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It’s a matter of absolute improbability for Aileen’s visit to please Violet.
She just recently requested for that girl to be barred entry from the annex, but why was she now going all the way over this part of the duke’s property?
Violet clicked her tongue as she heard the news from Mary, who was now her personal maid.
While she was still living her life entirely as Violet, she couldn’t understand Aileen at all. And now that she had Ha-yoon’s consciousness as well, it was even harder to understand Aileen.
“I don’t want to see her. Tell her to go back.”
It’s only now that she could finally breathe comfortably, but why was trouble persistently coming after her?
Mary, who had become a messenger, hastily hurried to tell Aileen Violet’s response, however she returned not even a while later.
“M-Milady, she says that she won’t leave until she sees you…”
Aileen’s dogged stubbornness was also something formidable.
Mary wordlessly tried to gauge Violet’s reaction for a moment, then she told her that Aileen brought a sketchbook with her.
“Ha, I’m at a loss for words, seriously…”
I already left and moved to this faraway side of the property, but are you saying that you’ve chased after me just to provoke me?
Rising from her seat, Violet brushed a hand over her face, her actions evidently showing how irritated she was.
“I already said that she should leave. …Mary, let’s go eat some snacks.”
“P-Pardon?”
Should we do that?
The question was practically written across Mary’s forehead, but instead of answering, Violet just laughed.
Perplexed, Mary followed after her.
* * *
The employees of the annex had resigned themselves to working at this place.
The new lady they were serving now had such a vicious temper—enough to grant her several terrible nicknames—so they all just kept their heads down, trying to survive as they continued to work.
Still, there were just four regular maids and two kitchen maids. Although the annex was small, it’s difficult for only six people to handle everything. They had to go as far as taking turns just to cover for each other.
And they all pitied Mary, who sometimes had to stay by the lady’s side.
Each and everyone of them declined the position of Violet’s personal maid, so it inevitably went down the line and fell onto the newbie’s lap.
However, contrary to their worries, Mary told the other employees of the annex that Violet was not like how the rumors painted her out to be.
Even as the atmosphere was filled with a somber, sympathetic mood towards her, Mary defended her master to the end.
One maid, who had been working here longer than Mary, recalled the incident wherein Violet ordered her to cut off the tongue of another employee herself.
This maid didn’t believe what Mary was saying now, but she also did not deny that Violet had changed.
As a matter of fact, Violet often shared her food with Mary.
And Mary was a simple girl. Anyone who shared food with someone else was, she believed, a good person.
Thus, inside the annex, the people’s impression on Violet changed little by little.
‘I mean, maybe she changed because she practically died and came back to life.’
‘Maybe she finally started to reflect on her actions.’
‘Good gracious, that Ducal Lady who’s so conceited that it’s like she’s the center of the whole world?’
‘Back then, the Young Master might have gone too far when he came here and yelled at her like that. She’s his younger sister after all.’
This all was a positive thing.
Violet’s image was about to become more settled now, and it was all thanks to Mary’s defense of her.
However, it was around this time that…
Aileen came again.
And they all quickly realized that Violet’s true nature had not changed.
* * *
“My goodness, how many hours has it been now…”
Although it was already early spring, the winter’s frost had yet to subside completely.
In that kind of weather, Aileen arrived while wearing a thin dress, imploring to come in so that she could visit her older sister.
And despite Violet telling her to leave and her refusal to see her, Aileen waited for hours on end.
The maids watched as Aileen trembled outside the annex, and because they felt sorry for her, they gave her a thin blanket.
House Everett’s angelic second daughter replied with a smile.
“Thank you. I wore this so that I can be more presentable in front of my older sister, but I didn’t know that it’s going to be this cold.”
And it was this remark that repulsed Violet completely.
“Haa, I’m going crazy… Just tell her to come in.”
After more than four hours, Violet was the one who raised the white flag.
Yet again, rumors were bound to circulate about how she bullied her younger sister and made her wait at the front door for that long.
Violet sighed, pressing down on a throbbing temple.
In the past, even if one entire day had come and gone, she would never have let Aileen in. But because of the weather right now, it couldn’t be helped.
“Sister…!”
After she had been left to wait outside for four hours during early spring, Aileen finally entered the small drawing room. Her cheeks were red.
Compared to Violet, who did not take care of her outward appearance at all, Aileen was still ever so lovely.
Violet had to let out a deep breath again, just to center herself. She held onto her patience with a vice grip, lest her hand would slip and pour tea straight into that girl’s face.
“Hic, hiic… I was so worried about you. You suddenly got confined to this place, and you even said that you wouldn’t meet me and our brothers…”
Well, there’s no reason for me to meet the people I hate, now is there.
Barely holding herself back from lashing out with these harsh words, Violet managed to keep the smile on her lips.
The taste of this annex’s unsavory tea overwhelmed her senses far stronger than how it usually did.
“S-Still, I’m glad to see you again. Sister, you’re happy to see me again, too, right?”
“…I’d be happy only if your face is far out of my sight.”
“Sister, your face has grown so haggard… I’m sure it’s because you’ve been suffering a lot here, right?”
“…Haa.”
Violet’s face was far from being haggard.
As clear as her environment was now from all the stressors that deteriorated her mental health, her face was as equally clear of any blemishes at all.
While making a guess at Aileen’s inner feelings, Violet narrowed her eyes.
Aileen’s gaze continued to scrutinize Violet’s clothes.
Her flimsy, black paint-stained dress was fraying at the edges. It was an outfit that did not suit the usually elegant and well-dressed Violet.
Mary looked back and forth between the two sisters. Well, to be more precise, the two cousins.
Violet was wearing clothes that were old and unseemly, while Aileen was wearing a dress that was new and cute, which matched her appearance.
Nevertheless, what’s astounding here was that there’s no difference in the beauty they each held.
“So that’s what you came here to say?”
“No, not at all! Umm. I heard that you’ve taken up painting here at the annex, Sister.”
“……”
“That’s why I brought this for you, just in case you’ll like it.”
As she said this, Aileen shyly offered a sketchbook.