A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

She couldn’t give an answer, and that was to be expected, considering she held memories of the past.

No matter how much Violet tried to draw a line between her current life and her past life, it was not entirely someone else’s business.

“…Sorry.”

When Violet didn’t respond, a feeble apology spilled out from Cairn. It was even more pathetic and smaller than an apology Roen had made once.

Despite the lights being on in the rarely frequented corridor, there was a strangely bitter atmosphere lingering.

Did Cairn truly understand the meaning behind her words? Violet pretended not to hear his apology and entered the lounge again.

Awkward silence settled in. Violet paid no attention to Cairn and walked further into the lounge. Alesia, who had changed into the clothes, looked awkward as she examined herself.

“It really suits you.”contemporary romance

“Are you making fun of me?”

“It’s fortunate that our body types are similar.”

Alesia’s eyes narrowed. Clothes made based on riding attire naturally suited her, as if they were made for her from the beginning. It might feel unfamiliar to those accustomed to wearing dresses, though.

“…It doesn’t fit well around the chest.”

Alesia awkwardly broke the silence with a comment. Was that so? Violet, who hadn’t noticed any strange parts, tilted her head in confusion.

“Is it tight?”

“…I’m saying that it’s loose.”

Words that broke the silence once again brought back the stillness in the air.

Violet quietly looked down at her own chest. This meaningless mass of fat might be an object of envy for someone, but in reality, it was just uncomfortable to have. Without proper tailoring, clothes would never fit her well. Violet sighed.

“Still, it suits you well.”

“…Why are you helping me?”

“Because I want to help.”

“…I’m asking for the reason.”

Alesia’s expression appeared uncomfortable, and it didn’t seem like she was merely acting awkward due to the clothes. Violet silently watched her, hesitating to enter, and looked at Cairn, who stood just outside the door.

“Right, well. You hate me, while I don’t hate you. Is that enough of an answer?”

“……”

Alesia didn’t respond. Violet blinked once and turned towards the door.

“The clothes I brought today are of entirely different designs, so you don’t have to worry too much about them. Just think of this set as a gift. Please also send my regards to the Marchioness.”

“…You.”

“You look very good in them. How about trying for the title of ‘Dame’ instead of ‘Young Lady’? You should aim for it, don’t you think?”

Violet left without waiting for a response. Cairn, who had been waiting in front of the door, looked at her without being able to frown.

People are complicated. They can’t be simply categorized as good or evil, which makes relationships complex.

So, what will Alesia think of Violet? Will she see her as a bad person, a good person, or perhaps as a complex one?

Anyway, Violet decided not to care about her anymore.

“…Did you already know her?”

“Ah. She’s the daughter of Mom’s friend.”

“What are you talking about?”

Since there was someone right next to her, the tension in the air soon dissipated.

Cairn still seemed to have mixed feelings, but he didn’t seem to care too much, thinking it might be simple emotions that a sibling would have.

“I really can’t figure you out, Sister.”

“Oh? I don’t particularly want to be understood.”

“…Liar.”

“Don’t be so sure without evidence.”

“I’m not completely clueless, you know.”

Violet looked at her brother, who couldn’t meet her eyes.

Did he grow taller than her? Until before going to the academy, Cairn was slightly shorter than Violet, but now he was significantly taller. Perhaps he might grow as tall as Mikhail one day.

She believed that her relationship with Cairn would never unravel like it did with Roen. It was more than just a thought—it was her firm determination.

So, even if Cairn kept being callous, the lingering seeds of her resentment would never prosper further.

At that moment, Cairn remembered something he had forgotten. It was the shocking incident he had witnessed just before facing Violet.

“Ah, anyway, that’s not the issue! Come this way!”

“Huh?”

“Quickly!”

Cairn suddenly grabbed Violet’s wrist and rushed her. Violet’s expression furrowed. Cairn’s actions posed multiple problems right now.

Violet roughly pulled her hand away, and Cairn looked at her with a questioning expression.

Yeah, this personality doesn’t match with her. Cairn flinched a bit at Violet’s subdued sigh.

“…Something happened though.”

“What.”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

“So, you’re grabbing people without permission?”

“……”

It’s not a misconception that his words became particularly chilly. Cairn’s expression changed a couple of times. Violet tilted her head slightly.

Only footsteps echoed in the silence. As the commotion got closer and the bright light entered their eyes, they overheard some words.

“It’s truly a geometrical expression. Such a perspective is possible…”

“A unique expression, especially the part where humans are depicted as non-human forms…”

“Wow, this might be a concept bordering on the devil’s…”

These were critiques for her paintings.

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