MPBAGS Chapter 91

And I regretted it as soon as I got back.

"You're late!"

Misha was waiting with fire in her eyes.

As soon as I arrived, I was caught and attended to from head to toe. I can only say I was truly handled. This is the first time anyone has manhandled me like this since I possessed Evangeline! Even with the male lead Gabriel, we only held hands and kissed the back of my hand! They poured so much scented oil during the massage that my body smells like flowers.

The makeup and hair styling were completed with Daisy and Henna clinging to me under Misha's supervision. Kanna was chased away by Misha because she wasn't skilled with her hands and just watched from the corner.

My hair was sprinkled with gold and silver powder and the curls were enhanced and set, but amazingly, instead of clumping together, it would fall apart smoothly when touched. Is this the skill of a master?

The dress was also altered slightly. I thought it was completely finished last time, but apparently after trying it on, they found more things to modify. It's like 'final_final_final_final' files.

The detailed alterations were hard to notice, but there were parts that were obviously different. The dress now had red rubies attached. Not just any rubies, but ones crafted into flower shapes. Originally, debutante balls involved carrying bouquets, but nowadays it's been simplified and it's trendy to attach flower decorations as corsages or hair ornaments.

"Fresh flowers are especially popular."

Since they wilt when worn for long periods, they even bring maids specifically to change the flowers.

"You would certainly look good with fresh flowers too, my lady, but since you're more mature than other young ladies, I wanted to create a distinction."

Misha said I was mature, which was a roundabout way of saying I was older. Since debutante balls are usually held around age sixteen, Evangeline is four years over the appropriate age. It's like a senior preparing for a graduation thesis mixed in with fresh newcomers. Then I definitely can't wear flowers like the other kids.

Fortunately, the ruby-crafted flowers suited Evangeline much better than fresh flowers. The bright red was similar to her eye color too. As I was handling and admiring the jewels, Misha smiled mischievously and winked.

"And about the jewels, it wasn't me who prepared them - it was Sir Gabriel."

Gabriel? Suddenly the jewels felt very heavy. Why is this guy preparing things like this when he's being managed by my harem? Making people feel embarrassed...

And the preparation ended with putting on white lace gloves. The gloves were strangely warm, and Kanna said she had been holding them to warm them up. Kanna shyly added the reason.

"It's raining outside. What if you catch a cold, miss?"

"The young lady catching a cold?"

"Yes! She's frail!"

"Ah... Kanna really worries about the young lady a lot."

Misha was impressed. My shoulders straightened with pride. You don't have a sunshine heroine at your house, do you? This is what a sunshine heroine is like. Whether it rains or snows, she only worries about me. While dark clouds fill the sky outside, it feels like sunshine is shining in my heart. I tried hard to keep my lips from curling up as I thanked her.

"Thank you."

"Not at all. Miss, you're really beautiful!"

As Kanna said, dressed up like this, I was really damn pretty. My flowing hair looked like silver thread, and my lips and cheeks had more color than usual, making me look like a living doll. Right. To be a romance villainess, you need this level of impact. Indeed, it was a face that could enchant the heroine and make the male lead fall for her looks.

Is the preparation all done? Misha looked me over once and closed her eyes as if satisfied. This wasn't a description - she actually swayed.

"I have no regrets now..."

"Huh? Lady Artemisia? Get a grip!"

Daisy barely caught the falling Misha. Did she faint? I looked worriedly, and I could hear small snoring sounds. She must have collapsed from exhaustion. How tired must she have been to suddenly fall asleep while standing? It was a dress I requested urgently, and she must have been incredibly tired from not sleeping and working hard. I really need to give Misha a hefty bonus...

"We can't leave her like this, so we should move Misha to a room."

"Yes, my lady."

Henna and Daisy supported Misha from both sides and left the room. Since Misha was taller than both of them, her feet dragged on the floor. Shouldn't they support her differently?

"A body came out of the young lady's room...!"

"She's still alive."

