Translator: Nox

Chapter 43

#43

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A foul stench, like putrid waste, filled the air.

An odor that could never originate from my room, with its pristine white bed, spotless furniture, and fragrant flowers, kept lingering at the tip of my nose.

I knew what it was.

The stench of rumors, devoid of sound or form.

The invitations that had once piled up daily were gradually dwindling.

The smiles of those who had always greeted me with cheerful faces now felt somewhat awkward.

And the whispers, rumors, rumors.

Goodness… that Bianca? Poisoning someone is so frightening.

That's unlikely. What could she possibly lack?

That's what makes it even more terrifying.

Shhh! Nothing's been confirmed yet, has it?

Indeed. We must restrain ourselves, if only for the sake of the Croford Family.

To commit such a heinous act! She will eventually receive divine punishment.

When I turned my head, no one was looking at me, no one was speaking.

But I felt unpleasant gazes and heard incomprehensible murmurs.

A villainess who wouldn't hesitate to use poison if she didn't like something.

A venomous woman hiding her ugly, jealous true self behind a kind mask.

That was the image of me in the rumors.

My reputation, which I had painstakingly built over the past few years, was now plummeting, wallowing in the mud.

"It's only temporary."

Rumors were just passing winds.

Such scandals were common in high society.

The incident of the Count of Dantien's heir eloping with his stepmother, who was two years younger than him, was forgotten over time.

The fact that the Baroness Bedelli gave birth to a dark-skinned baby was no longer in people's memories.

Surely, my unsubstantiated rumors, which had no evidence and wouldn't disappear anywhere, would soon subside.

"It will be alright."

But I couldn't understand why my hands kept trembling.

I didn't know why I kept turning around anxiously.

It felt as if a dark, cold hand was caressing my nape, as if hair dripping with cold water was wrapping around my ankles, making me startle and look around.

If someone were to ask me now, I would surely answer that the Grim Reaper was a woman with long hair and cold hands.

"Young lady, the weather is lovely today."

Panya entered with a smiling face, holding only three letters in her hand.

One of them was even a promotional letter from a dress shop, announcing the arrival of new seasonal items.

The invitations to balls and tea parties, which had once begged me to attend and grace the occasion, had vanished like endangered animals.

"The flowers in the garden are also blooming beautifully. How about going for a walk outside?"

Panya suggested, handing me the letters after opening the envelopes with a letter opener, in a deliberately cheerful tone.

It was an excessively high and bright tone compared to Panya's usual voice.

"Or how about visiting Lara?"

"What do you mean by suggesting that?"

"Pardon?"

"Why do you keep telling me to go outside, to go somewhere?"

"Well…"

Panya hesitated, unable to answer.

She lowered her head and glanced at me, clearly trying to read my expression.

"Are you still afraid of me?"

"N-no."

The word "no" came out of Panya's mouth almost immediately. As if there was no need to think about it.

I felt a slight surge of anger, thinking that even the maid was looking down on me now.

It takes three years for wealth to decline, one year for power to fall, but honor can be lost in an instant.

Bianca Crofort's prestige was falling in the blink of an eye.

"You…"

"I know that Bianca is a kind person now. So I'm not afraid."

Panya quickly added, as if anticipating my words.

With a truly unexpected remark.

"Y-yes, I used to be afraid of you, Miss. You would shout, throw things, and your glare was really scary."

Panya hesitated again, looking at me cautiously.

I couldn't tell if she was afraid of me or not.

"And?"

I urged Panya to say more.

"Well, after getting to know you, I realized that you are a very good person. You help orphans, veterans, and deliver relief supplies to refugee camps."

Panya listed the charitable activities I had done in the past.

My furrowed brow was gradually smoothing out as she spoke.

"And you're also good to me. You raised my salary, and you even gave me a cake before. My siblings ate it all up! They finished it in five minutes!"

"So, you're not afraid of me because I give you money and gifts?"

"That's also part of it, but…"

Panya looked slightly troubled, like a child wondering whether to cross a line drawn on the floor.

