~ Chapter : 18 ~
“You mean the scented oil you sent through Arle?”
“Yes.”
Someone had made it for me… and of course, it worked wonderfully. I felt as though my mind had been completely cleared.
“It was unbelievably good. Thank you.”
“Then shall I make more for you next time? If you tell me how it felt, that would help.”
“Um, well… it smelled like Lord Rosio’s mana…”
When magicians infused herbs with magic, the scent each one gave off was different.
Rosio’s had a refreshing fragrance, like fruit and flowers, mixed with the grounded scent of sturdy wood. Come to think of it, it was similar to his natural body scent as well. The moment that realization surfaced, the atmosphere turned strange again.
“…The scent of my mana…”
It seemed Rosio felt the same way. Just like last time, we both ended up blushing, unable to meet each other’s eyes as we parted.
For a week, I exchanged sweet, trivial messages with Rosio through Arle. Before I knew it, time had passed, and it was Beatrice’s birthday.
Considering the distance to the Erhen Marquisate, Jenna and the other attendants were sent ahead by carriage several days earlier. I arrived on the day itself via teleportation magic and reunited with Jenna at the territorial hotel.
I put careful effort into my hair and changed into a pink dress Beatrice would likely like. Jenna helped me with the finishing touches.
I wasn’t used to wearing such a formal dress, but the design was comfortable—roomy at the waist while still flattering my figure.
I’d heard that some designer had created corsets years ago, but I’d never once seen one in a dress shop. It must never have caught on.
Even if it had, I supposed male nobles would have been the primary customers.
‘…If Rosio ever wore something like that, would I need to learn how to untie ribbons?’
I couldn’t clearly picture it, but if Rosio wore such a thing, it would undoubtedly be sensual. Smiling, I mimed pulling an invisible ribbon in the air.
“Miss, do you need something?”
Jenna, who usually understood my gestures instantly, asked in confusion. Well, it wasn’t exactly a gesture anyone could interpret.
“No, it’s fine. My hand just moved on its own for a moment.”
I decided to abandon my trashy imagination. For some reason, thinking about Rosio kept turning me into a pervert.
Arriving by carriage with the attendants, the Erhen Marquisate residence looked smaller than the southern estate.
Aside from the carriages of nobles who had come to celebrate the birthday, the area felt strangely quiet.
The marquisate had decorated the grounds with wreaths here and there, barely managing to create a party atmosphere. Beatrice, the guest of honor, stood outside to greet visitors.
Dressed elegantly in a pale lavender gown, gently fluttering a purple fan, Beatrice looked beautiful. When our eyes met, she narrowed hers.
“Greetings, Lady Beatrice. Happy birthday, and thank you sincerely for inviting me to such a joyous occasion.”
I lifted the hem of my dress slightly and bowed.
“I never expected you to actually come. It seems you can’t tell polite words from genuine ones.”
“W-Well, if I didn’t come like this…”
I shyly cupped one cheek.
You think I came because you’re pretty? No, this is part of a big plan. Though you are pretty.
“I haven’t had many chances to get closer to you.”
“Ugh.”
The villainess grimaced and pressed her fan to her left cheek.
“Anyway, please accept the gift I prepared. Jenna, show Lady Beatrice the box.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Jenna held out the box containing the necklace Rosio and I had bought together. Beatrice didn’t even take it, just sharply turned her head away.
“Leave the gifts in the first-floor reception room. They’re all gathered there.”
“This one’s really, really pretty. Aren’t you going to check it now?”
“I’m not interested.”
“Well, I suppose Lady Beatrice’s intellect and sensibility shine brighter than a pink sapphire necklace.”
My flattery failed again. As her gaze grew colder, I rambled on like a chatterbox.
She clicked her tongue in disbelief and strode past me.
Once Beatrice disappeared in a gust of cold air, Jenna looked at me with questioning eyes, asking what we should do with the gift.
I took it from her. I figured I’d place it in the reception room myself while taking a look around the mansion.
“I’ll take care of putting it down.”
“No matter how much of a marquis’s daughter she is, how could she treat you so coldly, Miss?”
“Calm down. That’s just how she is. Let’s enjoy ourselves a bit and leave early.”
Still displeased by Beatrice’s attitude, Jenna went off to look around the party hall with the other attendants. I headed toward the reception room.
That was when someone blocked my path.
It was a man whose unpleasant expression was so similar to Beatrice’s that I almost mistook him for her.
He was dressed even more elaborately than today’s main guest.
“Hello, beautiful lady. Riche can be a bit prickly, can’t she? I’m Venice, the eldest son of the Erhen family and the sub-marquis.”
Sky-blue, flowing hair and pink eyes. If Beatrice didn’t like the necklace, he resembled her enough that I could’ve given it to him instead.
