《When My Enemies Began to Regret》 Chapter 1 1. Comment (89) I killed a person. ¡°Heuk¡­ heuk.¡± I didn¡¯t mean to do this. A man in uniform lay beaten in front of me shedding red from his head. As that color seeped into the ground, I thought as I looked at the dying man, ¡®I feel relieved.¡¯ How did I end up doing this? I was originally born as a noble lady and lived a normal life. But reality wasn¡¯t so simple. Why is it? Why have people in the world been so cruel to me? Because I¡¯m a troublemaker that was abandoned by my family? Was it because I didn¡¯t have any wealth or power to be treated like a fool? Or was it because my curly black hair looked eerie and I had such a gloomy and ugly face? Anything could be the reason, but at the same time, I didn¡¯t know if that was really the reason. ¡°Sa-Save me¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Uurgh!¡± Maybe these people were just having fun tormenting me. ¡°Urgh, please save me.¡± I have suffered from terrible harassment over the past few years. Among them, there were many cases that hurt my body and some that left scars on my heart. Moreover, at the end of my life, my playboy fianc¨¦e, who I thought was the only light in my life, broke all his promises and framed me for things I didn¡¯t do and tarnished my honor. And that¡¯s how I lost everything. Those who tormented me remained steady like a mountain. Meanwhile, I was living through days where it felt like there was no hope of me living any longer. In the end, I was so afraid that the end would come tomorrow that I tried to kill myself first. Eventually, I stood on a cliff on the deserted beach one day. ¡°¡­¡± I stood alone on the cliffside crying for a long time. The moment I tried to throw myself off, the cool, blue water filled my sight. At that, I was suddenly scared and unable to carry out what I¡¯d decided to do. My plans having fallen through, I squatted while surrounded by the cold sea breeze and sobbed. ¡®Why am I the only one that has to suffer?¡¯ It was then that I was hit with a sense of clarity. ¡°¡­¡± There have been countless people who have abused and deceived me until now, but they get to live happily while I have to lose my life. Isn¡¯t that really unfair? It is unfair. It is really unfair. ¡°Heeuk¡­ heeuk¡­¡± So, I changed my mind. My life is already ruined anyway. Rather than dying alone like that, let¡¯s take the most unforgivable person who tormented me as my companion. I called out the man who¡¯d made the biggest contribution in ruining my life to the garden. He¡¯d stolen my fortune and accused me with false allegations. He wasn¡¯t even wary of anything when he saw me. I was a woman with no muscle strength after all. Besides, we were just a few steps away from the victory hall that was full of knights and nobles. ¡°¡­¡± Killing a noble was the heaviest crime in this kingdom. The man in front of me is going to die soon so I will most likely face severe punishment after beating him on his head with a stone from behind. But, only now did I realize that I was smiling despite it all. Why? ¡°¡­¡± I killed him. Finally, I was relieved from the act of revenge I had committed. ¡°Ha.¡± The man in front of me, whose blood painted the garden red, eventually stopped struggling. Only then did it feel like I¡¯d really taken his entire future away with my own hands. His face, which had persecuted me in the past, overlapped with his present appearance, and a shrill laugh came from me. He can¡¯t bother me anymore. He can¡¯t eat the scones that he loved so much again. He can¡¯t enjoy any happiness. ¡°Hahaha.¡± I finally regained my long-forgotten laughter with the sense of accomplishment that I¡¯d finally gotten revenge. It was something worth celebrating, considering I haven¡¯t laughed even once in years. ¡°Hahaha!¡± I danced excitedly around the fallen man. I grabbed the hem of my dress that was ruined by the physical fight and circled around to swear at his body. Soon, the knights, who were suspicious of him not being back yet, will search the area. I gave up the impossible idea to escape from here in the first place and waited for this place to be filled with armored knights. But¡­ ¡°?¡± No matter how much sad things hurt my heart, was it enough to make me hallucinate? As I was dancing without a partner, a foreign world was reflected in my gaze. Like a breaking snow globe, some parts of the sky outside the castle began to twist strangely. In addition, I heard the sound of an angel flapping its wings in my ear. ¡°It¡¯s not wings.¡± But soon, I noticed what the noise was. This was the sound of turning pages. The world was shattered into fragments and ten thousand papers were scattered in the air by the time I realized it. I gazed coldly at the scenery. My life will disappear with the death sentence anyway. I laughed like crazy and tilted back in glee no matter what happened to the world. And finally, in a world that is collapsing, I really think that both my ears and eyes are all filled with falling paper. ¡°Ahahahahahahaha!¡± An unknown message was delivered beyond the darkening consciousness. ¡¸File main character.sys could not be loaded. The error code is 666. Test cannot continue. Press any key to reset.¡¹ ¡¸Main character modification¡¹ ¡¸New loading ???¡¹ ¡¸New loading ??¡¹ ¡¸New loading ?¡¹ * * * Someone was lying on a fluffy and fragrant blanket on the luxurious bed made of high quality wood. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t she getting up by now? Is it really that serious?¡± ¡°She was conscious. It¡¯s just that she fell asleep for a while.¡± It was early in the morning. Amid the gentle rays of sunlight shining through the windows, those who came to the bedroom were having a simple conversation. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, she won¡¯t even know I was here.¡± ¡°Shall I wake her up?¡± ¡°Yes. What a waste of time.¡± They didn¡¯t seem to care that the person lying on the bed was on the verge of death. Eventually, the person who appeared to be a maid began to wake the person lying on the bed. ¡°Wake up. Wake up.¡± As an unconcerned hand shook her shoulder, her skinny and small body shook here and there. And then, the person was forced to wake up. ¡®Sleepy¡­¡¯ I liked the soft feel of the blanket. I wanted to bury my cheeks in a soft cloth like this, but I couldn¡¯t sleep at all because someone was violently shaking me from the side. I finally woke up to the maid¡¯s voice that sounded like a shout. ¡°Vanora! How long do you plan to lie down in front of the guest!¡± My name. When I heard it, my heart suddenly started racing and blood rushed to my head. Whenever my name came up, the conversation usually went to bad topics. But¡­ ¡®¡­?¡¯ ¡°Sigh, you don¡¯t look good either. What¡¯s all of this?¡± I raised my upper body from the bed and found out that something was strange not long after waking up. Aside from the strange feeling of having a terrible body ache, the person sitting next to me right now is¡­ ¡°Naverius?¡± I stared at the man who was holding my hand by the bedside. But no matter how much I looked, the image in my eyes was still the same. He was my fianc¨¦e. ¡°The young Naverius¡­¡± While I¡¯d pushed to get engaged to him, he¡¯d cheated on me dozens of times and broken off our engagement as he got sick of me. A man that I wanted to tear apart and kill was in front of my eyes. Though¡­ he looked quite young than before. As my fianc¨¦e began to reply to my mumbling, I stood up from my seat, ignored him, and called out the name of the person standing next to him. ¡°¡­Seir?¡± ¡°Yes? Why are you calling for me?¡± Seir did not express any displeasure on the surface. But, I already knew what kind of person she was. ¡®How can Seir be here?¡¯ Seir felt a sense of joy by targeting Vanora, an illegitimate child who had neither the support nor the strength to back her up, as a target of her bullying. I won¡¯t feel comfortable even if she switches sides and stops mistreating me. ¡®No, no. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve already been through this situation once.¡¯ However, the servant named Seir definitely got married 4 years ago and left this mansion. So I thought about it, trying to understand how she was here before my eyes, and then slowly realized it. ¡®I¡¯ve already been through this before.¡¯ This was a very familiar day for me. ¡°What are you thinking about on your own there?¡± I could still vividly remember how I shed tears at the words Naverius spit out on that day. I was silent for a while, unable to vent my thoughts. ¡°Anyway, since I¡¯ve seen your face, I¡¯m going to leave now. Everything is okay now, right? Quickly get better.¡± Then, unlike my memory, Naverius left my room with a friendly goodbye. I didn¡¯t chase his back. I just sat in bed without paying attention to the servant who went out with him to send him off. ¡®My throat is itchy, and I keep sweating. My head also feels heavy.¡¯ Considering my physical condition and the few words from my fianc¨¦e earlier, today was probably the second month of spring, just before my 16th birthday. ¡®My memory is clear.¡¯ However, how can a day that I have already experienced repeat? Besides, right before I woke up, I was smashing Haures¡¯s head with a stone. I mean, I just committed murder! But what¡¯s with this peaceful room? And the sound of birds chirping outside the window? ¡°¡­¡± While combing through my complicated thoughts, I spotted a mirror hanging in the corner of my room. ¡°¡­¡± As if possessed, I walked to the mirror and checked my face. ¡°!¡± There was a girl there that looked familiar yet uncomfortable. It was a face that I hadn¡¯t seen for a long time since I became an adult. This face was me from my childhood from a few years ago. ¡®This same thing that happened before my 16th birthday¡­ Am I now 15 years old?¡¯ Is this a dream? No matter how crazy I am, I¡¯ve reached the point where I can¡¯t tell the difference between dreams and reality. I pinched my arm without hesitation to find out if I was just being delusional. ¡®No. That can¡¯t be true! I¡¯m not that crazy!¡¯ After I pinched the skin on my arm until it became red, I was convinced. This is not a dream¡­ It¡¯s not a dream! ¡®I can hear well too!¡¯ My body right now is definitely from when I was 15 years old. When I was 17, I¡¯d gotten slapped on the cheek so hard that it made me not able to hear well, but now I can hear perfectly fine. ¡®Then, was everything that I¡¯ve been through until now just a dream¡­?¡¯ I¡¯m confused. If anyone opened their eyes and realized that it was a day from 6 years in the past, they would feel the same as me. So, I did many things to prove that this wasn¡¯t all currently a dream. Chapter 2 ¡°Oh my! I just cleaned the floor and it¡¯s already dirty like this. Who the hell made it like this!¡± ¡°I just saw Lady Vanora running around while being wounded.¡± ¡°Ah, that eerie haired girl! I really don¡¯t like anything she does.¡± I headed to the mansion¡¯s library, leaving a trail from the red blood flowing from my injured arm. The library, which occupied one side of the spacious mansion, was full of information I wanted. I looked through the most recent newspaper that was placed on the tray. Again, the release date was 6 years ago. Then I tried to check the contents of the book I¡¯d read when I was already an adult and certainly hadn¡¯t at this age. As expected, all of them were familiar stories. Similarly, I repeated the process of comparing my memory with the preset time several times. Only then did I realize that I really had returned to the past. ¡°¡­¡± A long time later. There was still cold pain and an itching sensation, but the wound on the arm soon stopped bleeding and became like a withered rose in autumn. I returned to my room and leaned against the window, looking brightly at the clear sky. A small hoarse laugh escaped my lips in the empty room. ¡°Huh.¡± It was clear that I¡¯d lost consciousness and when I woke up, I¡¯d already returned to the past like this. It sounded crazy, but eventually, I needed to accept my new reality. So, I decided to interpret this more neatly. ¡®This is a second chance.¡¯ Traveling back in time with all my memories of the painful future¡­ Someone else might see this as a chance for a new life and plan for a bright future, but there was only one goal for me. ¡®Maybe around that time.¡¯ I realized that by killing Haures. I thought that living in this world was an act of going through pain. My heart was torn to shreds and there was nothing left to bring happiness to me. The death of the perpetrator who drove my life into a pit of despair. It was truly a perfect revenge. It¡¯s difficult to realize that it¡¯s difficult to inflict enough pain on someone to want to die as I¡¯ve experienced. But, if my revenge was limited to taking one¡¯s life, I needed to plan it concisely. In particular, the sense of accomplishment of achieving it with my own hands was incomparable to anything else. ¡°Ha¡­¡± All human lives are over when they die. What they have built up in the past will all crumble in vain. I thought there would be no better revenge than to punish people who have tormented me. ¡®The old me is no better than having fallen off the cliff at that time.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter even if my life would be the cost for revenge. Perhaps the painful memories that I have now were actually an illusion from a dream. But I couldn¡¯t stand it no matter what assumptions and reasons were given. No matter what I need to sacrifice to do so, there are still few people in this world that I want to kill. ¡®In the past, I didn¡¯t have the ability to cover up the murder so I could only hurt the one person that I hated the most.¡¯ Even now, I could recall the nightmarish memories that filled my mind. The man who tried to kill me when I was actually the victim, the man who only laughed when I complained about the unfairness, the woman who said she would hold the responsibility even after taking my fianc¨¦e, and the man who changed his mind too lightly about the subject of enticing someone who already said no¡­ All¡­ all of them, I can¡¯t forgive them. ¡®This time, unlike in the past, what if I make a thorough plan so that I won¡¯t be detained from the beginning? What if I had the power to take revenge¡­?¡¯ My expression gradually brightened. It seemed like it was the first time since I¡¯d become an adult that I¡¯d laughed in such a lively manner. ¡°Hahaha.¡± That¡¯s right, this is an opportunity! ¡®Those who drove me to death will be the ones who die!¡¯ I felt a tingling and tightening in my heart as I recalled the wounds they had inflicted on me. It was the unfairness of it all that really caused my heart to ache. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter why I came back now.¡¯ Who was the one who gave me this special opportunity? Was it the God that I prayed to? It couldn¡¯t be. It was written in the bible that in order to be held in the arms of God, one must repent and be good, so there was no way God gave this chance to a murderer. Maybe it was the devil who gave me a second chance. ¡®If it was the devil who gave me this opportunity, thank you so much! Aaah, thank you so much!¡¯ If all of this was the devil¡¯s little prank, wouldn¡¯t it make sense to fulfill its expectations as an evil being? ¡°Haha!¡± I began to giggle while reciting the names of people to be killed in my head. I spun around on the spot like a madman and danced around the quarters without hiding my joy. ¡°Finally!¡± * * * 9 AM. Vanora Celcius morning usually began early. However, she recently had come down with a seasonal illness that made it impossible for her to get up early. She had to sleep for her body to naturally recover. Her high fever was currently being blocked by the medicinal herbs she¡¯d taken, but the shivering body aches still made her suffer. However, no matter how sick she was, there was a reason for her to open her eyes early that day. That¡¯s because it was the day for a guest to visit her. Vanora Celcius was young but felt dazed because it was the first time she had suffered from such a terrible illness. ¡®I might die at this rate.¡¯ So she sent a letter to her only friend at the time to inform her that she was dying. The reason was simple. When she reached the verge of death, she remembered the actions of a boy who had been kind to her these days and she wanted to see him. Vanora Celcius thus began to take a liking to Naverius, who was to become her fianc¨¦. ¡®He is the only person in this world who treats me kindly. Wouldn¡¯t he be worried about me when I¡¯m sick?¡¯ And with Naverius¡¯s visit, Vanora in the past decided to get engaged to him after a few words of worry for her. She decided to accept his persistent courtship. ¡®If I marry Naverius and become a member of his family, I can get out of this hellish house.¡¯ However, Naverius, who was kind to her, began to have an affair shortly after the engagement ceremony. Vanora initially thought he had a reason for all of this. ¡®Naverius, it was the engagement that I begged for. But how can you do this to me? I¡¯ve always treated you with courtesy.¡¯ She spent her time silently enduring her fianc¨¦e¡¯s actions. But, he always came back to her in the end, so everything will be fine. However, her fianc¨¦e had now become a man who was desperate to break up with her and Vanora had to maintain the engagement relationship for personal reasons and was subjected to all sorts of humiliation. ¡°Courtesy? You have no manners to make that point. You should thank me for treating you like a human being.¡± Naverius spoke lightly, hoping to break the engagement with his stinging remark. He acted wildly when it didn¡¯t work and threatened her more often. Nevertheless, Vanora stubbornly held out, eventually¡­ ¡°You framed me and it gave me a justification to break this engagement.¡± * * * 10:30 AM. I began to eat my first meal two and a half hours after waking up. What usually was served was some nice-looking soup, some meat, and bread. ¡°Yesterday, you were walking down the hallway with blood dripping from your arm. It made the maid cleaning the hallway very sad.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you think about it a little bit, you should know that your actions could cause harm to others, so why did you do that?¡± Meanwhile, I struggled with this seemingly perfect meal. The reason was simple. The neat and beautiful soup was mixed with a fistful of salt, making it very salty for the tongue to taste. In addition, the meat wasn¡¯t rotten, but it had a sour taste. Fortunately, there was no problem with the well-baked bread, but it was rather hard. They served two meals a day. About 730 meals were always served with an edible form but the same taste in a year. Even ordinary people would be in pain eating a meal like that every day. ¡°Do you not have any appetite today? Shall I clean it up then?¡± Who would believe the child of a noble family, not a commoner, was being bullied? But most actions have a cause. There was also a reason why my exclusive maid could commit such deeds. ¡°Because you have a high status, you also have a picky taste. People like me can¡¯t eat it because we don¡¯t have money.¡± It was already publicly known that Vanora Celcius was being neglected by her family. Mana, who held the real power of the mansion, regarded Vanora as a thorn in her eyes. She would have broken her spirit if Vanora touched her in the slightest. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Oh my! Are you going to run to the Count again and make a fuss about the food?¡± Therefore, the servants gradually acted more and more boldly when they were angry with the timid Vanora. They¡¯d even dressed her up with a thin pin still attached to the dress, causing Vanora great pain. ¡°Ah, it stings!¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, I¡¯m sorry. What should I do? It seems the person who made this dress didn¡¯t remove the pin even after the dress was finished! I apologize for it!¡¯ Seir brazenly pretended not to bother her at first and pretended to be clumsy to make mistakes, but that facade didn¡¯t last long. The joy of having a noble lady in her hands encouraged her sadism. Taking care of a young lady took a lot of work for Seir, so her anger had accumulated over the years, but when she bothered Vanora, her annoyance went away. ¡°As I always say, this meal costs more than a penny or two. Even though Lady Vanora comes from a noble family, if you bother your father just to complain about meals, Lady Vanora may be punished.¡± However, no matter how timid a person is, they will explode someday. One day, Vanora Celsius complained to her father, Bael Celcius, who was the top power of this estate. She managed to meet with the count who was difficult to meet and took a portion of her meal as evidence. She complained to him that the food was inedible and couldn¡¯t be served as a meal.. But what was the result of her complaint? ¡°Ah, it breaks my heart! We didn¡¯t bully Lady Vanora. There¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lady knows how much I care for you¡­¡± The fact that as a servant, Seir still had a face to lie about it. ¡°Master! How dare I do that to the young lady¡¯s meal! I definitely did my best to cook! Seir, say something¡­!¡± ¡°The chef is right. As the maid of Lady Vanora, I guarantee that we never poured salt into it!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Se-Seir¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying that with all due respect? Lady Vanora has long made groundless claims, such as that the Countess abused her. It seems to me what happened this time is like that too. She may have some misunderstanding.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still young. It could be because of that.¡± Even when the young Vanora pinpointed the culprit, no proper investigation was conducted. The present Countess had turned to Vanora¡¯s exclusive maid and all the people in the mansion united in claiming the maid¡¯s innocence, so the Count came to the conclusion irresponsibly. ¡°It¡¯s not that Vanora¡¯s body got hurt and I can¡¯t whip you guys for giving her food that simply didn¡¯t suit her taste. So, from now on, someone other than you will be in charge of Vanora¡¯s meal.¡± The feelings of being trampled on while requesting for help, which she had endured, finally reached the limit. ¡®That person won¡¯t even lift an eyebrow unless I die from poison.¡¯ The Count simply changed the chef who made Vanora¡¯s meal. He didn¡¯t take any other actions or punish her maid, who was bullying her. ¡®Will my father regret it only after I die?¡¯ Her father seemed to have no interest in his daughter. Even though he always tried not to look hateful, the results were always cold. That¡¯s how Vanora Celcius¡¯s daily life passed. Whether it¡¯s eating salty food like it¡¯s going to tear her mouth apart or spending time chewing only the bread with the same taste every day. Seir¡¯s bully gradually became more vicious as Vanora grew older. But Vanora just endured everything silently. Nothing changed no matter how much she struggled. There wasn;t a single person in this mansion that was like family to her. Chapter 3 11:31 AM. Originally, the woman named Vanora Celcius was soft-hearted. She was too timid, never said anything harsh to anyone, and always gave up on others. Moreover, Seir had taken care of Vanora since she was a baby. From the young Vanora¡¯s point of view, Seir was old enough to look up to, so she felt scary and powerful. ¡°I am just being friendly to get to know Lady Vanora. Was that worthy of making a fuss about? No one wants to serve you here! No one cares about you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Rather, you should treat me well. What are you doing?¡± So Vanora gave up her rebellion and justified it to herself. After all, it was a very trivial matter for Seir to play pranks on her. It wasn¡¯t a threat to her life and sometimes she would take a break from her pranks, so everything would pass if she just endured for a while. ¡®As Seir said, let¡¯s not go against them anymore and stay calm.¡¯ Vanora thought so. ¡°Lady is not going to drink tea for today? Then I¡¯ll bring medicine for Lady Vanora¡¯s wounds.¡± Of course, this situation has always been the same with Seir venting her anger. Seir, about to turn around and leave the room, will probably bring and apply a potion that I was reluctant to use since it just caused burning and pain from the wound. Even if I cried and begged for her to stop, this maid would just persistently keep applying it on. And if my shouts were to be heard outside the room, the servants who weren¡¯t in charge of me would come and the results would just be troublesome. Seir would just say, ¡°I brought medicine and was applying it carefully because I want Lady Vanora to heal quickly.¡± But she will say to other servants that the Lady shouted like that when she applied the medicine because it just slightly stung her wounds. People always like to gossip. How interesting would it be to gossip about ¡®the noble who treated their servants with a bad attitude.¡¯ Gradually, my reputation will become black. The prejudice around me will make my personality even gloomier. That¡¯s how my life was supposed to be. ¡°Seir.¡± But¡­ that was my story from when I was 15 years old. ¡°Yes?¡± 11:32 AM. I, who was sitting quietly on the bed, spoke to my maid. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t bring me medicine. T-The pharmacist is far from here. The bleeding has stopped so I can recover quickly by myself! I don¡¯t want to give Seir a hard time.¡± Even though my status is higher than Seir¡¯s, I made a truly remarkable statement by using honorifics. Seeing that, Seir laughed at Vanora inwardly and thought, ¡®Is she looking into my eyes? Did she want me to cut her some slack this time?¡¯ ¡°!¡± Knock. Knock. Then someone visited Vanora¡¯s room. When Seir was about to leave this place and opened the door, she saw a neatly dressed man with gray hair. ¡°Ah, Seir. As expected, you were here. You have work to do, so follow me.¡± ¡°For me? As you can see, Lady Vanora got hurt. I have to get some medicine, so I¡¯m busy right now¡­ Is it urgent?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that only a small scratch? This is much more serious than that.¡± I listened to their conversation from afar and thought with a calm face, ¡®Seir. Enjoy your life to the fullest now. I will surely bury you in the cemetery of the estate as soon as possible.¡¯ In the meantime, the man in a butler¡¯s suit standing outside the door met Vanora¡¯s gaze and bowed his head with a business-like smile. I responded to the man¡¯s greeting with a gentle face and thought, ¡®What¡¯s this man up to? Just wait. You¡¯ll be buried next to Seir.¡¯ The man was the butler in charge of this mansion¡¯s work, big and small. But, well, that¡¯s not important. I remembered that soon, even though he had explicitly witnessed Seir bothering me, he would ignore my request and cover up everything. 2:18 PM After finishing my early lunch, I decided to use the rest of my time arbitrarily. The fact that no one cared about me in the mansion was an advantage at this time. ¡®Looking at Seir¡¯s actions and the butler, it seems that not everyone in this world has gone through the same thing like me.¡¯ I chewed on bread to fill my stomach so that I had enough stamina to walk around and solve my curiosity. ¡®But what if I¡¯m not the only one who returned to the past with my memories? There may be someone else who has received the same privilege. I¡¯m particularly suspicious of Naverius, who has become closer to me than what I can remember.¡¯ As I continue to think about the present situation, the face of the man that I killed continues to pop up. ¡®Now I¡¯m still 15 years old. He is still alive at this time.¡¯ It would be difficult if that man also came back from the past. Aside from the resentment that I killed him, I couldn¡¯t know what he would do to avoid going through the same situation. So, I decided to ask the person in the mansion to find out where and what Haures was doing at this time. ¡°Excuse me, I want to ask you something¡­¡± ¡°Yes?! M-M-Me?¡± ¡°Hello, my name is Vanora Celcius. Well, can I ask you a very small favor?¡± The person I spoke to was the gardener of the mansion. I was speaking politely to someone of very low status. It was against the kingdom¡¯s rules, but I could do nothing about it. ¡®I can¡¯t help but feel Seir was a little strange.¡¯ There was nothing bad about being careful right now. ¡°Sir Gardener makes the garden look pretty whenever important guests come to our house. Depending on who¡¯s coming, there are times when you decorate with different flowers, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Do you know who¡¯s visiting our house this week?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ Countess Vincent is said to be coming at the request of the Madam. So I prepared white flowers.¡± The gardener seemed to be unaware of my reputation. In fact, it was still like this at this time. It was before Seir, Naverius, and others decided and started spreading gossip about me. Except for the servants, no commoners would do any great deeds against me. ¡°Countess Vincent? She¡¯s not the one I¡¯m waiting for. By any chance, has Baron Hopen visited recently? It will be good if he plans to visit in the future.¡± ¡°Aha. That person?¡± ¡°There are many rumors that the young master of the Hopen family has a handsome appearance. It¡¯s hard to get close, but I wish to see him at least once from a distance.¡± I, who made up rough remarks, asked him the real question hidden in there with a more comfortable mind. ¡®The estate of the family to which a man named Haures belongs is a place that is far from here. So, according to my prediction, he hasn¡¯t come out of his estate yet.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know whether the house of Haures at this time was in the Hopen estate or was just around the corner. ¡®It will be embarrassing if he¡¯s already started being active before me.¡¯ In order to kill him once again, it was necessary to locate him. ¡°Pardon?¡± But then. As I pondered the death of Haures in my mind, the gardener gave me an unknown answer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, lady, can you say that again? Who is from the Hopen family?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a rumor that the young master of the Hopen family is handsome?¡± ¡°Pardon? You must be mistaken for another family.¡± I talked to him because he looked quite smart, but why is he stuttering so much? My inner gaze could not be stopped from becoming cold, and the answer that followed was even more incomprehensible. ¡°This chief gardener who works with me told this story not too long ago because he worked for the Hopen family. He said the Baron didn¡¯t have any son born yet.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s no way that the young master in that family is handsome, right? Because of that, I¡¯ve heard about the succession issue¡­ Oh my gosh! I made a fuss in front of the lady.¡± He quickly shut up his mouth as he felt it was a sin to reveal the circumstances of a noble family. But those sentences alone were enough to make me feel embarrassed. ¡®I never thought of knowing his movements completely by just listening to the gardener like this. But¡­ what is this?¡¯ It is unknown how many years ago a former gardener of the Hopen family worked there. However, it didn¡¯t seem to refer to something like 10 or 20 years ago in terms of nuance. At most, it will be 4-5 years or maybe 1-2 years shorter. And yet he answered that no boy was born in the Hopen family? ¡®He was older than me, and he was already famous by this time. Could such a person suddenly hide his existence?¡¯ The gardener took off his straw hat and said goodbye politely, leaving me behind. I quickly returned to the mansion and pondered for a moment. ¡®¡­¡¯ That gardener is a commoner. If I ask a question to a noble, I will get a better answer. However, a timid and shunned young lady catches a noble wandering out of nowhere and asks about Haures Hopen? ¡®This is so suspicious no matter who looks at it.¡¯ And it was dangerous. Assuming that Haures was resurrected with memories like myself. I visited the library again to solve my problem myself. There was a very thick book there which contained a family tree of nobles stretching out like a world tree. ¡®It didn¡¯t record illegitimate children, but there¡¯s no way that person is not written in here. Because he was the successor that the family proudly revealed.¡¯ As I slowly turned the page, I saw familiar family names. After a few more pages, I finally found Baron Hopen¡¯s family tree. But¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± None. On the noble list¡­His name is¡­ nowhere. Surprised, I hurriedly checked the book¡¯s cover to see what year this list was revised. But the book was new, made last year at the most. Nevertheless, there is no Haures in the names that must exist in this period. ¡®Haures Hopen. Haures Hopen. Haures Hopen!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t have forgotten the name of the man who I resented infinitely and even took his life with my own hands! In the end, I, unable to believe this situation, struggled to follow the path of a man named Haures Hopen by all means. * * * 6 PM. I looked out the window blankly after the second sour and salty meal handed over by the servant. ¡®How can this happen? It is as if the existence of him has been erased from the world.¡¯ In the end, there was no trace of the enemy I hated and resented so much. Even if I grabbed anyone and asked, the only answer that came was that they didn¡¯t know the existence of Haures, someone who was so famous before. ¡®That bastard should have died twice more¡­¡¯ Anyway, it doesn¡¯t make sense for me to return to the past. ¡®Is it possible that I made Haures disappear from this world? So if I kill Seir, will I be back to this time again? Or to my younger life¡­?