Violet walked closer to Lady Tolofia and smiled.

“I’ve been there too.”

“…What?”

Then she started talking about something else. Lady Tolofia couldn’t understand Violet’s intentions. Regardless, Violet, in her arrogant way, continued speaking without caring about her reputation.

“I once staked my life on the evaluations of others and tried to fit everything to their expectations.”

“…You?”

“Why, does it not seem like it?”

Lady Tolofia’s question was valid.

Not only was the current Violet indifferent to others, but even the past Violet, who was called a villainess, seemed far from someone who cared about reputation. If she had, she wouldn’t have been labeled a villainess in the first place.

Violet, reading her confusion, laughed again.

“Crushing someone else won’t make you noble. You just have to think about yourself. Reputations made by others can easily crumble, but the value you build yourself won’t.”

It sounded arrogant at first. Yet, in another way, it was incredibly naive.

Such words could only be spoken by someone like Violet.

“I am me. Not a being that sits quietly like a flower, waiting for someone’s love, but a living, breathing entity.”

“That’s because you were born a high noble.”

“You are also the daughter of a count.”

“…My father would be furious.”

“Then I’ll ask you this— If you strip away the lineage you’ve inherited from your father, what else is left?”

“……”

“In that case, a street shoeshiner would have more value than you.”

“How can you insult someone like this!?”

“Are you admitting you see yourself as worthless?”

“I am not worthless. I, I am…!”

Lady Tolofia, who had been shouting while suppressing her voice, fell silent.

The value raised by beauty would disappear the moment that beauty faded. Or, it would lose its light the moment someone more beautiful appeared.

Having experienced this firsthand, Lady Tolofia could no longer find words to rebut.

She just felt wronged. If asked what exactly was unfair, she couldn’t answer, but she gritted her teeth against the rising sense of injustice.

“…You don’t know anything.”

“Right. I don’t know. Just as you don’t know anything about me.”

“…Do you think I don’t?”

“What do you claim to know?”

“At least as much as I need to.”

“That’s only the image reflected in public.”

“I know enough to see your arrogance.”

To the end, she denied Violet’s words. Whether she was denying herself or Violet’s life was unclear, but she did.

Watching Lady Tolofia, Violet gave her one last piece of advice.

“I’ve tried it, and living as a villainess isn’t so bad.”

If someone who doesn’t yield to others’ evaluations is called a villainess, then living as one isn’t so bad.

Of course, it was something she could say in retrospect. The days when Violet lived as a villainess were like living in hell.

But, even so.

Violet was still a villainess. Not because she wanted to be, but because there were still those who continued to label her as one.

Because she was arrogant. Because she was proud. Because she did things her way. Because she didn’t adhere to tradition. Because she captivated the crown prince with her stunning beauty and seemed likely to manipulate national affairs to her whims.

They tore Violet apart, judged her, sometimes idolized her, and shaped their opinions as they saw fit.

All for their amusement.

“Of course, whatever you do, it’s your choice.”

The answer was already set. Still, having options was better than having none.

Lady Tolofia gave up on arguing with Violet any further.

* * *

‘This is so boring…’

Having said all she wanted to Lady Tolofia, Violet wandered the banquet hall, hiding her fatigued expression.

It was a trivial conversation. In the end, she had poured out everything she wanted to say in response to the claim that she was selfish and wicked for living as she pleased.

She set aside numerous contradictions. She was simply tired of those who were terrifyingly indifferent to the pain of others.

As Violet wandered the hall, she found Roen, who also seemed to be hiding his fatigue.

Although she didn’t particularly like Roen, dealing with him was better than with the persistent admirers. So, she quickly greeted Roen.

And Roen responded with a gentlemanly smile.