What is the best revenge?
There‘s no need to resort to force or use one’s intellect to give someone a beating.
‘Astel doesn’t seem to want that either.’
If that’s the case, there is one remaining method.
To make that contemptible existence writhe in agony.
‘That’s the best revenge.’
It may seem complicated, but with proper utilization of this situation, anything is possible.
In a world on the brink of destruction, the only ones who can protect people are the hunters.
Before long, they will cling to Astel, begging for their lives. They will do whatever it takes to seek protection from the very existence they ridiculed and scorned as a disgrace to their family.
‘But what should I do about this? I have absolutely no desire to stay in this damn house.’
If I were to leave this place, how would Duke Luteous and his employees react? It’s so thrilling to even think about it.
Chuckling to myself, I slid Astel’s diary under the bed.
“Princess…”
At that moment, the door opened without warning. It was Astel’s personal maid, Genia.
Genia was different from the nanny and Vivian.
As seen in the diary, she had secretly treated Astel’s wounds and even made delicious snacks for him.
However, every time she did so, the nanny treated Genia horribly. It was probably intentional to prevent Astel from relying on Genia.
Unable to bear it any longer, Genia had no choice but to keep her distance from Astel.
After all, she had to take care of herself too.
Moreover, she was the breadwinner supporting her sick younger sibling. She couldn’t afford to be swayed by shallow sympathy.
Since then, she had treated Astel coldly. She only did what was necessary and didn’t get involved beyond that.
But she didn’t engage in subtle gaslighting like the nanny or confront him openly like Vivian.
Just that alone made Genia a good person in Astel’s eyes.
That’s why she distanced herself even more. She was afraid that her presence might bring unhappiness to Genia as well.
However, I didn‘t plan to rely solely on Astel’s memories.
‘I can’t judge based solely on the memories of a blameless fool in that situation, can I?’
I calmly observed Genia.
As usual, she entered the room without hesitation and her eyes widened.
She seemed surprised at the state of the messy bedroom.
Then, she glanced at me and swallowed her breath.
‘No wonder.’
After all, I’m covered in blood from head to toe.
‘Do I look like a corpse?’
After gulping down her saliva, she glanced at me.
Is she recalling the slaughter that Astel showed her in front of the annex just a moment ago?
As I pondered that, my eyebrows rose at an unexpected scene.
Even in her frightened state, Genia was examining me.
‘Oh, she’s suspicious of me? Interesting.’
Well, it‘s understandable since the Princess who couldn’t even go out due to fear ended up massacring monsters.
‘It’s definitely a situation that arouses suspicion.’
It must seem like someone completely different after just half a day.
‘Hmm, should I pretend to be Astel?’
I hesitated for a moment and then suppressed a chuckle.
Although I’m possessing her, I am Astel Luteous.
Accepting the changes is their responsibility, and there’s no need for me to go to great lengths to make them understand while pretending.
“Princess, um…”
I interrupted Genia’s words and gestured towards the door with a nod of my chin.
“Leave.”
Genia, who had been hesitating and mumbling, opened her eyes wide.
“Pardon?”
“I said, leave.”
“….Me?”
“Well, besides you, is there another maid who enters the employer’s bedroom without even knocking?”
“…”
“Leave and come back.”
At the sudden command, Genia’s freckled cheeks turned red.
However, whether out of fear or regaining her composure, she didn’t rebel.
She simply closed the door quietly, left, knocked, and then opened the door again.
Then, with her head peeking through the crack of the door, she spoke.
“Princess.”
I continued to gaze out the window before finally turning my gaze towards her.
“What’s the matter?”
“Lord Duke is calling for you.”
“Say it again.”
“Lord Duke is summoning you…”
“Leave.”
“…Again?”
“Do you think your behavior is appropriate right now? Can you do the same with other nobles?”
The color drained from Genia’s face.
Because it was true that she had behaved in a way that would be unthinkable with any other noble.
As she entered the bedroom once again, she politely clasped her hands and bowed her head.
“…I apologize. Please give me one more chance.”
“This is the last one. Do it properly.”
“Pardon me, Princess. I have received a summons from Lord Duke himself.”
“What’s the content?”
“Lord Duke wishes for you to join him for dinner. How should I convey this message?”
For 21 years, Duke Luteous had never invited Astel to dine with him.
Even if he starved, he would never share a meal with the perpetrator who killed his beloved wife.
