I’m a Villainess, Can I Die? - Chapter 61

Jane took the position of the exclusive maid, which became vacant due to Aiden’s road to promotion. Since Jane was the one I was most fortable with after Aiden among the employees, I personally designated her.

“Miss!”

As soon as Jane became my exclusive maid with her own uniqueness, she jumped into my arms.

It was the first time in my life that I had been this active since Vivian. ‘Uh, I see… I think the two of them have a bit of a similar personality.’

It had been a week since Jane became my exclusive maid. As I laid relaxedly in bed, Jane pulled the curtains and opened the window. She, who opened the large window without difficulty, wiped the sweat from my forehead.

For the past week or so, if there was one thing I had noticed, it was that Jane was a much better maid than I thought.

First of all, she was the one I was second most familiar with after Aiden, so I remended her… She was a lively child, so I was worried that she would be talkative. Like Vivian, who was overly friendly and passionate.

However, surprisingly, Jane didn’t talk much. No, she wasn’t talkative, but rather someone who could speak in moderation. I thought she was just young and active, but she was much more sensible and mature than I thought.

“Jane, you don’t have anything special to do today?”

“Yes, Miss.”

After opening all the windows in my room, Jane sat down in the chair next to my bed. A sigh came… It felt a bit unfortable because it was like leaving all the work to someone younger than me and resting alone.

But what could I do, if we worked together, I would just get in more trouble.

“Oh, how relaxing.”

Jane smiled softly at my murmuring from her. A cool breeze blew in through the open window. Although the summer here was hot, it was not humid because of the frequent dry and refreshing winds. I didn’t know how fortunate that was.

A summer without air conditioning or a fan would be terrifying.

When I thought about this, I felt like a well-raised child. I closed my eyes slowly while taking in the greenery outside the window. It felt like I could hear a cicada from a distance.

Yes, the cicadas were loud that day too.

One summer day, the fan and air conditioner in the hospital room where Eunji was staying both broke down. It must have been a summer day boasting the worst heat ever, so everyone in the hospital room was on edge.

The worst of them was Eunji. On that summer, her stamina ran out, so Eunji often laid in bed all day. She couldn’t even dream of a walk, and it was hard to eat.

What if the air conditioner broke down in this state?

Eunji’s body was drenched in sweat everywhere. I couldn’t sleep for two full days until the air conditioner and the fan were fixed, because I had to wipe the child’s body.

Just as Eunji’s body was drenched in sweat, my body, which had to constantly change the water, wring out towels, and wipe her body, was soaked in sweat. But Eunji kept whining, and my parents were still angry with me, so I had to silently wash the towel.

The role of parents seemed easy. When their punching bag* dipped the wet towel and wiped the body of their beloved child, they could only say, ‘My poor daughter…’.

*T/N: the raw is 구박데기 a derogatory term for someone who’s always bullied so idk what other word than…. Punching bag??

Seriously, what one man sowed, the other man reaped.

It was only after the cool wind brushed my cheeks that I opened my eyes from the old memories.

When I remembered Eunji’s whining, no matter how much she was my younger sister that died first… I thought that I should have hit her on the back the last time we met.

“Miss, are you hot?”

But the regrets were short-lived. Remembering the face of that child who cried for me to live happily, how could I hit her on the back?

Perhaps even if we met again, I would not be able to hurt a single hair of that child.

“No, it’s cool.”

With that in mind, all that was left in my head was the thought that the wind was cool.

“What are you making?”

After lunch, I naturally went back to bed. Jane naturally also sat down on the chair next to my bed.

But she wasn’t empty-handed. She was holding a piece of cloth in her hand, and it looked like she was making something.

“This? A doll.”

“Doll?”

It was my first time seeing a doll being made. Jane smiled and moved her hand flexibly like she was doing something familiar.

It was more enjoyable than I expected to see the sequence of cutting, sewing, positioning the fabric gathered in the basket, picking up cotton, and stuffing it.

There shouldn’t have been much to do in this world.

Jane continued to work with a smile on her lips like she enjoyed the process. Snip. As she cut the last thread, a perfect teddy bear was born.

“Wow.”

It was truly an admiration from my heart. The sky blue teddy bear was plete. It was good enough to sell for money.

The finished teddy bear was so amazing that I unwittingly focused my eyes on it, and Jane held out her hand. To be precise, she handed the finished teddy bear to me.

“…What?”

“It’s a present for Miss.”

The stuffed teddy bear was smiling softly. Was this a present for me?

“To me?”

“Yes. Oh, I wonder if the teddy bear I made is a bit too much…?”

Jane glanced at me and tried to pull her hand back. Without realizing it, I grabbed Jane’s hand first.

