I’m Leaving the Villainess Station

Chapter 27

As I spoke, I couldn’t help but think how ruthless I sounded. But Lysdel looked at me with pity.

“You are too kind, my lady. Sometimes, I worry about you. I will always protect you.”

Her words were so different from my thoughts that I burst out laughing. I splashed the water as I laughed aloud.

“That was the funniest thing I’ve heard today, Lysdel. You have quite the sense of humor!”

Lysdel pouted, but I leaned my head back, letting my hair flow behind me as I shook with laughter.

“Me? Kind? So kind that it’s worrying?”

Lysdel’s eyes were full of sincerity, and that made it even funnier.

Even though I had finally let go of my obsession with revenge, I still didn’t feel particularly fond of them. So I didn’t think there was anything strange about myself.

After finishing my bath, I felt a little dizzy. I yawned lightly, probably because I had woken up early.

“It seems like my body has gotten a lot better. When I was unwell, I didn’t even feel tired like this.”

Back then, I was always on edge, too tense to feel anything.

Indeed, the best cure is to face your problems head-on. I was recovering much faster than I expected. Or rather…

I thought about that dream. Just remembering it filled my heart with new energy.

I was sure that I could move forward now. I was no longer tied down.

Even if gloomy days came again, they would soon become the past. I know that now.

“I can keep getting better.”

Thanks to Lysdel’s skillful hands and the people sent from the dress shop, getting ready was easy.

She carefully applied a delicate gradient of pinkish-red color to my lips, like an April rose.

“My lady, your lips look beautiful,” Lysdel said.

Abbott, a helper from the dress shop, smiled proudly.

“It’s a special blend of flower dye and our shop’s secret seed oil. Now, please close your eyes.”

I did as instructed.

“This eyeshadow contains crushed pearls that shimmer with the light and powdered rose quartz, said to protect the eyes and bring good fortune.”

Her brush moved gently across my eyelids.

Maybe it was because of the minerals mixed in, but my eyelids felt cool.

Finally, they used a special paste mixed with fine silver dust to coat fresh rose decorations, making them look as if they were made of pure silver.

“What a great idea! They look like silver roses,” I said in admiration.

“Please don’t move, my lady. Your hair is shifting,” Lysdel reminded me.

I smiled at her enthusiasm.

“Alright, I’ll stay still.”

Lysdel and the dress shop assistant skillfully wove the silver-dusted roses into my hair, arranging them with careful precision.

My hair was styled like a goddess’s—part of it braided elegantly with the roses, while the rest flowed naturally.

Even I had to admit it looked stunning.

“Thank you. I wondered if calling you was necessary, but your skills are truly impressive. I should recommend you to the other ladies,” I told Abbott.

Her eyes lit up briefly, but she remained humble.

“You flatter me, my lady.”

Finally, I put on the dress I had chosen.

With my silver roses and radiant makeup, I needed a gown that complemented the look—one fit for a moon goddess.

The dress was made from flowing silk embroidered with fine silver threads. It was cool and smooth to the touch.

“Tie it loosely. The dress flows naturally, so it doesn’t need to be too tight,” I instructed.

The design elegantly exposed my back and had a modestly low neckline, with layers of sheer fabric cascading beautifully.

The sleeves draped over my arms in soft, flowing chiffon, partially revealing my slender arms through intricate lacework.

“So much fabric was used, yet it doesn’t look bulky at all. Expensive materials do make a difference,” I remarked, feeling the dress’s lightweight nature.

“It’s made from extremely fine threads, handwoven by a master artisan,” Abbott explained.

The silver embroidery along the dress formed intricate patterns of vines and flowers, so detailed that they looked like delicate carvings.

Tiny pearls were sewn in to resemble blossoms and fruits, catching the light beautifully with every step.

“I love it,” I murmured.

The outermost layer of the skirt was a luminous ivory color, contrasting elegantly with the pure white fabric underneath. It was designed to resemble an angel’s wings, adding a heavenly touch.

Lysdel, who had been watching me in awe, finally spoke.

“It’s not just beautiful. It’s breath taking. Perfect.”

To complete the look, I wore a necklace my mother had passed down to me.

It featured a luxurious silver chain adorned with delicate vine-like details, each tip set with a sparkling diamond. At the center hung a finely cut pigeon-blood ruby, deep and rich in color.

Matching ruby earrings completed the ensemble.

As I gazed at my reflection, I looked like someone who had stepped out of a portrait.

Lysdel, still captivated, brought over my shoes.

“They’re high, so please be careful, my lady,” she cautioned.

“Of course.”

The heels were adorned with tiny diamonds, shimmering with every movement. They were sleek and refined, adding to the overall elegance.

Now fully dressed, I couldn’t help but feel a little excited—like a young girl attending her first ball.

“I almost want to have a portrait made. This is truly beautiful. Thank you, Lysdel. And you too, Abbott.”

I smiled, and Lysdel’s face turned red.

“Oh my! You look like a goddess, my lady! Anyone who sees you will surely fall in love.”

Abbott eagerly agreed.

Lysdel was always exaggerated, but I found it endearing. I laughed.

“You always make such a fuss. How can I believe you? But I don’t mind. Alright, shall we enchant some people?”

Teasing Lysdel, I stepped out, and my mother gasped in admiration.

“It’s like watching the moon goddess herself step forward. There’s no doubt who the star of tonight’s ball will be.”

Her praise embarrassed me in a different way than Lysdel’s, so I changed the subject.

“You look stunning too, Mother. It’s a shame Father can’t join us tonight.”

We chatted warmly as we got into the carriage and left the house.

The full moon shone in the sky, and the evening streets were lively with chatter.

The carriage sped through the city, heading toward the Rust household, where the ball was being held.

Strangely, I felt both anticipation and unease.

Once I finished introducing Raina to society, I wanted to leave the rest in the hands of my steward.

Through the carriage window, the sky looked like a shifting masterpiece—colors blending, moving, alive.

It was breathtaking. Suddenly, I remembered a poem I had read long ago.

Low and melancholic,

At times, mysterious—

The melody of sight.

Auroras stretched between the harp’s curve.

Watching the twilight sky, I felt the truth of those words. A soft, sorrowful lullaby. A song of healing.

Tears almost welled up in my eyes.

I had become weak.

But I welcomed it.

I longed for this kind of weakness.

There was a time when I couldn’t cry when I couldn’t even find beauty in beautiful things.

I missed the old me—the one who could see something lovely and think of poetry.

At the same time, I despaired.

I thought I could never return to that version of myself.

“But somehow… I did.”

I was healing.

It was unbelievable but true.

Day by day, I was getting better.

Something inside me had been set free.

Like a piece of darkness slipping away.

Maybe, as the priest once said, this was the instinct of a beast.

The idea that someone else’s pain could bring joy—it was such a cruel concept.

But whether it was a beast’s feeling or a god’s, it didn’t matter.

Because I knew one thing for sure.