Chapter 03
The Butler and the Villainess
After coming down to a rural territory in the southeastern part of the Empire, my days were truly happy.
“I knew it—I wasn’t a squid after all.”
Just looking in the mirror made me happy.
With Anael nowhere nearby, the “relative ugliness effect” disappeared, and Kalia’s beauty finally became visible again.
Her vivid red hair, as striking as lipstick, paired with dazzling features that didn’t get overshadowed at all.
Especially her green eyes, slightly veiled by long lashes—they shimmered with an enchanting, almost absinthe-like allure.
I tried giving myself a smiling glance in the mirror and immediately understood how Narcissus felt.
“Am I really pretty, Michael?”
“…Do I absolutely have to answer? It is true that you are beautiful, but—”
“Right? That’s enough.”
Kalia Lavius is indeed beautiful. Confirmed.
Oh, and for reference, my new butler Michael came along under direct orders from the Duke and Duchess.
— “Make sure Kalia doesn’t cause any more trouble. Watch her closely.”
— “Even the head maid with 30 years of experience gave up on her. If you fail too… there’s no future.”
Hearing them say that so seriously felt a bit unfair.
But considering Kalia’s past actions that I learned after transmigrating…
I couldn’t really argue.
‘She was something else.’
Since childhood, there had been no girl of higher status than Kalia in the capital.
Naturally, she came to believe the entire world revolved around her.
So she couldn’t tolerate attention shifting away from her.
Or rather, she didn’t see any need to tolerate it.
If someone wore valuable jewelry, she would show up with something several times more expensive to overshadow them.
If a famous designer released a new dress, she had to be the first to own it—even if she didn’t wear it.
And this personality didn’t stop at material things.
‘One fiancé she dumped, two, three, four…’
Still, she seemed somewhat satisfied after getting engaged to a young, handsome duke.
But even he dumped her.
“I was a tea…….”
“What are you mumbling about?”
“I got dumped… the more I think about it, the more annoyed I get…”
That bastard who showed up a few days after I transmigrated and threw a breakup letter in my face—
Duke Eric Schwerin.
— “Good morning. Have you been well—”
— “Just thinking about spending my life with someone like you disgusts me.”
— “Is insulting people the new greeting trend these days?”
— “Why? You’re always the one chasing new men. Surprised to be on the receiving end?”
Of course I was surprised.
I was peacefully enjoying my confinement staycation when suddenly my fiancé barged in and started insulting me.
But I quickly calmed down.
‘Oh, right. In <Contract Saintess>, they were already broken up. So this is that moment.’
Eric Schwerin is the second male lead in <Contract Saintess>.
He first appears when he hears that his former fiancée Kalia tried to kill Anael and goes to find her out of responsibility.
— “I understand, Eric Schwerin. I’ll support your new love.”
Go meet Anael and have a beautiful romance.
I was rooting for you—the gentle male lead—more than the scheming Emperor.
— “What? Ha. I’ve never seen a woman worse than you.”
…The gentle male lead?
— “You’re the most disgusting person in the world.”
Weren’t you supposed to be gentle?! Why are you insulting me even when I’m letting you go?!
Ah… did I miss the “gentle only to the heroine” keyword?
— “Fine. Say whatever you want.”
— “Damn it, you really never change. Sign it, Kalia Lavius. I already got the Duke’s signature.”
He threw the breakup document at me in disgust.
Flustered, I only checked that the penalty would be paid by the Schwerin family before signing.
— “Being with you was terrible. Let’s never meet again.”
— “Wow, you’re good at insults.”
And just like that, I got dumped in three minutes.
After he left, the anger slowly built up.
‘In the original, he acted all sentimental…’
I had invested in him as a gentle second male lead, but recalling how he spoke to me like I was filth shattered that illusion.
“Jerk.”
You made me invest in false advertising.
May the curse of being a second male lead follow you forever. I hope you get dumped too!
“If you storm into the Schwerin duchy because you’re upset, that will absolutely not be allowed.”
Michael said sternly, watching my turbulent thoughts and expressions.
“You should be grateful, Michael. The old Kalia would’ve already gone to cause a scene.”
“I’ll thank you in advance, so please make sure that never happens.”
From Michael’s perspective, my possession must be a blessing.
