IVPCB 25

Chapter 25

“Go ahead and wrap them. Your handiwork seems better than mine, Disciple.”

Unfortunately, I was neatly ignored.

A few minutes later, I wrapped the bundle of sweet peas in paper, finished the packaging neatly, and placed it in the basket. It would have been nice to mist them with water, but since the greenhouse was humid, the moisture should hold during the delivery.

“Thank you. I’ll be on my way to deliver them now.”

I had already arranged to deliver the flowers meant for Juran myself.

But just as I was about to greet him and leave cleanly, I felt the hem of my cape being tugged.

“Wait.”

At the call, I turned around to see Aegir holding the hood attached to my cape with a sullen expression.

“Why?”

“Do you know the way to the castle?”

“Of course I do! I’ve seen it coming and going, and the road is straight anyway.”

“Hmm…….”

He clearly seemed unconvinced. Do I really look like someone with no sense of direction?

“Disciple. If anyone picks a fight with you, just say you’re a disciple recognized by Lord Cassis.”

But what my master said as he gazed at me quietly was completely unexpected.

“Huh? Why?”

“Believe it or not, I have the worst reputation in the castle. If you say that, no one will dare lay a hand on you.”

My master answered with a light laugh. He looked strangely proud, but the problem was that the content wasn’t exactly something to be proud of.

“……How reassuring.”

I made a mental note never to use that, and stepped out of the glass greenhouse.

It took about twenty minutes to reach the castle along the red footpath stretching straight to the west.

And during that time, I drew enormous stares from people.

If the attention was because I was so pretty, I’d have been grateful, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

The maids passing by turned pale as dough and timidly backed away, and the servants bowed their heads low and fled.

On top of that, they huddled together and whispered among themselves after stepping aside. Some even pointed fingers.

The one saving grace was that most of them just kept their distance and murmured.

Still, I walked with my head held high. I had done nothing wrong to them, so I had nothing to be ashamed of.

[Your Notoriety Level is 61! A considerable number of Heliweca Castle’s residents know of your infamy.]

‘Oh, come on. Can’t you just shut up?’

[This is the notoriety you’ve accumulated. I’m not at fault. Also, penalty for not using proper and refined language: +1 point.]

My stubbornness not to lose to the sarcastic system also contributed to my resolve to act with dignity.

Possessing a villainess was simply bad luck, and in this round, I had done my utmost to change that.

They and the system probably had no idea how much courage it took to choose a new life over just giving up and dying.

I walked on, and when I was about a hundred meters from the grayish-white castle gate—that’s when it happened.

“You there.”

Someone called out to me and blocked my path. I reflexively looked up.

She was about 170 centimeters tall? A middle-aged woman with a tall, stern impression.

She wore a black maid’s uniform, but its style was different from the ordinary maid uniforms I’d seen on my way here.

Unlike other maids who wore triangular ties, she wore a tie crossed in an X shape, and her collar was slightly longer and larger.

I instinctively sensed that this middle-aged woman held a fairly high position.

Being stopped suddenly felt ominous, but in a place where no one seemed favorably inclined toward me, acting rudely toward someone of high status didn’t seem like a wise decision.

I paid utmost attention to being as polite and faultless as possible, and asked.

“Hello. I’ve only been here as a gardener for three days, so I don’t know much—may I ask who you are?”

“Hah, that figures. That Cassis probably didn’t even give you basic training about the castle’s staff. I’m Chefka, the young master’s nanny.”

‘Why is he dragging my poor master into this? Judging by how people act around here, it doesn’t seem like he needs any introduction. He’s actually pretty diligent at teaching his actual job—gardening.’

I felt a little indignant, but Chefka’s gaze toward me was sharp. It wasn’t that I was scared, but I didn’t want to cause a scene.

“Yes, madam. I’ll keep that in mind. I’m Anis, the new gardener.”

So once again, I gave a flawless, model answer.

Chefka let out a “Pfft” and curled one corner of her mouth. An obvious sneer.

“Gardener, you say. Are you playing house? Your infamy is already that widespread.”

Her words were laced with malice.

It seemed she was trying to provoke me. But it didn’t faze me much. Having lived as the punching bag of high society for over two years, this was nothing.

When I stared back blankly with no reaction, Chefka sighed and continued.

