CH 47

The less her mother cared about her, the easier it would be to prepare to stab her in the back.

In fact, it has been like that so far.

Since her mother had been looking down on her, she didn’t even know that the liquor license she coveted so much was in her hands.

So she would also never know that what Raisa gave to Catherine was not an invitation, but something she got herself.

Raisa narrowed her eyes.

She was told to be careful of the Marquisate of Sheffield, and those words itself would not be wrong.

She looked at the snake mask-wearing Catherine.

At this point, that snake should have tossed the papers and told her to not talk nonsense.

Raisa had her doubts, but that was it.

In the end, although she was the society’s beehive, she was just another young lady helping the family.

Well, she thought she would meet the real heir, not this woman. 

Wasn’t it said that he ran a brewery as a hobby?

Anyway, as long as she held the liquor license, she was bound to meet him unconditionally.

He would, at least, be worth using. More than the beehive in front of her eyes.

Even if they didn’t join hands, she just had to put him away so that he wouldn’t interfere with her path.

No.

It would be great if he could help bring her mother, Marchioness Neir, down to the floor.

‘When Marchioness Neir is driven to the edge of a cliff by my carefully prepared work.’

What could be better than having the next master of Sheffield prove that she didn’t know anything and that the marchioness did it alone rather than it being the will of the family?

The corners of Raisa’s mouth lifted with murderous intent, hatred, anger, and joy, but that was only for a moment.

“I’m sure that’s enough. There are people looking for me, so excuse me.”

As if he didn’t want to deal with Catherine any more, Raisa left, heading towards her followers.

And, whether by coincidence or planned, they were the young ladies who had been kicked to the corner thanks to the fan play a while ago.

Ophelia narrowed her eyes.

‘I did think they seemed to have something to believe in to stay even after Catherine’s warning, turns out it was Neir…’

The young ladies whose shoulders were drooping tensed as Raisa approached them, and their necks stiffened more than that.

Watching the superficial flattering of the one with power, weak to the strong and strong to the weak, Ophelia said,

“The lady from the Marquisate of Neir. What do you think?”

“She’s an annoying woman.”

She had already heard that sentiment.

“And she’s become even more annoying since then.”

Iris continued speaking. Under her mask, her face twisted into a frown.

“That blatant lion mask.”

The rabbit’s eyes widened.

‘Does Iris have the same thoughts as me…’

“Ugh, she’s openly saying she’s targeting the crown princess seat. It’s no different than a declaration.”

At the words that followed, Ophelia’s round shoulders dropped slightly.

‘Right… You didn’t think the same.’

‘Now that I heard it, the crown princess thing mentioned by Iris might be right.’

But since the knife was drawn, shouldn’t the radish be cut as well?

If she dreamed of treason and revealed it, then she must be strong enough to support her ambition.

Ophelia asked more specifically to get the answer she wanted.

“In terms of ability?”

“Ability?”

“Does she have something that could be called an ability?”

From the puzzled Catherine to the skeptical Iris.

Their evaluation of Raisa was very harsh, but Ophelia couldn’t ignore it as she kept scratching her nerves.

Even if the overthrow of the imperial family, that was to say, treason, was dismissed as a leap forward or grandiose delusion, it would be better to leave room for further exploration.

After all, wasn’t Marchioness Neir the greatest enemy of Richard?

Even if it wasn’t for the story in the novel, just from what she encountered while working as an aide, it was clear that Marchioness Neir did not support the imperial family.

Come to think of it, her mind was sold on the ‘daughter of Marchioness Neir’. She had never thought deeply about Marchioness Neir herself, the enemy.

“Since there is only Lady Neir in the marquisate, she will be the next head. How does she compare to the current head?”

“A firefly in front of the sun.”

“I can’t even compare them. If I do, it would be rude to Marchioness Neir.”

“That… is it that much?”

“Yes.”

“Of course.”

“Marchioness Neir is the woman who made Neir what it is today. No one looked down on the Neir family itself before, but they weren’t as afraid as they are now.”

“Compared to that, Lady Neir… well, if she’s famous, it’ll be about her dirty temper?”

Towards the very firm answer, Ophelia mentally raised her middle finger and cursed at her broken sense, which kept sounding a warning, saying that the lady of the Marquisate of Neir was dangerous.

Nevertheless, she remained suspicious.

Ultimately, Ophelia decided to look into it anyway, so she questioned a little more.

“So… Lady Neir is not a typical rich family’s daughter… but the type of person who believes in the family’s prestige and acts rudely to everyone?”

Catherine, about to coolly nod her head, hesitated. Iris also kept her mouth shut.

