This Three Year Old Is a Villainess-Chapter 228

Masa chuckled softly and whispered,

“Yes, I will.”

[You said you’re off tomorrow too, right? How about having lunch together?]

“Again, again?”

[Did I offend you?]

“No, no! I’d love that very much...”

[Then I’ll send someone to Ishiron tomorrow.]

“Th-Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening.”

[You too, Masa.]

At first, I thought Blossom was someone I disliked, but now I realized she was truly a good person.

Masa returned to her room carefully holding the communication stone Blossom Rochefain had given her in both hands.

Her heart fluttered so much she thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Every day felt like a dream.

The fantastical cakes she had never tasted before.

The tea with a sweet aroma that seemed to melt her nose.

The cloud-like soft sofas.

The pretty girls spoke with noble words she had never heard.

A week of house arrest had never been so happy.

On the last day of her house arrest,

Masa went to the riding grounds with Blossom’s group.

‘So splendid...’

Blossom stroked the neck of a shiny-coated foal.

“My father bought this horse for my birthday. Its name is Arki.”

“It’s beautiful!”

“Right? I’ll take this child to the Eastern Preliminary Wonhwa Tournament next month.”

Wonhwa Tournament!

‘So Blossom will become a Wonhwa like the young ladies.’

Having a friend who was a Wonhwa.

My heart raced.

“You’ll have good results!”

The other young ladies chuckled.

“Of course. Blossom has been working day and night for the tournament.”

Blossom glanced around arrogantly.

“Riding is also a kind of training. Masa has no horse, so someone should lend her one. Ah, Karla.”

The girl at the very back of the young ladies flinched.

“M-Me?”

“Yes, lend your horse to Masa.”

“My horse is a precious one inherited from my mother...!”

“So what? Are you refusing?”

Karla bit her lip tightly.

But hearing the girls whisper, she lowered her head deeply and muttered,

“No...”

Blossom chuckled and looked at Masa.

“That’s what she said. Now, shall we go?”

Masa glanced at Karla, who was trembling and hesitating, as she walked.

“Is this really okay?”

“What do you mean? Oh, Karla?”

Blossom twisted her mouth.

“Don’t worry. You should be grateful just to be accepted into our group.”

“Grateful?”

“Karla’s father holds a danseung title.”

“Danseung...?”

“Ah, it’s a non-inheritable title. For example, only Masa has a title, but her children can’t inherit it—”

Blossom shrugged as she spoke.

“In short, when her father dies, Karla becomes a commoner.”

“Ah...”

“Of course!”

Blossom smiled gently and held Masa’s hand.

“There’s a difference with Masa.”

“Why?”

“Masa has an amazing friend.”

“Huh?”

“The granddaughter of Duke Astra, whom every noble wants to be connected to. She is Masa’s friend, how amazing is that?”

Masa smiled shyly, “Ah...”

The other young ladies approached Masa with kind expressions.

“Let’s go.”

“If it gets dark, you might not be able to ride.”

Masa rode horses happily with the young ladies.

The next day.

Masa dashed out of the dormitory in a hurry.

“What do I do! It’s already past seven!”

It was already time for the servants’ assembly.

Masa ran breathlessly into the assembly hall.

“I-I’m sorry!”

“......”

“......”

The atmosphere was completely frozen.

The head maid gave Masa a cold stare.

“How could you possibly be forty minutes late for assembly—”

“Stop.”

The steward closed his notebook and said gently.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Huh? Ah, yes... My back hurts too much...”

She hadn’t realized how hard horseback riding was.

She hadn’t noticed while riding, but the next day her back and hips felt like they were breaking.

The steward nodded.

“Masa won’t be able to do outdoor tasks for a while. Transfer her to lighter work.”

The head maid flinched.

“But many servants were already dismissed due to the Blony incident. If Masa is also absent, the others’ workload—!”

Seeing the steward’s cold gaze, the head maid quickly shut her mouth.

The assembly ended like that.

The senior servants left, and the servants remaining in the hall frowned.

