Chapter 19

“Thank you so much for what you did earlier.”

“Honestly, I couldn’t very well go out alone, so you’ve been a great help.”

From my perspective, sending a daughter of a Marquis out into town with only one maid and one guard was nothing short of foolish. It would only make people question the dignity of the household. A shrewd head of the family would parade around with an absurdly large entourage, flaunting their wealth and power. As for House Desmond, notorious throughout the kingdom for its corrupt lord, it would fall into ruin all on its own without me having to lift a finger.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. Even if Helena gives you trouble, I’ll protect you.”

“B-But…”

Judging by Yuri’s troubled expression, I could tell exactly what she was worried about. She feared that both she and I would be punished for this. After all, kindhearted Ophelia could never hope to win against Helena.

“I’ve decided to stop putting up with things. From now on, I’m going to listen to my own heart so I can find happiness.”

“Lady Ophelia…”

“You know what they say about a clever cat hiding its claws, don’t you? I may surprise you, but once I decide to do something, I always see it through. So trust me.”

I smiled and gently touched her rough hands. When Yuri visibly flinched, I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze to calm her down. Of all the people in this world, I knew better than anyone how warm and comforting Ophelia’s hands were.

“Now, that settles it. Let’s enjoy a day out in town, the three of us.”

“Y-Yes!”

Without missing a beat, I counted our guard as part of the group of three and climbed into the rather uncomfortable carriage, still holding Yuri’s hand.

Compared to the days when I’d lived as Alexandra, the town seemed to have prospered considerably. In this world, the name of the villainess of the century had never become famous. I found myself trying to make sense of God’s whim and wondering how this reincarnation was supposed to work.

As I walked through town, I casually judged the passersby without giving it much thought.

That dress has terrible taste. That makeup doesn’t suit her at all. And I’d never want to walk beside that man.

My shining golden twin tails seemed to attract attention. I found the shameless stares people threw my way as they passed surprisingly pleasant. Beautiful things naturally drew the eye, after all. Without the slightest hesitation, I stretched out gracefully.

“Oh? That wall is just the right height. It looks like it gets plenty of sunlight, too. Perfect for a midday nap.”

“U-Um…?”

“I was just talking to myself. Don’t mind me.”

I still hadn’t quite shaken off my feline habits, and I kept slipping into gestures no human would normally make, like stretching or grooming myself. I casually brushed aside Yuri’s puzzled expression without batting an eye.

It had been a long time since I’d walked on two legs, strolled around with such a high vantage point, or browsed the wares in boutiques. I didn’t have enough money to buy expensive dresses right now, but if I didn’t have the funds, I could simply make someone else buy them for me. More importantly, restoring the luster of my hair and skin came first, so I headed for a cosmetics shop favored by noblewomen.

Of course, Mother and Helena didn’t need to visit the shop themselves. The owner would come to the Desmond estate to do business with them. Ophelia, naturally, was never invited to join them, so I’d decided to visit the shop myself. Well, it was still several times better than being cooped up in that gloomy townhouse.