Episode 5

"Alphonse."

Mariette called her brother's name firmly, as if warning him.

Alphonse pursed his lips and gestured to the maid.

After bowing once in greeting, the maid disappeared from Mariette's bedroom.

Only after they were alone in the bedroom did she speak to her brother hesitantly.

"If you say such things to sister, I won't write for you. In just two months, Blancshe will become the Baroness."

"But Juan is. . ."

Before the words "human garbage" could continue, Mariette's eyes flashed.

"He's incredibly wealthy. Probably the richest man in the kingdom. If he were the second son in the kingdom, he would still be a wealthy man."

If he's wealthy, does it matter if the other person is old or a human pet?

Young Alphonse was confused.

Mariette revealed her pink gums and smiled.

"Your second sister is finally becoming a rich lady. Finally, our timid Blancshe will be of help to the family."

Her voice was sultry, as if she were not the girl who pitifully cried that she didn't want to marry Juan for money.

For a moment, Alphonse felt a chill, as if something was off.

". . . Sister?"

"I'm really happy, Alphonse. Brother-in-law is the empire's top genius, and you are a precious spirit mage. Moreover, Blancshe, who was the only flaw in our family, will soon become rich. Once she officially becomes a princess, I won't envy even the empress of the empire."

She lightly stroked Alphonse's frightened head and spoke as if it were of no importance.

"But before that, we have to calm Blancshe's heart. She won't listen to her sister's words like this."

-

"Sister, um. . ."

"Oh my. Our youngest. Why do you have such a bad expression? It seems like you're scared of something."

"Yes." Mariette still smiled like a picture and scolded her younger brother.

"It's okay. Alphonse listens to me well. I don't hate you, you know?"

"Yeah, Mariette noona." The boy hesitated and nodded his head, and Mariette smiled brightly.

Finally, Alphonse thought that maybe she had noticed his trick before Blanche did, but remained silent. That way, he could have his way.

On an early morning, four months before the wedding. Blanche had to force herself to wake up because Mariette's five maids couldn't wake her up. Unlike Blanche, who had lived with only one servant all her life, her twin sisters had many people by their side even when the family was in financial trouble.

"Miss Blanche! Please wake up! Mariette is waiting for you!" "Hey, you two! We'll wake her up, so go get the chair!"

"The water for washing up is ready!" Is this how it feels when you unexpectedly fall into a market stall? Last night, Blanche had to stay up late to use the free item exchange ticket, so she unknowingly frowned.

The [Free Item Exchange Ticket] was actually a random draw that didn't suit its name. Moreover, she had to be careful not to get caught when using the ticket, so her efforts to hold back sleep were in vain. Only in the late dawn could she finally turn the handle after covering the roulette with a blanket.

And her efforts to stay awake were in vain as she pulled out trash. [Potion of Recovery for Lesser Witches. It restores 1 HP per hour. It also has a detoxification effect, but it's best not to expect too much from it. ]

"I didn't even hope for the best item, [Experience Apple], but of all things, the worst item came out!"

Blanche lifted her heavy eyelids.

". . . . . . Noisy."

Despite the irritable voice that didn't fully wake her up, the blonde maid greeted her politely.

"Hello, Miss Blanche. I have come because Miss Mariette sent me."

There was no need to recap if there was a promise.

Blanche brushed off the hair that had fallen onto her forehead and ordered roughly.

"Everyone, leave because it's noisy."

However, no one listened to Blanche's words.

Moreover, the blonde maid even smiled brightly.

"Miss, please don't say that and quickly get up. Miss Mariette has invited you for tea time!"

Mariette's greenhouse was a gift from the former Marquis to her on her 12th birthday, filled with rare exotic flowers and fruits all year round.

Mariette often held tea parties there.

However, during all those tea times, Blanche had never been invited by her sister.

But now she wants to invite Blanche?

Blanche's heart sank immediately. "Has my sister forgotten that I am still sick?"

"That's not true! Look at this, Miss Blanche. This food was also sent by Miss Mariette!"

When the maid opened the silver cover on the trolley, a meticulously prepared Flemish soup was revealed.

The soup made with white grape wine and egg yolk was a famous nutritious diet for patients.

