The Villainess Just Wants To Be Alone

Chapter 4

There was no warmth.

No laughter.

No sense that this was someone's home.

It was magnificent...

But it was lonely.

As we walked, every servant we passed immediately lowered their heads. None of them dared meet my eyes for more than a second before quickly looking away.

Some whispered after I passed.

Others pretended not to notice me at all.

It wasn't difficult to guess why.

Theletyia had built quite a reputation for herself.

A cruel noble lady.

A jealous villainess.

A woman obsessed with the Crown Prince.

Changing that reputation wouldn't happen overnight.

And honestly...

I wasn't interested in changing everyone's opinion.

I only needed enough freedom to leave.

"My Lady..."

Lia spoke hesitantly after several minutes of silence.

"You've... changed."

I smiled faintly.

"Is that a bad thing?" She immediately shook her head.

"No." Her answer came so quickly that I almost laughed. "I only mean..." She clasped her hands together nervously. "...you seem calmer."

Calmer.

Maybe.

Or perhaps it was because I had never loved the people who lived inside this mansion.

I wasn't carrying years of disappointment the way the original Theletyia had.

To me, Aleandro was simply a cold duke.

Maximilliam was merely the protagonist of a novel.

Their opinions held no value over my life.

"Lia."

"Yes?"

"I want to ask you something."

"Anything."

"If someone wanted to leave House Husernien peacefully... what would they need?"

She looked at me as though I had spoken another language.

"...Leave?" I nodded.

"Someday."

Her face immediately paled.

"My Lady... please don't say such frightening things."

"I'm only asking."

She lowered her gaze, carefully considering her answer.

"If... if a noble lady wished to live independently..." She hesitated. "...she would need permission from the head of the family."

I expected that.

"And if she didn't have permission?"

Lia bit her lower lip.

"She would need enough money to support herself."

Money.

Of course.

Food.

Clothes.

Transportation.

A place to live.

None of those things came for free, even in another world.

I silently began making a list in my head.

First...

I needed information.

Second...

I needed money.

Third...

I needed trustworthy allies.

Only after securing those three things would I even think about leaving the capital.

Running away now would be nothing more than exchanging one death sentence for another.

No.

I would leave this house properly.

And when I did...

No one would be able to drag me back.

A gentle breeze drifted through the open windows as we reached the western corridor overlooking the estate's gardens. Colorful flowers swayed beneath the morning sun, and for the first time since waking in this unfamiliar world, I felt my shoulders relax ever so slightly.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

There was still a future waiting for me beyond the ending of the novel.

I intended to find it.

The further we walked from the main manor, the quieter everything became.

The distant voices of servants gradually disappeared behind us, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves as a cool breeze swept through the estate. Sunlight filtered between the branches of towering trees, casting shifting patterns across the stone path beneath our feet. It was peaceful enough that, for a brief moment, I almost forgot I had awakened inside a world where my death had already been written.

"This way, My Lady," Lia said softly, leading me toward the estate's private garden.

I nodded, taking in the scenery around me.

The Husernien estate was breathtaking. White marble fountains shimmered beneath the morning sun, while rows of carefully cultivated roses stretched as far as I could see. Every flower bloomed in perfect harmony, their fragrance lingering gently in the air.

It was beautiful.

Yet somehow...

It felt empty.

Perhaps beauty alone could never make a place feel like home.

Lia guided me to a white stone gazebo nestled in the center of the garden. Ivy climbed its elegant pillars, and flowering vines draped gracefully from the roof, creating a peaceful sanctuary hidden from the rest of the estate.

"You used to come here often," Lia said as she brushed a few fallen petals from one of the benches.

"I did?"

She smiled faintly.

"Whenever you were upset, you would sit here for hours. Sometimes you wouldn't say a single word."

I lowered myself onto the bench.

"So this was Theletyia's refuge..."

The words escaped before I realized I had spoken them aloud.

Lia tilted her head.

"My Lady?"

I offered an awkward smile.

"I mean... I can understand why."

For a while, neither of us spoke.

The silence wasn't uncomfortable.

If anything, it was calming.

The gentle splash of the fountain filled the space between us, and for the first time since opening my eyes in this unfamiliar world, I allowed myself to breathe without feeling as though I needed to defend myself.

I glanced sideways at Lia.

She stood a respectful distance away with her hands folded neatly before her, just as a maid should.

No.

Not today.

"Lia."

"Yes, My Lady?"

"Come sit with me."

Her eyes widened.

"...Pardon?"

"I said, sit."

She immediately shook her head.

"I couldn't possibly. It would be disrespectful."

"I don't mind."

"But—"

"That's an order."

Lia hesitated for several seconds before carefully taking a seat on the far edge of the bench, as though she feared someone might appear and scold her at any moment.

The sight almost made me smile.

She was trying so hard to do everything properly.

I looked at my hands before quietly speaking.

"Lia..."

She turned toward me.

"I'm sorry."

The words hung between us.

She blinked.

"...My Lady?"

"I'm sorry for the way I've treated you."

She stared at me in stunned silence.

"I don't expect you to forgive me today," I continued. "I know apologies can't erase everything that's happened. But I still wanted to say it."

Images that belonged to Theletyia flashed through my mind.

Harsh words.

Unreasonable orders.

A frightened young maid bowing her head while hiding tears.

The original Theletyia had been hurting herself so deeply that she ended up hurting the one person who never abandoned her.

"I was wrong," I said quietly. "You never deserved any of it."

Lia's lips trembled.

"My Lady..."

"I don't want to keep living that way."

For a long moment, she simply looked at me.

Then, to my surprise, tears welled in her eyes.

She quickly covered her mouth, but it was too late.

The first tear slipped down her cheek.

"I... I always prayed that one day..." she whispered between shaky breaths, "...you would smile because you were happy, not because you were pretending to be."

My chest tightened.

Without thinking, I reached out and gently took her trembling hands in mine.

"I'm going to try," I said with quiet determination.

"I don't know what tomorrow will bring."

"I don't know if everyone will believe I've changed."

"But I promise you one thing."

"I'll never treat you the way I did before."

Lia lowered her head as tears continued to fall.

"...Thank you."

A faint breeze carried the scent of roses across the garden, and for the first time since arriving in this world, I felt as though I had taken my very first step toward changing Theletyia's fate.

Then—

"Theletyia."

The deep voice shattered the peaceful silence.

Lia immediately stiffened.

I slowly turned toward the garden entrance.

Standing beneath the stone archway, dressed in immaculate white and gold, was Maximilliam.

His expression was as unreadable as ever.

But this time...

He hadn't come to accuse me.

He looked as though he had come searching for answers.