Chapter 38: A Villainess’s Motives
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 38: A Villainess’s Motives
I spent the next four days confined to my room, recovering.
In truth, I felt perfectly fine shortly after waking up, but Hosen, the personal physician, made such a fuss during his multiple daily checkups that I had no choice but to play the part of the fragile patient.
If the Grand Duke hadn't visited every morning and evening to keep me company, I likely would have died of boredom.
I felt a bit guilty that he seemed to be harboring unnecessary remorse, but since I quite liked how hard he was trying to be kind to me, I decided to play along and pretend not to notice.
Still, it’s nice to be outside.
The weather had finally cleared up after several days. As I strolled through the gardens of the main castle, I basked in a sense of accomplishment.
Despite a few hiccups, everything was falling into place exactly as I had planned back at the Marquis’s estate. Unlike the original story, I had succeeded in establishing a decent relationship with the Grand Duke, and I was gradually building rapport with the knights.
Now, all that remained was to slowly adjust to life in Blenheim and prepare for the future.
I was mentally patting myself on the back for being so clever when I passed under an arched walkway. I sensed someone’s presence near a pillar just ahead.
“But if you come looking for me like this, I…”
“I heard she even introduced herself to the knights!”
An agitated voice hissed in a low whisper.
“Is that woman planning to stay here forever?”
“I don’t know that much yet…!”
Curious about the owners of the voices, I took another step forward. Sensing my presence, the two people turned toward me simultaneously.
There stood Marzella, looking flustered, and a brown-haired young lady whose cheeks were flushed with heat.
Marzella regained her composure instantly and bowed her head.
“Your Highness, the Grand Duchess.”
The young lady beside her lowered herself into a deep curtsy, following suit.
As a mere lady of a vassal house, she couldn't speak to me first without permission. I could have simply ignored them and walked past, but I felt like having a conversation, so I spoke up.
“And who might you be?”
As if she had been waiting for me to speak, the young lady flashed a bright smile.
“I greet Your Highness. I am Arbor Meisel.”
Arbor Meisel.
Her lemon-colored eyes—which the author had described as pale yellow—stared straight at me.
“Ah, the daughter of the House of Meisel.”
When I mentioned her family name, a slight ripple of surprise crossed Meisel’s eyes.
“I did not expect you to know of my family.”
“It is only natural for the Grand Duchess to know such things.”
In truth, the Meisels were the only major northern family I knew, but I tilted my chin up with feigned confidence. I only knew of them because of Meisel herself. In the original novel, she was a minor villainess who appeared briefly before vanishing.
“What brings you to the castle?”
I glanced at Marzella as I spoke. Aside from the maids, I was the only woman permitted to move freely through the Grand Duke’s castle.
Even though my gaze held a subtle hint of reprimand, Meisel maintained her relaxed smile.
“I came on an errand for my father and got lost. I happened to run into the Head Maid and was receiving her assistance.”
It was a smooth, practiced answer.
“It has been a long time since I last visited the castle, so I made a foolish mistake. I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness.”
“There is no need to call yourself foolish.”
Her overly humble attitude felt somewhat provocative, but since she was lowering herself, I responded more graciously than I had initially intended.
In the original story, Meisel appeared as an immature young lady with a one-sided crush on the Grand Duke.
In the latter half of the book, she bullied Constine with petty tricks when she visited the castle, only to be kicked out of Blenheim.
Meisel and Annette had a lot in common. Both were low-impact villainesses who provided minor obstacles for the heroine, Constine, and both eventually met their ruin, providing the readers with a satisfying sense of retribution before exiting the stage.
And they both got entangled with the Grand Duke.
The only real difference was that Annette appeared in the beginning, while Meisel appeared toward the end. In a way, you could say Meisel inherited Annette’s role.
Is there any need to be hostile from the start when we’re in similar positions?
Two insignificant villainesses clashing would only create an exhausting narrative for both of us. In the original work, Annette and Meisel never even met. Perhaps I could establish a friendly relationship with her, just as I had with the Grand Duke?
Taking my calm reaction as permission to continue the conversation, Meisel tilted her head slightly.
“Are you faring well, Your Highness?”
“I heard that you are living here without any ladies-in-waiting.”
She looked behind me with a worried expression, a gesture highlighting the fact that I was walking alone without an entourage.
