The Evil Ladies Form An Alliance

CHAPTER 10: How To Fix A Tainted Image Of A Villianess

Her grip on Emma’s shoulders faltered, and she let the maid go, her arms dropping limply to her sides. Her legs gave way, and she crumpled to the floor, her knees striking the cold marble. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, each drop a testament to the weight of despair settling over her.

"Why?" she thought bitterly, her chest tightening with every shaky breath. "Why does it have to be Valerie Hawthorne?"

Of all the characters in the otome game she loved, Valerie was the one she despised most. The infamous villainess, the embodiment of vanity and cruelty. She was the spoiled daughter of Duke Matheus Hawthorne, a woman who scorned every suitor who dared to propose to her, dismissing them as beneath her impossible standards of beauty.

In the game’s storyline, Valerie’s arrogance leads to her downfall. Forced into an engagement with the adopted son of Marquess Leonard Henstone, she found herself tied to a man who was the complete opposite of her dreams. Her fiancé was a legend in his own right, a towering warrior with dark obsidian hair, piercing eyes, and skin bronzed by the sun, a man whose very presence commanded respect. Yet, his origins as a commoner marked him as unworthy in Valerie’s eyes. But he was no ordinary man. Chosen by destiny, he awakened the Holy Sword, a weapon that had slumbered for a hundred years, waiting for a hero to claim it after the death of its last wielder. His feat cemented his place in history as a hero, yet Valerie saw only his humble roots, treating him with disdain. She threw tantrums, belittled him publicly, and poisoned every moment they shared.

And now… she was Valerie Hawthorne.

Valerie Hawthorne—the foolish villainess who sealed her tragic fate. Blinded by arrogance and her desperate longing for a perfect life, she abandoned her engagement to Ashton Henstone, the adopted son of Marquess Henstone and the hero chosen by the Holy Sword. Instead, she foolishly ran off with the second prince of a neighboring kingdom, enchanted by his sweet words and the promise of a better life.

But reality was far from the fairytale she had envisioned. The prince’s love was nothing more than a carefully constructed facade, a means to an end. To him, Valerie was no more than a prize—an insult carved into the hero’s legacy. By stealing her away, he aimed to humiliate Ashton and the kingdom that revered him.

Tears streamed down her face as the realization hit her like a thunderclap. She wasn’t just trapped in another world, she was trapped in the shoes of a woman doomed to lose everything. A woman fated to be hated, cast aside, and ultimately, forgotten.

Emma rushed to her side, her expression filled with concern as she knelt beside her trembling lady. "My lady, please calm yourself," she said gently, her voice soft but insistent. "Let me guide you back to bed. Even if the priest healed you, you still need rest."

Valerie allowed herself to be helped up, the weight of her emotions leaving her body limp and exhausted. Emma led her carefully to the grand bed, helping her settle against the plush pillows. For a long moment, the room was quiet except for the sound of Valerie’s shaky breaths. Finally, her sobs subsided, and she wiped her tear-streaked face, willing herself to regain composure.

Emma hovered nearby, her hands clasped nervously as she watched. “My lady, are you feeling better now?” she asked with genuine concern.

Valerie nodded weakly. “Yes… Thank you, Miss.”

Emma blinked in surprise, her lips curving into a small, hesitant smile. “My lady, you don’t have to call me Miss. Did you… forget my name too?”

Valerie’s heart clenched at the subtle pain in her servant’s tone. “I’m sorry… Miss Emma,” she replied, faltering.

Emma let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “There you go again, my lady. It’s just Emma. You don’t need to call me Miss.”

“Emma,” Valerie repeated softly, testing the name as if it were unfamiliar to her tongue.

“That’s better!” Emma’s smile grew brighter, the tension in the room easing ever so slightly. “Ah, my lady, you must be hungry,” she said, her tone lightening further as she stood. “You haven’t eaten since morning. Please wait here, I’ll fetch you something right away.”

As the door clicked shut behind Emma, Akari, now inhabiting the body of the infamous Valerie Hawthorne, leaned back against the grand bedframe, her thoughts racing. Her mind combed through every detail of the otome game she used to play. If she was to survive in this world, she needed to remember everything. The characters, the relationships, and the events that shaped their fates.

She recalled the primary characters in this route. Emma, her devoted maid, had always been by Valerie's side, even in the face of Valerie’s tantrums and poor decisions. In the game, Emma tries to stop Valerie from running off with the second prince, a decision that ultimately leads to her tragic end.

Then there was Alex, the butler. A steadfast presence in the mansion, he worked tirelessly to keep the household running smoothly, especially in the absence of Marquess Ashton and his adoptive father, who managed their territory. Alex was a kind and diligent character, but the original Valerie had treated him with the same disdain she showed everyone else.

Marquess Leonard, Ashton’s adoptive father, had been one of the few people Valerie spoke to with a modicum of respect, though only out of obligation. He was a close friend of her father, Duke Matheus Hawthorne, and that connection was the sole reason for her civility.

But the person who loomed largest in Akari’s memory was Ashton Henstone himself. A hero in every sense of the word, chosen by the Holy Sword to protect the kingdom. His towering physique and stoic demeanor masked a man burdened by doubt and insecurity, wounds inflicted not by battle but by Valerie’s scorn. She remembered how the game had portrayed his quiet suffering, Valerie’s constant rejection, her insults, her betrayal.

Ashton had questioned his worth, wondering if he was only valued because of the Holy Sword he wielded. It was the saintess, Cindy, the game's heroine, who mended his broken spirit. Her kindness and unwavering belief in him reignited his confidence and gave him a renewed sense of purpose.

Akari let out a long, steadying breath. "That’s not going to happen this time," She vowed with burning determination.

She couldn’t erase the damage the original Valerie had already done, but she could make amends. She could change her fate and his. The saintess wasn’t here yet, but when she arrived, Akari vowed to step aside gracefully if Ashton’s heart leaned toward her.

But until then?

“The wrong choices Valerie made,” she whispered to herself, clenching her fists, “I’ll never repeat them.”

Determination surged through her. If she was trapped in this world, she would rewrite Valerie’s story, not as a selfish villainess, but as someone worthy of redemption.