《Methods to Save the Villain Who was Abandoned by the Heroine》


 Chapter 1

    Methods to Save the Viin Who was Abandoned by the Heroine [Chapter 1]


    Attention! Read this trantion only at Mrs.Potatoo Novel !


    "Ciel, please do this too!"


    "Can you take a look at theundry?"


    "The food must have been set up well!"


    I sweated a lot at the call, but I stretched my neck like a giraffe. Even though we''re the same maid, she was relieved to get my okay sign. And the servant of the Archduke visited me as ifpeting.


    In a nutshell, even though Icked ten bodies right now, it was too early to rest. My dream is to be the head maid, and there is no ce where my sryes out as regrly as Archduke Estate.


    ''Our Archduke. He''s a generous person to workers, while considering he''s known to be a bad guy.''


    "Ciel! Help me!"


    As they called my name here and there, I had no time to think about my Archduke. There were dozens of workers, including myself, were walking around the luxurious hall.


    After tying the ivory curtains and finishing the decoration with roses, that I could catch my breath.


    "Ciel, what about tea?"


    "Oh, right. Look at my mind. I''m almostforgot about it. The white tea leaves were in the basement, right?"


    "You have to prepare the one from Lauren."


    I had to check the hall, and preparing tea for dinner. I hurriedly went down to the basement, prepared finely dried white tea leaves, and came back alone. Before serving tea for dinner, I had to boil it in advance and taste it.


    Sure enough, a butler''s scolding was heard not far away from the hallway. It was an old butler with a long mustache and ring eyes.


    "No matter how busy you are, you should check your clothes!"


    I stopped lifting the tea and looked around. I was reflected through a long narrow mirror in the hallway. When I turned my head around, I could see my sky blue hair tied in one strand. I''m arranged my sweaty bangs and brushed off the wrinkles of my apron.


    Unlike usual, my expression in the mirror looked really serious. Today is the day my sry was raised, so my other colleagues looked excited despite their busy schedule, but my expression was a little dark.


    ''How could today be the day when the great Archduke dies?''


    It wasn''t even because the Archduke was old. Huge wealth, powerful power, and honor as options. In addition, the handsome Archduke, who was born with it, came of age this year. To die at the age of 20, it was a more pathetic fate than me who opened my eyes as a maid.


    I, as a maid, had not encountered the Archduke very often, but as one of the Archduke''s servants, there had only one reason why I could predict his death. Because, this world was inside of the novel that I had read until the end in the past. And the viin who faced the miserable end of the novel was my master, Ferze Yekart.


    There is a saying that if you want to live, you should y as the viin''s minion. This world is from the novel <Random Box> that I read, but after 5 years of living here, I can''t help but agree.


    ''How likely are you to get into the novel you liked?''


    Originally my name was Yeon Si-eun, I was an orphan. There must have been my parents who gave birth to me, but no one raised me. I grew up in an orphanage, but I never felt it was home. Even that, I had toe out before my adulthood, so I went to various shelters.


    ''A strong child who doesn''t fit his age.''


    It was something I''ve always heard from adults. As time went on, I graduated from college and got a job as a store manager at a famous clothingpany through a 237:1petition.


    Otheremployees at work also stick out their tongues. I was an office worker who heard that I might die while working. I worked silently like a cow for about three years and was promoted to a team leader.


    ''There''s been no part-time job I haven''t had since college''.


    I had never restedfortably for a day because of a part-time job, credit management, and even getting a certificate. Even a difficult appointment with a friend can be canceled immediately if there is a slight problem in the store. There, overtime ismon.


    ''It was great to be a team leader even before three years.''


    I was spending more than half a day in a narrow ne seat on a business trip. After I finished reading my favorite novel <Random Box>, I stared down at the sky nkly through a round, narrow window.


    <Random Box> was different from other novels with good protagonists. I liked it more because it was a novel in which the wounded female protagonist did whatever she wanted and became a wicked woman.


    It was an early morning flight, so the dark night sky was filled with only ck and dark clouds. It''s like my life with only work left.


    ''Is this how people live? Isn''t it the modern version of ve?''


    Excellent credit rating. It''s all about being swept away in a 1,000-won store. I was a hard worker ant that only saved what I had collected.


    ¡ªSieun, what''s the fun of living? Don''t you get tired of working every day?


    My three-year-old boss used to say, ''If you live one life that is so boring, what is left?'' It didn''t feel good, but it wasn''t wrong, so I was thinking of going on a vacation to an ind when I got back from a business trip.


    ''I''m overworked on a business trip¡­¡­.''


    The day before returning home, I was on my way back from a meeting safely.


    ¡ª Oh. Uh.Wha¡­¡­.''


    I couldn''t even ask if there was. My heart stopped like a lie in front of the hotel door arranged by thepany. Who knew that I would die while working like that? If I had known, I would have done what I wanted to do without holding it in.


    "Ciel, you damn bitch!"


    These are the words I heard the moment I woke up. A harsh voice filled with malice pierced into my dazed ear.


    "If I had known it was going to be like this, I would have sold it at a bar!"


    "Demion! What are you saying to the kid!"


    A ferocious voice scratching iron echoed through the room. Hearing that sound, I carefully opened my eyes. The busty woman approached the middle-aged man who was very angry.


    After I copsed, I woke up in the body of a 12-year-old girl,Ciel. Since then, I have naturally lived withCiel''s memories, forgetting the past when I wasYeonSi-eun.


    Because they aremoners, there are no castles, and the old houses are located in the slums, don''t know when it will copse.


    The child had a drunk father, Demion, and her mother died while giving birth to Ciel. Next to Damion was an old woman with a timid personality.


    They couldn''t get married because they didn''t have money, and I couldn''t technically call it a stepmother because it wasn''t legally married. In the novel, the stepmother tormented her to death, but thedy was not a stepmother.


    Thedy used to make and sell cloth bags by secretly stealing the remnants of clothes left by the nobles. Instead of the lifeless andzy Damion, she took charge of our livelihood.


    One day, when I cried because I had nothing to eat,Demiongrabbed my wrist roughly and dragged me to the street. And shouted in front of others.


    ¡ª Don''t just cry because you''re hungry. Beg and get something to eat!


    There was nothing I could do as a 12-year-old child. So I really begged and brought the unsold bread the bakerydy gave me, but I was pped in the face.


    ¡ª Do you think we''re beggars? I was the butler who served Baron Jun!


    The bread I had been looking for was thrown on the floor. The aunt didn''te back because she was afraid of Damion''s actions, and I was cursed every day for being a useless girl.


    That day was also when I came out to the street to get something to eat.


    Puck!


    I bumped into a wagon that was slow behind me. I felt like my body was floating and I fell to the floor right away. The skinny body couldn''t ovee the shock and fainted.


    I woke up two dayster and looked up nkly at the ceiling. It was home. It''s the same old house ceiling I saw yesterday, the day before, and a few days ago, but something was definitely different.


    ''Huh¡­¡­.?''


    I raised my hand towards the ceiling. I was always used to the small fern-like hands, but these days it felt unfamiliar.


    ¡ªYou''re such a waste of food! If you had an ident with a carriage that a nobleman rides, shouldn''t you have to take money? This is calledpensation¡­¡­.


    ¡ª¡­¡­.


    One year after I enteredCiel''s body, I regained the memories ofYeonSi-eun. The ident that I suffered that day saved me. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to run away from the house.

 Chapter 2

    Methods to Save the Viin Who was Abandoned by the Heroine [Chapter 2]


    Attention! Read this trantion only at Mrs.Potatoo Novel !


    It was not easy to ept the fact that I died once, but memories of my past life flowed like water.


    "Damn bitch! If it weren''t for you, my life wouldn''t have been ruined!"


    I covered my ears. The innocent eyes instantly became spiteful. Who the hell is this uncle that yells at me? But none of the memories that came to mind were good.


    Where is a father who makes his daughter pickpockets and begs because he has no money? As soon as I regain my memory of my previous life, I wanted to hit Demon''s sr plexus right away, but my hand was a light bat.


    I stayed quiet for a month because there was nothing I could do with my child''s body. It was like a scarecrow in the field. A fool scarecrow standing with his arms open even if a sparrow pecked.


    Even if I get cursed at, I''ll just stare nkly. Even if I scream, I just stare nkly. When he tried to hit me for losing money in the gambling board, I ran away.


    A little over a monthter, I knew where this ce was. It was inside the book <Random Box>, a book I read on a boring ne. Ciel, a child of the slum, was a minor role that did not appear once in the original.


    That''s why it took a long time to find out where this ce was, even though I found the memory of my previous life. There seemed to be no one to help me. But there was a way to escape.


    I saved some pennies secretly from Damion. I put the money I got from running errands under the can.


    Also, after I ran an errand for the ingredients of a bakery uncle who thought I was worthless, saying that I was having a hard time at a young age, I was given a fairly salty sry.


    It was money that I could barely buy and eat a delicious food, but I saved it. When I used the money I had barely saved to send a letter to a nobleman, I was left with nothing.


    ________________


    It was the day I came back from going out early in the morning. That day too, Damion held a bottle and pointed at me. Even though the sun was shining brightly in broad daylight, he was busy drinking.


    ¡ªChild, it''s noisy.


    Damion, who has a skinny body, opened his eyes wide. Where did you dare to look like that?


    ¡ª Hey, you! What are those eyes? Do you know who I am?


    ¡ªYes. I heard you''re Baron Jun''s butler. Then what''s the point?It''s already been over.


    I looked at him with a dull eye. I know it''sCiel''s biological father, but there''s nothing to know. Thedy who lived withDamionsaid he was a great handsome man when he was young, but it was none of my business.


    ¡ª Mister, I heard that you embezzled Baron Jun''s property while working as a butler?


    Damionwas looking at me like a crazy kid.


    That''s understandable. The daughter who listened well and was obedient, said, ''Dad, I ''m sorry.'' Instead of saying, ''I heard you embezzled it.?''


    How did I know that you embezzled it?


    I was about to get a scab on my ear every day. This was because whenDemionwas drunk, he started with ''I used to be a horse, I¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤'' and ended with embezzlement.


    ¡ª Ha, this crazy girl¡­


    Is this guy cursing again?


    I was looking at Damion with a slightly tired look.


    ¡ªAaakkh!!


    When he raised his hand as if to hit, I shouted in a roaring voice. Are you really crazy? There''s no ce to hit this small body.


    ¡ªHuh?


    Damion was looking at me with a face that said, ''Is this crazy?''


    The only thing I could trust was myself, who was young and weak. But with what guts are you doing this?


    I slowly turned my head when I heard the rustling sound. Damion''s, who had been arguing with me, also turned his head.


    ¡ª It''s over there, Baron Jun.


    There was Baron Jun standing with a stiff face like a stone statue ofMoai. He was a vassal of CountRenice, the lord of the country vige where I was.


    A Baron would be nothing in the ranks of aristocrats, but tomoners like us, it was a far-fetched status.


    ¡ªRight. My butler was here!


    A sly smile appeared on the Baron''s hardened face. Renice''s crazy dog. Psycho Jun stretched out his arms as if to hug him.


    ¡ª You acted like you''d lick my feet, then embezzle my property! You''re such a punk!


    Fortunately, Baron Jun was not even interested in me. It was the same with his knights. He was just missing the old butler, who hit the back of his head.


    Baron Jun passed me by instinctively raising his arms to cover his face.


    ¡ªIt''s remuneration.


    Baron Jun grinned and threw me a pocket of some gold coins.


    ¡ªHow dare you, 4 years!


    ¡ªWhat an ugly father he was. Unlike you stupid bastard, your child is pretty clever.


    I looked around lightly.Loweredmy head and bowed to the Baron and left the old house without looking back.


    ¡ªMister, don''t live your life like that.


    Before leaving, I didn''t forget to aim for Damion.


    LuckilyI''mescaped from the slums, but the reality was cruel. I was scammed in the process of exchanging a bag of gold coins for silver coins.


    In fact, it wasn''t a scam, it was almost just coercion. It was the same wherever I went.


    Even though he knew the exact price, he shouted what the girl knew, and threatened to report it to the guards for stealing a noble''s pocket.


    Only after biting the hand of the shopkeeper who trying to steal my money, I managed to escape. If it were a past life, it would be unexpected.


    In the past when I wasSi-eun, I was quite obedient, but it was not just because of the memories of suffering. For me, waking up as a child in a slum, I had a hard time changing money.


    Even when I left the slums, I thought it would be easy to change money, and I was lucky enough to meet a noble guardian¡­.


    Who knew that I would live a harder life than my previous life?


    ''Because I can''t even use magic and I''m so dirty that anyone thinks I''m a child from the slum.''


    Light sky blue hair was like a straw, and ck spots were all over my white skin. The turquoise eyes that should have sparkled like a child were dead ck. The old dress I was wearing looked like a piece of cloth woven in rags.


    TheBaron offered a more generous favor than expected, but there were more bad guys in the world who couldn''t just leave a child with money behind.


    ''I''ve been through all the bitterness of the world.''


    Heh heh, this is true. Still, at the age of thirteen, Imet the chief of the maidservant of the Archduke and saved my life, which was close to death.


    ''Because there weren''t only bad people.''


    It was Aunt Mariane, a maid at the Grand House ofYekart, who saved me from dying on the street. It is said that Baron Jun lost all the remuneration he had and was in a wagon ident while walking on the streets.


    My body wasweak, andI was seriously injured, so I had no memory from the ident. The gentle maid told me that she had brought me, who was losing my life, to the pce of the Archduke.


    With the consideration of Aunt Mariane, I worked as an apprentice maid for the Archduke at the age of 13. My colleagues also came around my age, so it wasn''t that early.


    Four years have already passed since I came to the Archduke pce.


    "Ciel, are you getting ready to sleep?"


