I Awoke as an Imprisoned Villainess-Chapter 2 - Sophia Alcott

    Sophia Alcott

The real me- Sophia Alcott is usually called, “Shameless Alcott”, apparently.

The reason why I am not sure is because I am a hikikomori who haven’t made a social debut at the age of 16, so I have no chance to mingle with other young ladies outside the house.

Thus, my step mother and half sister- Julia tell me about my rumors saying, “This is what they say about you now.” …. it’s quite terrible.

‘She is a very ugly woman, that’s why she has not made her social debut despite reaching  16.’ ‘Everyday, she hurls unbearable curses at her step mother, half sister- Julia and the servants; and wastes so much money day in and out that she could eat up the entire wealth of the Earl Alcott family.’

‘Moreover, she reads dubious books about poison from all places to ages, and devotes herself to make suspicious medicines every day.’

Those were my rumors. I sincerely believe this is what is called making a mountain out of a molehill.

Certainly, I am not beautiful like Julia, and my purple hair and eyes are not the prettiest shades. People say my personality seems glum. It can’t be helped that my hikikomori aura which can’t be hidden, leaks out.

However, the reason why I haven’t made my social debut is not because of my looks, but because my step mother and Julia stopped me as I don’t have a dress suiting for a daughter of an earl.

Of course, I am not cursing at everyone either.

Except, being devoted to collecting poison books and making suspicious medicines, … from an outsider’s view, it might seem like that.

In the storage room where I live, there are lots of medicine books. Medicine and poison are like two sides of the same coin. Therefore, there are many books on production and detoxification of poisons.

These are mementos of my mother who was apparently an excellent apothecary.

With these books as a guide, I dedicate myself to making medicine everyday with the herbs I cultivate in the garden.

Even the best apothecary is no match for illnesses; my mother passed away when I was 3.

As soon as the funeral ceremonies ended, my step mother came with a big belly, and ever since then, I’ve been living in the storage room in the corner of the mansion.

At first, my father still seemed to care about me, but after Julia was born, no one cared about me anymore.

It’s sad but can’t be helped. Holding grudges won’t change my situation.

My step mother told me she would arrange a marriage with a rich man suitable for me, and I hoped that the man who would become my husband would allow me to make medicines and provide me food everyday.

That’s right. I was a powerless hikikomori who had given up on my life.

I never thought I would change into a duke daughter who could make people tremble with just a glance.

~~~~~

“—Violet. What are you up to this time??”

The knight’s face which looks more lovely and handsome under the morning look, is twitching with an off-put look.

I was so tired I overslept, and the knight who came to see me, saw me sleeping on the floor.

As an unmarried lady, I am so embarrassed to be seen sleeping by a gentleman that my cheeks are still hot after time passed.

“No-nothing! I was just resting in a comfortable sleeping position..!”

“Nonsense. Why would you sleep on the floor?? Are you trying to be sarcastic and say the floor is better than a prison bed?”

The knight stares at me sharply. I explain in a panic, being looked at like a suspect.

“No! The bed is very soft and comfortable for my body. I just can’t relax mentally…”

Even in the storage room of Earl Alcott House, a bed was prepared as expected. But it was too damp to sleep and looked like it would break the moment I get on, so there was no choice but to sleep on the floor.

Hence, my bed at the Earl House became a space for reagents and hydroponics.

So perhaps because my body is used to sleeping on the floor, the soft and warm bed here is too comfortable and conversely scary.

I am already in a strange situation where I have become someone else; I wanted to get as close as possible to a familiar environment for the peace of my mind.

“Ah, please don’t worry! Of course, I carefully and meticulously wiped the floor with a clean rag! After that, I am afraid to say I put down some used worn out blankets…”

“The servants are frightened by your eccentric behavior. Stop it now.”

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“Frightened…”

I lowered my eyebrows when I heard the knight’s complaint.

“You see, ….. no matter what I do, the servants are frightened, …how can I avoid frightening them..?”

Giving me a creeped out look as I said this, the knight said decisively, “It’s impossible.” I droop my head and think back to the servants’ behaviors yesterday.

Yesterday, after the knight left, some handmaidens visited me.

The handmaiden who was carrying my food was trembling and looked like she could spill the soup at any time. The moment I asked her if she had any rags because I wanted to clean the floor, she quickly prostrated herself. When I asked if there was no rags or blankets to be thrown away, she was in tears with a pale expression, as if she was ready to die; shook her head and said, “You can’t escape..”

That was when I first learned I was imprisoned in a tower which was so high one couldn’t see the ground, and that this tower of confinement imprisoned nobles who committed serious crimes.

“I don’t know what you are up to, …but I can’t let more innocent servants be subjected to this incomprehensible terror. I will bring the food from now on. You should have no contact with the servants.”

With these words, the knight placed the meal in his hand on the table.

Fluffy bread, soup with lots of vegetables, and well-cooked grilled meat.

A feast, the same menu as the one I had yesterday, is spread out in front of my eyes.

My eyes lit up subconsciously, then I came back to myself. This must be some kind of mistake.

“Excuse me, Sir Knight. I-is there any way that.. this is my meal…?”

“It’s yours. Although you may not call it a meal.”

“Certainly! Instead of calling this a meal, ..this is a feast!”

At my words, the knight was astonished, “What?” and looked at me again as if looking at a creepy unknown life form. Even so, I was occupied with something else. In front of the warm meal, I was inwardly struggling with intense emotions, …but I decided to swallow my tears.

“Umm. I am not hungry right now.. so is it okay if I leave it for later?”

“Do as you like. But there is no other meal.”

“Understood!”

I hold up that meal with care, holding back my grief.

“Thank you very much! Now let me put this down here in…”

“Wait! Why are you trying to put it in the closet for later??”

“Ah, is it no good after all? If I eat it now, it will be hard until tomorrow, so I wanted to have today’s meal around noon if possible..”

I was so disappointed I drooped my shoulders unknowingly.

I don’t know how often I get meals here, but I am a sinner. Nonetheless, given this unprecedented treatment, it’s probably about as often as when I was in the Earl Alcott family.

I only received one meal before this, so most likely, next meal will be tomorrow. If that’s the case, I thought I would eat at lunchtime to reduce the time I would be hungry…

At my words, the knight’s eyes widen again.

Then, pressing his temples, he opened his mouth.