"That's amazing! How did you even think of riding a horse into town?"
Erencia was tired. Victorina's appearance and the subsequent praise were far beyond Erencia's expectations.
"Hearing those words, I got all fluttery..."
Victorina had a lot to say.
Erencia realized that no matter how pleasant the words were, hearing them over and over again became boring and tiring.
Victorina interpreted Erencia's various eccentricities as she pleased.
The one who played a trick on Stein was an apostle of justice punishing a cheating man.
Riding a horse around the city became a challenge thrown at the shackles imposed on noble ladies.
She knew when the rumors started circulating, and even knew about the lecture incident.
Erencia's defiance of the scholar was turned into a brave act of rebelling against the existing flawed priestly culture.
In short, Erencia had become a wonderful woman who stood against evil customs and old traditions among the noble ladies.
'It's not like that at all.'
Erencia covered her face with a teacup, smiling faintly. Then she let out a sigh.
"So, Lady Erencia..."
Victorina's voice grew softer as she praised Erencia, even raising the veins in her neck. Blushing shyly, Victorina lowered her head.
Her long eyelashes trembled.
Erencia flinched in surprise and raised her eyebrows.
'That expression, that vibe!'
You look like a girl right before confessing!
"Could you come to our tea party?"
Victorina squeezed her eyes shut.
It was an extremely ordinary invitation, but Erencia felt as if she had heard a confession hot enough to make her ears burn.
***
Erencia racked her brain trying to figure out what was going on.
Yesterday, Erencia could not refuse Victorina's invitation.
Victorina talked too much, and as I half-listened to her, I ended up promising to go to her tea party before I knew it.
Having no other choice, Erencia woke up late in the afternoon, got ready, and went to Victorina's mansion.
Naturally, she arrived long after the scheduled time.
She wanted to be seen as a thoughtless person who treats other people's time carelessly.
However.
"Oh my, Lady Erencia!"
"Lady Erencia, I really wanted to meet you."
Young ladies in colorful dresses surrounded Erencia and spoke to her.
The youthful affection in her eyes flustered Erencia.
The three people started chattering as soon as Erencia sat down.
"I really love horseback riding too, but I never imagined riding through the city streets! I'm definitely going to go out on a horse next time. Carriages are so uncomfortable."
"How about we all go out on horseback next time? We'll have tea time at the Afternoon Sunshine Cafe."
"The afternoon sunshine? Would that be fine, Victorina?"
"If you are worried about me because of the Stein matter, it’s fine. I exacted a very satisfying revenge."
There wasn't a single word of criticism regarding Erencia being late.
Whenever Erencia tried to bring up the topic of her tardiness, a young lady named Evelyn and Victorina would bring up issues related to Erencia.
The sound of giggling filled the small garden.
'What on earth is going on right now?'
Erencia was the only one who couldn't laugh.
"I heard the story, Victorina. To think Victorina slapped Sir Stein! You have no idea how shocked I was to hear it. Where did you get such courage?"
Victorina smiled sweetly and looked at Erencia. Her burning gaze took Erencia's breath away.
"It's all thanks to Lady Erencia."
Ah, respectful glances and exclamations of understanding flowed from the young ladies' mouths.
What is this atmosphere?
The background behind the young ladies looking at me looks pink, and flower petals are scattering wildly. What is this?
"Lady Erencia is truly amazing. We want to be like you. Could you teach us?"
Erencia almost spat out the tea she was drinking.
Fortunately, thanks to the thorough etiquette education she received from a young age, nothing embarrassing happened.
However, Erencia's face was filled with bewilderment.
It was because she hadn't understood most of Victorina's story. In fact, Erencia might not have wanted to understand it.
How could it feel so unfamiliar when we are speaking the same language of the empire? The ending even sounded like a different country's language.
'Teach me...'
Did I have anything to teach?
Well, this is something. Do I have to be completely honest?
I'm not a cool guy, and I didn't start this because I wanted to change something; I just did it to get some flak, but you guys are saying you misunderstood it however you wanted?
Good grief, do I have to teach them how to be a villain...?
'Oh? That's a good idea.'
Erencia quickly regained her composure.
It’s fine to do something bad alone and get criticized, but it’s also good to make a big deal out of it.
Erencia smirked.
“Are you curious?”
"Of course. We also want to become wonderful people like Lady Erencia."
'Oh my, how innocent.'
Erencia opened her mouth, hiding her insidious intentions.
"Shall I teach you how?"
The three young ladies nodded. Violent enough to make them fall away.
***
"Guests are coming, please get ready."
Erencia asked Sebastian for a favor and began dressing up.
"Draw the corners of the eyes a little higher."
She also didn't forget to make an effort to create a fierce-looking impression.
The lips are a fiery red.
Erencia picked up the red lipstick and handed it to Agnes.
"Wouldn't it be better if it were a little lighter?"
Agnes spoke, but Erencia shook her head firmly. Agnes's touch as she brushed against her plump lips was careful.
Erencia closed her eyes and reviewed today's plan.
'Even I think it's brilliant.'
"Ah, miss, please don't laugh for a moment."
Although Agnes was troubled, the corners of Erencia's mouth simply did not droop.
