IVBITR ~ Episode 1

“Isn't that too much to compare Ashtelin-nim with Lady Clemence?"

"No, but she’s the one we serve. How could you say that.... "

"She came down to the old Centium villa, and pretended not to follow Lady Clemence. It's so pathetic."

The maids whispering could be heard outside the door.

This is because the old Centium villa was poorly soundproofed.

Ashtelin, who listened to the voice outside the door as a lullaby, opened her eyes.

Even though she was lying in bed, she still felt sleepy, tired, and lazy.

And there's something more important than anything else.

It is so true that the loud noise outside is very annoying.

"I'm sure His Excellency The Duke will come and find Ashtelin-nim again"

"It can't be? She didn’t get her coming-of-age ceremony and she’s excommunicated from her family, she won't even be a noble anyway."

When someone hears gossip about herself, it's natural for her face to heat up.

However, even after hearing of her backstory, Ashtelin didn’t even think about it and was leaning against her bed head while washing her face.

"I've been lying down for about a week... Ah, this body really can't adapt."

She sits on the edge of the bed.

After being hit by a car while feeding a stray cat on the street, she transferred into the novel <Clemence's Mistake>.

She became the daughter of the Duke of Pharadi, who had the greatest wealth and most famous in the Empire, and Ashtelin Pharadi is the greatest shame of the family.

She arranged her thoughts with a glass of old tequila that lay on the table beside the bed.

'Ashtelin Pharadi. A girl who lacks affection, an extras imitating the heroine, and a rich lady.’

She didn't need a lot of alcohol to figure out the situation.

She has been lying down thoughtlessly for the past week to figure out what's going on, so there's not much to do now.

After drinking tequila, she finally opened the door.

As the door opened with a rattling sound, and the maids in front of it stood upright. A brown-haired maid on the left and a tall maid on the right.

After closing the door behind her and looking at the two faces, Ashtelin asked indifferently.

"What are you talking about?"

"...... Yes?"

"You two talked about me, didn't you? Go on."

She didn't mean anything, but she was going to figure out what was going on.

A week with just lying on the bed.

She was clearly aware that she could no longer return to her original world.

So, in order to live in this world, shouldn't she have to be aware of her reputation?

"........That, that."

"Tell me quick. Because I'm curious."

She had a rough guess in her head. But exactly, how much is Ashtelin's reputation has been dropped?

That's the only way to decide how to live!

With twinkling eyes, Ashtelin smiled brightly as she looked at the maids.

"What, what do you want to know?”

asked the tall maid in confusion.

Does she want the maid to speak behind her master while the other employees  watch?

It was obvious that the maid was going to lose her livelihood and she might be in a position to worry about her life.

"You just said something about me."

Ashtelin had no idea.

Rather than trying to punish them right away, she just wanted to hear about her reputation.

She smiled without much thought and raised her head.

"You have to say it."

Because there was subtle dignity in her words, so the maid murmured carefully.

"Well, so...."

"So?"

“........”

The tall maid couldn't speak and dropped her head.

The brown-haired maid beside her looked a little more confident.

"If you don't tell me, I think I’ll fire you."

The brown-haired maid's smiling face then disappeared.

She looked at Ashtelin with a bold face, as if Ashtelin could really fire her.

Ashtelin looked at her and tilted her head.

Ashtelin in the original story, she must have been ignored by her maid …… was what she was thinking objectively.

"You have to tell me if you don't want to be fired.”

Not surprisingly, the brown-haired maid laid the plates and began to open her mouth in a sarcastic tone.

She didn’t know if it was because she was threatened to be fired, but the brown-haired maid quickly talked excitedly.

"......we’ve talked about the public's opinion on how you are trying to imitate the famous Lady Clamance on social circles."

"Well, it's true although it’s corny. Anything else you want to say?"

As Ashtelin accepted coolly, the cheeks of the brown-haired maid rose reddishly.

She doesn’t look like the usual Ashtelin Pharadi. She should have gone into the room crying by now.

The brown-haired maid felt unpleasant. She thought that a lady who couldn't have a coming-of-age ceremony and was going to be expelled from the family is a ridiculous and laughable thing.

".......I wonder if the family didn't recognize you as a noble because you didn't have the coming-of-age ceremony even though your birthday had passed. In addition, there was a case in which the Marquis of Shalame's insults His Excellency has been talked about in the social circles."

The harder she muttered, the deeper the smile on Ashtelin's mouth.

"Wow, this is... really cool."

The brown-haired maid chewed her lips as she lowered her gaze. Today Ashtelin wasn't really like Ashtelin. Whatever she said, Ashtelin grinned broadly.

But for Ashtelin, this is a life she’s being dreamed of. A life that doesn't have to live up to the expectations of others! She really liked the reality of having a lot of money and having her reputation ruined!

"Then, can I go now......."

Although she was discouraged, the brown-haired maid’s eyes showed disregard.

"Where are you going?"

Ashtelin slowly rubbed her back neck.

'I have roughly finished grasping the situation, but what should I do with this maid?'

Before making a decision, Ashtelin drank a sip of the tequila that was still in her hand. The alcohol was lukewarm as if it had been kept at room temperature for a long time, but the taste was perfect.

And, there's one more perfect thing.

The fact is that she doesn't have to put up with the person who talked in front of her. Not knowing what Ashtelin was thinking, the brown-haired maid chatter proudly.

"I'm going to my private room."

"Private room?"

"Yes, I mean my residence."

Ashtelin smiled brightly as she watched the brown-haired maid’s hand dazzle her hair. Anyway, she has lost her reputation and was ruined, but....

There's no reason to put up to swearing in her face, right?

"Your residence, it's gone."

"What do you mean-"

Ashtelin smiled broadly without any formality. As a bonus, She didn't forget to pat the maid's shoulder.

"Ah, I couldn't tell you before. You're fired."

“........Fired?”

Looking at the bewildered maid, she answered kindly.

"Yes, good bye. For your information, I won't write a recommendation letter for reference.”

With those words, Ashtelin slammed the door.

The future of the maid who was expelled from the Duke of Pharadi will be quite dark. But that wasn't her concern. Ashtelin stood in the dusty room, smiling happily.

A reverse harem romance fantasy novel, <Clemence's Mistake> .

The original book has a ridiculous story that ends with the destruction of the world.

She is an extra character who is stupid, seriously ill-natured, lack of affection,  humiliated while imitating Clemence, the perfect social circle’s moon.

However, that's not what matters for her.

"I don't think everyone knows anything....."

Asterin placed a tequila glass on a dirty bed table to set up her "pretend to be frugal" plans.

And whispered with a big smile.

"........I just need a lot of money. What more do I need?"

The important thing is that she is rich.

Honor, power, affection from others?

She doesn't need it all. She only find it annoying.

She doesn't need to have difficulty getting something unnecessary.

All she must do is just spend money and live as a happy third-generation chaebol*!

*chaebol (재벌) : a rich person who has much money. Originally, 재벌 means 'Korean form of business conglomerate that is operated by family'. But, this word is often used to refer to a general rich person.