The ending for the villain is only death, Chapter 42
I laughed weakly as I recalled the past.
I thought that the current 'fake countess' might be in a better position than me, even if I considered her to be no better than me.
I got up from the bed abruptly.
The more I needed to move my body at such times. Staying still would only let me be consumed by depressing thoughts.
I took a shawl and headed out of the room, intending to take a walk.
I was about to cross the hallway and go down the stairs.
Just as I was about to, I ran into the butler coming down from the upper floor.
He asked with a surprised look.
"To East Hill to watch the fireworks?"
I immediately remembered where it was.
It was the small hill I had been dragged to by Derek and then came down alone.
Penelope must have gone out to watch the fireworks on the last day of the festival every year.
I understood why the duke had asked me that question at the dining table.
I shook my head immediately. I wasn't the type to go all the way there just to see that.
"Whatever happened this time…"
The butler looked awkward.
It must have been quite a shock for him to see me, who had gone out regularly until last year, suddenly change my attitude.
But it didn't matter. Villains are supposed to be capricious.
"The duke has instructed me to tidy up the attic on my way back."
"I was also on my way to inform you of this, Miss."
I was puzzled as to why the butler was telling me this.
The passage to the attic was at the end of the third-floor hallway, so I had never been there.
"…Didn't you often go up there in your childhood? The first time you came to the duke's mansion, you watched the fireworks from the attic."
"Perhaps the duke remembered that, which is why he instructed me to clean the attic…"
I laughed coldly and cut him off sharply.
"I was in a position where I couldn't go up even if I wanted to. Because of someone who found it inconvenient for me to go there often, the third floor was closed, and I couldn't even get near the attic."
His mouth closed. Normally, I wouldn't have been this aggressive.
The butler had just run into me at a bad time.
He had caught me in the middle of trying to calm my anger, which was strangely reminiscent of the past.
The butler's forehead creased deeply at my sharp remark.
"…Lady Dona was immediately dismissed, Miss."
He cautiously continued, his face darkening.
"She was chased out with nothing, without even receiving her severance pay."
"Considering the long time she worked here and that she is a viscountess, albeit from a fallen family, the duke couldn't impose any further punishment."
I was taken aback by the unexpected news.
I stared at the butler in disbelief, and he calmly continued.
"But because Master Derek personally burned her employment contract and recommendation letter, she won't be able to find work in any noble household again."
"So? Should I raise a toast for that?"
I blinked and replied in a cold tone.
It was surprising, but not particularly joyful.
Why didn't they do anything about it last time when it could have been resolved so easily?
'What measures? Derek just threatened her to keep quiet, talking about how long Emily had worked here.'
Thinking of Derek at that time made my already bad mood even worse.
"There's no need to report such things to me. It's not my concern anyway."
"The duke is deeply saddened by today's events. He's also worried about you skipping meals."
So what do you want me to do?
I forced a smile, suppressing the words that were rising in my throat.
"If I go down to the dining room now and eat, will Father's mood improve?"
"Today's events are all my fault."
The butler suddenly bowed deeply before me.
"My greatest mistake was not serving you diligently, using the excuse of being busy. I will gladly accept any punishment you see fit."
"But, Miss… could you at least accept the duke's gesture?"
I looked at the butler, who was pleading with his head bowed, with a strange expression.
"If you had left the dining room like that, the duke would have been very troubled about how to mend your wounded heart. He even thought about what you liked in your childhood."
"You know very well how rare it is for the duke to revoke an order he has given."
The butler's words were true.
Ever since a small incident shortly after Penelope was adopted, the third floor had been locked and entry prohibited for six years.
Now, he was revoking that order, which must have been shocking.
The butler, seeing me lost in thought, seemed to take it as a sign of hope and bowed even deeper.
"Old as I am, I've personally opened the third floor and tidied up the attic. Please, Miss, let this soothe your feelings."
I looked at the butler with a blank expression, saying nothing.
If the real Penelope were here instead of me, she would have been truly delighted.
One of the people who had bullied her was fired, and the family's attention was on her.
How satisfying would it be to see the butler, whom she usually found annoying, bowing to her?
Why didn't you do this once before I entered this body?
If you had, this foolish and pitiful girl might have forgiven everyone, unlike me.
The butler's pupils dilated as he noticed my distorted face.
The flustered butler straightened up.
"…Alright. How can I ignore Father's gesture?"
I quickly composed my expression.
"I was just about to go for a walk, but it might not be bad to go there after so long."
And as if I had never been on the verge of tears, I returned to the arrogant Penelope and said,
It seemed the third floor wasn't fully reopened.
As I crossed the hallway, I saw a large double door locked with a chain.
'That must be the heroine's room.'
Penelope's room was quite nice, but the heroine's room stood out with its large door.
I wasn't upset or jealous about it.
'How could an adopted daughter be treated the same as a real daughter? One must know one's place.'
The butler, who was walking in front of me, kept glancing back at me.
Naturally, I showed no reaction.
When I opened the small door at the end of the third-floor hallway, a spiral stone staircase appeared.
It seemed to be a turret built for defense, but it was poorly maintained due to lack of use.
"Be careful, Miss, the steps are high."
The butler, who went up first, warned me. I held up my skirt and carefully climbed the stairs.
An attic on the top of an old and narrow stone tower.
'Surely a place that children would love as a secret spot.'
I climbed the endless spiral staircase, and after a while, I finally reached the end, where an old door appeared.
The butler opened it familiarly and went inside. I followed, not really expecting much.
I thought it would just be a storage area cleaned up a bit.
But the place was surprisingly well-done.
One side of the attic was filled with bookshelves and books, and the opposite side had a cozy couch and a fireplace.
In the center was a large, round window.
A cool breeze from outside tickled my nose through the open window.
The butler asked with a satisfied look as I looked around. I answered honestly.
"Shall I bring some refreshments?"
"No need. More importantly, I want to stay here until late evening."
"Of course, you can. The duke has already given you permission to use it freely."
That was good to hear. Feeling a bit calmer, I spoke in a gentler tone.
"Thank you for showing me, butler."
"You're welcome. Please rest comfortably, Miss."
The butler bowed deeply and left the attic.
I walked slowly to the inside, looking around the now quiet interior.
"…Penelope must have come up here often."
It was the perfect place for a child who had been adopted into the duke's mansion for no apparent reason and was hated to hide.
I reached the large open window and glanced outside.
The duke's estate was very large.
Therefore, unlike when I went up the hill with Derek recently, I couldn't see the city streets.
Instead, the view was unobstructed by tall buildings, offering a clear view of the endless sky and scenery.
I sat down on the floor in front of the window, leaving the couch with a blanket.
The sun was already setting outside the window.
As I stared blankly at the horizon where the red sunset was undulating, I heard a noise behind me.
Suddenly, I heard a sound from behind.