But there must have been other people outside. Since the door was still open, I could hear Henna's explanation from here. But... Henna, saying "still" means Misha will die someday, doesn't it? Of course, all humans will die eventually, but...

"She fainted from exhaustion, so could you please take her to a room?"

"Yes, yes..."

It seemed too much for the two of them to carry Misha, so I asked the servants for help. It seemed like tomorrow there would be another rumor in the mansion that I made Misha faint. Come to think of it, she fainted from overwork making my dress, so it wasn't entirely wrong.

This is how another rumor grows. As I was holding my head, the two who had finished handing over Misha returned. Misha was asleep, and the preparation was done. Should I leave now?

"My lady, shall we depart right away?"

"When does the banquet start?"

"It starts at 8, so we have about 3 hours."

"Really? Then... go ask the Count what time we should leave."

I've never been to a banquet, so I'm not sure when to go. Should I go a bit early and do some socializing? Hmm, that doesn't seem right... The protagonist should arrive late.

I was busily recalling romance clichés when a maid carefully spoke up.

"My, my lady, they say the Count has already departed."

What?

The preparation didn't take that long, yet he left first without the courtesy of waiting? He went early when there's still a long time before the banquet starts? How petty to go first? I wasn't planning to take the same carriage anyway, but I was annoyed for no reason.

Whatever. Then I'll go slowly. Lady Totten still hasn't contacted me, so Bishop Marik will be my chaperone, but going early would just make me nervous in front of the exorcist.

I was playing with Pudding, trying to kill time, when Jelly, who had been looking out the window, suddenly called me.

"Master."

That damn "master." Ever since Jelly called me that in front of Raphaela to tease me, he's been stubbornly using that title. Even when I tell him to just call me Evangeline, he won't listen.

"Someone's coming."

"Who?"

There's no one who should be coming. Who would come in this pouring rain anyway? Maybe Gabriel?

I went to Jelly's side and looked out the window. I could only see rain... Come to think of it, Jelly is a beast-person, so he has good eyesight. It's natural I can't see now.

As I stared intently in the direction Jelly was looking, after a while I saw a rippling shape, and then a horse suddenly appeared in view. Oh, it's definitely not Gabriel. The horse Gabriel rides is a black steed that resembles its owner.

A person soaked through and wearing a cloak jumped down from the horse, but couldn't enter because the main gate was closed, so they stopped outside.

"It's an unfamiliar presence... They seem to have business with you, master. Should I bring them?"

Maybe because he got scolded before for arbitrarily dealing with surveillance on me, Jelly looked for my opinion cautiously. When I nodded, Jelly wagged his tail excitedly. It felt like playing 'fetch!' - strange feeling. Is Jelly actually a dog, not a wolf?

"Bring them carefully without hurting them."

I quickly added conditions in case he might break something while bringing them. If they were secretly watching me, they wouldn't reveal themselves like that. If it's a knight Gabriel sent, or purely a guest looking for me, they shouldn't be hurt.

"Yesss..."

Jelly answered with a complaining tone, then teleported and disappeared, returning with the cloaked person in front of me before I could even blink.

No, Jelly! I meant go downstairs and escort them up, not use magic to skip the middle process and make them appear right in front of me! You might as well write 'mage' on your forehead!

"I brought them intact as you said."

"That's not what I meant... no, you did well, Jelly."

What more could I expect from you? I forcibly ignored my throbbing head and focused on the unidentified cloaked person. The person Jelly brought was soaked through - their cloak was completely wet from the rain. An unexpected voice came from inside the wet cloak.

"Lady Rohanson..."

"Lady Totten?"

When I carefully removed the hood, the revealed face was someone I never expected. Why is Lady Totten appearing here? She had no contact, and suddenly appears dramatically right before the banquet? Are you filming a movie? Well, since this is a romance novel, a dramatic entrance fits the context.

