The Letter the Evil Woman Awaits -3-
Olivia Desmont's Favorability has increased by +50!
'What the hell?'
I'd been peacefully basking in the morning sun like a plant photosynthesizing when the sudden favorability spike hit me. I bolted straight to the young lady's room. Even Bitcoin never pumped this hard. Did she have a good dream or something?
Pondering the ever-unpredictable young lady, I arrived at her door—and found the room's occupant burning up with fever.
Olivia Desmont Lv. 0.5
Job: Unemployed
Favorability: 50
Liked Topics: Mikhail New!
Disliked Topics: Mikhail
Hmm. The favorability had sprouted something new overnight. But what the hell was this—liking and disliking the same thing? My head hurt first thing in the morning.
The damp cloth heated up in no time. Watching the young lady groan, I thought to myself,
She definitely didn't cover up with the blanket again.
I'd nagged her endlessly about bundling up before bed, but here she was, struck down by a summer cold that not even dogs get. I resented Olivia for it.
"Cough cough. Hooeeek! Cough cough!"
The young lady unleashed a dramatic coughing fit. This wasn't passing in a day or two. Should we go to a doctor? Dragging the outdoors-hating young lady to one was impossible, and calling one here would cost a fortune.
"Cough. Cough... Water."
"Yes, ma'am."
Compromising with reality, I stayed by her side. I put the arriving maid to work cleaning the mansion. If she caught the cold too, it'd be a headache. If she took sick leave, I'd be stuck with both nursing the young lady and cleaning—fine for a day, maybe, but two? No way. Especially baths. No chance.
Hiring a new maid was out too. Finding someone willing to work for the empire's exiled villainess? Impossible. Even offering higher pay than other mansions, most turned it down flat. "Don't want that on my resume," they'd say. Hell, serving our crazy young lady should be a badge of honor. What a shame.
Gulp. The villainess drained her water and primly set the cup on the table. She had something to say. She took a deep breath and slowly opened her mouth.
"Ricardo."
"Yes. Porridge for dinner tonight."
"I hate porridge..."
Reacting instinctively to the inhuman dinner menu, Olivia whined before catching herself and getting to the point.
"You know that day... when I was sick."
"That day you were sick? Hmm..."
I touched my lips. The day she was sick. That day...
A woman gets sick.
'Ah!'
I recalled women's magic days.
"Still got a few days left, right?"
Olivia's face flushed instantly.
"Cough...! What the hell are you talking about? Pervert! And how do you even know that?"
I said proudly,
"Butler duties, ma'am. Basics."
"Shut up!"
Her already fever-red face looked ready to explode. Olivia hurled the cloth from her forehead at my face.
"Eek!"
Splat. The cloth slid down my face. I dunked it in the ice-water bucket and wrung it out naturally.
Olivia huffed.
"Creepy pervert. Is that all that's in your head?"
"Fits a healthy 23-year-old guy just fine. And what's unhealthy about it? Totally natural bodily function!"
"Shut up!"
"Eek..."
She trembled. Sure enough, a clear chime rang in my head.
Olivia Desmont's Favorability has decreased by -10.
Pumps are an art, so crashes are too. From today, your name is Dogecoinia.
Olivia cleared her throat. My sudden quip must've caught her off guard. I meant it sincerely, but her ahem-ing "Don't joke around" face was priceless. If I clipped it and showed the academy kids, it'd win some public favor. Too bad.
"The day I used black magic."
"Ah. So not that day."
"You little shit..."
"Sorry. Felt too good, couldn't resist."
This was the first time Olivia brought up that day. What wind blew this way? She'd roll over and ignore me or blow up if I mentioned it. Her speaking up herself? Surprising. Maybe the nightmare she had was about that. I'd assumed it was the usual getting dumped by Mikhail dream, but this was unexpected.
Olivia fixed her gaze on me, exhaling hot breaths with fierce determination to hear my answer. Remembering that day, I rubbed my sleeve-covered forearm. The memory from a year ago was still vivid. That was the last favorability quest.
'Two Lifelines'
Olivia, driven by unrequited love, attempts black magic.
1. Go to the 2nd floor and save Olivia.
Reward: Olivia survives | +1 Favorability | Trait <Black Magic Resistance Lv.3>
Penalty: 50% chance of death.
