The Bad Ending of an Otome

I was in an awkward situation. 

Young Lady Betty didn’t appear to back down easy. 

A simple squabble could be handled, but this was the royal castle, and the princess was present. 

Raising our voices in this situation would be counterproductive. 

Cassio had stated, ‘Just respect the Princess and the Queen.’ 

To put it another way, ‘Don’t do anything that will cause trouble for the royal family.’ 

Arrogance was not an option, no matter how dumb the princess in front of us appeared. 

The maids were quietly watching our every step.

“You were so displeased with Sir Cassio in the past, yet you appeared at the ballroom hand in hand with him, didn’t you?”

Young Lady Betty increased her voice slightly. 

I could feel other people’s glances as they pretended not to notice.

“You were so horrified by the Marquis’s daughter that you now refuse to visit them. Kindness is recognized by animals as well… Please don’t get me wrong. I didn’t mean Lady Emilia specifically.”

She seemed to be begging to be misunderstood.

“Whether people change or their true nature is revealed, that’s something no one knows.”

Young Lady Betty gave me a smug look, her lips twisted into a smile.

‘You didn’t get along with Cassio when Ophelia was alive, and now you’re acting like you don’t know each other. What’s the big deal?’

That was the implication of her words. 

I almost sighed because it was so childish. 

I wouldn’t marry Cassio Brahamdorff just because he was my cavalier. 

Would it help to wear a sign that said ‘Business Partner’? 

I grinned broadly, which seemed to unnerve Young Lady Betty, who frowned slightly.

“Of course, I wouldn’t misinterpret anything. Just as Young Lady Betty said after Ophelia’s death, ‘She was too shy to say it in her lifetime, but she considered me a friend.'”

“What are you talking about? How did you hear that?”

“Or when you claimed that I chased you away from Ophelia’s side because I was jealous of your close friendship with her and tormented you. That could be correct. Human memory is susceptible to distortion. So, Ophelia liked you so much back then… well…”

Beth’s eyes widened as she observed the event. 

Young Lady Betty’s face became hot, then pale.

“Let’s see, what was Ophelia up to at the time? Did she swat you with locust legs? You were told to eat a toad’s head? Was it to suffocate anything with your bare hands?”

“Ah, what are you saying now, such horrible things…”

“I can’t help myself, Young Lady Betty. It’s the story of Ophelia, whom you adore. You should pay close attention. Oh, it was raining that day. There were a plethora of frog eggs. While Young Lady Betty was a mess next to a muddy puddle, unable to cope, Ophelia was busily busting them…”

“Aah!”

It appeared to have triggered a trauma. 

Young Lady Betty shouted and fled, frightened. 

It seemed ludicrous to me. 

She arrived with such arrogance, and this was the result. 

Why provoke when you can’t take the reaction?

Young Lady Betty, who had insisted on being Ophelia’s playmate, couldn’t stay at the Marquis’s residence for more than a day. 

It was a dreary day, and Ophelia despised her from the start. 

So she did her most minor favorite activity: she explored aquatic creatures. 

Even for me, that scenario was excruciating. 

The sound of frogs everywhere, the slipping of arms and legs, the smell of fish… 

Young Lady Betty, who had a tadpole in her mouth, eventually fainted that day. 

She puked, cried, and made a scene. 

She never returned to the Marquis’s mansion while Ophelia was still alive. 

Beth regarded me with the suspicion of a goblin. 

I simply grinned.

“…Lady Emilia? What you just told her…”

“Ophelia had a lot of… achievements from her younger days.”

“That Ophelia, the deceased Lady of Windrose…?”

“Yes.”

“Achievements, you say…?”

Her tone was hesitant, but I merely nodded. 

Indeed, Marchioness Windrose had subsequently returned, pale as a ghost, to chastise Ophelia. 

But, as usual, Ophelia was unconcerned. 

Ophelia was always Ophelia, whether she was flinging frog eggs or transforming the Marquis’s backyard into a demon-summoning circle.

