The Villainess Draws Pictures – Chapter 14
Death is the most terrifying thing in this world. It is the root of all fear, the opposite of life, the end of existence, and the conclusion of every story.
Who in this world would welcome death?
“Would it be easier… if I just died?”
Who would ever wish for death?
Violet… Yoon Hayoon recalled her past deaths one by one.
She had prided herself on living a relatively ordinary life, but in truth, Yoon Hayoon’s life had been unfortunate. Her life was poor to the point that it could be described as “wretched.”
Poverty is not only what is visible to the eye. Being unable to buy what one desired, having to sacrifice one’s life just to obtain something wanted—this too was proof of poverty.
For that reason, her act of drawing had been a form of rebellion. As the eldest daughter in a family with one son and one daughter, it was the only rebellion she could muster.
At one time, Yoon Hayoon believed she had talent.
However, that ambiguous thing called “talent” eventually became a heavy shackle. It was a trap for her.
What she had once loved—drawing—became an obligation at some point. From then on, she could no longer enjoy it. After that, her life continued without anything remarkable.
Even her death was no different. It was an accident on a rainy day. Though she had obeyed traffic signals, she died in a car accident caused by a vehicle that slipped on the wet road.
She had died at a relatively young age. At the time when she had just become able to take responsibility for herself and begin exploring small things she wanted to do.
The life Violet lived after being reborn was not wretched—but it was relentless. She struggled fiercely to be recognized, and trampled others to avoid being looked down upon.
By lowering everything around her to elevate herself, how could such a life be considered proper?
One day, unable to control her emotions, she lashed out and hurt herself. Consumed by malice and hostility toward others, and steeped in self-pity, the woman lost her footing and fell into a lake.
She hated Eileen. She hated her intensely. That was why she tormented her.
She tormented her again and again, until she herself was worn down by the malice that even wounded herself.
She tried to live as a noble young lady. Using her status, she suppressed anyone who dared look down on her.
On the day she fell into the lake, Violet thought:
Why had things turned out this way? Why did it have to become like this?
Violet had not always been wicked from the start. Unlike Yoon Hayoon, she had been born into a well-off family and was loved by her relatives.
Her two older brothers adored her, and her younger brother, two years her junior, followed her closely.
Her relationship with Eileen had not been bad from the beginning either.
They were cousins close in age. Since Eileen was the only girl among their peers, young Violet had taken care of her as if she were her own younger sister.
That was until Eileen’s family was involved in an accident, and the small child became Violet’s sister.
Was it jealousy at first? No—perhaps it had been a misunderstanding.
As the noble lady drowned, unable to breathe underwater, she thought.
Malice is a double-edged sword. When you direct malice toward others, it inevitably returns to you.
The malice that Violet had shown Eileen was far greater than what she had expected. A cruel older sister tormenting a young girl who had lost her parents—a wicked girl who bullied a child already grieving.
Why had hatred, resentment, and malice taken root?
“My nanny told me the previous duchess had beautiful golden hair. So why is your hair silver?”
The Duke of Everett had black hair. The former duchess had been a beautiful blonde. So how could a child with silver-white hair be born between them?
There was no malice in the innocent child’s question, but the girl became furious. So she lashed out and pushed her away.
“Ow… it hurts… sob… hic…”
Children are more perceptive and cunning than adults expect. Violet was certain that while the first incident may have been accidental, the second was not.
Why did an eight-year-old child deserve such hatred?
Eight years old was not so different from six—still very young. What had she done to deserve to bear all that malice?
Small sparks of malice, fueled by provocation and rumor, grew larger and larger. The young girl could not possibly endure it all.
The more perfection was demanded of her, the more she was branded as a “bad child,” the more the current of the water choked her breath.
Who in this world would welcome death?
Who would ever wish for death?
Thus, Violet had wished to die in that lake.
If no one wanted her, if no one loved her—if everyone in this world only hated her—then if she was a person no one needed…
If she was someone who had to die…
If her family, her trusted friends, everyone around her only hated her—
“What am I living for?”
It was a question that would receive no answer.
The Duke had always been cold, her siblings despised her, the servants detested her, and those she had believed to be friends spoke ill of her behind her back.
“This is all your own doing.”
“You’ll never be loved in your entire life.”
“Did you know? That place was originally mine.”
On the day Eileen said such things while laughing at her, Violet, who felt everything had become meaningless, wished for death.
So she did not resist it.
If she died, would there be even one person who would mourn her?
The quiet lake offered no answer.
Having lost the will to live, she sank endlessly to the bottom.
As death approached, the noble lady thought:
She wanted to live.
Not like this—she simply did not want to live like this.
She, too, had wanted to be acknowledged by them.
“I also… by you…”
That was why she wanted to crumble away. She knew her death would not affect them, but even so, she had hoped they might feel a little sorrow.
However, Violet did not die. The Duke pulled his daughter out and spent an astronomical amount of money to save her life.
Even death was not permitted to her. Whether it was to use her or because of affection, it did not matter.
Because of that, when Yoon Hayoon opened her eyes, she no longer wanted to die. She wanted to live.
Thus, memories that longed for life resurfaced, and the two personalities intertwined.
Yoon Hayoon pitied Violet. She thought her foolish, yet understood why she had no choice.
A pair of deep purple eyes met a pair of furious green eyes.
Negative emotions are vivid. Violet—Yoon Hayoon—faced the raw anger directed at her while pretending calmness.
“Violet Stella Everett!”
Mihail, who had not been confined, shouted. He looked ready to storm over and slap Violet’s face at any moment, visibly enraged.
“You’ve gone and caused trouble at last.”
His voice, suppressing fury, stabbed into Violet like a dagger. In the past, she might have shouted in protest. Violet calmly sipped her tea.
“You’re speaking as if the culprit has already been confirmed. Do you have proof that I did it?”
“Ha… ha ha… Is that really… a question…?”
Laughter tinged with disbelief filled the banquet hall. Roen let out a low sigh. The Duke simply observed the situation.
“You think I would strike her in front of so many witnesses?” Violet smiled, recalling Mihail’s past behavior.
“Is there anyone in this estate other than you who would slander Eileen?”
There were many. Since everything Violet had not done in the past had been attributed to her, there were plenty who had slandered Eileen.
She did not answer.
“After being confined, I thought you had been behaving yourself… and yet this kind of scheme—!”
Living in the annex, Violet had pursued her own happiness, so in that sense she had been quiet.
Though she did sneak out occasionally.
But Mihail only grew more indignant.
“And now you’ve gone so far as to use poison! Just how much do you hate that girl!”
“How much do I hate her…? Do you really not realize that your attitude fuels such hatred?”
Violet asked calmly.
“If I had truly used poison, do you think I would have been this clumsy? It would have been better to ensure death.”
“Are you even hearing yourself—!”
Violet smiled.
If she had truly intended to kill Eileen, things would not have ended like this. She would have made sure the person she hated was gone for good.
Why hadn’t she ever tried to kill her? Violet briefly fell into thought before arriving at an answer.
What she wanted was her family’s recognition.
Even if she secretly killed Eileen, she would not have been acknowledged.
Or perhaps she simply could not think of killing someone. Violet, the villainess of Everett, had a surprisingly pure side.
Mihail, even more incensed by her indifferent attitude, raised his voice again. The atmosphere in the banquet hall grew heavy.
“Enough.”
At last, the Duke—who had been silently observing—spoke, bringing the situation under control.
