The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 18
When Fiona opened the door to the Jordyn children’s room in the main castle, a sharp voice echoed from inside.
“That ribbon looks better on me!”
Aubrey reached out as if to take the light green ribbon from Lysia’s head. The governess, Kissel, was frantically trying to block her hand. But Aubrey continued to struggle, determined to take the ribbon.
Lysia, pressing the ribbon down with her hand, looked like she was about to cry. Fiona frowned.
“Aubrey! You again!”
“Ahh, whhyyyy! That ribbon would look so much prettier on meeee!”
“Lysia, don’t give it to her. It wouldn’t even look good on Aubrey anyway.”
Hayley, sitting on the sofa with a book in her hand, glanced up briefly. She looked annoyed.
Fiona sighed and grabbed Aubrey’s arm. It was easier for Fiona, as the older sister, to handle Aubrey than it was for the governess Kissel. This youngest sibling never listened to anyone lower in rank than her, no matter what she was told.
“Why do you want Lysia’s ribbon? You already have one.”
Aubrey stomped her feet and shouted in frustration.
“Because hers is prettier!”
“Your hairpin was chosen by Mother to match your outfit.”
Fiona spoke with a headache.
She could tell Aubrey would soon start crying and throwing a tantrum, so Kissel nervously tried to calm her down.
“Miss Lysia’s ribbon is green, and Miss Aubrey’s dress is pink, so they don’t really match. The pink hairpin you’re wearing now would look much better.”
For a moment, Aubrey hesitated. Fiona had little hope that this kind of gentle reassurance would do anything for Aubrey’s upbringing, but she had to keep things under control for the moment, as the Young Lord’s party was about to arrive.
While Fiona had been tempted to let Aubrey get scolded by their parents for once, her stronger concern was the reputation of the Jordyn family.
Just as Aubrey was about to start throwing another tantrum, Hayley muttered in a detached voice.
“It’s not the ribbon that’s pretty, it’s Lysia that’s pretty.”
“Hayley!”
Before Aubrey could scold her again, Kissel quickly spoke up.
“Please calm down, Miss Aubrey. What if your dress gets wrinkled while you’re fighting? You’re wearing the most beautiful dress today.”
Rather than teaching the children, Kissel often spent more time soothing Aubrey with sweet words, expertly catering to her mood.
“And Miss Lysia should wear something nice too.”
In the end, Aubrey snorted and gave up on taking Lysia’s ribbon.
“Hmph. Fine. I’ll give in just this once.”
Before Hayley could scold her again, Fiona gave her a pointed look. No disturbances, no scolding—now was not the time for it.
Finally, Lysia, who had been holding the ribbon hesitantly, let it go. Fiona approached her and gently adjusted the ribbon. Lysia whispered softly,
“This ribbon, it’s really fine if I give it to Sister Aubrey…”
She said that, but Lysia still looked a little down. The ribbon had been chosen by her father, who thought it was the prettiest.
Fiona reassured her, saying it was perfectly fine.
Meanwhile, Kissel was soothing Aubrey, suggesting,
“Shall we practice our greetings one last time?”
Normally, Aubrey hated etiquette lessons, but today was different.
The Young Lord and Prince were coming. Aubrey couldn’t remember much from when she last saw the Young Lord, other than that he had been kind, but she had seen his portrait often. He was handsome enough to make anyone fall for him.
And while she didn’t know much about the Prince, he was still a prince.
‘What if the Prince likes me? I like the Young Lord, but I should be loyal, right?’
With that thought in her head, Aubrey smoothed out her dress and practiced her bow.
“Aubrey of County Jordyn, greets the Young Lord and Prince. Welcome to Evron.”
After briefly glancing at her reflection in the mirror, Aubrey became a little proud of herself.
The pink frilly dress, which she had begged her mother, was truly beautiful and cute. She thought it made her look like a princess.
Lysia, wearing simple clothes, looked like a maid. Even Hayley, dressed modestly, looked the same.
Aubrey was satisfied. She thought this outfit was enough to stand beside them.
Hayley and Fiona, realizing what Aubrey was thinking, exchanged exasperated looks.
But they didn’t have time to comment. The noise outside the door suddenly increased, and the door to the children’s room opened.
“I think it would be better to go the private room first.”
Aaron spoke as he entered first. Cedric greeted him with a smile.
“While we’re here, I think Tia and Pavel will spend more time with the Jordyn sisters than with you, so it’s better to greet them first.”
“Thank you.”
Aaron and Margaret both smiled. Prince Pavel was included in it. It was an honor for them, being playmate of the Young Lord’s fiancee and the Prince’s.
The startled children quickly turned toward the door. Kissel, who wasn’t supposed to be the first to greet, politely stepped back, and Hayley also stood up from her seat.
As the eldest, Fiona should have been the first to greet them, but it was Aubrey, who had been staring blankly at Cedric’s face, who suddenly bowed first.
“Aubrey of County Jordyn, greets the Young Lord and Prince. Welcome to Evron.”
Margaret and Aaron exchanged surprised looks. It seemed the youngest had made a mistake out of nervousness.
Fiona and Hayley both sighed inwardly at the same time. Aubrey wasn’t the type to care about things like order.
And she didn’t step back quietly either.
“I’m so glad to see you back, Lord Ced!”
Her tone was too casual.
Cedric’s expression stiffened slightly.
In the past, he hadn’t thought much of such behavior. She was young, and because Aaron and Margaret had been calling him ‘Lord Ced’ for so long, he thought it was just because she had become familiar with hearing his name often.
But now, he knew better.
‘Maybe it was acceptable because she was eight…’
But hadn’t he already allowed a breach of manners with Artizea? He realized that he needed to make the hierarchy clear.
He reached behind his waist to pull out Artizea, who had been hiding, and stood her in front of him.
“You didn’t greet her.”
Placing his hand on Artizea’s shoulder, Cedric looked at Aubrey. Only then did Aubrey realize who Artizea was, but she still hesitated to bow.
‘What’s with her? She looks so plain!’
At least, it was a relief that Aubrey wasn’t so foolish as to say it out loud in front of Cedric.
But deep inside, Aubrey felt humiliated and frustrated.
That scrawny girl, pale and ghost-like, was wearing a cute, pretty dress that clearly looked like it was bought in the capital. Her hair was a dazzling platinum blonde.
What bothered her the most was that Cedric had placed his hand so kindly on her shoulder. It made no sense.
When Aubrey didn’t bow, Aaron became flustered. Margaret, also surprised, stepped closer to Aubrey and spoke in a low voice, thinking Aubrey might not have realized who she was facing.
“Hurry and greet her, Aubrey! She is the Young Lord’s fiance, Lady Rosan!”
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