    "AuntMariane?"


    "I came here because I was worried. Aren''t you in charge of all the work yourself?"


    "No, my colleagues often do too."


    "That''s a relief, but¡­.."


    AuntMariane, who looked a little thin, approached me and asked. The old woman had been resting after suffering from a rare disease, but it seems that she came out today because the saint wasing.


    The olddy, who was chubby many years ago, was so thin that she stood out.Aunt Marian who gave me a warm smile and left immediately, she said she had something to say to the butler.


    ''I have to work, work!''


    I started cleaning again, after resting for a while. What has changed so far is that I have escaped the apprenticeship and be an official maid.


    In fact, being a maid is not a job that modern people like very much, but I was quite satisfied with it.


    I don''t know if ithad beenbetter if I became the female protagonist and who is full of ability. I was just an unnamed minor, and I needed a way to make a living right now.


    Being the maid of the viin and sub-male,FerzeYekart, I had no other options. Come to think of it, there were many anecdotes about the Archduke.


    Such as catching a serial killer and throwing it alive at a monster, or shing the enemy''s neck without changing a single expression even though a poisoned arrow is pierced in his shoulder.


    Itwas said that a nobleman who molested the maid of the Archduke was prevented from seeding the generations¡­.


    It was the motto of the Archduke to pay back three times revenge. There were other things, but that''s all I remember. At this point, he could be known as a hero.


    Perhaps because of the overbearing atmosphere and the cruel punishment,Ferzeis the evil Grim Reaper. He is known as a viin blinded by blood and ughter.


    However,Ferze, who was born as the owner of our Archduke and a great viin, was a pretty good master, unlike public criticism.

 Chapter 3

    Attention! Read this trantion only at Mrs.Potatoo Novel !


    First. I don''t force a highsry.


    As long as the specified work has been performed, additional work is not rmended.


    In fact, it is true that he has so much money that he has no interest in the things below him, but anyway, as a maid, his employer''s indifference was the best.


    Second, the sry is generous.


    Although there is no concept of a bonus, sometimes when a war takes on the role of regent of another kingdom, gifts flock to the Archduke residence.


    It was a time whenFerze, who had a lot of desire for power but was not interested in material desire, scattered to share it together.


    Third, he''s not interested in women.


    As a natural sub-viin, he had no interest in women.


    It was the same for the female lead,Riena.


    Since the parents were close,FerzeandRienahad known each other for a long time.


    Rienna''s love began from an early age, but she has only had a terrible crush becauseFerzeis indifferent enough to scratch people''s hearts.


    However, even before Ferzewas born,Rienabecame his fiancee due to a promise between the families.


    Ferze, who was not interested in love, was nning to marry a woman suitable for his family, and that person naturally became Riena.


    I wondered if the Archduke thoughts would change if he got engaged, but Ferze was Ferze.


    After Ferze became Archduke, he spent more than eight months of the year on the battlefield.


    Since it was his duty, he took the lead in fighting the enemy army or subjugating the monsters that appeared in the border area.


    The Archduke who led the knight of the White Night Army to deal with monsters was a single-minded person who only knew about war.


    Because the Archduke was so busy like this, Riena would onlye to the Archduke''s residence twice a year.


    There was no reason to stop her fiancee froming, so Ferze also responded to dinner instead of avoiding her.


    However, even if Riena approached and talked, Ferze only gave soulless answers such as ''I see'' or ''Was it?''


    The maids, who were waiting to serve dinner were restless because of the grand duke, who looked after his fiancee like a stone.


    There was an anecdote that I still remember vividly.


    ¡ªDo you remember being invited to Lady Nina debutante? DukeYekartwas unfortunately unable toe because you was on the battlefield at that time¡­ At that time, sirAndroconfessed that he liked me and followed me.


    ¡ªI see. What''s next?


    ¡ªHa. I was dumbfounded and warned him. Don''t look at me becauseihave a fiance. Yes, DukeYekart? Are you listening to me?


    ¡ªI can''t believe I''m giving a warning to LadyReina. I shouldn''t leave you alone.


    ¡ªAre you not listening to me at all?


    Rienaexpressed her frustration atFerze''s indifference, but the Archduke did not blink.


    What he''s interested in is war.


    It was how to maintain the power of the Grand Duke despite being restrained by the imperial family.


    ¡ª¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤Do you remember who I warned, no, the person who confessed to me, was?


    ¡ªI know it''s noble spirit


    ¡ªWow, really¡­¡­ You''re so mean!


    The person who confess to the saint was ''Andro!'' and the maids all knew the correct answer, but the Archduke made no effort to answer it.


    Ferze''s actions changedRiena''s targets from the Archduke to the imperial family.


    She''s quite brilliant, but she doesn''t need a maid''sopinion.


    Rather, whenever she came, she just stole the hearts of my colleagues with soft greetings and gifts.


    At the time, my colleagues kicked their tongues, saying that he was too alienated from his fianc¨¦, and that the owner was indifferent.


    But as far as I know, the problem was that Riena was having an affair.


    The more Ferze turned away, the more Riena''s unrequited love turned into hatred. As time passed, resentment and hatred towards the Archuke reached its peak.


    In the end, Riena, who was fed up with the indifference of the Archduke, chose Ferze''s cousin, the emperor.


    Then, Riena, who determines that the Yekart family is a threat to the imperial family, decides to kill Ferse for the sake of Emperor Can.


    It was for the sake of ''Can'', but in fact, it was because of hatred of being ignored.


    If you can''t have it, you have to kill it. The Archduke is a coveted diamond. Where''s the idiot to leave such a rare gem on the side of the road? Even youmust throw it away before another woman takes it¡­


    It was whatRienasaid to her close aide.


    Originally she''s not a saint, she took her ce by killing her half-sister who was a candidate for a saint.


    It was difficult once, and it was not difficult to try poisoning twice.


    It would have been better if Riena hadn''t tried to poison Ferze, the owner of the Archduke''s house!


    Since bing the maid of the Archduke, I have a habit of getting nervous whenever Rienaes.


    And today was the day the Archduke was poisoned.


    Today Ferze invited Riena to the Archduke''s house!


    Today I run around until my feet are on fire at the calls of my colleagues¡­.


    And the monumental day on which my sry was increased was the day Archduke Ferze died.


    Ferze was a great employer.


    It would have been better ifRienahadn''t tried to poisonFerze, the owner of the Archduke''s house!


    Since bing the maid of the Archduke, I have a habit of getting nervous wheneverRienes.


    And today was the day the Archduke was poisoned.


    TodayFerzeinvitedRienato the Archduke''s house!


    Today I run around until my feet are on fire at the calls of my colleagues¡­.


    And the monumental day on which my sry was increased was the day ArchdukeFerzedied.


    Ferzewas a great employer. How I wish I could leave it in the monument after he died,"He was a viin, but he was an employer who paid regrly!"


    To be honest, I didn''t like the male protagonist,Can, norFerze, but I thought I could leave that much for the generous owner.


    However, contrary to my simple wish, the reality was cold.


    When ArchdukeFerzedies, what will happen to the maids and servants who have looked after him?


    Vassalsand knights? What about the gardeners who worked hard to cut the rose field forRiena?


    The answer was set.


    Everyone is going to die. In terms of games, it was a perfect kill.


    *****


    I was standing at the dinner table ofFerzeandRiena.


    As I am a human being, my eyes immediately turned to the food on the table.


    Grilled duck meat, an appetizer made of olives, cheese made withrefinedactive ingredient- in milk, and pumpkin soup stewed with stock.


    All of them were dishes made by the chef of the Archduke with high ransom.


    Are we eating together?


    Ofcourse, it''s not.


    As a maid, I only stood far away from the Archduke and watched their meals.


    ''I can''t even talk about so many dinners!''


    I swallowed my saliva while waiting forRiena''s meal.


    I must had a calm expression so as not to offend the nobles.


    If there was any left, the maid would eat it, but now that was not important.


    After clearing the disturbed breathing, I listened toRienawith an expression that was no different from usual.


    ''Wake up,Ciel! Today is the day the great duke dies.''


    I paid attention to the conversation betweenRienaandFerze.


    Riena, who sliced duck meat and put it in her mouth with elegant movements, opened her eyes wide.


    It gave me a little chills.


    Even when trying to kill people with such angelic face, your taste buds are still alive.


    Rienasaid with a smile.


    "I saw it very often when I was young, but it''s a pity that I don''t think I''ll be able to seeYekartanymoreafter we got engaged."


    "There was a lot of work in the border area."


    "Isn''t it always like that, even if you don''t have a job?"


    Ferzesmiled out of courtesy instead of answering.


    There doesn''t seem to be any strange conversation.


    By age,Rienawas much older andFerzewas higher in status, but they were of equal standing to each other.


    Unaware of what was toe, the Archduke was holding a ss of port wine after a light dinner.


    "Do you remember what happened a year ago?WhenI was kidnapped by theVisenafamily."


    "Ah, about that time."


    "If it wasn''t for your highness the Archduke, I might have been seriously injured. Considering thatSharkisVisenakidnapped me¡­."


    Riena''s face turned white.


    When I saw that the saint, who is usually bold, became pale,Viscenalooked quite scary.


    Ferzemurmured lowly that he had a strong rtionship with theVisennafamily, and then burst intoughter.


    "He was confident when he kidnapped my father, and I didn''t know he would kidnap the saint of the empire."


    "That''s their nature. I''m still looking at the time in the temple, but I''ll clean them up whenVisenabreaks down."


    As expected, she was like a heroine full of ambition.Rienavoice was a little shaky considering her ambition.


    After that, it was a normal conversation.


    Perhaps being cautious repeatedly,Rienalooked at the Archduke with a side nce while eating.


    The nobility''s dinner was more than a meal, the purpose of which was fellowship. Drinking wine while eating was more like a tool to relieve tension.


    Rienadid not intend to assassinate immediately, but with a bottle of poisoned wine in front of her, she drank the tea the butler had prepared.


    When the wine the Archduke was drinking was reduced by half, she took out theChardonewine she had prepared.


    "It''s a wine from the northernSerate. It''s not for sale, but I got it specially."


    "Serate, it must be precious."


    "I prepared it to celebrate your safe return from the battlefield."


    Riena, holding the wine with both hands, said with a smile.


    Soon after handing over the wine bottle to the servant to see if it was heavy, she winked at him to pour it.


    When the servant standing next to him opened the cork of wine, a refreshing scent came up.


    I didn''t even pick the wine myself, but my hands were starting to tremble.

 Chapter 4

    ''That''s poisoned wine¡­.''


    While listening to the conversation between the two of those, my attention was focused on the real deal.


    The servant slowly poured the wine into the Archduke ss, being careful not to spill it.


    Contrary to his training in swordsmanship, the Archduke''s slender hand held a gold ss. The Archduke looked like he was drinking wine at any moment.


    However, fortunately, he was a formal person, so he put down his wine ss and drank a ss of low alcohol champagne to avoid making a mistake.


    "I guess you don''t like the wine I prepared. It''s a wine that I couldn''t get because I asked His Majesty.¡­"


    But who isRiena?


    When the Archduke was not willing to drink the wine, she expressed her disappointment and suggested that they drink it.


    As soon asRienamentioned the emperor, the Archduke fine eyebrows frowned.


    FerzeandCanwere not on good terms.


    This was because the emperor had no children and the Archduke was the heir to the throne.


    As the emperor, he had no choice but to be wary of the Archduke.


    The emperor''s aides warned that"Right now, the Archduke is working hard to subdue monsters, but someday he will revolt."


    Fersewas aware of such a situation, so his rtionship with the emperor worsened.


    Ferzesmiled and askedRiena.


    "His Majesty¡­..?"


    "Oh, yes. His Majesty gave it to me as a present."


    Rienalooked intoFerze''s eyes while answering.


    She often mentioned the emperor because she wanted him to be jealous, but today was a day to be more careful.


    Ferze, who raised his ss gracefully, said with a subtle smile around his mouth.


    "Please say thank you to His Majesty."


    I didn''t know you''d give me wine, if I gave you poison.Ferzeseemed to think thatCanhad always been wary of him and sent a gift out of ce.


    I thought he wouldn''t drink it due to the Archduke''s nature of not deviating from the rules he set, but that was my illusion. For what reason did he refuse the wine his fianc¨¦ had given him?


    It was said to be a gift given by the emperor, but the Archduke couldn''t help but drink the wine.


    I was nervous as I watched him who didn''t think the wine prepared byRienawas poisonous.


    Ferzesighed and reached out to lift a ss of wine.


    ''You can''t drink that!''


    I muttered to myself with a worried face.


    If you drink it, you can''t even pay meanymore!


    Whether he knew my heart or not, the duke seemed thirsty already.


    Is it becauseRienabrought up the story ofCanand scratchedFerse''s insides?


    He turned the ss of wine lightly and brought it to his lips.


    My heart began to burn with the sight of the Archduke who was about to drink.


    It''s poison. It''s poison.Rienais not the kind woman you think she is!


    Even before I shouted, ArchdukeFerze''s mouth opened first.


    "Let''s make a toast, SaintRiena."


    I was stamping my feet and rushed to the Archduke.


    The ss in his hand fell to the floor so easily that it was in vain.


    The moment the wine stained the red carpet,Rienawrinkled her face.


    "What¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤!"


    Surprised by the sudden movement,Ferze''s eyes widened.


    Thinking it was an assassination, the Archduke grabbed my hand at once. It was because i suddenly jumped into his arms.


    "Protect the saint."


    Immediately, the door opened and the knights rushed in.


    They surroundedRienain an instant.Riennawas also surrounded by the knights of the Archduke House.


    Ferze, who turned and confirmed thatRienawas safe, made eye contact with me again.


    The enemy''s intent was evident in the thin eyes of the Archduke.