¡¯ I thought about it calmly. Let¡¯s no longer care about that young master who suddenly disappeared from the world. What would you do if you were obsessed with someone who is no longer in this world? Even if Haures had abandoned his name and hidden, it won¡¯t change the future. ¡®First of all, revenge on that maid is the priority.¡¯ Then, shall we check if I can erase their presence in this world the same as what happened to Haures? I looked around the room with an expressionless face. This room is only filled with terrible memories. But since starting to plan my revenge, I began to feel quite fond of it. Chapter 4 2.The First Squad I spent the day trying to figure out whether this was reality or a dream. In the past, I¡¯d suffered from a fever and went to sleep early, but I didn¡¯t do that this time. I stayed up late last night despite my illness over the excitement that I had eliminated one of my enemies. But¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± The moment when I still hadn¡¯t yet adapted to this strange phenomenon of regression, something even more bizarre happened. It was exactly 12 o¡¯clock at night. Twang. As the hour hand of the giant wall clock in the hallway pointed to 12 o¡¯clock, something unprecedented happened before my eyes. ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡¹ ¡¸Transfer Completed¡¹ ¡¸You can enjoy today¡¯s free chapter.¡¹ ¡¸Do you want to read ¡°Dangerous Love¡± Chapter 1? (Yes/No) ¡¹ As soon as I saw this, I screamed and got up from my seat. If floating white letters suddenly appeared before someone, anyone would react the same way. ¡°!?¡± I blinked my eyes and wiped my eyes with my fists clenched, but the words in the air didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Do you want to read ¡°Dangerous Love¡± Chapter 1? (Yes/No) ¡¹ Even when I looked back and forth, the mysterious letters didn¡¯t change. I reflexively closed my eyes and thought about it. From killing a person to knowing that I¡¯ve regressed, I never knew till now I was also suffering from hallucinations. ¡®Oh my god. I¡¯m really becoming crazy.¡¯ When I opened my eyes again, the white letters were still in front of me. ¡°Free chapter¡­¡± I tilted my head to the side rather than skimming through the words in front of me. Even when I calmed down and reread the words, I couldn¡¯t quite understand the meaning of those sentences. ¡°Read?¡± ¡®Is this a dream or a hallucination?¡¯ As if it was not enough for me to return to my past, at the stroke of midnight such strange, shiny letters popped up in front of my eyes. ¡°What does it mean?¡± As the letters didn¡¯t disappear no matter how much time passed, I decided to take action. If it was me in the past, I wouldn¡¯t have touched the letters because I would be scared of it, but after killing Haures, there was nothing I was afraid of. ¡°It¡¯s only letters in my head. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die, right?¡± As I murmured some self-assuring words and a continued no response from the letters in front of me, I reached into the air and poked at it. ¡°What is it? Let¡¯s see¡­ Yes! Let¡¯s read it!¡± At the same time, I mumbled to myself like a crazy person. And after a little while. ¡°!¡± Bam. When my finger accidentally brushed the word ¡®yes,¡¯ the number of words in front of me increased instantly. It was incomparable to the previous message. ¡¸Characters in Chapter 1 Vasago: The beloved daughter of Duke Guelder. She has an ideal appearance and a lot of talent. Eyal: Vasago¡¯s father and the current Duke Guelder. Aloken: Successor of Louis Jalier. Naverius: Son of the Count Demandux from a nearby estate. Preta: Vasago¡¯s older cousin. Chapter 1 #1. The Mansion of the Duke Guelder Vasago raised her body from the bed in the gorgeous room. Next to her stood a servant who had brought washing water for her. Servant: You¡¯re awake. Vasago: Aah! How could I procrastinate right now? Finally, the day has come for my 16 birthday! After this celebration, I will be recognized as the successor. Servant: Even the Lord will be impressed by Lady¡¯s appearance becoming mature. Vasago: Did my cousin say he could come today? Servant: Yes! Vasago: You go down first and prepare the dress for the celebration. I should say hello to my father. (The servant set down the washing water and left the room.) #2. Hall on the First Floor of the Mansion Vasago: Father! Eyal: Baby, a virtuous noble doesn¡¯t run around so loudly. Vasago: But I wanted to say hello to father before anyone else today. What is that letter in your hand? Eyal: It¡¯s sad news about the spear match, which should be a sacred duel, was tarnished by the lust for wealth. Vasago: It¡¯s not been long since the spear match became a game for gamblers. Eyal approached her and patted her shoulder with a sad expression. Eyal: The problem is that it was revealed this time that a knight received money from a noble to manipulate the victory of that match. The King was furious, catching the players that were cheating on a large scale. But, it¡¯s said that an innocent friend of Preta ¡¯s was unjustly dragged into the fray. Preta rushed to the capital to speak for him. Vasago: Does that mean Preta can¡¯t come to my celebration?! Vasago became angry with that.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± Naverius! My fianc¨¦¡¯s name was written there. ¡°How¡­ did this¡­¡± The name of my fianc¨¦ here¡­ it might be just a coincidence. ¡°Vasago¡­ Aloken¡­¡± The names of these characters were also the names of nobles I knew of. ¡®What is this!¡¯ I thought this was a novel created by my imagination at first. However, the content was quite specific. It even listed the names of people I didn¡¯t know. ¡®It definitely said ¡®transfer completed¡¯ earlier. What does that mean?¡¯ I briefly recalled the first message that appeared before this. Of course, nothing was clear in the current situation. ¡®¡­No. I might be out of my mind right now. Ah, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s write it down somewhere for now. Why don¡¯t I check it out with a clear mind after waking up? It¡¯ll probably look strange when I see it in the morning since I¡¯m writing it in a fit of madness.¡¯ Eventually, I decided to write down the displayed words. After I finished all the notation, I wanted to stop looking at the brightly lit words so I lay down and closed my eyes tightly. * * * ¡°Lady Vanora? I brought water to clean your face.¡± I was reading the morning newspaper. This newspaper, which has been published under the parliament for some time now, contains the marriage news of famous people within the kingdom, records of wanted criminals, or major events that should be announced from generation to generation. ¡°¡­¡± I silently read the newspaper in my hand for a while. After that, I washed my face with the icy water brought by my servant. And after a while, I thought after washing my face in the morning with ice-like water brought by my servant, ¡®What the hell did I see yesterday?¡¯ As soon as I woke up in the morning, I remembered everything that had happened at midnight. As I read the paper I had hidden under my pillow, I realized that it was not a dream. However, what surprised me more was the news mentioning the same incident mentioned in those words. ¡®The King was angry at the fraudulent spear match, which should be a sacred duel for knights.¡¯ I started reading newspapers after I made my debut. That means I had never seen this newspaper when I was 15. ¡°¡­¡± I skimmed through other vulgar information in the newspaper and raised my head only after the servant had left my room. ¡®Is it true that an incident that isn¡¯t in my memory matches up with what I read yesterday?¡¯ I crumpled the newspaper and then stopped by the mansion¡¯s library to search through the list of nobles. ¡®Vasago¡¯s relatives¡­ No way. There¡¯s really a man named Preta among her relatives!¡¯ This was also a clue that proves the phenomenon I had seen was not a hallucination. Returning to my room, I plopped down on the bed. After I began to think about it, I came to this conclusion. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s not a dream but reality?¡¯ At this point, isn¡¯t it more logical to speculate that the letters that came to my view at midnight may be magic? ¡°Magic. It¡¯s magic.¡± But soon, my brows furrowed. ¡®It is because of magic that I remembered my past life? I don¡¯t really want something like that.¡¯ I returned to my young body after great pains and I couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡°I need strength to get revenge. For example¡­¡± While agonizing, I briefly uttered the words I was aiming for. ¡°Holy relics.¡± I¡¯d already accepted the fact that I¡¯d returned now and last night¡¯s incident was relatively easy to absorb. ¡°Io¡­ That was definitely unknown at this time, right?¡± Because in this world, there was nothing besides the holy relics of God that allowed humans to use magic. * * * ¡°Among the three holy things of the god, I have finally found the one that Your Majesty wished for the most!¡± ¡°Ooh! Sir, your hard work has paid off! It¡¯s not enough to give you a title. I will give you a congratulatory ball!¡± A long time ago, there was an omnipotent being who took care of the earth in the beginning. We called this being Mother God. It created the world and took good care of it. However, God had not rested in the thousand years, so it decided to take a long slumber one day. During that time, human intelligence developed day by day and a tribal society had already formed. Amongst them, the particularly outstanding became the group leaders and led their group, so God thought that they could develop on their own even if they weren¡¯t confident. But, as their parents, their worries were endless. God, afraid that a disaster might strike them while it was asleep and they would be wiped out, came to give part of its power to the humans it loved before it fell asleep. It gave the three best leaders the tools to interfere with the world¡¯s laws. God distributed things to those three leaders called ¡®Holy relics.¡¯ The name of the holy relics is said to be modeled after the person¡¯s name who had it first, but this fact wasn¡¯t clear because this old story has been passed down as a legend. ¡°With this alone, it is not a dream for our Kingdom to become more prosperous and to achieve the unification of the world!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty!¡± These sacred objects were called Io, Ganimede, and Europa. And their abilities have had many influences on human history. Europa could interfere with the laws of time in the world. Ganimede could control location. And Io was said to control power. ¡°Io, a holy relic that is said to make you have supernatural power. With this, we will win any war!¡± ¡°Glory to the Kingdom of Kasius!¡± ¡°Eternal Glory!¡± The holy relic that Vanora was aiming for was also Io. * * * Io. The holy relic was originally discovered two years later by the knight who the King had dispatched in search for the holy relics. ¡®Then it means that they haven¡¯t found a clue yet at this time.¡¯ I once imagined that the holy relics could change my life. What if I go to the King with my current memory and reveal to him the whereabouts of the holy relic? Should I chase for money and honor instead? ¡®Io. As long as you have a holy relic that gives you supernatural strength¡­¡¯ However, this was simply a delusion that wasn¡¯t feasible. Aside from the crime of stealing property, I couldn¡¯t tell them about my memories of the past. ¡®As long as I have that holy relic!¡¯ But the current me meets all the conditions to have that. I knew where the holy relic was and as long as I¡¯ve decided to take revenge, there¡¯s no longer any need to be conscientious. ¡®I don¡¯t know who the knight that was supposed to be promoted from finding it is.¡¯ I also didn¡¯t care if the knight, who was supposed to gain exceptional success in return for finding the holy relic in the future, would wander around the world for the rest of his life. ¡®It would be helpful if news of me finding the holy relic would spread around.¡¯ I needed strength anyway. Of course, if I start training and change what I eat from now on, I will be able to gain a certain level of muscle strength. However, no matter how hard I train, it¡¯s difficult to have enough physical strength to 100% defeat my enemies that threaten my life. ¡®If I don¡¯t have strength, I might end up trying to kill others again. Besides, the more powerful one is, the wider the range of means there are, and the harder it is to guess the perpetrator¡­¡¯ What I want is the ability to completely capture others and take their lives. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to procrastinate. Let¡¯s move right away tomorrow.¡± I was determined to acquire the holy relic that would help me more than anything else. It was not as difficult as I thought to steal from the future owner of it. Chapter 5 ¡°You already know me. Do you know how many years I wandered the battlefield without a single clue in order to find the holy relic? Compared to that, quarrels between nobles are nothing.¡± ¡°It must have been difficult, but it¡¯s amazing. But your hand on my shoulder¡­¡± ¡°Stay still. Anyway, Io was completely lost in our Kingdom, right? Do you know where it was? Hmm?¡± ¡°W-Where it was?¡± ¡°Hmm~¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ in the Celcius territory! Uahaha! Let¡¯s see what kind of face the Count made after knowing this. You would have laughed if you saw your father!¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°By the way, your father. He ridiculously wanted to have the percentage because the holy relic was found in his land. He doesn¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been trying to find it. I even captured and tortured that slave¡¯s children and his mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless if he disparages my efforts like this. So don¡¯t even think to do the same thing, understand?¡± Walking around the street with a light hum, I stopped immediately. As I pondered over the knight¡¯s voice that had been repeating in my head, I stood with my hand on my back. ¡®Is this really the place where he said he found it?¡¯ Io. So far, there have been so many people who want to have it. They wanted to take Io, so the Kings of various kingdoms formed an alliance and even waged war to have Io in their possession. The Kingdom that won the war at that time was the Kingdom of Kasius, to which I belonged. However, ironically, even though they won the war, they couldn¡¯t achieve the goal they were aiming for. ¡®Fools¡¯ In a chaotic environment surrounded by war, Io¡¯s whereabouts became unclear. The last owner of Io, a slave mercenary from a foreign Kingdom, seemed to want to take revenge on the Kingdom that pampered him during that time. ¡®Maybe I was like that too.¡¯ I can¡¯t believe that the owner of such a precious holy relic was only a slave. I was puzzled at first when I heard the story, but after learning more about the holy relic, I was convinced. ¡°If you try to interfere with the flow of the world with the human body, you will pay the price¡­¡± It was said by the knight who found the holy relic. He said that the more someone used Io, the more their body would break down to obtain an unbelievable power. In particular, if Io was frequently used in war, their user would have a short life, so I could see why the high-ranking people gave Io to slaves without using it by themselves. ¡®Poor person.¡¯ The slave had no choice but to listen to the King for the rest of his life because his mother and his children were captured as a hostage. ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, it¡¯s already over. It has been a long time since the end of the holy war, and I had no time to pay attention to the long history. ¡°Sir Shuteri.¡± ¡°¡­Lady Vanora?¡± I stood in front of the human being I had been looking for. I was often locked in a room and looked out the window in the past. What time do the knights train? Who is the most sincere one? Who¡¯s fooling around? It was my hobby to watch these trivial things. ¡°Oho, this is the first time I have seen Lady Vanora appearing at this hour. Huh? Wait a minute! Did Madam send Lady to scold me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Phew. That¡¯s a relief.¡± I hid in the shade of the well, out of sight of others, and spoke to the knight who was smoking the leftover weeds wrapped in paper to make cigars. Unlike his lazy look, he will do a great job. So he was a perfect person for asking something. ¡°There¡¯s something I really wanted to say to Sir Shuteri, so I went around looking for you.¡± ¡°What does Lady want to say?¡­ W-Wait, the way Lady called me was wrong. The title of ¡®Sir¡¯ is given only to those who have been formally knighted.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡± Shuteri was embarrassed when I showed my humble attitude, unlike other ordinary noble. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Lady is calling a bastard like me with that high title! If someone sees us like this, I will be in big trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m still not good at speaking informally.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Then let¡¯s continue the story. It¡¯s okay when no one is watching.¡± Even though the young Lady appeared, he smoked for a while and rubbed off the cigarette until it was time to look around the surroundings. I opened my mouth without reacting to his appearance. ¡°I have a favor to ask you. It¡¯s really important to me. I¡¯m only saying this to Mr. Shuteri¡­ last time I went out to town to get a dress for His Majesty¡¯s birthday banquet.¡± ¡°It will be the King¡¯s birthday soon. Hmm, then?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± I said with the expression of a lady who was anxious when Shuteri¡¯s eyes fixed on me. Honestly, I was embarrassed for my acting. ¡°Actually, I lost the precious ring that my mother matched with my dress at that time. The dress takes time to make, but the accessories were bought on the spot.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°But the ring my mother bought was so pretty. It rolled from my hand on the way back to the mansion¡­¡± ¡°Where did you drop it?¡± ¡°Cross the high overpass on the outskirts and go down¡­¡± At my words, the apprentice knight named Shuteri asked in a panic. ¡°Then, Lady should¡¯ve told Madam right away! It¡¯s rare for Lady to go out, so I even remember when it was. It¡¯s already been 2 weeks, right?¡± ¡°At that time, I was so surprised¡­ Moreover, I was scared to think that my mother would scold me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m not telling her.¡± What follows is the acting in tears. Some might say it was difficult to do that, but it was very simple for me. ¡°This bitch! If it weren¡¯t for you, my life wouldn¡¯t be like this! You punk! I was crazy to give birth to such a useless thing. Aaaah!¡± Even before I returned to this period and opened my eyes, I was filled with painful memories that could make me shed tears. Among them, that event was the most injustice and hurt, as if my heart was stabbed with a dagger that made my tears flow. It happened in the distant past, so I¡¯m getting better now. The reflex of that memory and tears couldn¡¯t be separated. ¡°L-Lady?¡± ¡°Heuk¡­ time has passed because I didn¡¯t know what to do. But at this rate, mother will be furious at the banquet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry! Oh dear, Lady didn¡¯t do anything wrong. A-Anyone can do that too.¡± I trembled my thick eyelashes and lifted my tearful eyes. ¡°The bottom of the bridge where I lost my ring is steep, and there is no grass for animals to eat, so I don¡¯t think anyone has looked through it.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°Please, can you secretly sneak me out to the town just this once? I want to find the ring but don¡¯t want other people to find out about it.¡± Shuteri. No matter how pathetic he was, he knew the rumors circulating in the family he served. How dark and timid the young Lady in this family is. Also, what kind of person the young Lady¡¯s parents are. So I quickly gained his trust in the act of trembling at the fact that I had lost one ring. ¡°But how to get the Lady out without others knowing? Doesn¡¯t Lady need a carriage to go out? Lady should probably get permission from the butler or Master.¡± Of course, I responded thoroughly to the subsequent remarks from him. ¡°¡­I decided to ask you to do this because I heard that you were the only knight who learned how to work in the mansion, which hasn¡¯t taken this year¡¯s vacation yet. So you can go out for three days at any time.¡± ¡°That¡­ Meyer, that light-mouthed bastard must have been talking about that to Lady.¡± ¡°If you help me, I¡¯ll give you this in return.¡± I held out an earring in front of him. It is a drop-type earring decorated with amethyst and white jade. The design itself is quite modest, but the fact that all of it was made from jewels adds value. ¡°Ea-Earring¡­¡± ¡°It is made with real gems. Whether we find my ring or not, if you take me outside once, I will give the remaining pair of earrings after it is done.¡± His salary was insignificant compared to the amount that nobles poured into luxury. Besides, I already knew that he was hung up on money. ¡®He¡¯s a gambling addict who can¡¯t resist biting this.¡¯ He was a man who would be forced to flee from one estate to another in the future to avoid debtors by gambling in huge debts before the ink of his knighthood certificate had dried. Of course, he was in a state of busy handing over the card at the moment. Therefore, this financial temptation would have meant a lot to him, who had no money for alcohol to enjoy tomorrow. ¡°If Lady is so desperate, I have no choice but to help you. Hmm, but¡­ even if Lady can sneak out, no matter how fast we go, it will take more than half a day to get to the town.¡± As expected, as soon as I took out the earring, his neck trembled, and his attitude changed. I said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± and said the prepared words. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I have an idea. I can make sure no one is looking for me in one full day.¡± ¡°Is that true? Even at dinner time?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what? Hmm, is there nothing wrong with it? Suppose I have the carriage waiting for me to move my luggage for vacation, and Lady is hiding in that carriage in advance. In that case, we can go outside the mansion¡­¡± Shuteri began to make his own plans at my resolute words. Then I responded to his words, ¡°I¡¯m relieved that I¡¯m going out with Shuteri. I heard that your swordsmanship is excellent among the apprentice knights who came this time. If so, isn¡¯t the preparation perfect for my safety issue?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon? Well, I¡¯m a bit like that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a busy downtown area, and the two of us are secretly looking under the bridge, so it won¡¯t be too dangerous anyway.¡± ¡°Still, we have to be careful not to fall. I will be vigilant to keep Lady Vanora come back without getting injured.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± I must have blocked him in advance in case he might express troublesome worries about the safety of the nobles. The preparations are over, so I finally go back after scheduling the outing. ¡°Lady Vanora¡­ feels different today. Was she such a nice person in the first place?¡± I didn¡¯t care anymore what he muttered behind me. The next day. Surprised by the unimaginable vulgar behavior, Countess Celcius ordered it. She couldn¡¯t let go of my rude behavior, so she kept me from leaving my room for a day as a discipline. ¡®I never knew I would be so happy when you¡¯re doing this for the sake of scolding me.¡¯ In addition, the Countess ordered the servants of the mansion to prohibit giving water and food for me to make me realize that preciousness. ¡®They can¡¯t even imagine that Vanora Celcius disobeyed Madam¡¯s order and crawled out of the window. When I go back to my room, I need the help of the knight.¡¯ By now, they would think that I was crying in my locked room. Chapter 6 ¡°Okay, it¡¯s near here.¡± Thus, we successfully escaped the mansion and soon reached the outskirts of the town. In the meantime, the sun was shining brightly, but the stone road under the bridge was still dark because of the sparse sunlight from the shade of a tree on a nearby cliff. ¡°I will search for this place. Can you please search over there?¡± ¡°Lady said the lost item was a ring with a red ruby on it, right?¡± I looked straight ahead. To be precise, I pretended to be looking for things and stood up meaninglessly for a while. ¡®The weather is nice.¡¯ About half an hour later, when the apprentice knight named Shuteri began to look bored with his work, I took the next step. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s near here. Let¡¯s go a little further over there.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± ¡°But since it¡¯s my item, it may not look familiar to the knight¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m thankful that you brought me here¡­ Can you just rest on that rock and see if there are any strange people?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be people like that. I will escort Lady so that not even a strand of your hair gets hurt.¡± I pretended to be considerate to him and excluded him from finding it. By the time he sits on a rock, he pulls out a cigarette and idles around. Finally, I carefully found the place of ¡®Io¡¯ that I remembered. ¡®In order to betray the Kingdom, the last owner, the slave, entrusted the holy relic to his friend, the bard, who while carrying Io across the border, he was in danger of being trampled in the Celcius territory¡­¡¯ Io¡¯s approximate movement was already in my memory. This was because the person who discovered it in the past boasted about it dozens of times. I can¡¯t believe that the location of the holy relic that various Kingdoms wanted to win by fighting in the war was none other than this territory. Count Celcius, who realized this too late, shed tears of blood and regretted it. In the past, my father insisted that they searched his territory at their will and demanded a share because the holy relic was in his territory, but it was not accepted. Because it was the King who made the search team for the holy relic. ¡®I can¡¯t trust everything the knight said, but let¡¯s try anyway.¡¯ Of course, I didn¡¯t have any greed for holy relics at that time, so even if I heard that someone else had taken the holy relic that was in front of me, ¡®According to his words, it must be between these cliffs¡­¡¯ After a while, I stopped at a point. ¡°¡­!¡± In the corner of the cliff, there was a sharp and thick gap. It was simply a stone-cut pattern for ordinary people, but it was easy for me to notice the whereabouts of Io. ¡®He said he found the holy relic under a pile of stones near here.¡¯ As soon as I found this gap, I frantically searched around. Unlike pretending to be looking for a ring, I touched all kinds of stones with my toes, being careful not to be caught by the knight I brought. ¡°!¡± And in a little bit. Unlike the light surrounding pebbles, I found a large stone beak that didn¡¯t even move when I kicked it. ¡®¡­¡¯ This is probably what it feels like to steal. Turning behind, I see Shuteri gathering pebbles around him and stacking them like a tower. Seeing that, I quietly leaned down and began to scrape around the stone beak that was not moving. ¡°¡­¡± Small and large grains of dirt dug between the fingernails of my left hand, and my hands gradually became dirty, but I continued to dig nearby. ¡°Haa, I¡¯m bored to death. I think it¡¯s taking too long¡­¡± And a few minutes later, Shuteri knocked down the small stone tower he had been building. Eventually, the sleepy-faced knights looked back toward me. ¡°Hmm? What are you doing, Lady?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± I turned my head back to his call. Fortunately, it was quicker to fill the soil I had dug up than to turn around. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been searching for too long, and my legs hurt, so I rested for a while.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard. It¡¯s not like Madam will kill Lady just because of one ring.¡± Thump. Thump. I pretended to look around further, hiding my still beating heartbeat. The reason why my heart is jumping right now is not that I¡¯m afraid I will be caught doing something suspicious. ¡°I-I found the ring! That¡¯s really a relief. I won¡¯t be scolded by my mother anymore!¡± I took the dirty red ring I had prepared in advance out of my arms and glistened my eyes to him. ¡®I found it¡­¡¯ It was because of the ¡®blue¡¯ thing that I had just found. * * * The next day. Yesterday, I went to bed early, perhaps because I was tired from being outside. The white words on the first day I had seen had some kind of condition to appear, and when the morning came, no magic was seen, so I started my day smoothly. ¡®It was more beautiful than I thought.¡¯ I got up from my bed and checked the first treasure I had acquired. Io¡¯s appearance was a thin right with jewels resembling the tail feathers of a peacock. Containing the God fragments, I could sense that it was a holy relic as soon as I saw the ring. In particular, it was strange that I couldn¡¯t feel any weight when I held it in my hand. ¡®Done.¡¯ It was confirmed that owning it would really increase strength, and since I returned to the mansion safely, my plan was a success. ¡®With this, Seir¡­¡¯ Then I can start the second revenge that I¡¯ve been looking forward to. Even if I acquired the holy relic, there was still a problem left. ¡®I¡¯ll turn the body of that filthy thing upside down!¡¯ It was the matter of storing the holy relic. However, now that time has passed since I got the holy relic, this part has already been resolved. But I¡¯m now lying in bed like a sick person. ¡°Lady Vanora, this is your meal.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I don¡¯t have a severe illness. Unlike my ambition to peel off my servant and kill her, it was me who got bled first. ¡°By the way, Lady Vanora, how are you going to get through the social world with a clumsy attitude? You shouldn¡¯t spill your tea on the clothes of precious young ladies from other houses.¡± I pondered how to store the holy relic and eventually found a place to hide it. In my room? It¡¯s dangerous because it can be borrowed at any time. Garden soil? That¡¯s too absurd. The space in this mansion was like hell for me. So I buried the holy relic in a safer location. ¡°If your wound is itchy, never scratch it. You will feel sorry for me having to change the bloody sheet!¡± It¡¯s in my own body. ¡°¡­¡± I stabbed my body to create a suitable gap and now buried Io, the holy relic deep in my wound. In this mansion, I was nothing more than a ghost. Whether I stole medicine and tools from the doctor¡¯s room or sewed up my wound by myself, no one cared. ¡°Sigh. Anyway, only the amount of laundry will increase.¡± Even when Seir, her exclusive maid, who helped her to change her clothes, found out about her wound, it was enough for me to say, ¡°I fell while chasing a butterfly.¡± Therefore, I only had to wait for the wound to heal. ¡®Just because Io is in the form of a ring, it didn¡¯t mean that I had to wear it on my finger to use its power. Even if something goes wrong with my body, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯ For me, it was the best cover-up. At the same time, it was not crazy to bury a ring inside one¡¯s body to hide its whereabouts. ¡°What? Why are you laughing? There¡¯s nothing funny.¡± As such, the driving strength behind the current me was an endless sense of revenge and a little bit of frustration. I laughed at the foreign body I felt in the affected area as the pain subsided by the medicine. ¡°Because the weather is nice today.¡± As I soon stopped my laughter and calmed down, Seir shook her head several times. But the time for the last meal for today was over. It¡¯s time to go to sleep, so Seir came to me with a comb because she was going to do my evening grooming. ¡°Look at this and this. Why is Lady hair really getting tangled without combing it only for a day? I¡¯m afraid that you won¡¯t be able to get married if you don¡¯t dress up even a little bit.¡± Soon the servant made me sit on the chair and began to comb. On the surface, it was very calm, and nothing was strange about my exclusive maid. ¡°¡­¡± However, I felt the pain of my scalp being ripped apart every time she combed my long hair with a strong comb. It was because Seir was giving strength as if pulling out my hair on purpose rather than untangled it softly. ¡°It would have been nice if Lady was born blonde~ If Lady had blonde hair, you would have lived like a real Lady! Your eyes and hair are all black, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Who do you look like?¡± Brush. Brush. An eerie sound rang out as my hair was tangled and combed with force. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s worth frowning because it hurts. But I was silent with a face contemplating something. * * * It was a week after returning to the body of a 15-year-old. ¡¸Chapter 2 1# Ballroom Terrace (Night) Eyal declared Vasago officially became the successor of the Guelder family. The King held a ball to celebrate the fact, but Vasago, who received the invitation, looked skeptical. After finishing the first dance at the ball, Vasago moves to the terrace. Vasago: (Sad) ¡®My brother can¡¯t move at the words of the King, and I have to play the role of a puppet in the ball, where I don¡¯t even like a single letter from the King. Until when I have to live these humiliating days?