Chapter 03
‘Hmm…….’
Idling away in my room for a week, I roughly figured out how Yvonne had lived. Even if I couldn’t remember every single detailed event, I came to absorb the significant memories of Yvonne.
The youngest daughter among the one son and one daughter of the Duke of Argenthose’s family in the Belvent Empire, currently twenty years old. An exceptionally outstanding mage.
However, strangely enough, the most important part for Yvonne, ‘Magic,’ was completely forgotten, as if someone had deliberately poured white paint over it.
I don’t know why this is. Since I am originally a person from a world where no one knew how to use magic at all, I concluded that it would take some time to understand.
‘Hm. Well, it’s not like I need to use magic anyway. Rather, for me right now, magic is poison.’
I clicked my tongue, recalling the major accident Yvonne had committed last. That is, the Naciel District the Duke mentioned. It is a busy street where shops, including dress shops frequently visited by the upper class, are densely located. Yvonne threw a small magic artifact she made herself into one of those shops, destroying as many as five commercial buildings in the Naciel District.
The reason for committing the bombing terror was this:
‘Because the male lead, Crown Prince Adrian, personally took the female lead, Cordelia, to a famous dress shop on purpose and bought her a lot of dresses.’
My head started to ache, so I touched my forehead. It was said that Yvonne had an unrequited love for the male lead, Adrian—that is, the Crown Prince—for quite a long time. Not only did he not accept her feelings, but showing off his pretty lover to people like that could make her angry, but still.
‘Even so, throwing a bomb, what were you thinking, you violent sister!’
Thinking objectively, it was understandable that her father, the Duke, would be savagely angry. Rather, I should probably say thank you for preventing me from being arrested. I thought he was a scary father, but seeing this, maybe he isn’t that scary of a person.
After walking for a while with the maid, a large door presumed to be the Duke’s office came into view. Recalling the feeling of my ears ringing from his sharp shout, I became extremely tense again and clenched my fists.
“Hey, Mad Dog. What are you plotting again today? Why are you coming to the office so quietly?”
A man’s sarcastic voice was heard near the office door.
“?”
I stopped walking, dumbfounded.
‘Did he just call me a Mad Dog right now?’
Seeing the employees bowing without restraining him in any way, I could guess who it was. The man standing arrogantly with his arms crossed was a handsome young man with the same silver hair and purple eyes as me. His sharp jawline and cool eyes were similar to Yvonne’s.
He was handsome, but unlucky (detestable). The bastard glared at me coldly as if looking at hopeless trash.
A familiar gaze. When I stared at him intently without answering, the bastard narrowed his brow, uncrossed his arms, and strode closer.
“If you’re going to keep acting like a mad dog, just get out. Since you are the family’s disgrace. Until when do I have to put up with this?” “……”
Twisting his mouth into a distorted smile, the bastard continued speaking.
“What is your plan? I heard you stayed stuck in your room for a week, unlike a mad dog? I’m afraid of what kind of accident you’ll cause again now. It’s sickening.”
‘Ha.’
I cancel the remark that he is handsome. What use is a fine face when the mouth is that dirty. Appearance is important, but how important is character!
‘Annoying.’
That bastard, who heavily overlaps with the image of the senior who bullied me in my past life and makes me feel uncomfortable, is none other than Yvonne’s older brother. Young Duke Varden Argenthose, three years older than Yvonne.
The successor of the successful Argenthose Duke family who returned after establishing merits by being deployed in the monster subjugation operation with the male lead, Crown Prince Adrian. Of course, he has a major flaw: his personality is that bad.
‘Since he doesn’t have much significance in the original novel, he’s someone I don’t know well.’
Although I felt bad about being cursed at by the bastard from the first meeting, it couldn’t be helped since Yvonne had caused a major accident. Since I decided to live quietly and nicely now. So, I decided to treat the bastard like a senior who transfers his anger of not wanting to go to work after returning from vacation onto me.
“Young Duke. I have no plans.”
A tone as calm as possible. Possessing the mindset of a junior with a steel mentality who takes no damage no matter how much the senior bashes me, I answered.
“What?”
When Varden opened his eyes wide in surprise, I smiled brightly.
“Young Duke, who is cool, shining, and overflowing with ability today as well, you must be very tired. In times like this, sweets are the best. I heard the mansion’s chef makes chocolate mousse very well, so I will have it delivered to your room, Young Duke.”
Before, when I forced sweet snacks onto the senior who was taking his irritability out on me, his mood would improve a little. Varden’s complexion changed as he looked at me continuing to speak softly.
“Hey, why is your tone like this. It gives me goosebumps.” “My tone?”