    "I didn''t know you''d betray your owner."


    The voice, which was not originally high, rang even lower.


    The archduke''s gaze at me at once became cold.


    In the past, there was a situation where the assassin disguised as a maid and sought the life of the Archduke as a guard, so it seemed that he regarded me as an assassin sent by the emperor.


    The corners of his mouth went up smoothly and held a smile.


    "His Majesty, are you showing me something interesting?"


    "If you let go of this hand, I''ll show you something more fun."


    I meant it. I didn''t want to meet the wrong owner and die.


    What''s more, if the owner was a bad guy who took a lot of money, I would have run away without knowing him while pping like a seal¡­.


    I have to live a long time enjoying simple luxury as a head maid of a powerful family, but I couldn''t let the Archduke die here.


    At the bold remark, the Archduke narrowed his eyes and immediately let go of my hand. And when his throat burned, he ordered the attendant to bringChardonewine.


    ''That tough guy!''


    Ferzeswallowed a sip of wine before I could dry it.


    As soon as his red lips were soaked in wine, I looked atFerzewith eyes full of despair.


    I shouted with strength in my small voice.


    "Give me a sip, please."


    I know what the way you look at me is like. Even though I knew that, I had no choice but to shout desperately for a sip.


    If you exceed the lethal dose, you will die, he may be deceived, but I wasn''t.


    As a maid, I wasn''t immune to poison, but as an Archduke with strongmanaand stamina, he would definitely have some immunity, if he just drank a little.


    Why am I trying to drink poison on behalf of the Archduke?


    The answer was because that poison was omnipotent poison,Rovette.


    If a person with strong magical powers consumes it, the heart stops, but if people like me drink it, they can catch a cold or get sick for a few days before recovering.


    Of course, there are other side effects.


    As far as I know, the side effects alone make you old or be smaller like a fairy at 0.01%¡­..


    In fact, wouldn''t the odds of winning the lottery in another world be higher than this?


    Obviously, it was annoying, so the original author must have roughly named the poisonous herb and randomly decided on the side effects.


    Anyway, this was my n.


    Instead of lying down for a few days, he savesFerseandgets noticed by the Archduke and bes a head maid!


    "You''re going to die anyway. What are you so desperate for?"


    "So let me have a sip."


    If you drink two sips, you''ll die instantly. Listen to me.


    The Archduke thought for a moment, then removed the wine ss from his mouth and called the knight who was waiting in front of the door.


    The aching pain disappeared, and the Archduke''s hand that had been sping my wrist was released.


    Instead, the knights, who moved in unison, put chains on my wrists and made my knees bend.


    The Archduke''s gaze looking down at me was as cold as a piece of ice.


    Still, there was no doubt.


    There was contempt in the purple eyes fixed on me as if looking at a petty creature.


    ''Hyuk, I''m scared!''


    He was about to send me to the afterlife just with his eyes.


    Ferze, who stopped walking right in front of my nose, bowed down.


    His hard fingers held my chin slowly.


    "You may raise your head."


    Ferzehad the knights raise my head in oppression.


    Sulrp. Light green wine spilled into my half-open mouth.


    It''s like a wealthy man''s kindness to a beggar.


    "All. See you next time!"


    It was theRienawho was more embarrassed.


    She tried to leave her seat at will, perhaps because of the strangely dangerous atmosphere or because of the idea that she was caught attempting an assassination.


    Looking at the saint with cool eyes, the duke allowedRienato go out.


    Without caring about her fiancee,Riena, disappearing in a hurry, the duke seemed to be thinking that they should interrogate me.


    "His Majesty has no fear."


    The Archduke bowed his head and looked down at me with his deep eyes.


    It was a cold gaze as if there would be ice caps in the hall.


    "Swallow it."


    I''m going to drink it anyway.


    I drank wine like a person looking for an oasis in the desert.


    After swallowing it, I felt like I was about to drink it again.


    Ferzelicked a light green liquid flowing through the tip of his hand.


    At that moment, the Archduke frowned a lot on his handsome face.


    "No, you can''t.Ifyou drink too much¡­.."


    My words were cut off by the Archduke''s quick judgment.


    "As expected, beheading is better."


    It was whenFerzeordered the knights to do something and was about to leave the hall.


    Da.


    A white fog spread with a"POP"sound.


    The hands of the knights who held me were stirring in the air.


    "Your Highness!Wha¡­Theasassin!"


    I wasn''t the only one surprised by the sudden sound.


    The knights looked at me and were perplexed, not knowing what to do.


    I looked away from them and looked down at my hands.


    Something was weird.


    Although notrge, the thin and elongated fingers were short and small like a pencil.


    ''Hey, what is this?!''


    My hands got smaller! No matter how much I looked at it, it was not the hand of a 17-year-old maid.


    Even if you look at it a lot, it''s about five or six years old¡­..


    ''How am Isupposedto do my job when I''m this small?''


    Crying, I looked at the palm of my hand, which had be chubby.


    Fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn''t just my hands that got smaller. Both crouched knees were also smaller.


    ''What situation is this?''


    It was an incredible fact even after seeing it clearly with both eyes.


    I just looked down at my small hands and knees with my eyes, and wiggled my hands.


    I gradually raised my head due to growing anxiety.


    Perhaps because he was a famous Archduke who had many tall knights,Ferzeand his knights, who had grown taller from the beginning, grew bigger.


    Hey, what is this? I was about to say something, but I felt my tongue shortened. The view was also very low.


    My bitten lips, which didn''t feel like mine, opened slowly.


    Soon, an angled voice leaked out of the mouth.


    "Have I turned young?"

 Chapter 5

    "Have I turned young?"


    The Archduke, which would not blink even if the world copsed, looked surprised.


    His sharp eyes grew like hawks wandering in the wild.


    I looked at it because it was amazing, and I heard a confused voice.


    "The flow ofmana..."


    The Archduke''s mouth, which seemed to say something, was shut up.


    What did he say?


    Even if Idon''tknow what it is, the Archduke, who is called the owner of the Ice Castle, is also surprised by it.


    To be sure, today was a sudden ident that no one had predicted.


    ''I''m doomed, right?''


    From somewhere, I heard an angel resembling a saint rang the bell and sang, ''Yes, my life is ruined.''


    ArchdukeFerze, who instinctively drew his sword, opened his eyes wide.


    Ferzelooked at me with a heavy gaze.


    I don''t know if you were trying to cut me,


    The tip of his sword, who was dealing with a huge monster, went to the floor.


    "Sir Bart, am I crazy?"


    "No, I dare say that you are in your right mind now...."


    "That''s enough."


    Ferzeinterrupted the knight standing next to him.


    It was rare for the Archduke, who always gives orders arbitrarily, to personally ask the lieutenant''s opinion.


    This time he did not listen to the lieutenant again.


    You know what? You used to be crazy.


    I swallowed my words inside and coughed in the bitter taste that lingered on the tip of my tongue.


    I grabbed my neck in a burning pain, and the Archduke looked at me indisbelief.


    "What the hell...."


    "If you eat it, you die."


    I pointed at the poisoned wine and shook my head.


    I saved your life.Rienawas mad and tried to kill you because you acted indifferently like the owner of the icy castle!


    Ferze, who had no interest inRiena, didn''t really attach much importance to the change in the way the saint looked at him.


    She had a history of doing a lot to win the Archduke attention, so he was interested in whatRienawas doing.


    WithRienagiving up her first love and switching to a new lover, it must have been too much to handle when ArchdukeFersefought for power with the emperor.


    "It seems you want to bargain with me."


    I looked at him as if I was confused, I heard a lowughter.


    Again, the Archduke was not an easy man. Although reality and fiction are different, they are sodifferent.


    Usually, before I even spoke,"Oh my God! You''re the first woman to save me."Then I would have asked,"What is your name?"I would have replied,"Ciel. I''m the maid who served the Archduke."


    "Putthis maid in jail."


    And being locked up in prison...


    Huh? Something went wrong.


    I didn''t say that. I was surprised by his cold voice and raised my head.


    Are you crazy? You''re going to put me in jail when I''m this young?


    Perhaps because of my survival instinct or the effects of poison, I was a little shameless.


    An urgent voice came out of my mouth.


    "No way!"


    I thought of him asHeungbu* who fixed the swallow''s leg, but it wasn''t.


    My expectations were wrong. It was a badNolbu* who broke the leg of a swallow!


    ''Am I going to end up in jail?''


    It would be a terrible thing to be dragged by the hands of the knights!


    I''vee to realize that it''s no use begging for help now.


    It was just a minor role with no name, but I felt like I was doomed as a wicked woman who tried to kill the Archduke.


    It was a little, no, very unfair.


    Ferzelooked rxed as usual.


    He put the sword in the sword-case of his waist, leaning against the pir of the hall, watching me.


    "This jerk!"


    He would have heard a sincere swear word, but his expression didn''t change like a doll whose emotions had beenbleached.


    "Jerk? It''s a word I haven''t heard in a while."


    A cold smile that seemed to be beheading me spread across his lips.


    Again, this was the effect of poison.


    Normally, I will look at you with ttery eyes, saying, ''Our Archduke, stay safe and long life!''


    ''This must be a dream.''


    When I opened my eyes again,Ferzelooked at me with his arms folded.


    I red at him with my eyes wide open.


    "His Majesty Emperor is more handsome....! The maids also liked His Majesty more than the bad Archduke."


    The reason why I mentionedCanin front ofFerzeis that the two were not on good terms.


    In fact, it didn''t matter who the bad guy was.


    The two are cousins ??and share the same blood line, so that guy was him.


    All I could do was cry out hastily.


    Did I sound sincere?


    His expressionless face suddenly gave a friendly smile.


    Seeing that, I guess he will make it so painful that he won''t kill me but torment me for the rest of my life.


    "¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤¡¤I know that you have looked after me for a long time."


    Did you really remember me? I was genuinely surprised when I heard it for the first time.


    The Archduke who passed me if I was an ant and didn''t even look at me?


    Now that I think about it, he just had a good memory.


    The duke was a man who had been threatened with an assassination. So even if it''s not the maid''s name, I''m sure he remembered her face.


    You probably know where my colleagues are from and what kind of work they have been doing besides me.


    "I remember the saying that, you like how quietI''am"


    Seeing him smile so kindly as if he would engrave my tombstone on his own, I thought he wouldn''t just kill me.


    s, I forgot.


    ThatFerzeis a viin with a hero''s shell overturned!


    "It feels so good that my maid had another master in her heart."


    It seemed that my tombstone had already been decided.


    Her name isCiel, and she is seventeen years old. And a veteran maid of 5 years without ast name because she is amoner.


    Four years ago...., after running out of the house, at the age of 13, she was lucky to be spotted by the head maid and came to the Archduke''s residence, but unfortunately, she died in an ident. The charge is deception.


    I don''t think it was my fault to be born unlucky.


    Anyway, I worked so hard to survive and be recognized by the maid.


    ''Damn! If that''s the case, I should''ve spent all my money! I should have bought as many clothes as I wanted, eaten as many desserts as I wanted, and rented a luxury carriage! Why are you so blind to saving money, like in my previous life...¡­''


    It was a fairy tale that I knew when I was young.


    The grasshopper and the diligent ant who know nothing but work.


    They mock each other saying that you are more foolish, but the sad ending that both of them die in a heavy snow in the middle of winter.....


    In the end, I thought that this life, waking up as a maid, was useless.


    However, I was too afraid to appear as the ghost, saying that I would take revenge on the Archduke.


    Maybe tomorrow. Before the tombstone, it might appear on the front of the Imperial newspaper.


    The veteran maid,Ciel.


    In fact, she is a rare evil woman who chased the emperor''s back and aimed at her master.


    Then she came to an end as a murderer in the hands of a righteous -actually vicious- Archduke.


    *****


    I opened my eyes. I don''t know where, but I realized I was lying down.


    Ieven felt a soft touch behind my back. Is prison morefortable than I thought?


    I opened my eyes and looked around.


    Contrary to the expectation that it would be dark and humid, the soft sunlight covered my eyes first.


    ''Where am I?''


    Something was out of the ordinary. How can it be sofortable in a notorious prison that traps prisoners and tortures spies?


    I only realized that I was in a small but fancy room.


    The ivory curtains tied with red roses and the old-fashioned windowpanes were slightly opened.


    As I turned to the side, I saw a bottle of perfume on a table made of old cypress.


    It was not the room of the users who smelled of cold metal.


    Moreover, I have been here several times to clean.


    ''Isn''t this the VIP room?''


    Oh, my God! Didn''t you drag me to jail?


    Do you want me to enjoy luxury for thest time before I die?


    If not, there is no way thatFerzewould give me a VIP room when he suspects me as an assassin!


    Except for cleaning, it was the first time I had been to the VIP room, so I couldn''t let go of my mind.


    "Are you awake?"


    This familiar voice is.....Icould tell without see it.


    "Archduke?"


    I turned my head slowly like a doll that had not been lubricated.


    Why are you here, by any chance. There is no way to take care of me who fainted....


    I''ve given up the absurd idea.


    I looked at the Archduke with a puzzled gaze, then turned my head back to his cold, expressionless face.


    "How long are you going to lie down? You''d better get up now."


    What kind of man isFerseYekart?


    He was a cold-blooded man who led the Knights of the White Night at the forefront and cut off the enemy''s neck with his own arm, even his arm was cut off as food. Persistence was a bonus.


    His personality was out of the question, but the current situation was very strange.


    It was more so than when I was young.


    The Archduke, who had a precious body and was so busy that I couldn''t even see it well, was right in front ofme.


    I wanted to keep my chin down and look at him to my heart''s content, but there was one problem.


    Thefact is that the Archduke is looking at me like a rare animal.


