The Bad Ending of an Otome

Because it was the day of the funeral, he didn’t stop her from saying that. 

It must be a response, since today is Ophelia’s funeral. 

‘She will probably stay at the Marquis’s house until we see her again later…’ 

When he thought about it, even the sense of Ophelia’s death vanished the moment they heard her empty response.

They couldn’t believe it, but after they calmed down, they found out that Emilia had left the Marquis’s house before dawn and disappeared without a trace.

Even now, Cassio could remember like it was yesterday how Raretis Hope, who had never been scared before, was so worried he couldn’t say a word. 

He knew that the Marquis had sent his wishes, but he thought he could persuade her in the morning when everyone would be quiet and thinking.

The last time she was seen for sure was when a butler gave her a carriage when she was about to leave. 

She only took what she could fit in one bag, gave a close maid a ribbon that she and Ophelia both loved, and then disappeared. 

The Marquis’s house was a mess the next morning. 

The Marchioness was especially sad, and she seemed to have fallen again.

No one could have thought that was how she would leave. 

She didn’t have a home other than House Windrose, and she didn’t have anyone to trust or depend on. 

But she did it anyway. 

So, Cassio Brahamdorff was both happy and confused when he saw her standing in front of a small cafe, looking at him with a careful frown.

He couldn’t believe that she was working with regular people. 

Every time he remembered the last story, in which she left almost empty-handed even though she said, ‘I have enough money,’ he feared that she had already died and told his worried heart that he was just having a dark dream. 

In fact, that’s why everyone was looking for Emilia.

Emilia disappeared on the day of Ophelia’s funeral without telling anyone where she was going. She only took a few of the most valuable things Ophelia had given her and a simple suitcase. Even though the ties of the upper class were wide, there was no news from anywhere. 

She was hard to find. 

Even though she wasn’t a normal noble lady, she lived with Ophelia and didn’t have to lift more than a teapot.

What kind of mind made her decide to hide her name and live among the common people? 

The fabric of the clothes she was wearing was rough. 

Even when she wore simple clothes and didn’t have any makeup on, her black eyes never changed. 

It was a bit of a shock. 

Even though they fought more about Ophelia than they said hello to each other every day, she knew the members of the Brahamdorff and Gloucester families. 

If she wanted to run a cafe as a hobby, she could have easily found a good place to do it. 

She could have even used the House Windrose to her advantage. 

If she wanted to stay in an aristocratic society, she needed a guardian with noble ties. 

But even so…

Emilia did act like she had no one else to depend on but herself. 

She didn’t try to get help from anyone. 

She didn’t ask anyone for help. 

She didn’t change her mind, and she didn’t say what she wanted.

Why? Exactly why?

When she was with Ophelia was the only time this hard-to-read woman really showed how she felt. 

Without being crazy about Ophelia like everyone else and treating Ophelia Windrose next to her like a regular person.

Yes, she did treat everyone the same, whether they were Ophelia’s fans, Ophelia herself, or someone else. 

Cassio Brahamdorff thought she was an out-of-place woman.

She didn’t really care about anything. 

Really? 

Not even her own love or regrets?

He had a hard time believing it. 

Cassio Brahamdorff knew more than anyone what people wanted. 

He was proud of how well he knew how powerful people, especially nobles, thought and acted.

Those who had even a little more often showed that they were too greedy. 

No one gave up what they once held easily, no matter how gently they were asked. 

Even more so because Emilia grew up next to Ophelia and saw how everyone loved and respected her.

Even if she was the most loyal follower, it would have been strange if she didn’t feel less important. 

Even though she could have gotten almost everything that ‘Ophelia’ left behind, Emilia just up and left. 

If they hadn’t found her this way, they might not have heard from her again for the rest of their lives. 

Anyway, Cassio Brahamdorff didn’t miss out on things he wanted very often.

And as far as he could tell, there was only one thing that could hold Emilia. 

Something Cassio Brahamdorff never thought he would use for Emilia.

“That’s a lot. How do I put this on? It’s not like I’m Ophelia.”

Ophelia Windrose. 

In fact, it was a strange irony. 

To be able to keep someone who he used to think was helping Ophelia only by saying her name. 

Cassio looked at her pale face with an attitude that showed he was really tired. 

Even the Windrose couple could not treat Ophelia like a normal child. 

Something about Ophelia was mysteriously appealing. 

Even though Raretis Hope was raised as if he were Ophelia’s brother, he had never been brave enough to scold her without reason. 

All of the children who had been to the Duke’s house before Emilia came could only be good in front of Ophelia. 

They never dared to stand up to her; instead, they begged.

He had heard that back then, only young Emilia had been brave enough to grab her beautiful silver hair and shout at her, daring her to fight him no matter who got hurt.

‘That girl was very pretty and nice.’

