Revenge of Reborn Villainess

“They say she was on her knees begging the Duchess, Pftt.”

Sella covered her mouth, as if mocking.

A faint smile played on Eshika’s lips too.

Yesterday, Yurie knelt and tearfully pledged loyalty to the Duchess.

She vowed to remain unmarried and serve the Duchess as a maiden for the rest of her life.

As a result, the list of prospective husbands for Yurie was said to be discarded.

The news of Yurie swearing allegiance to the Duchess did not even bother Eshika.

But what’s the harm in two misfits joining hands?

Above all, they didn’t even trust each other.

The suspicion of the Duchess towards Yurie, once started, would continue to tighten its grip around her neck.

Yurie will now realize that there was no limit to what the Duchess would do, even going as far as to present her as a potential match for Kallian which will never happen. 

Eshika wasn’t worried, it was like playing with a dog and a monkey.

“The lady will demand a price for loyalty.”

“But the Head maid does not have……anything, she has nothing.”

“So she’ll have to be desperate.”

Now that she couldn’t steal Jessica’s jewelry.

Urgency leads to impulsiveness, and impulsiveness leads to destruction.

Having dealt with numerous enemies by exploiting such psychology, Eshika looked forward to what lay ahead.

“I’m ignorant, so I don’t know what your plans are, but…”

Sella looked at Eshika with shining eyes.

“I know the Lady is remarkable. And I believe whatever she does will be successful.”

Sella’s words made Eshika smile.

And after a moment, she spoke.

“I’m going to have Hermos send a gift to Yurie.”

“…A gift?”

“Well, more like bait than a gift.”

Eshika was not taking the situation lightly, as if grabbing the hand of an enemy stumbling backward on the edge of a cliff.

One step closer to ruin, perhaps.

****

“If you’re caught sneaking up on the Duke again, you won’t survive the next time.”

Yurie followed behind Leona with a chilly gaze.

As usual, Leona sat in the garden, starting to listen to the musician’s performance.

The mellifluous melody was artistic, but such things didn’t even register in Yurie’s ears.

She had other things on her mind.

‘I’ve barely left the Duchess ‘ side…… and there’s no way I can approach the duke like this.’

Since the recent incident, the maids started reporting to Leona about Yurie.

If Yurie even got close to Kallian, she received a warning.

Every day, anger boiled within her due to the unexpected complication.

If only Eshika hadn’t mentioned those damn stories, things would have been smoother.

“I’ll get some refreshments from the kitchen.” 

Yurie excused herself to the lady and went to the kitchen.

Because a note had arrived from Hermos earlier.

He said he would provide good fruit for her scars.

While waiting to receive the pre-ordered snacks, voices came from inside. 

“You must not take that green bottle. It’s a remedy for the Duchess’s chicken, left aside for a while. It could be dangerous if a person drinks it.”

“Will it cause death?”

“No, it induces diarrhea. You’ll suffer without a break for a week.”

Yurie overheard Hermos and a maid talking.

Her gaze focused on the shelf, where four small green bottles were visible.

Could that be what Hermos just mentioned?

“…”

And at that moment, something clicked in Yurie’s mind.

If the Duchess  was wary of her, she just had to make her too preoccupied. 

To gain her son’s attention, she would occasionally feign illness and suffer.

So even if she pretended to be ill for about a week, it wouldn’t be a significant event.

Yurie reached out greedily for the bottles.

And quickly hid one of them under her apron.

A while later, Hermos came out carrying a plate of exquisite snacks.

And he offered a small bag.

“Here are the pastries. And this is a fruit called Pagoa. It’s a bit sour, but it should be good for healing scars.”

“Thank you, Hermos.” 

Yurie took the bag, staring at the plate with delicious desserts.

‘I can’t dream of such things if I marry commoners.’ 

And then she thought further.

‘But if I become the wife of Duke Klaus someday… I can enjoy extravagance every day, eating such things. Moreover, I’m not foolish just like Eshika who can’t even secure her own belongings.’

Accepting it, Yurie smiled at Hermos.

“I’ll go now. Thank you for your hard work.”

Hermos watched Yurie’s retreating figure until she disappeared.

And belatedly, he glanced back from the kitchen, meeting eyes with Sella, who had slyly raised her head, and smirked.