“No?”

“Well.”

“Umm. It’s ambiguous.”

Catherine and Iris exchanged glances.

If it had been a little, no, a long time ago, they would have nodded without hesitation…

“Considering what she had done today. No, from quite a while ago…”

“She’s definitely different from the old days.”

A clue finally came to Ophelia. She leaned forward, her eyes wide open.

“She’s different from the past? How?”

“Before, she would have had a dog fight in a situation like this.”

“Dog… what?”

When Ophelia asked about the words she couldn’t believe had come from the mouth of a young lady of a venerable family, Catherine smiled brightly.

“Dog fight. If it was before, Lady Neir would have thrown her shoes first.”

‘You’re saying that while referring to Lady Neir…?’

“Ah, right. That’s how it used to be. It was famous a long time ago for quite some time.”

“There must have been rumors about it, don’t you remember?”

“Very… it was great.”

Perhaps it was before the possession, so Ophelia evaded answering.

If something like that happened, how could she not remember it?

Catherine shook her head as she looked in the direction of Raisa.

“Well, it’s about time for Marchioness Neir’s crackdown to work. But there won’t be anything different. People won’t change that easily. Well, they might change when it’s time to die, or if they wake up from the dead.”

“Wake up… from the dead.”

Ophelia repeated what Catherine had said in a voice so low that even she could not hear it herself.

She must have said it without thinking.

It was an idiomatic phrase that everyone threw around like a joke.

But the words touched Ophelia painfully.

Yes.

People change when they die and wake up.

Ophelia swallowed a wry smile.

Until she was in this situation, she wanted to live a smooth and long life.

(TL/N: the more accurate meaning of the phrase used is ‘to just get by and survive as long as possible’.)

Out of nowhere, she possessed an extra whose name did not appear in a novel that she did not remember well.

She didn’t know why, but she adjusted pretty well and had her own goals of living a long, smooth life.

That was why she lived without drawing attention to herself nor paid heed to anyone, waiting for the day she would escape the family.

‘I’m sure it was…’

After being forcibly entangled in the bridle of infinite regression.

‘Where am I standing now?’

‘Who are the people next to me?’

The person holding her hand, looking at the same place, and wandering on an endless path… Whoever it was.

She herself changed as much as her surroundings. Alternatively, perhaps she had changed more than that.

She spoke out without hesitation the words she had been whispering inwardly, and did not hesitate to get her hands stained with blood if necessary.

She hated the sad, miserable, and painful death. Struggling to escape the regression was only for herself.

Just, if there was anything different…

The fact that, for the sake of only one person, Richard, she would be able to bring about even that death with her own hands.

When she thought about it anew, she was on the verge of bursting out with bitter laughter.

‘Oh my gosh.’

‘Die for someone? Me?’

What she could never have imagined was now… 

“…Ah. Ophelia?”

“Huh, yes.”

“You look dazed. Are you okay? You said it was difficult to breathe.”

Iris worriedly looked at the rabbit mask that covered Ophelia’s entire head as well as her face.

In response, Catherine took a step towards Ophelia and examined her, but then glanced at the clasp of the mask, perhaps frustrated as she couldn’t see her face because of it.

“I’m okay. It’s a bit hot, but it’s bearable. More than that, Lady Neir has arrived, so shall we start working?”

“Yes. Let’s finish quickly.”

“That’s right. It’s better to finish quickly and rest.”

Upon hearing her friends’ worries, Ophelia was embarrassed. However, the smile beneath the mask was neither bitter nor empty; it was much, much more pleasant. 

Catherine was in the corner of the garden, and after Raisa joined the crowd that had subtly moved to the center.

“I’ll be able to finish it quickly. If I scratch her a few times, she’ll line it up on her own. She’s a person who can’t be proud of her inferiority.”

Ophelia shook her head at Catherine’s words that seemed to look down on Raisa.

“No. It won’t be that simple.”

At Ophelia’s snappy assertion, Catherine widened her eyes.

“The papers that Lady Neir gave you.”

“Huh? Uh. This?”

Catherine retrieved the folded papers from the pocket beneath her skirt.

She opened her mouth again, waving the papers with a disapproving look.

Ame: lol raisa, iris and catherine are all going “she’s nothing” while ophelia is like “aM I ovErThiNKing?!” (o´▽`o) goooo Ophelia! Trust your senses! I’m rooting for you to find out that Raisa’s a regressor first!! 

Dea: that’s the goal of this ball, finding out Raisa is a regressor! if Ophelia goes home without finding out, i’m suing her braincells