A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady

Chapter 289

“It’s unclear to me what exactly your main point is, sir. Is this your way of asking for a reward?”

Violet asked directly, wondering if Vaughn wanted one of her paintings in exchange for the information.

If that was the case, it was a bargain for Violet. Given the situation, asking for just a painting when he could have asked for much more seemed like a fortunate outcome.

Vaughn smiled at Violet, his expression playful.

“It seems you still don’t realize the true value of your art. But let’s set that aside for now… Shall we move on to another topic?”

Even though his business appeared to be finished, Vaughn lingered.

Feeling pressed for time, Violet wanted to quickly dismiss him and further investigate the information he had brought. But for now, she let him continue.

“Once upon a time, there was a bloodline blessed by the gods, and they have been granted special powers.”

“You seem to enjoy old stories.”

Vaughn chuckled lifelessly before continuing.

“They could see glimpses of the future—through divination, prophecy, or dreams, though the methods varied.”

Violet furrowed her brow slightly.

“And what do you think happened to them?”

“They must have been hunted down and killed, accused of heresy.”

“Correct. Despite their special abilities, they became targets of rejection and persecution. Most of them were branded as heretics and killed, and very few remain. Even though their bloodline has thinned over the generations, and their ability to see the future has vanished, they are still shunned.”

The irony wasn’t lost on Violet.

Loved by the gods, yet branded as heretics. Could they really have been loved by the gods?

“Do you know what distinguished them?”

“…Red hair.”

“That’s right. Red hair, a trait of the wandering pixie tribe, who were cast out and rejected by society.”

“And what’s your point in bringing this up now?”

“Oh dear, did I offend you?”

“……”

“Haha, I apologize.”

Though Vaughn apologized, his tone lacked any true regret.

Red hair. By now, that bloodline had thinned, and few remained with vivid red hair. Violet recalled that Aileen’s mother had been one of the few with such hair.

“These days, it has faded to pink. I observed that child closely just in case, but it seems she didn’t inherit any of their abilities. What a disappointment.”

“Haa…”

Violet let out a sigh, somewhere between exasperation and frustration.

Aileen had always believed she was discriminated against for not having noble blood, despising her mother’s lineage. That inferiority complex had shackled Violet throughout her life. How ridiculous.

“You dislike Aileen, I know that.”

“Then it’s best not to mention her name in front of me.”

“Nonetheless, you pity her at the same time.”

Vaughn’s eyes were never truly serious. From start to finish, he made light of weighty truths.

Violet took a deep breath, closing her eyes. When she opened them again, she spoke in a calm tone.

“I’ll ask again. What’s your purpose in telling me all of this?”

Her gaze was sharp and direct. Vaughn laughed as if amused by her determination.

“It’s better to know than to remain in the dark, isn’t it? I thought you needed to be aware of this.”

“…Does Aileen know this?”

“Haha, didn’t you just ask me not to mention her name?”

“……”

“She doesn’t know. I never told her, just in case.”

Violet wondered, What use is this information to me? Knowing this didn’t bring her any relief, nor did it seem relevant to the current situation.

“Whether you tell Aileen or not is up to you,” Vaughn added casually.

Despite his flippant tone, Violet couldn’t shake the thoughts of Aileen from her mind.

Aileen, who had tried to diminish her cousin out of a deep-seated inferiority complex, and the poisoning incident that had been its culmination. If she hadn’t been so envious of Violet, none of this would have happened.

Aileen was still unconscious, so that issue would have to be dealt with later. For now, there were more immediate problems.

“Let’s return to the main topic. What do you want in exchange for this information?”

When Violet finally asked outright, Vaughn thought for a moment, resting his chin on his hand.

“First, a painting… and the rest, I’ll consider a debt to be settled later.”

“……”

“Don’t worry, I won’t make unreasonable demands.”

His words left her with a bitter taste in her mouth.

He had come without invitation, offered up information, and now declared it a debt without her even asking. How presumptuous. Still, Violet decided to accept.

“I hope your demands truly won’t be unreasonable.”

“Don’t worry. Whatever it will be, it won’t be something that harms you.”

Violet was eager to rid herself of this unwelcome guest.

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