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The Villainess Becomes a Tragic Young Woman
“Has the gravestone been completed?”
“Yes. Thanks to the Chancellor’s help here, it was completed in no time.”
“It’s the resting place of my sister, after all.”
One day, a while after I started having meals in the Chancellor’s office,
The topic came up during the regular dinner gathering with Alberto and Reynaldo.
When Alberto found out I was having dinner alone with Reynaldo, the three of us resumed our previous habit of dining together. Although occasionally their official duties caused either Alberto or Reynaldo to miss a meal, we would always eat together.
If it were at my brother’s residence as before, it wouldn’t have caused much gossip, but now it’s at the Chancellor’s office inside the palace.
Rumors spread like wildfire, and though I was initially anxious, strangely enough, I’ve grown used to them.
When I shared that with Eva-sama, he chuckled and said, “You’ve got guts.”
As usual, the stares of the people around me are intense and filled with curiosity, but once I’ve learned to accept that this is the way things are, I don’t mind so much anymore.
Thanks to Reynaldo’s influence, I’m not bothered much by it, so maybe I do have the courage that Eva-sama spoke of, or maybe the people of the Edigma family are just composed. My brother is a good example of that.
“Now that I have some time to spare, I can finally attend to some of my noble duties.”
The other day, after finally receiving his title, Alberto went to inspect the territory that used to belong to Hubert.
After Rosemary’s death, her father, Marquis Hubert, had fallen from grace, and some parts of Hubert’s territories were confiscated and brought under the direct control of the country.
The land granted to the newly titled Alberto was renamed as “McClain.”
Alberto was very hesitant. In the Kingdom of Diresias, the name of the ruler often becomes the name of the territory, resulting in frequent changes in territory names.
While some nobles, like Reynaldo, change their surnames upon gaining a title, Alberto had been using the name McClain for a considerable amount of time and was hesitant to change it now. As he pondered, the decision to retain McClain as his new name was swiftly made.
His family, the McClains, seemed pleased, and only he himself seemed embarrassed.
Alberto wasn’t comfortable with his name being used in the land of Hubert where he had lived during his childhood.
The territory given to Alberto included the mansions where Rosemary and Reynaldo had lived. Although they’re currently under the control of the country as public facilities, after receiving the title, they will become Alberto’s estates.
However, Alberto’s main job was that of the Knight Commander, and he had no prior experience in managing a territory, so on Reynaldo’s advice, he decided to employ the government officials who had been managing the land on behalf of the country to continue their roles in the newly named McClain territory.
Reynaldo, who had watched over the land more than Alberto, seems to have a better grasp of his former homeland, making one wonder who the true lord of the territory was.
Still, it’s much safer than leaving everything to Alberto, who is a complete novice, even though he’s now mocked as a mere figurehead lord.
“As we will be moving Sister’s coffin from the Rose territory, I’ve decided to take some time off. I hope Marie will be present during the ceremony.”
“Is it really all right?”
I looked at Alberto to confirm, and he smiled and nodded in response.
The revenge I conveyed to King Gray in the audience chamber was executed by King Risel, who took over for King Gray.
Shortly after his coronation ceremony, a proclamation was issued regarding the false accusation of Rosemary Hubert, who was once known as the “Wicked Lady.”
At that time, it was widely reported in the newspapers, but she transformed from being depicted as a villainess…
… to gaining sympathy from the public as a tragic young lady. After a while, the news gradually lost its prominence, and nowadays, there are no particular rumors about it.
Nevertheless, Rosemary, who throughout history was previously depicted as a wicked woman, is now seen as a tragic female figure.
As for myself, I can only feel a sense of relief about that matter.
Reynaldo and Alberto didn’t say much about it.
I can’t measure the sense of vengeance they have carried over the years, or the feelings they have for Rosemary. No matter how much her innocence is proven, the twenty years of days they have endured cannot be restored.
Right now, I’m incapable of saying anything about it.
“The ceremony is scheduled to take place in five days, so two days from now, I’ll return to the Rose territory once and then head to the McClain territory with my sister’s coffin. You all will relocate on the day before the ceremony around noon, and the ceremony will be held in the morning of the fifth day.”
“Right. Marie, please make arrangements to schedule a day off from work. We’ll travel together from noon on the day before the ceremony.”
“I understand.”
I nodded as I finished my meal and sipped my after-dinner tea.
The maid cleared the dishes in front of Alberto and Reynaldo before coming to tidy up my tableware.
Suddenly, I sensed something and glanced upwards.
A maid was glaring at me from a position where only I could see her.
I was convinced that I was familiar with her, so I returned her gaze and continue drinking my tea.
Her name is Riela. Although she’s currently a royal palace maid, she seems to have worked temporarily as a maid of the Knights’ Corps when they were short-staffed.
Whenever we passed each other outside, she would sometimes send me piercing glares like this.
It was a clear display of jealousy. Sadly, I had grown accustomed to being targeted with such emotions.
As long as I tried not to make eye contact with Riela as much as possible, her outpouring emotions would diminish, and she would resume her responsibilities as a maid before leaving the room.
Thankfully, there haven’t been any noticeable flaws in her performance.
“Marie, what’s wrong?”
Alberto noticed my unusual behavior and called out to me.
“No, it’s nothing.”
I shrugged it off.
Reynaldo sighed as he silently observed the situation.
“Alberto is quite oblivious, isn’t he?”
Apparently, Reynaldo had also guessed Riela’s feelings. He looked at Alberto with an exasperated expression.
Observing Alberto, who was the only one not grasping the situation, frowning in confusion, I chuckled and tried to deflect the situation.
Only five days left until Rosemary returns to her hometown.
As I prepared to visit the hometown where she once lived, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of nervousness, joy, and a general sense of unease.
I would come to regret forgetting about the gaze of the maid that was thrown at me that day.