¡¯ Vasago: I will make a different choice from my predecessor. Maid: (V.O) Princess, are you here? Vasago: It seems like my father is calling for me. I¡¯m going out now. #2 Ballroom (Night) Vasago and Eyal are talking near the window. Nobleman 1: Look. Isn¡¯t that woman the daughter of Duke Guelder? Nobleman 2: That¡¯s right. As the rumors say, her green hair is really beautiful. Nobleman 1: How could a dress made of blue fabric look so attractive? When I return to my estate, I will have to buy a dress like that for my wife. All the women in this Kingdom made a fuss that they would wear the same thing as Vasago wore. The nobles praised her with their mouths wide open.¡¹ When the midnight bell rang in the hallway, the script-type text came in front of my eyes again. ¡°Gasp!¡± It was the second time I had experienced this after returning to this period. ¡®It appears again at 12 o¡¯clock at night.¡¯ I realized two conditions when I saw the magic that only appeared today after skipping a few days. ¡®It only appeared at midnight.¡¯ ¡®And only on the first day of the week?¡¯ This is because it has appeared two times at 12 o¡¯clock on the first day of the week. In addition, I noticed that the contents of chapter 1 of ¡®Dangerous Love¡¯ last time and the text that appeared this time continued. ¡®The last thing I saw was the story of Vasago when she heard the news that his cousin couldn¡¯t come for her birthday. This time, the emotional line continues, expressing her antipathy towards the King.¡¯ However, there was nothing much after this. The dress worn by Vasago, who participated in the ball, was so beautiful that the nobles highly praised it. ¡°¡­¡± In the past, reading was my hobby. I read theology, science, and astronomy, as well as novels scribbled by commoners about fairy tales. So, looking at the writing, I was able to distinguish genres. ¡°This is not a script. A play with the background that changes so often cannot be made into a stage.¡± It takes the form of a script on the outside, but it is not a script. As I knew, there was only one type of writing. ¡°Then, this is a ¡®fictional novel¡¯ made to read for fun.¡± What I saw in front of me at 12 o¡¯clock was none other than a novel in which a person named Vasago is the main character. ¡®Isn¡¯t the title Dangerous Love? It¡¯s not even a title for a classic romance novel.¡¯ The glowing letters that appeared suddenly are a novel that borrowed Vasago¡¯s name. In addition, the contents of the book were never sloppy. Chapter 7 The next morning. I, who had woken up early, took the risk and tried to find out if Vasago had really been to the King¡¯s ball recently. ¡®I don¡¯t remember the exact day because I¡¯ve never been invited to the Princess¡¯s birthday banquet. But I¡¯m sure Vasago¡¯s birthday is in spring.¡¯ First of all, the timeline in the novel was not much different from the day I woke up. And in the process, I discovered a surprising fact. ¡°Pardon? Va-Vasago Guelder¡¯s birthday was a week ago?¡± ¡°Yes, my Lady. And to congratulate Lady Guelder on becoming the Duke¡¯s successor, the King invited her to the King¡¯s ball.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Are you done now? I have to go to the Master.¡± My expression changed when I heard that the day I returned to here was the same day as the first chapter of that novel. ¡®Is this all just a coincidence?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± I, who soon returned to my room, looked out the window while skipping meals. ¡®Looking back on her past memories, there was a time when sky blue dresses were popular. It was around this time of the year. Then¡­¡¯ What slowly came to my mind was the name of the man who I had already completed my revenge on him. ¡®Haures.¡¯ Haures Hopen. After killing him, I suddenly returned to the distant past. Even when I had a conversation with him on purpose, I hated that man the most when he became my companion. There are a lot of things that made me hate him. ¡°Is he the cause?¡± I once asked a man named Haures a question. Holding back my urge to cry, I swallowed the pain in my chest and asked him. ¡°Why are you bothering me? Why are you being so cruel to me?¡± Haures answered my question with a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a superior being and you¡¯re a worthless piece of paper.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m only a piece of paper that going to commit suicide, wouldn¡¯t it be more meaningful to help me?¡± ¡°You and I are different.¡± At that time, I couldn¡¯t really understand the man¡¯s story, so I only bowed my head. But to reflect on what he said now¡­ ¡®Why did Haures use the word piece of paper to describe me at that time?¡¯ ¡®And why did he always act like he knew the future?¡¯ The main reason why Haures received a high position was the fact that he predicted a great flood and prevented it in advance. ¡®The day after I killed Haures, I definitely saw the word transfer completed.¡¯ It felt weird. It cannot be denied that all of these things are related to each other. And finally I realized something as if I had been struck by lightning. ¡°No way, is this a world in the novel in which Vasago is the main character?¡± A cold sweat broke out on my back as I faced a truth I had never imagined before. In my head, I think it really didn¡¯t make any sense. But from my heart, as I said this assumption, everything fits. ¡®No, that can¡¯t be true.¡¯ I swallowed my breath, not knowing whether I was smiling or crying. I wanted to shout if there were no ears around to hear. ¡®Is this all a set in the novel?¡¯ I can¡¯t believe my life is just a scenario written by someone else. Right now, it¡¯s only a half-hearted, joking assumption, but it was a secret that I had no choice but to believe someday. ¡®Still, this unknown magic is worth using.¡¯ I, Vanora Celcius, have changed. I just want those who caused me pain that I want to die, and everything in my life now is just a toll to make my dream come true. ¡®If only I could know every move of Vasago, who is the center of the noble society. Maybe she has something to do with this.¡¯ Luckily, the main character of the novel is one of my enemies. Rather, if her life was ruined by the scenario, that¡¯s good. Then, even if I ruin this story, isn¡¯t it self-defense as a victim? I lay down, staring blankly at the scenery of my desolate room. Gradually, I began to get interested in novels that appeared at midnight. She lay down after staring blankly at the scenery of the desolate room. * * * ¡°Oh my, thank you, Lady.¡± ¡°Shuteri, this is only for you. I will feel sorry if others know that I favored you, so please keep it a secret. Instead, I will come to you if I have another request.¡± ¡°Of course! Anyway, there are a lot of people who get jealous of someone who will become the knight. It won¡¯t bother you at all and I will shut my mouth.¡± A few hours later. Before I could even eat, I went back to the apprentice knight named Shuteri and paid the price I had promised. ¡®Even if he exchanges those earrings for money, it won¡¯t last long.¡¯ This was a risky deal. Shuteri, a gambling addict, needed a lot of money, so he might have threatened me for more money by the fact that I secretly sneaked out when he ran out of the money he got from selling the earrings. But it wasn¡¯t a concern right now. I headed somewhere, walking the hallway in the early morning. * * * 3.Until Chapter 84 ¡°Huh? Seir! Whose ring is that? You said you didn¡¯t have money.¡± ¡°No, somehow, I just got it.¡± ¡°Did Madam give it to you?¡± ¡°No, just Lady Vanora¡­ She gave me this yesterday to thank me for being nice to her.¡± 7 AM. The servants of the mansion have already started their day. This is because before their masters get up, the roads they walk must be polished. ¡°Seir, you have a really good personality too. Doesn¡¯t that Lady say that she doesn¡¯t like you, so she blames you for nothing? That¡¯s how it was when she complained about the meal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because she is a lonely person. When she¡¯s in a good mood, she treats me like this.¡± ¡°Ugh. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to please her like that. I would rather be a laundry maid for the rest of my life. They never know how we¡¯re feeling.¡± However, no matter how busy they were, it was not to the point where they couldn¡¯t even say a few words to their fellow workers. Besides, the servant named Seir standing here was the exclusive maid of Vanora Celcius. So, she had a more relaxed time than others. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m grateful that you think of me, but there are many ears in the mansion. I¡¯m worried that you might get hurt by cursing Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Hey. I¡¯m grateful that you think of me, but there are many ears in the mansion. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get hurt while cursing Panora.¡± ¡°She¡¯s really good at wearing a good person¡¯s mask.¡± But, why did Seir become the exclusive maid of Vanora Celcius? This is because she has been the maid of them since the time Vanora¡¯s mother was alive, that is when she was just 11 years old. Seir, who used to learn things quickly, caught the eyes of Vanora¡¯s mother and was chosen as a maid to help them dress up. A few years later, when Vanora¡¯s biological mother suddenly died, it was natural for Seir, who was originally her mother¡¯s maid, to become a maid for Vanora, her master¡¯s daughter. ¡°Anyway, I will go first. Seir, see you later in the evening!¡± ¡°Yes. I will be free in the evening!¡± Sir has always been kind to her co-workers and is well-mannered to her superiors. She was an ideal worker, so people in the mansion liked her. However, Seir changed only in front of one person. The ring on her hand now is not even her ring. ¡®Even if I had my own ring, I couldn¡¯t brag about it.¡¯ It was the ruby ring that was already wiped from the soil that Vanora had taken out, and Seir had brought it at her will. ¡®It¡¯s only a waste for her. If I had been born as a noble, I wouldn¡¯t have lived such a pathetic life. Instead, I will wear a fancy dress every day and go partying from one estate to another¡­¡¯ She glanced at the ring at the entrance of the mansion¡¯s first floor, where a large chandelier shone. At lunchtime today, a repairman will come to replace the chandelier. The other servants must have been busy for a while, helping take down that gigantic chandelier and wiping off the dust. Seir already had a headache due to the work that would follow, but she leisurely decided to enjoy this morning. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have to be too busy helping to replace the chandelier. When it was time to wake Vanora up, she went to her room and spent time alone. She¡¯s looking at the mirror, regardless of whether her quiet Lady eats or goes to the toilet. ¡¯If they believe that Lady is giving a ring to me, will I be able to steal the budget of clothes for Vanora? Hmm, no. It¡¯s dangerous to touch that.¡¯ And after a while, Vanora returned to her room. Seir looked at her little master and laughed for no reason. ¡°Pfft, what¡¯s wrong with your steps?¡± Seir has always been like this. When there are only the two of them, Seir looks down on her weak master to the fullest, and pretends to be loyal servant immediately when there are other people¡¯s gaze. No one knew that Seir was harassing Vanora and satisfying her lowly desires. No, even if they knew, they were humans who closed their eyes at this. Almost everyone in this mansion looked down on Vanora. ¡°Lady, it¡¯s already mealtime. I will bring you something to eat.¡± But what can I do about it? In the end, that two-faced woman wins. In the past, Seir had a happy ending. Far from paying the price of harassing her, she received a huge dowry as a retirement gift, married a good man and lived happily ever after. Of course, it was until I killed Haures. ¡°Is this for Lady Vanora¡¯s meal today?¡± Seir stopped by the kitchen and arranged the food neatly on a silver tray. She didn¡¯t forget to dress up neatly by wrapping a white apron over her neat black uniform, and putting a handful of salt in the pocket of the apron as usual. All she has to do is bring this tray to her gloomy Lady, and her morning work is over. Vanora rarely went out for a walk or invited her friends. ¡°Take it carefully so that it doesn¡¯t shake. I poured a lot of sauce.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± However, why does no one care while the daughter of a noble family shrinks like this? In fact, there was no one in this mansion who protected Vanora Celcius. It¡¯s because 7 years have already passed since the first Madam died. ¡®No. After all, there was no one by her side from the beginning, right?¡¯ It¡¯s like the open secret that everyone in this mansion knows about. Originally, Vanora was born from a wheat-haired man named Bael Celcius and his first wife, who had soft lilac hair. The newborn Vanora looked the same as all babies did, but she used to hold her mother¡¯s sleeves, so she was pretty cute at first. But it¡¯s only for a while. Besides, her eyes are overly dense with eyelashes, and she often gets skin diseases and spots¡­ ¡®No one really has affection for her. She¡¯s not pretty, so it¡¯s natural for her to be hated.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t really a problem that Vanora¡¯s appearance was far from the beauty standards. The beginning of her misfortune was when her father, Bael Celcius, had a little doubt when he saw his daughter, born with black hair and black eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure this child must be someone else¡¯s daughter who was born in an affair. She can¡¯t be the daughter born from me!¡± Vanora¡¯s father suspected that his wife had an affair one day. No matter where he looks, the child has no resemblance to him, and she is also different from his wife, so he wondered if his wife was having an affair. His first wife shouted that she never did that when she was being suspected. She claimed that her black hair must be from her family¡¯s ancestors, but the spark of doubt couldn¡¯t be extinguished. Bael Celcius gradually neglected his wife. In particular, he never treated their daughter as his child. To make matters worse, the Countess miscarried by the time Vanora was two years old. But how could the Countess be the only to be blamed for the death of their child? Chapter 8 ¡°Seir? What are you doing in a place like this? You don¡¯t have any reason to use this passage in the morning.¡± ¡°Ah, head of the maid! My shoelaces suddenly fell off, and I had to change into a new one¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that next to you?¡± ¡°This is Lady Vanora¡¯s breakfast.¡± Was he really suspicious of his wife¡¯s affair and lost his mind? Or was he already committing an affair like the words from servants? For whatever reason, it didn¡¯t change the fact that the Count had brought his greedy lover into the mansion while his first wife was pregnant. With tears in her eyes, Vanora¡¯s mother said that she couldn¡¯t live under the same roof as his lover. She asked him to send his lover to a villa, but even that was completely ignored. At this, she trembled and became angry. ¡°Lady Vanora¡¯s breakfast? It¡¯s quite late. All the food will get cold.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯ll hurry up.¡± ¡°Wait, make sure to tie the shoelaces tightly. If you fall while walking, it will cause a lot of trouble.¡± However, it would have been better to release the anger to the person who made it. But Bael Celcius had higher power than her family. If she messes with her husband¡¯s new lover, she might be kicked out. No one knows how the former Countess felt, but unfortunately, the arrow of her anger went to her daughter, Vanora. ¡°Lady still eats in her own room, not with other family members?¡± ¡°Yes. Thanks to that, I have to cross the wide main hall and climb the stairs¡­¡± ¡°Shh. How can a servant bring a grudge against their master?¡± ¡°Yes? That¡­ I was lucky to say it to the head of the maid¡­¡± ¡°I said that because I was worried about the Lady.¡± Seir, who became a maid at a young age, watched Vanora carefully, who is younger than her. She witnessed how the Madam, in anger, treated her child in a place where no one saw them. If only Vanora was born without black hair and black eyes, she wouldn¡¯t be this way. She grabbed the young Vanora like a mouse, saying that it was all her fault that the Count turned away from her, that she had a miscarriage, and that the lover came in. ¡°Be careful in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am¡­¡± ¡°It looks like all the shoelaces are tied, so let¡¯s go.¡± Seir is sometimes curious about it. At that time, the Madam maintained her elegant appearance at the dinner table with her husband and his husband¡¯s lover. However, when no one saw her, her personality immediately changed, like flipping your palm. Why did she pretend to be so noble in front of others and vent her anger on her daughter out of anyone¡¯s sight? ¡°Ah, that foxy bitch. Even though she¡¯s only the head of the maid, she¡¯s always picking up faults.¡± Was it the last pride of her as a noble? It seemed to be like that. The Count thought that Vanora was another man¡¯s child and left her unattended. Vanora¡¯s real mother treated her like a dog. What did Seir, who had been watching it next to her, think? ¡®This problem is because Vanora is being neglected. I don¡¯t have a chance to go up higher! It¡¯s really annoying. I would feel better if I threw this tray to that woman.¡¯ Ah, it¡¯s okay for me to handle her however I want! No one will be angry even if I do whatever I want. And one day, Seir began to abuse Vanora, who had messed up her toys like any other child. ¡®If I think about it, it¡¯s too much hassle to carry her meals. That woman doesn¡¯t have anything better than me other than her bloodline, but I carry her meal to the second floor¡­¡¯ Seir has been dissatisfied with her status since before. She judged herself to be more intelligent and beautiful than a noble lady. And now that she accidentally found a prey that could turn her inferiority into a sense of superiority, how would she stop doing this fun thing? ¡®Finally, I arrived at the entrance of the hall.¡¯ Seir stood in the large hall of the mansion with a silver tray. Her arms already became hurt because of her wasted movement to get new shoes. As she caught her breath for a while before stepping up the stairs, she thought something. ¡®I¡¯m going to educate Vanora well today. I¡¯m sure Madam also entrusted that kind of role to me.¡¯ Step. Step. Soon, Seir walked across the open main hall. She always have the same routine. If you step on the carpet and go straight, you will find a large main staircase leading to the second floor. ¡°Are we expecting another guest for today? It¡¯s quiet.¡± Seir muttered to herself as she walked about a third of the hall. Normally, she would have seen one or two servants carrying luggage around the main hall at this time of day. But there was only silence. Seir continued to walk, looking around the artwork hanging on the wall. It seemed that the artworks she saw every day were more important than her master meal that had already turned cold. ¡®I wanted to be painted with such a wonderful portrait someday.¡¯ And around the center of the hall. Seir was drawn to the beautiful paintings of Sepia light among the artworks decorating the wall. She probably wouldn¡¯t have raised her head if she hadn¡¯t heard this sound from above. BANG Suddenly there was a loud sound. There was also a rattling noise following it. The sound was clearly ringing from above her. Seir raised her eyes half a beat late. ¡°!¡± What soon filled Seir¡¯s vision was a group of dazzling crystal lights. It was the chandelier. ¡°Huh?¡± A hundred kilograms of objects hanging from the high ceiling fell upon her. * * * 1:12 PM ¡°The chandelier is falling! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!¡± ¡°Fortunately, there was no fire¡­¡± ¡°Call Sir Ronwe! Hurry!¡± The mansion was engulfed in unfortunate events. One of the servants of the mansion died in the accident. Today, they were waiting for the repairman to replace the chandelier with a new one, so they asked the repairman, who arrived shortly afterward about the cause of the accident. ¡°T-That. Look here, the joint that connects the pulley is broken.¡± ¡°Why did it suddenly break?¡± ¡°The fact that iron has been shattered to this extent means that it has been rusted before, or a crack¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s absurd that it¡¯s rusted! It is a chandelier that has been dearly maintained since my grandfather¡¯s generation. Besides, it is made from gold. I light the chandelier every day and never see anything like that!¡± ¡°Ah, no, that¡­ There¡¯s always a possibility, and I¡¯m not quite sure. It¡¯s not something that falls off easily.¡± And after a long war of words, the conclusion at the mansion was like this. ¡°Huu. Something that has never happened before is causing trouble¡­¡± This is simply the fall of an old chandelier. Everyone quickly became convinced that it was an unfortunate accident that the maid passing under it was crushed. If a high-position person had lost their life from that accident, the chaos might have lasted longer. However, Seir is only a lower class who has no relatives. There was a lot of manpower to replace her. ¡°The maid is dead?¡± The Count didn¡¯t care much about that, only preparing her funeral with a few pennies. Eventually, Seir was buried in the small cemetery on the outskirts of the village. Now she will take a long journey with the tears of several of her friends who worked with her in the mansion. ¡°¡­¡± Vanora learned the news very late through the head of the maid who brought her dinner. She stayed in her room all day and didn¡¯t light even a single candle. To others, this could only be seen as the behavior of a child who was heartbroken at the loss of her exclusive maid. * * * A day has passed since Seir¡¯s death. Without going back to the past or the world collapsed, the morning sun came up safely. ¡°¡­¡± I woke up like that and thought while lying on the bed. ¡®It¡¯s frustrating because there are a lot of ears around me.¡¯ I was now engulfed in the aftereffect of the revenge I had brought with my own hands. Who said that revenge is only a meaningless act? I decided not to believe those words anymore. Because I became happy thanks to this revenge. In addition, I also realized the power of the holy relic, Io, which made my revenge possible from this opportunity. ¡®I want to get up right away and clap my hands to say that she died well!¡¯ I recalled the sight I had seen yesterday from the mansion¡¯s second floor. Anyway, reflecting on the scene of the crime in my head, I didn¡¯t leave any evidence to them. First of all, it was true that the chandelier was quite old. It was also true that there was no passerby at that time because all the servants in the main hall gathered at the dining room to greet the nobles who were scheduled to come for lunch. I, who had been contemplating how to deal with Seir since I had Io, didn¡¯t miss this opportunity. I came up with the idea of avoiding the crime by dropping the chandelier with the power of the holy relic. Seir¡¯s work route was the same every day. So I waited that day for Seir to pass under the chandelier and then threw a piece of iron in my hand to break the pulley. The piece of metal iron that I had saved was the result of taking one of the candlesticks from the mansion and crumpling it. The iron in the candlestick was similar in appearance to the iron that made up the chandelier, so it naturally melted between the shattered chandelier fragments. When I succeeded in dropping the chandelier, the sound of Seir, crushed by it was so small. Compared to the daily work of her treating me like a bug, she was like an ant. ¡°H¡­Help¡­¡± I recalled my favorite scene from my second revenge. ¡°Haha.¡± I struggled to hold back my laughter at that time. Fortunately, I ran straight to my room without making a sound. No one witnessed this. ¡®It¡¯s been a few years since I slept so sweetly without dreams.¡¯ As expected, no one suspected me. Besides, if there were any witnesses, how could a 30-kilogram girl drop a chandelier that was in good condition? Everyone would deny that suspicion if they saw my bony forearms. ¡°Hu¡­¡± But the next day. I also paid for that cost. It was the side effect of using holy relics. Thanks to that, I became a patient again. It was already the third time since I returned that I experienced incomparable pain. I have to endure this pain because it let me carry out the destruction of the pulley, which would have been impossible. Soon after, I felt pain as if my muscles were being torn apart. ¡°Ugh!¡± I groaned and struggled on my own. In particular, since I threw the piece of iron yesterday, there was no strength left in my left arm, so I couldn¡¯t even hold my fist. ¡°Uuggh¡­ Uuurrrghh¡­¡± Once again, I could understand why the King didn¡¯t use this powerful relic by himself. I only used it for a few seconds, but at this point, I was already afraid of what the cost would be if I used it in minutes. ¡°Lady Vanora, it¡¯s me. Can I come in now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± But a few seconds later. At the sound of voices from outside my room, I stopped groaning and grinding my teeth. Taking a deep breath and hiding the corners of my eyes that were trembling by the pain, I let out a calm voice. ¡°Come in.¡± At my words, the doorknob turned. ¡°I brought a new child to serve Lady Vanora from today on. Now, let¡¯s say hello.¡± ¡°Hello Lady, My name is Cecil.¡± ¡°In the future, Cecil will help Lady Vanora¡¯s grooming, meal preparation, and outing instead of Seir.¡± Two maids entered my room. One is a middle-aged woman with a stern look. The other one is my new exclusive servant. Chapter 9 It is normal for a noble to have several maids, but I was given only one commoner maid. Of course, I didn¡¯t express any dissatisfaction with this. ¡°Then I will get going. Cecil, you should take good care of the Lady in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± The head of the maid opened the door again and left. I glanced at the figure of the woman who was left with me in this room. ¡®She doesn¡¯t look clumsy, and she doesn¡¯t look old either.¡¯ Could it be the head of the maid who personally chose this new maid? Or maybe she joined hands with my mother? I pondered it in my head for a moment. ¡®Before killing Haures, Seir got married and quit her job, so the newly assigned maid quietly did her job. Then¡­¡¯ I¡¯m in my 15-year-old body right now, but I¡¯m already 21 years old with my past memories. So, from what I¡¯ve already experienced, Seir was arbitrarily harassing me, not because of orders. ¡®Of course, I can¡¯t say that there is no intervention from the Countess.¡¯ However, I even made a complaint once before. The fact that Seir¡¯s sins were covered also meant that if someone secretly harassed me again, it could be tolerated again. I was wary of this and gave the first word to my new maid. ¡°I already had breakfast, so bring my tea.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Where did my appearance of pretending to be shivering in front of Seir go so far? I immediately used a tone suitable for the role of master. ¡®If this maid is looking down on me like Seir, there will be a reaction. Let¡¯s see.¡¯ I remained calm and expressionless. But I kept thinking about it in my mind. ¡®Just do the same as Seir. Why do I have to suffer even in a house where everyone thinks it¡¯s a resting place? I can¡¯t forgive them. I will let a few people die in an unexpected accident. I will never forgive them¡­¡¯ This was like a kind of neurosis. I couldn¡¯t stand the slightest harm anymore. It would blow everything away. Because the anger I had suppressed for a long time is in a state of boiling and almost overflowing. Now I can even put a new target for my killing list if an opportunity occurs. ¡°What kind of tea would Lady like to bring?¡± ¡°Black tea.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Whether she knew or not that I was inevitably grinding my teeth inside, the newly assigned maid started her work smoothly. With a gesture that wasn¡¯t perfect but not lacking, she brought the black tea to her master. ¡°¡­¡± When I drank the tea given to me, the fragrant and warm scent refreshed my tongue. It wasn¡¯t sticky like the tea someone brought out, with plenty of sugar, nor was it boiled for a short time. ¡°Please ring this bell when you need anything in the future.¡± Even after that, I tried to get my new maid to do this and that. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m overworking her. It¡¯s just the work she has to do because she¡¯s a servant. Bringing my meals, cleaning my room, organizing my hair before I go to sleep, etc¡­ ¡°That¡¯s enough. I won¡¯t need anything else for today, so go back early.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± The new maid didn¡¯t show any special skills, and although she is clumsy, I didn¡¯t scold her. By the time the new maid said goodbye and left my room, I only looked in the direction where she had disappeared for a long time. ¡®Today¡¯s meal was delicious. There were no sharp objects in the dress I wore in the afternoon. Even after brushing my hair, my scalp didn¡¯t bleed¡­¡¯ That¡¯s right. This was what I had always wanted. The ordinary, businesslike attitude. Originally, I could give many affections to someone, so if someone had only performed their duty, I would have loved them even if they showed me their cold attitude. ¡°To die because you can¡¯t do this easy thing¡­¡± I rolled my eyes in the air, thinking that Seir had dug her own grave. Looking at the empty ceiling, my expression looked scary at that time. * * * A few days later, at 7 AM ¡°Lady, did you call me for me?¡± ¡°Bring something simple to eat from the kitchen. And in the afternoon, I have to go to the wedding party with my mother, so dress me up in advance.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Nothing happened at midnight today. ¡®Because it¡¯s not the first day of the week.¡¯ I may have misunderstood the requirement for the script to appear, so these days I have been waking up at 12 o¡¯clock every day, but there is no result. But I couldn¡¯t focus on the midnight novel forever. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it doesn¡¯t show up.¡± There was still not enough confirmation that only the truth was written in the novel. Even if the novel didn¡¯t pop up from the beginning, there was a lot of work to be done. ¡°Lady, I¡¯m going in.¡± I stopped my thoughts and focused on my meal when my maid returned with a silver tray. Today¡¯s menu consisted of bread and fruits, presumably leftovers from yesterday¡¯s meal. ¡°Lady Vanora, shall I prepare a bath so that you can go right after finishing eating?¡± ¡°Just prepare the water. I will do it alone.¡± ¡°Pardon? But¡­¡± ¡°In the meantime, you should eat breakfast too.¡± When I realized that my new maid had done nothing to my meal, I gave her a generous order. And when I thought about it, it was also for my future plans. ¡®Seir¡­ it¡¯s not time for me to be happy just because I got rid of one person like you. There are still a lot of people in this mansion that need to pay¡­¡¯ ¡°I understand. Then I will prepare the water, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve already figured out a way to kill one person, so should I take care of the rest?¡¯ I was already in a state of madness even before I opened my eyes. Even though I¡¯m eating this delicious meal, I want to shout at every moment. I wanted to break down all the decorations in this room and cry with anger. But that urge quiets when I plan new revenge. The more I fell into deep thought, the calmer my expression became. ¡®It¡¯s good to kill my enemies, but I have to put out something urgent first.¡¯ However, the conclusion reached after a surprisingly long consideration was an act that had nothing to do with revenge. In other words, there was something that was prioritized over murdering someone. ¡®I have to break my engagement with Naverius.¡¯ I put down the fruit I was eating. Just thinking about his name made me feel nauseous. ¡®I can¡¯t be sold to a guy like that twice in my life.¡¯ In my mind, I wanted to break our engagement by breaking his head. This method is not bad either. But it was necessary to take a few steps back now for the future. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to go to someone else¡¯s wedding when I¡¯m sick like this.¡± Two hours later. Finished grooming myself completely, I took advantage of the servant¡¯s absence to look into the mirror. ¡°I was really young at this age. Ah, of course.¡± What I saw in the mirror was not broken yet, so I could see my skin and the black ebony hair that made my pale skin stand out. My dark lower eyelashes, the most striking feature of my face, fluttered every time I blinked. ¡°¡­¡± People around me have ridiculed all of this for its gloomy color. Someone laughed at me, saying that I looked like a banshee. ¡®If I get rejected again because I¡¯m ugly¡­¡¯ I thought about it as I touched my long curly hair. There were a lot of false rumors that I didn¡¯t want in my last life, and I often made mistakes due to the lack of manners, so there were many things I wanted to blame in the past. Many things will change in this life, but I couldn¡¯t help being worried. ¡®It¡¯s difficult for me to hear that I¡¯m only half noble. What if there are more people that I will kill because of my anger?¡¯ When I first stood in front of the mirror, I was a girl who was nervous because of the social activities. I couldn¡¯t stop the terrifying thought and opened my eyes. ¡®I didn¡¯t like the world itself that left me to be like this. At this point, if all the nobles gathered at the King¡¯s birthday party¡­¡¯ For a moment, I thought about something else. It was also quick for me to get back to my senses. ¡®What am I thinking right now? On a subject that I still haven¡¯t figured out how to deal with the holy relic yet.