“What? We already have so much work, and now we have to do Masa’s too?”

“Do you even know how hard it was for us while she was under house arrest?”

“How long will she be gone this time, huh?”

The outdoor servants shouted, and the indoor servants stepped forward.

“Why are you yelling so much?”

“B-But Asol-nim...!”

“What’s so hard about sweeping fallen leaves? Masa is just tired from riding with the young ladies.”

“......”

“Masa’s building connections is all for Ishiron’s sake.”

“......”

“Don’t be so selfish. Reflect on yourselves.”

The outdoor servants wore dissatisfied expressions but shut their mouths and left.

After they left, the indoor servants called out to Masa.

“Masa~”

“Yes!”

“The pen you brought yesterday was really wonderful. I saw the pattern on the barrel was silver. Is it really okay for me to keep this?”

“I refused firmly with the young ladies! They told me to share it with the others, so I brought it.”

“Is that so?! Well then, use it with gratitude.”

“Masa, the tart was really delicious. I ate it so well.”

“Next time you visit the young ladies, will you take me too?”

Sharing the gifts the young ladies gave her, everyone was very kind.

I recalled what Blossom said.

“Masa, you’re pure and don’t realize it, but money and connections are the lubricants of life.”

‘That must be true.’

Thinking of Blossom made my heart flutter.

“I hope we don’t think about nobles and commoners and just stay as Blossom and Masa.”

“Is th-That okay?”

“I’m an only child, so I wanted a younger sibling. Masa feels like my little sister.”

Sister and younger sister...

Recalling that, Masa smiled shyly.

“Blossom and I really feel like sisters.”

She gave real advice, helped in many ways, and showed many new experiences...

Compared to Mari, Blossom felt much closer.

Thanks to the indoor servants’ consideration, she was given easy work.

Even work that could be done indoors!

Masa was assigned to water the flowers inside the mansion for a while.

The indoor area was warm, the people kind, and the work not hard.

After finishing work, she went out to play with Blossom’s group.

Every day was so much fun that she learned what happiness was.

A few days later.

Masa laughed softly while holding the communication stone as she walked.

[No way. How could someone wear a hat decorated with chicken feathers to that gathering?]

“Right. That person was kind of strange.”

[Anyway, that means Herin is out.]

“Yes, I won’t even greet her if I {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} meet her on the street. Now that I think about it, Herin... Ah, I’ll contact you later.]

[Alright.]

Masa quickly ended the communication. The head maid was coming toward her.

The head maid didn’t notice her and smiled looking toward the corner.

“Mari.”

“I’ve been away too long. Sorry.”

“The doctor says your condition still isn’t good and you don’t rest enough.”

“Ishiron has been considerate enough.”

“You’re diligent anyway.”

The head maid chuckled and stroked Mari’s head.

‘What... She’s so mean to me but so nice to sister...’

Masa pouted, holding the communication stone.

After the head maid greeted Mari and passed by, Masa walked toward her.

“Sis.”

“...What’s that?”

Mari frowned before greeting her, seeing what Masa held.

“Nothing much... But how’s your health─”

“It’s nothing! That’s a jewel... Wait, is that a communication stone? What’s going on? Did you get it from the mansion?”

“Why are you asking about that before greeting me...”

“You weren’t on the communication stone list. How did you get it?”

“...Someone gave it to me.”

“Who gave you that! Do you know how much it costs? People like us would never afford it even if we worked all our lives—”

“Enough, enough!”

Masa yelled sharply.

The working people flinched and looked at her.

Mari’s expression hardened.

“You—”

“We’re different from others. I was told I’m not just a commoner...”

“...What?”

“You have to know you’re special so ordinary people don’t feel deprived... That’s a good thing.”

“...Why are we different?”

“That’s what people say...”

“What kind of nonsense are you listening to?”

Masa scoffed and turned her head.

“Forget it. I can’t talk with you.”

Thinking back, the other servants were the same.

They didn’t seem to know what culture was.

They just tried to get leftovers from their masters...

‘That’s what beggars do.’

Masa turned abruptly.