Lady Totten's complexion was pale, probably from being in the rain. No matter how thick a cloak is, fabric can't block a downpour completely. The distance from the Totten Marquis house to our house was quite far even by carriage, and riding a horse through this rain would naturally leave her in poor condition.

Lady Totten, who had been constantly muttering to herself, seemed to come to her senses when I called her and looked around before opening her eyes wide in wonder.

"What is this, I was just outside a moment ago?"

"...I brought her because she said she was looking for you. Isn't that right?"

I don't know. I should just brazen it out. Lady Totten also seems mentally unsettled and confused from rushing through the heavy rain, so I'll just pretend I don't know about Jelly teleporting me and let it slide.

Lady Totten clutched her head in confusion.

"Yes... that's right. I came looking for the young lady."

Fortunately, she really did have business with me. Perhaps she came to chaperone me?

"Please get in the carriage. You're soaked through."

"Well... I was worried the young lady might have already left for the imperial palace, so I had to ride hard to get here quickly."

So she's saying she rode through the rain worrying I might scold her if she was late? Just how wickedly does she view me?

Considering the soaked lady, Daisy added more logs to the fireplace. Meanwhile, Henna, who had gone outside to fetch towels, returned and handed one to Lady Totten. It seemed like she gave it to dry her drenched body, but Lady Totten only wiped her tears. No, you'll catch a cold like that.

But Lady Totten looked in no condition to attend a banquet. She must have been caught in so much rain that water dripped from her hair to her face, making her look exactly like someone who had been crying buckets. Her eyes were red too. Don't tell me she didn't come to chaperone me but to cancel, saying she couldn't do it?

Maybe she's been avoiding me all this time and only came now out of guilt.

"Either way, you're too late to make a decision."

Whether to cancel or give permission, how nice it would have been if she'd contacted me a little earlier. Oh no. I didn't mean to complain, but I ended up speaking sarcastically without realizing it.

"You're right. I'm too late..."

Lady Totten's eyes welled up with tears at my question, and she contorted her face. She seemed to regret it terribly and feel sorry. Oops, I misspoke. People can be a little late sometimes.

"I was waiting for you."

I took the towel from Lady Totten's hands and just dried her myself. Lady Totten's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden physical contact. I didn't intend to think this while facing someone who looked like a drowned rat, but perhaps because I'd just escaped the situation of Bishop Marik chaperoning me, Lady Totten felt like a knight on a white horse. Of course, the horse Lady Totten rode was just a brown horse.

"You'll be my chaperone, won't you?"

Now that it's come to this, even if Lady Totten says she won't chaperone me, I'll have to bow down and beg her. If only Lady Totten agrees, I won't have to tremble in fear before the exorcist anymore.

"I need someone who will care for me wholeheartedly even after seeing me as I truly am."

"Yes, I'll do anything. Anything."

My saying that Lady Totten was the only suitable person to take responsibility for me must have worked. Lady Totten agreed without hesitation. Yahoo! I did well to wait at home instead of going out immediately with the Count. Now that Lady Totten has come, I have justification to refuse Bishop Marik.

I feel so happy I could fly, thinking I've avoided the dangerous journey with the exorcist and the exorcism ending. The romance novel almost became a supernatural thriller. I acted tough to Raphaela, saying I'd just do whatever, but I was actually a bit scared. But thinking about medieval tortures, isn't it natural to be frightened? Wouldn't it be strange to be calm?

"Did the young lady... know I would come?"

"No. I'm not a god, so how could I know the future?"

"I suppose not..."

Honestly, I didn't even expect it. Raphaela should have been here! It's too bad Raphaela couldn't experience the thrill of winning on a reverse bet.

"I thought the young lady would know that I would eventually come looking for you."

Lady Totten became dejected. Whoa. She must be hurt that I didn't believe in her. But isn't it a thief's mentality to disappear and then expect to be trusted?

"Ryder has been sick all this time."

Of course, if her son was sick and she had no time to contact me, then she's innocent. She wasn't a thief but a righteous bandit.