¡¯ At that moment, there was a knock on my door. ¡°Lady Vanora, this is Cecil. Madam has asked me to bring Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I had to start what I had to do for today. * * * A few hours later. We arrived at the grand wedding hall. With so much money, this expensive garden was full of pink roses and white rugs. ¡°Countess Celcius, I would like to express my gratitude for attending today on behalf of the Count. I will take you inside.¡± This was none other than a wedding ceremony of the rich Baron of the Kingdom with a prestigious noble lady. It was probably a political marriage. It was a kind of transaction that took place because the wealthy side could get a prestigious family with their money, and the noble side could live a more noble life with their money. Anyway, both the bride and groom greatly influenced the Kingdom, so even the King accepted the invitation to celebrate their marriage. All the nobles near the capital gathered to celebrate their marriage, either to suck up with the newly married couple or to avoid being hated. ¡®All the guests have gathered. It will start soon.¡¯ If there¡¯s only one problem with this beautiful wedding, it¡¯s that there¡¯s a guest who¡¯s been here twice. I sat in the corner of my family seat with a dry attitude. Soon after, the hall was filled with aristocrats from the Middle East. Then the wedding¡¯s speech was heard. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the wedding is so fancy!¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Did mom do it in such a wonderful place when you got married?¡± ¡°Fufu, that¡¯s right.¡± The two wheat-haired sittings next to me had a harmonious atmosphere. But after a while, the boy chatting with my mother turned his head and spoke to me. ¡°Vanora, how have you been?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s been a while since I saw your face.¡± I lifted my head and looked at him. Then I saw a boy that looked much younger than I remembered. Unlike me, he is a boy with wheat-colored hair. As soon as his hair soaked in the sun, his hair shone more precisely than any gold. ¡°Why did you come to the event today?¡± With his slightly raised eyes resembling his mother, the boy acted affectionately to me. However, when the surrounding sound became noisy, he quietly approached my ear and whispered. ¡°Did you have no shame?¡± ¡®If my life was being expressed in a script, the reader would have noticed at this point, right? About my family atmosphere.¡¯ The person sitting in my mother¡¯s seat in this family was Hinar Celcius, the second wife who took the position of Countess Celsius when my mother died. The boy who has been looking at me from before is her son. ¡®Anyway, this wedding, even if I made the excuse that I was sick, they dragged me here, and I had to act polite.¡¯ It was from the cold gaze of my half-brother and stepmother that I always suffered. It wasn¡¯t like I would be hurt again now. I soon turned off my nerves and spent my time blankly. Chapter 10 ¡°With this, I declare, in the name of God, that a pact has been made between the two!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Congratulations. Have a long and happy life!¡± After a while. The wedding is over. All participants moved to the reception hall. The party at the rose garden, prepared by the bride¡¯s family, was elegantly held amid abundant food and soothing music. ¡®My family will be busy making connections this time as well¡­¡¯ Then I went straight into the action. ¡°Cecil, I want to play with other ladies in the garden. Stay in this place, and if my mother asks about me, tell her where I am.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± Obviously, somewhere here, there must be Vasago, the main character in the novel I read and the main cause of the catastrophe of my engagement. However, today¡¯s goal was not to meet Vasago. ¡®Let¡¯s see. As far as I can remember, this is the place.¡¯ I went through the noisy party hall to the corner of the garden. After a while, a small maze appeared. A maze of bushes carefully nurtured by the gardener. However, the difficulty level is very low, so it is practically impossible to use this as an escape game. ¡°¡­¡± So, do I need to go into the maze and look for the exit? ¡°It¡¯s cool because there¡¯s shade around it. It was like that back then too.¡± My purpose was not to solve this maze built for children. I immediately sat down at the maze entrance and started waiting for someone. If my memory is correct, I will meet someone at the maze entrance. ¡®Conscious of my family, I ended up playing here alone over and over again. It was fun when I was young.¡¯ Before my head was distorted with anger. That person passed by in front of the naive me, who was playing around the maze until I was tired. I didn¡¯t know who he was at that time, but now I could have called the man¡¯s name. ¡°¡­It was spacious. But it wasn¡¯t that the Count was pleased with the offer.¡± ¡°Shall I contact him again?¡± ¡°No, rather than that, I¡¯ll just do it myself¡­¡± Step. Step. When I heard the sound of someone walking nearby, I stood up and straightened up. ¡°¡­!¡± Step. I heard their last step from the grass that was being trampled on. I confirmed their appearance and calmly greeted the two men who stopped. I hated studying etiquette in the past, so my greetings etiquette should be poor, but that doesn¡¯t mean my skill would be poor. ¡°Greetings.¡± I bowed my head slightly, placed one of my hands on my chest, clasped the hem of my skirt with my other hand, greeted gently. It¡¯s the noble etiquette I had been accustomed to until the age of 21 in the society, and now it¡¯s almost perfect. ¡°Is there a person like this in this place?¡± Among the two figures who appeared from the east direction, the young man with dark hair responded similarly to my greeting. But their conversation didn¡¯t end there. ¡®As expected, they don¡¯t talk to me.¡¯ Of course, it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen each other at this time, so I can ask for their name because I don¡¯t know who they are. ¡®I¡¯m only a daughter of a Count, so I will be ignored if I¡¯m being clumsy.¡¯ Even if I start such a forced conversation, that man will give a short answer and try to leave. In addition, there was a risk of being refused to even have a conversation. ¡®Should I try to stimulate the other side so we can talk to each other?¡¯ I wanted him to focus on my story. So I took action regardless of the cost. ¡°!¡± When I finished greeting them, I pretended to leave this place and obviously dropped my handkerchief. * * * ¡°Huh. That¡­¡± ¡°The Lady dropped her belongings.¡± ¡°That old-fashioned trick.¡± A man in a dark blue robe touched the collar of his shirt. He pointed to the handkerchief dropped by the lady with curly black hair they had just met. ¡°Pick it up, sort it out somewhere, or burn it on the stove.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to return it to its owner?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to spend on this lowly trick.¡± At his command, the servant, standing next to him, carefully lifted the handkerchief that had fallen on the ground. It¡¯s difficult to make a fire here, so he only can throw it away where people can¡¯t see it. ¡°Hmm? This¡­¡± A man in a servant¡¯s uniform showed an unexpected reaction when he saw a small piece of cloth in his hand. When the servant observed the handkerchief, the black-haired man also set his eyes on it, wondering what was happening. At first, he thought it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. However, when he found the handkerchief¡¯s handwriting at a glance from a distance, the servant¡¯s owner opened his mouth. ¡°That, bring it here.¡± When the servant came with the handkerchief, he grabbed it and looked at it. The more he looked at it, the more his expression became cold. ¡°This is amazing. How would the young Lady I met for the first time know this?¡± The white handkerchief had only one sentence drawn in black ink. [Dear Duke Rose Jalier.] There is something completely wrong with this sentence. Recognizing this, the man began to laugh bitterly. ¡°¡­Find out which family she¡¯s from. Right now.¡± His current emotions were anger and curiosity. ¡°Dear Duke Rose Jalier?¡± The man had hazy, amber eyes. It was distorted in half, and soon an aggressive smile settled on his face. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to touch the Duke¡¯s name recklessly, to attach the title to my younger brother, not me. What do you think this means?¡± ¡°It¡¯s disrespectful¡­ but there is room for it to be taken as a declaration of war against the young master, the successor of the family.¡± ¡°But, to make this crazy provocation?¡± Looking at the handkerchief lightly waving from his hand, he ordered his servant to find the lady who dropped it. Since the reception was still in full swing, finding the Celcius family in the garden wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡°I need to hear her intention of this.¡± Upon hearing the news that he had found her, the man gladly began to move. ¡°Whether or not to be beheaded for insulting the little Duke, I can decide after we have talked about it at least once.¡± * * * 4. I Came to See You. 15 minutes later. ¡®They come quickly.¡¯ The news I had been waiting for came unexpectedly sooner than expected. ¡°We¡¯re meeting again. Isn¡¯t today our first meeting? I like to introduce myself. I¡¯m Aloken from the Duke Jalier family¡­ What about Lady?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vanora Celcius.¡± ¡°Aha. You are the daughter of Count Celcius.¡± I heard the call of the tall servant I had seen earlier and came out to the corner of the party that was most out of sight. There, a black-haired man I met at the entrance to the maze was waiting. ¡®This is Duke Aloken Jalier 6 years ago.¡¯ I didn¡¯t look closer at him earlier because I only greeted him from a distance, but I could see him clearly now. Duke Aloken Jalier. He was a man who would be at the top of the Kingdom¡¯s power structure in the future. ¡®I thought he would be quite young six years ago.¡¯ Unlike my expectation, he is a young man with neatly cut black hair that looked sharp because it was close to the achromatic color. Aloken¡¯s life has always been more than a rumor, whether it was for nothing but the mouths of the nobles. Almond-shaped eyes, a high nose bridge, and a tightly closed soft mouth. I could tell that he had an attractive appearance even from a distance. ¡®He was a handsome man back then too.¡¯ However, I was not interested in his appearance. I¡¯m not interested in anything other than my revenge, but I didn¡¯t really like his eyes. Perhaps because of the shape of his eyelids or Aloken¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t have much shimmer, so those shaded eyes somehow made me feel uncomfortable. ¡°I think you dropped this handkerchief, so I came to return it to you as a gentleman.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°One thing before that.¡± The man who introduced himself as Aloken said, correctly opening the handkerchief in my hand. ¡°Everywhere I look on this handkerchief, it looks like the name of someone from my family. But¡­ to blatantly blaspheme me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying that you don¡¯t know that I¡¯m the successor of the family because I¡¯m not a northerner?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡± ¡°It depends on the person who accepts it.¡± Aloken Jalier reacted sharply to me. He said that I tried to challenge the authentic successor of the Duke and sternly said that I could pay the price for blaspheming his family. ¡®That¡¯s good. Shall press his family matter more?¡¯ I thought for a moment but put it aside and focused on the conversation. ¡®Let¡¯s get serious for now. I shouldn¡¯t look like an ordinary 15-year-old in front of him. Or else every word I say will sound light to him.¡¯ Because this meeting was an important opportunity for me. ¡°I will explain everything to you. I apologize if I offended you before.¡± ¡°Keep talking.¡± ¡°But I needed a chance to talk to the little Duke even if I had to do that.¡± ¡°You tried to provoke me to create this opportunity?¡± ¡°Yes. There was something I wanted to say.¡± ¡°It would be expensive for a single conversation.¡± I spoke as politely and softly as possible, but the reply he returned was harsh. Aloken acted as if he was going to take any action at any moment. ¡°Do you know what could happen to the Count¡¯s child for blasphemy to the Duke¡¯s success-¡± ¡°But you¡¯re about to lose your successor¡¯s position, right? Just like the sentence written on the handkerchief!¡± However, at my words that followed, Aloken shut his mouth and looked at me like what nonsense I was saying. I brought up the next word without hesitation, even after seeing his attitude. It was finally time to take the risk and show the true value of enticing this man. ¡°Lord Aloken Jalier, in fact, isn¡¯t the current head of the family appointing your younger brother as his successor? The will has already been written, and in the end, the second son becomes the new Duke¡­¡± ¡°Where did you hear such groundless stories?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not without evidence.¡± ¡°If you spread gossip-¡± ¡°I have heard what Duke Jalier himself said.¡± ¡°Are you this foolish until the end? Have you ever met my father in the first place? Are you going to say that you even saw him at the fox hunt in the autumn moon? It doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re old enough to pursue hunting already.¡± ¡°No. I once passed by him, who had come down to attend the spring moon council. I heard it right then!¡± But it¡¯s already expected that he wouldn¡¯t believe it. Aloken only responded like this story was futile. ¡®If he had shown a look of surprise, it would have proved the truth.¡¯ However, all the stories that I brought out here were true. In fact, not long after this time, Duke Jalier will die of an illness, and the successor of the Duke will go to his second son, not Aloken, following his will. Also, why do I, who is from the central region, know the family history of Northern Duke? It was simple. This is because the succession issue has developed into a famous topic in the capital. Chapter 11 I Came to See You (2) Translated by alyalia ¡°About Duke Jalier¡¯s successor, I heard that the second son will take over the successor position.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the successor position going to the eldest son?¡± ¡°The vassal of Duke Jalier that I know says like that. The tradition of that family is to select the successor from the will of the head of the house. Still, people mistake it as the custom because the eldest son inherited it for several generations.¡± ¡°Then why did you come here and tell the story? Hoo, how bad is it for the eldest son to get his position being taken over by his younger brother¡­¡± In a family where the eldest son usually becomes the successor, it was unusual for the second son to take over the title. This was a topic that was being talked about frequently by people. ¡°Have you all heard the rumors? The second son of Duke Jalier will take over the title¡­ It was given by the will of the Duke before his funeral. But the reason behind the Duke¡¯s death-!¡± ¡°Oh my! That¡¯s crazy! It must be because of the eldest son.¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about this because it¡¯s only us here right now¡­ Honestly, it¡¯s uncommon, right? I mean, for the Duke family fighting over the successor position.¡± The rumors grew even more when his younger brother, who had inherited the title of Duke, died suddenly one day. On the day of his younger brother¡¯s death, Aloken avoided the charges immediately because he was on vacation far away, but the public remained suspicious. ¡°Aloken Jalier killed his younger brother and took the Duke title!¡± Therefore, it was not long before this rumor spread among the nobles. ¡°Vanora Celcius¡­ As if it was not enough to provoke me, now you¡¯re spreading such absurd delusions. I will send an official complaint letter to the Count soon.¡± In any case, I highly appreciated the calm response he was showing. However, it was cumbersome as he kept being defensive about it, so I gradually came up with decisive information. ¡°If Lord is going to protect your successor position, at least hear this one last time and keep it on your mind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re brave to say something like that.¡± ¡°I can help Lord become a Duke in the future.¡± At my words, Aloken still had his unshaken, cold eyes. But it didn¡¯t take long for his mouth to open again. ¡°How far do you go with nonsense¡­¡± ¡°I know what your father, Duke Jalier, is suffering from.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even the servant, who kept a blank expression from behind Aloken, flinched at these words. ¡°If Lord could extend your father¡¯s lifespan even for a day, would you do that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If Lord can solidify your successor position, will you join hands with me?¡± They finally confirmed that those words coming out from me were true. I could tell just by looking at those eyes that had just changed from a little while ago. ¡°I¡¯m curious how you found out about that¡­ I¡¯m really curious!¡± ¡°When I overheard the succession issue, I saw that Duke Jalier was ill. For the rest, I just need to roll my head.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I sincerely want to help the Duke Jalier become healthy.¡± His attitude changed rapidly. He had ignored me until now, but now Aloken was interested in the conversation. ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ I was sure he would take the bait of extending his father¡¯s life. That¡¯s because I had met him when he was already an adult, and Aloken Jalier at that time clearly told it. ¡°Did the ladies from the central region also believe that I¡¯m the cruel Duke who killed my younger brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s sad to be misunderstood by even innocent ladies. Actually, it wasn¡¯t my younger brother who was deprived of the title, it was me.¡± ¡°Do you want to know how it became like this? The old will couldn¡¯t be modified because the previous Duke died suddenly of illness. Before he collapsed, we had finished all discussions that he would give me the Duke¡¯s title.¡± ¡°If they know the truth, wouldn¡¯t the young ladies even wonder if my younger brother killed the previous Duke? If only I had time, even if it had only been a month, I wouldn¡¯t have had a scandal like this.¡± I remembered for a moment the person I had met in the past and then focused on the present situation. ¡°¡­If you¡¯ve dug this far, it¡¯s meaningless to deny it anymore. However, I¡¯m still perplexed to hear those words out of the blue from the young lady, who I didn¡¯t even know before.¡± ¡°I know the medicine to treat the symptoms that the Duke is suffering from.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the source of the medicine?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell Lord everything.¡± In response to her answer, Aloken looked troubled while he swept down his black hair. ¡°How can I trust you without you telling me anything?¡± Of course, my method lacked persuasion. ¡®However, it¡¯s a bit difficult to reveal how I know this information in detail.¡¯ I have been making this man mad with me so far, and now it¡¯s time to take a breather. ¡°Is it not enough with me guessing your father¡¯s illness?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Okay, it¡¯s not enough. But I have a situation too. I can¡¯t reveal this before I think Lord is on my side.¡± However, the man named Aloken didn¡¯t seem to intend to pass on this vague excuse. I, who saw it, continued my words. ¡°It was just because I know all of this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I know how to do astrology.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I bring out the science of looking at the stars in the sky and predicting the future. My face was calm when I said that. As I boldly said, ¡°Please move on from the source of information,¡± Aloken reacted unexpectedly after a brief silence. ¡°Astrology.¡± It was a small recitation, then he was staring at me. ¡®Is he being dumbfounded?¡¯ Whether he couldn¡¯t take my lie seriously or not, I didn¡¯t really care and continued the conversation. ¡°But I can really extend Duke Jalier¡¯s life. I will prove it and¡­¡± ¡°You need a price to do that.¡± Aloken seemed to like what I had just said more than all the conversations so far. His face, which had been stiff all the time, has loosened up a bit. ¡°Yes. I dare to ask for a deal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s much easier to understand a person who wants something than a person willing to give something. Good. So what price do you want?¡± I thought positively about the reaction from Aloken and eventually put an end to this conversation. ¡°Please be engaged with me.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Upon hearing this, the man named Aloken pondered for a long time and then answered. ¡°I have done many activities here since I was young, so it was natural for me to hear various rumors about the children of nobles in the capital.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a human being swept away by rumors, but I thought it wouldn¡¯t be true about the rumors that the eldest daughter of Celcius was sick until now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But as I reflect on what Lady said to me, my old belief is about to be shaken.¡± To put it simply, he was asking, ¡®Are you really a sick personsick person?¡¯. Aloken continued as if this was not the only problem. ¡°In addition, I¡¯ve already picked someone to engage with.¡± ¡°Do you love that person?¡± ¡°No way. There are just a few families that will help me.¡± ¡®Ah, if that¡¯s the reason, there¡¯s nothing more to be embarrassed about.¡¯ I made it clear what I wanted. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to marry me. I¡¯m asking you to sign a contract called engagement for a while. Two years, maybe three years at the most.¡± Aloken chose a rather rude sentence and refuted it as I spoke quietly without avoiding his gaze. ¡°You said you wanted me engaged with you for two years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it rudely like that.¡± ¡°Is there any benefit for Vanora Celcius other than my reputation being tarnished? What are you making time for?¡± Due to various circumstances, this was not immediately answered, but I briefly summarized the situation. ¡°Right now, there¡¯s someone I¡¯m engaged with. I hate that person. But my family doesn¡¯t seem to want to break up the engagement¡­¡± ¡°So you want to break your engagement?¡± ¡°With the name of Lord, my parents will change their attitude like flipping the palm of their hand. And two years is enough time for Lord to find a new fianc¨¦e.¡± Of course, only half of my words were true. It was true that I intended to break up the engagement with Naverius using his power. Still, the reason it took two years or more was different. ¡®I need time to plan my revenge.¡¯ For some reason, the current Countess Celcius is eager to marry me with someone. ¡®I have to deceive Hanar.¡¯ The Countess wouldn¡¯t stop trying to get me married, even if I broke the engagement right away. I needed an immediate engagement to get away from my family¡¯s attention. ¡°But you never know what you will feel when you¡¯re close to the man¡­ It¡¯s difficult if you have a crush on me.¡± I responded to his words with a straight, expressionless expression. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Why are you so sure?¡± ¡°Because I know that love only ruins my life.¡± This is what I really feel. For me, affection between people is a concept that exists only in books, and at the same time, it is disgusting. If my mother didn¡¯t love Count Celcius and treated him more formally, if my father swore a hundred years not to betray his family, if only Naverius¡­ had ever loved me, everything might be different. I had never been truly loved. I even ended my life because of the concept of love, so why would I yearn for love again? Upon hearing this, Aloken smiled sincerely for the first time. ¡°This matches my values.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Strangely, you match with me well.¡± ¡®Does this mean that he accepts my offer?¡¯ Subsequently, Aloken said. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a deal¡­ However, I will apply for the engagement after the Duke shows signs of improvement.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you prove your ability right now?¡± At those words, I thought for a moment. ¡®If I want to break the engagement, the faster I move, the better.¡¯ The marriage with Naverius didn¡¯t come out of my mouth in this life. However, it will soon be carried out rapidly by parents of both families. ¡®If I let go of this, the situation will only worsen, so let¡¯s strike first.¡¯ After I decided, I threw in a piece of information Aloken would have wanted. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to relieve the Duke¡¯s illness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Right now, stop the Duke from eating all the fruit he has been eating.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And soak his cloth in tea mint oil and make him inhale it little by little. He will immediately get better.¡± Upon hearing this, Aloken opened his mouth. ¡°What if I did as you said and then his illness got worse?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, if something goes wrong with the Duke, which only exist two in this Kingdom, what is your responsibility?¡± I could see that his words had weight. ¡®When did the Duke fall? First of all, Duke Jalier himself is not on the guestlist for today¡¯s wedding.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t go to the beginning where I had worked hard so far. I fell into contemplation for a moment. ¡®If the Duke collapsed without modifying the will, Aloken will try no matter what I say.¡¯ It was when I turned 17 that the Duke¡¯s illness and its treatment were revealed to the world. So at this point, I can¡¯t give a detailed answer to Duke¡¯s disease and its treatment. Eventually, I got my guts to play. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°If Lord did as I told, but the condition of Duke Jalier deteriorated-¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Tear my limbs until I die.¡± Chapter 12 Translated by alyalia ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lord can destroy my family and hang their heads on the castle gate. I know Lord Aloken can make it possible, so why would I dare lie?¡± I was confident with what I knew so far, so I risked my life without hesitation. Then Aloken, who was listening quietly to my words, smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone risk their parent¡¯s lives at such a young age.¡± ¡°So, is Lord going to do it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it.¡± ¡°If Duke Jalier gets better with this way, please be my fianc¨¦. Then, next time, I will tell Lord how to completely get rid of the Duke¡¯s illness.¡± He nodded slightly at this. ¡°By the way, how many people in the central region know the current status of Duke Jalier?¡± ¡°I never told anyone.¡± Aloken nodded to the following words. Judging from the look on his face, it seemed that he didn¡¯t believe every word I said. ¡®Even if it¡¯s not him, there are many fake fianc¨¦ candidates that I choose.¡¯ I looked into his eyes for a moment. Aloken was only the best candidate to become my fake fianc¨¦. So even if I failed to get him, it wasn¡¯t fatal to me. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°I¡¯m planning to hold a ball at the Sangtepul villa soon, so I will send you an invitation. There I will inform you of the outcome of the transaction.¡± Fortunately, the response from Aloken was positive. I was relieved that my first move had started right, and at the same time, I realized one thing. ¡®Duke Jalier¡¯s illness is already critical.¡¯ It was obvious from the way Aloken would try what I said when he didn¡¯t even trust me. Fortunately, the timing was good. ¡°But the problem is that once I hold hands with Lady Celcius, you have to stay engaged with me for several years.¡± The topic of the conversations was simple after that. It was because I already knew what would happen in the 6 six years. If I got engaged with him, it was worth it for me to share the information I had on my hand. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I already thought about it in advance¡­ I will help Lord at the beginning of each year, and if you like it, I will extend the contract by one year. However, the maximum period is until my 18th birthday.¡± ¡°Your plan is more detailed than I thought. It makes me even more puzzled.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious why you chose someone from the Duke¡¯s family just to break up your engagement¡­ But about the engagement, we will discuss it later when we meet in Sangtepul.¡± Soon Aloken Jalier bent his amber eyes and smiled like a fox. I, who was standing in front of him, closed my mouth with my black curly hair hanging down. ¡®I think he has noticed the reason too.¡¯ Why do I want to be engaged to a Duke¡¯s family? There was only one reason. I chose him to enter the social world with his power backing me. ¡®Because I have to become closer with Vasago, let her guard down and then twist her hair.¡¯ One of the targets of my revenge had a very high position, so it would be impossible for me, the daughter of Count, to approach her. I have to become powerful enough in the future so that I would be invited to parties being held by family like Duke Guelder. But how can I say it to him? That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to join hands with his family to murder someone. ¡®I¡¯m sure he will ask me about this and that when we meet again in the Sangtepul. Let¡¯s prepare an excuse.¡¯ Aloken was the eldest son of a Duke who had received higher education than me. He was someone who couldn¡¯t be taken lightly just because I have superiority of my mental age alone. ¡®Except for knowing the future, I¡¯m only a fool. If I had been smart even before turning 15, I would have lived well by using my head¡­¡¯ I was aware that I wasn¡¯t intelligent. Thanks to this, I had to be cautious about my behavior. ¡°Lady Celcius?¡± But then. Aloken called my name, as I had been thinking about something else. When I came to my senses, I was already holding out his right hand. ¡°Please don¡¯t betray my expectations.¡± I thoughtlessly held his hand without thinking and gave him a forced smile. Our hands that held each other were as cold as ice. The same with any political marriage, it was the beginning of our deal. Then we should separate and go back to the reception. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Turning around first, Aloken called for me. ¡°How am I going to explain to my man and my family that I¡¯m going to be engaged and why I am suddenly proposing the engagement?¡± What he was saying was predictable. ¡°It¡¯s a good moment to use ¡®love at first sight¡¯ reason.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so typical.¡± He seemed disappointed with my answer. * * * A few minutes later. Upon returning to the garden, I could see the nobles gathered in twos and threes to share refreshments. ¡®Great! My engagement with Naverius will break soon, so I don¡¯t have to face his annoying face twice!¡¯ Now, as soon as my parents, who had been talking with the bride and groom¡¯s family, return, it¡¯s time to return. I felt satisfied and snooped around to see if there was a drink worth a toast. ¡®By the way, Aloken said he had already found a fianc¨¦e candidate in his mind, right? But there was no word about the Duke getting married in the future, and¡­ Who was that person in the end? Who was the woman that was going to marry that man?¡¯ I found fruit juice prepared for the children to drink. When I was just about to drink the juice in my hand. ¡°Vanora!¡± It surprised me. When someone called my name in a loud voice, I felt uncomfortable. Moreover, I had not yet been able to properly control the holy relic in my body, so I accidentally smashed the glass in my grasp. ¡°Ugh.¡± I quickly threw the glass I had in my hand to the floor. Then the glass hit the floor and looked like it was broken accidentally. I hurriedly looked for the servant to clean up the glass, but unfortunately, that person approached sooner than I thought. ¡°Excuse me, I accidentally dropped my glass-¡± ¡°Vanora, where have you been that I only can see you now! I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while, but I can¡¯t even see you at your family table.¡± This familiar and dog-like voice! If I knew this would happen, I should just break his neck, not the glass. ¡®I forgot about this guy because I was only concerned about luring out Aloken. He also attended this wedding.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks As I turned my head, there stood a man with dark blonde hair and sharp eyes. The man whom I will marry in the future. It was Naverius. ¡°Na-Naverius! The garden here is so beautiful. There are many pretty things here and there, so I went to look around.¡± ¡°Did you watch the bugs again? It¡¯s disgusting every time you do that. Hurry up and fix your habit.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± I was shivering when I saw my fianc¨¦ suddenly appear. I¡¯m only his fianc¨¦e by name, and as soon as he saw my face, he said that my hobby was disgusting and told me that I should fix it quickly. The anger that wanted to kill him erupted even at this moment, but I have to deal with my emotion right now for greater revenge. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m glad to see you! My friends couldn¡¯t come here, so I was bored. Let¡¯s have tea and talk together.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Ei, all you just need to do is sit down.¡± And then¡­ I fell into reminiscence for a while as I watched Naverius grab my wrist and try to drag me away. ¡®Come to think of it, that¡¯s what happened before too.¡¯ I fell into thought when a man named Naverius had this attitude. ¡°I love you until the end of my life. I love you to death! So be my bride!¡± He didn¡¯t mistreat me from the beginning. Rather, he was so kind and sweet that he even swore sweetly that he would love me with all his life at the beginning. ¡°I-I still don¡¯t know what love is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right! My mom said that after the two of us get married, we will know what love is.¡± I, who was young and shy, was burdened with his proposal, but Naverius didn¡¯t give up and persuaded me. There were mainly the words Naverius used to seduce me. ¡°I fell in love at first sight.¡± ¡°I think I will die if I¡¯m not with you.¡± ¡°It was the first time I saw a beautiful person like you in the capital.¡± Each of them was expressing love. But one day, when I eventually opened my heart to his kindness and accepted the engagement, and even actively promoted the marriage with him to my family, Naverius¡¯s attitude began to change. ¡®Is it because he thought I was a fish caught by him?¡¯ Gradually, he began to say, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, who would take you?¡± He soon pointed out my appearance, and if he didn¡¯t like my behavior, he would scold me and try to fix it. I used to talk about my fianc¨¦ to my friend, but one day, that friend went with my fianc¨¦, then she proudly said shameful words about me that were groundless. At that time, I couldn¡¯t raise any complaints about my fianc¨¦¡¯s rough attitude. That¡¯s why I was desperate for the marriage. Because I hoped to get out of this hellish house. Foolishly, I believe that I could escape from there if I get married. ¡°You¡¯re not so sociable, so what will you do if I¡¯m not here? Come on, let go to a better¡­ place.¡± Tak. I stood up, and Naverius turned around with a questioning look. Then, I spoke without hesitation to Naverius¡¯s silly face. ¡°Naverius, I want to say something.¡± ¡°Right now? Why don¡¯t you sit down?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to say that I don¡¯t want to go with you.¡± To hide the fact that I wanted to kill him, I used my sassy tone. Naverius seemed quite surprised. Because it was the first time, I uttered something negative to him. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Naverius widened his eyes. ¡°Did I make a mistake?¡± Mistake. There were several mistakes in Naverius¡¯s words that I wanted to point out. I barely endured it while biting my lips. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t want to come with you, but you¡¯re trying to drag me by force now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you will be my wife-¡± ¡°Why have I become your wife? We¡¯re not married yet.¡± I tried to manage my expression and naturally pulled my hand out. However, Naverius slowly wrinkled his expression as if he couldn¡¯t stand my harsh attitude. ¡°Are you going to keep talking like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you today? Even if we like each other, you still have to be polite.¡± I was startled by his remarks. Polite? A man who won¡¯t even treat me like a human being in the next few years said something like this?! ¡®Look at this man.¡¯ I had to endure it. It was a situation where I couldn¡¯t move hastily until Aloken agreed with the contract. I looked into the air for a while to soothe my anger, then muttered a little as the servant came to clean up the broken glass behind me. ¡°What do you mean we like each other?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± My cold tone was like a sharp knife. Naverius tried to argue against my unfamiliar attitude, but I held my skirt first and said goodbye to him. ¡°I think my mother is coming back. I will be on my way now. Enjoy the party.¡± I quickly spoke and disappeared to avoid him. Left alone, Naverius showed an angry expression at first, then gradually made a strange expression. * * * ¡°What? Is she still thinking about my proposal¡­?¡± That couldn¡¯t have happened. Didn¡¯t Vanora even write a letter saying she wanted to see me when I was sick? Since she was passive and even acted like this, I was sure that Vanora would be in love with me. So I regarded Vanora¡¯s remarks as a grudge because she longed for my affection. Besides, it didn¡¯t matter if she was really offended. ¡®As her future husband, it is not enough even if I do well.¡¯ When the Celcius family found out that I was proposing Vanora, they reacted very positively. I was really lucky to strike the gold because my family is inferior to Vanora¡¯s status and wealth. There would be no objection from anyone in both families. Soon, our engagement will go smoothly. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®Ha, if I had known that she was such a boring woman¡­¡¯ I no longer tried to win Vanora¡¯s heart. Now, regardless of Vanora¡¯s will, we will become a couple. On the contrary, now that our marriage is really approaching, I even regret it. Chapter 13 5. This Novel (1) Translated by alyalia That night. After the sun in the sky had disappeared, I returned to the mansion. ¡®It was crazy that I was going to marry such a frivolous man! Come to think of it, he has been arrogant around this time!¡¯ Fortunately, the pain I felt, which was the price of using Io, had disappeared. Of course, I had to stay awake until midnight to see ¡®Dangerous Love,¡¯ so my eyes were wide open. ¡°Lady Vanora, I will blow out the candles.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± However, I, who had only been conscious of my mind, suddenly began to feel let down when my room became dark. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I have to borrow someone else¡¯s hand to break my unwanted engagement.¡¯ It would be nice if I could overcome this situation alone. But in the end, didn¡¯t I borrow someone else¡¯s power again? Now I feel bitterly how weak I am. ¡®I can¡¯t help it. Because I was in a hurry¡­¡¯ And at this moment in my mind, I thought of a desperate reason why I had to set up a fake fianc¨¦. ¡°¡­¡± At the moment before I killed Haures. Around that time, Naverius kept asking for a divorce. I had once suffered from insomnia under the influence of his abusive language. ¡°As expected, would it be better to tell father to break the engagement? If he hates me that much¡­¡± After spending a long night with my eyes wide open, I naturally started taking a walk at night. The sound of my footsteps, who had always crouched while looking at others, couldn¡¯t be heard, so I literally wandered around the hallway at night like a mouse. But one day. When I came out for a walk at night, I accidentally overheard my stepmother talking with someone. The light of the candlestick was faintly leaking through the door. I was drawn by the woman¡¯s voice and listened to it quietly. ¡°¡­Unless she belongs to another family, her succession right will not disappear no matter what she does, so I have to get rid of her.¡± ¡°Madam, that means¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If this marriage fails, I have to get rid of her even if it means to kill her.¡± At that time, I understood the content of their conversation instantly. ¡°Mother¡­ She¡¯s going to kill me!?¡± Hanar Celcius was plotting to murder the first daughter of the family. Why was she so cruel to me? At that time, I couldn¡¯t think of it because I was scared. But it was strange no matter how much I thought about it. Regardless of age or gender, the successor position of the Celcius family is different. There was no way my younger brother, who had been favored by the Count since childhood, would be deprived of his position. ¡°Why¡­!?¡± The probability for her stepmother to plant that should only be one in a billion. Or was it because I, who already lived like a ghost, was a thorn in her eyes and tarnished my family¡¯s honor? After that, I became obsessed with my engagement and lived half of my life in fear. Of course, I could still feel it even though I had already regressed. ¡®If there is such a thing as hell, it would be the same with this mansion.¡¯ Slide. I rested my body on the bed and waited for midnight to come. The pain of my insomnia, which had been forgotten with the joy of the revenge, slowly raised in my head. ¡¸1#Guelder¡¯s Countryside Mansion (Daytime while raining) The old-style mansion hall is noisy with the servant¡¯s footsteps from the morning. This is because Vasago¡¯s mother said she would hold a party there. It was rare for the Geulder family to hold a party, so their servants were busy preparing for it. Servant 1: Today is the Duchess¡¯s first party of the year, so there should be no mistakes. Servant 2: (V.O) Of course, the honor of entering this Guelder¡¯s mansion is only granted to high-ranking nobles who are well-known in the Kingdom!¡¹ * * * 5. This Novel Another week later, the novel appeared at midnight. What I saw there seems to be repeated. But the mansion was noisy today. ¡®I was already annoyed because I had already read about the preparation for the tea party at midnight. And now that sound of moving things makes me wake up.¡¯ I got up from my seat, served by my exclusive servant, and looked at the situation. I wondered why it was so noisy in the morning, and then the schedule I had forgotten was in front of my eyes. ¡°Is today the day for the jeweler to come?¡± ¡°No, the items from the dressing room Lady ordered the other day have arrived.¡± ¡°Aha.¡± Come to think of it, I used it as an excuse when I sneaked out to find Io. Before the end of this month, there was a big event in the Kingdom of Kasius. It is the King¡¯s birthday banquet. No matter how poorly I¡¯m treated in this family, I¡¯m still a noble. The old me couldn¡¯t avoid attending the birthday banquet. Therefore, the Countess had brought a new dress to make me somehow look like a noble. ¡°Hey! Cecil! I brought the Lady¡¯s clothes. You know where to put it, so guide me.¡± ¡°Lady Vanora, I will be away for a moment.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I distanced myself from the noisy scenery and fell into my own thoughts. ¡®In about three days, I will participate in the birthday banquet, so now¡­¡¯ * * * Creek, thud. The mansion door that looks too huge for a child to pass by, two servants appeared when it was opened and closed. It was Cecil, Vanora¡¯s exclusive maid, and the mansion porter, who were on their way out after work. ¡°Is this really the end of the Lady¡¯s clothes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Is it too frugal to get just one new dress? Lady closet is also full of outdated items.¡± The male servant, who brought the new dress to the second floor, chatted briefly with Vanora¡¯s exclusive maid, looked around, then whispered. ¡°Cecil, isn¡¯t that Lady will be going crazy because she only gets a few new clothes? What if she hurt you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°No¡­ that¡­ They say Lady Vanora¡¯s personality is not good, right? In the past, Seir told me how hard she was going through.¡± Hearing his worried sentence, Cecil stood and agonized for a while. Although Cecil was not close friends with Seir, they often talked because they were ordinary colleagues. While Seir was alive, she occasionally talked about the hardships she had experienced while serving Lady Vanora and how bad Lady Vanora was in those stories. Cecil used to respond to Seir¡¯s words that Lady Vanora¡¯s must be not that bad. But right now, by only served Lady Vanora for just a few days¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I was worried about that too, but when I actually met her¡­ She¡¯s just calm. She doesn¡¯t get angry. Sometimes, she tries to avoid me.¡± ¡°Then I guess Lady is in a good mood these days. She is the kind of person who treats you well when she¡¯s in a good mood.¡± ¡°Rather than that, she¡¯s so gentle that doesn¡¯t fit her age, so I don¡¯t know how she suddenly changes.¡± After a brief conversation, Cecil came to her own conclusion. She has yet to let go of the suspicion that Lady Vanora is a vicious lady who abused Seir. Still, she didn¡¯t feel discomfort while serving her. If she didn¡¯t have a good relationship with Seir, she would rather serve Lady Vanora for the rest of her life. Lady Vanora gives her plenty of time for rest. Like any other nobles, their relationship is just a business relationship. Isn¡¯t she just the ideal master Cecil was looking for? * * * ¡®Let¡¯s see. Should I use a family carriage this time because I don¡¯t have to keep my destination a secret?¡¯ Whether Cecil positively evaluated me or not, I didn¡¯t really care. Rumors among the mansion servants could be dealt with later, but on the other hand, there was something that couldn¡¯t be postponed. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Yes. La-Lady¡­ Vanora?! Oh my gosh, what brings Lady all the way here!¡± ¡°When this carriage is already repaired, I will ride it. Bring the coachman as well. One escort is enough to accompany me. I¡¯m going to visit the Count¡¯s mansion.¡± I spoke it clearly. Then the stable servant began to move diligently. It made me smile a little. Why is my expression so bright for today? Because of the sunlight? Or is it because I¡¯m planning to take a walk from now on? It couldn¡¯t have been because of those reasons. ¡°Ah! I also have to stop by the fruit stall on the way.¡± It was because I had already started my revenge for the next target from today. ¡°Then¡­ Where is Lady¡¯s final destination?¡± ¡°Sir Ronwe¡¯s mansion!¡± The place where I will visit is none other than a place where a butler named Ronwe lived. The reason I targeted him was simple. There were times when I hated those who stood by more than those who tormented me. * * * ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Vanora Celcius, who sent a letter in advance¡­¡± ¡°Master is waiting for you, come in.¡± Two hours later. Hurrying the carriage, I arrived at my butler¡¯s mansion. The mansion was splendidly decorated for a former knight. ¡®Sir Ronwe seems to be more extravagant than I thought.¡¯ I made my way through the long hallway with my best behavior. Then I met the owner of the mansion that I had been looking forward to. ¡°Hello, Sir Ronwe.¡± He had dark gray hair that was neatly combed. A monocle was worn due to damage to his eyesight while training as a knight. There were gray eyes beyond that monocle. Even though he is quite old, he still has a neat appearance. The skinny man soon greeted me. ¡°Hello, Lady Vanora. I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m unable to provide Lady with proper hospitality due to my circumstances.¡± The figure, named Ronwe, greeted me while lying on his bed. At this, I put my hand on my chest and bent my legs while keeping my upper body upright to finish the official greeting. ¡®Ronwe¡­ You still have the energy to get up from your seat, but how dare you lie down while greeting me with the excuse that you¡¯re sick? Okay, that¡¯s nice. If you like to lie down like that, I will let you sleep in a paulownia coffin for the rest of your life!¡¯ Anger was already boiling behind my gentle face. * * * Five years before I killed Haures. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Is Lady crying because Lady feels good at what Lady has done? I¡¯m innocent, but I was scolded because of Lady!¡± On that day, it was hard to understand why I offended Seir. Barely recall it, it seems that I made a mistake of stepping on someone¡¯s stuff at a formal party, and Seir was scolded instead of me. Seir seemed to be retaliating against her master again. I was quiet, but Seir acted more harshly to me than usual, probably because she felt it unfair to be scolded. It was one-sided harassment. Seir took my clothes, and I waited for a long time for her to put them on me without wearing anything. When I tried to dress up by myself, Seir quickly snatched the dress from my hands. When I tried to cover myself with a quilt-like cloth, she prevented me from doing that and made a scary expression. ¡°¡­¡± So I eventually stopped rebelling while shivering in the cold wind. After that, all I could do was bend down and hide next to the bed. I had never succeeded in rebelling against Seir. My life was a series of failures. Just being bullied like that is enough to make me into a shrinking human being. But a few seconds later. ¡°Hey, Seir. I heard from Gail that when you were organizing the supplies¡­¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°!¡± The door opened without even knocking. A person named Ronwe had a habit of ignoring knocks the door from the beginning. Still, it was Seir¡¯s mistake of forgetting to lock the door before harassing me. ¡°Sir butler¡­¡± ¡°Ah, this, I was changing Lady Vanora¡¯s clothes. Please get out for a while.¡± Seir began to make excuses like flowing water, but of course, it didn¡¯t work for Ronwe. The scenery reflected in his left eyes was the young Lady of Celcius, whose eyes were swollen after crying for a long time, shivering in the cold. What he could see over the monogram on his right eye was Seir holding a dress that had been scuffled by me. The situation was obvious. ¡°¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only And that moment, I realized something. Seir had never been caught by others in her abuse process, but she was discovered by the butler of the mansion that day. That was an opportunity for me. Hope began to bloom in my dark heart. Chapter 14 5. This Novel (2) Translated by alyalia ¡°She¡¯s lying, Sir! This person bullied me!¡± ¡°Lady Vanora?!¡± ¡°Please help me! Seir is always being mean to me. Help me! All she said was a lie!¡± Seir was greatly perplexed because she couldn¡¯t stop her master from speaking in front of Ronwe. She thought she had made Vanora obedient over the years, but Vanora still had the energy to resist. ¡°Lady! You¡¯re getting worse today. Even to falsely accuse me¡­¡± ¡°You saw what she was doing now, Sir Ronwe! P-Please, tell my father¡­ no, tell my mother! Please let them know this fact! Or please change my maid! I beg you!¡± Ronwe was startled by Vanora¡¯s desperate shout as she was in the situation between being life and death, and he broke down in a cold sweat. ¡®That maid, I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s doing this!¡¯ No matter how much Vanora was treated like a worthless person in this mansion, she was still a noble lady. Seir would not be able to avoid punishment if it were revealed to the public that Vanora had been harassed. This was a felony that could easily be sentenced to flogging until death if dragged to the court. But¡­ ¡°Seir¡­¡± In the Casius Kingdom, the whole process of criminals being brought to justice is entrusted to the parents of minors. In other words, if the parents of this family weren¡¯t willing to punish the maid, things would likely go awry. ¡®I don¡¯t know when it started, but judging from Lady Vanora¡¯s reaction, it must have been not only one or two days. Did her parents really not know what Seir had done for such a long time? Or isn¡¯t this happening under their permission?¡¯ Complex thoughts ran through Ronwe¡¯s mind. In the end, he finally made a choice he shouldn¡¯t have made. ¡®If I solve this problem, madam will think bad about me, but if I go out and pretend I didn¡¯t know about this¡­¡¯ Ronwe glanced over his monochrome at Vanora. When he confirmed no visible wounds on her body, he immediately nodded. ¡®Even in other families, punishing a child who doesn¡¯t listen to them with a rod is common. It¡¯s just¡­ It¡¯s just the person who disciplines her is a little different.¡¯ The cowardly butler refused to help her, fearing that it might end up harming him. ¡°Butler, butler¡­?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too harsh, Seir. Put her clothes down there¡­ I have a few questions for you about the last time you took care of the supplies, so please come out.¡± ¡°Sir Ronwe!¡± Hearing the cry, he stared at Vanora before going out the door with Seir. It was a moment when Vanora started to be afraid of the aftermath. But most of all, what made Vanora desperate was the appearance of Ronwe¡¯s back, who ignored the request for help as she had worked up her courage. ¡°Why¡­ Why¡­¡± Vanora at that time thought that the servants in the Count¡¯s mansion were people who didn¡¯t listen to anything she said. However, it would have been different if she had talked about it to the butler of this mansion. Now he even witnessed it, all the butler had to do was to report it to her parents. If the abuse had stopped, she was even willing to live like a dead person in that mansion, but why didn¡¯t he help her? ¡°Why¡­¡± Vanora felt at that moment that the mansion was worse than a place infested with maggots. The butler, who was her last hope, after all the same human beings with the rest of the people in the mansion. She hated him so much. Since then, Vanora tried to talk to Ronwe, who was passing by, but she hated how he treated her with squinted eyes as if he was looking at dirty things, telling her not to trouble him. * * * Alas, even though it happened several years ago, I feel shame and anger when I think of those days. But I maintain my emotions. Whether or not he knew the effort to keep my emotion from leaking out, Ronwe talked while still lying down. ¡°But why did Lady Celcius come to see me?¡± ¡°Ah, I know it¡¯s rude of me to come here unexpectedly, but¡­¡± First of all, Ronwe was a man that was listed on my revenge list. But Ronwe had a slight difference from the others in my revenge list. Even if I don¡¯t touch him, he will die soon. ¡®I don¡¯t know when it will be confirmed, but I think his disease started around this time.¡¯ Ronwe took a few days off from yesterday due to health reasons. He suffered from minor fatigue, headaches, and weight loss that made him look older. However, the number of times he had disrupted by health reasons will gradually increase in the future, and he eventually will announce his intention to retire from being a butler. The disease he suffered from was none other than ¡®Gustav disease.¡¯ It was a disease that mainly occurred in the wealthy class, and it was a disease that had no treatment until I turned 17. A few years later, a cure for Gustav disease was developed through the efforts of scholars, but unfortunately, Ronwe died earlier. I stood still for a moment and traced my memory. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it in the autumn that Ronwe passed away? If it¡¯s autumn¡­¡¯ When I did a rough calculation, the days that Ronwe could live were only about 400 days left. ¡®If I can send him faster than that, why should I refuse?¡¯ I wanted to shorten Ronwe¡¯s remaining life even a little more. That¡¯s why I came all the way here. ¡°Lady Celcius¡­¡± ¡°Right, as to why I came here, when I heard the news that the butler, who had worked so hard, suddenly became ill, I felt worried as a member of Celicius¡¯s family.¡± In fact, I had the holy relic, so I could take away his life at any time. But I didn¡¯t do that. Because he is a human being who will die anyway, there¡¯s nothing better entertainment than this. ¡°My mother and father don¡¯t seem to care about the butler or servants in the mansion, but¡­ I care about it. You¡¯ve been working so hard in places where your master didn¡¯t even notice your efforts.¡± ¡°Lady¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°As someone who knows Sir Ronwe¡¯s hard work, I couldn¡¯t let it slide when I heard you were ill. That¡¯s why I came to visit you. Are you all right?¡± Ronwe¡¯s gaze changed as I tilted my head, mimicking a pitiful expression. Before, his eyes looked at me with contempt that didn¡¯t treat me like a noble, but now, his gaze has become more relaxed. ¡°So that¡¯s why Lady came all the way here. Hmm, I feel a lot better after a good rest. It¡¯s just overwork, so Lady doesn¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that. Ah, I couldn¡¯t visit empty-handed, so I brought a small present¡­¡± ¡°Hoho, what does Lady mean about small presents?¡± What kind of adult wouldn¡¯t smile if a 15-year-old girl prepared a present for you? Ronwe smiled, and I opened the package I was holding in my arms and unfolded it on the table. Something round popped out from it, rolled small, and wobbled at the edge of the table. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°I heard that it was Sir Ronwe¡¯s favorite food. I¡¯m thinking about what I should give you to overcome your illness¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Popira! I can always eat it!¡± The present I bought was Popira, a yellow-green fruit with a sour and sweet taste. It is a luxury item that has been popular among the nobles recently because it is said that fruit, which has been cultivated domestically by importing seeds from abroad, has many benefits. It was also said that your skin will be smooth if you eat it frequently. ¡°I wanted you to be happy, so I bought something fresh.¡± ¡°Hey, get me a knife and a place to cut the fruit right away. Ah, Lady Vanora, don¡¯t stand there like that, sit here! How can I eat this alone? Let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°Is that really okay?¡± I didn¡¯t poison the fruit I brought, so I readily accepted the butler¡¯s offer. ¡®This fruit is good for health. That¡¯s right.¡¯ Of course, popira is safe for consumption on the assumption that the person who ate it is not a person who suffered from Gustav disease. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s as fresh as it looks. The darker the skin color, the riper this fruit is.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It is only revealed a few years later when treatment for Gustav disease appears. The more patients with that disease eat this fruit, the worse their disease becomes. In other words, Popira was as good as strangling him, who was showing the early symptoms of Gustav disease. ¡°This fruit is really delicious.¡± ¡°Has Lady never eaten popira before? It¡¯s very tasty when you put this on the cake.¡± ¡°Well, anyway, I¡¯ve tasted it. Sir Ronwe too¡­¡± I made an innocent and bright face, then gave many popiras to him. ¡°Go ahead and eat it!¡± Those words have the same meaning as ¡®Hurry up and die!¡¯ * * * After giving popiras to Ronwe, I returned to my mansion with a refreshing feeling. As I arrived at the mansion, the sun was already setting. ¡®Why is the price of popira so expensive?¡¯ It was fortunate that I still had money left to buy high-quality fruit while getting off the carriage. Hanar and Bael didn¡¯t want to expose the harassment I received even if they treated me like a ghost, so they gave me some formal allowance every year. It was a cost to maintain dignity. Not for me, but the dignity of both my parents. However, I didn¡¯t know where to spend the money in the past, so I kept the allowance I had received all my life. Now, I have a lot of money. ¡®Compared to the wealth of nobles, my wealth is just like a child¡¯s play.¡¯ In addition, at my 16th birthday party, Count Bael Celcius gave me his first and last gift. ¡®On my 16th birthday in the summer, he will give me a sapphire mine.¡¯ It was the transfer ownership of the sapphire mine. I didn¡¯t understand why Bael gave me such a big gift at that time, but now I can guess why. That¡¯s probably just an act of care. ¡®He never celebrated my birthday until I was 16, but he pretended to take care of me when it was the time to sell me to the social world.¡¯ But, for whatever reason, if I combine this sapphire mine with the allowance I haven¡¯t spent so far, my total wealth grows quite a bit. But the problem is that in my last life, all of these properties were swindled and taken away by Haures. ¡®Ugh!¡¯ Fortunately, the present me regressed with all those memories. I went up to my room, saying that I wouldn¡¯t repeat the same mistake. My new servant, Cecil, stood by to help me change back after going out. ¡°I will comb Lady¡¯s hair.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s enough for today. Rather¡­¡± I, dressed in my pajamas, said to my maid, who had been grooming me. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well, and these days the night is so cold. But I don¡¯t want to wear a thick duvet, so could you bring me some coats to wear over?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t a robe better than that?¡± ¡°Robe is better. And¡­¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The sun outside has already fallen below the horizon, and night has come, but I still have a schedule for today. ¡°I want it with black color.¡± I decided to practice using the holy relic Io that I possessed for today. I obtained the black robe through Cecil then waited until it was time for all the servants to fall asleep. Chapter 15 5. This Novel (3) Translated by alyalia ¡°¡­¡± After a while. I pretended to be sleeping quietly, but I got up and went outside when it was already late. The destination I escaped from the eyes of others was none other than the forest right next to the Celcius mansion. No matter how hellish it may be, the Celcius mansion is my home after all, so there was no way I couldn¡¯t get out of here if I wanted to. There will be no problem as long as I¡¯m back before 5am when the servants wake up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m still running away at this age.¡± I tucked my robes on to prevent myself from being injured and took a few steps to the dark forest. Looking back, I already saw the wall of the Celcius mansion in the distance. ¡®Is this enough?¡¯ Although this forest was owned by the Celcius family, no particularly high-quality wood was produced here, so it was almost abandoned. Since it was a private land where the servants couldn¡¯t manage it, wild animals were frequently found there, so it was a suitable place to test the power of holy relics. ¡®If I clean things up well, it won¡¯t lead to a big deal.¡¯ I stood in the forest then picked out a tree that looked strong. While stroking the tree I had chosen, I lost in my thoughts. ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s funny. No one thinks my life is precious¡­¡¯ What is the reason for me sneaking out late at night and training to use Io? It was because I was a noble. It was not easy for me to leave the mansion alone when the sun was up. But the whole situation was ridiculous and contradictory to me. I¡¯m not the decoration of the family. Although they protect me from theft, the reality is that my parents are not even interested in whether their daughter is eating properly. Looking back, my life was really miserable. I feel the urge to run across the forest and disappear at any moment. However, I quickly realized that it was unrealistic. Because this forest has an end. ¡®I¡¯m being treated like that, but how can I not be allowed to go out without an escort.¡¯ I decided to stop my imagination and focus on my present job. At the same time, I had to bear in mind again that my actions could be reported to Hanar through the eyes and ears of servants at any time. It takes a day or two for me to dig into the hole of the security schedule, so it will be the first and last time for me to sneak out to the forest. ¡®It¡¯s all right. I just have to practice well this time. If I get the sense to control the holy relic, I might be able to bury them all at once when my enemies gather on the day of the banquet!¡¯ Still, I decided to think about it positively. There was no time for being wasted again, so I immediately clenched my fist with all might at the tree in front of me. But after 30 minutes. ¡°Urgh¡­ urgh¡­ haa¡­ haa¡­¡± A tree has been shattered in tatters. Just like that, I, with my messy appearance, was lying around in the middle of the forest. Hiding my black hair in my robe, I crouched and groaned, not knowing that my curly hair was flowing out. ¡°Aaarrgggh¡­!¡± All of this was the result of hastily using the holy relic. ¡°Aaarggh¡­ uuurrrgghh¡­!¡± I grabbed my own hand and couldn¡¯t do anything until the pain subsided. ¡®What do you mean it¡¯s a holy relic! Trash! It¡¯s really a useless thing!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t control my body, and my mind began to turn at a fast pace. ¡®They say that you will become strong enough to unify the world if you only have Io, but it was all lies!¡¯ I was very disappointed with the function of the holy relic during this practice. According to the tale, anyone who possesses the holy relic Io can break down walls with their bare hands and cut the ground. Still, now I¡¯m struggling to smash only one tree. What makes it even more absurd is that I feel the pain because of the price I paid for using the power that is against the rules of the world. The skin of my hands was crushed because my body simply couldn¡¯t handle its strength. If this is the case, I will not be able to unleash the power, just like in the tale. My body would break even if I borrowed that power a little. ¡®Why the hell did they even wage war just for this ring? Is it just because it¡¯s an interesting treasure?!¡¯ Something was odd. Io¡¯s ability was severely inferior to those mentioned in historical literature and storybooks. I repeated the same action several times because I thought something was wrong with the usage, but drawing its power always resulted in pain. ¡°Why on earth¡­¡± I¡¯ve been curious about it for a long time. If an ordinary human swings their first recklessly, it will only leave scratches on their hands. So, how does the owner of Io, who creates superhuman strength, withstand the pain on their body? Doesn¡¯t it make sense that the strength of the owner¡¯s Io skin and bones is being strengthened too? With a scholarly personality who likes to read books, I had many questions about it, and only today my question was answered. ¡®Io is a holy relic that is only famous for its name but actually trash.