“Is that true? The tadpole…”

“I don’t lie about Ophelia-related stories.”

Beth hurriedly covered her lips. 

Amy and Polita, the passionate lovers, seemed to fade from her consciousness. 

In any case, a noble young lady who had greeted me with such pomp had suddenly burst into tears. 

Inadvertently, I became the focus of everyone’s attention.

Sobbing, Young Lady Betty walked to Elodie and poured out her heart while those around her comforted her. 

Elodie sat quietly listening, yet…

‘It’s my opinion, but why does it seem so insignificant?’

Even when I was publicly smacked in broad daylight, Elodie was taken aback. 

I expected her to be more empathetic to someone in this situation. 

Her gestures were tender, and her face was friendly, yet her eyes seemed especially frigid compared to previously. 

Cyclamen, the Young Lady of a baron with beautiful red hair soothing the grieving Young Lady Betty, abruptly stood up. 

The princess, who had been staring at us, appeared concerned. 

She had to have known something was about to happen. 

Young Lady Cyclamen took little time to approach me.

“Hey!”

There were no formal greetings such as ‘Lady Emilia.’ 

Her introduction was as fiery as her red hair.

“Didn’t you always do this? Use the deceased Young Lady’s story to your advantage. Didn’t you tell Young Lady Betty a painful story?”

I paused for a moment before responding. 

It wasn’t a fabrication…

“…It is a painful story.”

“Apologize to Young Lady Betty.”

I remember half-jokingly Countess McGinty telling me that sobbing could help. 

Looking over here and seeing Young Lady Betty sobbing horribly, I was at a loss for words. 

She appeared to be making full use of her tears. 

While Elodie carefully patted her back, she was still heaving, her face pale blue, groaning with each breath. 

Several servants ran over carrying what appeared to be medicine.

“Alright. Please convey my apologies to Young Lady Betty.”

“What?”

Beth seemed taken aback by my response. 

The eyes of Young Lady Cyclamen enlarged. 

She hadn’t expected me to accept so quickly, and her reply was shaky. 

I didn’t stop there, of course.

“I had no idea Ophelia’s aquatic life exploration play would be so traumatic for her. I assumed such recollections would be only child’s play, believing she was proud to be Ophelia’s buddy. Could you ask her if the problem was with the frogs or the tadpoles? Or lizards? I’m not sure, Young Lady Betty recalls, but a half-split skink bit her ankle at the time, and blood poured out, followed by maggots…”

“Why, being a noble lady, do you speak so naturally of such dreadful things?!”

“Ophelia was also a noble.”

“You must have been the one who corrupted Ophelia!”

I just shrugged my shoulders instead of responding. 

Young Lady Cyclamen’s face appeared to turn pale blue. 

Yes, Ophelia did use similar methods back then. 

She only had to get her hands dirty to eliminate the beautifully reared noble ladies. 

It was effective. 

Making them read a 500-page thick book all day, and other such activities were passed off as ‘trials to become Ophelia’s buddy.’

“These are priceless childhood memories for me. You claim to be Ophelia’s buddy. You should treasure every memory you’ve created with Ophelia.”

Young Lady Cyclamen clenched her teeth and stepped back from me. 

Beth gave me an indescribable expression. 

That’s when it started.

“May I hear a bit of that story too?”

A distinct voice among the others. 

I was calmly studying the beauty who was approaching us gracefully. 

Beth, who was nearby, gasped inadvertently at her appearance. 

Elodie was the one.

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

I was mesmerized by Elodie’s face, which was gently smiling at me, and I couldn’t find the words to explain how I felt. 

Dealing with the ladies picking fights with me was easier since their objectives were evident. 

They only wanted me to grovel in front of them. 

They sought to remove my halo as Ophelia’s friend and prove that I was no better than them in any manner. 

They gnashed their teeth at least once; thus, such childish attempts permitted me to respond childishly. 

I eloquently depicted the awful images to shock these delicately reared noble ladies.

But…