    *****


    TL note : *Heungbu is story from Korean Folktale Series Heungbu Nolbu. He saved a nest of swallows from a snake. One of the swallows broke its leg and Heungbu healed it. Then swallow repaid the favor.

 Chapter 6

    "...W, why are you lock me up here?"


    Then I was going to be imprisoned for the rest ofmy life, but unfortunately that wasn''t the case.


    His gaze, as cold as a frosty de, turned to me.


    "I was going to put you in prison."


    It was a little different from the harsh voice you could hear when dealing with knights.


    It was so soft that I got goosebumps.


    Even though it was not a cold day, I instinctively swept my body with both arms.


    If I open my mouth, my tongue will make a short sound, right?


    My instinct for survival was greater than shame, so I spoke without hesitation.


    "Prison. No!"


    "Why?"


    At my words,Ferzelooked at me with a wary eye and was dumbfounded.


    It was me who rudely hit the Archduke''s hand.


    It may seem rebellious from the outside, butIcouldn''t be thrown in prison.


    Why did I save the Archduke? Loyalty to save the owner?


    It was an uneptable feeling for me, who had memories of a previous life.


    To be honest, there was no wish for a sweet reward.


    For example, shiny and hard gold coins.


    Don''t swear at me for being materialistic! This is what happens when you grow up without it.


    I swallowed the tears that didn''te out and brought out the main point.


    "Because I''m the Archduke savior!"


    That''s true, isn''t.


    As soon as I regained my confidence, I put my hands on my waist and managed to speak clearly.


    It was also a habit that could not be lost as a maid.


    "......"


    Ferzedid not answer.


    He only looked at me with hopeless gaze as if he were looking at a kitten that showed its teeth in front of its owner.


    Yes, I suppose so. I can understand.


    It''s not that I don''t know how you feel. I nodded my head.


    You just want to put me in prison for being humiliated, forgetting my kindness and repaying me three times as much as a revenge!


    ''For that matter, the situation is strange.''


    When he said he would put me in prison, I was lying on a soft bed and talking to the Archduke.


    The main story I talked about was, why did I touch the ss the Archduke was drinking.


    When I repeated the same words,Ferze''s eyebrows rose.


    "I am a good maid."


    Ferzemurmured lowly, saying, It''s nonsense, and looked down at me with fierce eyes.


    I was frustrated to see why he couldn''t believe me.


    I covered my chin with a nket and stared at the Archduke with sparkling eyes. ThenFerzecontinued to look into my eyes.


    Oh, you re at me.


    With that gaze, I suddenly lowered my eyelids as if I was falling asleep.


    My hands were shaking. Wrinkles appeared on the nket with a yellow duck painted on it.


    And, to my embarrassment, the Archduke seemed to have already noticed that fact.


    "You should thank the butler."


    It is said that it was notFerze''s n for me to sleep in a luxurious bed where only the VIP could stay.


    Whether I became a child or an old man, there was a strong possibility that the man in front of me would raise his sword.


    But seeing that I was still alive, I thought the butler stopped him.


    I saw knights gathered together through a slightly open door to peek at us.


    It was a look full of anxiety rather than an interesting look.


    Only then did I realize why I survived.


    I remembered the situation before I fainted like a shlight.


    It''s because the vassals grabbed the Archduke pants and stopped him, wondering how he could kill such a cute child¡ªeven though I was an assassin from the Archduke''s point of view¡ª


    There is such a word in the world. You don''t know when your clothes wille off, so you should wear cute underwear.


    Since he couldn''t show his underwear in front of me, the Archduke must have obeyed the knights'' request before his pants were torn.


    With that thought, I nced at him. Then I was caught peeping again.


    By the looks of it. When a child stares at you sullenly, isn''t it okay tofort her or ask her why?


    Ferzelooked at me with a cold face.


    "I save your grace, please let me live without a fear..."


    "You saved me? Is that why I should be thankful?"


    "Oh, my God! You know it very well."


    "How can I repay you, then?"


    He asked back in a low voice. I got goose bumps across my spine.


    "Right....."


    I''m sorry. I''ve been too hard to the bad guy of the century, haven''t I?


    Iwas feeling weak again, and I closed my eyes half-closed, and looked lost in thought. ThenFerzeurged me for an answer.


    "You have to answer me, don''t you?"


    Yes, sir. Not sir, but Grand Duke! It''s even scarier when you ask in a soft tone like that.


    I was frightened and organized what I had to say before I made a slip of tongue.


    All I want is a gold coin.


    It would be too greedy to give me enough gold coins to feed me for the rest of my life, so why don''t you give me gold coins as a bonus on the condition that you don''t fire me?


    To say this, the gaze of the Archduke, who had no expression on his face, was too cold.


    So I decided to speak in the best possible way.


    "Well, I want yellow and round things that people like. But, If the Archduke doesn''t want it, you can ignore my life-threatening efforts and not give me any reward"


    "Reward?"


    Ferzepointed out exactly what I wanted.


    His two long fingers snapped, making a light sound.


    Even though the pronunciation was poor, I guess he understood it well.


    The Duke muttered in a very low voice,"You wantpensation."The words encouraged me to nod.


    "All right, I''ll give you as much as you want."


    "Hyuk, thank you!"


    I rose from my seat and bowed my head.


    Don''t swear at me for being servile! It is said that there are things that people realize when they grow old, but they say that money is thebest.


    Money is a must if you want to live in an unfamiliarnd without a connection and without insurance!


    "I didn''t say you could put on a silly face."


    Perhaps because I was feeling better, my mouth became loose.


    Seeing my smile, the Archduke made a face that was very insignificant like he met with an unfamiliar creature.


    I don''t know what it is, but I have to tell you that I feel a little bad.


    "Yes, sir."


    Contrary to my expectations, I received a gentle reply.


    I nod again at the unknown warning not tough.


    In any case, the Archduke, whocks humanity to other people, whether it be his family or his vassals, has saved my life.


    "A..And I''ll continue to work as a maid, I can do it, right?"


    "As a maid?"


    The Archduke asked with a puzzled face. I thought it was the right time, so I said it quickly.


    "Because I have to work. Do you want me to work without getting paid? But is it bad for me ifIwant to still get paid....?"


    In fact, I had a lot of bad feelings.


    I quietly shouted ''paid me!'' butFerzedidn''t respond.


    Although it was a little disappointing, I decided to be satisfied because they said they would give me a lot of gold coins.


    The astrologer I metst year said that there would be bad things and good things this year, and that was right.


    What a break in life!


    I wanted to do the drum dance, but I held it in.


    Even before expressing my sincere gratitude,Ferzestood up first.


    ''Is the negotiation sess?''


    I hid my smile face and smirked, then stoppedughing.


    Becauseit was toote to remember the warning not tough.


    The Archduke, who was about to turn around, stopped.


    ''I have nothing to say, Negotiations shouldn''tst long. Well, of course not.''


    Iy down again and closed my eyes pretending to be asleep.


    There was no sound for a while, so I was a littlenervous.


    Are you pretending to be out and hiding? It might be a scene from a horror movie.


    ''Actually, you don''t have gold coins to give, so aren''t you saying let''s pretend it didn''t happen because you changed your mind?''


    As I slowly opened my eyes, I met the Archduke eyes. Surprisingly, he just looked down at me without saying anything


    The Archduke and the old butler, who was peeping at me from afar."Hehe, Your Highness, you can''t kill a child!"


    And it might be thanks to his shouting.


    The Archduke checked my sleepy appearance with a light nce and turned around again.


    At the same time, I heard the sound of neat old shoes touching the floor.


    The Knights of the White Night are all good, Their leader is also perfect in walking.


    That''s what a perfect viin would look like if he walked.


    But, as I got younger, it seems that I slept a lot more.


    At first, I tried to pretend to be asleep, but I really fell asleep.


    If I fall asleep, will you secretly move me to prison? I was slightly worried about that, but it was hard to endure but it was hard to hold back the drowsiness.


    I decided to close my eyes for now. What is the reward that Archduke give when I opened my eyes? I''m curious.


    Perhaps because I was so nervous, I slowly felt a spell. Before I knew it, my eyes closed.


    I had a strange dream for the first time that day.


    In a ce where colorful balloons and fluttering rainbows were floating around.Ferzewas holding hands and ying with them.


    Nightmare? No. No. A leader in my dream¡ªIn fact, he was more of a ruler¡ªsaid it''s a good dream when I came out.


    This is a dream you shouldn''t wake up from. Even in my dreams, my expectations gradually getting bigger.


    Until, I get his reward the next day.

 Chapter 7

    "It''s time to wake up, miss."


    Has anyone ever woken me up sweetly in my life?


    It wasn''t a wake-up call to get up and go to work. It''s not even a morning rm clock.


    If you try to wake me up with this kind voice, it must be a dream.


    ''Maybe because I live as a maid, I dream of bing ady.''


    I think it''s a big deal.


    It is said that dreams are atent inner need, but did I have the desire to be a noble?


    ''It feels weird to dream like this.''


    Even if it''s a dream, should I wake up now?


    ''Why did I have such a dream?''


    I barely managed to ovee my sleepiness and opened my eyes.


    Ha, it''s time for work.


    To ovee the sleepiness, I stretched and pped my cheeks with both hands.


    However, as if I had not yet woken up from the dream, the butler''s still stood in front of me with a respectful attitude.


    Why did the butlere to wake me up? He also wore a ck tailcoat, that''s the old butler.


    Wasn''t it a..... dream?


    I stared nkly at the butler with half-asleep eyes.


    "You''re awake, miss. Your bath is being prepared."


    I turned it over, wondering if I heard it wrong.


    "What?"


    I was so embarrassed that my voice cracked at the question.


    Unlike Riena''s clear voice,


    My voice, which was usually a little low, would have surprised the butler, but now it was a light white fish.


    You woke me up to prepare someone''s bath! Now I understand.


    What a bummer!


    I wanted to sleep more. I wanted to sleep early and wake upte because I became a child!


    With my eyes wide open, I swallowed my tears as I saw the butler who came to get me to work.


    The butler had an expensive looking towel draped over his arm.


    Even the corners of his mouth were curled down to suppress hisughter.


    Alberto, the butler of Archduke Yekart.


    Turning 50 this year, he was the head butler, overseeing the servants and managing the archduke''s residence.


    There were also low-level butlers who took care of tableware and alcohol beverages, but me and the maids had to take charge of the strict inspection of the heavy-duty head butler in front of me.


    Anyway, it was a very strange sight to see Alberto, who was called a tiger butler by our maids, to look at me and hold back hisughter.


    I often saw him when I was a maid, but I couldn''t see him often because he was in a fairly high position for a servant.


    When the maids met Alberto, the butler, they often said hello and left.


    That''s because if you are rude and flinch in front of him, then the butler will scold you.


    Every time I see a perfectionist butler, He often looked angry or had a poo-chewy look as if he was dissatisfied with something.


    "It''s time to wake up."


    The butler waited until I got up.


    He did not reach out, perhaps because he was trying to follow the iron rule of not touching ady''s body.


    But listening to it, something was strange.


    What do you mean ''it''s time to wake up?''


    Why do you want to talk to me but I think the butler must have eaten something wrong.


    ''Yes, I''m going to work.''


    Even though I''m young, there''s no way I''m not working.


    I have to get up and peel the onion and trim the potatoes. Find natural ingredients to rece baking soda...


    Huh?


    It hasn''t been long since I woke up, but before I knew it, three maids approached me.


    Among them were my colleagues.


    I was so surprised by the orderly movements of the maids that I almost fell off the bed.


    It was because my colleagues, who looked at me and said I was workaholic, bowed their heads without even making eye contact with me.


    "It''s Miss Ciel Visenna from the far north."


    What''s going on?


    "Hic."


    I was so startled that I took a deep breath and hup.


    Oh, my God! I''m not a nobleman, so I don''t have a surname.


    Wha, what, Visenna?


    I repeated the name of the familiar family over and over again, wondering if I had heard it wrong.


    "Oh, that Visenna family''s..."


    The maid, who spoke, quickly closed her mouth with a face of realization of the mistake.


    "She is¡­"


    As much as the maids were surprised, I was surprised too.


    "Oh my gosh."


    "Ah."


    The maids who were colleagues swallowed their breath in vain.


    In front of them was a child who was still too young to be called ady. When they first saw me, they were like, ''Aigo, it''s cute.'' The eyes of the maids who were looking at me with that expression changed unexpectedly.


    "Bu... Butler."


    Some people called the butler with an anxious face.


    Among the surprised maids, it was me who was more surprised.


    What kind of family is Visenna? Isn''t there a family saying that even a crying child will stop crying when he hears it.


    Rumor that the nobles who were fighting by the ends of their heads would quietly hold hands when a member of the Visenna appeared.


    Visenna was the Ducal Family of the Djibril Empire where I was.


    The Djibril Empire has been ruled by the Ricardo family for nearly 200 years, and it was natural for a noble person to dedicate his allegiance to the emperor and Ricardo''s family.


    But Visenna did not. They were sarcastic servants who would scoff at what loyalty is.


    They were also great men who asked if we should dare to pay allegiance to the half-and-weak imperial family who sat on the golden chair.


    The royal family was not weak, because they were blessed by God, but they were no match for the monsters of Visenna.


    It was the Visenna who crushed the power that high nobles had built up like a tower just like a can.


    Surprisingly, the Visenna family was founded less than 100 years ago.


    If I have to say, it has only been 20 years since I joined the empire.


    Compared to the 500-year reputation of the Djibril Empire, Visenna had a very short history, but had a particrly high nose.


    Compared to the 500 years of reputation of the Djibril Empire, Visenna had a particrly high nose even though its history was short.


    The reason is that Visenna was a group that came in from outside.


    Visenna was known as a notorious proper name not only for Djibril, but for all continents.


