I’m a Villainess, Can I Die?

The hand stroking my arm belonged to the maid assisting me with my bath. When I turned my head, our eyes met, and she gave me a gentle smile.

Ah, right. Facing someone’s smiling face while being completely naked… felt a little strange.
Except for when I attended my brother’s engagement ceremony and the week after that incident when I was too unwell to bathe alone, I had always handled it by myself.
Most nobles received assistance while bathing, and some even had servants of the opposite sex attend to them… My god, how disgraceful.

Either way, I wasn’t someone who could easily accept exposing my bare body to another person.
While I was lost in thought about noble bathing customs, the bath came to an end.
The maids pressed a towel against my hair, drying it thoroughly, then applied various creams and lotions to my face and body—things I didn't even recognize. With powder and color on my face, my pale complexion looked much livelier. My hair was braided, accessories were added… and finally—

“My lady, I will help you into your dress.”
Jane smiled as she held up the dress—pink, adorned with white ribbons and flowing lace.
It was a design that didn’t match my taste in the slightest, but I had no choice but to wear it.

That dress had been sent by Vivian.
A month and a half ago, when she wrote that she wished to visit me while I was ill, I refused her request but included an invitation in my reply.
An invitation to a greenhouse party I was hosting. (Though, in truth, it was Lukas who was actually organizing it.)

The fastest and most effective way to quell the circulating rumors was for me to make an appearance in society.
However, given my still-recovering condition and my family’s concerns, attending another person’s party or gathering was out of the question. So instead, we decided to hold a small greenhouse party at the duchy.
If I couldn’t go out, I would invite them here.

Vivian was the first to receive an invitation, followed by several young nobles selected from a list Lukas had compiled.
The total number came to about fifteen, and every single one of them replied that they would attend. Vivian even sent a dress along with her reply, suggesting that I wear it to the party.
Such dedication. A truly passionate young lady.

“My lady, everything is ready.”
I had absentmindedly let the maids move me around, and before I knew it, the preparations were complete. In the large mirror before me stood a girl in a pink dress.
The sight reminded me of my engagement ceremony.
Still pretty.

It felt a little shameless to praise myself, given that I was Selina, but pretty was pretty. Surprisingly, even this overly extravagant dress suited me well.
Before I realized it, the time for the guests to arrive had drawn near. I needed to head to the greenhouse, check everything over, and prepare to greet them.
I glanced down at my left arm. If one didn’t look closely, they wouldn’t notice the faint scar there. It was the only mark I had deliberately left untreated by Priest Ian.

A small, lingering trace on an otherwise flawless arm.
As I traced my fingers over the shallow scar, I could almost hear Eunji’s voice.
[Live happily. You’ll grant my wish, won’t you?]

It had been nearly two months since I jumped from the tower.
There had been moments in those two months when the uncertainty of the future, the sheer weight of walking a path I had to decide on my own, left me feeling afraid.
But every time that happened, seeing this scar would bring Eunji’s face to mind, and my resolve would steady again.

It was the mark left by the day she pushed me forward, wanting me to live.
While I was lost in thought, Lukas arrived to fetch me. As always, he was my designated escort.
On the way to the glass greenhouse where the party was to be held, Lukas spoke to me in a gentle tone. Though, of course, only his voice was gentle—not his words.

He was probably mindful of the nearby servants.
“Did you memorize all fifteen names?”
“…Probably?”

Honestly, I wasn’t confident.
Some might scoff at the fact that I hadn’t memorized them in a month and a half, but I had no talent for remembering names. Even after seeing a homeroom teacher for a year, I would forget their name by the next.
For someone like me, memorizing names based solely on characteristics… As I hesitated, keeping my silence, Lukas—still wearing that kind and patient expression—shook his head.

“As expected, your memory is truly impressive.”
“I have an excellent teacher to thank for that.”
For the past two months, Lukas had been the one teaching me everything. So naturally, the teacher I was referring to was him.

“No matter how good the teacher is, learning depends on the student, doesn’t it? Well, don’t worry. I’ll help you if you forget.”
He really never lets me have the last word.
But despite my inner grumbling, I nodded without hesitation.

This party was essentially my first real step into high society. At my engagement ceremony, I had been lucky enough to only converse with Vivian and Mia, so there hadn’t been much room for disaster. This time, however, things were different.
Fifteen people, all in one space. There would be unavoidable conversations.
If Lukas was offering his help, I’d gladly take it.

As I had just said, Lukas had been my teacher and guide for the past two months.
He had arranged the venue, selected the menu, and even curated the guest list for me, given that I knew absolutely nothing about hosting a party.
Beyond that, he had also taught me about the attendees, their distinguishing traits, and the basics of social etiquette.

At this point, I was beginning to wonder if he was truly the Vice Captain of the Knights or if he was actually… my nanny. No, my private tutor.
Of course, said tutor was so strict that I often felt like I was being smacked in the face with his words alone.
“Selina.”

“Brother.”
This translation is the intellectual property of .
While Lukas and I were finishing the final inspection of the greenhouse, my brother arrived.

He had wanted to attend the party to help me, but I refused.
If he were here, he’d help too much.
He’d probably serve me directly in front of everyone, or worse—feed me cake with his own hands.

