The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 41

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

The Villainess Hides Her Identity, and Everyone Misunderstands
Chapter 41

“Evelyn’s direct maid… you say?”
Killian, standing beside me, asked with a bewildered expression.
“Why are you looking for a maid, Your Highness?”
“Oh, it’s nothing much… I simply found something that appears to have lost its owner.”
He scratched his head and pulled something from his pocket.
The moment I spotted what lay in Rakiel’s hand, my eyes widened and I snatched it away swiftly.
“So this is….”
Snap!
Rakiel, suddenly left empty-handed, let out a hollow laugh and looked at me.
“…My lady, what are you doing?”
Only then did I realize what I had done, and I quickly changed my expression.
“Ah, well, this is indeed my maid’s possession… yes! Yes, that’s right. I should deliver it to her.”
The object I hastily concealed in my palm was none other than a blue hair ribbon. The very ribbon I had received as a bonus reward from a Quest not long ago.
‘When on earth did I drop this?’
And how does Rakiel know that this ribbon belongs to me?
Despite my excuse, Rakiel still wore a slightly furrowed expression.
“I was planning to deliver it directly to its owner.”
“Ah, Eve is… away on an errand for me at the moment. It may take a while.”
“…Did I ever say exactly whose it was?”
A chill ran down my spine.
And at the same time, Killian also interjected with a puzzled tone.
“Evelyn, do you have another direct maid? I was under the impression you had only one.”
“Brother, this is….”
My words caught in my throat, and sweat began to form on my palms. The ribbon in my damp hand felt all too real.
‘This is dangerous….’
Just as I was about to open my mouth to make a quick excuse.
“My lady.”
Genie interjected from behind me.
“I’ll deliver it to ‘Eve’ for you.”
“…!”
I slowly turned my head to look at Genie.
‘She knows…?’
This was not a lie spoken to escape the current situation. Her eyes clearly conveyed that she knew exactly who ‘Eve’ was.
I held her gaze for a moment, then slowly parted my lips.
“…Yes, you’ll deliver it? Tell Prince Rakiel my gratitude as well.”
“Of course, Miss Evelyn.”
Genie accepted the hair ribbon from me with composure and tucked it carefully into her pocket. She took a step or two backward, as if shaking off the attention that had been focused on her.
I turned my head again and looked directly at Rakiel.
“I’ve seen him do it several times before. Allow me to express my gratitude on his behalf.”
“Ah, is that so? Well, he did seem particularly close to you.”
But the oblivious Killian interjected once more.
“Evelyn, which maid are you talking about? You only brought one maid with you, didn’t you?”
“No, brother, you simply don’t know. There’s one more. So please, won’t you stop meddling?”
I answered through gritted teeth, and Killian fell silent with a displeased expression.
He listens well enough when it matters….
‘Why is he acting like this lately when he normally doesn’t care at all?’
Unless something was bothering him, there was absolutely no way he’d behave this way.
Even as I glanced sideways at him, I finished what I was saying to Rakiel.
“Then I shall see you at the banquet, Your Highness. And please, won’t you convey my regards to the Crown Prince as well?”
I spoke with a pitiful expression, and he nodded with a bewildered face.
“Of course.”
In any case, he soon boarded the carriage and departed.
It was a flawless farewell.
And….
“Genie? May I have a word with you?”
“Yes, Miss Evelyn.”
There was still a conversation I needed to have with Genie.