“I’m Esmeralda Saint.”
I had no intention of observing any more etiquette than that. If Beatrice was a villainess, then this guy was a villain.
So just as I was about to excuse myself—
“Since you’re so lovely, Esmeralda, I’ll guide you to the reception room in Beatrice’s place.”
He puffed himself up and blocked my way again, as if doing me a great favor.
What? Why is Venice being nice to me?
In the original story, Beatrice’s ending was execution, and the Erhen family’s was annihilation.
At the peak of Camilla’s crisis, Beatrice kidnapped her and used her as a subject for her dark magic experiments.
Camilla was tortured in a deep cave somewhere within the vast Erhen Marquisate.
Of course, Rosio—true to the male lead archetype—appeared at the critical moment to rescue the heroine.
Believing Camilla to be dead, Rosio’s rage caused his mana to run wild, and he nearly executed Beatrice on the spot.
But when Camilla barely managed to stand, he forcibly restrained himself and handed Beatrice over for trial. Until the day she was brought to court, Beatrice was scorned as though all her sins were being repaid.
In the end, she’s executed through proper legal procedure…
The villainess’s death that everyone wanted. At the guillotine, Beatrice desperately searched the crowd for the Marquis of Erhen’s face, but her family had long since abandoned her—even before she became a villainess.
Disappointed, yet murmuring that it was a relief they didn’t have to see her like this, she met her miserable end while listening to the nobles mocking her.
Though Beatrice’s execution wasn’t the sole cause, the Erhen family was annihilated shortly afterward.
And that’s all because of this bastard, Venice.
Even now, Venice failed at his role as sub-marquis and steadily ran the territory into the ground.
At some point, he began secretly siphoning off mana stones. If anyone ever discovered the ritual to liberate their power, he planned to abandon the marquisate and offer them to a kingdom hostile to the Empire.
He believed that no matter where he went, he’d be welcomed with a high title as a foreign noble.
Instead of caring for the territory, all he cares about is saving himself.
Contrary to his expectations, the Empire eventually turned that enemy kingdom into a vassal state. The defeated king surrendered and exposed Venice’s crimes.
In the end, Venice had his amassed mana stones confiscated and was executed, and the Erhen family line was wiped out.
He might already be collecting mana stones. The original story never specified when it began.
If fate remained unchanged, Venice smiled brightly, unaware of the grim future awaiting him.
“Esmeralda, what’s got you thinking so hard?”
“…It’s nothing. Please, lead the way.”
“Gladly.”
Rather than drawing more attention by refusing, I decided to follow him for now. Oblivious to my thoughts, Venice led the way with a cheerful grin.
The reception room we arrived at was filled with gift boxes.
Looks like Rosio’s gift hasn’t arrived yet. If it had, there’d already be an uproar.
I scanned the room. At my own birthday parties, a reception room this size would be overflowing with gifts. For a marquis’s daughter, Beatrice hadn’t received many.
Just then, I heard a rustling sound. Behind a large pile of gifts stood a brown-haired maid, awkwardly frozen. When our eyes met, she visibly panicked.
“Sub-Marquis…!”
She bowed hesitantly to me as well.
“Ah, don’t worry about her. Just finish what you were doing.”
Venice spoke indifferently, as if I wasn’t worth acknowledging.
One of Beatrice’s gift boxes lay open in front of the maid.
Wait—are they opening her gifts before she does?
Something felt off.
The maid bowed again to Venice and swept items out of the box, stuffing them into a basket before hurrying out.
I was curious what she’d taken, but the contents were hidden under cloth.
Well, she might just be in charge of managing the gifts.
And since Venice—family, after all—allowed it, it probably wasn’t theft.
“Esmeralda, put your gift here.”
“Yes.”
Setting aside my doubts, I placed the box containing the necklace on the table.
“If I’d known you were coming, Esmeralda, I would’ve put more effort into the party.”
Venice grinned lecherously and ran a hand through his hair.
“It’s already wonderful.”
“Of course. Do you know how many noble ladies are trying to court me?”
“No, I meant the party.”
Where did that pointless confidence come from? Even after leaving the reception room, he continued following me around, persistently asking whether I had a partner.
Only after saying I needed to use the restroom did I finally manage to shake him off.
Even if I were to investigate the Erhen family, I’d planned to keep my distance and merely gather rumors among the nobles. I had no intention of attracting Venice’s attention.
The idea of the villainess’s brother taking an interest in me sent chills down my spine.
I should blend in with the crowd. Stay unnoticed.
I headed for the ballroom, where the largest crowd had gathered. The hall glittered beneath a grand chandelier.
But the ballroom was already in complete chaos.