    Originally, it was a group of assassins, but it was incorporated into the aristocracy as a trick.


    Incredibly, Visenna centers on ability, not kinship.


    If ordinary aristocrats despised illegitimate children and valued bloodlines, Visenna brought them into the family right away if a passing beggar had high magical powers


    And by all means made him loyal to the family.


    It is fortunate that it is 20 years of history, but if it had been 200 years, there would have been more than enough left to establish the country.


    ''The world''s most malicious household.''


    I stuck out my tongue and shook my head.


    "That Visenna''s..¡­"


    Fear surged in the faces of the maids.


    When they heard that I was a member of Visenna, they hesitated and backed away.


    No, Hannah!


    I''ve never heard of that before!


    Unlike the maids whose blood fades like Munch''s <The Scream>, Alberto, the butler, was too casual.


    The reaction of colleagues was not strange.


    If Visenna''s aristocrat had visited the Grand Duke House, I would have bowed my head too like a sinner.


    Why? They tried to ignore me just because our eyes met.


    This was, of course, an anecdote I had heard from an acquaintance of the cousin of a friend who worked as a maid in the Visenna family.


    Before the butler could stop me, the maids bowed to me first.


    The butler said to the maids with a sense of purpose, lightly clicking his tongue.


    "Everyone, say hello to Miss Ciel Visenna."


    Then, like a domino, the maids bowed their heads.


    ''Why are you doing this?''


    I couldn''t raise my head because I was embarrassed.


    I wanted to ask when the hell did I be a youngdy, but for now, I decided to match the rhythm.


    There was np opinion here.


    You don''t know what kind of aftermath you''re going to have if you throw a fight for nothing.


    "Hello everyone?"


    The maids'' faces hardened at my fresh greeting. They remained silent, as if in silence.


    Are you offended by a child''s half-talk?


    At first, I thought my colleagues were trying to trick me by conspiring with the butler.


    ''Are you mad at me for pretending to be a noble girl?''


    "Ahk!"


    "Han, Hannah!"


    But it wasn''t.


    Seeing one of the maids, who was a co-worker, fainted with foam in her mouth.


    The others were also pale, and they had tired expressions on their faces.


    "Hannah!"


    Seeing my colleague copsed, I immediately stood up.


    Perhaps it felt more threatening, the maid who was supporting Hannah stepped down in horror.


    "The miss cursed Hannah!"


    "Maybe she cried her name to put a curse on it!"


    Oh, no, no, no! Don''t look at me like that! I didn''t even touch it!


    They were looking at me with fearful eyes, as if they were looking at a real monster.


    Except for one person, the butler, who presses his temples as if having a headache.

 Chapter 8

It is said that happiness and misfortune are two sides of the same coin.


    The sentence in the first line was clear.

 Chapter 9

[As an adopted daughter of the Visenna family]

 Chapter 10

    ''As a maid, I don''t get the support of the temple like Rienna.''


    As soon as I had clearly made up my mind, I decided that I should first greet him.


    Whether or not this man was Visenna''s eldest son, I have to keep my manners as a maid.


    In any case, there is no way that Sharkis himself would be here when the two families hate each other so much. I just hope the man is his representative.


    ''I mean the Archduke had a deadly sword fight with him. It wouldn''t be possible for the two of them to have a casual conversation like that.''


    I wish that it''s just a servant of Visenna who was imitating the eldest son.


    As such thoughts was filled in my head, I stood up from my seat.


    I awkwardly grabbed my long skirt that draped down to my ankles and bowed my head.


    The man chuckled as if he thought my awkward movements were cute.


    "Hello...o."


    Contrary to the amiable smile, his answer was rather shocking.


    "I don''t receive greetings from underlings, kid."


    If that''s the case, why did you wait for a greeting?


    He must have a really twisted personality.


    ''As expected, a passive child strategy wouldn''t work against the vicious Visenna''s.''


    I nced up quickly to read his face but then, we made eye contact.


    I should have looked away, but I unintentionally stared at him.


    When I didn''t look away, the man twisted up one side of his lips.


    Any way I look at it, he was mocking me¡­


    Ah, my mistake.


    He must have thought that I was stupid, not cute.


    Should I have asionally taken the time to practice acting like nobility when I was living as a maid?


    It was no use crying over spilled milk.


    He seemed intent on taking me back as Visenna''s test subject.


    If that wasn''t the case, he wouldn''t have a reason to stare at me like that.


    Of course, I didn''t think that the man who I guessed was a knight was going to use me in an experiment, but it seemed that it was on Duke Visenna''s orders.


    ''I''m scared, but let''s pretend that I''m not scared at all.''


    Ferze didn''t leave my side even though I put on a calm appearance.


    He must have figured out that I''m terrified.


    Ferze wasn''t the only one who was quick to pick up on my emotions.


    The man who had noticed soon after that he was intimidating, sat quietly down on the chair situated on my left.


    In the seat of honor, located diagonally from my seat, was Archduke Ferze.


    On my left, was the man from Visenna.


    The two people had me feeling extremely nervous.


    Before I said anything, the man asked me first.


    "What is your name?"


    "It''s Ciel."


    I said nervously but firmly.


    The man raised the edge of his mouth askew.


    "What did you do?"


    "I was a maid at the Archduke mansion."


    Why is he asking what he already knew?


    If I ask that question, my lifespan will be greatly reduced, so I should just stay quiet.


    But I couldn''t help but wonder about the man''s identity.


    I knew it wasn''t polite, but I stared up at the man with jet ck hair.


    ''Is the ck hair real? I''ve heard that sometimes a good aide takes on a troublesome tasks. Maybe that''s the case now.''


    My intuition kept on warning me, but I tried hard to ignore it.


    As I continued to stare at him, the man gave a leisurely smile.


    "There hasn''t been a single person who took a good look at me ever since my younger sibling. You''re amazingly fearless for a maid."


    I was just trying to collect some information, but it must have been seen as a provocation.


    I suppressed my suspicion that the man is the eldest son.


    ''I hope my intuition was wrong this time¡­¡­''


    There was only one person that came to my mind.


    In spite of this, I prayed that there were several people with ck hair aside from him in the Visenna n.


    I waited in silence for his next words.


    "An assassin who was working as a maid in the Archduke mansion? Or a double agent?"


    They were ideas that you would expect from a Visenna.


    I spoke dejectedly.


    "I''m just a maid¡­¡­"


    The man seemed greatly shocked, as if my answer waspletely unexpected.


    It seemed as though he could not believe that an ordinary maid saved the Archduke who spent more time in the battlefield than he did sitting in his office.


    "Isn''t she too ordinary to be my sister?"


    The man looked disappointedly at me.


    "She doesn''t have horns, two eyes, and only one mouth. It''s not like she''s huge like a golem that I can use as a ve, either."


    The man nced sideways at me and spoke in a bored tone.


    What in the world! What did he say? He''s going to make me his sister?


    I was petrified by his muttering.


    I stiffened at the fact that I might actually get adopted as a daughter, and not an experimental subject.


    The man in front of me really seemed to be Sharkis.


    I refuse to be adopted into the Visenna family, even if they paid me millions to go there.


    ''It''s true that I''m nothing special, but¡­¡­''


    What did he exactly expect?


    The man erased the disappointment from his face and spoke after slowly passing his hand over his chin.


    "You''re going to switch over from a noble saintess to an insignificant maid?"


    Excuse me, I''m six years old¡­¡­


    He must be trying to offend the Archduke on purpose.


    "¡­¡­"


    He did not respond to Visenna''s question.


    Judging by his single raised eyebrow, he had no intention of actually doing so.


    He probably simply did not feel the need to respond.


    "Hmm. I''m sorry to say something like this, but¡­"


    When you hear the word sorry from a Visenna, it marked the beginning of hell.


    I stared up at the man with shaking eyes.


    "I''m not very interested. Duke Eustia is interested, but not me."


    My prediction waspletely wrong.


    Wow, I''ve never seen a maid who''s as good at working as you are.


    You''re good at sewing and your ironing is perfect¡­¡­!


    This was what I had hoped to hear, along with some profuse pping like seals.


    I snapped back to reality.


    Depressed, I hung my head.


    Whether I was feeling depressed or not, the two men took no interest in me.


    This was very fortunate.


    Because if it wasn''t for this, they would have noticed that the edges of my lips were slightly curling up.


    The man from the Visenna n turned his gaze upon me.


    I was caught off guard when he grabbed my two cheeks and made me raise my head.


    When our eyes met again, he arched his eyes and said.


    "I heard you survived from a curse?"


    Sharkis Visenna, the very person who had kidnapped Rienna, asked me after he made me raise my head.


    There is a saying. Don''t catch a Visenna''s attention; whatever they take interest in shall be easily destroyed.


    It wasn''t just a wild rumor. This was true whether it was a person, a rare treasure, or somethingmon that you could see anywhere.


    "Take your hands off first."


    Before Sharkis could take interest, Ferze cut short his attention.


    He immediately snatched Sharkis''s wrist away from my cheeks.


    He did so with such fierceness that I was worried if he had done something to displease the Archduke.


    Sharkis took his hand off of mepliantly.


    "Well, sure."


    Sharkis scowled sharply at him, as if to ask why he had to grab his wrist that didn''t do anything.


    He shrugged, muttering that the Archduke had be more ferocious ever since he almost got killed by Rienna.


    ''It looks like he''s purposely trying to enrage him, no matter how you look at it.''


    But who was this Ferze?


    He took my hand with the same cold, indifferent face as I had seen in the morning.


    Before I could ask why, I was on the way to the bedroom, holding the Archduke hand.


    "It''s time for bed, Ciel."


    Seeing as he''s rushing me off to bed when he had just gotten me to take a look at the contract.


    Nobody would be able to find out what he and Sharkis would discuss other than the two people involved in the conversation.


    I tried not to sleep, but I must have fallen asleep.


    I tried to get up from the bed, but lied back down at the sound of an unfamiliar voice.


    Concentrating my ears and pretending to be asleep, I could hear a conversation not too far away.


    There was a creamy colored leather sofa a short distance from the small bed. Ferze and Sharkis must be there talking about something.


    It was Sharkis that began to speak in a rather surprised voice.


    "You''re going to give us the mine in return for taking in that kid?"


    "You''ve had your eyes on it, drooling for quite a long time."


    "I don''t really want the mine that much. Now, it might be different if we were talking about your dragon bone sword."


    The dragon bone sword that Sharkis was talking about was Ferze''s sword.


    It was called Sharoon Bahait something¡­¡­


    It was forged from Acinaces, the bones of a dragon that existed from ancient times.


    "If you want it that much, a good way to get your hands on it is to kill me and take it from me, Sharkis Visenna."


    Ah, Archduke. Please stop using speech like that.


    Before I said anything, Sharkisined in a light tone.


    "Your Highness needs to use more beautiful words. You shouldn''t use such harsh words with your pretty face, now."


    Ferzeughed and immediately spit out the worst curse in the world.


    Without changing a single expression on his face, he even smiled at Sharkis with an open smile.


    He said out loud a profanity that even mercenaries passing by would recoil at with such elegance as if reading a verse from the holy book.


    This may have been due to Ferze''s innate air that he carried about him.


    He was famous for kissing his ne that he always carried and praying to God before he ughtered the enemies on the battlefield.


    ¡ª Allow me to wield my sword until I hold my breath. After that, an honorable death for me.


    But in any case, Ferze, after blurting out the profanity that should have been beeped out, took a sip of tea and began talking.

 Chapter 11

    "I knew that the dirty dogs of Visenna were drooling over Yekart but¡ª."


    Sharkis cut off Ferze''s words, with his face trying to convey that this was a misunderstanding.


    "Ah, that was what Duke Eustia wanted. Not me. It was also under his orders that time I kidnapped your father."


    Sharkis insisted on his innocence, but Ferze and Sharkis were both the same kind of viins to my eyes.


    If I had to pick out a difference, it was that there was at least a potential for improvement for Ferze.


    When I thought about it again, I was deluding myself.


    I nced sideways and saw that there were three copies of the contract.


    It was difficult to get any more information from the sound of the conversation anymore.


    When I turned my head slightly to look, Ferze was signing the contract.


    Sharkis also rolled his pen over the contract and finished signing it as the representative of Duke Visenna.


    Ferze, who was skimming through the contract that Sharkis had signed, spoke in a passing remark.


    "So is that why you made my father cry?"


    "Well, he was a soft-hearted fellow. What else could I, an innocent twelve year old child, do? I had no choice but to knock him out and bring him back with me as the Duke ordered me to do."


    "I can''t think of any other way he would have reacted, given that you presented him with a stuffed corpse of an evil monster."


    I didn''t pay much attention to what came after, since I already knew the story that followed.


    Ferze, who had be the Archduke in his frail father''s ce several years after he rescued him, was unyielding.


    As a result, the Visenna, which was let loose like a bull in a china shop until then, quieted down.


    Then, I heard the conversation start mentioning me.


    "This all sounds a bit shocking for a six year old fianc¨¦e to hear."


    What? Fianc¨¦e?


    My eyes were open wide at this news that I''ve never heard of before.


    My head was already turned over toward that direction for a long time ago.


    Apparently, this wasn''t exactly a secret because he continued casually.


    "I think the one who''s shocked is you, not the kid."


    "Anyway, is the kid even aware of her situation? Earlier, she was even fearless enough to look me straight in the eye. It seems there''s a part of her that''s even bolder than Rienna."


    That was because I was being wary that you might suddenly take me away!


    No, that''s not what''s important.


    Engaged? With whom?


    Ferze and Sharkis were staring right at me.


    Judging from Ferze''s narrowed eyes, he had already caught on.


    It was toote to pretend that I was asleep again, so I yawned and got up as if I had just woken up.