"His fever was so high that I only remembered you today. I came too late, but... Lady Rohanson, do you remember what you said to me before?"

"What did I say?"

What did I say? I only remember complimenting the Marquis house's butler grandfather. Lady Totten hesitated and lifted her head to meet my eyes.

"You told me to lean on you."

"I did?"

I said that?

"You definitely said it. That it was okay to lean on you."

Lady Totten said with conviction. Her eyes were blazing, and it definitely didn't look like a lie.

I guess I did say that. Maybe I said it while comforting her? I must have said all sorts of things trying to make a good impression on the lady then. This is why people should speak honeyed words in moderation.

"If those words are still valid, please. I beg you to help me."

Lady Totten leaned toward me, bringing her face close. I felt burdened and subtly moved back, lifting my face, which made me look like I was arrogantly raising my chin. Could you please step back a little?

Well... since the lady said she'd chaperone me, I could listen to her request, but shouldn't I hear what kind of favor it is first? I also have limits to the funds I can use.

"Is it about Ryder?"

"Yes. You're the only one who can bring that child back."

Ah. Hearing Lady Totten's words, I could guess the whole story. Her son was terribly sick, so she was distracted, then realized today was the debutante day and came rushing over. But Ryder is still very sick, so Lady Totten came to me grasping at straws.

"...I dare to ask you. Please bring Ryder back."

Lady Totten's eyes became moist again. I definitely told her before that there was no other way to save Lady Totten's son, speaking as if the rumors were true. That's why I thought Lady Totten was just avoiding me.

"At this rate, the butler will get his way and Diess will take over the marquis estate."

"The butler?"

Are you talking about that butler grandfather who was absolutely loyal?

"As the young lady said, the butler has been deceiving me. Taking advantage of my child being sick, he brought my husband's brother who could inherit..."

Wait. I don't quite understand the situation. The butler grandfather is trash? And I told her that? I only complimented him.

Lady Totten briefly explained the family situation. To summarize, the butler and the husband's brother are working together, planning to kill Ryder and swallow up the marquis house.

The incident is much more serious than I thought. It's not just about healing a sick child, but about lending strength to a succession competition involving a marquis house. So the butler telling me not to reveal the treatment method wasn't consideration but to secure his own interests.

Lady Totten seemed to be pondering something, biting her lips and clasping her hands. She glanced at me and moved her mouth.

"Please help me. The young lady is the only one I can ask for help."

Right now, Lady Totten couldn't do anything, and the only way to break this situation was for Ryder to be completely cured and establish his position. Lady Totten must think I'm the only one who can solve both problems. Evangeline has notoriety, funds, and a track record of recovering from illness to health.

But is there anything I can do? Evangeline's recovery only appears that way because I possessed her body. I pondered a bit because of Lady Totten looking at me desperately with silent tears, then came to a conclusion.

"Henna, how much time do we have?"

"Enough to make a brief stop at the marquis estate."

Henna checked the time and went along with the plan. Did you hear that? She says we have enough time to stop by briefly.

Although I might not be as omnipotent as Lady Totten wants, I at least wanted to listen to her story and share some of her burden. Even if I can't completely cure her child, I can at least use the villainess's reputation to save Ryder from the butler or the marquis's brother who have taken control of the marquis house.

It bothered me too much to ignore. Yes, this is give and take. Lady Totten is someone who became my chaperone despite Evangeline's notoriety. She did disappear, but she had the circumstances of her child being sick, and she rushed over on the same day worried she might be late.

"Lord Gabriel said that Lady Totten has a reputation as a model of noble ladies."

Lady Totten looked puzzled at the sudden preamble.

Perhaps from riding through the rain, Lady Totten's hair was pressed down and flat, her makeup was mostly smeared, and her dress was torn in several places. Compared to her reputation as a perfect model of noble ladies in high society, she was quite disheveled.

"I can't bring my chaperone to the event looking drenched. Unfortunately, Rohanson estate doesn't have clothes for the lady to wear, so we'll have to go to the Totten marquis house."

