KFBRV Ch 110

It had been a mere two months since she mastered the alphabet. All she possessed were memories of the sermons of an old priest she had overheard while hiding in the temple.

He was an old priest obsessed with theology, having dedicated his entire life to the discipline. A white-haired old man who prattled on endlessly about every conceivable sermon.

Of course, he was also the man who had attempted to throw Odette onto a pyre for feigning the role of a purifier.

[Odette] "I failed to finish reading it because I ran out of hands. When I counted the things I didn't understand, they exceeded ten fingers, leaving me no hands with which to hold the book itself."

And this was the old priest's favorite anecdote.

It was a story concerning the eccentric Albertus and his only friend. When Albertus pestered his friend, asking if he had read his work The Commandments of God, the friend had complained that it was too difficult.

At her answer, several men with a strong desire to show off, who knew the anecdote, burst into loud laughter again.

[Guest A] "That anecdote appears in the latter half of that accursed book. You read The Commandments of God in its entirety!"

One of the men spoke loudly. He pretended to praise her, but it was a boast that he, too, had finished reading it.

Another man spoke anxiously, fearing he might miss his chance to brag.

[Guest B] "Astonishing. I would never have even glanced at it had my professor not been his disciple."

[Odette] "So you were a disciple of Lord Faust. My apologies, but could you refrain from speaking to me?"

She spoke with a coy attitude that was clearly playful.

She naturally revealed her knowledge that Faust was Albertus' disciple, yet she dismissed it as a joke rather than a boast.

If someone like her without an Academy background had forced themselves to read those books, they would typically suffer from an intense desire to show off.

The fact that she was so breezily appealing to the guests actually revealed her humility.

Of course, from her perspective, she passed it off as a joke because she genuinely hadn't read it, but the other nobles had no way of knowing her intent.

The twist that she was "actually a good person" always generated strong affection.

[Current Bad Reputation You Possess:]

[▶ The rumor regarding the Ignorant Lady with an Empty Head diminishes.]

[23 people → 8 people (▼ Decrease of 15)]

[▶ The rumor regarding the Arrogant Flower of Society diminishes.]

[26 people → 15 people (▼ Decrease of 11)]

Odette was steadily fulfilling the goals of the status window.

With things having turned out this way, doubting her became laughable.

Lady Brentano clamped her mouth shut and crossed her arms, her lips pressed into a thin line. However, her maid glared at Doly, silently demanding answers.

How did this happen? This is different from what you said!

But Doly found the situation hardest to comprehend. She could not grasp the point at which the nobles laughed, but she recognized that everyone held affection for Odette.

It was the composure unique to those who read books.

That human cannot read, so how is she doing that?

[Guest] "Dear me. To hate even the disciple of the author. Lady Odette, you are a terrifying and cruel individual."

[Odette] "You must have heard the rumors regarding my viciousness. How could anyone who read The Commandments of God not become cranky?"

She steered the conversation toward her goal of eliminating the rumor of her wickedness.

[Odette] "I understand. Had I read that book to the end, I too would have become exceedingly cranky. I was quite lucky. At the Academy, summaries compiled by seniors were passed down."

Hearing the laughter, more people flocked to her table. Doly could only stand in bewilderment. The atmosphere was the exact opposite of what she had expected.

[Guest] "Come to think of it, was her name Doly? That maid has been chattering since yesterday. Claiming there is no master as difficult to serve as her lady."

At his words, the gazes of the gathered crowd pierced Doly.

Doly's face turned bright red. The gentleman's expression dripped with disapproval as he brought it up. He disapproved enough to mention the gossip again in such a setting.

Why? Why? Yesterday, they seemed to enjoy listening to the gossip about Odette.

Odette lifted the corner of her lips as she watched her flustered state.

---

Do you think slander only tarnishes the reputation of the victim?

Most people who hear slander do not merely lower their opinion of the target. They also lower their opinion of the speaker.

That person will go elsewhere and chatter about me in the same manner.

Furthermore, Doly had overlooked a critical fact: she was a maid.

If a maid excitedly badmouths her owner to a noble, whom would the noble consider more unsightly?

