The Villainess’s Condemnation and Revenge

Through her conversation with Kyla, Gloria learned that her second life began when she was ten, right after her mother’s death.

In her previous life, after the horse-riding accident, her father, pretending to be concerned for his daughter, brought his mistress and her son, Alan, into their home, saying, “A family is what a grieving daughter needs.”

And so, despite being educated as the legitimate heir, Gloria was sidelined, and Alan was set as the heir to the ducal family.

Gloria placed her pen down and picked up a hand mirror.

“In your world, wouldn’t this be called a ‘scandal’?”

She asked the ghost of A-ko, who was reflected in the mirror, and A-ko hesitated before replying.

(That’s true… I see, in a way, the villainess is a victim too… how pitiful.)

“Enough, it’s unpleasant.”

She closed the hand mirror and placed it on the desk.

Annoyed by A-ko’s constant chatter, Gloria had set some rules between them.

No speaking when people are around.

Conversations only when Gloria is using the mirror.

She pushed the mirror further to the edge of the desk and resumed writing a letter.

It was addressed to her uncle, Count Horatio von Caldwell.

In the “past life,” according to A-ko, she couldn’t stop her father’s actions at that time.

At the age of ten, Gloria thought that if she couldn’t handle everything by herself, she would be unworthy of being a noble. She never realized that the real issue was that someone who couldn’t manage everything shouldn’t be a noble in the first place.

For instance, Gloria couldn’t attach horseshoes to a horse, but it would be strange if a noblewoman could. That was the servant’s job. If she couldn’t do something, she had others do it.

So, she quickly informed her uncle, known for his competence, knowing full well that it would upset her father the most.

Her uncle arrived almost immediately.

Her father, who had the idea of marrying a commoner as his second wife so soon after his wife’s death, and the potential damage to the alliance with the neighboring kingdom by tarnishing the honor of his wife, a former princess, was persuaded by his younger brother to stop meeting with the mistress.

Now, Gloria was writing a thank-you letter to her uncle for helping her avoid the scandal.

“Let’s take a break, young lady!”

Kate entered the room, making noise with the clinking of teacups.

Gloria was almost about to frown at the lack of manners but stopped herself, reminding herself that being kind to Kate was important.

Afterward, she had tearfully confided in Kyla that she couldn’t calm down due to her mother’s death and her father’s obsession with his mistress, making it difficult for her to relate to others.

“Since you’re the only one who came to visit me, if you have a daughter my age, I’d love to take care of her and have her as a friend,” Gloria had said, taking Kyla’s hand, and Kyla had strangely cried in response.

At this time, Kate had just begun working as a maid in the ducal household, and it would be some time before she became Gloria’s personal maid.

Though she became a personal maid earlier than in the previous life, Kate was still too young to be of any help. However, she seemed quite enthusiastic, claiming she had been specially chosen to serve the “poor young lady.”

Gloria had encouraged this attitude, but Kate’s overly familiar manner sometimes made Gloria want to slap her.

“This is the most popular tea in the capital!”

The teacup, placed with a clatter, held murky tea, steaming slightly. Gloria’s distorted reflection shimmered in the rippling surface.

(You know, Kate seems so innocent and attached, but will she really go through with revenge?)

As A-ko spoke to her through the tea’s surface, Gloria turned her mind to the sight she had seen at the guillotine.

She had seen Kate looking down at her, a satisfied expression on her face, as Gloria awaited her execution.

“Kate, sit down. It’s boring alone.”

Gloria said, saying something she didn’t mean. Kate’s face brightened immediately, and she sat across from Gloria.

Taking a sip of tea, Gloria reflected on her thoughts.

If there is a god in this world, it must surely be the god of vengeance.

Otherwise, how else could this world bring back Gloria, who died cursing them?

“It’s delicious.”

Gloria smiled slightly as she drank the bitter, scentless tea.

—
Volume 2