I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 103

Chapter 52.1

“No. I’d have to refuse, too.”

In order to catch Rowaine, Herman had to pester her in various ways because it was not enough for him to engulf her with the sweet talk. Still, it wasn’t in vain, as he managed to succeed in holding her.

‘Still, that look… it isn’t my expectation.’

Smiling to himself, he shook his head slightly in disbelief.

He couldn’t believe Rowaine had rejected him. After all, she was always the one who insisted on spending time with him first, claiming boredom.

As he thought about it, Herman glanced at Rowaine, who was standing in front of the large window in the drawing room, her gaze languid. The usual sharp scent of her perfume, which often stung his nose, was absent today, and somehow, that made her seem even more unfamiliar.

‘She’s different.’

Rowaine had always been a fickle person, so he assumed she was just pretending to have changed due to some passing whim. She liked to show him different sides of herself—one day shy and demure, the next, a seductive woman, and later, a virtuous lady.

…So, what was it this time? What was her game with going to Blois? Had she grown tired of playing with the Emperor?

While Herman was curious, he didn’t dwell on it much, thinking that she would eventually get bored and come back, begging him to play with her. But that assumption proved to be a mistake… This time, Rowaine hadn’t shown herself to him for quite some time.

‘What could it be?’

As his thoughts lingered on Rowaine, the wine glass in his hand trembled slightly.

The blood-red liquid was fragrant, but his mind was completely consumed by the woman in front of him—the same woman who once adored his smiling face. Yet now, no matter how determined or charming his smile, it was difficult to catch her attention.

‘Hmm.’

Somehow, he did not like it. It felt like he was looking for something that you normally don’t even know existed when you have already lost it. Watching her, who kept staring out the window, made his nerves a little sensitive.

Erman whispered softly, hiding his sharp feelings behind his smile.

“You’ve changed, Duchess—like someone else wearing Rowaine’s shell.”

“Because I’m married.”

Rowaine had an awkward expression stained on her face.

Even that expression was unfamiliar to Herman. It was the first time he knew she could make that kind of look…. Or, perhaps, it was because she was using honorifics? Even the way she spoke was unfamiliar.

“People change when they find true love, don’t they?”

‘…Lies.’

Herman’s eyes narrowed.

At that moment, Duke Blois entered the drawing room.

‘He must’ve come here after hearing that she was alone with me like a demon*.’
[ T/N: This phrase here meant ‘In a manner of being amazingly precise and accurate in action or guess.’ ]

Rowiane rejoiced to see the Duke of Blois, who was staring at Herman with pleased eyes, emitting wariness against him as if protecting a treasure in front of him that no one was allowed to touch. Was he not like a stranger to Rowaine? The Duke of Blois would not even know her true self.

“Dimitri.”

When Rowaine reached out her hand, Duke of Bloise wrapped his hand around her waist as if he had been waiting. Even though she seemed a little surprised at first, she soon gazed up at the Duke of Blois with a face like she was falling in love.

As though he was concerned, the Duke whispered to her ears softly the next moment.

“Didn’t you say you weren’t feeling well?”

“….?”

“It’s better to rest early because you’re ill.”

“Oh, right. I did. That’d be nice.”

Herman laughed to himself.

‘Is that what you call acting now?’

He knew that Rowaine would try to provoke his jealousy by flirting with the Emperor. At the time, he did not think much of it… but why was his stomach feeling so twisted now?

As an unpleasant feeling crept into him, he suddenly opened his mouth and spoke of Rowaine’s preference that he knew.

“The Duchess, Rowaine, has always loved stormy days. I guess the Duke doesn’t seem to know that yet.”

At his arrogant tone, the Duke of Blois narrowed his brow.

“You say you’ve been friends for a long time, though you don’t know much about my wife, do you? She doesn’t like days like this.”

“Is that possible? On days like this, we would all gather together and enjoy scary stories until late at night. If you listen to the story I’ve prepared, you’ll forget about being sick and enjoy it.”

Saying so, Herman reached out his hand towards Rowiane.

‘Hold it, Rowaine. As you always do.’

Even when she was playing around with the Emperor, she never wavered at his outstretched hand. Because of that, he was confident.

However…

“I’m sorry. But I’m tired today, so I need to rest early.”

…He was rejected.

This time, it was a real refusal that would not work, even if he pestered or squeezed her. Herman stared blankly at the back of Rowaine, who was leaving the drawing room with the Duke of Blois. At the same time, his mask, which had been smiling tenderly the whole time, was crumpled.

‘…Is she really Rowaine?’

At this moment, he thought back to how the dog shapeshifter and Rowaine were looking at each other earlier.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

As night fell, the wind grew stronger, and the rain streamed down like a torrential downpour.

I was in the room chatting a little bit with Agwen about the employees, and at some point, the rain got so loud that her voice was barely audible. By the time I realized that I was speaking with a loud voice, the wind rumbled and shook the window.

“Ah…”

Please consider sending some love either through the translator’s Ko-fi or by leaving a rating/review for this series on novel updates~!

For update pings, novel discussions and/or to send mistake reports, join our discord server~