Chapter 2: 2

Translator(s): asuramaru + shiko

Proofreader: whatisaproofreader

trigger warning: contains suicidal themes

Violet stood waiting outside her husband’s dressing room, wanting to speak with him.

“Little madam, go back to your bedroom!”

The maids grabbed her in an attempt to stop her, but Violet stood firm at the door and wouldn’t budge.

After a while, the door opened and his first secretary, Hael, appeared. Behind him, Violet caught sight of Winter Blooming with pomade hair[1]. He wore a pale blue shirt, coupled with a grey vest and pants the same colour as her eyes. Violet, in comparison, was still plainly dressed. But whilst she donned formal clothes, he was barefoot, and there was a strange, blinding blue spark in his eyes.

As Winter’s gaze turned towards her, Violet took a step towards him.

“Don’t go. Just this business trip… if you can’t cancel it, just arrive one day late.”

“This time, I’ll be back in a week.”

“You can put it off for a day. Please, come with me to your mother’s party this evening.”

“Just say you’re sick and get some rest.”

“If it was that easy, I wouldn’t have come to you about it.”

“Violet.”

All ten employees turned their attention away from Winter, knowing how much he was pushing her character. Everyone was inwardly thinking that it would be too much to handle if their wives or husbands went crazy like Violet.

Winter spoke in an irritated voice,

“Do you know how much money has moved in the time you’ve stood here, wasting my time? I spent 24 million Lakne to purchase the status you’ve had since you were born. But the status I bought simply disappeared.”

“I know that, but……”

“If you know that, you should make a choice. Pay me back, or bestow me with the status I paid for. If you can’t do either, then be quiet.”

Winter grabbed Violet’s hands, knowing his wife was unable to answer. But she stubbornly grabbed Winter’s wrists. She was so desperate.

“Being one day late won’t make a big difference. Just this once…….”

When she didn’t retreat, the maids were about to step in. But with no special instructions from Winter, they didn’t make a move.

Violet, who’d been looking up at Winter and begging him, slowly came to her senses as she met his eyes. He looked at her as if he’d found some drunken man on the street.  She gradually pulled her hands away, realising that her husband had no interest in listening to her.

Winter clicked his tongue and brushed past her. His aids followed him as he left.

Violet lingered in place for a moment with a blank expression before heading back to her room. Just outside the window, she watched as Winter’s carriage departed.

She wondered for a while if such a busy man even would bother to attend her funeral.

Dr. Lichton, who’d appeared reluctantly upon Violet’s call, wore a displeased expression after finishing his job.

“There’s nothing wrong with you, little madam. If you think you have a disease, it’s probably a mental illness.”

“Well I didn’t say I was really sick. It’s just… this headache is too…….”

Violet began to make excuses, but Lichton abruptly cut her off.

“You grew up as a Princess, so I understand why you’re worried about a little pain*. But, once again, My Lady isn’t sick at all. If you keep acting like this, I’ll have no choice but to tell you the truth.”

[TN: He’s saying that she’s been coddled and given the best of everything, so she doesn’t know the hardships of regular life – i.e. that headaches are perfectly normal.]

“I didn’t say it was a disease. And I really can’t stand up since I have such a bad headache.”

“Oh, really, stop lying and get up, little madam. It’ll become a habit.”

After scolding her, Lichton put his hat back on and left the room. Her fake illness seemed funny, and the attending maids, whilst they waited for Violet, could be seen holding back their laughter.

Following the doctor’s words, Violet was forced out of bed. When she stood up, her attendants helped her change into a tea-time dress.

Violet opened her mouth as she sat down to apply makeup.

“I want a fresh look, so cut my hair to my shoulders.”

“Yes, little madam.”

Only then did the maids’ sour faces brighten. It was usually a bother to take care of her long hair. The maids combed and cut Violet’s hair to her shoulders, pinning the rest of her hair up with a diamond encrusted hair band and its adorned flowers.

After being attended to, Violet left the mansion as if she was being dragged to hell.

The estate was so vast that it was necessary to travel by carriage in order to reach the residence of her parents-in-law. After a while, she stepped down from the carriage and caught sight of a group of people – talking animatedly to one another – who’d arrived before the official start of the party.

They were the high profile aristocrats from the Southern region of Larkround, called the Warhol. At the heart of the gathering were members of the Blooming family. Violet’s mother-in-law, Catherine Blooming, caught sight of her and beckoned her over.

“Violet, over here.”

As Violet approached, Catherine asked tenderly,

“Were you late because you weren’t feeling well? Do you feel better now?”

“Yes, mother.”

Violet turned, looking for a place to sit, but the table was already full. Even if she’d arrived earlier, there still would’ve been nowhere to sit. It was low bullying, but Catherine continued undeterred,

“Do you know how worried I was when I heard you’d been sick for months? What did the doctor say?”

“Oh, I…….”

When Violet hesitated to answer, Catherine continued with a hint of concern,

“Tell Lichton to get you some good medicine. He could fetch you anything since he’s travelled all around the continent.”

