A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

“Partner?”

“If it’s not possible, of course you are free to refuse…”

“Oh, no, you just surprised me for a minute there. I didn’t know you’d ask me to be your partner. Of course, I’d be glad to, Sir. If that is your wish.”

“Thank you.”

“Then, you’ll be guided separately. Please write to me about the ball later.”

Violet courteously took care of her guest.

On the other hand, Cairn yet again attempted to go wild. Instead of being treated as House Everett’s third young master, he was treated as an uninvited guest and was forced to be seen off together with Aldin.

.

.

.

After Violet returned order to the townhouse with her commands, she immediately headed towards her room. As Cairn was dragged down the long hallways of the mansion beside Aldin, he continuously expressed how unfair he found this all to be.

“I already apologized, so what’s the problem?!”

“I’ll leave that up to you. Still, in this world, I guess it’s better that there’s an apology rather than none at all.”

“If someone does something wrong, isn’t it only right to apologize?”

“…That’s something that can be said only by people who’ve never been wronged. Cairn, anyone can utter the word ‘sorry’.”

“Uuugh, damn it. What the hell. What are you even talking about…”

That day, Aldin left the mansion on his own two feet, whereas Cairn was properly kicked out of the place.

And he had no other choice but to squat shabbily in front of the main gates of the Everett townhouse until Roen returned.

* * *

“What are you doing here? No, do I even want to ask what you’re doing here?”

“Dunno. What am I doing here?”

Catching sight of Cairn, who was pathetically sitting on the dirt ground, Roen asked this, and Cairn merely answered with a helpless tone.

It was perhaps luck alone that Roen found Cairn at the main gates when his carriage drove by.

If he hadn’t, then Cairn would have definitely spent the night, crouching down right there, at the outskirts of his family’s property. It would be an added bonus that he’d most likely make it on the front page of the papers.

“Let’s head inside first. How many people have seen you here?”

“Dunno.”

“Haa.”

Roen immediately grasped the situation after just the meager exchange. With a deep sigh, Roen took Cairn and headed in.

At this moment, he realized that yet another new headache would have to be added to his already packed schedule.

* * *

Violet wanted Cairn out of her sight, but it was henceforth decided that he would remain in Werchen until the start of the next semester. Whether Violet wanted this or not, there was nothing she could do since Cairn got the duke’s approval.

Besides that, Cairn took a leave of absence from the academy without telling anyone. Nonetheless, Roen found out. He grabbed his younger brother on the back of his collar and asked why he did this, but the only answer was…

“I was told that just anyone can say sorry. So I’ll do what I can.”

With this, Roen surmised what Cairn was trying to say. He cradled his throbbing forehead once again.

Roen could understand Cairn’s feelings. But at the same time, Roen could also understand Violet’s resentment.

This younger brother of theirs was a very simple guy. Even so, he was righteous and he loathed injustice.

Was it because of how simple he was? The tendency of being a maverick was owned not only by Mikhail, but also Cairn. While blinded by prejudice, any actions sprouted from those intentions could not be said to be just.

“Violet is going to hate it.”

“Did you receive her forgiveness, Brother?”

“…No.”

Cairn narrowed his eyes. Sensing the unsaid words of, ‘What the hell, you too,’ Roen coughed in vain.

Cairn had assumed that Roen had already been forgiven, so he was here to ask what the secret to getting it was. In the end, he clicked his tongue.

Reflecting on how they were as siblings, Roen asked while pressing down his fingers on one temple.

“Let me ask you a question. I know you don’t like thinking all that deeply, but are you really taking Violet’s word without any hesitation?”

“You think I’m an idiot, don’t you?”

Indeed, Roen viewed his younger brother in that manner. He said nothing. Thinking that he might get angry, Cairn also didn’t respond.

It’s not as if he couldn’t understand what his older brother meant.

He saw and heard one thing for such a long time until now, but how could he so easily change his attitude like a simple flip of a hand?

Roen, too. It was only after his own personal investigation and the duke’s thorough investigation as well that Roen finally managed to understand Violet’s side. No matter how much of a simpleton Cairn was, it’s impossible for someone to change one’s attitude so easily.

“Brother, you should try going back home even just once. Look at the state of things there. Besides, Father’s not an idiot, so can’t I believe his word? Mikhail’s the real moron here.”

“……”

Roen narrowed his eyes once more. He’s saying that he heard about the situation from the duke, yet he ran wild anyway. Who was he to say that he’s not an idiot.