“The Villainess Draws Pictures – Episode 17”
When Violet was six years old, and her younger brother Karn was five, their mother—the Duchess who held absolute authority within the inner estate—passed away.
She had always been a frail woman.
The Duke of Everett was deeply shaken by the death of his beloved wife. It took him a long time to recover.
And less than two years after the Duchess’s death, the Duke’s elder brother passed away in a carriage accident.
The sudden incident claimed the lives of the young couple. Only their small daughter survived, whimpering at the funeral.
“Nanny, when are Mama and Papa coming? They said they’d bring a gift for Eri…”
The young girl, too young to understand death, kept whining throughout the solemn funeral. The Duke took in his brother’s daughter and formally registered her under his household.
From the moment the Duchess passed away, the ducal estate was filled with an unusually cold atmosphere.
Duke Everett had never been someone deeply involved in the affairs of the inner estate, and the children—who had once run around noisily—had become quiet after the shock of losing their mother.
Into that place filled with a chilling atmosphere, a child as bright as spring arrived.
Eight-year-old Violet did not easily understand why the child who had once been her cousin had become her younger sister.
However, wanting to become someone as admirable as her late mother, she tried to imitate the demeanor of a dignified adult. Because of that, the only truly childish person left in the estate was Karn.
Violet quite liked her cousin Aileen, but she did not particularly like Aileen, who had become her younger sister. It was because her siblings’ and father’s attention was now focused on her.
Still, since she was a pitiful child, I, as her older sister by two years, should take care of her.
Violet herself also needed adult care, but she had grown accustomed to the heavy, subdued atmosphere that had lingered since two years ago.
At first, it had been something trivial. Yes, something so small and insignificant that no one but Violet would remember it.
“Nanny said the former Duchess was a beautiful blonde. Then why is your hair silver, unnie?”
It was a trivial remark.
Violet, who had not expected to hear the conversations servants occasionally shared, grew angry at Aileen.
Already irritated, Violet pushed Aileen away. And the moment the small girl burst into tears, her brothers rushed over.
“What is the meaning of this, Violet!”
“But, brother, she started it first!”
“Silence. Regardless of who started it, is resorting to violence acceptable!”
A small child who had fallen and was crying, and another who stood there huffing in anger.
At a glance, it was clear who was at fault. So the one who was reprimanded was Violet.
She was eight years old. Violet was still very young and had only recently lost her mother. But in that situation, Aileen seemed more pitiable.
Violet’s attempts to explain her grievance were all ignored. Michael helped Aileen up and scolded Violet at length.
He, too, only pretended to be mature, but in the end, he was not a truly grown adult.
Similar incidents continued afterward. Small, trivial quarrels between children.
Aileen secretly wore Violet’s clothes, ruined them, and Violet grew angry.
It was always Violet who was scolded—Violet, the one who failed to understand her poor younger sister and instead lashed out.
The day Violet finally snapped was the day Aileen lost a necklace left behind by the former Duchess.
The conflict erupted in earnest.
Even after repeatedly telling Aileen not to touch her belongings, Aileen did not listen. Seeing this, Violet, who had already lost the last trace of her mother, flew into a rage.
As no one sided with her, her anger grew even more intense.
And then the Duke stepped in.
“She took my belongings first! I told her not to!”
Would her father be different?
Unlike Michael, who pretended to be mature, or Roen, who stayed silent in the background…
“You are to be confined for one week.”
Violet’s expectations were cruelly shattered.
The reason given was that she had failed to behave properly as a young noble lady.
Aileen was also reprimanded for taking Violet’s belongings without permission, but it ended with only a light scolding.
Once may be coincidence, twice perhaps as well—but from the third time onward, it was no longer coincidence.
From Violet’s perspective, she could not understand why Aileen acted the way she did, nor what thoughts lay behind her actions.
But from some point on, Violet became the cruel older sister who bullied her kind younger sister, while Aileen became the pitiful younger sister oppressed by her new elder sister.
And from that moment, Violet’s life began to go awry.
“Sob… sniff…”
“What is it this time?”
“I-I’m fine, brother… b-but it’s just that… unnie…”
“…Haah. Violet, I’ve told you many times—”
“She started it!”