    I didn''t forget to stretch my limbs.


    I didn''t really want to get up now. I wanted to listen a bit longer to the conversation.


    I understand that I need to go to the Visenna to break my curse, but what''s this about an engagement?


    From their conversation, I guessed at why a fianc¨¦e might be needed.


    After the engagement with Rienna was broken off, there was an order to enter into an arranged marriage.


    Ferze was a threat to the Emperor and his throne, and to keep the Archduke in check, an arranged marriage with the daughter of the Ninase, a pro-emperor family, was ordered.


    Before I could guess any further, Sharkis spoke with a subtle grin.


    "You should have slept a little longer."


    It was an iprehensible remark.


    What does that mean?


    I looked at Sharkis with a wary nce.


    It turned out hisment didn''t mean much.


    He mentioned something about the sight of me so deep in sleep that I didn''t even notice my cheek being pressed to the bed sheet.


    As the young master of Visenna organized his thoughts as he looked through the contract, I heard an exnation of the contract.


    The contract between the Visenna and the Yekart was simple.


    The Visenna would break my curse that made me into a child, and in return would receive Karnen mine from the Yekart.


    Karnen mine had been a major source of ie of the Yekart territories for a long time.


    Ores imbued with magic could be mined here, and special metal abyss that resists evil monsters could be found.


    Abyss called the stone of abyss could be found in some other parts of Djibril, but because of their unstablendscape, the only ce that could be managed by people was Karnen mine.


    The reason that the Visenna had kidnapped Ferze''s father, who was the previous Duke, was also Karnen mine.


    It seemed rather unexpected to me that Ferze would hand over the mine so easily, considering that he refused to give in to any of their threats in the past.


    Even if it''s to help me, is there a reason that he has to bear such a heavy loss?


    ''Isn''t this a little bit too grand for repaying his debt to me?''


    Perhaps it''s because it takes something huge like Karnen mine to move the Visenna''s.


    The curse that only the head of Vicenna could solve seemed to be a more serious problem than I thought.


    ''He''s going to undo my curse, even giving away the mine in the process, but¡­¡­''


    But I have to be the grand duchess after the curse is reversed and I am an adult again.


    It was a type of arranged marriage.


    He can avoid the arranged marriage with Lady Ninace while repaying his debt to me.


    He probably thought that it is much better to simply be in an arranged marriage with me, with whom he is already in aplicated situation, rather than finding someone new to enter into another contract with.


    Whatever the case, as long as he is married to somebody, the Emperor cannot suggest a second wife or a concubine because of the Empire''s monogamyw, and won''t be able to bring up another conversation about an arranged marriage with the Ninace family.


    There was the condition that my curse has to be lifted first, but 3 years seemed like more than enough time to resolve the curse.


    He says it''s as simple as being married a few years, get divorced and go my way¡­¡­


    After contemting it for a while I finished signing the document with crawling letters.


    ''I wouldn''t end up facing an untimely death during the 3 years with the Visennas, would I?''


    Unfortunately, no one else could apparently undo my curse if it wasn''t Duke Visenna who was a genius alchemist.


    I couldn''t decide whether I should be happy or sad that the Visennas agreed to reverse my curse.


    Couldn''t you have found someone other than the Visenna family?


    I couldn''t ask this question out loud as I couldn''t me him since I knew what trouble Ferze would have had to go through to undo my curse.


    The Visennas were quite a proud bunch considering that they acquired their Duke status through unorthodox methods.


    Visenna and Yekart.


    It was not an easy thing to do to propose a contract first because of their hostile rtionship.


    And it certainly wouldn''t have been easy to persuade the heinous viin who was second to none.


    "I will relinquish the ownership of the mine once the contract has ended."


    "Then will 30% of the mined ores be our share prior to the end of the contract?"


    "That depends on whether you hold to the terms of the contract."


    It seemed like the Archduke''s loss to give up Karnen mine, no matter how I looked at it.


    Did he want to avoid the arranged marriage that much?


    "¡­¡­"


    "¡­¡­"


    It seemed as though they didn''t have anything else to say to each other and silence fell again.


    The problem now was that Sharkis was holding me in his arms very casually.


    ''Why is he holding me in hisp?''


    If I wasn''t mistaken, he seemed to think of me as some stray cat that he had brought home.


    Whenever I nodded my head as I almost dozed off into sleep, he brushed my disheveled hair back, and patted my back.


    It seemed that he was the only one who didn''t realize that what he did made him seem even scarier.


    "Hmm, this is rather amazing. Even my brother had refused to be held by me."


    "¡­¡­"


    Ferze raised his eyebrows and showed his displeasure.


    I wasn''t sure why, so I decided to stay still.


    When I didn''t refuse being held in his arms, which were surprisingly quitefortable, Sharkis shifted my position so that I could recline morefortably.


    It was a strange kind gesture.


    I leaned on his broad chest with a somewhat awkward expression on my face.


    Ferze seemed somewhat put off by this, but I decided to pretend not to notice.


    Or it could have been just my imagination.


    In any case, my spection that I was being treated like an exotic pet was spot on.


    Ferze, who was looking at me, said with an apathetic face.


    "Ciel, I believe you understood since it was exined to you several times. I n to do everything I can to repay you."


    "Thank you."


    I was just grateful that I wasn''t simply neglected, and I looked at Ferze with a touched face.


    "However, the temple may take some kind of measures. You stopped them from killing me, so there will be many who are wondering about who you are."


    "Me?"


    But my motto was to live as an invisible person.


    I waited for Ferzee''s answer as I felt increasingly apprehensive.


    The reply came not from Ferze but from Sharkis who was holding me.


    He said as he firmly pressed my cheek.


    "It means dangerous things are going to happen to our little kiddo."


    Our little kiddo? Me?


    When I turned my surprised gaze to Sharkis, the handsome man who looked back grinned.


    When I came to think about it again, his jet ck hair and even his ruby-colored eyes which were considered ominous only looked pretty.


    "That''s why kiddo, that we are taking you to my family."


    "M.. me?"


    It was too early to be happy.


    It wouldn''t be such a bad idea if I were just seeking refuge for a little while.


    The priests from the temple could visit the Yekart mansion saying that they''vee to find the assassin.


    Naturally, the temple was on the Saintess Rienna''s side.


    It would be okay if I were just staying there during that short while to avoid this, but the problem was¡­¡­


    "There wouldn''t be a huge problem since the head of Visenna, Duke Eustia, has already agreed."


    That seems like the biggest problem.


    What if I went there just for a little while, never to return?


    On top of that, seeing as Sharkis calls his father Duke Eustia instead of dad, I could easily guess what kind of rtionship they had.


    "Hey kiddo, Duke Visenna extremely hates waiting. So let''s hurry up and prepare to go?"


    Go where? Sharkis replied to my question with a smile disguised with kindness.


    "North."


    It seemed like it had just been moments ago that I heard him say this, but a week had passed and I was on a carriage heading north.

 Chapter 12

    The day I first met Sharkis Visenna, we didn''t go straight to the North.


    A long time has passed since Sharkis signed the contract prepared by the Archduke.


    A week''s time had been given and I got ready to leave to the northern region during this time.


    The butler had packed my luggage and everything that I needed, so there was nothing else that I had to pack.


    What I had to prepare for was to learn basic etiquette so as not to fall onto the wrong side of Duke Eustia.


    My physical appearance was that of a six year old, but it was difficult for me tomand aristocratic speech because I had already been living for seventeen years.


    To address this, fundamental lessons about how to make a greeting with a curtsey and when to greet the Duke when I see him.


    Sharkis, who initially treated me like a dumb animal, praised that I was surprisingly a fast learner.


    Anyway, my shallow aristocratic etiquette that I forcibly learned was apparently passable.


    Seeing as Ferze, who was born a royal, didn''t disapprove of it.


    Before I got on the carriage, Sharkis gave me some advice as he picked me up in his arms.


    They were simple pieces of advice that were easily carved into my memory.


    Show absolute obedience to everything Duke Eustia says. Never spend any time alone with Shurei Visenna, and so on.


    Basically, all his advice told me not to be near his father and his brother.


    I felt a little bit worried as Ferze agreed to what he said.


    As it turned out, Sharkis Visenna was the most rxed person in the Visenna family.


    To the untrained eye, the Visennas are all crazy crackheads, but apparently there were differences among them.


    From what I knew, Duke Eustia was a cool-headed and intelligent person.


    The only concern was that he was only strategic when he was killing somebody or when he wasmitting a crime.


    The second son Shurei was a careless, irresponsible person who waspletely out of control.


    He was only obedient in front of the duke, and he rarely listened to anything Sharkis said when he was only a bit younger.


    Shurei would on rampages saying that he would massacre people and would only quiet down when Sharkis trampled his brother''s neck with the ck soles of his shoes.


    As I already knew this tale without the need for him to retell it to me, my face was pale with terror.


    The only person that I could trust was Ferze.


    The butler also bid me farewell before I left.


    It seemed that the Alberto had gotten fond of me, as he was dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief and looking gloomy at the fact that I was leaving.


    I only remembered always running from him lest he would scold me for something, but I felt like I was going to miss him.


    The knights at the Archduke''s mansion also acted simr to the butler.


    I didn''t really know why, but they were all waving white handkerchiefs ¨C this was also a way of telling me toe back ¨C and saw me off.


    But just one person.


    The very person who plotted this whole thing, Archduke Ferze Yekart was nowhere to be seen.


    I ended up riding the carriage alone with Sharkis, just the two of us.


    The moment that we boarded the carriage, Sharkis''s lips which had been wearing a mischievous smile had rxed down, which made me careful not to get on his nerves.


    When Sharkis met my eyes, he put a smile on his expressionless face again.


    The smile felt like he was mocking me for some reason and I gulped down my tears.


    *****


    Half the day went by since I boarded the carriage.


    There was no need for me to worry whether Sharkis would assassinate me.


    Seeing as I was still breathing fine.


    A bigger problem was that I felt sleepy.


    As a result of departing at dawn to avoid being seen, my sleep pattern was disrupted and my body was fatigued.


    I wobbled like a scarecrow, my head nodding away.


    I kept waking up just as I was about to fall asleep, perhaps because I was so nervous.


    Some time had pa.s.sed since I woke up from my sleep. I was feeling quite bored so I started singing.


    Even though it was a song he had never heard before, Sharkis propped his chin on his hand and closed his eyes like he was listening to my song.


    "The pumpkin carriage goes choo choo. You''ve got to pay to ride it."


    Before I knew it, Sharkis was looking at me.


    He seemed to have taken an interest in the strange song that I sang.


    "Where did you learn that song?"


    "In the streets."


    Sharkis paused for a while and asked if I was from the streets.


    If you were from the streets, it meant you were either a thief, gypsy, or an orphan. I nodded.


    "Which were you?"


    "An orphan. My drunkard father made me steal and beg."


    It was before I had turned into a child but the memories were still vivid.


    Sharkis seemed to be lost in thought as he listened to my story.


    "That''s life, kiddo."


    It didn''t really help.


    When he saw my lukewarm reaction, he put on a grin and added.


    "And also that a fearless, cheeky kid like you is going to the Visennas."


    "Sob sob."


    "What are you going to do now that you have a monster for a brother?"


    It wasn''t a threatening tone.


    He was teasing me, and I decided to y along with him.


    Sharkie, do you know?


    That I''m ying with you.


    "There wille a day when you will be thankful that you have a cool, dashing brother like me."


    Our eldest master Visenna was a bit narcissistic.


    I shook my head sideways like a doctor breaking the news to a terminally ill patient.


    Sharkis, who was pressing my cheek and ying around, suddenly asked.


    "Hey, kid. Do you know if your father who you said abandoned you is alive?"


    "I don''t know."


    Why is he asking?


    When I gave him an odd look, he spoke as if it wasn''t a big deal.


    "You have to be meticulous when you clean up your family rtions if you want to avoid headaches in the future."


    I decided to pretend that I didn''t hear this.


    It was because it didn''t sound like a joke, but like he was being serious. I took a deep breath and exhaled.


    "Remember this. Cheap kindness is not something you should disy in Visenna."


    It was more of a warning.


    I gave neither an affirmation nor a denial, but stared up at Sharkis instead.


    "This is our rule of survival, Ciel Visenna."


    Ciel Visenn.


    The feeling that I felt from hearing thise out of Sharkis, who was a member of the Visenna family, was indescribable.


    The name that flew softly in the air had a strange ring to it.


    Two dayster, I was still traveling in the carriage.


    Luckily, the carriage that I was on was top-ss.


    It was very astounding, more so because I had never been on a carriage when I worked as a maid.


    ''When was it that I had firste to the Archduke''s mansion?''


    I wondered if I would still be alive if the head maid of Yekart mansion hadn''t brought me there when I was dying after the ident with the carriage.


    Even the emperor''s carriage wouldn''t be as fancy as this carriage.


    I slowly ran my hand over the soft leather seat.


    It wasn''t even made of fabric, but real leather.


    The carriage that was disguised on the outside to look like it belonged to a nameless merchant ran fast.


    It was going fast, but I felt only small vibrations and was quitefortable in it.


    Perhaps this could have been due to the fact that I was lying down with my head on Sharkis Visenna''sp.


    I had a strange, inexplicable feeling that it would be bad if Ferze found out, but it was difficult to fight off the drowsiness.


    I slowly blinked my eyelids, which were getting heavier.


    A robust,rge hand gently stroked my head.


    Just as I was about to fall asleep, the door suddenly flung open and I jerked awake.


    "Hm¡­¡­?"


    I found out that the carriage had alreadye to a stop.


    When I sat up, half asleep, I felt a cold breeze entering through the open door.


    A man wearing a ck robe was looking down toward me from nearby.


    Judging by the sunset that I could see through the open window, it was already evening.