* * *

Facing Genie in my room, I swallowed hard.
‘Could she really know?’
I quietly closed the door and narrowed my eyes as Genie approached.
If Genie truly knew that I and ‘Eve’ were the same person, this would become a serious problem.
Whenever I moved about as ‘Eve’ and encountered Genie, I would need to return to my ‘Evelyn’ form.
Until now, I had managed by mimicking a maid’s behavior, avoiding speaking as much as possible or meeting her gaze, but….
Still, it would be better to try making an excuse first.
It might just work.
After gathering my thoughts, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Genie, you wouldn’t happen to….”
“I’m so sorry, Miss Evelyn!”
The moment I spoke, Genie suddenly bowed at a ninety-degree angle and cried out.
‘…What?’
Sorry? For what?
Caught off guard by this unexpected turn, I froze for a moment.
While I was still bewildered, Genie didn’t wait for my response and unleashed a barrage of words.
“I only learned about this girl called Eve after coming here. I heard about her when I went into town. They said she was your personal maid…. At first, I thought she was impersonating me and got angry, so I followed her!”
…What are you talking about?
How could anyone impersonate a lady’s personal maid?
I was dumbfounded, but at the same time, all the color drained from my face.
‘Wait, what was I doing while moving around?’
I frantically retraced my memories, wondering if I had walked around without my robe or let my guard down somewhere.
Genie continued speaking while still bowed, her eyes tightly shut.
“But that wasn’t it. I thought she was doing something wrong using your name…, but she was helping people. Nursing the sick, playing with children… At first I suspected it was a disguise, but the more I watched, the more I realized it wasn’t that at all!”
“….”
“I apologize for suspecting you! So Eve is… that girl Eve is…!”
Genie suddenly straightened up, opened her eyes wide, and exclaimed.
“Your secret maid, isn’t she?!”
“…What?”
What, what did you say? What maid?
Ding!

[You have acquired the title 【Shadow Maid】.]
[Reputation +50 / Loyalty +50]

Good grief, I was startled. They give titles for things like this too?
Slightly flustered, I stepped back and habitually closed the system window. But in that instant, another window appeared in succession.

[Congratulations! Your 【Freedom】 stat has reached Lv.5 as a title reward!]
[To commemorate reaching Lv.5 in your 【Freedom】 stat, you’ve unlocked 【60 minutes】 of daily autonomous time!]
[Would you like to activate it immediately?]

“…!”
As if I’d received a gift, a box materialized before my eyes and burst open with a shower of confetti. Then a card inscribed with “60 minutes” came flying toward me.
‘For 60 minutes each day, the forced behavioral conditions of Evelyn’s form will not apply….’
That was what was written beneath it.
‘What the hell.’
This was insane.
This meant that for 60 minutes a day, I could act freely even while wearing Evelyn’s face. Of course, it was only one hour.
With the Royal Court banquet looming ahead—an event where I had to move according to protocol—there was no sweeter reward than this.
While my attention was momentarily captured by the system window, Genie thrust her face toward me, her eyes sparkling.
“Right?”
“Huh? What? What did you say?”
As I refocused on Genie’s face, she cried out as if moved to tears.
“You received a secret mission from Miss Evelyn to help people in secret! That’s it, right? That has to be it!”
“Wait, that’s not—”
“Miss Evelyn can’t act directly, so she sent someone to help in her place instead. If Miss Evelyn moved openly, people would feel burdened! Such compassion…!”

[Would you like to activate it immediately?]

The system window flickered as if urging me to make a choice.
“Yes, no! No, no, no!”
I answered without thinking, then frantically waved my hands.
I couldn’t activate it now! It was only one hour per day—what would I accomplish by using it here?
Though my words were meant for the system, the response came from Genie instead.
“As expected! You don’t need to hide it from me, Miss Evelyn. I’ll take this secret to my grave.”
She snorted proudly as she spoke.
But I had no capacity to examine Genie while my mind was occupied with the system window. I could barely process what she was saying.
“Ah, how moving! To finally understand such a profound purpose….”
Genie’s eyes began to glisten with tears.
I panicked and waved my hands frantically.
“No….”
“As expected of you, Miss Evelyn! You’re the only person I’ll ever serve!”
Critical hit!

Boom-boom-boom!
[Maid Genie’s Loyalty +50]
[+50]
[+50]
….
….
[Congratulations! Maid Genie’s Loyalty has surpassed 1,000!]
[Congratulatory Reward: Genie’s Infinite Trust]

‘Ugh, how on earth do I turn this off?!’
Fireworks erupted wildly before my eyes.
Between the system windows sprawling chaotically and the dazzling effects, I was on the verge of nausea.
‘Damn it, what exactly did I do to deserve this!’
I was losing my mind between Genie clinging to me and the system window blaring loudly when someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“Miss Evelyn, a message has arrived from the Duke.”
The envelope Maren handed me with a solemn expression bore the seal of Count Rosenthal—the very letter I had been waiting for.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————