The Villainess's Story Retold

Playing the Parts

"My Lady, your guests are already waiting in the parlor and Mr. Mayers will be arriving by noon." Marie reports at the figure who is currently getting her hair done by Eva, "Thank you Marie, I hope you left them something to eat."

"I already did My Lady." Marie answers which a earned a small smile from Adalyn. "Alright then shall we get going." Standing up from her chair, Adalyn smoothens her dress one last time before going to the direction of the parlor.

The clicks of her heels are heard by 6 men who were chatting quietly inside the room. The door opens to reveal Adalyn in her simple cream dress yet the men can't help but stare at her, intensely.

"Good day to you all, my name's Adalyn Blanche. I called you all here today for your assistance to build a clinic and some houses to replace the ones that were burned down months ago." They all looked at Adalyn with surprise after hearing about the burned houses since this part of town is hidden from citizen's eyes. This place is where the sick, the homeless, and the dead reside. "How come Lady Blanche knows about the Dark side of town?" A plump man asks and at that mention, Adalyn's face turned dark as the memory of her walking around town comes to mind.

-- flashback --

"My Lady please be careful, there are many thieves around here." Marie whispers beside the hooded figure of Adalyn but she only paid Marie little attention since her eyes are wandering around the dirty streets.

Destroyed stalls and houses are seen while children who wore dirty clothes take scraps from the ground. 'This place is even worse than City D.' Adalyn thinks.

Then a scrawny young boy whose rib cage can be seen even at the 2nd intersection comes to view and tugs on Adalyn's skirt, dirtying it along the way. "Madame, can you offer me just a small broken bread? Even a small biscuit will suffice." The boy begs.

Seeing the begging boy disheartened Marie but as a servant she cannot let anyone touch her Lady, even if it's that poor boy. She is about to tear Adalyn away from his clutches but she squats down to the boy's level before Marie could touch her and looked at the boy straight in his eyes.

"Do you think that I'll immediately give you things that you want, little boy?" Adalyn starts with a cold tone, making the little boy stare at her for judging the situation so poorly. "With all due respect Madame, I never asked for something I want, I simply asked for some food that I really need." The little remarks.

"Then you are a leech person, are you not?" Adalyn concludes which made the rational little boy snap. "No I am not! I wouldn't even be like this in the first place if those nobles keep on raising the taxes and because of them, my Mother died! If only... If only they would open their eyes and see these then, I wouldn't have suffered, too." The little boy's last words were muffled by his hiccups and cries.

Adalyn who once looked at the boy with scorn now looks at him softly but her hood hid her beautiful iris that is filled with concern. "I would love to help you but I am person who rewards people for their work if you, young boy, will work for me then I'll pay you." Adalyn states as she uses her white handkerchief to wipe the dirty face of the boy.

"Benefactor I am truly grateful but... I can't work with this body." The boy whimpers, reminded once again of his limits because of his malnourished body. Adalyn frowns and with a sigh, she stands up and looks at the boy seriously.

"I can offer you shelter and food until you are qualified to work but after that prepare to payback what I have done to you." The little boy looks up to his benefactor as tears of gratefulness pour, one after another. Hearing those words of protection is something he didn't expect to hear in this life but now a cold stranger is offering to take care of him, that one thing he, himself wasn't able to do to his dead Mother.