She is the Daughter of the Villainess in a Ridiculous Novel - Chapter 69
The news that Idel had regained consciousness quickly spread throughout the Duke’s household. It was inevitable.
The fact that Idel had opened her eyes meant that the delayed decisions regarding the servants would soon be made.
Among the isolated individuals who heard the news through other servants, a small commotion arose.
“Did Miss Idel wake up?”
“What do we do now? What’s going to happen to us?”
“I don’t know either. Will Miss Idel defend us to the two of them?”
The servants, recalling what they had done, wore expressions mixed with despair. No matter how much they thought about it, they saw no hope.
Among the trembling servants, a few shook their heads and spoke up.
“No way. Would she really kick us all out? There are more than ten people trapped here!”
“Y-yeah! She said that anyone who participated, even a little, should come in. It’s unfair that everyone gets the same punishment when some here have tormented others more severely.”
Beside a servant who was differentiating between the severity of the bullying rather than the act itself, another suddenly spoke.
“Besides, Diane definitely said that Miss Idel would consider forgiveness.”
“Now that you mention it, Diane is funny. Didn’t she pretend to be on our side while slandering Miss Idel? Why is she suddenly acting like she’s on Miss Idel’s side?”
“Who says she isn’t? She was getting bullied by Miss Idel, so I felt sorry for her and included her. She even wrote down everything, including Jenkins’s little prank on Miss Idel’s carriage. Ugh, it’s creepy.”
Since the news had spread, most of the chatter among the servants was a rationalization of themselves.
They knew that if they admitted their wrongdoing, they couldn’t escape the responsibilities that followed.
At that moment, the sound of the basement door opening was heard, and the guard gestured to them.
“It’s the Duke’s order. Everyone, come out quietly.”
“Hey, Jackson. Can’t you tell us where you’re taking us?”
“That’s not something I can disclose. It would be best to follow in an orderly manner without causing a commotion.”
Jackson, with a mixture of frustration and pity in his eyes, turned and led the servants.
His businesslike demeanor made the servants tremble slightly, as if they were facing the end.
Fortunately, the place they arrived at was Idel’s room—the very place where they had spent their days.
“Duke, as instructed, I have brought the servants.”
“Good. Thank you for your efforts.”
Nodding, the Duke dismissed the guard and quietly scanned the people before him.
“You are very fortunate that Idel has regained consciousness. Her health is not bad.”
“Phew…”
“Oh my God…”
“Rowena and I decided to postpone your punishment until Idel opened her eyes. So today, we are going to make that decision. However, the authority over your punishment lies not with us, but with Idel.”
A small commotion spread among the servants at the Duke’s words.
“Does that mean Miss Idel will speak to us directly?”
“Yes.”
Only then did the servants realize that Idel was sitting next to the Duke and his wife.
Idel, who usually sat quietly, surveyed the servants one by one with a haughty expression.
Then, in her usual curt voice, she spoke.
“You’re the one who purposely tied my hair painfully while combing it, and you there, you’re the one who stole my ring, right?”
“…Gasp!”
“And you’re the ones who were insulting me near the garden.”
“M-Miss Idel…”
“I’m genuinely curious—who dirtied the dressing room dolls? Ah, maybe it wasn’t just one person?”
Idel neither mocked nor got angry. Instead, she pointed out their wrongdoings in a clear voice.
As if she were simply organizing dolls she had been playing with on her palm.
She gazed intently at those who could not even meet her eyes and had lowered their heads, then spoke again.
“Do you want me to forgive you?”
“……”
“Seeing that no one is speaking, I guess not. Then…”
As Idel elongated her words while fluttering a list, one of the hesitant servants suddenly shouted at her.
“P-please spare me, Miss Idel! I was just momentarily blinded. I will serve you loyally for life. I still have younger siblings to support…”
“Please, if you could show mercy and forgive us…! I will live my life grateful to the Clementine family!”
“Miss Idel!”
One voice turned into two, and soon the voices of two became a cacophony.
Idel rested her chin on her hand, watching the scene in the room that was louder than a market. When they finally exhausted themselves into silence, she smirked slightly.
“How unfortunate.”
“W-what…?”
Instead of responding to the bewildered question, Idel turned to face the Duke and Duchess.
“Duke, Duchess.”
“Yes, Idel. Have you made up your mind?”
“Yes. Please expel everyone here from the Duke’s household. I don’t need any of them.”
At Idel’s resolute decision, those who had been hastily defending themselves froze in place.
Among those who seemed unable to accept what they had just heard, a voice of discontent finally erupted.
“Are you toying with us? If you’re going to make a decision like this, why ask us in the first place? This isn’t just cruel!”
“You’re out of your mind. Take that person away immediately.”
“Yes, Duke.”
“Wait a moment. Before you go, I have to give you the answer you were hoping for.”
Idel halted the Duke, who had a cold expression, and stepped down to approach him, tilting her head slightly and raising an eyebrow.
“Did you ask if I was toying with you?”
“……”
“So, did you apologize to me? Has anyone here said they were sorry to me?”
The man, hearing Idel’s words, bit his lip tightly.
At the very least, he had rambled on about why he should be forgiven, but he hadn’t actually said he was sorry to her.
“Forgiveness is something you receive after you apologize, idiot.”
“……”
“You have nothing more to say? Take this one away and deal with him, and send the others off.”
“Yes.”
After hearing the concise reply from the guard, Idel turned to look at the Duke and Duchess.
“Now, who’s left? Veronica?”
“Yes. And there’s also Farell Underwood, who passed the poison to Veronica.”
“That’s easy. Please handle both of them according to the regulations.”
The regulations mentioned here referred to bringing the two to trial.
And the charge of attempting to murder a noble would, at best, result in forced labor or exile, with a lifetime of compensation to the victim.
The Duke looked at Idel’s indifferent expression with a serious face.
“Is it okay not to meet them? Don’t you think you should at least get an apology?”
“Well, that depends on whether the person is someone worth expecting it from or not, doesn’t it? Besides, I might know Veronica, but I don’t even know who Farrell Underwood is.”
“Right. You said you don’t remember? He claimed he met you at Florent Café. Wasn’t that when you insulted him?”
“Ah.”
Idel let out a small gasp as if she had just remembered.
“The guy who splashed water on me? Ha, I was the one who got drenched, so why is he causing a fuss with poison? Isn’t that insane?”
“Idel, be careful with your words.”
“Anyway.”
Idel reacted irritably as if it were no big deal and waved her hand dismissively.
“Just handle it. I don’t want to know about it.”
“Alright, I understand.”
As the Duke nodded, preparing to wrap things up, he was interrupted.
“Wait a moment, Your Grace.”
It was, of course, Sylvia who stopped the Duke.
While Idel was deciding the fate of the servants, the head maid, who had been quietly silent in one corner of the room, stood before the three with a neat posture.
“What’s the matter?”
“It’s as I mentioned before. Duke, Duchess, I too, as the head maid, bear responsibility for this matter.”
“No, Sylvia. You have no responsibility in this. Diane has already submitted a petition on your behalf, and I found that claim valid, so I excluded you from this matter.”
“However, it is true that my small mistakes ultimately harmed Miss Idel.”
“So, what are you trying to say?”
“Please dismiss me.”
Sylvia, steadfastly stating her punishment, briefly exchanged glances with Idel.
She nodded knowingly at Idel and continued speaking.
“Not for a lifetime, but for a set period.”