In reality, Duke Luteous had secluded Astel in a separate building when she turned five and never bothered to check on her.
He would only glance in once or twice a year, whether she was alive or dead.
“But suddenly, to have a meal together?”
It was probably because of what happened today.
‘Because I, no, Astel slaughtered the monsters.’
I let out a sigh, feeling heavy-hearted.
‘So, you’re going to change your approach like this?’
I had expected it, but my heart grew colder.
It would have been less disappointing if he had continued to treat me as he had until now.
‘It’s not like he couldn‘t understand. The situation where his daughter, who was thought to be crazy, suddenly gained tremendous value.’
‘Naturally, the attitude should change.’
I had to somehow manipulate the situation to my advantage.
“Decline it.”
“You…you’re refusing?”
“Do I have to say it twice for you to understand?”
“Oh, no! I will convey it that way. Um, and…should I prepare a bath for you?”
Since Astel had been distanced, this was the first time Genia had offered to do something on her own.
“While I bathe, tidy up the bedroom and prepare dinner. So that we can eat immediately after the bath.”
“Yes, if you need anything else, please pull the bell rope.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“….Pardon?”
“Do you remember when the nanny cut the bell rope before? She said I was being too bothersome.”
“Ah… Did that…happen? I…uh, I’ll…re-attach it.”
“By today.”
“Yes, yes!”
Genia hurriedly left and gently closed the bedroom door behind her.
Her appearance had changed quite a bit from when she first entered.
‘Is it that frightening?’
Compared to what is yet to come, this is nothing.
I silently laughed in the tranquil bedroom.
* * *
After finishing my bath slowly, I passed through the neatly tidied bedroom and entered the dressing room.
“Goodness…”
The state of the dresses hanging there was uniformly unsightly.
Even though I knew nothing about clothes, I could tell that the clothes hanging here were strange.
It wasn’t a design issue.
Besides being old, they didn‘t even fit properly. Isn’t that a big problem?
“So, this is the Princess‘s dressing room? It’s even worse than my own wardrobe.”
Instead of the shabby dresses, I put on a decent nightgown.
As I went down to the first floor, I heard voices coming from the kitchen area.
“Genia, why are you so timid? Are you still scared?”
“Vivian…”
“Well, I‘m scared too. If Lord Duke hadn’t stopped the monsters, we would have been in big trouble by now, right? I heard that our Lord Duke couldn’t wield a sword, but I guess it was all just a false rumor.”
“Oh, no…”
“You don‘t have to pretend it’s okay. If we were even a little late, servants like us would have been in a terrible situation! Ugh, just thinking about it is horrifying.”
“But that‘s not it… Lord Duke didn’t deal with the monsters.”
“What? If it wasn‘t Lord Duke, then who… Wait a minute. You’re not believing the nonsense that the Crazy Princess eradicated the monsters, are you?”
“I… I saw it… I saw it with my own eyes…”
Genia’s voice trembled faintly. She clearly showed signs of fear.
However, Vivian, her conversation partner, unfortunately couldn’t empathize.
“Did you dream it? Did you catch a disease while taking care of the Crazy princess? You’ve gone crazy!”
“Vivian, you were hiding, so you couldn‘t see it, but I saw it clearly with my own two eyes! Ah, this won’t do. Let‘s bring the dresses back by today. I’m telling you, we stole them.”
“Why return them? Mrs. Herot gave them to us with the Crazy Princess’s permission.”
“You knew it too. Mrs. Herot didn’t get permission from Crazy Princess.”
“…”
“Vivian, please, let’s return them. Okay?”
Duke Luteous had a contract with the boutique and regularly bought dresses and jewelry.
Astel’s disguise as a normal person, like the other noble ladies, was to show people that she was fine.
However, mentally overwhelmed, Astel didn’t have the leisure to find out what was in her own dressing room.
Moreover, outfits for outings were useless to Astel, no matter how many she had.
She couldn’t go out due to her social anxiety.
If Duke Luteous had thought of her even a little, he should have bought her indoor clothes instead of outfits for going out.
The dresses and jewelry that were purchased were claimed by Mrs. Herot.
Mrs. Herot intercepted the jewels for herself and generously divided the remaining dresses between Vivian and Genia, as if doing them a favor.
Claiming that she had obtained permission from Astel.
However, Vivian and Genia noticed that those words were lies.
Not only that, they also sensed Mrs. Herot’s intention of not dying alone even if she were to be exposed.
‘How interesting.’
I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall.
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