It was such an improvised act that even I was a little surprised.

Shocked, Jane blinked her eyes and looked at me.

“No. It’s not like that, I’m just a bit confused… thank you.”

As I took the teddy bear into my arms, Jane, whose eyes widened in surprise, gave a bashful smile. Her smiling face was lovely.

I glanced at her shyly, then lowered my head and fiddled with the teddy bear. How long had it been since I received a doll like this?

Since Eunji was born, I had never received a proper gift. Since living as Selena, I had never received a teddy bear because I was too old to receive one.

However, before Eunji was born, I received these teddy bears quite often when I first got adopted.

What was with teddy bears, anyway? When I was young, I smiled when I received them.

In any case, it was probably because it was a teddy bear that was often given as a gift in a moment of happiness.

That was why I so hastily reached out and grabbed the teddy bear in her hand.

Eunji told me to live happily, so I unwittingly became obsessed with happiness.

I tapped the tip of the smiling teddy bear’s nose, but the teddy bear was still smiling.

“Thank you. Jane.”

Jane soon started making the second teddy bear. This one she would give to her sibling, she said.

I sat the teddy bear gifted by Jane next to me and watched her again.

Then all of a sudden, I thought that if I had to live here for another 4 years… I needed a hobby or something.

A hobby. It sounded like a very undeserved word.

Anyway, lying down was my hobby and my specialty… Still, I couldn’t keep lying down.

It was harder than one thought to lie down blankly, staring at the air.

“Jane, can I try that?”

When I asked, Jane lifted her head and looked at me. She blinked her eyes as if processing for a moment, then nodded her head vigorously.

“Of course, Miss!”

There was a saying that hard work never betrayed someone. However, sometimes the results betrayed the effort. I did my best, but Jane was crying in front of me.

Was it that bad?

I did my best to make the doll as Jane taught me. I had spent almost two days’ worth of energy, so tomorrow I would have to lie in bed all day… Jane, who was initially bubbly with enthusiasm, gradually darkened as I pleted the doll’s arms, legs, torso and face.

Now, her plexion had turned to earthen, and she was looking down at my hand.

Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes.

“Is it that weird?”

When I asked, Jane shook her head, not sure if she could answer.

It seemed to me that it was well made.

Since I even made a doll, I decided to give it to someone as a present.

‘Mother. Yes, let’s present it to Mother.’

I got up from holding the doll I made myself. I told Jane, who was in tears, not to follow me, and I left the room alone.

My mother’s room was higher up, so I walked up the spiral staircase.

It had been a long time since I had visited my parents’ room. By the way, they should’ve been in their room now. I faltered, in front of a room I had never been to since the engagement day.

Knock, knock.

“It’s Selena.”

As soon as I announced my presence in a quiet voice with a small knock, the door burst open. Mother opened the door and came out.

“Selena!”

As always, I nodded my head at the face that greeted me with a bright and excited look. Mother dragged me into the room.

She sat me down on the sofa and poured the tea from the pot, appearing like flowing water. She seemed to be drinking tea alone.

But why were there two teacups?

I looked into the teacup and tilted my head with a question.

“I always prepare two teacups in case someone visits. Thanks to you, today will be a very fun tea-time.”

A soft voice rang out, like reciting music.

‘I see.’ So that was why there were two teacups.

I took a sip of the tea. It was moderately warm and sweet.

“So Selena, what’s going on?”

As I was savoring the tea, I remembered the doll I had put down next to me. I drank the tea and lowered the teacup. Mother was watching me with her characteristic kind smile.

Oh, I’m kind of nervous.

I lifted the doll I made myself and opened my mouth.

“This doll is a gi…”

“Oh my God!”

And before I could finish my words, Mother’s sigh broke out. It was a sigh. Like in an exorcism program, when the shaman would go into the abandoned house and sigh when they saw something they shouldn’t be seeing.

“You got it as a gift? Who the hell…”

“…Jane-”

“Oh my gosh! Jane? I didn’t see her that way… How could she present such a cursed doll…? Don’t worry, Selena! Mom will take care of everything.”

My eyes twitched at the sight of her huffing and angry.

So this, uh, it looked that terrible…? To the extent that she had to call the person who gave the gift right away and reprimand them…? If so, would Mother be upset if I presented this to her?

I didn’t want to get scolded at this age.

Even while I was thinking like that, Mother was still angry. It seemed that I had to correct the misunderstanding before Mother went into some real action.

As I slowly shook my head, Mother, who was fluttering in anger, looked at me puzzledly.

“This is what I made. By learning how to make dolls from Jane. It was the first doll I made, so I was going to give it to Mother… By the way, it is not a cursed doll.”