The Villainess Hid Her Identity, and Now Everyone is Misunderstanding - Chapter 7

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

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The Villainess Hides Her Identity, and Everyone Misunderstands
Chapter 7

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“My Lady, thank you! Sob, thank you so much…!”
The moment dawn broke, Genie rushed into my room and threw herself prostrate on the floor.
Her eyes were already swollen from crying all night.
“Oh, goodness!”
Startled, I flinched and stepped backward.
Genie was weeping as though the world itself had crumbled, her face streaked with tears and snot. Or perhaps the world hadn’t crumbled—it had been rebuilt anew.
“My Lady…!”
“What?”
“I heard that yesterday you visited my mother and purchased medicine for her treatment. Sob, I’m truly grateful! You are my benefactor for life…!”
Genie wailed and threw herself flat on the floor in a frenzy. Whispers drifted in from beyond the door.
How on earth did she find out?
I covered my face well, didn’t mention my name, and left no trail to follow!
Could it have been Rakiel…?
But I quickly shook my head.
We had never properly faced each other, nor had we ever had a real conversation. It was more likely that someone had witnessed me slipping out of the Manor yesterday.
Just as I’d suspected, Genie, still prostrate, choked out words barely intelligible through her sobs.
“Sniff, you… My Lady… sob, came yesterday and left… My mother, she saw the family crest embroidered on your robe, sob… And Anne said someone wearing a robe left your room, sob, she saw it… My Lady, it was you, wasn’t it? Wahhhhh…!”
Who is Anne? The robe had the family crest on it?
Raising one eyebrow, I secretly flipped over the robe I’d hidden away yesterday. There, emblazoned across the back, was the family crest in clear embroidery.
…Damn it.
Ding!

[Quest “Maid Genie’s Troubles” – Conditions unfulfilled. Reward reduced by 50%.]

“Damn it, this is insane!”
“Y-Yes?”
My stats!
Genie stared at me with wide, startled eyes.
I hastily opened the information window, and my Freedom stat had indeed decreased. Needless to say, my level had reverted to 0 again.
Wait, so there’s a penalty even if I get caught later?
My hands trembled as I clenched my fists.
This fraudulent system!
“M-My Lady! Thank you so much…sniff sniff, Mother said she wanted to see you again….”
“Ugh, stop your whimpering! It’s driving me crazy. Why did you have to come all the way here and complain?”
“Hiccup!”
This is absolutely maddening!
And it’s all because of her that my reward was reduced!
At this low level, losing even a single stat point was an enormous loss.
“So what do you want me to do about it! Did I save your entire family’s lives or something? Why are you making such a fuss over just fifty gold worth of medicine?”
“F-Fifty, sniff! Fifty gold….”
Genie stammered, unable to continue speaking.
“Th-Thank you, My Lady! Waaah, thank you! Thank you!”
My anger only backfired.
“I said be quiet!”
“Y-Yes, I’m sorry. My Lady, thank you… sniff sniff, I’m sorry, thank you…!”
“Are you apologizing or thanking me? Good grief, what kind of useless maid did I end up with? Stop your sniveling and get out this instant!”
As Genie kept bowing repeatedly, the moment I picked up the inkwell in front of me, she quickly scurried out.
Sigh… At this rate, when will I ever reach max level Freedom?
I need freedom right now, immediately.
Even now, the Crown Prince at the Imperial Palace was becoming a tyrant, and with my current abilities, I couldn’t stop him.
“Damn it, is there no other way to speak freely besides Freedom stat?”

[【Freedom】 can be achieved up to Lv.10.]

“No, not Freedom… Never mind.”
I threw myself onto the bed and buried my face in the pillow.
I felt as though the hopeful future I’d possessed just moments ago had been stolen from me. As my ambitious endeavor ended in failure, I felt myself sinking deeper and deeper into despair.
…Maybe I should just give up. It doesn’t really matter anyway. What’s the point of trying hard now….
….
“…I will overcome this!”
Giving up? Never! I’ll break through head-on!
I was the possessor of 3,259 Mental Fortitude stat.