Lady Totten's eyes widened.

"With all this rain, I can't send the lady alone. I'll accompany you."

Besides, Lady Totten rode a horse to Rohanson estate. Since she also needs to attend the banquet, we have no choice but to stop by the marquis house first and then head to the banquet hall together.

"Thank you. Thank you, young lady."

Lady Totten was moved to tears. Whether it was the Count saying I'd become a proper person during lunch, or Lady Totten now, everyone seems greatly moved when I treat them even slightly kindly. Just how trash was Evangeline's personality originally?

"Then let's hurry to the estate, ah!"

Lady Totten was stepping forward in joy when she stumbled. I looked and saw the heel of her shoe had fallen off. Seriously, there's nothing intact. Just how roughly did you ride here?

My shoes probably won't fit Lady Totten... Oh, there's one that looks similar in size.

"Daisy. Could you bring mother's shoes? The ones Misha fixed."

"Yes, I will."

Daisy went out and brought the shoes.

"How's the size?"

"They fit well. But... May I wear the young lady's mother's belongings?"

The shoes the lady is wearing now were excavated from the storage room. While Evangeline's mother's belongings are generally well-organized downstairs, just one pair was stuck in the storage room next to my room.

Except for the stains, they're high-quality women's shoes, but I immediately realized they weren't Evangeline's because the foot size was different. When I found them, they were stained dark red, so maybe they were forgotten when trying to throw them away?

It felt awkward for me to throw away someone else's belongings, so I just left them, but Misha thought they were my shoes and cleaned them up nicely. She said it was hard work removing the stains, but I couldn't wear them because they didn't fit, so I just left them.

"Yes, it's fine."

So wouldn't it be okay for Lady Totten to wear them?

Since they were abandoned anyway, they can hardly be called belongings. I can't make Lady Totten walk barefoot, so this worked out perfectly.

I went out with Lady Totten, who had put on the shoes, to get in the carriage. Since we were going to stop by the Marquis's house first and then go straight to the Imperial Palace, I told them to prepare in advance.

When Melech, wearing a tightly pressed eye mask, brought out the carriage pulled by black horses, I somewhat understood why the Count left first. Because of the rain, the bottom was hazy, making it look like the horses had no feet. It was like a carriage from a horror movie. Actually, since it's led by ghosts, it's about half right. At this level, I wouldn't want to ride it even if I died.

"Are we riding this...?"

"Yes. Please get in."

Lady Totten also hesitated for a moment. Of course, Lady Totten had no power to resist, so she obediently got in the carriage and settled across from me.

"I plan to stop by the Totten marquis house and then go straight to the imperial palace."

"Yes. Please be careful."

Daisy bowed in greeting, and Kanna waved her handkerchief regretfully. I roughly patted their shoulders and got in the carriage. Since Henna had learned imperial etiquette the most, she was the one to accompany me to the imperial palace.

And Jelly also got in the carriage under the pretext of being a guard. It was called a guard, but if anything happened at the marquis house, he was the secret weapon to suppress the situation with magic. He was sitting with his legs crossed arrogantly, whistling, making Lady Totten frown as she looked at Jelly.

"That man is..."

"I'm the master's dog—"

"He's my right-hand man."

I quickly changed the subject as Jelly was about to say nonsense in front of Lady Totten. You need to consider your audience when joking! Is Lady Totten the same as Raphaela?

"I see, the young lady's..."

"Then we'll depart."

Lady Totten seemed to be having some strange thoughts, but before I could correct her, Melech started the carriage. Even with all this rain, there wasn't a single shake—his driving skills are truly exceptional. I'd like to use him as my driver for life.

It didn't take long to reach the Totten marquis house. Soon the carriage's speed gradually slowed. Have we arrived? I pushed aside the curtain attached to the carriage and looked outside. Through the glass, I could see the Totten marquis house. Unlike what I'd seen before, the marquis house looked gloomy and depressing. It must be because of the rain.