The Villainess Does Not Want to Die

Chapter 33: Stepping Out

For the first time in a while, I got up from my seat and headed to the bathroom.

Unlike before, there was no servant trailing behind me. That wasn’t surprising—I had long since driven away anyone assigned to follow me around.

Three maids were chatting and resting near the bathroom. When they noticed me approaching, they tensed, stood up, and bowed respectfully.

“Heat the water. I need to wash before dinner. Also, bring some fragrant oil and soap,” I instructed.

One of them began stoking the fire in what looked like a boiler, while another dashed off to fetch the oil and soap. The third, who seemed about my age, quietly trailed after me.

I didn’t bother speaking to her. She looked pale, as if she’d faint if I so much as opened my mouth. Probably because of the rumors—half of which were true.

Before entering the bath, I stepped into the dressing room to remove my clothes. Reaching behind me to grab the zipper, I felt the girl’s trembling hands on my back as she wordlessly unzipped it for me.

“Hey, kid.”

Though she seemed my age, I deliberately called her “kid.”

When I addressed her, she froze and began trembling even more. Was she new?

The staff were too much, leaving an inexperienced girl to deal with me without any warning.

“Y-yes, miss!”

“Ask for permission before touching me next time.”

“Yes, miss!”

“And lower your voice.”

“Yes…”

I stripped off my dress, dropping it to the floor, then began removing my undergarments. The fabric clung slightly, damp from sweat.

As I entered the bathroom, the scent of oils and the steam from boiling water brushed past me.

Before soaking in the tub, I began washing my body and hair. A single sheet of paper attached to the wall activated a magical installation that made water pour from thin air.

How many city houses could one of these devices buy? The thought crossed my mind idly.

Just as I was about to get into the tub, I heard the voice of the maid who had been sent to fetch the soap and oil, calling out to the girl who had stayed with me.

The girl, who had been blankly staring at my naked body, snapped out of her daze with an exaggerated shake of her head and quickly left. She returned moments later with the requested items.

Settling naturally into the tub, I murmured, “Just spread the oil around lightly. As for the soap… hmm?”

Along with the oil and soap, the girl had brought a basket full of rose petals.

“…What’s that for?”

At my frown, she answered nervously, “I-it’s fashionable to use fragrant oils with flower petals these days. Mr. Rickton gave it to me to bring to you…”

“Do as you like. Keep the soap for when I need it later.”

“Yes, miss!”

Her overly enthusiastic response echoed throughout the bathroom, but the lingering effects of the medicine dulled my sensitivity to the noise.

Ah, the sweet scent clinging to my breath—I’d need to brush my teeth later. I could do it after finishing my bath.

The girl kept glancing at me. Perhaps because I wasn’t wearing anything, her gaze felt particularly uncomfortable.

“Hey, it’s awkward if you keep staring.”

She blushed, hurriedly turned her head, and finally shifted to facing the wall, her exaggerated movements making me chuckle.

“S-sorry!”

“Go fetch a willow toothbrush while you’re at it.”

I stood up, brushing the sticky oil clinging to my skin with my fingers. Dizziness briefly overtook me, and I stumbled before tearing another magical scroll from the wall to summon lukewarm water to rinse myself off.

Using the soap, I created a rich lather, thoroughly washing my body before rinsing it away.

When the maid returned with the toothbrush, I dipped its bristles in the medicinal powder she’d brought and brushed my teeth and mouth. 

The taste of the powder was unpleasant, but I preferred it to the awful plant smell of the miswak sticks the servants once recommended when they were in vogue.

The first time I bathed alone, it felt strange. Now, the idea of someone else offering to help seemed so awkward I might flee.

I glanced at the mirror.

The reflection showed a pale face with white hair, dull red eyes, and no expression—a face that naturally looked like it was on the verge of tears.

Once, I had felt uncomfortable with this image of myself. Now, it has become my norm.

After rinsing my mouth, I walked back to the dressing room without bothering to dry off.

I took the towel the maid handed me and roughly dried my body and hair before tearing a scroll to magically finish the job. Then, I slipped into a well-fitting dress and headed to the dining hall.

The moon was already visible in the sky outside the window, the sun having nearly set.