* * *

I sprang to my feet with the momentum to overturn everything, and naturally, my task was to find Quests.
I began frantically wandering through the Manor. As a result, the entire household fell into chaos.
“…Why is the Young Lady acting like that?”
“Who knows! She’s finally lost her mind!”
“Now that you mention it, I saw Genie come out of her room crying earlier.”
“Tsk tsk, looks like another tantrum.”
I could hear the Maids whispering among themselves.
When I glared at them once, the startled Maids scattered in an instant.
Tsk, why are these worthless creatures gossiping where I can hear them?
I stomped through every corner of the Manor. It was to collect Quests from all sorts of people.
Investigating Jonas could wait. First, I needed to establish a foothold that would allow me to move freely.
As a result, I spent the entire day shouting things like “Get out of my way!” and “Drag that wretch out and lock her in her room!” until my voice grew hoarse.
But when I returned to my room, I smiled with satisfaction.

[Quest Name: The Stable Keeper Tommy’s Love Story
Reward: Stats +6]
[Quest Name: Lord Maren’s Wish
Reward: Stats +10]
[Quest Name: Cook Fern’s Missing Recipe
Reward: Stats +10]

…and so on.
I had collected Quests from everyone I made eye contact with, and if I completed them all, I could somehow raise my Freedom Level to Lv.3.
Of course, if anyone found out it was me, it would be cut in half.
I rolled up my sleeves and began resolving the Quests in order of highest reward.
“Please deliver this to Fern. What? Who am I? You don’t need to know that.”
“This is school enrollment fees for Lord Maren’s younger sibling. Just tell him it’s from an anonymous benefactor.”
“Could you pass this note to Lia? Tell her Tommy gave it to you.”
This time, I found an old, worn robe with no emblem whatsoever, threw it on, and ran about until sweat poured from my feet.
Making absolutely certain no one would know it was me.
It was the moment I resolved the final Quest.
Ding!

[【Freedom Level】 has reached Lv.3, and the “Conditional Branching Selection” feature has been activated.]
[You can now select ‘Irregular Actions’ provided in addition to existing choices in certain situations.
※Activated only with specific individuals or in specific emotional states.]

…Huh?
“Atypical behavior?”
Was she referring to the choices I was given when I first met Ludwig?
For example, actions like ‘threatening him’—the kind that scored high on my freedom degree.
‘Oh, not bad at all.’
If the system found it acceptable, it meant I was granted a certain degree of freedom within the given choices.
I closed the information window with a satisfied smile.
It seemed the time to make my move was approaching.
Time to expel the family’s traitor.

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[Warning! If others’ gazes are detected, your actions may be controlled according to your 【Freedom Degree】 restrictions.]

Ah, the hood.
Only after seeing the system window did I realize I hadn’t covered my face. I hastily reached back and pulled the hood down deep over my head.
‘I need to finish this before I’m discovered.’
I crept quietly through the corridor where moonlight pooled.
I was moving stealthily to search through Jonas’ room.
Jonas Kramer. She was the financial advisor to the Noble Family—someone no one suspected, or rather, shouldn’t suspect.
If the real Jonas was truly a spy….
I didn’t even want to imagine it.
Jonas’ Office was locked. After glancing around, I reached toward the window that opened onto the corridor.
Oh, it’s open. How careless.
Creak.
“…!”
At that sound, I held my breath and pressed myself against the wall, surveying my surroundings.
Only after confirming no one was there did I breathe and slowly open the window. Then I grasped the frame and climbed through.
After safely closing the window, I caught my breath.
“Haa….”
If I’m going to be this cautious, wouldn’t it be better to just pretend ignorance and cause a scene while casually searching instead?

[That is not possible.]

‘…Why?’

[Access to the administrative wing is restricted.]

Ah.
Right, Evelyn would never come to a place like this… The premise itself is impossible from the start.
Anyway, let me look around. On the desk were several neatly organized file folders. The books on the shelves were also arranged meticulously by color and height.
“…?”
Does Jonas have obsessive-compulsive tendencies?
I furrowed my brow while surveying the obsessively organized room.
This is troublesome. Even the slightest touch would leave a trace.
I approached the desk carefully.
If I clumsily disturbed something, Jonas might notice the intrusion and destroy all evidence. Like a turtle that retracts into its shell at the slightest touch.
As I hesitated for a moment, a familiar notification sound rang in my ear.
Ding!

[A clue has been detected by the Player’s 【Observation (C+)】.]
[An object inconsistent with the organized state has been found.]
[Details: Bottom right drawer – protruding handle]

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

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