The Bad Ending of an Otome

It looked like the smile of a dead person. 

The woman smiled while wearing a black veil, yet she looked like she could leave the world at any time. 

Like the dust of a black rose that has burned. As if it would just fly away if you grabbed it.

‘I will not be a part of House Windrose forever.’

It was way too casual, way too casual to be resignation. 

Black dress, black veil. 

Both of her hair and eyes are black. 

Only her pale skin shone. 

She seemed even less alive than the dead Ophelia, who is buried with flowers on her grave. 

For a moment, something strange took hold of Cassio. 

It was a crazy dream, but not because their ‘Ophelia’ picked Emilia. 

What was crazy was that Emilia…

‘The Marquis will likely take Raretis as his own son. That’s great, he has a great reputation and his family is also great. He’s good enough to take over the House Windrose.’

‘What are you talking about?’

She talked as if she only lived in House Windrose because she didn’t want to leave Ophelia.

As if House Windrose didn’t matter to Emilia.

Is it as if she didn’t care about them, Ophelia, or all the wealth and fame, as if they belonged to someone else? 

Cassio had to ask her what she meant because he didn’t understand how she was acting.

No one knew that Raretis would take over House Windrose after the Marquis. 

But they thought that she would stay as a member of the House after that. 

It wouldn’t be strange if they knew how Ophelia pestered the couple to treat Emilia as their own daughter. 

Everyone thought it was the least Emilia could do since she had given up more than half of her life for their daughter.

But that’s that. 

House Windrose would never be the same without Emilia.  

But the woman said in a clear and firm voice that she didn’t know why they were asking her so many questions.

‘I came to the ducal house because Ophelia needed a friend her age. Ophelia has died.’

She said it plainly, like she was driving a nail, as if it was a clear fact.

‘That just meant that I have to leave House Windrose now.’

Really, didn’t she learn anything from all that time?

‘Did the Marquis tell you to go?’

‘They just went to a funeral, so I doubt they have time to think about me. I have to handle it on my own.’

Her voice was always peaceful. 

When he heard what she said, Edmund Gloucester sighed. 

If you looked closely, Emilia was a step ahead of Cassio, but even he didn’t seem to know what to do in this position. 

Even Cassio, who was hard to convince, couldn’t understand what she was saying and kept asking her to explain.

‘Lady Emilia, weren’t you meant to become House Windrose’s adopted daughter?’

Even though he asked her directly, she shook her head as if he had said something silly. 

For once, Cassio didn’t know what to say.

‘That was just one of the excuses the Marchioness told Ophelia when she was still alive to make her feel better.’

Excuses? 

Both of the men there were shocked. 

They knew that Ophelia was serious, and the Marchioness wasn’t so cruel that she wouldn’t even give her dying daughter what she asked for. 

Even so, Emilia had been with Ophelia for more than 10 years, and they were closer than Ophelia’s own parents. 

Emilia was there for Ophelia until the very end. 

Even if Emilia had done something very bad, the House Windrose should still stand up for her. The woman spoke calmly, no matter what she thought the two men’s acts meant.

‘You need not worry. Why would the couple want me as their adopted daughter?’

Cassio couldn’t say anything and kept asking.

‘What do you mean worry. Right now…’

‘I don’t care about House Windrose without Ophelia.’

When they heard what she said, they didn’t know what to say. It was an odd feeling. Clearly, they had been together in a way that neither of them liked. 

That’s right.

Ornament that was uselessly attached to Ophelia, and the way that girl who talked like she was above everyone else.

They thought that was the case. 

They had told her more than once that she didn’t have the right standing, looks, wisdom, or personality to be by Ophelia’s side. 

Still, the woman didn’t give up. 

Instead, she would respond quietly with a face like she was dealing with a dog that was barking.

So, they thought the woman thought of the Marquis family as her own…

‘What are your plans when you leave the Marquis House Lady Emilia? Are you going back to your family? Or if not, society is not kind enough to let a good woman who is not married live by herself.’

Cassio brought up her family because he knew how much she disliked them. 