    Who could it be?


    I stared because I couldn''t make out who it was, but the man did not take his eyes off of me.


    "Did you make sure that you threw off the tail?"


    The man only turned away his gaze when Sharkis spoke to him, and boarded the carriage.


    "Of course. The hallucinogen took care of the temple''s dogs."


    The man took out a crystal bottle with a red decoration and shook it lightly in front of him.


    The bottle containing ck gas swirling around like a fog inside was quite astounding. That''s a hallucinogen?


    As I thought to myself that the man''s voice sounded familiar, Sharkis leaned back on the leather seat and asked.


    "Did you also take care of the Emperor''s dogs?"


    You dozed off too, didn''t you Sharkie?


    His voice sounded somewhat drowsy.


    The man pulled back his hood that seemed to be getting in his way and nodded.


    I opened my eyes wide as he took off his hood.


    ''It''s Ferze!''


    Ferze seemed unaffected by the look of happiness on my face.


    Hisrge hand got a hold of my body that had been lying on Sharkis''sp and sat me up straight.


    Ferze opened his mouth to speak only after he separated me and Sharkis.


    "The security wasx thanks to Visenna''s crazy dog running around the imperial city."


    "What do you mean, crazy dog, it''s Shurei. If my cute little brother heard that, he would be hurt."


    Ah, he was talking about Shurei Visenna.


    I stared wide-eyed at the mention of a familiar name.


    Before I could even ask what kind of trouble it was, Sharkis answered my question.


    "He took three innocent knights and took them to the brink of death, the Emperor is probably frustrated to the core by now."


    "It would have been better not to make a scene, Sharkis."


    "He didn''t make a scene with Visenna''s name. He''s a hunter so he was probably using a face mask when he made a scene."


    Sharkis paused to cover my ears.


    Despite the eldest master Visenna''s unbefitting consideration, I heard everything clearly.


    If Sharkis was a taxidermy enthusiast, the second master Visenna Shurei''s hobby was face masks.


    I will skip the detailed exnations since I still haven''t had my dinner.

 Chapter 13

    Anyway, with their conversation, I could guess what''s going on. It seemed that the Royal family and the temple sent people after us.


    There was a high possibility that Rienna told the male main character, Can about the incident. It is not easy to escape from the people of the temple.


    It must have been more dangerous to deal with the knights and assassins sent by the emperor.


    Praying for the repose of the unknown, I stared up at Ferze, who had not lost a breath. Feeling my stare, he also looked at me.


    I happened to see the red blood on his cheek.


    Are you hurt?


    "I didn''t kill anyone."


    He, who interpreted my eyes differently replied and avoided my eyes.


    I reached out and wiped the blood off his cheek with acy sleeve.


    I thought he would refuse or pull his hand out, but unexpectedly he remained calm. I became younger, but since I had been a maid, he seemed to trust me.


    "You''re doing something you aren''t asked to do."


    He never would know this was all part of my big dream of bing the Head Maid in the future, right?


    I smiled timidly even at the slightest scathing remark. It made his face a little stiff.


    "Well, why would they let the kide in and¡­"


    He clicked his tongue.


    Sharkis stared at my sleeve with a dissatisfied look and pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the bloodstains from my sleeve.


    There was a subtle tension between the two men, Ferze, and Sharkis in the carriage.


    It took a whole week to get to the Visenna estate in the north.


    I heard that it would take three days from Ferze''s estate, but it turned out that it was the standard only for members of the Visenna.


    They came to the pce of the Archduke Yekart by a mysterious animal or whatever. The great monster thing and Sharkis, who treated it like a pet, must have stood out.


    I paid my respects for his thought that was so like Visenna.


    It seemed that Ferze, who was familiar with Sharkis''s insensitivity as well as boldness, must have warned him repeatedly not to ride his beast.


    However, it''s no use crying over spilt milk.


    It was highly likely that the royal family and the temple already knew that the two families had already made contact.


    ''What will Can and Rienna do from now on?''


    They''ll soon find out that the two families of Visenna and Yekart worked together.


    I had no idea what the two people who hated everything about Visenna would do. Before I could think of it, the carriage had already arrived in the North.


    "Phew, we''re finally here."


    On a journey longer than I thought, I breathed a short sigh.


    It was the three carriages that were reced during the journey.


    A few decades ago, there was no particr road from the Duke''s mansion to the North. That''s why the Visenna''s family invested a lot of money to make a route.


    It usually took a week to walk along the path created by the Visenna''s family.


    The mansion of the Archduke of Yekart was close to the capital so this path seemed to be a menace to the imperial family.


    Anyway, I coulde here quitefortably.


    Except a little leg cramp and a sore back for sitting for a long time, Ferze got off and opened the door for me.


    He could wait for servants to do it, but he did not hesitate.


    "You''ve not fallen from a duke to a servant, have you, Ferze?"


    After confirming that the door was opened, Sharkis got off the carriage holding me in his arms.


    Of course, he did not forget to get on the nerves of the Duke. Again, Ferze ignored him.


    The Archduke Ferze opened the door for me!


    Feeling the pressure, I turned my head from Sharkis''s arms to look at Ferze.


    "Thank you."


    "¡­¡­."


    Ferze did not answer again this time.


    He gave me a nce and then took his step first.


    Even though Sharkis could lead the way as it''s his estate, Ferze went ahead as if he knew the way. Well, he said he''d been here two times so far.


    "Shall we send him away first?"


    I shook my head when Sharkis said half in jest. Where are you going to send him?


    The Duke''s house? Or¡­?


    "Or why don''t we leave him out of the way?"


    "No."


    I answered firmly.


    It is Ferze who wille soon even if he is left out anyway.


    And so far, I felt safer to be with the Duke of Yekart than Visenna. Sharkis kicked his tongue sadly and held me with strength.


    He supported me with his arms so that I would not feel ufortable and followed Ferze.


    His steps were fairly quick and we were able to get to the center of the Visenna estate in no time. The Grand Castle in the Visenna estate and the north seemed quite intimidating.


    As the gray stone walls were solidly constructed, it was enough for a strategic point. Visenna''s ck g in the tower fluttered in the wind.


    Nevertheless, the Granddorr was an elegant ancient castle. A majestic silvery castle was right in front of me.


    The sound of bells were heard silently, and a lot of white spires modelled after the pirs of the temple were stretched out.


    A ming sunset prated through the stonework windows. Sharkis stepped inside and said in a cheerful tone.


    "Wee to the North."


    He entered without hesitation into a castle covered with ck mist with me in his arms. I prayed to many Gods in my heart.


    Don''t let there be my grave.


    *****


    After arriving safely at the castle, I looked around.


    Sharkis, who dropped me off on a fluffy carpet, even grabbed my hand to lead the way. Unlike what I thought, there was no big deal in getting here.


    Except for scary knights who would make me nervous just at mere eye contact and the curious eyes of maids grinding daggers instead of needles.


    It was a moment when I realized that my life in Visenna was not going to be easy. The castle was so wide that I had to pass the corridor endlessly.


    There was a gallery in the wide, long corridor.


    There might be portraits of Visenna family or their head, but none were there.


    ''They don''t like to show their face, do they?''


    It was true that the Duke of Visenna liked art.


    Andscape painting of the sea andke and a marble angel statue were disyed in the red-carpeted corridor.


    Walls with a long-wavy pattern were also art.


    I turned my head from side to side at a sound of armor. Knights stood in front of the iron arch door.


    Two armed knights recognized Sharkis and stood aside.


    At the same time, they lowered their spears that had been facing upwards.


    "Wee. The Duke is waiting."


    They recognized the son of Visenna, put their hands on their hearts and bowed.


    "Kid, the Duke must be waiting for you."


    Unlike me who was nervous, Sharkis spoke in a soft voice. He, holding my hand, stopped at the huge door.


    The words of not exchanging a greeting with his servants were for real. Sharkis spared them no nces.


    ''I don''t think I can go in there.''


    Contrary to my thoughts, my feet were moving in.


    The pattern of the door I saw as I passed it added to a bad feeling. The iron gate had a picture of an ancient dragon and a devil eating it. The dragon was a divine being worshipped by Emperor Ricardo.


    Then what about the devil?


    Boldly, it''s the symbol of the Visenna family. A devil with ck horns


    Visenna refers to the spirit of the devil abandoned by God in the ancientnguage. Well, it''s like a great family emblem like no other.


    I swallowed hard and followed Sharkis.


    Inside the waiting room, where it is as silent as death, a man was sitting in a dark red chair.


    He was looking down arrogantly at me with his chin propped on his hands.


    "I''m seeing the star of Visenna, the Duke of Eustia Visenna."


    Sharkis let go of my hand, fell on one knee, put his hand on his chest and bowed.


    The yful attitude when dealing with Ferze was gone. He looked like a very coldhearted person.


    "Good job. You worked hard."


    I pricked up my ears with an unexpectedly good voice.


    Although there was no word that it was okay to raise my head, I did because I wondered who was the owner of the voice.


    "Looking straight at me means you mean to rebel against me."


    Then Sharkis realized the mistake and tried to bend my head, but it was toote. Unintentionally, my defiant eyes made the man sitting on the throne of Visenna stand.


    Would it be like this if I stopped breathing under pressure?


    I looked up at the approaching man in a ck robe embroidered with red dragon.


    Dark ck hair was like that of Sharkis, but his dark blue eyes shone sharply unlike the red eyes of the son.


    "Are you the assassin the Archduke has been raising?"


    No, I''m not. I opened my round lips, thinking the idea is so like Visenna.


    "No. I''m just a maid."

 Chapter 14

    "I''m just a maid."


    "That was your mistake."


    Sharkis scolded me as soon as he opened the door.


    The young man''s face, who had always smiled mischievously, became fierce,my heart sank.


    It was toote to regret that I should have done aegyo* to the Duke.


    Now that I think about it, if I suddenly say, ''Papa, your daughter is here~''


    I would be treated like a crazy kid and be a star in heaven.


    Usually, parents listen to anything their children say, but the Duke was the exact opposite.


    His two sons, Sharkis and Shurei, had to listen to the Duke.


    Bring the relics of the imperial family, kidnap the saintess, and follow the absurd deman silently.


    In any case, it was impossible for a duke who doesn''t feel any fondness for his family to take care of me as I was newly adopted.


    With a somewhat gloomy face, I opened the book with white writing in front of me.


    Now I was reading a book with Sharkis in the basement library.


    Suddenly, books taller than my height were piled up in front of me.


    "This is the Visenna family history."


    "Are you saying I need to memorize all of this in one day?"


    "How could that be? We''ll give you two days."


    ''As expected, a cold hearted family.''


    I lifted my finger to count and found that there were 24 books in total. Even if you read aic book like that, you wouldn''t be able to remember everything.


    No, thinking about it, it is strange that there are 24 volumes. Howe the history of a family that is only 20 years old is more numerous and vast than that of a family with more than 100 years of history!


    Doesn''t it mean that he won''t ept me?


    Should I consider myself lucky because it wasn''t a silly test asking a six-year-old kid to use a dagger?


    "When is the test?"


    "It''s two dayster."


    I got choked up for a second.


    _____


    t/n:*acting cute

 Chapter 15

    I shook my head at Sharkis'' kind reply.


    *****


    The long-awaited first-stage exam day hase.


    In the meantime, I have been living in the Visenna family, and surprisingly, the maids and knights were kind to me.


    That''s kind, but if I fail the test, their attitude will change, right?

 Chapter 16

    I looked at the Duke with a nk face, and he lowered his ck gloved hand and touched my cheek.


    [ Eustia Vissenna was a cursed man. It was when the boy was nine years old that he was cursed.


    The curse that stops aging and prevents death has turned an ordinary boy into a monster.


    In the fast-paced time, only his time stood still.


    Like the waves hitting the rocks, the foam of emotion has long been piled up. Staying sane was like a job for him.


    Eustia Visenna.


    The reason the man who was granted the title of Duke by the emperor established a family was to break the curse that held him right, but no one knew about it.... ]


    "I heard you swallowed Wyvern''s poison."


    I woke up from my thoughts when I heard the Duke''s cold voice.


    Would it feel like this if there was a ck snake with venom?


    It seemed that Can, who was born as a natural ruler and Ferze, who is called the Dragon Knight, did not dare to look down on the Duke of Visenna.


    Instead of answering, I nodded quietly.


    Contrary to expectations that he would be angry for being rude, Eustia took off the ck gloves that covered his hands.


    When the gloves came off, the back of his white hand was revealed.


    An unknown pattern was engraved on the back of the Duke''s hand.


    An ancient pattern that could not be read was drawn on the hand engraved with wounds.


    The one on the right hand is contains with the dragon''s magic.


    On his left hand, there was a pattern to prevent the desires of killing and cannibalism.


    Only his deceased wife knew his secret.


    Duke Eustia was famous for wearing gloves in any situation.


    He didn''t show anyone the pattern on the back of his hand. Even to his son.

 Chapter 17

    Sharkis''s eyes, more surprised than mine, went back and forth between the Duke and me.


    *****


    It has been three days since I passed the second test, poison drinking test.


    Because she passed the second test, she has already be the adopted daughter of Duke Eustia Visenna. Thest test is just a formality.


    In the meantime, Ferze was confined in Visenna estate.


    I don''t know if he abandoned his work or exchanged documents with the manager,but I don''t think I need to worry.


    I heard that Duke Eustia, who will be my foster father, told him to go back, saying that they will take care of it from now on.


    Even though he gave Ferze a hint, he still upied the guest room.


    Come to think of it, although the Visenna family had just left, they could not drive out Ferze, the memeber of Imperial family.


    Anyway, it was hard to see Ferze''s face even though we stayed in the same Grandeur castle.