Speaking politely as I did to my company senior, I snapped to my senses at Varden’s words. Originally, although Varden is her older brother and the Young Duke, Yvonne used informal language and unhesitating speech with him. As the memories crawled up, I bit my lip.
“Are you sick somewhere?”
As Varden looked at me suspiciously and bent down, I felt my heart sink with a thud. Damn it. I tried to live ordinarily and quietly while maintaining the consistency of this villainess’s original character, though. Flustered because this crazy survival instinct rose up again, I racked my brain to escape this situation quickly.
‘Ah!’
Discovering an exit to break through this situation not far away, my eyes sparkled.
“Fatheeeeeer!!! Did you call me?!”
As a method to escape Varden’s suspicion, I chose the method of jumping into the Duke. Running while holding onto the skirt of my long dress, I boldly threw open the door to the Duke’s office.
“…What?”
And perhaps because I was absurd like that, the Duke, who was sitting in front of his desk handling work, stared at me blankly. Feeling embarrassed, I quickly spoke loudly again.
“Y-You said you called me?” “I, I did call you, but.”
While the bewildered Duke stood up from his seat, I glanced back outside to see Varden laughing as if dumbfounded. Then, he raised his hand to his temple, extended a finger, twirled it around, and mouthed words.
Are. You. Crazy.
That bad bastard! He’s openly treating me like a weirdo. Even if his younger sister Yvonne was a villainess with zero conduct who only caused accidents, a brother is blood-related family. Isn’t this not allowed? Too much.
‘Because I didn’t have a family… did I have a vague fantasy about family?’
I expected family to trust unconditionally and embrace each other. Although they say there is no such thing as a one-sided trust relationship, I thought family would still be different. Feeling somewhat sad and vain, I weakly closed the office door and went inside.
“Hmph hmph.”
The Duke, who had risen from his seat and approached me before I knew it, cleared his throat. Looking up at him, I thought he looked less scary than last time.
“Yvonne. T-To me, what is the matter, that you came urgently throwing the door open.”
Where did the man who thundered like lightning go? The Duke even stuttered slightly. I answered calmly to teach him who the arranger of this meeting was.
“…I came because the Duke called me.” “Ah, right.”
Seeing a slight light of disappointment brush past the Duke’s face, I became worried. Did I just act too ungracefully for a noble? Feeling like I had offended the Duke, I bowed deeply and apologized.
“I will not open the door abruptly like this again.” “……Understood.” “And I will not call the Duke loudly without manners again either.” “Kuhum. It is fine, so raise your waist.”
Hm? Is this not it. Looking at the Duke again, he was furrowing even the bridge of his nose as if he had become more displeased. What didn’t he like? As I tilted my head trying to analyze the cause, the Duke invited me to sit on the sofa in the office. Silence flowed as I sat down. Awkward. The Duke hesitated for a long time before opening his mouth.
“You seem to be doing well on probation. Surely you aren’t making any strange plans, are you?”
‘Haa.’
I sighed inwardly. Varden asked about plans, and now the Duke asks the exact same question. That damn plan. I said I have no plans. I just, really, set my future hope as a sloth living happily enjoying all of this.
‘However.’
I glanced at the Duke. Seeing the Duke’s face mixed with worry and suspicion, I could understand his feelings a little. Because Yvonne was a troublemaker. She was a villainess who roamed around tirelessly with steel stamina and only felt satisfied when she did everything she wanted with the wealth, power, and ability she possessed.
I answered as calmly as possible.
“I was staying quietly.” “Hm. Could that be possible. It is hard to believe.” “It is true.” “I will give you an additional punishment. Or you can call it proof of your reflection.”
The Duke clicked his tongue and suddenly called his aide.
‘A punishment.’
Scared of how terrifying the punishment might be, I stared intently at the aide who ran over when the Duke called.
‘Something like flogging? or starving me?’
To me who was trembling, the Duke opened his mouth with a very determined expression.
“Give Yvonne paperwork. As a meaning of reflection, I plan to give her very, very much.” “Pardon?!”
The aide jumped in fright, seemingly too surprised, and I asked back in a different sense.
“Pardon? That…” “Do you dislike it that much. Still, it can’t be helped.”
The Duke sighed and cut me off firmly.
‘Haha. I see.’
It was hard to understand at first, but recalling Yvonne’s original personality, I could understand. To Yvonne, paperwork is rat poison. Since Yvonne was someone who hated sitting in front of a desk and writing something persistently more than anything in the world, the Duke had given a big punishment.
‘No, why is he so suspicious, really. When I am reflecting well.’
A scoff escaped. Right. If it were the original Yvonne, she would have used fire magic right away to burn all the documents the Duke gave her. I am different. If you ask who I am, I was a South Korean office worker who did only paperwork every day.