***
Erencia finished getting ready early and headed to the drawing room.
Erencia carefully examined Novellita's drawing room.
Sebastian and the maidservants, who had prepared to entertain the guests, were standing in a long line, waiting for Erencia's evaluation.
Erencia put on white gloves and swept the dust off the windowsill.
It was a cleaning inspection that had become a daily routine for Erencia.
'I can't believe it! It's so clean!'
Erencia was taken aback upon seeing the window frame, which was not covered in a single speck of dust.
She quickly took off her spear and handed it to Agnes, then looked with a hawk's eye to see if there were any flaws.
There wasn't a single place.
There was nothing to find fault with in the drawing room.
When Erencia first started the cleaning inspection, gray dust was noticeably stuck to her white gloves.
However, the dust disappeared in just a few days.
Erencia despaired.
"Since when have people become this good at their jobs?"
Sebastian and the ladies-in-waiting wore confident expressions. Stealing a glance at their faces, Erencia whispered to Agnes.
Agnes grinned meaningfully.
"Well, the young lady..."
Knock knock.
It sounded like a very important remark, but Erencia couldn't hear it to the end.
As the door opened, a squeaking, unpleasant noise rang out. Erencia's eyes sparkled.
“The guests have arrived.”
"What's wrong with that door? It's creaking and squeaking like crazy."
At Erencia's remark, the mention of a guest arriving was quietly buried.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I will fix it as soon as the meeting ends."
"How are you going to fix it?"
'He'll probably call in that young servant who can't even fix it properly and torment him again,' Erencia asked with a crooked smile.
"If I have the subordinates do it, it will be done in no time."
“Sebastian.”
“Yes, Miss.”
"This kind of work shouldn't be assigned to young servants; it should be left to proper experts. Go down to the village and call a carpenter, and a blacksmith too."
"However, Great Tree requires reservations made several weeks in advance..."
"There are plenty of people besides them, aren't there?"
Since repairs to noble family mansions could not be entrusted to technicians who dealt with commoners, there existed a specialist guild in the Empire that repaired only noble family mansions.
However, monopolies sicken the market, and stagnant water is bound to rot. Great Tree was no exception.
They might have started out composed solely of skilled professionals, but that is not the case now.
Most people joined the guild through connections and blood ties. Because it was lucrative.
Even though they knew that, the nobles entrusted the work only to them due to their strange pride.
However, Erencia, who had no need to care about the gaze of others, did not care whether she was dealing with a commoner or a low-caste person, as long as they could fix the door properly.
Sebastian, who was asked to do the work, would be annoyed. And rumors would spread that the Novellita family is unnoble-like!
"I'll be waiting all year just to find the Great Tree. I don't care if he's a commoner, a noble, or a lowborn; just find a skilled technician who can fix it well."
Erencia crossed her arms and nodded her chin. Sebastian's eyes widened.
"Understood, young lady. I know a technician well."
A faint smile flickered across Sebastian's face, which should have been upset.
'Did Sebastian laugh?'
Erencia was surprised.
Sebastian rarely showed his emotions on his face. The only times he did were usually when he was angry because his subordinates weren't doing their jobs properly. Even then, it was only when they had caused an unmanageable disaster.
Sebastian smiled.
It was barely a smile on his lips, but to Sebastian, it was tantamount to saying he was overjoyed.
'What did I do wrong again?'
Erencia was engulfed in chaos.
"The butler has a grandson."
Agnes approached and whispered.
It was explained that Sebastian had a very skilled grandson, but because there was no one in Sebastian's family connected to Great Tree, he could not join the Expert Guild and was greatly frustrated.
"However, if he performs well this time, he will effectively become a skilled fighter recognized by Novellita, so it is only a matter of time before he joins the Great Tree."
Agnes smiled with a wistful gaze, as if looking far into the future.
'Good heavens, now I have to even look up the servants.'
She doesn't know why there is so much to study; even being a villain is so hard she can't handle it.
***
"Welcome. Victorina, Evelyn, Mary."
Erencia greeted the young ladies entering in a line with a smile.
"Thank you for the invitation."
Erencia wore a light smile on her lips.
Upon seeing the reception room filled with young ladies, Agnes brought out refreshments with a proud look on her face.
Victorina, Evelyn, and Mary were served skillfully.
"Alright, shall we get started?"
After briefly sharing a cup of tea, Erencia raised both arms onto the table.
Erencia's gaze was quite serious as she looked back at the young ladies with her hands clasped together.
"Oh my, already?"
"Of course. Learning is not something to be put off."
Evelyn took out a notebook and pen and wrote down Erencia's words.
“What are you doing now?”
Erencia asked.
"I am taking notes on what the teacher says. Isn't that an excellent student?"
Erencia closed her mouth at the look in Evelyn's eyes, which seemed to be expecting praise.
Snap out of it, Erencia.
She encouraged herself and vowed not to waste a single minute or second in training excellent villainesses.
"I'll start right away."
"Yes."
The three women answered loudly.
We're going to become as cool as Lady Erencia, too!
It was a voice full of passion.
“I’m ready!”
Finally, the project to turn Erencia into a villainess has begun.
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