The Villainess' Ending Was Death

“Fresa… what?”

Elias glared at Jerome with an incredulous look on his face. Jerome stammered an answer, shrugging his shoulders at his cold gaze.

“Hey, I opened a pharmacy… I feel like she made a lot of money… There was even a newspaper article about it.”

Jerome held out the village newspaper he had brought with him when he left Paro Village. Unable to hide the expression on his face since Fresa couldn’t possibly do that, he took the newspaper as if snatching it away.

Fresa Pharmacy successfully develops a groundbreaking new drug! Even exclusive contracts with Pilz’s famous guilds… 

Elias quickly read through the article. His expression hardened as each letter or sentence passed. If he condensed the contents of the article, it was just like the title.

“So, the owner of this pharmacy… Are they talking about Fresa?”

Amy, who was fiddling with an anonymous emerald necklace that someone had sent her a few days ago, opened her eyes wide.

“That’s right! She is making a lot of money! I heard there were people crowded in front of the pharmacy?”

Jerome pounded his chest as if he was frustrated.

Elias crumpled the newspaper and threw it on the floor.

‘It doesn’t make sense.’

There was no way Fresa, who only followed Rowan Gillespie without reading a book, could run a drug store. Perhaps she received help from the Grand Duke of the Empire? This was not an achievement that Fresa could have achieved alone.

If Elias knew her, it would be normal for her to whine and reveal herself to the man.

“Jerome, isn’t there something wrong with your eyes? She might just have the same name.”

Amy rolled her round eyes back and forth, suspicious of Jerome.

Jerome glared at Amy with an aggrieved expression.

“Do you think I won’t even recognize my own sister’s face? We even had a conversation!”

“That’s because Jerome is so stupid that I can’t trust him.”

“What? Have you said all you wanted?”

Thump, thump, thump.

Jerome and Amy were about to engage in another pointless argument when Elias knocked harshly on the desk.

“…How big is it?”

“The pharmacy itself is small, but I think they developed some kind of baldness ointment. I heard it works so well…”

Jerome mumbled and smoothed his hair.

Elias busily shook his head. If Fresa could make more money in the future, it would be a great opportunity for the Thorpe family.

He was not sure how she opened the pharmacy, but it must have been through the hands of the Grand Duke of the Granadines. If she was truly engaged to the Grand Duke of the Granadines, he would sooner or later become part of the Thorpe family. The useless Fresa brought great luck to the Grand Duke of the Empire and his family. How fortunate he was that he didn’t have to beg for help from Rowan Gillespie.

Elias’ lips curled up.

“I need to send a letter to Fresa.”

He was planning to persuade her to come back to the family, saying that they would forgive her for running away after lying that she was dead. Jerome glanced at Elias and he spoke cautiously.

“Brother, but Fresa is strange. She seemed like a different person than before.”

“You have been oppressed by Fresa’s power for a long time. It’s pathetic.”

Elias instead criticized Jerome. Jerome quickly lowered his gaze, but did not give up his intention.

“Besides, the Grand Duke of the Granadines was always by her side. He’s even a wizard.”

“So, Fresa needs to be cooked and boiled even better. Even the Grand Duke of the Granadines will come with her.”

Elias just snorted at him.

Jerome held his tongue, not knowing how to persuade his brother.

‘Oh, I don’t know.’

A chill ran down his spine as he remembered Fresa, who acted like a completely different person, and the Grand Duke of the Granadines, who stood next to her like a white lion. It was strange that Fresa sent Jerome away unharmed. But there was nothing the incompetent Jerome could do, so he could only rip out his hair.

* * *

Fresa was still dazed and just stared at Isaac. It was even more absurd because she couldn’t even guess what he was thinking. Isaac, too, seemed embarrassed by this situation, avoiding Fresa’s gaze and looking around at the pots of medicinal herbs filled in the basement. And even without Fresa asking, he started making appeals one after another.

“When it comes to growing medicinal herbs, I am quite talented. As I already told you, I am a mixed-blood fairy.”

Certainly, if he was a fairy half-breed, he would have a good knowledge of medicinal herbs. But could the master of a guild, or even a large one, also be a pharmacy employee?

Fresa looked at Isaac with a worried face. She knew that Isaac was a sensitive and picky person, but she never imagined this development. No, could she even imagine this in the first place?

As Fresa’s eyes narrowed, Isaac closed his mouth for a moment and then responded gruffly.

“…The roots of the world tree are my hometown.”

“But now you are the master of the home-buying guild.”

Isaac sighed as Fresa did not accept Isaac’s logic at all. Then he brushed away his curly bangs and looked straight at Fresa. Fresa also stared at him without avoiding his gaze, wondering what he was thinking. The child seemed even more suspicious, and only after pausing for a moment did he open his lips.

“If it’s hard for you to accept, I guess I’ll have to add an explanation.”

“Yes, I was waiting for you to do that.”

Only then did Fresa nod her head, affirming Isaac’s words.

Isaac continued speaking with his eyebrows slightly narrowed, as if he did not like her attitude.