“It’s time to leave work. I’m going.”

“Wait in your room. I’ll finish what I’m doing and come for you.”

“I’m not living in the dorm anymore.”

“What?”

Masa smiled oddly.

“My ‘friend’ found a place for me. It’s near the Ishiron mansion, so it’s easy to come and go. If you ask, I’ll try to arrange for you to stay too.”

“...You say you have a place near District 1? You don’t mean the Tanshud Inn? Do you know how much that costs per night?”

“Money, money, money! Stop talking about that damn money!”

“Masa.”

“There are things money can’t buy. Friendship, sisterhood. My real sister hates seeing me struggle like this. So she arranged it for me.”

“Real sister...?”

Masa scoffed and turned around.

“Masa, talk to me.”

“I got three days off starting tomorrow. See you later.”

“Masa!”

Masa ignored Mari casually and walked down the corridor.

In the mirror hanging in the corridor, she saw herself and her sister.

Wearing the necklace and bracelet Blossom gave her, and a maid’s uniform patched with cloth from another young lady.

Unlike her splendid self, her sister looked shabby.

A strange sense of victory rose in her chest.

Mari ran up looking pale, but Masa left the mansion at once.

She headed to the Tanshud Inn where she had been staying for several days.

The room was, as always, neat and beautiful.

“Wow, the food is prepared again today. Ah, I really liked this pomegranate juice.”

Changing into a luxurious dress, she sat by the window overlooking the street and lifted her glass.

‘Ah, I’m happy...’

While sipping her drink, the communication stone flickered.

“Yes, Blossom.”

[Where are you?]

“At the inn!”

[I’m glad you like it.]

“Of course! I like it very, very much.”

[I’m glad you like it.]

Blossom laughed softly.

[By the way, what about ‘that thing’?]

“Oh, the one about asking to ‘accidentally’ meet Viscountess Erilot and Blossom?”

[My father is really looking forward to it.]

“I was just about to write a letter to Viscountess Erilot.”

[Yay~ Thank you!]

“You’re welcome.”

Masa smiled brightly.

[Then I’ll be looking forward to it.]

After ending the communication, she decided to write a letter right away.

She took out parchment from the room and even prepared the fountain pen Blossom had bought last time from her luggage.

‘Umm, so... Hello... Viscountess Erilot...’

She sipped the pomegranate juice while writing the letter.

Astra Second Duke’s Mansion.

I returned from the palace around 2 p.m.

“Ugh...”

I sat on the sofa and rubbed my feet while Hanjihyuk shook his head.

“You go back and forth between the Emperor’s palace and the Empress Dowager’s palace every day. How can your feet not hurt?”

“Don’t nag. I’m already tired.”

“Then do you want me to check the letters later?”

“Invitations from the young ladies?”

“Those and some greeting letters, and various other things.”

“Give them to me.”

Hanjihyuk brought a pile of letters.

‘When will I write all these replies...’

Since Dad entered the Central Tower and I got the nickname “Strongest Wonhwa,” I couldn’t neglect a single letter.

“They say the kids in the imperial city think it’s a huge honor to receive a reply from you.”

“...I’ll have to choose. I’ll reply to Paante and Trang first, hmm... What’s this?”

“Oh, that’s a letter from Masa.”

Masa?

Did she really write all her letters?

I held the red-sealed letter Masa had sent.

“...Did Masa really send this?”

“That’s what I said.”

“But this...”

I looked at Hanjihyuk holding the letter.

“...It’s from the Tanshud Inn?”

It was clearly visible on the envelope.

[From Tanshud Inn’s parchment]

That phrase.

Hanjihyuk frowned.

“Tanshud?”

It was surprising.

The Tanshud Inn was the closest inn to District 1, and the cost of one night was equivalent to three years of a commoner’s living expenses.

I frowned and smoothed the letter’s corner.

“Someone’s attached to Masa, isn’t there?”

“Of course. We made sure Grimier and his minions never come near her.”

“Tell her to come home immediately.”

I ordered with a cold expression.