So, why wasn’t she surprised that Lady Elodie was there? 

Cassio looked at Emilia, she was shaking her head. 

Even seeing Edmund Gloucester and Lady Elodie together in the same scene didn’t bother her much. 

A maid said that she had even asked where the carriage was so she could leave quietly, which showed a lot of poise.

Even though she had met Lady Elodie and Raretis together before, she acted in a pretty normal way. 

Usually, someone would wonder how someone could look so much like someone else and wonder if there was a link to the Marquis’s house. 

Emilia was the one who cared too much about a single letter from ‘that’ Ophelia, rolling around impatiently, wasn’t she? Still, she…

‘I don’t need it.’

She drew the line in a very calm way, as if she already knew it wasn’t necessary. 

Even though they looked a lot alike and Edmund Gloucester was acting like he was in love, Cassio found this interesting. 

Still, Emilia was… Right. 

Cassio Brahamdorff admitted it. 

She was different from every other woman he’d met. 

Every time he thought about it, a quick picture of her face crossed his mind. 

It looked like a goddess was making fun of him.

“It’s not too much. So many things change so quickly in high society. You should have at least two sets of each style.”

“Isn’t it almost as bad to be too big as to be too small?”

“Don’t you know that, with the social season coming up, a lady’s closet, even if it fills three mansions, is not enough?”

“No, it’s way too much.”

“Are you worried about the Brahamdorff family’s budget?”

“Even if I had ten bodies, wouldn’t it be impossible for me to wear all of these in this season?”

“Oh, that’s a sad thing to say. My aunt would be worried if she heard that. She says that even three sets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner aren’t enough for a good social season. This is what is often called a lady’s virtue.”

“…”

“And we still haven’t had time to fit them right, right? We’ll call them to the house later to make all the changes, but I thought it would be good for them to look at it for at least a day.”

“…”

Emilia no longer seemed to have the energy to argue, so she just kept shaking her head over and over. 

As she moved, her fine black hair moved slowly in the air. 

Emilia was very against the dress because it ‘didn’t suit her.’ 

It was made of several layers of thin fabric that showed the shape of her body. 

The bottom of the dress was bell-shaped and had lace folded into flowers.

Cassio was surprised by Emilia’s cold refusal and her lack of interest in the lavish lifestyle. 

He started to see that there was more to her than what he could see at first. 

Her honesty, sincerity, and inner power set her apart from other high-society women who cared more about how they looked and what they could buy.

Cassio didn’t think it looked bad. 

No, he actually liked it a lot. 

The top was a bright peach color, and the bottom was a dark purple color. 

A sparkling embroidery belt with pearls wrapped around her waist. 

Emilia seemed uncertain about how she looked, but given that she had spent her whole life with ‘that’ Ophelia, Emilia’s looks weren’t lacking in any way.

Emilia had a mysterious air, even if she didn’t have the aura that made it hard to look away from Ophelia.

A nice, clean face. 

A body like a fawn’s, with graceful curves. 

Deep black hair that caught everyone’s attention even when it wasn’t styled. 

If Ophelia was like a goddess who was still alive, Emilia was like a princess from a country that had fallen long ago. 

Her eyes, which seemed to hold secrets no one knew about, were especially hard to figure out.

Every once in a while, when Emilia didn’t say anything, it made Cassio feel uncomfortable. 

Even though it was unlikely, he felt like she had seen right through him.

Emilia spoke with a face that looked a bit tired,

“No… I have to tell you again that what happened yesterday didn’t bother me at all…”

“I do it as a hobby.”

“…Choosing clothes for women?”

“More like spending money, to be more precise.”

Emilia’s face seemed to say, ‘Well, if that’s what you want to do.’ 

Still, Cassio was able to quickly read the changes in her emotions, which he couldn’t do before. It seemed like just yesterday that she was always on guard, like a cat with its claws out, as if she didn’t know when Cassio would betray her. 

But as they’ve been spending more and more time together, she’s started to show different emotions. 

When Cassio said his cheeky words in a playful way, she would squint as if she wanted to punch him, and when he shrugged his shoulders as if to dare her, she would open her mouth as if to say something but then close it firmly.

But that was all just a story on the surface. 

When it was time for Emilia to say what she really thought, she became the most calm person in the room. 

Calm, like water drops dropping one by one, but determined, like she was making a slow but firm promise. 

When someone’s weak spot is hit, they get mad, run away, or feel scared.

When Cassio Brahamander tried to scare Emilia by throwing food on purpose, Emilia’s eyes would get dry like the bottom of a lake that has been drained. 

A look that was like a spiderweb, with scars that looked like claws. 

She must have been frightened and hurt. 

She was cool and emotionless as she watched someone else’s heart bleed instead of her own. Even now, when they play, laugh, fight, and talk, if a similar situation came up again, she would probably change in the same way.