¡¯ It made me feel a headache. ¡®If I try to kill the noble in the banquet with such ambiguous power, the escort around that person will stick to their master. If it¡¯s a big banquet, there will be knights stationed separately, so should I deal with that person with a bow? If so¡­¡¯ I stood still for a moment, imagining breaking Naverius¡¯s neck. The ending of my imaginary story was how I ended up my life being shot by Naverius¡¯s knight. ¡°¡­¡± My expression soon turned dark. ¡®The legend is only exaggerating it¡­ Ah, no! It doesn¡¯t change the fact that this holy relic is useful.¡¯ I saw some of the trees I had smashed with my bare hands. Fortunately, I had a sense of how to use it. With an untrained body, it could be a considerable weapon to get more power than a knight. ¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯ Yes, this is enough. It was worth using Io in the future, just as it was possible to kill Seir because of Io. ¡®If it¡¯s not good enough, I just have to make poison to fill the gaps.¡¯ I pushed myself. ¡®As long as I prepare a hundred means, all I have to do is stop them from breathing.¡¯ After reaching this conclusion, I destroy the traces of me using the holy relic like wild animals destroy it and return safely to my room. Then I destroyed all the evidence immediately. The robe I wore outside was cleaned and slid between the same robes, and to cover my wound in the hand I had gained overnight, I woke up in the dawn and fell over the gravel road there. ¡®There are so many things that hurt me.¡¯ Cecil didn¡¯t even think that my wound was strange. I dropped a precious thing, slamming my hand on the floor to receive it. Cecil, who noticed it, quickly applied medicine to my wound. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I often drop something because I¡¯m clumsy. I¡¯m sorry, Cecil.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Lady.¡± Who would have predicted that the next owner of Io, owned by the slave mercenaries of the destroyed kingdom, is the 15-year-old Lady Celcius, and all she wants is revenge. * * * The next day. The long-awaited news finally arrived as the light spring sunlight took a step back aback. The summer sun, which symbolizes passion, drew near. The news being brought today was that Butler Ronwe was still not feeling well. But despite the arrival of such joyous content, a shadow was cast on my face. It wasn¡¯t like a poet¡¯s metaphor, but it was really dark under my eyelids. ¡°¡­¡± The satisfaction of getting rid of Haures and the pride of dealing with Seir made me feel the positive feeling that I wanted to sleep for a while. But eventually, my insomnia struck again. ¡®It¡¯s not enough just to kill Ronwe¡­¡¯ That man made me suffer from insomnia. Although the disease that made it difficult for me to fall asleep seemed light at first glance, it irritated me enough to tear his head off. ¡®It¡¯s an advantage that I don¡¯t miss the novel that pops out every 12 o¡¯clock because I can¡¯t sleep.¡¯ ¡®Dangerous Love¡¯ also played a part in provoking my annoyance. This midnight novel may be helpful, but I haven¡¯t gained conclusive information from it. Whether the author who wrote the novel planned this story as a daily life of a noble lady, the recent chapter only showed how gracefully the Duke¡¯s daughter lived. When I lay down at dawn after reading such a novel, my dreams were particularly ferocious. One day, Hanar is trying to poison me. Naverius made up that I had committed adultery with a commoner the next day. The other day, Seir raised her hand¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡¯ Fortunately, when I woke up, I felt relieved that Seir was no longer here. ¡°Cecil, bring me a cup of tea.¡± Can I sleep if I drink a cup of hot tea? Today, I was going to travel a long distance by carriage, so I will sleep there. I gave a simple order to my maid, who was by my side. But¡­ ¡°Has Lady not been able to sleep lately?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Lady under eyes looks dark.¡± What is it? Usually, people are surprised when they hear a sudden movement. On a similar basis, I was startled when a voice came from my servant, who had been distracted for a while. ¡®It¡¯s the first time she said something unrelated to her job.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t particularly strange, so I answered. ¡°If I cover it with make-up, it will be covered. It¡¯s nothing for you to bother about.¡± ¡°Then I will prepare a tea with chamomile in it.¡± Cecil didn¡¯t add any more comments and brewed the herbal tea skillfully. ¡®It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ A mild aroma comes from the freshly brewed tea. In the meantime, the faint sweetness blended in between them, so the hot tea quickly passed through my esophagus. ¡®If it were like the old days, when I told someone to bring me tea, they would have spilled it on my face.¡¯ But, strangely enough, after drinking the tea, instead of falling asleep, my consciousness gradually woke up. At the same time, I had a lot of thoughts. ¡®If I had known it would turn out this well, I would have killed Seir sooner.¡¯ I didn¡¯t often go out of my room. It was because whenever I appeared in front of my family, I had to listen to their gossip and feel their gaze. I was frightened by it and lived in this small room by myself. At the most, the library is the end of my movement. Therefore, I, who lived in a small world, took Seir¡¯s harsh actions more seriously. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I go to Seir¡¯s funeral and spit on her?¡¯ But how long will I be happy with my new maid? I¡¯m not a genius, so I had been busy planning for my revenge. Unless I have talent from heaven, I need to be diligent to achieve something. ¡°I¡¯m sure my father hasn¡¯t come back from his client¡¯s evening party, and what time did my mother say she¡¯s leaving?¡± ¡°It was said that Madam will get ready at noon and leave before 2 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°It would be better for me to get dressed in advance too.¡± It was the season when the social season began, and the royal capital was in full swing. It was also the time when the gathered nobles were desperate to find their own partners. So, many large and small parties were held here and there, such as tea parties and balls. But the most important party was here. ¡®The King¡¯s birthday banquet.¡¯ Tonight, the royal family holds a grand banquet to celebrate the King¡¯s birthday. The best thing about this banquet was that there were more guests than the other parties. ¡®That person must be present at the banquet today¡­¡¯ I recalled that person¡¯s face in my head, and after a while, I changed into the dress that had already been prepared. It was a simple cream-colored dress that didn¡¯t seem old-fashioned at all. After all, this was much better than the bizarre dress that Seir had chosen. But no matter how good it is, if I attend a party wearing the same dress, I will be teased. ¡®Should I spend some of the money that I saved?¡¯ There is a low culture in the social world that plays with rumors. In order to approach Vasago, it was necessary to leave only a good reputation about me. So I decided to get new dresses soon. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Lady, Madam is calling for you.¡± It was not long before I got into the carriage heading to the party. It¡¯s a day of decisive battle. Every day is like that in the social season. Chapter 16 6. Typical Romance (1) Translated by alyalia A few hours later, in the banquet hall. ¡®It¡¯s always amazed me to live a life I¡¯ve been through again. Everything feels so familiar.¡¯ A large crowd gathered there. Of course, the royal family of this Kingdom had a magnificent palace, so they could easily accommodate such a large number of people. And only when all the nobles had gathered did the King, the main character of this party, appear proudly. As the King sat on the splendid throne, Hanar and his son, who were nearby, said, ¡°Your Majesty is a wonderful person whenever I see him.¡± ¡°If Your Majesty listens to your sincerity, he will be happy. You will take over the Celcius family in the future, so you will have a chance to talk with him one day.¡± The person who was at the top of the Kasius Kingdom had the charisma of a monarch. ¡®He¡¯s already over forty¡­ No, he¡¯s not yet reached forty this year. Still, for an old man, he has an appearance that is not inferior to that commander of the royal knight.¡¯ The King¡¯s face was dignified, and many of his servants regarded him as an idol. However, that didn¡¯t mean that I was also positively looking at the King. ¡®No matter how mighty he is, he¡¯s only a king who has nothing but greed for war in his head.¡¯ These days, the reign of the Balmong dynasty has entered a stable period. However, unaware of the preciousness of the peace that his grandfather and his father had achieved through the blood on their hands, Balmong IV began to have a vain dream as the inside of the Kingdom stabilized. It was a vain dream of establishing a great Empire by conquering all the neighboring kingdoms. He was a war fanatic. He often felt anxious to take over the land by attacking other kingdoms with his allies. Each time he did that, his territory expanded. How many lives have been sacrificed in war because of one King¡¯s ambition? What about the slaves who were looted because they lived near the border? Even a few nobles gathered here would die in the future conquest war. Then I saw a nobleman introducing his daughter to the King. The person with red hair next to him is probably¡­ ¡°As expected, that family also came to this banquet.¡± I glanced around the venue when I saw the nobleman who had climbed the podium so far away that I had to frown. The person I needed to find had bright red hair the same as him. ¡®There he is! But¡­¡¯ Within a few seconds, I found a man who stood out with his red hair and maroon garment. When I moved slowly and approached, I could see the brooch he was wearing was the seal of the family I was looking for. Still, unfortunately, the person was different from what I was looking for. ¡®It¡¯s not him who has so many scars on his face, but he¡¯s the second son of that family¡­ So, where is the third son?¡¯ I thought for a moment when I found the brother of the person I was looking for. If I tell him, ¡®I¡¯m looking for your younger brother,¡¯ will I get an answer? But this method didn¡¯t seem to be good. ¡®Anyway, the person I¡¯m looking for has red hair that stands out like that, so it won¡¯t take long to find it.¡¯ Today¡¯s party will last for a long time. The nobles who danced in the center of the hall had only just taken their first dance, so I proceeded to search carefully. But about two hours later. With a tired face, I fled to the toilet room. ¡®Where is that bastard!¡¯ Harsh words flowed into my mind. If I had known this would happen, I would have just spoken to his brother and asked where to find him. It looks like I¡¯m acting cautiously for nothing! ¡®Even I, the abandoned daughter of the Celcius family, was forced to come here because it is the King¡¯s birthday, so there¡¯s no reason that the third son of the family didn¡¯t come here. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s somewhere here!¡¯ I had already wandered around enough to make eye contact with everyone at the banquet. Eventually, I failed to find the person I was searching for. ¡®Is this how parents feel when looking for their missing child?¡¯ It made me frustrated enough to shout out his name. ¡®Damn it! Since this is the case, let¡¯s meet his older brother, who was in the venue, and ask him. If it¡¯s not for the banquet like today, I don¡¯t know when I can meet him again, so it¡¯s not the time to be polite.¡¯ I really wondered if he was locked up in the toilet room, but he wasn¡¯t here either. There were nobles who fixed their makeup here. Some men were combing their eyebrows in a more beautiful shape, and some women dyed their cheeks with a rosy powder. ¡®There¡¯s no red hair¡­¡¯ I eventually decided to move to another place. Then, suddenly, there was a crying sound from one of the large rooms. ¡°¡­¡± It was pretty noisy because there were so many people here. So that little sobbing was quickly drowned out by the surrounding voice, but I turned my head at that sound. Why do people look away when someone expresses negative emotions? ¡°It is the King¡¯s banquet, so I never wanted to cry, but when I saw that person, I got scared and couldn¡¯t hold back my tears. Hu, hu¡­¡± ¡°Cry to your heart¡¯s content here. The royal family won¡¯t come here because they use other places.¡± ¡°By the way, is that really true? Did you break up your engagement for that reason?¡± At the end of my gaze, there were about three young girls that were somewhat younger than me. ¡®Break up the engagement?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t miss the words from their conversation, so I approached, pretending to look in the mirror. Then the faint sound of the conversation gradually became clear. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe the rumor at first, but he hit you. How could a gentleman slap a lady?!¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s violent! His manner is not better than an animal! It¡¯s really terrible. I will never be engaged to a man like that again. Huhu¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s so shameless! How dare he talk to you at this banquet when he already did such a thing!¡± Aha. My effort to go around here and there was not in vain. * * * 6. Typical Romance Leaving the noisy banquet hall behind, I went down to the side road and saw a new landscape. Then I stopped in front of the stairs in the corner of the venue. This is the path used by the court musicians performing on the second floor. Therefore, it was customary for no one to pass here now when the banquet was in full swing. But I saw a boy sitting on the stairway in front of me. His figure dressed modestly in a coat embroidered with the family¡¯s emblem. ¡®Red hair. Red eyes.¡¯ When I found the person I had been looking for, I approached him without hesitation. Perhaps bored, he loosened his necklace, held it with both hands, and played it around. ¡°¡­¡± That person must be the third son of that infamous family. However, seeing him when he was still a boy was completely different from the rumors I had heard so far. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The social world gossiped about their red eyes and red-haired family. Everyone said their bodies were all huge like beasts, and their faces were scary enough to make you cry as soon as you saw them, even just looking at their picture. However, the third son of the family I met was far from looking like a beast. ¡®He will be popular when he grows up.¡¯ Although he is not as handsome as the son of Duke Jalier, whom I met last time, he had a warm impression that made you want to praise him. Soon, the boy raised his face and looked at me. There seemed to be a hint of kindness in his expression, which had a faint smile on his face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah, I was turning my necklace.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I have nothing to do. Some people say they get angry when they see me, so I decided to stay here for today¡¯s banquet.¡± The boy responded nicely even when a stranger suddenly spoke to him. He even offered a bright greeting with a voice full of kindness. ¡°Anyway, hello!¡± Still, he seemed like a person who lacked manners because he was still spinning his necklace. ¡°Hello.¡± I didn¡¯t mind it and responded with a polite greeting before continuing the conversation. ¡°Are you referring to the daughter of Count Jade when you said someone gets angry when they see you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°You recently broke up with her¡­ for a disgraceful reason.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s right. I got my engagement broken up. It was my fault.¡± He was an acquaintance I knew in the future. ¡®I¡¯m sure he said that he broke up his engagement when he was young. The reason was so shocking that there was no engagement talk for him again in the future.¡¯ Judging from the current conversation, this boy has the same personality and values as the one I met in the future. Now that I have confirmed the person I was looking for, how should I get to the main point? It made me ponder for a moment. ¡°But what brings you here?¡± The red-haired boy sitting on the stairs spoke first. At the same time, his innocent gaze touched me. I finally called his name. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a dog, Carl Andras.¡± ¡°Dog?¡± The boy, called Carl Andras, looked around, put the necklace he was playing in his pocket, and stood up. ¡°You brought your dog to the banquet too, didn¡¯t you? Have you lost your dog? I will find it with you.¡± Although he lacks some of the manners of the noble, he had enough quality to make up for his lack. ¡®And now¡­¡¯ I recalled for a moment, then shook my head and replied, ¡°It¡¯s not that I lost it. I¡¯m trying to get a new one. It should be obedient to me and very good at hunting.¡± ¡°Hunting? That¡¯s good. It should be a dog with a big body, sharp ears, and strong biting power for that purpose. What was the name of that breed again?¡± The conversation that followed was really useless. ¡®Does he like animals?¡¯ As I watched Carl Andras¡¯s bright reaction, I opened my mouth again. ¡°The dog I¡¯m looking for is you.¡± ¡°¡­me?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like being called a dog, how about a servant?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Carl Andras only blinked his eyes at the sudden remark. After a few seconds, he began to mutter. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a dog. Is this a metaphor? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve learned it, but I¡¯m not good at studying, so I don¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Or is it about a game of tossing a ball? My role is to fetch the ball like a dog.¡± ¡°Europa.¡± I, who had not seen it, spoke one word to begin the main point, and his mutter ceased. I didn¡¯t stop there and began to come up with sentences that could change the way he looked at me. ¡°I have Europa.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I can give it to you if I want to.¡± The next thing Carl Andras did was obvious. He changed his complexion in an instant. * * * Carl Andras. To explain our first meeting with this boy, I had to go back to the spring three years ago. That was when Haures was still alive, and I was being framed. At that time, rumors about me were not good, so I couldn¡¯t actively engage in social activities, but I could attend the places where nobles had to show their faces, such as the birthday of the royal family and the New Year¡¯s festival. But what can I do if I attend the party? My fianc¨¦ doesn¡¯t even dance with me. The conversation with my family was absurd, and the nobles who gathered there pointed their fingers at me as they looked at my curly black long hair. So I attended the banquet but hid in the garden. I liked insects. This would contradict with what Naverius wanted, but I couldn¡¯t change my natural preferences from birth. So I would use my time to adore the little life as I sat on the grass in the garden. ¡°Huh?!¡± But one day. That time too, I, who had been dragged out to the party I didn¡¯t want to come, fled to a garden open to guests. There was something that attracted my attention at the pavilion built there. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°W-Wait¡­ a minute¡­!¡± Someone sprinted past me like a bullet. At the same time, I recognized that the sprinting red-haired man had dropped something. But by the time I spoke timidly, the man had already gone too far. Chapter 17 I wish I had shouted out loud, ¡®You dropped something!¡¯ At that time, I was still timid, and I couldn¡¯t speak out loud. Eventually, I hesitated and lost sight of the man, so I belatedly picked up something that had fallen on the floor. It was a fragrant bag. ¡°Uh¡­ How can I give this back to him¡­¡± I looked at the spilled object and was worried for a moment. But after a few seconds, judging by my calm reason, it was concluded that it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to find him. ¡°Ouch!¡± There was a cloak hung on the man¡¯s back as he moved away. How could I not know the pattern on it, as a person of Kingdom Kasius? Obviously, the cloak was worn only by the knights of the Kingdom. I didn¡¯t look closely at his clothes, but it seemed to be a knight¡¯s uniform. ¡®Maybe he hadn¡¯t already run out of here.¡¯ Knowing who the owner of the item was, I went back to the party to return it. ¡®Obviously, several knights were standing at the entrance to the banquet hall. The man has rare bright red hair, so they will return it to its master if I tell his colleague.¡¯ At that time, I had not lost my gentle personality, even in a desperate situation, so I willingly offered my kindness. And¡­ ¡°Uh!¡± ¡°Ooh?¡± In the Rose Tunnel, the last gateway to exit the garden, I just ran into the one I was looking for. Maybe because my pace was slow, I could meet the man who had come back to this place halfway to exit. ¡°Hello?¡± There I met Carl Andras, whom I should have met a few years later. As I had expected, the man with red hair as red as rose and red eyes like blood was dressed in a knight¡¯s uniform. ¡°Sir, did you come back because you lost something?¡± ¡°Yes, yes! That¡¯s right. I shouldn¡¯t run around recklessly just because something urgent happened. When wearing a ceremonial uniform like this, things will quickly fall out if I put anything in the pocket.¡± ¡°I happened to be on my way to return it to you¡­! Here you go.¡± After a brief conversation, they wondered if they could achieve each other¡¯s goals. ¡°Thank you. Huh? Did you have this in your pocket too¡­?¡± ¡°This too?¡± ¡°T-The thing I lost isn¡¯t this. It¡¯s much more important.¡± But somehow, things got twisted, and the man started to panic. ¡°What I¡¯m looking for is a jewel necklace for my nephew¡­¡± ¡°Where did you start running? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to look back from your memory?¡± ¡°From the annex¡­¡± ¡°You ran from there until you crossed this garden?!¡± I opened my mouth wide to his incredible physical abilities, but it was not the time to be shocked. It was because the gentle-looking knight began to cry. ¡°It¡¯s a big deal. Can I find the necklace before the end of the day? Today is my nephew¡¯s birthday. If I don¡¯t deliver the present on her birthday, my sister will kill me for ignoring her daughter.¡± ¡°Calm down, I understand that your sister will be angry, but you¡¯re not really going to die¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. My sister is really capable of doing that!¡± Without a moment to be surprised, Carl Andras bowed to me and asked me to help him find the necklace because he was in a difficult position to make a personal request to his fellow colleagues. He explained the details, but my answer was decided. ¡°It¡¯s an expensive item, so it¡¯s a big deal if someone picks it up. Let¡¯s find it together quickly, Sir knight!¡± ¡°!¡± I willingly helped Carl. Fortunately, we could find the necklace without difficulty when we looked back on the road he had been running. In a way, it was no big deal. If he had to pay for my kindness, it would be the price for one meal at the most. ¡°Your name is Vanora Celcius? Thank you very much. I will never forget it. I will definitely repay this favor by all means!¡± I took his words lightly, but I couldn¡¯t ignore the words that followed. ¡°My name is Carl Andras, the third son of Marquis Andras. So, if you need anything, please send a letter to my family.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What? While I was surprised by the name I heard to the point I couldn¡¯t open my mouth, the knights in uniform, just like Carl, ran out from afar. ¡°Sir, you have been here. The commander is¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is he mad that I¡¯m leaving my post?! I must go right away. Thank you for today!¡± So to conclude this story, here¡¯s the thing. The boy, who is playing around with the necklace on the stairs, will become the youngest Vice knights commander who has made incredible achievements in various battles in the future. ¡°Is that person really him? I only heard that he looked scary like a brown bear.¡± Even at that time, there was a big difference between his rumors and real impressions. Perhaps it was because he rarely showed his face except on the battlefield. * * * Returning from a brief recollection, I thought for a moment. ¡®A person who always repays favors.¡¯ I already confirmed what kind of personality the boy in front of me had in the future. Because he wants to repay the favor for merely finding a necklace in a surprising way. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks I had once been framed and imprisoned because of a scheming devised by Haures at the behest of Naverius. Suppose the person in the engagement relationship had committed a criminal offense. In that case, even a weaker family could unilaterally terminate the engagement. I didn¡¯t even get a decent lawyer in prison at that time. Naverius, the only person to come to see me, would also rot in prison if he committed a crime. The guards would torture me every day and scared me that I would never survive even for a year. ¡®I have to get married to get out of this house. I should run away sooner than later and earn a living by grazing the grass. Why did I think of my family as a family, why did I spend all the money I saved only to get scammed, why did I meet a bastard like Naverius¡­¡¯ I was terrified at that time. I felt at the thought that I would never get out of the prison, so I trembled alone in solitary confinement, then recalling the memory I had forgotten. It was when the third son of the Andreas family told me to send him a letter if I needed something. ¡®I don¡¯t know why he did it back then.¡¯ To be honest, it was not a good story. It was just that I only found a necklace for his nephew. If I hadn¡¯t been there, he would have found the necklace. Because it was in an obvious location. Besides, it must be out of courtesy that he said he would return the favor. But it was the only string I could grab at that time. So I wrote my first letter to him from prison. I pressed down the fact that I was unfairly imprisoned and sent it to him. To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect him to do anything about the situation. I just wanted to complain because I felt so frustrated. But what was the result? I was released from prison a few days later. ¡°¡­¡± It was Carl Andras who paid for my huge bail. His subsequent actions were also bizarre. He requested a retrial of the judgment against my charges. At the trial held shortly afterward, he even sent a lawyer from Marquis Andras. ¡®He is the third son who didn¡¯t inherit the title. Even if he obtained a high position in the Knights Templar, he would not have a lot of wealth, as the money he earned from his salary and estate were different¡­ But he paid my bail.¡¯ That¡¯s too much. At that time, I had lost everything I had, so there was no benefit in helping me, and he would not have even known whether it was true that I had been falsely accused. Nevertheless, he kept his promise to help. ¡®After that, a war broke out during the trial, and I never saw him again because he was sent out.¡¯ ¡°Europa¡­ Do you really know the whereabouts of the holy relic Europa? No, how do you¡­ What¡¯s your name? I need to hear your name first. What family are you coming from?¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Carl poured out questions to me. ¡®Well, anyway.¡¯ The Holy relic, Europa. That thing was good as a strong leash to tie this crazy dog. I must be the only person in this world who knows the whereabouts of both the holy relics. ¡®Is my life such a mess because I¡¯m lucky on this side?¡¯ I belatedly focused my conversation with Carl. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vanora from the house of Celcius. And the clue for that holy relic is¡­ Europa¡¯s form is one earring with a bull on it.¡± I cherished even the promise he had made to me, so I decided that I would better keep him with a sincere deal. I also knew from my previous life that he wanted to have the holy relic Europa. How could I know that? Because he even published a notice in the newspaper later. He said he could give everything he had to anyone who brought him the holy relic Europa. Now that I think about it, it was a foolish act. Europa is in charge of ¡®time¡¯ among the three holy relics that interfere with the world¡¯s laws and is said to bring eternal life to its owner. Who would sell eternal life for money? Unlike Ganimede and Io, which were owned by the royal family and the pope, only the owners of Europa were historically unclear. ¡°No ordinary person would know, but I can¡¯t believe you know that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen it myself, so I know how it looks.¡± ¡°!¡± I didn¡¯t know why Carl wanted Europa. But what is certain is that before regressing, he said he wanted this holy relic so much. Thanks to this, in the past, rumors of him had spread in society, and he had been deceived by swindlers who were asking for money because they knew Europa¡¯s information. Standing as the flower of the wall, I overheard Carl always questioning the shape of the holy relic to anyone who came to him to give information about Europa. ¡°How do you know the shape of Europa?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­ I have an old book about holy relics at home. It¡¯s completely different from the holy relic books that sell on the market.¡± Did I succeed in passing the first gate? Carl Andras continued with a flushed face as the conversation progressed. ¡°Ugh, but do you really think you can give it to me?¡± ¡°Do you want that holy relic so much?¡± ¡°To be exact, only Europa. I really want that!¡± From that look on his face, he seems to have wanted Europa since he was this age. He acted as if he would do anything for Europa. Did he really want to live long? ¡®But, considering the family history of Marquis Andras¡­¡¯ I understood his greed without difficulty. Marquis Andras¡¯s family, to which he belongs, has been used as a spear and shield of the Kingdom for generations. This might be a good explanation, but the problem was the nature of their family. ¡®It is reasonable for the Andras family to die at a young age, so it is worth having Europa.¡¯ Their family was a crazy family who regarded combat as the best pleasure of their lives. Perhaps because of their tendency to be too violent, they often made feats. Still, the members of their family were often short-lived. ¡°If you could change your personality, you could live long without Europa.¡± ¡°You know what the blood of the Andras family is¡­ Uh, D-Don¡¯t tell me the condition for receiving Europa is not to fight?¡± I was silent for a moment with a pose that didn¡¯t fit my current young age and then brought out the next words. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I already said before that I need a servant.¡± ¡°Dog¡­ right?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Yes. There is something I want to ask Carl. You need to help me achieve all of my goals, so when my 18th birthday comes or before that, I will let you have Europa.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the conditions interesting?¡± Carl showed great interest that I went through a simple confirmation process before forming a secret deal with him. Chapter 18 ¡°Before that, if I could give you Europa, would you really do anything?¡± ¡°Yes! I will give you anything I have and do whatever you ask me to do!¡± ¡°From now on, can you keep everything related to me a secret?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Carl had a kind personality that seemed endless. However, the nature of this kind boy is not quite serious. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s the same when he¡¯s still young.¡¯ I had a reason to choose this person as my accomplice. This is because he is from the Andras family. Carl Andras. When it comes to cruelty on the battlefield, he is the second most cruel man in the Kingdom. The story of how he made all those who fought against him into a dough and laughed happily for a long time was already well known to the public. That¡¯s why I made a mark on this sadistic human being. ¡®I¡¯m looking for an accomplice to murder nobles. So I need someone who keeps their promises as well as their lives, but they¡¯re not afraid to see blood.¡¯ Perhaps there is no more reliable accomplice than him in this Kingdom. ¡®¡­¡¯ But, no matter how much I lived in the future, what if I misjudged his character? I made a sure move to get rid of the small disbelief in my mind. ¡°Then, first of all, I have a favor to ask you¡­¡± It was to create a small event to test how far he could go for Europa. However, Carl cut me off when I took out the word ¡®favor.¡¯ ¡°Wait a minute.¡± The following words were obvious. I stopped, wondering why he brought up the clich¨¦ word now. ¡°That, before I make a promise¡­¡± I listened to him and tilted my head. It meant to keep going. Then Carl came a few steps closer to my side and looked into my eyes. ¡®Why all of a sudden?¡¯ Carl Andras¡¯s eyes were too pure. I rarely made eye contact with someone, so this made me feel awkward. However, I tried hard to keep my face calm. ¡°Then Lady¡­ Vanora? If I become your dog, you can really give me Europe¡­ right?¡± But when he was so close, he did something. He looked directly into my eyes and checked again. ¡®Is he suspicious of me because I¡¯m still young?¡¯ Of course, I answered without a single lie. ¡°Yes.