She is the Daughter of the Villainess in a Ridiculous Novel - Chapter 56

“What did you just say? Who is meeting with whom…?”

“Um… Veronica and Demaric are meeting each other…”

Sylvia’s mouth shut tight at the words that she couldn’t believe even after hearing them again.

To be precise, she was close to being unable to say anything at all.

Just moments before, her mind had been filled with various thoughts, but now it felt completely empty.

“Who is meeting with whom… Why?”

As she repeated the words slowly like a broken doll, she suddenly spat out a question. That was all Sylvia could think of.

‘Why.’

Diane rolled her eyes, preparing for the questions Sylvia might throw at her.

‘I thought the Head Maid would obviously be shocked by betrayal since she’s human…’

But to think she would be this shaken.

Perhaps she had hastily judged the head maid by her always strict and meticulous demeanor when it came to work.

As she thought she should remain silent and hold her breath, the moment came.

“…Diane, can you really take responsibility for what you said?”

“Yes, yes?”

“You know, don’t you? Demaric and Veronica are cousins. Everyone in the Duke’s family knows that. The reason Veronica was able to enter the Duke’s family in the first place…”

Sylvia, who had been speaking logically, paused for a moment. As she spoke, she realized something strange herself.

‘It was I who let Veronica into the Duke’s family. Naturally, I trusted her because of Demaric.’

…Right. Thanks to Demaric and my guarantee, Veronica didn’t go through any significant verification process.

Suddenly, the words Demaric had said came to Sylvia’s mind.

‘Veronica? She’s a distant cousin from our mother’s side. Since she’s never come out of a small territory, she might be a bit clumsy, but she understands a little.’

She had never doubted it for a moment. He was her fiancé. Hearing his request to take care of Veronica, she was even secretly pleased.

‘It feels like I’m a fiancé who is a source of support for him.’

But if Diane’s words are true… Sylvia covered her mouth with one hand.

“Sylvia, are you… okay?”

“…What were you going to do if I didn’t believe you? Do you have any evidence?”

“Ah, well, I prepared two pieces of evidence…”

“Two pieces?”

After a moment of hesitation, Diane nodded and pulled something out of her pocket.

It was a ring.

Although Diane hadn’t said anything yet, Sylvia felt she understood why this was ‘evidence.’

After all, this ring looked exactly like the one currently on her fourth finger.

Trying to ignore her rapidly beating heart, Sylvia looked at Diane.

“I think you know, but previously… Miss Idel collected the jewelry of the servants.”

Sylvia nodded silently. That incident was what Veronica had complained about not long ago.

“Well, at that time, Miss Idel dropped Veronica’s ring… Here it is.”

It seemed faster to show rather than explain. Diane quickly applied pressure to her hand and slightly twisted the ring.

“What is this…?”

“Please read the inscription inside.”

Receiving the separated ring with a clattering sound, Sylvia examined the inside of the ring.

[Veronica Wands*Demaric Anton, I love you, forever.]

“…….”

The clearly engraved words left no room for denial and tightened around Sylvia’s heart.

“…Ha, haha….”

It was only today that Sylvia realized for the first time that when a person experiences a great shock, they may feel no emotions at all.

Instead of despair and anger, only meaningless laughter might escape.

As she looked at the ring, Sylvia burst into laughter for a long time but suddenly stopped.

“Diane.”

“Y-yes, yes!”

“You said this was the first piece of evidence. What about the other one?”

Diane gulped as she saw the expressionless face of the head maid.

‘S-so scary…! No, hold on! I’m doing this for Miss Idel!’

Diane recalled Idel’s instructions and tried to calm her pounding heart.

“I can’t show you the other one right now…”

“Why not?”

“Well, I actually saw the two of them secretly meeting on the stairs leading to the garden… late at night. Um, it was a little past midnight?”

A little past midnight…

Hearing Diane’s words, Sylvia turned her head to check the clock.

There was still some time until midnight.

“Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, let’s go to the place where those two are secretly meeting. I need to see with my own eyes what you witnessed.”

At Sylvia’s chilling voice, Diane instinctively stood up.

Though she had gathered her courage for Idel, she still found it difficult to deal with nobles like Sylvia.

“Th-then this way…”

Worried about getting lost, Diane was relieved to find the place Idel had mentioned right away.

‘Behind the stairs, a small gap! Ah, here it is!’

The small space that Idel mentioned was indeed cramped. Two slender people had to squeeze in tightly to fit.

“…Sylvia, are you okay?”

“As long as it’s to see the truth with my own eyes.”

“Ah…”

Without needing to say more, Diane could tell that her words were sincere.

The body of the head maid, pressed closely against her, was stiffer than ever.

It was as if she had just heard the most terrifying ghost story in the world.

How much time had passed?

In the awkward silence of the space, the excited laughter of a man and woman echoed.

“Oh, we can’t do this already; we haven’t even arrived yet!”

“Can’t do what? Veronica, what’s something we can’t do between us?”

“Demaric!”

Diane swallowed nervously at Veronica’s laughter, as if she couldn’t help it.

From the moment she heard that familiar voice, she felt tension fill Sylvia’s body.

Not daring to look at Sylvia’s expression, she averted her gaze to the outside.

‘Oh no!’

Of course, it wasn’t a good choice.

The two were locked in a deep kiss, as if they could no longer wait.

Diane shut her eyes tightly, feeling like she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

Amid the affectionate display between the two, an undeniable conversation slipped out.

“Haah… Demaric, about the banquet that will be held soon.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Don’t be too surprised. I’m planning to cause a little incident that day.”

“An incident? What could possibly happen if we just cause a little trouble?”

At Demaric’s lighthearted attitude, as if he had heard a cute complaint, Veronica lightly pushed against his chest.

“It might seem like no big deal because I’m clever, but it’s a serious matter. A stone that rolled into the duke’s family has discovered our relationship.”

“What? If it’s a stone that rolled in… you mean the daughter of the countess has found out our secret? If she spills it…”

Only then did Demaric realize the seriousness of the situation, frowning as he looked up. Veronica tapped his lips with her finger, as if to calm him, and continued.

“Who would believe her? Not only has she fallen out with Miss Gianna, but also with the duchess. I guess she’s hated by the servants too…”

Pausing for a moment, she chuckled softly as if it were amusing.

“I only gave them a slight reason, and everyone’s excited to pounce on her. To be honest, she’s probably on the verge of going crazy. She’s all alone without anyone on her side.”

“Still…”

“You’re right; it’s better to eliminate any sources of anxiety. That’s why I said I’m planning to cause an incident.”

Veronica rubbed her lover’s eyes, which were filled with confusion. She leaned closer to Demaric and whispered her plan in a low voice.

“Fortunately, the heavens are helping us; I’ve got poison in my hands. The maids were already excited about secretly mixing laxatives into the food… I plan to switch that laxative with poison on the day.”

“What? So… you’re thinking of poisoning Idel Clementine?”

“Of course not. I’ve diluted it enough so she won’t die. But even diluted, poison is still poison, so I don’t know what might happen.”

It would be nice if her throat were messed up. So she could never speak again.