Violet simply nodded, feeling her mouth dry up. But in that moment, Lichton, who’d just left the mansion, passed by and spoke gladly,

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“Little Madam! You’re here! See, I told you the illness wasn’t real.”

Seconds later, a burst of laughter erupted from the guests attending the garden party. Violet felt herself trembling at the ridicule; such treatment was no longer unfamiliar to her, but it was still painful to be subjected to cruel insults every day.

Catherine, who’d also burst into laughter, whispered to Lichton,

“You know she’s a princess, Lichton; she’s not used to pain.”

A young man at the table grumbled at her words.

“It’s been three years since the royal family disbanded. Besides, does it make sense to expect others to give her special treatment even after she did so much damage to her husband?”

Then another wife chimed in.

“That’s right. Wasn’t the Blooming family completely swindled? Mrs. Catherine is too soft.”

It’s been like this for three consecutive years.

After repaying his debts and surrendering the throne, Ash won the support of the people once more. Furthermore, most public calls for him to compensate for the damage also disappeared.

The one who took the most damage was Winter. He disposed of a great part of his possessions to generate 24 million Lakne, and the rest of his money was used to establish himself into the Blooming family.

“Since the beginning of his marriage, Winter arranged for his business to extend to the capital for it to flourish more. Since then, the Blooming family were only seen once a month.”

The Bloomings left over slowly ate away at Violet’s life, just like a poison.

At first, whenever Violet got involved in events like this, they’d smile and talk amicably with her, but when she turned her back, they’d start running their mouths.

As the evening drew near, the party began, and the banquet hall was filled with elaborately dressed, playful aristocrats. Throughout the party, which continued late into the night, Violet leaned against a wall, waiting for the end of such a hard day.

“Doing that again…….”

“A wife having the nerve to act like that… it’s completely ruining the party atmosphere.”

As she’d been leaning against the wall all along, Violet heard all the whispers and started to move away.

“Why wander around like that? What an eyesore.”

Violet stopped walking again.

Ignoring the words of others was a matter of strength. But with nowhere to run, she lost a piece of herself little by little to accommodate everyone’s opinions.

Although her presence seemingly ruined the party, it was also true that the happy princess’ fall from grace was always an interesting topic of conversation. Her presence never failed to enliven the gathering.

After leaving the banquet hall to cool off, Violet collapsed as if the words of the guests were small stones flying at her.

But then, Diev – Winter’s younger brother and the only legitimate son in the Blooming family – came to her assistance.

“Violet!”

As soon as he grabbed her arm, Violet suddenly pulled away. Diev didn’t seem to understand the signal and touched her short hair.

“It looks good on you.”

“I thought I made it clear not to come near me.”

He was able to read the situation, but Diev was adamant. He pretended not to hear her.

“It’s just not the weather to walk around in a dress like that. It’s still cold, you know.”

“Don’t worry yourself over it.”

Violet stepped back with a pale face. But she was too slow, and, almost immediately, he caught her arms along with the scarf around her neck.

“Think smart. My brother doesn’t come home often anyway.”

“Just one drink. Then I’ll be on your side.”

Who would ever believe that Diev Blooming, the heir to the Blooming family who everyone believes to be a gentleman, was such a lecherous flirt with his sister-in-law.

If those words left her mouth, Violet might have been confined to room and treated as if she was a psychopath. The rest of the world had no idea Diev had a side like this.

“It won’t ever happen.”

Diev grinned at her words and let her go.

“That’s regrettable.”

As soon as he released her, Violet frantically ran to her carriage. After stepping into the carriage, she released a long breath and finally loosened her scarf.

She looked back at the mansion with a depressed expression.

“I have to go back….”

Disappearing in the middle of the night, Violet was scolded by the Blooming couple. She got off the carriage and clasped the gate with her hands. But she couldn’t step down. When she went back there, she felt as if her body was going to break into pieces.

Eventually, Violet made it home and entered her bedroom.

Violet threw the ornate diamond embellishments from the headpiece she’d been wearing onto the bed. Methodically, she took out the collection of sleeping pills she’d been steadily collecting in her jewellery box and poured them into her mouth.

She gulped it all down with the champagne hidden in her closet. Feeling like it wasn’t enough, she swallowed another handful of pills and knocked it back with more champagne.

Lichton’s sleeping pills were very effective. Well, the ingredients were never meant to be edible. I might die more terribly than I wanted, but it doesn’t matter.

I didn’t want to go back to the party, and I didn’t want to become a target again for disappearing halfway through. I’d rather end my life like this.

With both the champagne and the box of sleeping pills empty, Violet flopped down onto her bed. Then she spoke to the sparkling diamond in front of her eyes[2].

“Goodbye, then.”

It was a little sad that no one was there to say goodbye to.

[1] Pomade hair – a hairstyle with a sharp, polished look with a quiff at the front. Looks like this:

[2] The jewellery she threw onto her bed earlier (in case this wasn’t clear).

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