¡± Afterward, Carl began to grin as I rolled my head about how should I prove that I could give him Europa. ¡°Thank god! I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a liar. I will follow Lady Vanora from now on!¡± How did he decide to believe me right away? ¡®Is he really believe me easily?¡¯ But it was enough for me to join hands with him anyway. With that, I can think about it slowly. ¡°Others say that there was a time when 100 years of war fought to obtain a holy relic, but I will definitely become Lady Vanora¡¯s dog for a few years if Lady can really give me Europa!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be that excited¡­¡± After calming him down, who had been carrying on his imagination, I continued to talk. ¡°Carl Andras. Now we are on the same boat. So I want to give you the first job to confirm your loyalty.¡± ¡°Pardon? Yes!¡± ¡°Listen to me, and you should never tell your family anything about this.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s all a secret¡­¡± ¡°You say you will do that, but I don¡¯t have enough faith in you. Betrayal always begins with unexpected reasons.¡± Is it because people can¡¯t see it? I stared at Carl with a strange look that didn¡¯t fit my 15-year-old¡¯s body. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The sword competition of knights will be held right after the birthday banquet. There, you should fight a person named Shuteri.¡± ¡°And after that?¡± ¡°Just have a match with him. Instead, you must take responsibility for everything that will happen as the result of that match.¡± ¡°All I need is to have a match with him? I see¡­ Shuteri. Shuteri. Shuteri. I remembered.¡± If Carl completes this request safely, I will be able to trust him. In addition, I will be able to deal with one of the people I target. ¡®How serious will Carl Andras take this promise?¡¯ I did my best to negotiate, so I decided to leave the rest to heaven. And a moment later. Before I knew it, the tune of music flowing outside had changed to quiet. As I slowly got out of the staircase and tried to return to the banquet hall, Carl asked me a question. ¡°Lady Vanora, I have a question for you. Is there a reason you chose me to help you with your work?¡± ¡°Because I can give you Europa.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s interesting you said that. It¡¯s true that I really need Europa, but I never said anything about it when I came to the royal capital.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You look like a noble from the central region. How did you know this?¡± My heart jumped inwardly after hearing those words. ¡®I was in such a hurry that I forgot to be careful!¡¯ Fortunately, I didn¡¯t show any signs of agitation. ¡®When I gave a bait about the holy relic, he bit it, so I thought he already talked about it everywhere¡­!¡¯ But I could make up an excuse quickly. ¡°Well, who in the world doesn¡¯t need Europa?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just looking for someone to pay the best price for it, and it happens to be you, who is from the prestigious Andras family.¡± Carl smiled brightly when I explained one after another. However, as the conversation continued, the color of Carl¡¯s face, which had been bright, gradually darkened. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Lady chose me with such expectations.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If Lady wants me to do anything in the future, Lady will need to contact me often, but if Lady Vanora¡¯s reputation is damaged¡­! I will do my best so I won¡¯t make Lady ashamed of me.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks I, who was puzzled by that remark, talked to him. ¡°The only thing I was ashamed of was my family, and there¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of being with you.¡± ¡°Everyone said they¡¯re scared of me because I like to fight. Isn¡¯t it better to hit someone than to get hit by someone? But they said I¡¯m violent¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have any friends. So I was alone here. Did you come here not knowing that I have a horrible reputation?¡± It was only after listening to everything he said that I could understand. The violent tendencies that flowed through the Andras family¡¯s blood were in a category that ordinary nobles couldn¡¯t understand. Although his family was good in the military force, Carl often heard bad things from young nobles who couldn¡¯t hide their expressions. ¡®Is it true this boy broke off the engagement by using violence against his fianc¨¦e?¡¯ I looked at the boy who was looking at me for a moment. Apparently, he will be very tall in the future. But now, he was a young boy, and that was enough for me to make eye contact without lifting my chin. ¡°That¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t care about it.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°People can be violent. In fact, I really like to hurt others.¡± Carl opened his eyes wide to the following voice. Then I continued to talk with a subdued expression, recalling the old past. ¡°And the biggest reason why I wanted to join hands with you¡­ was because of your personality.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll be good at keeping your promises¡­¡± I looked up at Carl in front of me. Then a young, good-looking face came into my sight. Why did I choose him as an accomplice? Why do I want to hand over the information about Europa to Carl, not to anyone else? In fact, this was the most fatal reason. ¡°I really think you will keep your promise.¡± In my past, Carl died at the age of twenty. He was killed in a conquest war waged by an irresponsible King. So I couldn¡¯t even thank him for the bail, and now the right opportunity has come. * * * About five days after I made a deal with Carl Andras. The day has come for me to visit Shuteri¡¯s corpse. ¡®There¡¯s not much that happened.¡¯ The sword competition held in the royal capital was over while I looked at the new midnight novel. The knights sent by Count Celcius to participate in the contest also returned one by one. Most of them didn¡¯t appear to have been injured, but one or two of them were wearing splints, perhaps breaking their bones. I leaned against the window and watched them come in. ¡°Aargh¡­ Uurggh¡­¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear my groan! Arrgh. I¡­ I think my ribs are broken too. Andras, that bastard drop me like trash then acting cool!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really unlucky. Out of all of the contestants, you had a match with Andras. You should have abstained, you idiot.¡± ¡°That bastard hit me in the mouth first!¡± However, Shuteri, the knight who was barely breathing, was transported to the mansion. It looks like he has been treated by a doctor in the royal capital, but he might have to lie down for a few months. ¡®As expected, Carl is really worthy of Andras¡¯s name.¡¯ I predicted this outcome since the time I asked Carl to have a match with him. This is because no human has ever walked out on two legs in a 1:1 match with him in the future. ¡®Don¡¯t you know Carl was only beating him moderately?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± Well, anyway. If Shuteri, who had competed with Carl, suffered serious injuries like that, his life would be over soon. I let go of my hand that was holding the curtain and turned around. * * * That night. ¡°Uuugggh¡± A groan was heard from one of the countless rooms on the first floor of the Celcius mansion. It came from a guest room with a luxurious bed and a tea table. However, the one lying down was not a noble but an apprentice knight of the Celcius family. He was seriously injured in the sword competition he had participated in for honor. The Celcius family, as a courtesy, decided to give him this luxurious bedroom until he recovered to some extent. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± After taking the prescribed medicine, his pain subsided, and somehow, his body was limp and sleepy. Indeed, the soft bed helped him greatly, and he soon fell asleep. At the same time, the door of the luxurious room opened silently. ¡°It¡¯s not locked.¡± A mysterious female voice filled the cold room. The woman, who didn¡¯t lift a lamp or make a footsteps sound, quietly closed the door. She quietly looked down at Shuteri, who had fallen into a deep sleep. Her messy hair was braided up into one and hidden with a nightcap. ¡°¡­¡± Vanora leaned over without saying a word and lifted Shuteri¡¯s top. Then, she saw countless bruises on his stomach that looked mottled in the dark. ¡°Sir knight.¡± Shrug. When Shuteri tossed and turned in a sweet dream, she began to speak her words. ¡°You didn¡¯t lock the door.¡± Vanora spoke with a merciful tone as if telling an old-fashioned story. ¡°If something happened to me like what will happen to you¡­¡± She whispered those words and then lowered her eyes. ¡°It would be very embarrassing.¡± The darkness fell, and no one could see what her last expression was like. * * * The next day. ¡®Vasago¡¯s family is very harmonious. Ah, so that¡¯s why you¡¯ve grown so fond of other people¡¯s fianc¨¦?¡¯ My veins already stood out from the morning. Lately, it has become common for me to write down the midnight novel in my diary and scribble the letters so that only I can understand them. However, when I re-read the novel I had copied so much that my eyes fell out, all I could see was that Vasago was given a doll as a gift from her cousin and that she was given a warm hug by her mother. ¡®The novel became like a daily routine of Vasago.¡¯ I would have burned it out if this had been a book novel. ¡°The mansion seems to be noisy today. What¡¯s going on?¡± But it was all right. There¡¯s good news for me today. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Cecil, I don¡¯t have anyone to talk with me unless it¡¯s you. So, if it¡¯s not your precious secret, it wouldn¡¯t hurt if you tell me a little bit about the mansion.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°All right, Lady.¡± I persuaded my maid, who was flinching beside me, to open her mouth. Her following words seemed like a good poem recitation. ¡°It is said that a man named Shuteri, the apprentice knight of the family, died last night.¡± Chapter 19 7. Various Charms (1) Translated by alyalia ¡°¡­¡± ¡°A few days ago, he came back with serious wounds from the sword match. The doctor didn¡¯t know that his organ had ruptured, but it was belatedly that a problem had occurred, and he died¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of knights dying from the sword match. But I never know it actually happened.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Cecil laid down my meal for today and continued speaking quietly. ¡°He was not trained by the knights of the same age. His opponent in the match used excessive violence even though there was no need for it, so Count Celcius will hold the responsibility for his injuries.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the end of the story I know, Lady.¡± Of course, I already predicted this. It¡¯s nothing but a man¡¯s death. However, Shuteri was a commoner who had not yet been knighted. The opponent was coming from the Marquis Andras family. The weight of life was never equal in this world, so the trial¡¯s outcome was obvious even if Count Celcius will take responsibility for that. ¡®Considering that the place where they competed was a stadium where mutual consent was the basis¡­¡¯ Carl would have been free or fined a paltry fine. But I¡¯m sure Carl will take care of this. If that¡¯s why they¡¯re being noisy, that¡¯s it. I glanced at the sandwich in the middle of the table to hide my smile. ¡®The power of the holy relic is great. No matter if he woke up or not, I can¡¯t believe I can completely beat the knight.¡¯ It was common for a person to suddenly die from an abdominal injury caused by a fight. Moreover, if the body was torn and broken like that, even if someone hit his injured abdomen again, it was impossible to know the truth of his wound again except if his wound opened. Again, I was not on the list of suspects this time. With this, I easily get rid of the lump in my chest. ¡°Today¡¯s meal is delicious too. Cecil, you can go rest now. Just clean up the dishes in the evening.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± I wanted to laugh, so I chased my maid out of my room. With a sweet excuse, I made Cecil leave my room. Then I became happy as if it was a lie that I had been in a bad mood until now. ¡®Meat and bread went easily in my mouth now. In the past, I used to feel nauseous and frustrated just by putting something in my mouth, but now I feel more comfortable with my organs.¡¯ I had a breakfast like that and made plans for the day. In the middle, I gently rolled up my pajama sleeves to confirm the mysterious bruises. ¡®Ah, how about this¡­¡¯ Fortunately, I received minimal help to change my clothes from the beginning because I was too shy to show my naked body to Cecil, so I hadn¡¯t been caught yet. But how long will Cecil remain unsuspicious of me? It will always be considered strange that the young Lady has bruises on her body from quarreling with someone. Then I recalled Carl Andras in my mind for a moment. ¡®His family has been killing people since the founding of this Kingdom. Considering their monstrous achievements, they must have core skills besides mere talent¡­¡¯ Thud. After eating the soup, I put down the empty bowl on a silver tray and fell into my thoughts. ¡®Where is the vital point of the human body? What kind of poison is applied to the tip of the weapon? How to wield a sword? There are limits for a book on the market that can teach me, so I should get his help, right?¡¯ The conclusion of my thought is that I should meet Carl. Then I decided to put it off for a while. ¡®I have to go see Ronwe.¡¯ Isn¡¯t the butler waiting for me, who is working hard to get better? Being able to speed up his illness with a basket of fruit was more enjoyable than the sweetness of the juice. In addition, once his condition worsened, it was difficult to deduce that the pain worsened when he quit eating popira, which is the reason his illness worsened. ¡®Good. How can I miss seeing him dying?¡¯ I decided to spend my time diligently. I immediately got up from my seat, changed my clothes, and finally called Cecil to help me when I opened the back of my pajamas. ¡°I will go out. Isn¡¯t Sir Ronwe still sick? I was so worried about him that I couldn¡¯t enjoy the banquet even when I went to the palace.¡± ¡°Ah, then I will prepare it as Lady said.¡± Cecil seems to be getting more and more conscious these days. She was quick enough to take care of everything I needed to go out now. ¡°Thank you.¡± From my point of view, I had only experienced being abused and lazy servants, so it was natural for me to feel grateful. Cecil didn¡¯t respond to my words and went out to prepare the carriage. ¡®It¡¯s too obvious if he eats popira every day, so shall I buy some cheap medicine from the town herbalist today?¡¯ * * * 7. Various Charms About five minutes after that. My long-black hair had improved from Cecil¡¯s combing, but it still looked disheveled when I went out the door. I¡¯m 15 years old now, but I will soon enter the social world after my birthday. As I recently rehearsed, I walked with how the nobles should walk. ¡®This walk is too slow and puts strength in the muscles¡­ Wait, isn¡¯t this good to train my body?¡¯ As I walked so gracefully, I could see a red-carpet staircase leading down from the second floor to the first. I also saw the chandelier that ate Seir¡¯s life had been replaced with something else. I took a leisurely look at the scenery of the mansion and walked forward, but¡­ ¡°Lady, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°?¡± It was just about the time I saw the main door of the mansion. The door slid open, and a maid in a uniform approached me at a quick pace. She looked in a hurry that she almost ran. ¡°Cecil?¡± I found her and walked a few steps closer, then Cecil gave me an envelope. ¡°That, the visitor¡­ I haven¡¯t heard about the visitor, but they¡¯re waiting for Lady Vanora at the door.¡± ¡°Me? Who?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­The Young Master of Duke!¡± The seal used on the letter was somehow familiar. This coat of arms with an insignia and a sword hanging from a part of the fortress wall drawn in a square shape. It was the coat of arms that every noble could recognize. ¡°Lord Aloken Jalier!¡± ¡°He asked me to deliver the letter to the Count. I already tell Lady, so I will go up now.¡± I¡¯m sure I was going to meet him someday, but I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s visiting without a word. ¡®The servants must have turned upside down by now.¡¯ I walked out hurriedly like Cecil did before. When I opened the door, what I saw was a carriage made of ebony wood, which was large enough to believe that it had come from the royal family. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re here for the Lady. Lord said that you don¡¯t have to prepare the tea.¡± ¡°Pardon?!¡± There I saw the Count¡¯s aide, who was at loss in front of the servants. The last thing that caught my eyes was that man. He was two spans taller than me, and his vivid black hair contrasted the blue robe he wore even in the warm weather. Aloken Jalier bent his slender eyes and smiled while greeting me. ¡°Lady Celcius, I have come to pick you up.¡± ¡°¡­to pick me up? ¡°Would you excuse us for a moment? I have a long word with Lady Celcius. As I said, you don¡¯t have to prepare the tea.¡± With those words, the crowd of servants disappeared. In front of the quiet mansion¡¯s door, Aloken finally began a proper conversation. ¡°Why are you so surprised? I¡¯m here to tell you the result you¡¯ve been waiting for. Thanks to your treatment, the unconscious Duke really came to his senses.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± ¡°I put the proposal together in the letter I just sent.¡± The way he handled this was so straightforward. To be honest, I can¡¯t believe it worked out so well that it almost made me dance. Fortunately, my joy was only expressed by a small smile. ¡®The whole world is on my side! I can get rid of someone like Naverius later if I have spare time. With this, the name of Aloken¡¯s fianc¨¦e was earned, so first of all, when I debuted¡­¡¯ But as I began to plan new revenge in my head, Aloken suddenly spoke. ¡°Then I will invite you to the ball as promised, so get on the carriage.¡± ¡°To the¡­ ball? Wait, are we going to the Sangtepul today?¡­ Right now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even wearing pajamas, so is there any problem?¡± Now I realize why the social world had consistently raised questions about his character. Aside from the rumors that he got the title by killing his younger brother, who on earth makes such a sudden invitation? ¡°There is still time left for the ball schedule, but the problem is the state of the Duke¡¯s body. He was barely awake with a little consciousness. So I want you to help me as the main point of our deal right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, you promised me a successor¡¯s position, so our talented astronomer will definitely help me, right?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer the sarcastic remarks that followed. The first official meeting between I and Aloken ended in an instant. I complied with the request to treat the Duke immediately. When heard the news that I was headed to the Sangtepul, my father remained silent. ¡®He still doesn¡¯t see me as his child. Even he came out to send my younger brother off whenever he went out to the town.¡¯ Clatter. The carriage was so quiet that only the clatter sound rang. Our destination was quite close to the royal capital. ¡®It¡¯s my first time going there.¡¯ At this time of year, geraniums bloomed everywhere in the Sangtepul, creating a magnificent view that all the nobles wanted a villa there. ¡®Is this the villa where Aloken¡¯s father, Duke Jalier, came down to recuperate?¡¯ When the carriage stopped, I naturally got off and looked around a bit. But after a while, Aloken, who had already got off first, was bewildered when he saw me get off by myself. ¡°Did you get out of the carriage by yourself?¡± I noticed it belatedly. Being used to being alone, I didn¡¯t really care about it. Still, it was common for nobles to get off the carriage under the escort of a servant or someone. ¡°Uh, my feet already stepped on the ground. What can I do about it?¡± If it had been the timid me in the past, I would have been trembling at the thought that I had made a big mistake now. However, my new life was blinded by wrath, and I didn¡¯t make a fuss about it. ¡°¡­¡± Aloken looked at my behavior for a moment. Maybe it¡¯s the first time he has seen someone with behavior like me, so I think I¡¯m getting his attention. ¡°Now I will tell the Lord the medicine that will cure your father.¡± When I stood in front of the villa, I began to discuss the main topic. ¡°I brought Lady Vanora from the Celcius family. Prepare the tea. I¡¯m thinking of having a political discussion with the two of us.¡± I said that it would be difficult if other people heard about it, so Aloken prepared a seat for me. In that way, I could enter the villa in no time, and the interior of the building I encountered upon entering was even more surprising. ¡®Are they all real jewels?¡¯ Since their mansion is located in the northern land where it snows, I thought the villa used for recuperation would be somewhat insufficient, but it seems I have been mistaken. It was dazzling luxury from the end to end of the hallway for a mere place to recuperate Duke Jalier. Even the beautifully coated jewels were used between the mirrors when I looked closely. A thief might be able to play and eat for the rest of their life by stealing that mirror. ¡®If you try to steal it, you will die on the spot. Seriously, what kind of place is this?¡¯ Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The dazzling works of art made me rather alert. The young man who sits calmly in front of me is no better than a black panther. He was the son of Duke Jalier, who was called a powerful man just below the royal family. I didn¡¯t even want to imagine him becoming my enemy. Chapter 20 ¡°So, are you saying that the Duke will be saved if I get the ingredients listed here?¡± ¡°Yes, the most important ingredient is tea mint oil.¡± ¡°The combination is simpler than I thought.¡± ¡°Duke Jalier is not going to be completely healthy because his disease is already in a serious state, but his coughing will stop.¡± Aloken Jalier¡¯s purpose is to restore his father and have his father¡¯s will amended under the observation of a lawyer. The symptoms of the illness Duke Jalier suffered were like this: weight loss and hemoptysis. In severe cases, brown and white spots appeared on their skin. The disease gets worse the more you eat the fruit that is enjoyed by nobles, popira. You could see that his disease is the same as the disease Ronwe suffered from. ¡®As expected, Duke Jalier also suffered Gustav disease.¡¯ So what¡¯s the cure for it? ¡®I don¡¯t know if the death of Duke Jallier was the trigger, but did the treatment of Gustav disease suddenly start to be discussed after that happened?¡¯ An antidote based on the herbal tea mint was the key. The pharmacist who uncovered the secret of Gustav¡¯s disease spread that information through various documents to inform his discovery. I, who returned to the past, could know its treatment of course from there. ¡°Lady Celcius, what is the cause of the Duke¡¯s illness?¡± ¡°The cause?¡± ¡°What is the name of the disease?¡± ¡°My promise is to extend the Duke¡¯s life span, not to give an explanation.¡± Clink. I lifted the cup of tea that was already chilled on the table to moisten my throat. ¡°How can you, as the astrologist, not know what kind of illness is that when the patient you treated is your future fiance¡¯s father?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you tell me now? I am not as gentle as I look, and I have less patience.¡± In that brief silence, Aloken¡¯s face hardened. I replied helplessly to his cold stare as if there was nothing I could do about it. ¡°My source of information is some wanderer.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She is a person who travels from kingdom to kingdom to learn about herbal medicine, and she explained that there was someone who treated a patient with the same symptoms as the Duke. There¡¯s also a note about it too.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t know the details because you only heard it?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s unfortunately like that. But the cause of the illness was real¡­ She called that illness ¡®painful cough.¡¯¡± I began to tell blatant lies as I opened my mouth. They were all excuses that had already been prepared for today. ¡®I have to be careful. Otherwise, they will find out what I did to Ronwe.¡¯ I actually remembered most of the information about Gustav disease. It was because I studied the scholar¡¯s thesis that will be published in the future with interest. But there was nothing to gain by revealing that knowledge here. ¡°Lord have already seen how effective the tea mint oil is. Is the source of information still important?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What I offer in our contract is that I will heal the Duke and help Lord with the succession problem with the time that has already been discussed before.¡± Soon I blinked my eyes with the face that I knew nothing more than that. Aloken only laughed at my actions. ¡°But please keep the things I have told Lord as a secret. It¡¯s not good if there¡¯s a rumor that a noble lady is being close with a wanderer.¡± I never treated Gustav disease by myself, and I used the story I had just heard to join hands with the Duke¡¯s family. It was kind of a gamble. Nevertheless, I succeeded. In fact, as soon as Aloken listened to my advice, Duke Jalier, who had been told that there was no hope for him to recover, began to recover. Aloken had no choice but to acknowledge my boldness. Only then was I certain that I knew about the future. ¡°I bet the Lord didn¡¯t know how desperate I was or what the Duke¡¯s illness was, but I risked my life for that.¡± Aloken then burst into laughter. ¡°I never have intention of marrying an astrologist.¡± I didn¡¯t reply to him and thought about it quietly. ¡®But being labeled as an astrologist is better than a murder, right?¡¯ * * * The schedule after that was simple. When the servants brought the ingredients, Aloken called a pharmacist and made the medicine on the spot. Then he carefully fed the finished medicine to his father, who moaned on the bed. Now, all we have to do is wait for the medicine to do its job, so we leave the bedroom. Our next destination was the backyard. There was a tea table there. ¡°Sit down.¡± There was no tea nor refreshments on the table, so only a chilly breeze blew around. The words that came and went were businesslike, depending on the surrounding atmosphere. ¡°Once it is confirmed that the Duke is awake, I will return to my mansion. I have something else to do, so I have to leave in a hurry.¡± ¡°I put a lot of effort into the ball, but it was a pity. It was the first ball held with my name.¡± After that, we briefly concluded discussions about our future relationship. It was about how many months the contract extension period would be based on when we got engaged. So, when the negotiations were almost settled, I asked him, ¡°Lord doesn¡¯t ask me again why I chose you as my new fianc¨¦?¡± I had perfectly crafted excuses after much effort. But Aloken turned the question over as if it was unworthy of being heard. ¡°The reason is obvious. Because there is a lot to gain if you stick to the powerful family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And did you have any plan to threaten me?¡± At his words, I murmured with a subtle expression on my face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­ a threat.¡± Did I look pitiful when I said that, as I had been proud of myself so far? Seeing that, Aloken smiled and stood up. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If you want something, you have to get it at any cost.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It would have been okay if we had lived as a couple if we had similar behaviors. Then get up, my fake fianc¨¦e.¡± But a few hours later. It was time for an early dinner with a deer that was said to be hunted by Aloken himself. ¡°Lord, the Duke is awake!¡± We rushed to the Duke Jallier¡¯s bedroom when we heard that Duke Jalier had regained consciousness. ¡°Al-Aloken¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°!¡± When we arrived, a middle-aged man was blinking in sweat. Finally, brightness returned to the Duke Jalier¡¯s eyes. ¡°Father¡­!¡± The scene that followed was the tenderness of the son holding his father¡¯s hand tightly and welcoming him. I realized something as I watched the scene from the side. ¡®Huh, he hasn¡¯t used the word ¡®father¡¯ until now.¡¯ Aloken right now is really similar to the Aloken that I know. He is a human being who will not hesitate to act to achieve what he wants. ¡°I¡¯m glad that the Duke is healthy. So should I go back now?¡± It was a waste of time to watch Aloken Jalier¡¯s act. Having made that decision, I politely opened my mouth. Then an unfamiliar voice came from the other side. ¡°Ahem. That child¡­ who is she?¡± The voice came from Duke Jalier, who rose from his bed, asking for my identity. He looked at me with a frown on his brow as if he wasn¡¯t in good condition yet. ¡°This is the lady from the Count family, whom I mentioned when you woke up the other day. The Celcius family, father.¡± ¡°Aah¡­¡± ¡°She is very kind-hearted. When she heard that father had collapsed again, she sank in anxiety, so she had been coming to Sangtepul for about a month. She always prays for your well-being.¡± Aloken laid out lies without batting an eye. The fake sadness in his eyes had gone away over time, but Duke Jalier didn¡¯t seem to notice it because he had been wandering through death for a long time. ¡°Her prayer¡­ seems to have worked. Come here, Celcius. What is your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Vanora.¡± ¡°Vanora¡­ yes. This was the first social season for my son, who was confined in the Northern region¡­ I heard you treated him very well.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And I¡¯m grateful that you¡¯ve come to visit me at my news. Please continue to be good friends with Aloken.¡± I looked at Aloken for a moment. Then Aloken spoke with the face of a good son who respected his father. ¡°Father, I¡¯m sorry but¡­ Lady Celcius is not my friend.¡± I was wondering what he was saying with that face. ¡°I was going to tell you when you¡¯re fully recovered¡­¡± ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Lady Vanora is the person I want to have as my companion, so please correct how you addressed her.¡± Companion? Duke Jalier was puzzled by the words from Aloken¡¯s honey-sweet voice. Even I had a look that was similar with Duke Jalier¡¯s expression. It was Aloken who kept smiling at that situation. * * * ¡°W-What? You mean that you want to marry that child? You didn¡¯t say anything in the meantime¡­¡± ¡°I will explain it to you one by one, father.¡± Creek, thud. I opened the door and left the room behind, which was noisy with the topic Aloken brought up. After eavesdropping on the conversation between father and son over the door for a while, I saw a young man with black hair coming out and stopping acting. ¡°Let¡¯s find a suitable place to talk.¡± This was the first sentence Aloken said when he found me outside the door. ¡°You did a good job today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It exceeded my expectations. I didn¡¯t expect that man to jump up.¡± Aloken once again changed the way he addressed his father since it was only the two of us left. ¡®That man and Duke are words with a sense that he¡¯s not close with his family.¡¯ Even this trivial choice of words showed that he didn¡¯t really like his father. But I didn¡¯t have to dig about it. ¡®That¡¯s right. I called my father like that too, over and over, but I didn¡¯t even get an answer from him.¡¯ More than that, it was important that we achieved the terms of the deal we offered for the contract. ¡°Congratulations on doing your job well. I will pretend to be your fianc¨¦ for a moment as you wish. It¡¯s not difficult to persuade the Duke, so there won¡¯t be any setbacks.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you want, would you like me to send a messenger to your family and start the engagement process right away?¡± ¡°Pardon? No, it¡¯s not necessary.¡± Whether he was so happy to hear that his father had become healthy, Aloken tried to fulfill the terms of the deal quickly. Thanks to this, I was promised an engagement ceremony before summer ended this year. ¡®I¡¯m glad things went well.¡¯ So now I¡¯m done with treatment matters. I got in the carriage and prepared to return to my mansion. ¡®As expected, the devil who gave me a second chance is taking good care of me.¡¯ However, Aloken unexpectedly followed me to see me off. I glanced at him in front of the carriage and said, ¡°Can Lord discuss the engagement procedure directly to the Count without me? Wouldn¡¯t it be faster like that?¡± Aloken¡¯s amber eyes were squinted to hear the sentences that seemed stiff. Then he made his distinctive smile. ¡°Even though it¡¯s a show-off event¡­ how about your choice of dress or location?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all up to the Lord. You don¡¯t have to ask me. After all, it¡¯s troublesome even for the Lord too, right?¡± I lowered my voice as the coachman approached from afar. On the other hand, Aloken said without changing the expression on his face. ¡°Lord¡­ If you still call me with that title while you said we fell in love at first sight and promised to get married, a person named Naverius would find it strange.