Chapter 2: What kind of woman was she?
In the original, Betty was a supporting character who led me to fall into the trap of the villain.
And the biggest problem here is that everything about me goes into the ears of my villainous husband.
‘But it can’t be helped.’
I’m afraid my privacy will be exposed but I can’t just simply buy her trust after all. It would rather arouse suspicion.
‘Besides, Betty isn’t particularly a bad person.’
It would be the same for anyone who will come in, because the only people who can come around me are people like Johann, who bears grudge against Libertan.
‘If I pay attention to every single thing, I will die of exhaustion.’
All of a sudden, Betty’s wounded hand came into my eyes.
“How did you get hurt?”
But as soon as our eyes met, Betty immediately hid her hand.
“It’s just a small wound I got from my clumsiness.”
“Looks like it still hurts.”
“It’s fine. There will be no problem serving the madam.”
I think it still hurts, but she said she was okay, so I’ll just let it be.
“Then at least go get some treatment after work.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“You promise?”
Nodding her head politely, Betty opened her mouth.
“I will immediately prepare clothes for you to change into.”
It was then that I felt uncomfortable in my wedding dress, as I prepared for it in a haste.
“Yes, please.”
Betty quickly returned to her mansion with dresses that looks comfortable to wear.
“These are the dresses that has been prepared. I don’t know if it will fit the lady’s eyes, but if there are any inconveniences, I will take care of it in the future.”
“No, I like this enough.”
“Then I will prepare a similar design until the next designer comes.”
Suitable for a maid sent by the duke, she was very polite and courteous. Her manners was even exemplary enough to be included in a textbook.
“Then I will prepare your clothes.”
“Hmm.”
I laughed awkwardly at Betty’s gestures as she approached me naturally.
“But I want to wear it myself.”
“Yes?”
“I’m not used to it yet so it’s awkward being served by someone.”
Betty’s brown eyes fluttered.
After thinking for a while, Betty said, ‘I see. When you’re all changed, please call me’ and she dismissed herself politely.
I only changed clothes when I saw Betty completely shut the door.
‘I can’t keep changing by myself though.’
I didn’t want to create something that would be uncomfortable already.
After changing my clothes, I looked in the mirror and adjusted my appearance.
Glancing out the window, I noticed that it was already evening.
‘Am I also alone in the original story?’
It seems that I barely met my husband until the fall of the Duke of Libertan for treason.
‘But I have to act differently this time.’
When a person kept on seeing someone’s face, they tend to grew a little more affectionate. But if you make a mistake, you can further increase their resentment.
While I was thinking about it, Betty, who knocked on the door from outside, delivered an unexpected good news.
“Lady. The master said he would like to have dinner with his wife tonight.”
*
Duke Blanchett’s office.
Johann looked at the lily pattern of the Duke of Libertan on the desk with an indifferent gaze, as the image of that woman lingered in his mind in a strange way.
Platinum blonde hair that was sweetly dyed with pale pink under the soft light, indigo-blue eyes that were somehow different from Libertan, and on top of that is her smile that was directed to him.
‘I don’t know for sure. Nevertheless, I will do my best to help as much as I can now that we’re married.’
Oddly enough, he didn’t feel bad about that ridiculous innocence.
‘It must have been because she was raised with love in Libertan.’
Her stupid belief that if she put in some effort, they could become a good couple, sounds ridiculously cute.
‘Her eyes even looks like a rabbit.’
Johann frowned as he thought of the weak and slender woman as if she would break if he held her tight. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it felt.
“Master, it’s now over.”
His adviser, Erich, entered the office.
“Sooner or later, the Duke of Libertan will be completely destroyed with the treason they originally forced upon us back.”
“It’s not over yet.”
Johann said in a cold voice.
“It’s understandable to be happy, but carelessness is bound to lead to danger. Be careful until the job is done.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Erich nodded his head and opened his mouth while looking at the lily pattern.
“Come to think of it, she must’ve joined the duchy today.”
Estelle Libertan.
The adopted child of the Duke of Libertan, who’s the center of all kinds of rumors.
Erich, who had a deep grudge against the Duke of Libertan, disliked the woman quite clearly.
‘Because there’s no way that such rumors would spread.’
