“I forgot to send the divorce papers to the court yesterday, I’m sorry! Sob sob!”

“……?”

Not understanding the words, I tilted my head, and the other maids quickly fell flat and begged me for forgiveness.

“It’s time to reclaim the name of Ellen Bourbon Linoar, Your Grace!”

Your Grace, the Duke? What’s that about?

I wasn’t sure if the novel didn’t have this setting, or if I missed it……

“I’ll make sure this never happens again! Please forgive me!”

Why keep asking for forgiveness for doing something wrong?

I wanted to stand them all up and tell them not to do so.

But I am aware of who I am in this novellike reality.

‘What if they find out that I’m not Ellen?’

I don’t know what will happen. I need time to calmly assess the situation, so I crossed my arms and lifted my chin.

“Hmph, worthless ones. Go do your work now.”

The maids lifted their heads. Their eyes were shaking in shock at my words.

‘Ah… did I speak too harshly? I chose words that Ellen might say.’

Though it hurts, I am Ellen now. So I glared at the maids once and then calmly returned to my room and locked the door.

‘Phew!’

With the sudden change in the situation, my legs gave out. I slumped down, leaning my head against the door, and could hear the maids sobbing outside.

“How could this happen? Sob sob……”

They had heard the offensive words ‘worthless ones,’ so it was natural.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do that, but it seemed like I shouldn’t look suspicious.’

Then an unexpected whisper came to my ears.

“I thought I was going to be grabbed by the hair, you know? And even whipped.”

“Me too. I thought I’d be slapped and kicked, but……”

What?

“You even spoke kindly… It seems the mistress has turned into an angel since drafting the divorce papers.”

An angel?

“Since the mistress has treated us generously, let’s work hard!”

“Yes! Let’s get started with today’s work!”

I was stunned by the maids’ reactions.

‘What exactly did Ellen do to the maids?’

It’s quiet outside, so I checked the mirror again. Only the beautiful sister was reflected.

In despair, I tried to remember what the novel’s Ellen was like. If I had to live as Ellen, this information was crucial.

[Ellen, who had a strategic marriage with Philip Morris, was of noble foreign birth but was utterly wicked. Almost everyone in the mansion feared her except for her husband, Philip Morris.]

“……”

That was all. She only appeared in the novel when she was tormenting the main couple, Laila, and Marlboro.

Reflecting on the original, I couldn’t understand Ellen.

“No, with such a radiant appearance, you could do anything, so why only wickedness?”

But soon I gave up thinking. There was nothing to know by questioning myself.

“It can’t be helped since modern novels don’t talk about the villain’s circumstances. Sigh, it’s better to understand my surroundings.”

I drew back the curtain by the window.

“Wow!”

Beyond the glass window on the second floor, a wide rose garden spread out under the bright sunshine.

I opened the window, and a pleasant breeze rustled in.

The clear air filling my lungs felt incredibly refreshing.

At the same time, gurgle, I felt hunger with the alarm of my belly.

I looked around the room feeling at a loss, and I saw a bell cord in one corner. I pulled it, and a maid came in right away.

“Mistress, where shall I prepare your meal?”

The maid’s response was smooth.

“Here.”

Cabbage soup swirling in my mouth, crispy outside and soft yet chewy croissants with savory butter, puddinglike soft scrambled eggs.

The main course was a varied salad and white fish grilled with lemon.

The rich, warm fish flesh mixed with the fresh lemon scent delighted my mouth.

‘Oh my! This is art!’

I wanted to call the chef and praise them, but a wicked lady wouldn’t, so I held back.

Dessert was soft vanilla ice cream and hot black coffee.

“Amazing!”

Having filled my stomach, it was time to survey the outdoors a little more.

“I’m going for a walk.”

No sooner had I spoken than several maids entered, pushing wheeled dress hangers.

Ellen does love luxury, as all the dresses were extravagant and beautiful.

I chose the most comfortablelooking dress and set out for a walk.

.

.

.

The bright sunlight of a full spring day and a gentle breeze.

Everywhere I looked, various species of roses were in full bloom, spreading a faint fragrance. Thanks to this, a hum of a song naturally came to me.

After walking a bit, I saw a young gardener dressed in overalls and wearing a straw hat on the other side of the garden.

The gardener, who had pruned a tree as tall as an adult with large scissors, soon stretched and twisted his body here and there.

Then, the moment he saw me, he stopped moving and seemed to organize his scissors, lowering his body.

I anticipated the gardener to get up again.

“……?”

But the gardener did not get up at all.

“What happened? Did he faint?”

I hurried to where the gardener had been.

“……?”

The gardener was gone.

Here was a single tree that the gardener had pruned, other than that it was all rose gardens.