The Crazy Villainess in This Area Is Me

“…I’ll need to make a brief stop.”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

Upon alighting from the carriage, my tone had already returned to formal speech.

Now that the fire was lit, it was up to me how she would act. My gaze followed Magorit persistently. She was heading to the first prince’s palace.

It was as if thin threads were visible above Magorit’s head. She was being manipulated by both Frinel and me.

Thinking of his face, I chuckled.

“The empress’s palace is this way.”

“Thank you.”

A knight who had received the invitation card courteously informed me of the empress’s palace’s location. I elegantly lifted her parasol and turned towards the direction of the empress’s palace. And finally, the garden where the tea party was being held unfolded before my eyes.

The Gracie Duchy and March Hamilton were considerable in size, but the imperial palace’s garden was indescribably magnificent.

It was too unfair. The scum that abused a child lives in such a beautiful place, wearing fine clothes and eating delicious food. I unconsciously hardened my lips but managed to smooth them out as I slowly entered the garden.

Guided by knights standing here and there, I moved further in, and from a distance, I could see a group of ladies gathered. Not a single member of the Shinsu faction that Bella had brought last time was present. All were ladies or wives from families close to the Empress and the Emperor’s faction.

I leisurely raised an eyebrow and headed towards them.

“…Oh my.”

As I approached, the conversation among the nobles abruptly stopped.

“Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress, the Imperial Moon.”

I bowed slightly, demonstrating perfect etiquette learned from the Gracie Duchy. With impeccable posture and a greeting that wouldn’t be expected from an ordinary commoner, the empress and the nobles seemed slightly taken aback. However, they quickly hid their expressions and twitched their lips as if they had prepared for this.

“Who might you be?” Someone asked as if on cue.

“I am,” Just as I was about to speak, Patricia smoothly turned her hand to interrupt.

Then, with a smile as if harboring no malice, she said, “This woman here is the famous concubine of the Marquis Hamilton.”

Deliberately using provocative words, the empress scanned me from top to bottom.

“Everyone knows, the talk of the social circles.” She scoffed behind her fan.

Direct hostility flowed towards me over the table filled with sweet desserts. Yet, without changing my expression, I calmly responded, “Is the mere gossip about a commoner like me really sweeping through the social circles? I’m embarrassed.”

Then I blushed shyly. My lovely demeanor made the nobles’ eyes roll.

Usually, a concubine is associated with a venomous and malicious image. But what about the woman before them? With soft platinum blonde hair reminiscent of an angel and eyes sparkling like high-quality emeralds, she possessed dignity and charm to the extent that one could believe her to be a saintess. Her extravagant attire did not seem excessive.

“

.”

As the atmosphere took an odd turn, the empress coughed to change the air. Prompted by this, they hastily spat out their prepared remarks.

“Oh my…”

“You mean the infamous villainess?”

Their act was like a play, and I barely held back my laughter. I had been slightly nervous about the scary society, but now I felt silly about it. Yes, no matter how fearsome the social circles might be, they were nothing compared to death.

“The luxury is quite something, isn’t it?”

“Look at that attire. It’s not something a mere commoner could afford.”

“One ruby hanging there could feed starving people.”

“Indeed. Such a lack of culture…”

Apparently, my shopping sprees had spawned just the right rumors. I laughed.  The nobles’ eyes turned sharply over my laughter.

“The ladies seem more interested in rumors than in truth.”

“What did you say?”

“All the luxury I indulged in went to the servants, and the goods I bought are all in the process of being donated to an orphanage.”

I leisurely fluttered my fan, speaking in a soothing voice. “I just had everything delivered to the mansion to check them before sending them off.”

“…This…!”

“Enough.”

Patricia, with an authoritative voice, cut off the conversation. Despite gathering experienced noblewomen, the flow was turning towards Lobelia. Kriella was right; she was not an opponent to be underestimated.

“I was merely curious about you, wondering what kind of woman had bewitched Marquis Hamilton.”

“And what do you think now that you’ve seen, Your Majesty?”

“Smart and beautiful. I see why he was drawn.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“But did the big madam and Marchioness Hamilton not come?”

The Empress glanced behind Lobelia. She had eagerly agreed with Kriella, saying it was a good idea. If Lobelia was to be embarrassed, it was strange that the woman who would enjoy it most hadn’t come.

“Oh my, didn’t you know?”

“Know what?”

“The big madam is currently staying at the villa.”

“The villa?”

There had been no such communication from Kriella. The empress tilted her head in confusion.

“Well…

…” I trailed off as if embarrassed.

“Answer me.”

“…In fact, it’s not different from being banished.”

“Banished?!”

The ripple effect of my words spread like waves. The nobles’ mouths fell open in shock. I paused for a moment before continuing.

“Embarrassing as it is to say, the big madam had been torturing the servants, and it is said she even killed some.”

“Impossible…!”

“Marquis Hamilton couldn’t stand such a mother and sent her to villa himself.”

“It’s impossible for the big madam to do such a thing… Something must be wrong…”

Despite knowing her temperament, Patricia instinctively defended Kriella in front of all the nobles gathered here. In this gathering of nobles, she could not admit to Kriella being a murderer. But I wasn’t one to keep silent.

“Marquis Hamilton made the decision after seeing all the evidence and circumstances.”

“I’ll personally—!”

“No matter how busy Your Majesty may be, it’s quite burdensome to care about the affairs of a noble family.” I smiled, implying not to meddle in family matters.

The empress snorted, staring sharply at me.

Most commoners were poor. Because of that, they couldn’t receive proper education and had to focus solely on making a living. So, she thought Lobelia would be the same.

It might have been a childish method, but she hoped to help Kriella for revenge. She hadn’t expected it to turn out this way. Moreover, Lobelia had barely entered the Hamilton family, but she seemed to have already learned noble etiquette. Contrary to Patricia’s expectations, Lobelia’s etiquette was flawless.

“Fine. Let’s end this topic here. I don’t believe in rumors.”

She quickly changed the subject. But I clung to the conversation.

“Weren’t Your Majesty the one who sought me out based on rumors?”

Patricia’s eyes turned towards her. A defiant face, as if nothing in the world scared her. Now she understood. If she couldn’t verbally win, she had to push her into a situation from which she couldn’t escape.

“I believe only what I see with my own eyes. Isn’t that why I give the rumored concubine the honor of attending my tea party without being swayed by rumors?” Her lips, smiling gently, let out soothing words. The empress spoke smoothly, befitting her position as the empress.

Having thrown a stone, it was enough for me to back off at this point. I shrugged my shoulders and looked around, ready to find a place to sit.

Patricia slowly raised her finger.

“

.”

Following her finger, the palace’s servants parted like waves.

“Your place is over there.”

Something hidden by the crowd slowly revealed itself. It was,

“Since high-ranking nobles of the Tiazen Empire cannot share a table with a concubine.”

A mat was laid on the ground.

Watching Lobelia’s expression, the Empress’s lips leisurely formed a diagonal line.