No matter how much of a rumor it may be, it won’t be an issue if there’s really nothing happened. She was even rumored that she was broken off by her fiancé twice, and even treating her servants badly.
“What kind of woman do you think she was, my lord?”
Johann, who recalled his wife, smiled again.
“Atleast enough for a light entertainment.”
“I am glad that it is of such use. Then, there will be no disruption to the plan.”
At that time, Betty came into Johann’s office to deliver the news of Estelle.
“Master, I came here to tell you about dinner.”
“Yeah, well done.”
Johann looked at Betty’s face in an elegant posture with his legs crossed.
Betty, feeling her master’s gaze, gradually tensed up.
‘I’m scared.’
Betty was one of those people who had been watching Johann for quite some time.
And as time passed by, Betty became more and more afraid of her master.
Because he was a demon who trusted no one and never let anyone on his side.
Even Betty, who’s accustomed to blood and death, was at first startled by his apparent cruelty.
‘Madam was just adopted in Libertan by chance…’
Betty unwittingly sympathized with Estelle, whom she had just met. As long as she stood out in Johann’s eyes, she will surely have no future.
Johann looked at Betty with his suffocating cold eyes.
“How do you feel about meeting my wife?”
“The new madam… she was a good person.”
Estelle’s gentle smile flashed in Betty’s mind as she hesitated.
To be honest, the moment she saw Estelle for the first time, Betty seemed to understand why the Duke and Duchess of Libertan did not let go of her despite the numerous rumors surrounding Estelle.
‘She was such a beautiful person.’
The long, white eyelashes that fluttered whenever she smiled were mysterious and dreamy like a fairy in a fairytale.
“Contrary to the rumors that she was a villain, she was very kind when I first met her.”
There was concern in those eyes that looked at her wounds, which were insignificant.
Unsurprisingly, many ladies were unable to hide their wretched feelings toward her humble maid. And before she was appointed as Estelle’s maid, she was assigned as a spy to several noble families, so it quite worries her.
“She was sold in return of paying their debt, isn’t it natural for her to behave herself?”
Erich snorted.
“It won’t be long before she reveals her true nature.”
One corner of Johann’s lips raised and form a smirk.
“Is there anything suspicious about her?”
“It’s not that suspicious, but…”
Betty, who wanted to say something a little nice for her, opened her mouth after thinking about it.
“She wanted to change her clothes by herself.”
Johann gently raised the tip of his chin and demanded an answer.
“I think it was because she just came to the Duchy of Blanchett and it was uncomfortable to be served by an unfamiliar person.”
“Didn’t it look like she was hiding something?”
“Yes, but her dress wasn’t the type that could hide something in the first place. I checked it even after changing clothes.”
Betty’s eyes, which took care of many nobles, were reliable. So Johann just nodded his head softly.
“From now on, keep an eye on every little thing.”
After her report, Betty exited her master’s office.
As she was staring blankly, she could see the wounds Estelle had cared for over her open hands and remembered that she promised to treat the wound as soon as she’s finished.
Erich, who caught Betty as she was about to walk towards the infirmary, suddenly talked.
“Betty, don’t you think it’s strange?”
Erich glared fiercely at Betty with his pale blue-grey eyes.
“Don’t take pity on her.”
“……”
“She’s just a fake since their marriage wasn’t officially registered. She’s meant to be thrown away after using her for revenge. If you sympathized with her, only you will suffer.”
There is nothing wrong with what Erich said.
Master Johann was never a someone to change his plans. So even if she sympathized with Estelle, only Betty herself would suffer.
Nothing will change.
‘But…’
Betty covered the wound with her hand and bit her lip.
*
I looked in the mirror and fiddled with the pink ribbon tied on my head.
‘Is it better not to wear a ribbon?’
It was a pretty important decision for me.
I don’t think the villain will change much if I pay more attention to my appearance. But even so, I felt like it would be better if I looked pretty.
After deciding on the shape of the ribbon, I headed straight to the dining area.
‘Wow, it’s pretty.’
The dining place was beautiful.
The fresh roses that as if cut and decorated today, and the softly waving candles added to the pleasant atmosphere.
I sat down on my seat and looked across.
‘He’s not here yet.’