“Ugh, the Duke really is too kind. What was he thinking, letting someone like you become a gardener? His mercy is a problem. He should have cut your wrists or at least made you pay a hefty compensation.”

“You’re telling me. It just so happens the punishment clause turned out that way. Would it have been better if I’d ended up under you, madam, instead of as a gardener?”

“Wh-What?!”

I said it in all sincerity, but Chefka’s expression twisted violently.

“Well, at first I thought gardening would be as romantic as playing house, you know? But see these bruises on my arms? Turns out it’s actually hard labor. I’m still out on delivery with no time to rest, but the work you do seems rather leisurely, madam. Should I ask His Grace to swap us?”

“You…! How dare a criminal compare herself to my work!”

Chefka shouted in disbelief and raised one hand high.

But that hand stopped in midair and slowly came back down. She must have felt the surrounding eyes on her and regained her senses belatedly.

‘Why not just hit me? I’ve been hit by Delta before in the previous round. If one slap makes me cry and the servants here give me sympathy, that’d be a bargain.’

It was a bit disappointing that she seemed to have at least minimal situational awareness.

“……You’re quite the insolent wench. I came to see your face after hearing you were coming to the castle.”

“Really? You’ve seen enough of my face by now, so would you mind leaving? I’m in a hurry.”

I said flatly and tried to move forward, but Chefka stepped in front of me, blocking the way.

“Don’t go to the castle. Turn back.”

“……You don’t seem to be doing guard duty.”

“You chased after Crown Prince Delta, didn’t you? Sent countless love letters, attended every banquet he came to. You even waited at his palace and got stopped dozens of times, they say?”

“Is that, so?”

Ah. Hearing about Anais’s stalking made me flustered for a moment.

In that brief hesitation, Chefka’s words came pouring in.

“How can you guarantee you won’t do the same to Young Master Juran? As his nanny, I absolutely cannot stand to see that. Don’t loiter near his quarters—get lost!”

Chefka’s voice echoed loudly in front of the castle. At this point, it went beyond shame—to put it crudely, it was humiliating.

Ha, what kind of disgrace is this in broad daylight……. I was so mortified I wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.

[You are experiencing a certain level of shame and humiliation. For self-defense, your shame and humiliation are being converted into anger.]

[Passive skill, ‘Maw of Ruin,’ is activated.]

At that moment, the system announced in succession.

‘What? No, anything but that!’

I was horrified, but it was already too late.

[Until your anger gauge drops below a certain level, you will spew unfiltered abusive language.]

At the system’s continuing explanation, I felt like biting my tongue.

“Madam does have a point. I saw young Lord Aldebaran the other day, and he was quite handsome. Even more so than Crown Prince Delta.”

From the very first word, it was impossibly childish. So much so that I couldn’t believe this was my true inner self.

“Finally talking some sense—wait, what are you saying?!”

“How about I try seducing him? I suppose a honey trap would work best? Or no, since the young lord is a strong swordsman, maybe a strong woman would appeal more?”

After I finished speaking, the corners of my mouth curled up on their own. Chefka, overcome with fury, pointed a trembling finger at me with a reddened face.

“Y-You, you wench! Will you shut that mouth of yours right now!”

Seeing her outstretched index finger quivering, I had no choice but to swallow a sigh inwardly.

‘Ha, this is so humiliating I could die. I’m technically in my early twenties in terms of my original age. An adult. Please, let’s not do this.’

“What are you two talking about so heatedly?”

Just as I was spewing nonsense, a clear voice cut in.

Chefka and I both turned our heads toward the source of the voice, and there stood Juran with a faint smile.

“Young, Young Master!”

Chefka called out to Juran with a stiff face.

I felt my entire body go cold as I hurriedly scanned Juran’s expression.

‘Damn it. Did he hear?’

Fortunately, judging by his composed smile, it seemed he hadn’t heard my words.

Chefka’s face was still frozen.

[Your composure is rapidly increasing. Shame and humiliation are subsiding. ‘Maw of Ruin’ effect ends.]

“……I pay my respects to the small horn of Sidonie.”

Given the situation wasn’t good, I figured I should make the first move to slip out.

I glanced at Chefka and continued.

“I apologize for causing you concern, Young Master. It was nothing serious. It’s just that Chefka told me, well……”

At that moment, I saw Chefka’s face freeze in shock and tension.