She buried herself deep into the blanket and closed her eyes again.

"Since you have no thoughts, just leave." "Miss, please don't do that. Look, how about this? Mariette sent a dress and accessories for you to wear during tea time."

Blanche murmured in a dry voice. ". . . . That's the dress my sister had tailored at Madame Luaz's dressing room last summer."

A system window popped up before she finished speaking. [system/ Mariette's maids are laughing at you. ]

Sure enough, they all had expressions that said, "Well, if you say so."

"You know about it, don't you? Well, Miss Second, take a look at this pearl necklace!" The pearl necklace in the maid's hand was another item that Blanche was familiar with.

". . . Isn't this my mother's?"

After the death of the viscountess, Blanche did not inherit a single piece of her mother's jewelry.

"Even if I received it, there was nowhere to go."

The brown-haired maid murmured, "Do you like it?"

". . . I'm not sure."

Is it a delusion? It feels like something is piercing through my bones.

Blanche sighed with annoyance and commanded, "I'll eat later. I feel uncomfortable, so I should wash up first."

Blanche, like Mariette, had a new white porcelain bathtub brought to her room, filled it with scented bathwater, and received a scalp massage, thoroughly washing from head to toe.

This was the first time she had washed like this since her mother passed away.

After finishing her bath, the maids sat her back on the bed and proudly displayed her makeup tools.

However, Blanche slapped away the hand of the maid who was about to comb her hair, just like Mariette. With a tone that seemed to ask what she was doing, she said, "Don't do that. I won't go to my sister's greenhouse."

"Yes?"

"Everyone, leave my bedroom now. Seriously. Tell my sister that thanks to her, I had a good bath."

"Miss, what is this. . ."

11

She stared at the brown-haired maid as if she wanted to scold her.

"That pearl necklace. It has too many scratches since I last saw it."

There is nothing more to say.

"That dress, on the first day my sister wore it, she never wore a similar dress again after she found Yeong-ae wearing the same dress. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

"Um, well. . ." "Tell my sister. I overestimated her taste too much."

The maids apologized half-heartedly. But their apologies were not sincere.

They were only worried about returning to Mariette and getting scolded.

The maids spoke lies without hesitation, without even applying lip balm.

"I'm sorry, Miss! Actually, it was us who chose this dress and pearl necklace, not Miss Mariette. So please don't hate Miss Mariette, who is your sister!"

"That's what I wanted to say." "Yes?"

"It feels like our sister has no eye for maids at all."

A stunning expression is what you would call the faces they were looking at.

Whether she said it or not, Blancshe didn't pay attention like before.

Blancshe lay on the bed with wet hair.

And she issued a command.

"If you don't leave within five minutes, I won't marry Father. And the reason will be all of you. Can you all handle it?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, miss!"

Apologies were popping up here and there like a nursery rhyme. But Blancshe saw it. They apologized, but their lips were slurring from alcohol. | Bang! The door closed as the popularity receded.

It closed.

Someone whose name was unknown shouted from the hallway, thinking they wouldn't be heard.

"Funny. Even if you try, you can't walk properly!"

After a while, she stepped her foot on the soft mat outside the bed.

After opening all the windows in the bedroom, Blancshe returned to bed.

Due to Mariette's personality, she couldn't give up on her like this.

Sure enough, her expectations soon became reality as a fierce gust of wind blew into the bedroom, causing Mariette to enter the maid's room with a start.

Unable to bear it any longer, she closed one of the windows herself and turned to Blancshe. "Oh my, Blancshe! You're still sick. But it's so cold!"

"That's right. Even if no one remembers to close my window."

Without wiping her lips once, Mariette looked at her maids and said, flicking her eyes.

"You. What on earth did you do to my sister?!"

"I, I'm sorry, miss!" The maids moved swiftly and closed all the windows.

However, they didn't give up on making excuses.

"But it's strange. We've never opened the windows." Naturally, Mariette didn't believe their words.

"Are you lying to me right now? You dare to do such a thing?!" "N-No, it's not like that. . ." The maids fell into the trap set by Blanche without a word.

The villainess received the family's worship and

Note: Unrevised