Please Support Revenge

“Oh, please excuse us. It seems you’ve never been in such a nice room, right?” asked one maid, “Don’t mistake the Duke’s fleeting favor. You’re just one of the countless women passing by.”

“I don’t know what the Duke liked about such an ugly woman and even gave her a room in his mansion,” added another.

“Don’t be conceited because you’re in that position,” sneered the third maid. “Will you be able to take even one candlestick in this room when you leave the mansion?”

Lobelia found it funny. Living as an illegitimate daughter of a disgraced gypsy for her entire life, people hadn’t been so kind to her. Their fiddling criticisms paled in comparison to the disgrace she suffered every single day. She thought of ignoring them, but they were the people who would serve her. If she left them be, they would continue to display insolence and hinder her every moment. Their attitude would simply be an obstacle to her revenge. She didn’t need to be respected, only ignored.

What should I do? Lobelia thought. What means do I have to put pressure on them?

Lobelia pondered on her situation. She is Jade Ferrado’s lover, and they are loyal to Jade Ferrado. While others may not know, Jade Ferrado will not abandon Lobelia until his curse is lifted. Besides, he had told her she could take the matter into her own hands.

“You seem to misunderstand something, and I don’t want to cause trouble.”

When Lobelia opened her mouth, the handmaidens looked at her contemptuously. Lobelia reached out and grabbed the candlestick on the table and swung it as hard as she could, shattering all the teacups that had been set. One of the handmaidens screamed while the other two stood still for a moment, stunned.

“What are you doing!”

“You’re crazy!”

The handmaidens, too, were of noble blood, but belonged in lower classes. Having lived gracefully as aristocrats all their lives, they could not hide their horror at Lobelia’s rough behavior. They stared at Lobelia as if they were looking at a monster.

“After all, this is why these lowly things…!”

“That’s a good thing to say,” Lobelia said, gripping the candlestick in her hand. “I grew up poorly so I’m good at these things. I can wield a candlestick not only in this room, but also in a crowded hall.”

Lobelia looked around the room, wondering if there was anything more to break. Fortunately, or not, there were no more things in the room that could be broken with candlesticks.

“You don’t want rumors circulating in social circles that Duke Ferrado’s lover is crazy, do you?” she asked.

“Do you think the Duke will leave you alone if you do something like that? You’re going to get kicked out of this mansion right away!” The handmaidens screamed.

Lobelia stared at them, then changed hands holding the candlestick. The handmaidens gasped and held their breaths, focusing their attention on the candlestick in Lobelia’s hand.

“Do you want to bet?” Lobelia said nonchalantly. “Call the Duke right away. If the Duke sees this and kicks me out, you win, and if he doesn’t, I win.” The maids couldn’t utter a word in reply. “If the Duke won’t throw me out, what will he think when he sees this sight?” Lobelia asked as she slowly looked around; sharp pieces of glass lay on the table and on the floor. “He ordered three handmaidens to take good care of his lover, but when he sees this…”

“S-stop it!” interrupted one of the maids, “We understand what you’re saying!”

Lobelia turned her attention back to the handmaidens and said, “I want you to stay out of my business. Don’t take interest in whatever I’m doing, and don’t interfere with it. Will you do that?”

“We’ll never mind you and just do what we have to do!” The second maid answered hastily, “So please, give me that candlestick!”

Lobelia placed the candlestick on the table in a leisurely motion. The handmaidens breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the candlestick leave Lobelia’s hand.

“The table and the floor are a mess,” Lobelia said dryly. “I’m sorry about that.” The handmaidens glanced at each other and cautiously stepped forward and began to collect the debris.

“Oh, be careful not to get hurt,” Lobelia said sweetly. It pleased her not having to pretend to be good, just as she had done with Aina. When the handmaidens saw her smiling widely, their faces turned white as if they had seen a ghost. Lobelia heard one of the maids muttering under her breath.

“My, crazy… What is wrong with her…”

This should be enough, right?