It’s like a nightmare boss suddenly became normal overnight.
If only my old manager had been possessed by a decent person too, I wouldn’t have died from overwork.
“What strange thoughts are you having now?”
“Thinking about you.”
“I’d appreciate it if you stopped.”
Hearing his flat response, I snickered and stretched out comfortably on a dark green silk couch.
Maybe because my bad reputation had already spread, the servants here were extremely polite.
Michael was the only one who gave me entertaining reactions when teased.
Smiling, I said:
“Still, isn’t it better to serve a pretty and kind noble lady with a good salary than to do unpaid assistant work for professors at the academy?”
“‘Kind,’ you say? That sounds questionable. But to answer your question… lately, I think the former might have been better.”
What?! Am I worse than a professor?!
“That’s harsh.”
Like many noble families, the Lavius household had a butler family that had served them for generations.
Michael was the son of the current Duke’s butler.
Normally, he would have grown up learning the trade in the duchy.
But the Duke noticed his intelligence and sponsored him to attend the academy instead.
Surviving among nobles there, Michael developed into a mentally strong, sharp-tongued fighter.
Unfortunately, that talent caught the Duke’s attention again.
— “You said you’d serve the Lavius family after graduation.”
— “Yes. I haven’t forgotten your kindness.”
— “Then become my daughter’s butler.”
— “…Pardon?”
A young male butler attending an unmarried noble lady closely could cause rumors.
Especially one as handsome as Michael.
Both he and the Duke knew that.
But no maid could handle Kalia.
— “Just until Kalia gets married. After that, I’ll write you a recommendation to return to the academy.”
— “Your Grace, I…”
— “I’ll give you ten times a butler’s salary and a baronet title.”
— “I will serve to the best of my ability.”
And so Michael left his academy assistant job and came to the Lavius estate—
right around when I transmigrated.
Specifically, before Eric Schwerin came with the breakup letter.
Ah, thinking about him makes me mad again.
Imagining grabbing his ash-blond hair, I aggressively squeezed a gold-embroidered cushion.
Perhaps misinterpreting my anger, Michael changed the subject.
“More importantly, you haven’t forgotten about today’s tea party with the southern noble ladies, have you?”
“Oh, this?”
I waved the invitation I received two days ago.
“Good. I’m glad you remember.”
“Count Elcanto’s estate, 2 PM. You nagged me enough about it.”
Actually, I was looking forward to it because I heard the estate had an ocean view.
Basium also faced the sea, but it was so vast you could barely see it from the villa.
“But Michael, don’t expect too much from me.”
Etiquette was easy enough to relearn, but social maneuvering was another story.
“I’m not confident.”
“Today’s tea party will determine your first impression among the southern nobles.”
“Thanks for the pressure.”
Despite my sarcasm, Michael remained serious.
“Listen carefully. Do not throw tea in anyone’s face, slap them, pull their hair, or insult them.”
“Are you insane?”
I said it out of disbelief, but Michael lowered his eyes and replied calmly:
“Then hit me instead. You can insult me if you want.”
“What do you mean ‘that’s fine’?”
He flinched when I responded seriously.
Apparently, the original Kalia did things like that casually.
But still.
“That’s too much—for both you and me. Who’s okay with being hit or insulted? Are you a pervert? If so, I’ll try to respect—”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Then forget it.”
His tone and gaze were incredibly disrespectful for a butler addressing his lady—
but no one was there to call him out.
I quietly avoided his cold silver-gray eyes.
Our new butler already looked exhausted.
Even so, his face was so handsome that his worn-out look gave him a tragic, decadent charm—
ahem.
“Even if you had such tendencies, you must not show them in front of noble ladies.”
“I don’t have them… but does that mean I can show them in front of you?”
Michael cursed at me with his eyes.
Sharp, icy, like blades.
I almost joked that we understood each other just by eye contact—but held back.
At this rate, he might quit and run away.
“Sorry, sorry. I was just curious. I don’t have those tendencies, and I won’t show anything weird.”
“Are you sure you don’t? Or are you just hiding it… never mind. I don’t want to know. I’ll send in a maid—please change and call me. I’ll have the carriage prepared.”
I nodded obediently.
Good job, me.