“How lonely and uncomfortable it must be for you, all by yourself in the Grand Duke’s castle.”
“I’m fine. It’s not much different from the capital.”
“You can be honest with me. I know very well how different the capital is from this place.”
Meisel furrowed her brow as if pained by my situation.
“The Grand Duke is too much. To leave Your Highness all alone like this…”
Actually, no. Our Grand Duke takes very good care of me.
Late last night, the Grand Duke had visited my room and handed me a document.
— “What is this?”
— “Candidates for your ladies-in-waiting. I thought you might need them.”
I had been surprised by his unexpected consideration. While I had occasionally thought it would be nice to have attendants, I assumed he wouldn't care until I specifically asked.
He’s more observant than I thought.
— “I’ve narrowed the list down to daughters of vassal families, but if you have any specific requirements, I will look further. Of course, you are welcome to bring people from the capital if you wish.”
“If there are any who are willing to come all the way to Blenheim,” he had added with a slightly awkward expression.
I hadn't looked through the documents in detail yet, but I remembered seeing Meisel’s name on the very first page.
What if I made Meisel my lady-in-waiting?
If she found out I was recruiting, she would certainly aim for the position. Being able to enter and exit the castle freely would give her plenty of chances to run into the Grand Duke. For Meisel, whose ultimate goal in life was to become the ‘Grand Duchess of Blenheim,’ it would be the opportunity of a lifetime.
In the original story, she only gained access to the castle under the pretext of serving Constine during her visit to the North.
I shook my head inwardly. No matter how I looked at it, taking someone who coveted my position as an attendant was a bad idea.
I have no desire to meet a tragic end by being poisoned by a junior villainess.
Still, was it better to keep one's enemies close?
I was weighing the options when Meisel spoke again.
“I truly wanted to meet you at least once, Your Highness. I am so glad we crossed paths like this.”
Meisel gave a sweet, eye-curving smile.
“It’s amazing to see you in person. I’ve heard so much about your reputation since I was a child.”
Since you were a child? Her tone was bright and seemingly devoid of malice, but I understood the implication hidden in that short sentence.
I took back what I said about keeping her close.
“What reputation would that be?”
“Are you referring to my fame as the ‘Fake Saint’?”
At my deliberate provocation, the pulse in my throat quickened.
“……Oh, surely not.”
Despite my clear display of displeasure, Meisel maintained her composure, her lips curling upward.
Normally, it would be difficult for the daughter of a vassal house to act so insolently toward the Grand Duchess. However, the face before me showed no fear; instead, she looked strangely excited, as if she were anticipating my reaction.
It was as if she were hoping I would throw a tantrum…
Ah! Is that it?
Suddenly, my heart grew calm. I shifted my gaze to Marzella, who had been standing by in silence.
“Escort the young lady out. Even if she is lost, it is not ideal for an outsider to be wandering the castle grounds.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Without giving the stammering Meisel another glance, I walked right past her.
It was the most perfect snub I could deliver.
I heard Meisel’s voice rise slightly behind me, but I kept walking without reacting. Even without looking back, I could practically see her trembling with humiliation.
Did you think I’d fall for it just because you stabbed me with a smile?
The Fake Saint.
She probably thought that was a masterstroke that would rattle me. If I had lost my temper and snapped at her, she likely would have twisted it, claiming she meant well and that the Grand Duchess had overreacted and gone wild.
After that, rumors would have spread that the villainess of the capital was living up to her name.
That’s likely the extent of the schemes Meisel can cook up.
She probably didn't expect me to ignore her completely. That’s how devastating the topic was supposed to be for Annette.
Though honestly, those words don't affect me at all.
In truth, Annette had been a celebrity from the moment she was born; there wasn't a citizen in the Empire who didn't know her name. It was all because of an oracle regarding a Saintess that had been delivered the year she was born—the first in decades.
「On the day the moon sets for the final time, the third star born with a noble destiny shall ultimately save the darkness with holy light.」
At the time, the Marchioness of Frais was pregnant with her third child, and the due date was the final day of that year.
Convinced that his third child would be the Saintess, Marquis Frais spared no effort, donating all manner of offerings to the Grand Temple and even handing over portions of his fief.
And the Marchioness did indeed give birth to a daughter on the final night of the year.
That child was Annette Frais.