The Villainess’s Condemnation and Revenge

According to A-ko.

One day, when Kate had just started working as a servant in the Duke’s household, her mother fell ill. As a single mother, they didn’t even have money to buy medicine.

As her mother’s condition worsened, the villainous noblewoman headed to an orphanage to make a donation for a charity event.

Kate, ordered to accompany her as a seemingly perfect young servant for the occasion, mustered her courage and begged the villainess, “Please help my mother.” However, she was coldly refused.

…Apparently, that’s how it went.

I do remember thinking, “Why should I help you, a mere lowly maid, just because you ask?” and turning her down. Was that rude little girl really Kate?

Even now, I don’t understand why she thought I should have helped her, and I don’t get why she would start hating Gloria just because I refused.

It’s proof that commoners are bold and lack any understanding of what’s reasonable.

If I had agreed to listen to every single request, I’d have ended up paying for medicine not only for the Duke’s household but for all the commoners in the capital.

Unless there’s a special circumstance or some benefit to the Duke’s family, there’s no reason to help a lowly maid. Why doesn’t she understand that? Is she an idiot?

Even now, when I see Kate sobbing and shamelessly asking Gloria for help without offering anything in return, I almost look at her like trash, before quickly shaking my head.

(But there’s more to the story. Kate meets the heroine, who was raised at the orphanage attached to the church, before becoming the saint.)

Separated from the villainess, Kate, crying as she prayed for her mother’s recovery, was kindly approached by the heroine.

The heroine, sympathetic to Kate’s plight and outraged by the villainess’s words, prayed with Kate to God, saying, “Please let Kate’s mom get better.”

(And so, miraculously, God answered their prayers, and the saint was born. Baron Salisbury, who heard about this, adopted the heroine, the child of his late first love, and she became Melody von Salisbury, Baroness. After a bit of a time skip, the story picks up when she enters the academy.)

Kate, had apparently abandoned her duties and was spending her time playing at the church. If I had noticed, I would have fired her for neglecting her work.

As I frowned thinking about this, A-ko sighed in disbelief.

(No, no… That’s not the point here, is it? It’s the story of the saint’s birth, you know?)

What truly puzzled me, though, was how the saint became so close with her half-brother.

It seemed they got along well because they were both born of a commoner mother who had been the nobleman’s mistress.

“Is… is it really okay, my lady…?”

At Gloria’s frown, Kate’s face grew even paler.

“Kyla is someone very important to me, and I can’t forgive myself for not noticing her illness sooner…” Gloria said, offering a sickly sweet smile.

“I’ll have a doctor sent to Kyla right away. Hopefully, the medicine will help her recover.”

According to A-ko’s story, Kyla’s illness was healed by the saint’s prayers answered by God. The Duke’s physician is skilled, but there’s no way he could surpass divine intervention.

However, Kyla is now an important figure to Gloria as well, and she is worth saving by any means.

If Kyla’s illness is cured by the doctor, Melody might never be adopted by the Salisbury family and could remain an orphan for the rest of her life.

In a world without the saint who had been the spiritual leader of the crown prince, I wonder how he would manage to hide his insecurities and inferiority complexes.

While watching Kate cling to Gloria’s feet and sob, I looked down at the top of Kate’s head and tilted my head in thought.