Some of the things that ‘Emilia’ really hated were her parents, who sold her for money. 

She was also quite sensitive about the topic about Raretis Hope, the Marchioness, and Ophelia.

He thought she’d get angry.

The comment was meant to hurt her feelings. 

She looked at Cassio Brahamdorff with her dark eyes. 

That was it, though.

‘I have enough money to live on my own.’

She paid no attention to what he said. In terms of marriage and her family. 

If she had asked him why he was talking about her parents or saying that House Windrose was her home, things might have turned out differently. 

But she just turned away from him with a blank expression and said she would live alone.

It was maddening at this point. 

Even the great Cassio Brahamdorff didn’t know what to say, and it looked like he couldn’t just ignore what was going on. 

Edmund Gloucester, who had been standing next to them looking confused, spoke up.

‘It will be hard to find a good match if you leave House Windrose. Don’t you have too much hope for your situation? You can’t have as much free time as you did when she was alive…’

‘The Marquis couple had given me a lot for being with Ophelia all this time. What I have was enough.’

‘But, if you say that now, then…’

Edmund stuttered because he didn’t know what to say. 

Emilia was very good at not wanting things. 

She did keep the gifts that Ophelia gave her, but no matter how beautiful or valuable the things were that they showed Ophelia, she never looked jealous. 

They thought she was being proud. 

Now, though, things were different.

What could a noblewoman do to make a living if she wasn’t married and didn’t have a background? 

Emilia always spoke in a calm way. It didn’t seem like the stubbornness of a child who didn’t know how the world works. 

But a noblewoman who is not married and doesn’t have a guardian and wants to live alone without getting married?

Not paying attention to the many people around her? 

Even if she asked the Marquis couple to help her find a house, wouldn’t she have one right away?

Edmund, who used to be the best at getting into fights with Emilia, looked confused as he held on to Emilia instead of finding the situation funny. 

No matter how he understood what she said, her voice changed in a way that seemed to say not to worry and that she was getting irritated.

‘I won’t bite it. House Windrose without Ophelia is just a house.’

Cassio Brahamdorff said things he thought he would never say, which shows that he, too, was surprised.

‘Didn’t you have feelings for Raretis?’

Her mouth turned up at the corners. 

There was a very short quiet that was hard to describe. 

But she smiled the next second. 

A smile that was similar to the one seen before, but just a little bit different. 

If the warmth of the heart could be turned into the color of a flame, it would be a very cold blue. A sharp, painfully cold color.

‘What are you saying? I was only nice to Lord Raretis because he’ll be the next Marquis.’

At that time, Cassio really couldn’t say anything. 

Yes, the woman was terrible. 

He was staring at her face so intently that he didn’t even realize it. 

Her voice was quiet and steady. 

She felt like she could lie to anyone about anything. 

Even if it meant fooling herself.

‘But what if I felt something? I knew he liked Ophelia and that he was going to take over House Windrose. It wouldn’t look good if I made it complicated.’

The woman moved her shoulders to make it sound like a joke. 

It was more lively than the first smile, which looked like it could end at any time… 

But Cassio kept quiet.

 Why does she put up such a clear boundary? 

No one would think it was wrong for her to stay in the House. 

No, no one would have thought she shouldn’t have done that. 

Even if she isn’t accepted as a daughter, she has spent her whole life caring for the Marquis’s daughter, so it would be the same if the Windrose family took care of her.

Everyone would have agreed with that. 

Even if she told Raretis Hope that she liked him now, it wouldn’t be a problem.

Even if she were Ophelia’s actual sister, it shouldn’t be a problem now that Ophelia is dead and buried. 

They were going to get married, but Ophelia died before they did. 

Also, Ophelia never gave any sign that she had love feelings for Raretis Hope. 

In their eyes, that’s what it looked like.

Emilia, on the other hand, did act like a stranger. 

As if she is not afraid to leave the marquis house, where she has lived for most of her life. 

As if she’s ready to throw away all the friends and memories she’s made so far.

I’m fine. I have no expectations of you.

As if she were actually saying that.

‘If you don’t have anything else to say, I’ll leave.’