On the other side was a silverware set for John.
‘Doesn’t it like this in the original?’
The servant who came in at just the right time told me what Johann had said.
“Hello, madam. The master said that he might be late for dinner because he has urgent business to take care of. We don’t know when the master will return, so why not eat first?”
Okay, even if I wait longer, maybe he won’t come.
“Alright. Instead, tell the duke that no matter how busy he is with work, make sure to eat a meal.”
“Yes. I will definitely tell him.”
Duke Blanchett’s cuisine began to be showcased in front of me. It was the first day I came, so it seems like they paid a lot of attention.
Each and every dishes looks like it took a lot of work.
‘Delicious!’
It was so delicious that it felt like my eyes were getting teary just by eating it. Especially the veal steak, which was served as the main dish, melted perfectly in my mouth.
‘I can’t believe such a taste exists in this world.’
The cuisine in the Duke of Libertan was also good, but this is on a completely different level.
‘Well, even if the food was delicious there, I wouldn’t have eaten properly.’
Now, the dessert I’m looking forward the most was about to come out.
“I’m very late.”
Coming from the opened door, Johann in a black suit walked in gracefully. The subtle shadow of the candle made the man feel more unrealistic.
‘No, he does appear like an unrealistic existence but wasn’t it because he’s just really handsome?’
Johann, who sat across me, grabbed his chin and asked me.
“How about the meal, do you like it?”
“Yes, it’s very tasty.”
“I’m glad.”
Finally, the dessert was finally placed in front of me.
However, contrary to my expectations, I was very disappointed. It was a cake with Eleon fruit as the main ingredient.
‘It must be the fruit of Eleon.’
Eleon fruit was a rare fruit from the Southern Kingdom. It was sought by many nobles because of its addictive bitter taste, but I didn’t like it very much.
To be precise, it was an inedible fruit for me.
Whenever I eat food containing Eleon fruit, my body got a fever or lost strength. Of course, it wasn’t serious enough to die.
‘Why is this fruit coming out as a dessert?’
When I was about to ask for a different dessert, I suddenly realized that it wasn’t something that just suddenly came out of nothing.
This is because the Eleon fruit was a dessert often served to the Duke of Libertan.
‘It’s not a coincidence.’
Johann was a very thorough man befitting a villain.
Even if he couldn’t acquire all the informations inside, he must have known about the dishes that the Duke often mentions.
‘So this is…’
As soon as I raised my head, my eyes met with red eyes staring at me with a serious gaze.
‘He’s trying to see if I’m the Estelle Libertan he was thinking of.’
Perhaps the information he knew contained the story that I liked Eleon fruit.
Johann asked, raising his eyebrows slightly.
“Do you have any problem?”
“Ah, I wonder if I can eat alone.”
With a bashful smile, I naturally cut the Eleon fruit cake and took a bite.
‘Right now, it’s difficult to look suspicious.’
Then, when the Duke of Libertan falls, it could be dealt with.
The subtle bitterness of the Eleon fruit struck her tongue. It had a very deep taste with just a little hint of sweetness of the cake.
‘…It’s delicious…’
I remember the first time I ate this fruit without realizing it.
The reason why this fruit dish was often eaten in the Duke of Libertan, and why everyone thinks I like it was all because Yesella, who liked this fruit very much.
‘You’re our substitute for Yella, how can you choose your own meal? I gave you the favor to pretend to be my daughter, and now you’re not even going to play the role properly?’
‘It’s not like you’re going to die just by eating it anyway?’
I had to pretend to be Yestella as much as possible in front of the Duke and Duchess of Libertan, so I ate the Eleon fruit very naturally.
“The desserts are very delicious. Please tell the chef that it is delicious.”
At that time, the strength in my hand holding the fork, suddenly loosened. The fork fell on the white dress and the whipped cream was smeared on it.
‘I’ve always told you to keep your dignity!’
Reflexively turning white, I quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the whipped cream.
“Sorry. I’m sorry, I…”
“Wait for a moment.”
Johann got up from his seat and grabbed my wrist as I was wiping the stain with a napkin.
An uncontrollable trembling flowed in with the sudden touch.
Noticing it, Johann’s red eyes narrowed at the sight.
