The Villainess Want To Paint

Chapter 4 🎨

"I don't want to do it for the sake of refining my craft. I don't need a teacher either. Just providing me with the necessary tools and materials is enough," Violet stated firmly.

The Duke remained silent, but Violet could sense that his reaction was a form of confirmation.

It was such a simple request that it was entirely possible for it to be granted. Once again, Violet tried to gauge the Duke's response.

Even if she combined her age from her previous life with her current one, she was still younger than the Duke, and she couldn't fathom what was going through his mind.

The desire to paint was more of an impulsive decision on her part. Even if it was just a fleeting whim, she wanted to continue the life that had been completely erased.

No, it was more about finding an escape. That's why she chose to pursue what she had done in her previous life.

Nothing more, nothing less.

As the Duke's hands paused in their task of organizing documents, he commented on Violet's continued presence, even though their business had already been concluded.

"You haven't fully recovered yet. Go back and rest."

"...Are you worried about me?"

"Of course I am."

There were ripples in the calm lakes of her eyes. Violet bit her lip slightly and held her breath.

The Duke did not scold her, despite her sudden intrusion and unreasonable demands. He simply allowed it all without question.

Ah, this, too, must be easy.

The way a parent treats their child, so empty and devoid of sincerity. Looking at the Duke, who seemed insincere, Violet asked once more.

"...Father, do you consider me your child?"

It was a question she had never asked before, not once in her life. A question that Violet could only ask now that she was no longer the Duke's daughter.

Despite everything, her voice trembled.

I wonder, have you ever felt any love for me at all?

Her purple irises quivered like lakes disturbed by ripples, and the Duke met her gaze directly. He answered calmly.

"Not once, there was never a time when you were not my daughter."

"..."

His tone was business-like, through and through. It was too much for her to bear.

She couldn't stay here any longer. She would unravel. She didn't want to show any weakness, yet tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

Biting the inside of her cheek, she managed to hold back the tears and forced a smile. It was a fragile smile that seemed on the verge of crumbling at any moment.

This, too, must be easy.

Violet S. Everett had clawed her way through a life akin to that of a dog and had become a wicked woman. But for what purpose?

"If it's like that, then I'm relieved. I thought there wasn't a single person by my side."

She had believed that even he would hate her. However, Violet swallowed back those words and instead smiled, saying something else.

"Then, as your daughter, I would like to ask for one favor, Father."

As he heard that it was not a request from a ducal princess to the Duke, but from a daughter to her father, he looked up from the documents he had been reading.

And as Violet uttered her next words, he couldn't help but doubt his own ears.

"-Please imprison me."



Naturally, Violet's request to be imprisoned was rejected. While she was easily granted permission to be relieved of her obligation to marry, the request to be imprisoned was adamantly refused.

There were various reasons given. She needed to rest because she was still unwell, he said. If the eldest daughter of a ducal household were to be imprisoned in such a manner, it would tarnish the dignity of the Everett family.

To these arguments against her request, Violet scoffed. She was already notorious as a heinous woman, with rumors filling the streets-what dignity was left to be tarnished?

In the meantime, many doctors came and went to check on her. And if, by chance, an evil spirit had attached itself to her, a priest was called to visit her. Such a house call from a priest came at a high cost.

Living a life with an abundance of money to spare was indeed different. Lying down and staring at the ceiling, Violet laughed.

As her condition improved, Violet approached the Duke once again, asking to be confined to a remote location.

Without questioning why she kept making the same request, the Duke refused each time. But due to her persistence, he was eventually forced to grant it.

Violet had committed so many atrocities that no one questioned the Duke's official order to imprison her.

Mikhail, the eldest son, was aware of the back-and-forth between the Duke and Violet during this time. He ran wild and asked loudly what was going on. But that was the extent of it.

Ten days after Violet S. Everett had fallen into the lake, all her social activities came to a halt. Carrying only a small bag, she was soon confined to an old, dilapidated annex far away from the main mansion.