11.

My head has been throbbing painfully.

‘How could that author have pointed me out so directly?’

… I didn’t even need to question that.

Because all the incidents and accidents that had happened at the Rose Cross Academy so far were mostly the doings of the original Elze.

The villain wasn’t exactly a different villain.

However.

I mostly attributed them to Elze’s doings, but I didn’t claim that everything was her doing.

Those two words have completely different meanings.

For example…

I stared at Victor with a cold gaze.

The decisive incidents that tarnished Elze’s reputation.

All those incidents…

‘Victor twisted things around for Elze.’

The original Elze wasn’t a clever villain with a quick-witted mind.

In fact, it couldn’t have been any other way.

For the sake of a satisfying development where the main characters outsmart everything, the villain couldn’t be smart.

And Victor exploited that aspect fully.

Blaming fatal mistakes he committed, or his wrongdoings, on Elze.

<I, I didn’t do such a thing!>

Even though Elze argued in such a way, nobody believed her words.

This was because of the image of the “incompetent villain” that had been reinforced intentionally by not only the numerous incidents Elze usually caused but also by others, including Victor.

<Elze? You usually make a lot of mistakes, right?>

<Well, Lady Elze, you do tend to have short-sighted thoughts.>

<Sigh, Lady Elze, you caused another accident?>

Such biases piled up and accumulated.

Before she knew it, Elze had been pushed into a position where she not only took responsibility for her own mistakes but also naturally took the blame for the mistakes of others.

Moreover, that approach was also how Victor essentially managed this academy…

Well, going back to the original story.

Perhaps Victor recalled the old, careless Elze and came after me right away.

Whether I actually stole it or not, it didn’t matter.

Of course, it could also be that Victor himself couldn’t manage his belongings properly, causing the precious letter to go missing.

But what then?

Might as well just blame Elze for it anyway.

I, however, was not the foolish and one-dimensional villain from the original.

I had a grand dream of escaping this wretched reverse harem romance fantasy world one way or another.

For his sake, I had honed a few abilities myself.

And those abilities were precisely…

“So, Victor, are you currently suspecting me?”

It was a test, to start with.

But what’s important here is that I must act as shamelessly as possible, pretending I don’t know anything.

That’s why I raised an eyebrow and asked Victor, suppressing a smirk.

“To be more precise, did I sneak into your study quietly?”

“Elze, you’re saying that I stole Lord Craig’s letter that you claimed I had hidden?”

Then I pushed up the corner of my lips slightly.

“…How dare you treat me like a little rat?”

A rat.

At that overtly demeaning term, Victor’s expression turned somewhat awkward.

In reality, he had no other option.

In the heat of anger, he might have pursued me relentlessly without considering the consequences.

However, there wouldn’t be any substantial evidence that I had stolen the lord’s letter.

If there were any evidence or witnesses, he would have used them to pressure me long ago.

Furthermore, I had been extremely careful not to let Victor catch on. I was confident that no one would know I had the letter in my possession.

So, in essence.

Right now, Victor is merely tormenting me with his suspicions.

“This is quite frustrating.”

“Uh, Lady Elze.”

“To think that you’re treating me, the one and only lover of Marquis Offenheir, like a thieving little rat.”

I let out a disappointed sigh, as if feigning disappointment.

“Then, let me ask you one thing.”

“W-What…”

“Do you have any evidence?”

With my pointed question, Victor’s face turned red and blue.

I drove the nail in again.

“Evidence that I stole that letter.”

And I gave Victor plenty of time to answer.

“…”

In the end, Victor couldn’t respond.

I tsked my tongue as if implying he should have answered.

“Victor, you’re the caretaker of Rose Cross Academy.”

“T-That’s…”

“Because Marquis Offenheir trusts you to that extent, he must have entrusted you with that precious letter.”

Upon hearing those words, Victor stiffened abruptly.