Entering the dining hall, I immediately noticed Eileen, her face slightly sullen; the Duchess, her eyes faintly red; Libian and the eldest son chatting idly with bored expressions; and the Duke, looking somewhat surprised to see me.

I bowed lightly to the Duke and asked in a calm voice, “May I join you for dinner?”

“Your seat is always ready. Please, have a seat,” he replied.

Everyone wore expressions of mild surprise, even the servants moving about the room.

I sat in my usual seat, and the meal began as though nothing had changed.

Though I wasn’t yet an adult, perhaps they thought I was grown enough for this.

A sweet glass of wine was served as an aperitif.

I ate dishes like carved mushroom appetizers and butter-seared fish, washing them down with the occasional sip of clear wine. As I savored the wine’s aroma, I quietly brought up the topic.

“You mentioned appearing in society soon.”

The Duchess, more composed than she had been in the garden, replied in a steady tone.

“Yes, Marisela. I’d be glad if you were willing to consider it.”

“The Duchess has spoken. Of course, I’ll attend,” I said flatly.

Without waiting for a response, I cut a small piece from the lamb rib coated in seasoning that had just been served and placed it in my mouth.

As always, the food here was exceptional. Only the stress and indigestion afterward were a problem.

The Duchess looked visibly pleased, perhaps believing I had accepted her earlier apology.

Let her think about what she likes.

For now, and for the foreseeable future, all I could do was bow my head and comply.

“Then, Duchess, we should send a letter to His Majesty the Emperor immediately.”

“We’ll need to arrange an audience and set the schedule, so yes, we should.”

It had been a long time since I’d seen the Duke and Duchess speaking calmly without raising their voices or betraying their emotions.

Meanwhile, Eileen still looked flustered, her expression frozen in awkwardness as she ate.

By the time the Duke and Duchess were deep in conversation, Libian, seated beside me, leaned over and whispered.

“What’s gotten into you to suddenly agree with Mother?”

“Who knows.”

“I heard you disguise yourself as a commoner and went into the city. Did you meet someone impressive there?”

Not someone impressive, but I did stock up on some very fine tobacco leaves.

“I have no idea. How do you even know about that?”

Libian gave me a slightly sulky look before launching into sharp criticism.

“You’re an idiot if you thought you could sneak around without anyone noticing.”

I let out a dry chuckle but didn’t respond, choosing instead to focus on my meal.

As the sweeter dishes began to arrive, signaling the meal’s progression, the Duke and Duchess seemed to have finished their discussion and turned their attention to me.

“Marisela, once the schedule is set, you’ll travel to the capital with me and Eileen. There’s a large estate near the palace—nothing to boast of compared to this place—but you’ll stay there with Eileen.”

Though I’d heard of “society” before, I only had vague notions of it—nobles gathered for dancing, casual kisses exchanged regardless of whether one had a lover or spouse, a place brimming with unbridled indulgence.

Eileen had bragged about her time in the capital when she returned, but I hadn’t listened closely. I wasn’t interested.

“Libian will come with us this time too,” the Duke added.

“If it’s a trip, the capital’s much more exciting, after all,” Libian replied.

“But don’t bring the eldest. If I’m left alone, I’ll get terribly bored,” the Duke remarked, half-jokingly.

“This time, Eileen and Libian will suffice,” the Duchess replied, smiling.

Everyone laughed at the Duke’s offhand comment. If he thought that was humorous, he must have been a German in a past life—one so bored with the world that they’d tried to burn it down twice.

I was the only one not laughing, my expression stiff as I sipped tea and nibbled at cake. The humor was utterly lost on me.

The other five, however, chatted away in a lively and harmonious atmosphere. I didn’t interrupt, instead lowering my head and quietly picking at my dessert.

As a child, I might have felt uneasy being left out, but I had grown so used to it that now it bordered on tedious.

It didn’t bother me, though.

As the meal drew to a close, I got up and began making my way back to my room, but Eileen called out to me.

Looking back, I saw two servants cleaning the windows, which gave me a faint sense of déjà vu.

“Marisela, before you go, just for a moment—don’t leave yet. Let’s talk,” Eileen said.

“What, so you can shove me again?”

I expected her to yell or lash out at my jab, but instead, she stayed quiet.

“…Just for a moment,” she repeated.

“Then come to my room,” I said, turning to leave.

To my surprise, Eileen, usually so proud, nodded.

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