“Your Highness, Crown Princess Dorothea…”

“Oh, I’m so sorry for the sudden visit. I happened to be passing through the area and suddenly remembered something.”

 

Dorothea smiled awkwardly. Seeing the butler’s flustered face, she waved her hand dismissively and continued.

 

“What is Carlothian, I mean, Duke Denaves, doing right now?”

“He is in his office.”

“Could you ask if he has a moment to see me? Tell him I’m sorry for the sudden visit.”

“Understood. I will escort you to the reception room for now.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m just here for a brief visit. I’ll wait here. It seems there are other guests as well.”

 

Dorothea glanced back at the other carriage as she spoke. The butler nodded in response.

 

“Miss Ariadeline’s guests have arrived.”

“Ariadeline’s guests?”

 

Dorothea asked, puzzled. Even if she had been the duchess in the past, how could someone come to see her now that she was a sinner?

 

“Yes, they are young ladies of her age.”

‘Could it be that the noblewomen she used to be close with have come to visit?’

 

Even the notorious villainess, Ariadeline, had noblewomen and ladies in society with whom she maintained friendships.

 

‘It’s a good thing that someone would come to see her, even in this situation.’

 

Dorothea smiled lightly and stood still for a moment, waiting. One of the maids took her outer garment.

The butler hurried upstairs to inform Carlothian that Dorothea had arrived.

 

“Suddenly, without any notice?”

“Yes? Yes….”

 

The butler was momentarily puzzled by Carlothian’s question. In the past, he would have stood up immediately upon hearing that the crown princess had arrived, without asking any further questions.

 

“…I can’t keep her waiting too long. Have you brought her to the reception room?”

“Well, she mentioned she would only be stopping by briefly and is waiting downstairs.”

 

At those words, Carlothian set down his pen and stood up. He put on his outer garment, draped over the chair, and left his office.

When he came down to the first-floor hall, Dorothea greeted him warmly.

 

“Have you been well?”

“Yes, I have.”

“I’ve been well too. More importantly, how is Ariadeline doing?”

“So that was your purpose.”

 

Carlothian clicked his tongue lightly, and Dorothea smiled.

 

“I can’t help but worry about her. But I heard Ariadeline had guests today.”

“That’s right.”

 

Carlothian briefly recalled the guests who had come to see her.

 

“It’s the young lady of Count Antrue.”

“The Count of Antrue… then it must be Dorothy!”

 

Dorothea clasped her hands together and smiled brightly. Dorothy was quite close to her. The warm person who approached Dorothea when she was being ostracized in society. That was Dorothy.

However, something felt off. Dorothea averted her gaze slightly.

 

‘Dorothy is definitely close to me. That means she shouldn’t have any connection with Ariadeline.’

 

Dorothea, a former saint, didn’t fully understand the dynamics of high society. But she wasn’t so naïve as to be completely oblivious to the situations around her.

 

“…did Ariadeline say anything?”

 

Carlothian slightly furrowed his brow and answered,

 

“Well, she hasn’t said anything specific, but she does seem to be puzzled.”

 

Dorothea had a strong feeling that something was not quite right. Ariadeline, her rival in high society, and Dorothy, her friend, were at odds.

Carlothian noticed the oddity in Dorothea’s words and asked cautiously.

 

“Is something bothering you?”

“I think it’s best to check on Ariadeline first.”

 

With a sense of dread, Dorothea began walking toward the reception room, with Carlothian following behind.

Carlothian was not interested in the gossip of high society, despite being quick with information. He focused more on the facts than the rumors circulating in social circles.

In contrast, Dorothea had been at the center of that society. A sense of unease began to rise within her.

 

‘Still, Dorothy is a good person.’

 

She believed that she wouldn’t come to harm Ariadeline. She held onto the belief that the kindness Dorothy had shown her was genuine.

 

‘But why do I feel so worried?’

 

As Dorothea pondered, she quickened her pace. Suddenly, a thought struck her.

 

‘That villainess stole Dorothy’s partner.’

 

She recalled Dorothy in tears, as well as the people around her cursing Ariadeline.

 

‘Now that I think about it, that did happen.’

 

Dorothea remembered that she had comforted Dorothy during that time.

Seeing Dorothea hastening her steps, Carlothian thought there was something he didn’t know.

 

‘Is there something wrong with the guest coming today?’

 

However, in his mind, the name Dorothy Antrue didn’t stand out in any significant way; there was nothing particularly remarkable about her.

The only thing he knew was that she maintained a close relationship with Dorothea.

 

“Ahem.”

 

Dorothea reached the door to the reception room first. She knocked right away, and the door opened without answering.

Then Dorothea saw Ariadeline kneeling on the floor.

 

“Ariadeline, what are you doing?”

 

Dorothea slowly turned to look at Dorothy. She could see Dorothy’s face growing pale.

Dorothea clearly understood that the situation was strange. Ariadeline kneeling on the floor?

And there were four people in front of her, looking down at her.

 

“…What is going on here?”

 

Dorothea’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t understand the situation. No; she was curious if her understanding of the situation was correct.

The Dorothy she knew wasn’t this kind of person, yet the scene unfolding before her contradicted that.

At that moment, footsteps were heard behind Dorothea. The footsteps stopped abruptly in front of the reception room door.

 

“…You’d better explain this properly.”

 

A low growl followed.

 

“Make sure you get it right.”

 

Dorothy and her friends clenched their fists in nervousness, as the Duke of Denaves and the only crown princess were staring at them with equally stern expressions.

But then—

Bang!

The two of them couldn’t continue speaking.

I jumped up from my position and slammed the door shut.