2. Ignore it.
Reward: +10 Favorability with all characters | +30 Magic stat | Trait <White Magic Lv.3>
Penalty: Olivia dies.
That day, Olivia had been screaming. I chose her, naturally. That was it. No need for her to know the details. Me knowing was enough.
"Why that day all of a sudden?"
"Just curious."
Olivia turned toward the window. She'd always avert her gaze when lying or dodging something uncomfortable. I was sure now—her nightmare was that day's memory.
"What could our young lady possibly be curious about to bring this up?"
A tough question to answer. For me saying it, for her asking. That's why we're like this now. She lost her legs. I lost my employer. And yet she still asked.
"How'd you save me?"
Her eyes were sharp, staring me down. Did something click for her? Or was she still mad I disrupted her black magic? She'd resented me plenty over it, so I treaded carefully.
"Just went in."
"It was 4 a.m. You should've been asleep."
"You know my sleep schedule?"
"Humans sleep at 4 a.m."
"Maybe I'm not human."
"Don't joke."
She removed the cloth from her forehead. Struggling, Olivia sat up and enunciated each syllable clearly, staring straight at me.
"I thought about it carefully. I'd cast a perfect silence spell outside."
"Could've been a mistake?"
"No. I don't mess up basic spells."
No way to read her mind. Was she scolding me? Or genuinely curious? Either way, she was asking me, and I had no intention of telling her. Why dredge up bad memories? Good is good, right?
I pressed her forehead firmly. The villainess flopped powerlessly back onto the bed. Feverish and overdoing it.
"Telepathy."
"No, tell me."
"I've served you 13 years. Friendship, love, paycheck! With all that harmony, I tapped superhuman strength."
"No...!"
Splat. I slapped the cloth over her entire face. Time to shut up. Excitement's bad for patients.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
The young lady thrashed and yelled. I ignored her and got off the bed.
"Later. I'll tell you later."
Meanwhile, at Olivia's mansion. The gardener must've gone on strike—the front gate was choked with overgrown trees.
Two uniformed students, a guy and a girl, stood there.
"Haunted house much?"
"Be quiet, senpai."
The landscape screamed uninhabited. The girl couldn't deny his words.
The guy beside her swaggered.
"At this point, call adventurers, not us. Looks like a dungeon. House owner's probably a monster too."
His thuggish vibe screamed delinquent. Who'd peg him for student council?
The girl found him pathetic.
"I said be quiet."
The light-green-haired guy with hands in his pockets sneered at the mansion. He was Ruin, a student at the Imperial Academy and disciple of the Tower Lord.
"Excuse me, Ruin-senpai."
Her stiff reply. She too attended the Imperial Academy—Hanna Histania, top of the 1st-year swordsmanship department and student council secretary.
Why were these two council execs visiting a dropout's home? Simple: orders from the president. To check if Ricardo, on leave, wanted to reenroll.
Hanna glanced at the mansion wall.
Exile the Wicked Villainess to the Nunnery!
Uncomfortable phrase. Just like the rumors said—fit for the villainess's home.
Seniors had told her plenty. The worst villainess had attended their school. Slapping everyone in sight, discriminating between commoners and nobles, ignoring them all—a vicious bitch. Especially tormenting and stalking Mikhail-senpai...
As someone crushing on Mikhail, it creeped her out. She hadn't wanted to come. Who knew what that woman—badmouthed even by the saintly Mikhail—might do? Spit curses, have a servant dump filth on her... Her steps felt heavy.
But what could she do? Student council newbie, lowly 1st-year. Low-rank freshmen just followed orders.
'Sigh... Don't wanna go.'
Hanna gripped the letter tightly.
'Wanted to come with Mikhail-senpai, show him me putting that bitch in her place.'
Mikhail-senpai had refused. Instead, Ruin-senpai tagged along. Grumpy rep in council, but top of magic department—solid skills. President assigned him "just in case," but
"Heh heh, let's go in quick. Gotta take a dump."
Hardly reassuring. Hanna steeled herself. Get out ASAP, and give that villainess a piece of her mind on the way. With tense hands, she knocked on the mansion door.