“…As a business partner, I just want to directly help the pharmacy. Well, I’m not interested in special recipes or anything like that. Anyway, the guild can be run without me, so it’s not a problem.”

Isaac’s voice was quite calm and composed. But unfortunately, Fresa still didn’t understand a word he said.

‘So now, the master of the guild we decided to work with is going to work two jobs at this small pharmacy, receiving a weekly wage?’

She didn’t know why he would do such a troublesome thing. Fresa moved the pen in her hand around to choose her words, but in the end, nothing came to mind and she blurted out exactly what she thought.

“Are you serious about what you’re saying? Do you regret signing a contract with me?”

“Do you think I’m lying? And no regrets. I won’t do anything I’ll regret!”

Isaac rarely raised his voice as if he was embarrassed.

“I haven’t seen you like that, but you are a really strange person, Fresa.”

“The person who is acting the strangest here right now is Mr. Cade.”

“Why am I strange?”

“You think the down payment is a waste, so you’re thinking of getting it back in weekly wages.”

No matter how much she thought about it, this was the only conclusion she could come to. It was clear that Isaac had come to recoup some of the money he had invested in Fresa. Otherwise there would be no need for this. But that alone did not explain the entire situation.

‘Even if I were to say it was a weekly wage, it wouldn’t be much…’

As if reading Fresa’s thoughts, Isaac let out a laugh.

“What is wrong with me that I covet a small amount of money?”

“Then why are you regretting it and coveting a position as an employee?”

Isaac sighed again, placing his hand on his forehead as if he had a headache.

“That… No need for money. It’s like serving.”

It was a remark that seemed like a half-give up in the repeated war of words, but thanks to this, Fresa’s expression changed immediately. She quickly smiled, leaned her forward body backwards, and sat upright.

“It would have been better if you had said that earlier. Are you really willing to work without pay?”

“…Yes it is. I guess you’re happy because you get to use high-quality human resources for free.”

Isaac sarcastically crossed his arms, and Fresa immediately shook her head.

“We will have to wait and see whether they are high-quality personnel or not. Of course, if Mr. Cade passes the interview.”

“I said I’ll work without pay, but I might not pass the exam?”

“Opportunity should be equal for everyone. Of course, I’ll give you extra points.”

Fresa smiled, as was her habit, and scribbled notes with her pen in the notebook she had brought with her. 

[Isaac Cade, because he was a half-elf, he claimed to be good at cultivating herbs, said he would work without pay, disadvantage: had a dirty personality]

Isaac seemed curious about what she was writing about, but he didn’t bother to ask.

“You worked hard today. When you leave, please collect Peppermint water and the interview fee from the staff. I will notify you of the results by letter within the next week.”

After finishing her note, Fresa stood up and shook her hand.

“The welfare of the pharmacy is really good. See you again soon.”

Isaac gave her a shocked look, shook her hand lightly, and left the cellar.

Fresa stared at him until she saw the furry back of his head disappear, and soon she was ready for her next job interview.

* * *

There were only three people, including Isaac, who came for the interview. One of them was too old and one was too young. She was planning to hire about two people, but at this point she was barely able to choose even one person.

No matter how well the store was doing business, it didn’t have much to offer its employees. Still, she thought it was not a bad condition…

It was true that because the village was so small, it was not easy to find a job.

‘As expected, Mr. Cade is the best.’

But was it okay to hire a partner, or even a guild master, as an employee? Of course, she already had to change his mind a little about working without pay.

Fresa stayed in the basement after the last interviewee left and looked at her notes several times before coming up to the pharmacy. Lycaon stood in front of the sales counter as if it were his own place and then approached Fresa.

“Did the interview go well?”

“Yes, somehow. I was embarrassed when the guild master came.”

“…Is he really here for an interview? As an employee?”

Lycaon asked, slightly frowning. It seemed like an absurd story even to him.

“He said so. He’s a strange person, really. However, I am worried because he said he would work without pay.”

“…He doesn’t have any strange intentions, do you?”

Lycaon’s reaction was very shocked. Fresa also had the same reaction to Isaac, so it was understandable.

“I do not know. But it probably doesn’t have bad intentions. I signed a contract anyway, and if I do well, the guild will benefit as well. Anyway, should I leave work today? Mr. Zed!”

Fresa called out to Zed, who was opening the medicine cabinet with a duster behind him. Lycaon moved her lips as if she wanted to say something more, but it was drowned out by Zed’s voice.

It was probably about Isaac, but Fresa didn’t bother to ask. Instead, he added that he was still thinking about who to hire and then escorted the two people to the front door.

“Then see you tomorrow. You both worked hard.”

Just as Fresa was waving his hand and greeting him, a gorgeous carriage, pure white and decorated with gold, stopped with a cloud of dust flying around. Fresa, Lycaon, and Zed looked at the carriage at the same time.

Soon the carriage door opened and an unexpected person appeared.

“It’s been a while, Fresa.”

Elias Thorpe, lifting his chin arrogantly, stared straight at Fresa.

 

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