MPBAGS Chapter 32

Before going, I should change clothes first and grab some money. For clothes, I rummaged through the dress room and found a modest white dress to wear. Most of the clothes Evangeline originally wore are too frilly for my taste, so I don't have much to wear.

To escape being a villainess, I need to wear more modest clothes. I should buy some clothes in that style. I haven't paid attention to this since I never leave the house.

"Aren't you caring too much about just that human?"

While I was busily preparing to leave, Jelly grumbled. Even while saying that, he combed my hair and chose accessories, saying this parasol would suit this outfit. Jelly is a tsundere type. A gruff knight and a tsundere wolf beastman - looking at how the character types don't overlap, I wonder if the next character to appear will be a gentle noble who smiles with crinkled eyes in any situation?

"That's overprotectiveness."

No, Jelly! You don't understand!

This is a tragic romance novel where the female lead gets kidnapped and almost dies from the beginning! In tragic novels, the female lead gets into carriage accidents and meets assassins just from riding carriages!

Since Kanna was kidnapped, I've always kept her by my side, so I didn't know I'd worry this much. I have separation anxiety...

Meanwhile, our house cat is independent. I don't see Pudding - he must have gone for a walk again, so I just left him a note. It's fortunate that Pudding is a beastman in this regard. But he's still young and can't speak yet - can he read? Looking back, Jelly nodded. He can read, it seems.

"Shall we go now?"

Jelly extended his hand.

It seems to be a universal rule that physical contact is needed for teleportation. When I placed my hand on his, Jelly used magic to teleport us.

I blinked and when I opened my eyes, we were inside a carriage. There wasn't even the usual dizziness. Jelly must be quite an excellent mage. Well, looking at Jelly's appearance, he's definitely a major character in this romance novel, and major characters need to be capable.

"I moved us to the carriage so we wouldn't be noticed. Satisfied?"

"Yes. Good job."

The place we teleported to was the Rohanson estate carriage. The kids must have already gotten off since I didn't see them. Looking out the carriage window, I could see the Grand Temple.

I wondered if they had gone inside, but I spotted familiar silhouettes standing in the garden. People around were glancing and whispering, and one man was talking to the two. It looked like they were caught trying to enter the temple.

The well-dressed man seemed to be a noble. Could that be the gentle noble character I just mentioned? After thinking for a moment, I was relieved looking at his appearance. He looked sleazy and arrogant, and from his face, he didn't seem like a main character. Then he must be like a playboy hitting on the female lead.

I was about to rush over and stop him but hesitated. Isn't it usually a cliché for the male lead to save the female lead when some strange guy comes to bother her? I had a precedent of stealing Gabriel's entrance scene like this before, so I was conflicted.

Right. Let me wait a little. Since this is the Grand Temple, Gabriel's power-up event should happen.

While waiting, I listened carefully to hear what that guy was babbling about.

"...their clothes looked shabby."

What did that bastard just say?

Right now, Kanna and Henna weren't wearing the Rohanson estate maid uniforms but regular clothes. They were neat and pretty, so what's shabby about them? The following words were even more outrageous.

"Your young lady is too much. If she's sending you to the temple, she should at least lend you some decent clothes for others to see."

Henna said taking the Rohanson Count's carriage wouldn't cause trouble, but it seems to have backfired. It seems like they're drawing aggro because Evangeline is a villainess.

That last part honestly made me feel guilty. To make excuses, I haven't been paying attention to my own clothes either. This is honestly my fault, but having it pointed out by some extra - not even extra #1 but like extra #18 - makes me feel worse.

"That young lady's maternal family is the Hosaquin Duke house. But it seems the Duke house doesn't particularly support her? Looking at how she doesn't even have money to buy her maids proper clothes."

What did he just say? Hosaquin Duke house? Wow. I didn't expect to hear about Evangeline's maternal family here. It wasn't clearly mentioned in the diary and Kanna and Henna didn't know either, so I had nowhere to ask.

But look at how this bad guy talks. I thought he was just hitting on them, but he was trying to build rapport by gossiping about others.

Insulting me and picking on Kanna and Henna. Killing two birds with one stone. The eloquence of nobles is scary.

'By the way, why isn't Gabriel coming?'

I wondered if I had to keep listening to gossip about me like this, but just then Gabriel appeared in the distance. Gabriel, hurry up and sortie! Save Kanna! I was cheering enthusiastically, but Gabriel didn't budge. Rather, he seemed to be observing Kanna. What is that guy doing? Why isn't he stopping it?

Don't tell me he's doing that because he fell for me instead of Kanna? Even if he's someone who's only kind to his woman, he's a knight so he should have some professional ethics.

Gabriel showed no sign of intervening, while Kanna hung her head as if hurt, and Henna was restless beside her.

I couldn't stand watching anymore and got up from my seat. Even if I possessed this body and it became a villainess possession story, isn't treating the original female lead like this really too much?

"Let's get out."

Maybe because I was annoyed, my voice sank low. Jelly, who had been watching my mood, quickly opened the carriage door, perhaps noticing I was upset.

When the door suddenly opened, the coachman who was standing in front tending to the horses was startled and stumbled.

"...Why, why is the young lady here?"

Right. Of course he'd be surprised if Evangeline suddenly popped out of an empty carriage. I took a werewolf taxi! I'm in a hurry, so I'll explain later.

Jelly got out first to escort me. Since there were many nobles around, he seemed to be telling me to be mindful of watching eyes. No matter how I think about it, he's more like an all-purpose problem-solving butler than a reverse harem member.

After getting out holding Jelly's hand, I opened my parasol. Jelly must have good taste because the parasol was quite pretty.

Moreover, Jelly must be handsome because people's attention was already focused on us. Evangeline was also pretty enough to live up to her villainess reputation.

When the surroundings became quiet, Kanna and Henna also turned around.

"...Young lady."

"Miss!"

Henna was relieved as if seeing a savior, and Kanna, who had been dejected, smiled brightly like a blooming flower when she saw me. I walked over with big steps and stood in front of the two.

"...Ro, Rohanson young lady?"

Right. I'm the Rohanson young lady you were just gossiping about! He stammered as if he never dreamed the person in question would appear.

"You, you came together? But why did you get out so late...?"

Translated into romance novel language, this means: If you had gotten out of the carriage earlier and shown your face, I would have known you were there and wouldn't have gossiped behind your back.

"I was feeling unwell and was resting in the carriage for a moment. And you are...?"

"Ah. I apologize for my rudeness. I am Anulen Benzen of the Benzen Marquis house."

Damn. I thought he was just a mob character, but he seems to be a marquis's son. What do I do! Evangeline is a count's daughter so she's at a disadvantage in terms of power! He outranks Evangeline. Why is Evangeline a villainess but not a duke's daughter! Ah, that's why the duke house is her maternal family.

"But what were you discussing with my children, young master?"

I don't know, sue me. It seems I was too late, so I decided to abandon the route of becoming friendly with grandfather like a granddaughter, but maybe I shouldn't have. It seemed like they were estranged, but I should try to maintain some relationship going forward.