Then, she raised her head and looked at me. After swallowing hard, Panya continued.

"You scold me when I'm not quick enough, and you glare at me when I make mistakes… almost like you're going to devour me."

…Didn't she just say I was kind?

"B-but you don't do that when I do well. So… what I mean is, if I'm not like a snail, you're not scary, and you're kind, but… what I mean is, the usual Miss is kind, and the not-so-kind Miss is…"

Panya continued to ramble.

Her words were incoherent and made no sense, but fortunately, I was smart enough to understand.

"So, what you're saying is?"

Panya, who had been talking while sweating profusely, stopped when I spoke.

Her expression showed a sense of relief that she could finally close her mouth.

"If you don't do anything wrong, I'm a kind person, and if you do something wrong, I'm a scary person. Is that right?"

"Yes, yes! Yes! That's right!"

Panya nodded vigorously, agreeing with my words.

"Also, before I met you in person, I only saw you occasionally and heard rumors, so I was afraid of you. So, the people who are saying bad things about you now are people who don't know you well."

There was no more hesitation or caution in Panya's tone.

Only a firm gaze and a confident tone remained, as if she really wanted to say this.

"So, don't worry about the rumors. You are a good person."

Clenching her fist, Panya said to me.

As if her words were certain.

"Yes. Thank you."

I smiled slightly and thanked Panya for encouraging me. Instantly, Panya's face turned red, and a shy smile spread across her face.

"The weather is nice, just like you said."

Beyond the window, there were red flowers as red as Panya's face and sunlight as bright as her radiant smile.

"Prepare for a walk."

The sunlight was warm.

Even though it was a garden I always passed by, walking right next to it felt different.

It was the same flower that was in the vase in my room, but the flowers blooming in the garden seemed to have a different fragrance.

I walked through the garden, feeling the freshness of the flowers, as if they were holding more sunlight and containing more of the scent of the wind.

"It's almost time for afternoon tea, Miss."

Panya, who was walking beside me, said.

I hadn't even realized what time it was until she spoke.

"Then let's go back."

I had already refreshed myself enough, so I turned back without hesitation.

"What kind of tea shall I prepare?"

"Peppermint."

Perhaps it was because I had seen so much green? I felt like having herbal tea.

"Oh? It looks like someone has arrived?"

As we approached the mansion, we saw a carriage that seemed to have just arrived.

Panya didn't seem to recognize where the carriage came from, but I did.

The family crest engraved on the back of the carriage was very familiar to me.

It was the Wincaiser family crest, which I had seen so much of for ten years.

"Panya."

"Yes, Miss."

"You'll have to prepare two cups of tea."

I said to Panya, looking at the man getting out of the carriage.

"Cancel the peppermint. He doesn't like the scent of peppermint."

"Ah, then what should I prepare?"

"Black tea. Darjeeling, strong. No sugar needed, but prepare cream with it. And prepare fruit instead of sweets, something not too sweet."

I hadn't memorized it on purpose, but I recited his preferences to Panya, which I had simply learned from always seeing them.

Even during that time, my gaze was still fixed on him.

His hair fluttering in the wind and his unwavering, sturdy shoulders were a pleasing contrast.

"Panya, go ahead and prepare the drawing room for the guest."

"Yes, Miss."

Nodding, Panya quickly walked towards the mansion. And I slowly walked towards the carriage.

Wondering what he had come to say.

Would he rebuke me for being involved in such a scandal as the future Duchess?

Or had he come to question whether it was true?

Or perhaps, had he come to condemn me for how a person could do such a thing?

Maybe, just maybe, he would say that he now had a valid reason to break off the engagement.

"It's been a while, Ricardo."

The numerous thoughts existed only in my head.

My voice, as I greeted Ricardo in front of him, was the same tone as always, and my face held an elegant smile.

"Bianca."

Rather, Ricardo's face was slightly stiff.

"Please come inside. I'll have tea prepared."

Before he could say anything, I turned around.

And I resolved in my heart.

No matter what he said, I would maintain this elegant smile and composed demeanor.