“This time, I’ll pretend I took no notice of your impertinence.”

“What? Are you just going to let her go like this? Are you kidding me?”

“It’s my decision. You don’t need to intervene.”

“Are you the one who was insulted?! I was insulted as well!”

“Let’s leave before you cause a foolish scene.”

“Hey!”

In response to the warning, the woman hurriedly left. Cairn, still wearing a dissatisfied expression, gripped the hilt of his sheathed sword. Violet let out a small sigh at the anticlimactic exit.

“Did you hear that she’s being sold to some lowborn man about the same age as her father?” Violet murmured.

“What?”

“That girl.”

“Why does that matter?”

“…I just thought to mention it.”

Violet needled Cairn’s already irritated temperament. Aldin, standing next to him, tried to calm Cairn down.

“It’s a life situation that can’t be helped.”

“Are you pitying her?”

“…A little.”

“I knew it.”

But Violet just shrugged. In any case, it wasn’t her problem. No matter how much she might sympathize, it wouldn’t make a difference.

“Oh, look, the carriage is here.”

“Finally.”

“……”

Zylo came back with the carriage.

Violet decided to stop caring about things that didn’t concern her.

* * *

Gossip was always like that, but the criticism directed at Violet had crossed the line.

Although she was used to the usual slander, it was troublesome when even top-secret information got mixed in.

[ Shocking News! Her Majesty the Empress’s Mistake? ]

The empress made a request for a painting from Ducal Lady Everett, and this became a ‘disgrace’ in the art world.

Aside from snubbing many other famous artists, who in the right mind would give any preferential treatment to the one creating demonic paintings?

Etcetera, etcetera.

But the matter of the empress’s painting commission to the ducal lady was top secret information. After all, it involved the imperial family. A renowned figure in the art world should not be poking his nose in such a thing.

Once Violet had asked about this, Roen said,

“Leave it alone. It’s better to let them be so they can further damn themsel… Ah, pretend you didn’t hear that.”

He made a rather ominous statement.

Well, since those people’s fates were now at the hand of the Young Duke of Everett, Violet had chosen not to concern herself with it.

This kind of freedom of the press was quite surprising, if Violet were to be honest, considering that the empire was under the rule of a tyrant who had brought the tempest of war. Perhaps the emperor had earned the title of a tyrant through trivial reasons.

However, even if that were the case, Violet had no intention of letting this matter slide forever.

She was simply waiting for the right moment.

“Milady, there’s a letter from Count Larsen. It seems to be about sponsorship related to the arts…”

“You’ve become better and better at this, Mary. I’ll check it later. There’s something else I want you to do.”

“Yes?”

“Now, can you do exactly as I say?”

She had been hearing that she had become too nice these days, but Violet’s core nature was far from mild.

After hearing what Violet had to say to her, Mary wore a concerned expression. She would, of course, follow the orders given to her, but what Violet was ordering was more along the lines of ‘threatening someone’.

But if she wanted to live a beautiful life with no other concerns except to paint, a few threats here and there were necessary.

“Will it be alright?”

“We’ll see how it turns out.”

And the results came quite quickly.

[ Breaking! The Devilish Ducal Lady’s True Identity! —The Witch of Everett, Known as the Worst, What Is Her True Nature? ]

The next day, the response came immediately. The content referred to Violet as a witch who had made a pact with a genuine devil and was considered to be able to bring forth the end of the world. Some articles had more or less refined their approach.

“Even so, articles that damage the family’s image are troublesome.”

“…This is supposed to be one of the milder articles, you know.”

Violet alternated between the article that was supposed to be published and the one that was actually published, wearing an aloof expression.

Roen, who knew that Violet’s true nature was far from mild, sipped his tea casually.

“The groundwork is complete. If you want, you can check it out right away,” he said.

And Violet replied, “You’re quite thorough.”

“I tried to fix it myself, but the person who’d be the angriest would be you, of course. Now, the data.”

After completing the research, Roen promptly handed the data to Violet. His face exuded trust, though it was more trust in Violet’s reputation as a villain than trust in his little sister.

“How foolish.”

“Trust in my abilities, will you. How much protection do you think is necessary?”

“Figure that out on your own.”

“Alright, trust me.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“…Can’t you say something affectionate?”

Teatime ended peacefully.

Focusing too much on minor criticism could lead to one’s downfall. However, clear and direct denigration was enough to spark retaliation. It would be a problem if progress in painting the imperial princess’s portrait slowed down.

Violet contemplated again.

Considering how just one word could make one very happy or very sad, there’s still a long way to go.