“That again? Why must you torment your younger sister instead of treating her kindly?”
Why was it always at the same timing?
She was already a child who had lost her family. A child who constantly had to read the room. A pitiful child.
There were many excuses to be made. Violet realized that no matter what she said, it no longer mattered.
“Why don’t you just ignore her? Act as if she doesn’t exist.”
“…Would that really work?”
“Of course. Why would our young lady suggest something useless? I’ll speak to the young masters on your behalf.”
“…Okay.”
Looking back through her memories, there had once been a time when someone had been on Violet’s side.
Violet tried to recall the face of the nanny who had always supported her, but eventually gave up.
“Violet.”
“…What.”
“Even so, she’s a child who follows you around because she likes you. Isn’t it a bit too indifferent?”
“…Are you talking about that child too, Roen brother?”
“Just try to pay her a little attention.”
Ignoring someone as if they didn’t exist was easy.
At first, it was fine. There was no reason to get angry. But for some reason, Aileen began following Violet instead.
“Young master too! You like her more than me, don’t you!”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
Then, in another sense, Violet became the villain again.
Aileen cried all night because she wanted to get close to her sister but was ignored, to the point her voice went hoarse.
Roen comforted Violet, but never forgot to tell her to get along with Aileen.
Kind, angelic Aileen. Violet, who seemed not just mature but almost cruel compared to a child her age.
“Unnie, look at this. Aren’t these flowers pretty?”
“…They are.”
“Brother Karn picked them for me. I’ll give some to you too, unnie.”
“…I don’t need them.”
Violet thought Aileen’s attempts to act friendly toward her were repulsive.
She resented Aileen for taking everything from her—the dresses she wore, the jewelry, the food, and the love of their family.
“Pumpkin! How dare you bully an angel!”
“I didn’t bully anyone.”
“If the angel gives you something, you should accept it gracefully. You made the angel cry!”
“Why is she even an angel?! And I’m not a pumpkin!”
“Yaaah! Take this—fist of justice!”
Was sympathy always this irritating?
The way she offered flowers she could not receive, as though it were charity, was infuriating. It made Violet cling stubbornly to her pride.
Even when she tried to change things, the outcome was always the same.
Aileen was the pitiful girl, and Violet was the cruel older sister who did not understand her true feelings.
And at some point, Violet realized she had nowhere left to rely on.
The nanny said she would return to her hometown. There had been a problem with her family.
The maid who had once taken special care of Violet disappeared at some point.
The person responsible for her education pointed out her harsh temperament.
The attendant who had once adored Violet began favoring Aileen instead.
“Why was it again? I don’t remember clearly, but I was confined again once.”
“…Yes.”
“I wasn’t allowed to take a single step out of my room. I asked the maids to bring me books, which I read…”
“….”
“But then they said I had torn a doll. A doll that belonged to her.”
One day, when Violet lost control of her temper and was confined again, something she had never done became her wrongdoing.
Since Violet already disliked Aileen in the eyes of others, everyone assumed it was her doing. Violet desperately insisted on her innocence, but no one believed her.
“So now you’re lying as well.”
That was the day Michael first showed contempt toward Violet.
Violet had never torn Aileen’s doll. She had not been in a situation to do so.
Did she not protest her innocence, showing the teddy bear that had been brutally cut with scissors?
But no one believed her.
The teddy bear had been the first gift Michael had ever given Aileen, which made him especially furious.
Who in this world would not feel wronged when blamed for something they did not do?
No one sympathized with Violet, who shouted in frustration.
“So it’s fine for her to destroy my things, but not for me to destroy hers?”
Similar incidents continued afterward.
Violet had merely pointed out Aileen’s improper etiquette, but somehow it turned into harassment of an innocent person.
Things Violet had never done were attributed to her, and the criticism only grew harsher.
Small irritation quickly became a grave wrongdoing.
Once, unable to bear her frustration, she shouted directly at Aileen.
“I really didn’t do it…! You know that!”
What had Aileen said then?
It was one of the memories she could never forget.
“Unnie.”
“You already dislike me, don’t you?”
At that moment, the young duchess was left speechless.
The quietly smiling girl she faced had an innocent expression—yet it sent a chill down her spine.