    I looked for Ferze to let him know the results of the test, but I couldn''t see where he was hiding it''s like ying hide-and-seek.


    I was wondering where the hell he was going so fast, but I ran into him at thest test hall.


    It''s been three days now.


    Actually, I was already an adopted daughter, but in order to set an example for my subordinate, I must pass the final test.


    Perhaps because it was thest test, the maid helped me dress up before leaving the room.


    The sky blue hair flowing down to the waist was half tied and fixed firmly with arge red ribbon.


    It was so tight that it didn''t seem to fall out even when I shook my head so hard.


    Only after I put on a light dress that I could go to the test site.


    In my turquoise eyes, resembling an emerald, the look of the test room looks youthful.


    What was prepared outside the test room was an unidentifiedrge iron cage.


    It was just the right size for an objectrger than an elephant.


    I encountered Ferze when I was looking at the cage.


    I can''t figure it out, so I''m staring nkly at the iron cage, and someone is approaching behind me.


    "Ugh!"

 Chapter 18

    I was a little sorry, so I poked Ferze''s side.


    I was going to say, ''I''ll just go,'' but I asked because I had one question.


    "Can you see through all the traps of Visenna, Grand Duke?"


    "......"


    There was a slight displeasure on Ferze''s face.


    I said it out of concern, but I guess it sounded like provocation.


    Hey, Grand Duke, can you really kidnap me?You can''t even see through the trap.....If I said so, wouldn''t it look like that?


    Ferze didn''t say anything for a while, as if he was trying to swallow his anger like a gentle Grand Duke.


    He was just looking at me with an expressionless gaze.


    ''This is not it.''


    Frustrated, I decided to show my own efforts not to offend theformer master, the Grand Duke.


    I held both hands together and said with a face as pitiful as possible.


    "Then, bring Shwilin Cookies when youe."

 Chapter 19

I only now know, but Ferze said that he stayed by my side even in the second test.

 Chapter 20

"......."

 Chapter 21

It has already been over a month since I started taking sses in Visenna.

 Chapter 22

    After the boring and hard history time,it was time to eat.


    It seems to me that we''ve turned imperialism into history, but let''s just move on because it''s annoying to ask them all.


    ''Yum yum, cookies are always delicious. As expected, shwillin cookies are the best!''


    After eating in the dining room, I was eating cookies for dessert.


    Before I knew it, I had a cookie in my hand that I had kept as a gift.


    Instead of afy leather chair, I sat in a slightly ufortable chair, staring intently at the cookie in question.


    Everything is fine except for a little bit of king after tearing off the stic... nope.


    It was mushy that it would make me feel bad if I gave it to someone as a gift.


    But I decided to keep my promise to Freya.


    I decided to give a cookie to the viin who handles monsters.


    Why do I keep my promise to a goddess I don''t even believe in?


    For some reason, every moment I came to the Duke of Visenna, I felt like my life was getting shorter.


    Coincidentally, there were three men in this position.


    If we had to judge by age, they were Duke Eustia, the Grand Duke Ferze, and young lord Sharkis in that order.


    Even after a satisfying meal, I couldn''t get up.


    It was the same with the three men watching me.


    Fiddling with the enclosed cookies,Ferze couldn''t contain his curiosity and asked.


    "Why aren''t you eating that cookie?"


    "That''s...."


    I met Ferze''s eyes as I was touching the cookie in my hand for a long time.


    I could hear Duke Eustia coughing next to me.


    Ferze, who was about to say something, soon shut his mouth.


    I pondered which of the three to choose for my fortune.


    Unfortunately, the unfortunate winner who will have the mushy, dusty cookies is....

 Chapter 23

    At the weakly uttered words, Eustia hugged me again lest I fall, and said.


    *****


    I was now in the Imperial Secretariat with Eustia. But things weren''t very good.


    "It''s slow to handle things considering that both hands are running properly."*


    At Eustia''s gentle words, the face of the secretary who was sitting opposite him turned white.


    There is such a saying in the world.


    If you want to see the true face of a person, see how he treats his subordinates.


    To be exact, he wants me to see his work.


    In that sense, Eustia Visenna was the worstboss.


    The misfortune among misfortunes is that his behavior when he does what he calls his subordinates and his behavior when dealing with the Imperial family, which is his superiors, is not much different.


    He was, in some sense, a consistent man.


    My stepfather, Duke Eustia Visenna.


    Surprisingly, thews of the Djibril Empire were difficult.


    In order to prevent the aristocrats from easily adopting children, they had to apply for adoption at the secretariat in the Imperial City.


    Although the original structure was difficult, the familyw became stricter after the establishment of the Visenna family.


    Fortunately, the quick-witted secretary did not ask the questionsuch as ''how much money do you have,'' ''Do you have a wife,'' or ''how many children do you have?'', but it took quite a while to apply for adoption.


    It has been three hours since Duke Eustia visited in person.


    The secretary was weeping even though Eustia had not yetmitted the evil deed.


    It was when I was looking at the secretary shaking his hands, perhaps because his life depended on it.


    "Can''t?"


    Something seems to be wrong with the magic registration system.


    Eustia''s mood, which he thought would naturally work,fell sharply.


    The secreyary was looking for the cause with a nervous attitude. Eustia looked down at him.


    Is this really aint?


    I felt a little sorry for the fact that my stepdad was a terribleinant.


    It''s not that I couldn''t stand it if the adoption process was notpleted within today, but anyway, it happened because of me.


    t/n : he is threatening him

 Chapter 24

"Even if the empire copses, I will finish the adoption process today, so don''t worry."

 Chapter 25

He smiled bitterly in my eyes. He had an attitude of no choice. It seemed he had misunderstood my gaze.

 Chapter 26

    Half a year has passed since Ferze left the North.


    *****


    The knight raised his head. There was gray burning smoke in front of him.


    The smell of burning human skin was no different from burning meat.


    It was the same with colleagues who were dying in front of his eyes.


    Until yesterday, they were lying down in a small barracksand telling stories about their families.


    Most of them were the Imperial Knights, but since there were dozens of knights from Visenna who are famous for their viciousness, they could have survived until yesterday.


    However, even the knights of Visenna could not fight against hundreds of monsters.


    He and his colleagues lured the monsters and threw Visenna''s knights as for bait and survived.


    Now he was thest survivor left alone. The troops were wiped out.


    The knight, who had one leg amputated, looked ahead, trembling in fear.


    A giant monster spider was opening its mouth to eat the knight.


    "Wangwang."


    The knight blinked at the voice from heaven.


    Is he already dead without pain?


    To say so, he heard a gentle boy''s voice.


    At that moment,the monster spider that was trying to eat the knight was torn to pieces.


    The ws of a wolf the size of a house passed by in an instant, but the knight did not know the identity even after seeing it.


    "I guess you were hungry because I didn''t feed you."


    He wasn''t talking to knight.


    He had a blurred vision.


    There was a beautiful angel. An angel gently stroking the white wolf''s chinaffectionately.


    A gorgeous blonde that looks like pure melted gold.


    The appearance of the boy without a drop of blood was odd.


    To the point where he thinks this is not a battlefield,but a temple dedicated to the goddess.


    Tears filled the knight''s face with relief that he had lived.


    He sold Visenna knights to live. However, the dead were silent, so there was no problem.


    ''The one who survives is lucky. That''s it!''


    *****


    Braiding Eustia''s hair was done verycarefully.


    My purpose in visit the Duke every day was different.


    Do I look for it every morning to get points?


    It was a little more insidious than that.


    "You''re a child, so you could sleep a little more."


    I shook my head lightly.


    It was because I thought that if I keep interrupting his sleep this every day, he would study harder on how to break the curse.


    Get to work, Eustia Visenna!


    "Did you sleep well?"


    "Well, a little."


    Eustia, who would have skipped the answer in his sleep, added a short word.


    Perhaps if Sharkis had woken up in the morning, that day would have been a war.


    ''Done!''


    I tied the Duke''s long hair high.


    Tie a knot with a red ribbon and it matched pretty well.


    As expected, no matter what they did, a handsome man pleased my eyes.


    "It''s the same ribbon as you."


    Oh, this?


    I pointed my finger at my head.


    My dedicated maid, Barney, did a great job tying my hair uptely.


    Thanks to that, I was walking around the Duke''s estate with a slightly heavy red ribbon.


    "It''s a set with the Duke, Barney prepared it."


    Barney? Perhaps the Duke didn''t know the maid''s name.


    He got up from his seat, as if he had little interest in the maid.


    My eyes were directed at him.

 Chapter 27

    In this way,Eustia was a person with a more delicate atmosphere than Sharkis, who looked strong.


    Should I said that it is an absolute beauty that seems toe out of a myth, where the expression "beautiful" is more appropriate than handsome.


    He looked big when he got up.To the point where a ck shadow falls on my toes.


    ''It''s much bigger than the Imperial nobles.''


    Contrary to the image of being an alchemist and only looking at books, Eustia was a great person who lightly lifted theBastard Sword*, which is difficult for men to lift.


    He had a solid skeleton andoverwhelmingmana,which made him seem more intimidating.


    "Where are you going?"


    "To study."


    Oh, look. It works well, doesn''t it?


    I looked up at Eustia, who was visibly pleased and said he was working for me.


    No wonder he looked tired, so I felt a little sorry for him.


    About breakfast, I grabbed Eustia''s sleeve.


    There''s nothing I can do for you, so I should feed you well.


    "Duke Eustia, let''s have bweakfast."


    I grabbed the edge of Eustia''s sleeve and said.


    There was no sign of difort even though I block his way.


    Hiseyes just narrowed looking down at me.


    "......"


    Is it also bothersome?


    When there was no answer, I thought it was useless interference, and my face turned red like a ripe red beet.


    I opened my mouth feeling a little upset.


    "I''ll just go eat with oppa."


    Hearing those words, Eustia''s eyebrows rose.I didn''t know why, so I hummed and looked away.


    Eustia looked at me and slowly opened his lips.


    "I will tell the butler to prepare it."


    It simply meant having breakfast, but I guess it sounded like enjoying the dinner.


    Anyway, we''re going to have breakfast, so I''ll have to get out of the way for Eustia to spend some time alone until the food is ready.


    It was when I was about to say greeting by holding my skirt and bending my knees slightly.


    "You should go too, Ciel."


    *****


    "Your Highness, you must avoid it."


    Ferze walked ahead instead of hearing the knight''s dissuasion.


    If he avoids his ce here, he will lose the first boundary line to the monsters.


    Here, the border area of ??Djibril is the epicenter of the birth of monsters.


    Among them, the Grand Duke himself was leading the most dangerous western border.


    It was unusual for the imperial family toe personally, as it is a dangerous ce with the highest number of casualties.


    He didn''t know if it''s a war with another empire.


    Even the proud knights consider it to be dog death** to die against the monsters.


    Only the knights belonging to the White Night Knights who followed the Grand Duke had the pride of defending the empire from the monsters.


    But pride alone has its limits.


    The knights, who once bravely jumped into the front line, sat on the ground and bowed their heads as if they were exhausted.


    They continued to win, but even if they washed their eyes and looked for it, they couldn''t see the joy of victory.


    The knights with swords on the floor breathed heavily.


    Sweat mixed with blood ran down his face like rain.


    Ferze, who was looking at the knights under hismand who were tired of the hard battle, drew his sword and stepped forward.


    "Your Highness, you can rest."


    The northern fortress, where there were not many monsters, was taken over by the Visenna family, so it should have been dealt with by now.


    "For now, I think we''d better step down today."


    The Grand Duke cut down the monster without even paying attention to the persuasion of the knight.


    Why are you so stubborn?


    The knights did not understand at all.


    There are also many knights of the White Night who are famous for their toughness.


    And why can''t you think of taking the sword when you''ve already built the line of defense.


    *Bastard sword isthe sword from webtoon "the god of high school" |you can search ''Jang Jang-Mi Bastard Sword''.


    **a dishonorable or shameful death.

 Chapter 28

    I shook off my worries about Ferze.


    It is said that it was to perfectly adapt to the Visenna family,but it was because sses that I didn''t know why I was learning were waiting for me.


    "Shall we draw the magic form we saw earlier?"


    I drew the magic circle as it was taught by the magician who came as a tutor.


    I memorized everything in my head, but my hands are not listening. Somehow it was so crooked.


    "I don''t know if this will work."


    "That''s all right, teacher. I don''t have mana anyway."


    To be precise, it wasn''t that I didn''t have any mana, but I couldn''t guess how much.


    The magician teacher looked perplexed at my answer.


    A young-looking woman in her 30s hid her troubled smile and started asking me for something else.


    For example,magic form calction. Calcting the point where the spell would fall and the time the spell would ur.


    It wasn''t easy, but it wasn''t difficult to calcte magic form, because i had a good understanding of that field.


    "Miss Ciel, is there a fairy in your head who tells you the answer?"


    No, there''s a 17-year-old in there instead of a fairy.


    If I answered like that, I''d be taken away for research purposes, so I decided to pretend I was a genius from birth.


    "Teacher is more like a fairy!"


    "Oh my, really?"


    Miray gently stroked my hair with a satisfied smile.


    Miray Mercury.


    She is a grandmother in her 60s this year, but she has maintained her youthful beauty in appearance.


    She was also the one who taught Sharkis and Shurei magic.


    Although Eustia was a better mage than Miray, he was not a great person to teach anyone.


    Sharkis used to call Miray ''Olddy'' after knowing her original age, but after that, Miray fed up with it whenever she saw the first son.


    Shurey called her ''Grandma'' politely, so Miray hated it even more.


    And after learning that Shurei was hiding his true nature, Miray began to avoid Visenna''s second son.


    ''It''s worth avoiding.''


    Anyway, Miray Mercury. She was an Archmage and a former Pce magician, envied Eustia, who was immortal.


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