She didn't understand the breed known as nobility at all. Masters considered a maid badmouthing them to be an act of betrayal.

[Current Bad Reputation You Possess:]

[▶ Vicious Villainess (25 people/▼Decrease of 7)]

[▶ Selfish Purifier (15 people)]

[▶ Arrogant Flower of Society (15 people/▼Decrease of 11)]

[▶ Ignorant Lady with an Empty Head (8 people/▼Decrease of 15)]

She checked the status window before her eyes and drank her tea slowly. She intended to prolong the time Doly spent in the spotlight.

[Odette] "Is that so? I must administer a very severe punishment."

[Guest] "Do you intend to force her to read The Commandments of God?"

[Odette] "I must make her realize the highest good through the postulates of the immortality of the soul and the existence of God."

At this calm reply, not only the Academy-educated gentlemen but even Lady Brentano let out a faint laugh. Though she quickly returned to a stiff expression.

That bizarre, incomprehensible sentence was something theologians were expected to recite even if woken from a deep sleep.

[Guest] "You are cruel indeed. Lady Odette is, without a doubt, a terrifying villainess."

The conversation continued in that vein. Theology, followed by economics, politics, and international affairs.

Lady Brentano subtly tried to test her, but she managed to escape the situation by combining bits of overheard knowledge.

I have Han Suwan’s knowledge, after all.

Doing her younger sister's college assignments during her past life had proven useful in this unexpected way.

Although this was a game world, the theories within it largely borrowed from actual theories in Han Suwan's world.

[Guest] "You are remarkable. I didn't know you were so well-versed in international affairs."

In the case of international affairs, she roughly matched the 19th-century situations of the countries that served as motifs, allowing her to explain things plausibly.

[Odette] "The gentlemen praise me too much. It is a rather radical opinion."

[Guest] "No. As you say, it genuinely seems the era of the railroad is opening. Your talk on republicanism was also fascinating."

[▶ The people who agree with the rumor about the Ignorant Lady with an Empty Head have vanished!]

[▶ Ignorant Lady with an Empty Head (Rumor Removed/▼Decrease of 23)]

Almost everyone in the salon had gathered at this spot. Because of this, everyone moved to the largest sofa in the center of the circulating area.

Servants and maids moved busily, shifting additional sofas and tables to create space. Only Doly remained idle.

A young lady picked the last cookie from a three-tiered tray and called out to her.

[Lady] "Was it Doly? The afternoon tray is empty; why do you not bring a fresh one? Bring more fruit wine as well."

[Doly] "Y-Yes?"

[Lady] "You are the only maid here, so why are you just staring? Did you come here to play?"

Doly, who had been glaring at Odette and trembling, jumped in surprise at the Lady's request.

[Odette] "Do not forget to bring more tea, Doly."

She chimed in from the side. Doly glared at her even then, before hurriedly leaving the circle.

She returned shortly, pushing a trolley.

[Lady] "What is this? I have never seen a child set a three-tiered tray like this."

However, upon seeing the tray, the Lady clicked her tongue at Doly. Nothing about it matched proper etiquette.

The Count does not enjoy dessert. And the Countess, knowing nothing of etiquette, believes it simply needs to look pretty.

Since she had only ever set things up to look pretty, Doly had no way of knowing how to do this properly.

[Lady] "Why are there sandwiches on the third tier? And with this composition, surely a citrus fruit wine is appropriate?"

[Doly] "......"

[Lady] "Why did you choose this white wine? It is far too heavy to pair with fruit."

The Lady, having pointed out each error, eventually shut her eyes tight.

[Lady] "Sigh. It would be better if I set it myself. Lady Odette, you are not called the daughter of God for nothing. Only a saint could tolerate this. How on earth did you endure it? Who wouldn't become vicious with such a maid?"

The people in the salon already held affection for Odette. Some likely even felt guilt.

[▶ The people who agree with the rumor about the Vicious Villainess have vanished!]

[▶ Vicious Villainess (Rumor Removed/▼Decrease of 32)]

As all the nobles at the table focused on Doly, her face turned crimson.

[Lady] "She is a hollow maid with nothing in her head."

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