“Someone who couldn’t even properly safeguard a single letter, yet parades around acting like a caretaker. And even in such a situation, you’re accusing me of stealing that letter.”

I spoke calmly.

“Moreover, you’re treating me, Marquis Offenheir’s lover, in such a way without any evidence.”

Without wiping off my smile, I chastised him once again, causing Victor’s face to turn pale.

He must have been recalling all the many things I had done to the original Elze in the story.

I shrugged my shoulders and added,

“If you dislike me, it’s your own business. Honestly, I don’t really care much about the opinion of a worm like you disliking me.”

“…”

Victor’s face was flushed with shame.

Whether he liked it or not, I said what I needed to say.

“Coming to me without any evidence, asking me so directly, and behaving as if you’re threatening me – it’s quite unpleasant.”

“Well, I mean…”

“Furthermore, in the eyes of the world, they would usually say something like this about your behavior.”

Facing Victor, who widened his eyes, I spoke gently.

“You’re going off-topic.”

Well, to be honest, even I found the tone of my words rather harsh.

While contemplating a villainous finishing line, I nonchalantly spat out my words in a composed tone.

“In the future, try to stick to the topic before acting. Got it?”

With those words, I swiftly passed by Victor’s side.

* * *

Lucian happening upon the maids’ conversation was purely coincidental.

“Did you hear? Miss Elze and Victor had a major argument this time!”

Through the iron-barred window leading to the garden, the murmurs of the maids’ conversation drifted in.

‘Elze?’

At the sudden mention of the familiar name, Lucian, who had been sitting leisurely, pricked up his ears.

“Well, they say a letter that Victor was in charge of disappeared.”

Lucian flinched for a moment.

‘A letter… Could it be?’

Referring to the letter Elze had handed over – the letter from Count Craig’s workshop.

By the way, that letter had been torn to shreds by Lucian, who had been unable to control his anger…

“Victor seemed quite agitated.”

“Why?”

“Well, why do you think? Since he was so convinced that the letter had been taken by her!”

The maid who brought up the topic retorted to her colleague.

Upon hearing that, the other maid responded in bewilderment.

“But isn’t there no evidence or witnesses to prove that Miss Elze took it?”

“Hmm, that might be true, but…”

The maid seemed to cloud her speech for a moment, then continued nonchalantly.

“Still, Elze can’t be ruled out as the culprit, right? You know, too, how many incidents Elze has caused.”

“Well, that’s true.”

After a brief silence, the colleague maid posed a skeptical question.

“Then, in this case, do you think Victor will report to Count Oppenheimer?”

“Come on, how could he?”

Tsking sounds of disagreement echoed from the maid.

“With no evidence or witnesses, the conclusion would likely be that Victor lost the letter.”

“Probably?”

“Exactly. And you know what?”

The maid whispered almost inaudibly.

“This time, Miss Elze apparently told Victor, claiming to be Marquis Offenheir’s lover, that he should understand the topic!”

“Goodness… that’s a bit too audacious.”

“Well, it’s not like Miss Elze treats us maids any better these days, is it?”

The maid grumbled with a resentful tone.

“In any case, only Victor ends up pitiable. The real culprit can’t be caught if they’re too cunning.”

With those words, the sound of footsteps marched away hastily.

Perhaps the maids were changing their positions.

“…”

Meanwhile, Lucian’s emotions were complex, to say the least.

‘…Did she go through all that trouble because of me?’

If she had secretly taken the letter and if the situation was becoming problematic because the letter hadn’t been returned to its place…

She could have at least warned me to read it carefully.

Why did she just watch as I tore it up?

‘Maybe… Maybe there was no chance for her to say such a thing.’

Considering Lucian’s uncooperative attitude at that time, it was understandable.

Even without that, Elze’s reputation was already plummeting to new depths.

And it seemed that Lucian himself might have been the cause…

‘Oh, really.’

Lucian ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

Elze.

That name felt like a tiny thorn embedded under his fingernail.

Her presence kept bothering him, persistently.