Oh my god.
“No matter how I think about it, I should be helping…”
Aaron scanned the greenhouse with concern. His hand ruffled my hair, a gesture so natural it didn’t feel out of place.

“I appreciate it, but I’ll pass.”
After I woke up from that incident, my brother started acting cautiously around me again. He was constantly watching my reactions, hesitating even to call my name.
I couldn’t quite figure out why. Then again, considering how Selina had tormented him in the past, maybe it was understandable. I figured things would gradually return to normal with time.

But at some point, my brother began looking after me even more proactively than before.
The sudden, 180-degree change in his behavior left me feeling bewildered this time. Still, it was better than when he used to constantly mutter apologies over every little thing.
Aaron withdrew the hand that had been ruffling my hair and gave me a warm smile.

“If Lukas says anything unnecessary, just call me.”
“…You’re the one saying unnecessary things right now.”
Lukas interjected, cutting into my brother’s affectionate words.

With Lukas standing behind me and my brother in front of me, I ended up caught in the middle.
Their conversation played out right over my head.
What was this? I wasn’t some kind of debate table. My head, not my ears, was buzzing from the tension in the air as I carefully sidestepped out of the space between them like a crab.

Both men paused their exchange and looked at me. They blinked in silence as I made my way to a nearby chair and sat down. I casually lifted both hands as if giving them permission to continue.
Seemingly understanding my intent, they resumed their conversation. The only difference was that now they had moved even closer together, whispering in low voices.
Honestly, the whole thing was funny.

In the original story, they had no problem getting along despite the whole ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend, current girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend mess. Yet now, they couldn’t meet without baring their teeth at each other.
Maybe they were both hitting a late-blooming puberty.
As I idly observed them, my gaze met my brother’s. He had been sneaking glances at me while whispering with Lukas.

“By the way, Brother, what brings you here?”
“Oh, I just wanted to check if the party preparations were going well.”
Aaron stepped slightly away from Lukas, laughing sheepishly. His dimples deepened as he smiled—a feature that had always been one of his charms.

That sight suddenly reminded me of Princess Ariel.
While I was still bedridden, Ariel had come to visit me a few times. Knowing the truth of the situation, she had clung to me, sobbing uncontrollably.
And between her sobs, she kept repeating how sorry she was.

I had thought then how similar she was to my brother.
What exactly did she have to be so sorry about? Whether looking at the past or the present, I was the only one who should have been apologizing.
Her visits continued for a while.

But over time, the tears stopped. Instead, our conversations became lighter.
Ariel especially enjoyed talking about my brother.
["Isn’t Aaron’s dimple just the cutest? The way it pops in when he smiles is adorable!"]

Honestly, what I found cutest in that moment was the way she blushed while saying it. But I had played along, nodding in agreement.
Recalling that memory—the one Aaron would die of embarrassment over if he ever found out—I was about to respond when Lukas spoke first.
“Of course, the preparations are going well.”

His smirk curled upwards. Meanwhile, my brother’s brows furrowed deeply.
“I wasn’t asking you.”
And just like that, round two began.

“Lady Selina! Thank you so much for inviting me!”
Vivian was the first to arrive.
Seeing her in a blue dress with a design almost identical to mine, I had to admire—once again—her enthusiasm and meticulousness.

“Oh my! You’re wearing the dress I sent you!”
While I only applauded her in my head, Vivian clapped her hands together excitedly and looked up at me with bright eyes.
“You sent it, so of course I wore it. It was a lovely gift—thank you.”

“Oh my! There’s no need for thanks between us!”
Between us?
Whatever relationship she thought we had, she seemed very confident in it.

Vivian’s chirping excitement set the tone, and soon, young men and women began arriving one by one.
Fifteen guests was a number that felt small yet somehow large at the same time. Though the greenhouse was spacious, once the guests, their attendants, and our household staff filled the space, it felt far more crowded than I had anticipated.
On top of that, everyone was eagerly vying for a moment of conversation with me, their eyes practically glowing with determination.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed before my brain started to short-circuit from the chaos. Just as my mind was about to overheat, Lukas smoothly inserted himself into the conversations, redirecting the attention of the noble ladies and steering the discussions.
Thanks to him, I had a brief moment to catch my breath.
I found the seat farthest from Lukas’s tea table and took a moment to collect myself. As I did, someone placed a teacup in front of me.

…Was this meant for me?
Curious, I looked up to see a man standing before me.
He had light brown, slightly wavy hair that fell just past his ears.

I definitely remembered memorizing his name.
Brown hair, blue eyes… His name was Je… Je…
“…Sir Jacob…?”

I hesitantly spoke, uncertain if I had gotten it right. The man’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before he grinned.
“You remember my name.”
Oh, I got it right? Even I was surprised.

But I masked it well, nodding smoothly as if I had known all along.
The man, still smiling pleasantly, placed a hand over his chest and bowed his head slightly.
“Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Jacob Cooper.”

Then, he extended his hand toward me.
Suppressing a sigh, I placed my hand lightly over his.
The warm-looking man smiled and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand before releasing it.

At that moment, I had a very strong thought.
Noble greetings really needed an update.