The Villainess Will Not Bring Dishonor To Her Family

23 - Smooth Preparations

It's been a month since the party at Gilbert's family mansion, and I have been blessed to have been left alone by the boys in the novel for that entire month. Even Eric has barely been a part of my life for a month!

The reason, is that I have been going to an absurd amount of tea parties recently. I told my mother I wanted to improve my reputation with the noble girls, and within a couple days the invitations just kept coming. After the first burst of invitations it slowed a bit but then slowly picked up again. A tea party a day keeps the boys away apparently.

I'm exhausted.

But I have been working hard. I've been attempted poisoned a total of 7 times during the last month. I know it's sad to get used to always checking your food, but it's a habit already. Ah, I've let them off easily every time, like hinting likely that they shouldn't do things like that. Of course, they went pallid after my 'warning' and it never happened twice the same place... but it's still exhausting.

My target goal of changing my reputation is a little closer. My reputation has changed a bit. I have successfully gone from gaudy to devil eyed... It went slightly against plans... Well, there are less bad rumors too, but the 'devil eyed' is the one I hear the most when people end up whispering nearby. I've always had an excellent hearing you know?

The other rumors? Well... first of all that I am having an 'affair' with Lionel. Based on him conveniently being nearby during the assassination, and the breakfast next morning where we had a brief conversation. It's pretty rootless, but it's love gossip. These half adult girls try to copy the adults and though it's a mostly innocent version of what the adults do, it is a bother. They just can't help it. Of course I've done my best to kill off the rumor, and I'm quite sure Lionel has as well. As a future aide to his Highness it would be bad for him to make such a bold move as to attempt to get close to me.

Mmm secondly there is the rumor that the Alstair and I secretly hate each other. I've been brushing off their questions about Alstair a lot, and at one point I must've given an annoyed expression at them mentioning his name all the time. Since Alstair hasn't requested my audience about this rumor, it actually seems like it's getting stuck. I had expected more resistance from Alstair's side.

Others rumors?

Let's see...

- That I'm like a Lily when I dance. I'll take this as praise for my dance with Lionel.

- That I know how to ride and visit our family's barracks... Though I want to and can, I've never actually gotten around to do it. It's wrong, but not all that off for what I want to do.

- That I've gotten a bit more reasonable... I've gotten a lot more reasonable you know? You guys just keep poisoning me and spreading silly rumors.

- That I'm a demon. Probably spread by Bridgette.

- That I'm just pretending to have changed. This was wide spread in the beginning but now loses out to the demon theory.

...For some reason there is nothing pure and innocent like:

'She's turned over a new leaf!'

Well, I guess it is hard to impress young innocent girls when you have the boring attitude of an adult and doesn't fancy the position of princess, any of the boys in the kingdom or other silly romance things.

Ah, there is a cute rumor going around between our own maids, though, that I'm trying to mimic father's behavior.

While I am not... well... it's not an unpleasant rumor, so I am leaving it be.

So, let us summarize the fruits of my labor, versus the goals I have set:

I planned to put distance between the Crown Prince Alstair and I. This is going smoothly, other than an unexpected display of kindness during our dance.