A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

A total of three people accompanied Violet on her outing. The first was Georges, the coachman. The second was Mary, Violet’s exclusive maid. And the third was Eshika, a kitchen maid of the annex.

“There’s a lot of people even though it’s still the morning.”

“Because this is the largest commercial district in the entire dukedom! Ack— Milady, you can’t walk around on your own.”

“It’s okay. I remember coming here a few times.”

Back then, she wore only flashy dresses and went straight to the boutique.

Violet laughed. Thanks to Mary’s efforts, she had gotten a little closer to the people in the annex as they were nothing but strangers before.

Since she had lived all her life as a high noble, it’s only natural that she wouldn’t know how commoners lived.

With that thought in mind, Violet smiled as she took in her surroundings. Everything’s a bit more advanced compared to how she recalled them in her memories.

She also recalled how Aileen was sent the same designs of the clothes she bought from the boutique she often frequented. Oh, how furious she had been back then. But it’s all in the past now.

“Milady, this way.”

Eshika was in charge of guiding her around the area, and so she led Violet dutifully. Mary was a new maid, so she didn’t know her way around. The group followed Eshika calmly.

“Is there a particular place you would like to visit?”

“I just wanted to go out, so there’s no particular place that I actually wanted to… Ah, wait. Is there an art supplies shop around here?”

“Art supplies… I’m not quite sure, but I believe there’s a general store nearby.”

“Let’s start there then?”

Georges considered himself to be the girls’ guard today, but in the end, he became their porter.

After looking around at the general store, they all ate together at a nearby restaurant.

Although the quality of the ingredients there wasn’t as good as what she’d get at the ducal residence, Violet commented that it was delicious.

Though it seemed tactless, Mary even asked Violet if they should have these dishes made for her at the annex next time.

No one pointed out the ducal lady’s demeanor as she enthusiastically enjoyed the street food she encountered.

After eating, they also drank tea. There were quite a few customers at the teahouse, which was frequented by wealthy merchants and wealthy commoners alike.

Just looking at this scenery made her feel a bit sentimental. Violet’s outing ended simply in this manner.

They returned to the annex using the same carriage they rode on their way out.

Upon seeing Violet, Zylo grabbed the back of his neck and looked like he was about to collapse from high blood pressure.

* * *

Since then, Violet’s outings became more frequent, and it became sort of like a routine. Zylo would object, but as the employees of the annex would feel sorry for the girl who’s trapped here together with all of them, they all banded together to protest. Even the righteous knight couldn’t resist. 

He finally gave up when he reported this to the duke.

The duke merely told him to accompany her as her escort knight.

Violet was vehemently against standing out in the crowd, so Zylo had to dress up as a commoner as well, and he had drinks together with the ducal lady as well. 

Not so different from Violet, Zylo himself had been brought up as a noble as well, so these outings with Violet became a special experience for him.

It felt as if no hardships or sufferings had happened before this. 

Violet wandered around town, saying that she was going to buy some paint, but at some point, she settled down in front of a fountain and began to draw.

Curious passers-by gathered around her, and she started making portraits of them at low prices. 

Quite indignant as he stood by her, Zylo glanced down and asked why she willingly found work for herself like this.

Silvery white hair, purple eyes with the depth of lakes. 

Despite being dressed as a commoner, her aristocratic disposition could not be obscured. Though they didn’t know who she was, some people started whispering amongst themselves about the posh young lady.

It never occurred to them that the duke’s esteemed daughter herself would go out in the streets in an outfit like that, but nonetheless, everyone seemed to have guessed right away that she was of high nobility.

Besides that, it would have been stranger for them to immediately guess her true identity, what with the spiraling rumors about her outside the ducal residence. 

Rumor went that she regularly bathed in the blood of virgins to protect her own youth and beauty, or that she’s heavily involved in a physical relationship with a man to the point that each day was a raucous spectacle. 

How could she be so misrepresented in such rumors?

One could only wonder who was behind this. Unlike rumors based on facts, the rumors going around in the streets were so terribly far from who Violet fundamentally was. Still, since all those rumors were so unlike her, Violet easily brushed off their rudeness.

Despite such rumors, the one consistent thing was that Aileen was playing the role of the poor little princess who was being tormented by a wicked witch.

Violet didn’t pay these whispers any mind. Rather, the ones fiercely against these rumors were Marie, Rosie and Georges—but Violet held them back. As she was immersed with painting, she said, ‘Don’t arbitrarily make a fuss here.’

All those who received a sketch-like portrait from her were delighted. It’s not good enough when compared to the kind of portrait one could get from an official painter, but in the first place, it was not so easy to have one made if you weren’t born of nobility or of wealth.

Apart from the insidious rumors about Violet going around everywhere, the expressions of those who received portraits were moderate enough. 

It was a peaceful, but not completely peaceful outing.

Lost in thought for a moment, she thought back to the little boy who threw a stone at ‘Violet’ when she went out in the past. What happened to that kid? Was he dead?

After all those malicious deeds that had been committed, it’s far too late to feel guilt or remorse.

She could not deny that she inflicted pain unto others. 

In a self-deprecating mood, Violet drew today’s outing to a close.

.

.

.

One day, as Violet went out secretly in search of small happiness,

A summons for her came from the main mansion,

With the news that Aileen drank poison and had collapsed.