¡± ¡°Then what should I call Lord in front of others?¡± I thought that his words were undoubtedly true. So, I kept thinking about how to address him for a while, but after hearing the answer that followed, the problem was clearly solved. ¡°Call me Aloken. Without any additions.¡± He said with a perfect smile. I had brief thoughts as I watched him treat me with respect. ¡®Honestly, I can¡¯t trust him. His greed for the title is so big that he may have really killed his brother in the future.¡¯ Aloken was certainly an attractive fianc¨¦, but he was not trustworthy. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only But what¡¯s wrong with not believing Aloken? Although fake, I was promised a social status as a prospective duchess. I, who had been deprived of everything, gradually began to increase the things in my hands. Chapter 21 And then a few hours later. After spending almost an entire day there, I arrived at the mansion again. There¡¯s no way my family would welcome me to come back. By chance, I met my half-brother, who had returned home at the same time at the front door. He frowned as soon as he saw my appearance from the carriage. There was a sign of boredom in his expression. ¡°Where did you go without saying a word? And where did that black carriage come from? You¡¯re not even married¡­ Are you trying to tarnish our family¡¯s prestige?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is your head empty?¡± I thought quietly as I saw my younger brother pouring out insulting words that did not suit where we were. If it had been the 15-year-old me, I would have started weeping at his rebuke. ¡®Why is he asking me to kill him today?¡¯ But it¡¯s not the time yet. I calmed down one side of my chest. Looking at our situation now, our return time was similar, and my brother usually stayed up all night in other people¡¯s estates on the pretext that it was his close friend¡¯s birthday. ¡®So it¡¯s okay if you are the one who was doing that while saying my head is blank from doing the same thing?¡¯ In the past, I even tried to understand my little brother. I thought that if I became a kind older sister, he would one day recognize my sincerity. But that day never came in my life. ¡°Sorry.¡± Nevertheless, I made a calm expression and began to apologize. It was because I didn¡¯t want him to be on guard if my attitude suddenly changed. As always, I shut my mouth and bowed my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that the little Duke would suddenly call for me¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Aloken. I returned from his villa.¡± But then. Not knowing who I was with, my younger brother, Purson, was bewildered. ¡°Aloken? Little Duke of the Northern? Why are you with him¡­¡± ¡°Ah, because I¡¯m getting engaged with him. Aloken said he would arrange the engagement within this week. Then I will be on my way.¡± ¡°What? Uh¡­ Engagement!?¡± When he was speechless at the sudden news, I ran away quickly from there. ¡°Engagement?¡± I was originally the older sister who kept standing still in the place and didn¡¯t say goodbye when someone finished talking to me. When I entered the mansion first, my brother was even more puzzled. ¡°!¡± As I entered the mansion hallway, I met a familiar face. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Bael was walking from the other side. Presumably, he came out because he was worried about his son¡¯s return at this late hour. It was an action I had never received before. ¡°Father.¡± I bowed to greet him, ignoring the tangle of my own hair. But when I lifted my head again, Bael had already moved. At times like this, I really felt like I had become a ghost. In particular, the ghost of a crying woman. * * * A few days later. As promised, the Jalier family made a formal engagement request to the Celcius family. Even though I didn¡¯t intend to spread the news about it, it was the news about the little Duke¡¯s engagement, so there was no way it could be kept as a secret. ¡®It seems that Aloken persuaded Duke Jalier well. It must have been difficult for our family and their oldest son to be engaged.¡¯ Strangely enough, I hadn¡¯t even received the engagement contract yet, but the rumors spread around first. ¡®Aha. He might have revealed to his father that we had a fake relationship.¡¯ The preparations for the engagement proceeded at a faster pace than at the time I was engaged with Naverius. Even if his family cried out that they didn¡¯t like me, they didn¡¯t seem to want to miss this opportunity. As I ate breakfast, I thought Aloken might already have our engagement papers stamped. ¡®I¡¯m only a fake fianc¨¦e.¡¯ Now people will flock to me, who will have the power. ¡®In the past, Naverius ruined my social life by spreading rumors for nothing.¡¯ The remaining question is how to approach Vasago¡­ I began to ponder how to deal with the most important person of my revenge targets. ¡®She is the noblest among the nobles. When she goes out, she is always with her escort. There are always eyes attached to her¡­¡¯ Tuk. Tuk. I thought about it as I read the book spread on the table. But after a while, the tapping table sounded in line with the knocking sound from the door. ¡°Lady Vanora, this is Cecil.¡± Raising my head, Cecil asked me if she could come into my room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Having no reason to refuse her, I gave permission for her to enter my room. Then I saw a woman in a black servant¡¯s uniform come in, and she spoke a few words. ¡°It¡¯s about Lady¡¯s birthday banquet coming soon. The Count asked if he could formally announce Lady¡¯s engagement with Lord Aloken Jalier at the banquet.¡± The question I heard was useless. He has always done things in his own way, and now he is asking for my permission? Come to think of it, I heard a similar question when I was engaged to Naverius. ¡°Tell him I said yes.¡± I was not interested in the engagement itself, so I roughly agreed. After all, the engagement was not something that should be glamorous compared to marriage, as only the two parties would come to the church with their seals. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already near my birthday. After my birthday, I must be busy preparing for my debut in the social world.¡¯ I thought again that I couldn¡¯t even pay attention that Cecil had already left my room. I had to reduce the number of my visits gradually. Perhaps this will be my last visit. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help it.¡± Rattle. I ended up skipping breakfast and jumped out of my seat, and rang the handbell. When my maid opened the door at the sound of a clear bell, a lie came out again. ¡°Cecil! I will go out, so prepare to get my hair done. Sir Ronwe, who worked for this family, is in critical condition. I am so worried about him that I can¡¯t even finish my meal!¡± * * * Cecil. It has already been five years since she began serving the Celcius family. She was busy doing her job today with the same appearance of her braided hair and servant¡¯s uniform. ¡°Cecil?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks For her, the Celcius family was a simple workplace, not a subject of respect. She had no intention of becoming a personal maid or friend for the young master like any other servant. They¡¯re not even paying here for that, so what¡¯s the point of responding to the young master she served when asked about her daily work? Cecil considered herself a cold-hearted person. She was confident that she wouldn¡¯t start the so-called dumb relationships like others. ¡°Are you sick, Cecil?¡± ¡°No, Lady. It¡¯s¡­ I wanted to ask you a question if you don¡¯t mind. Will it be all right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But just like the love story between a knight and a princess in the novel. Cecil also came up with a clich¨¦ sentence and thought, ¡®Only this Lady is different from others.¡¯ ¡°Why are you doing this for the butler?¡± ¡°It is said that he came from a knight who had been loyal to the Celcius family since childhood.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Even after retiring from the knighthood, he said he wanted to contribute to our family and worked all the time. How can I turn a blind eye to someone who devoted his life to the Celcius family?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Honestly, my father or mother might think of him as just an ordinary servant. But I will never forget his work.¡± Where¡¯s the vicious young Lady that Seir gossip about? The master Cecil served was always polite. This contrast may be something that bothers Vanora more. ¡°And¡­ Cecil, I only said this to you. I have a lot of thoughts about the unfortunate accidents that have happened these days.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Especially because of Seir¡¯s death.¡± Cecil froze at the mention of Seir. ¡°Seir¡­ What Lady is trying to say?¡± Cecil believed that Vanora was different from the rumors and nasty things that were being said by others. Still, she had no choice but to wonder what happened. According to the words in this mansion, Lady Vanora is a bad person who punished servants freely according to her emotions. However, Lady Vanora that she had been serving wasn¡¯t like that at all. So she wondered about it. ¡®Why did Seir say such a thing? Maybe there is something really bad about Lady Vanora¡¯s personality.¡¯ ¡°The truth is, Seir has always been unfaithful. She had never been kind to me and only pretended to do the servant¡¯s work when she was in the eyes of others.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But in the end, Seir was the only one who stood by my side in this mansion, right? I was grateful to her for that alone. But you don¡¯t know how many times I cried in my room when I heard that she recently lost her life to the old chandelier.¡± Cecil couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the young Lady¡¯s few words. ¡®It was Seir who didn¡¯t be polite? Lady Vanora still thank Seir for being by her side?¡¯ At first, Cecil was suspicious about it. ¡°That¡¯s how I thought after Seir died. Once a person¡¯s life is gone, it never comes back, so if I have to thank someone¡­ Especially for everyone who does dangerous things for me, let¡¯s be good to them while they¡¯re alive.¡± And then. Cecil noticed too late. During the conversation, tears began to fill the corners of Vanora¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to visit Sir Ronwe.¡± In the past, Vanora was an elegant lady because she rarely expressed her emotion. Who could not be moved to see this Lady weeping for the passed away servant? ¡°Lady¡­¡± Cecil¡¯s suspicion was broken with this as a starting point. At the same time, she felt pity for the Lady who grew up neglected in this mansion. It was easy for the wave of confusion to grow once it started to move. Humans are always more attracted to a ¡®poor and good person¡¯ story rather than a ¡®happy and good person.¡¯ * * * 8. Men ¡°Cecil, the sun is strong today. I¡¯m just stopping by Sir Rowne¡¯s house anyway, so you don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± ¡°Pardon? But-¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Please stay in the mansion.¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± Cecil soon went back to the mansion. As Lady Vanora said, it was sunny today, so Cecil couldn¡¯t keep standing outside. She thought she should take a breath while hiding in a quiet kitchen for a while. ¡°Huh? Why are you in the kitchen at this hour? Where¡¯s the Lady?¡± ¡°Mail, put down those dusty sacks. I will tell you after that.¡± ¡°All right, all right. Step back a little so you don¡¯t get your uniform dirty.¡± A few minutes later, the porter spoke to Cecil, who was lost in thought. Since Count Celcius was not a person who would beat the servants for having a chat during the break, the two of them had a comfortable conversation. ¡°Lady Vanora went out.¡± ¡°Really? Lady goes out a lot these days.¡± ¡°Sir Ronwe¡­ Lady Vanora heard that his illness had gotten worse. She¡¯s visiting him because she¡¯s worried about his condition.¡± During the brief conversations, the porter made a puzzled expression. It was because he still believed the rumors about Vanora. ¡°That Lady Vanora? Didn¡¯t they say she has a bad temper? I heard she likes to beat her servant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°By the way, how¡¯s it going for you? I haven¡¯t heard a word about you since you became Lady Vanora¡¯s exclusive maid.¡± Cecil, who had been listening to him quietly, thought about something and opened her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s just that Lady¡­ is kind to me. She still gave me a break like right now.¡± ¡°Kind?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe what Seir said anymore.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s it? But besides Seir¡­ there¡¯s the chef. That person is still saying that he almost got into trouble because Lady Vanora was complaining about the food made by him.¡± ¡°But-¡± Even at this moment, in Cecil¡¯s head, Vanora¡¯s tears for the servant and the few words she had uttered still linger. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°That-¡± Cecil gave a positive evaluation of her master. It was according to the sentiments she recalled. Then the porter looked convinced. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Well, indeed. I haven¡¯t personally experienced being beaten by her, so I guess Lady Vanora might be a good person.¡± Golden words cost nothing but payback a lot. It may have been just a proverb, but this moment was different. A few words from Vanora began to make a definite difference. Chapter 22 8. Men (2) Translated by alyalia ¡®But, why is Cecil suddenly making a fuss about me going to meet Ronwe all of a sudden?! I was flustered and tried to make all sorts of excuses.¡¯ But the reality was a little different. I squeezed out tears as I recalled my own mother in my memory and finally breathed a sigh of relief after using the sunlight excuse to drive out Cecil. ¡®Ronwe¡¯s length of life is too long for nothing. I¡¯m afraid that my plain is going to be caught!¡¯ Shortly after, I arrived at the mansion of Baron Ronwe. I was in such a hurry to get out of the carriage that I forgot about my prepared fruit basket. ¡°Lady! Aren¡¯t you going to bring the basket?¡± ¡°Ah, thank you. Go eat something with this money. I will be right back.¡± ¡°Ah no, Lady doesn¡¯t have to give me this. I¡¯m really okay¡­ hoho.¡± I wanted the image of a good girl who couldn¡¯t kill a single person, so I showed kindness to my family¡¯s coachman and headed to Ronwe¡¯s mansion. However¡­ ¡°Lady Vanora? You¡¯re here again. About Sir Ronwe¡­ Lady will find him in the room you¡¯ve always seen him in.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The attitude of the servant who was supposed to serve Ronwe was strange. Of course, it wasn¡¯t so strange up until now. Ronwe wasn¡¯t noble from the start, but he was a servant of my family. It might be odd that he treated me as an abandoned child of Celcius. But it was not the real problem right now. ¡°Sir Ronwe, it¡¯s me. Today, I bought fresh fruits and a cotton handkerchief that you liked¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± As soon as his family¡¯s knights opened the door, what I saw with my own eye was a miserable appearance. A man was coughing to death in a neglected environment, with a blanket and dusty furniture in a disorganized and dirty state. ¡°¡­¡± I saw Ronwe spitting out red blood from his mouth, and I began to behave the same way as usual. ¡°Oh my God, Sir Ronwe!¡± Are you okay? I approached him with a worried look on my face. ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± Ronwe¡¯s cough never stopped, so I patted him on the back. I looked as grave as if my own parents were sick in this situation. It was a face that no one could doubt that it was an act. ¡®It¡¯s hard to hold back my laughter.¡¯ That¡¯s right. Ronwe was in serious condition. ¡°Cough¡­ cough, cough.¡± After a while, Ronwe¡¯s cough stopped. Although he was drenched in a cold sweat, he didn¡¯t say anything. Aside from that, looking at his shaggy beard or his ragged collar, I could guess something. ¡®Is there no one who takes care of him?¡¯ When I saw his room which wasn¡¯t even cleaned, my suspicion grew stronger. ¡°Sir Ronwe, you¡¯re in pain. Why don¡¯t you call a doctor? Besides, you have a fever!¡± ¡°L-Lady Vanora, don¡¯t touch my hand¡­ What if you get sick?¡± ¡°Sir Ronwe¡¯s disease is not contagious. I¡¯ve been visiting you several times, but I¡¯m still fine.¡± Meanwhile, Ronwe, catching his breath, stopped me from wiping his forehead with a handkerchief and barely started his first words. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Even though the doctor said it wasn¡¯t contagious, everyone refused to come closer when they saw such a dirty look. Huu¡­¡± ¡°It can¡¯t-¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for showing Lady this way. But¡­ due to some circumstances¡­¡± I didn¡¯t care about Ronwe¡¯s dirty appearance and took good care of him from the side. I even wiped the dried blood clump on his bread with a handkerchief. ¡°It¡¯s all right. When a person is sick, they may not be able to control their own body. Don¡¯t mind it. I brought you some healthy fruit today, so would you like to eat it if you haven¡¯t eaten something yet?¡± Who would dare say no to the lady¡¯s angelic behavior? Even though Ronwe was not feeling very well, he was willing to respond to my words. Then I rose up with joy, pulled a nearby table closer, and carefully peeled off the skin of the popira. Afterward, I urged Ronwe to eat this, then got up from my seat and began to tidy up his room. ¡°Sir Butler, the weather outside is very nice today, but it would be a pity if you don¡¯t see it. You may feel better when you get some sun and fresh air.¡± I gently wiped away the irritating dust with the handkerchief I brought, pulled up the stuffy curtains, and opened the window. Ronwe was shocked because a young lady from a noble family was doing what a maid would do. But somehow after a while, Ronwe couldn¡¯t even eat the popira in his hand and just watched my behavior. ¡°Sir Ronwe, how are you feeling now? Huh¡­? You haven¡¯t eaten the popira yet. You don¡¯t have an appetite¡­?¡± After finishing the simple arrangement, I looked at him in surprise for a moment. I soon returned to the table next to the bed. Then, Ronwe¡¯s dry eyes began to get watery. ¡°!¡± Is he crying? It was Ronwe who broke the silence when I hardened in surprise at the sight. ¡°Today¡­ Thank you for coming again, Lady. Lady is the only person who¡¯s been visiting me these days.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I want to say to Lady¡­ The last time the doctor visited, he said he didn¡¯t even know the cause of my disease¡­ At this rate, I may not be able to get through this summer¡­¡± ¡°Really?!¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t even have the energy to get up from my seat. Now I have become such a living corpse. They¡¯re right. She is in love with my inheritance! That, that, that my wife!¡± BANG. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Ronwe, angry at something, squeezed the rest of his strength and slammed the table. But it was a weak gesture for a former knight. ¡°Can¡¯t you see where my wife is? As I was nearing death, she threw away her old husband as a nuisance. How, how can this be? How long have I been trying to feed her all this time¡­ Uuurgh!¡± ¡°Calm down. You¡¯re going to fall down right now!¡± If everything he said was true, his situation was quite pitiful. ¡®No matter what he said, he lived in a high-class society as the head of the Baron¡¯s family, so he can¡¯t easily reveal his family¡¯s matters¡­ He must have been quite frustrated with his illness.¡¯ However, for me, his whole situation was out of my concern. ¡®This is what the last days of your life are like.¡¯ Rather, it felt cool. It was to the extent that his pitiful appearance didn¡¯t leave my head. I comforted Ronwe with a pitiful smile while ridiculing him inside. * * * ¡°¡­¡± The butler corrected the disorganized monocle with the help of such a kind lady¡¯s attitude and made eye contact with her. He thought it would be no exaggeration to say that he had dedicated his life to the Celcius family. From a very young age, he worked in the mansion of Celcius to become a knight of the Lord, and when he gained his strength, and he was able to wield a sword, he fought for Celcius. Even after retiring, he worked diligently in the Celcius family. What was the result of devoting his life to serving that family? Bael Celcius didn¡¯t regard Ronwe¡¯s service as a butler as loyal but rather acted as if he should be grateful for giving a job to a retired knight. In addition, Hanar Celcius, the new mistress of the mansion, cared for him with sincerity. Still, when she heard that he was ill, she didn¡¯t tell him to rest but rather urged him to retire. The nobles took his service for granted, as did other high-class nobles. ¡°Lady Vanora¡­¡± But when he¡¯s on the brink of his life, it is only that girl who gives him a warm favor. Ronwe¡¯s tears flowed down his cheeks again. Surprised at sight, Vanora told him to stop crying, but he couldn¡¯t hear it at all. ¡®If I had known this would happen, I would have taken care of this child who was being treated so badly in the mansion. What on earth was I afraid of and tolerated isolating her? If I had reached out to her¡­ If only I had¡­¡¯ It¡¯s been 54 years. Ronwe felt like he had wasted 54 years now, engulfed in indescribable disappointment and sadness. ¡°I have done nothing for Lady. Nothing¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But how can you still treat me warmly? My actions in the past were deplorable. This moment is really touching my heart¡­¡± Ronwe knows that exposing their emotions in front of others is ugly behavior from the point of view of nobles. Still, maybe it¡¯s because of his weak body. Or perhaps it¡¯s because of the gratitude and sorry for the Vanora that comes from inside. Ronwe didn¡¯t stop and wept quietly. ¡°Don¡¯t say that you haven¡¯t done anything for me. You have always worked so hard to keep the Celcius family at peace.¡± If the saintess that was being told from the church was reincarnated, would she look like this lady? Vanora denied Ronwe¡¯s words and spoke more kind words. But for some reason, she had no smile on her face. It seemed that his suffering was heartbreaking. Crunch. Popira is delicious because it has a unique texture in its flesh. It was also popular because it was chewy and had a sticky sweetness between the grains. ¡°Cough, cough. I have wasted my life.¡± Vanora answered Ronwe¡¯s words half a beat late while he was eating a piece of popira. ¡°There is no need to be so pessimistic, Sir Ronwe.¡± It was warm advice. At the same time, it was also a kind of hint. The hint that the end of his wasted life is just around the corner. ¡°Aah. I¡¯ve been able to survive these days thanks to Lady Vanora. My wife is completely in control of the house, so the servants don¡¯t listen to me¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°So even if I wanted to eat popira, they never gave it to me because it was expensive. I couldn¡¯t eat it at all. My head feels better after eating these fresh fruits.¡± * * * Now Ronwe has calmed down after shouting about his wife. I kept a docile expression on my face as I had many thoughts in my head. It was an essential skill for a noble. It was something I had never been able to do before my regression. Still, once I embraced the evil, it was easy to deceive others. ¡°Sir Butler, before I came here, the merchant taught me how to choose popira¡­¡± Anyway, when Ronwe stopped talking, I decided to fulfill my purpose for coming here. As usual, I talked about the outside and caught the sight of Ronwe chewing the fruit I had brought with me. It was the purpose of my visit. ¡®He didn¡¯t even know that every bite of that was shortening his lifespan.¡¯ I had a realization that only the moment I avenged him was when he was still alive. Before I decided to take my revenge, I used to fall into depression without knowing how the day went by. But it was only with this act that I finally regained my joy and vitality. ¡°And if I sleep 14 more times, it would be the day of my birthday banquet. I¡¯m nervous because it¡¯s my first time having a banquet for me. Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to celebrate someone¡¯s birthday?¡± However, when I stayed on this topic during the conversation, Ronwe, who was eating his second popira, paused for a moment. ¡°If it¡¯s Lady Vanora¡¯s birthday banquet¡­ It must be soon before Lady enters the social world.¡± ¡°Yes. Next year, like everyone else, I will make my debut.¡± Debutante. It was a problem that I always had in mind, but for now, I put it off because I was busy meeting with Ronwe. The old man, who had been leaning helplessly at the head of the bed, seemed to have something to think about and remained silent for a long time. ¡°Sir Ronwe?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only I raised one eyebrow and wondered at the sudden silence of the man, then his answer came back belatedly. ¡°Lady Vanora, with all due respect, do you have a godmother?¡± Chapter 23 8. Men (3) Translated by alyalia ¡°You mean the godmother?¡± The word ¡®godmother¡¯ here meant something slightly different from the terms used by commoners. Perhaps Ronwe¡¯s words of the godmother refer to a woman who has a lot of influence in the social world. Several people in this world were called the godmother of the social world. Young noble ladies considered it a great honor to be taught by these godmothers before making their social debut. Besides, if the godmother, who is in power, was standing behind the lady after her debut, there was no more reliable ally than this. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could have a godmother.¡± But the problem was, it was usually the mother¡¯s role to connect this godmother with their daughter. And as you know, it was Hanar Celcius, who is now posing as my mother, waiting for a moment to kill me. Ronwe looked at me and brought this up. ¡°There is a Madam I know. I have saved his father from the war, and she has been gracious to me from time to time.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Cough. She lives in a very remote territory. This year, my health has deteriorated, so I haven¡¯t been able to contact her for a while¡­ But she won¡¯t ignore my last request, who is dying.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going to ask her¡­ to join hands in your debut. Do you know Countess Maquil?¡± I was genuinely surprised by Ronwe¡¯s next words. ¡®Maquil¡­ Maquil? I know that name. Her younger brother is a high priest, so anyone is anxious to join hands with her.¡¯ I¡¯ve never actually seen her, but she was definitely a celebrity. I can¡¯t believe this retired knight knew such a person. ¡°I¡¯ve heard her name. Thank you so much for caring for me.¡± ¡°The day of my death is near anyway, so I really want to help the Lady who comes to visit me. I¡­ will do my best¡­ Cough! Cough! Cough!¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect anything from Ronwe. The social world of the nobles is elegant on the outside but cold on the inside. How many people would be willing to grant this request from a dying knight? ¡®There aren¡¯t many people in the world who were stupid like me.¡¯ I let this conversation flow, pretending to be a good girl for Ronwe. And when he finished eating all the popiras I brought, I got up from my seat. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to force you to come when I told you about my birthday banquet. I won¡¯t be able to see you often for a while because of the preparations for my birthday banquet. It¡¯s to let you know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. Cough, Lady would pray for my health from afar, right? I can feel the warmth even if we don¡¯t see each other.¡± I bowed to greet Ronwe, who was lying on the bed. ¡°Of course, I always pray for you.¡± I pray that you return to God¡¯s arms soon. But I only say the following words in my mind. * * * ¡°Welcome back, Lady.¡± ¡°Hmm? Cecil, were you waiting for me?¡± ¡°I will help you to change.¡± ¡°Just untie the string.¡± I returned home before the sun went down. It¡¯s cumbersome to go and come back from the Butler¡¯s house, but today, I harvested as much effort as I had put in. ¡®He¡¯s going to die soon after confirming with my own eyes that his eyelids already went numb and blood was coming out of his cough.¡¯ Ronwe¡¯s lifespan is really short now. It was even more fortunate that Ronwe was an unfortunate human being abandoned by his family at the end of his life. I couldn¡¯t believe that it was so much fun to see the person who had tormented me suffer. ¡®As he said, if he had helped me even once, I would have saved his life. But in the end, he didn¡¯t do that even once¡­¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to forgive my enemies who belatedly started regrets. The past me who stood on the cliff, felt ill and sick from their faces, is already dead, so I wondered what the use of all of their apologies would be for now. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I can change the rest, so get out.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± I¡¯m in a good mood today, so can I fall asleep? As expected, I fell into a deep sleep that night without suffering from insomnia. And in the morning, I thought, ¡®That midnight was the day when I saw the novel.¡¯ Although I missed ¡®Dangerous Love,¡¯ I slept well and felt light as if my body was about to fly away. * * * A few days later. My birthday banquet is just around the corner. The nobles made a fuss when it was rumored that my engagement would be announced at that banquet. ¡°Really? That¡¯s what he said?¡± ¡°At the ball, a woman tried to introduce her daughter to him, and he cut it off right away. He said that he¡¯s already fallen in love with someone at first sight, and he even proposed to her.¡± ¡°Oh my, is that really Lord Aloken?¡± Aloken, who was supposed to be the best groom of this social season, has a fianc¨¦e! Moreover, the lucky person was Vanora Celcius, who had no presence like a ghost, so it felt even more dramatic. Thanks to this, all the gossipers were talking about our engagement. But I don¡¯t know if he is aware of this social situation. I stretched out my body on the bed and raised my head at my maid¡¯s words. ¡°Who is looking for me?¡± Before my regression, I had never brought any friends to my mansion. But again, I heard the news that a guest had waited for me. ¡®Who the hell is it? There¡¯s no one who wants to see me.¡¯ I looked at the silver tray Cecil was holding without thinking. Then I saw a familiar brooch on the tray. A brooch with a seal depicting a crane with its head bowed down. It was none other than the seal of Viscount Demangdwi. ¡°Naverius¡­¡± Naverius Demangdwi. That man came all the way here. ¡°He is waiting outside to meet Lady. What should I do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was obvious what reason he had come to the Celsius House. ¡®Did our wedding promise suddenly break?¡¯ Other than that, there was nothing to point out. But at the same time, it was a visit that I didn¡¯t want to understand. ¡®I thought he would think of it as a gift because he could meet someone else by now.¡¯ Once upon a time, Naverius, who became an adult, had said this, Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I had regrets from the moment I started to marry you¡­ that¡¯s why.¡± I didn¡¯t want to see him unless revenge was the reason. Therefore, I didn¡¯t answer Cecil. Then Cecil bowed and left the room. Now Cecil will tell Naverius that I am sick and unable to meet him. That¡¯s what it meant when the servant¡¯s master didn¡¯t say anything if there was a notice of a guest¡¯s visit. ¡°¡­¡± I sat in a quiet room and bit my fingernails. By the time my index finger was messed up, a lot of time had passed. But something was strange. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she coming back?¡± At this point, Cecil, who understood my intention to refuse Naverius, should have returned. But no matter how long I waited, no matter how many times I rang the bell, Cecil didn¡¯t show up. ¡°¡­¡± I felt something was wrong. Soon I went down the stairs with my indoor clothes and moved towards the main door. When I arrived at the main door of the mansion, I heard a loud noise as I had been worried. ¡°I only need to meet her for a moment, so call her right away!¡± As I opened the door wide, I saw Cecil with her head down and a blonde man shouting with veins standing up around his neck. I jumped out in front of them. ¡°Naverius!¡± ¡°!¡± It was fortunate that my body acted first, as I almost spit swear words out of my mouth. ¡®You don¡¯t know how I got this good servant!¡¯ If Naverius¡¯s anger was left unattended, rumors would spread that ¡®Cecil suffered mistreatment because she was Lady Vanora¡¯s maid.¡¯ Standing in front of him, I said without even getting my breath together. ¡°Haa¡­ Cecil. Cecil, stay inside.¡± ¡°Look, she¡¯s fine. She can¡¯t meet me because she¡¯s sick? It doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± ¡°Lady.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Hurry up.¡± I pushed Cecil back into the mansion so that no unnecessary complaints could arise. After that, I spoke gently to the man who was glaring at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late to see you. I¡­ cough, I had a fever this morning, so I was lying down until just now, so I didn¡¯t get a call right away that you were coming. If you had made an appointment in advance, I would have been prepared¡­¡± ¡°¡­are you really sick?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± My appearance resembled a banshee, so I looked like a plausible sick person with a slight wrinkle on my face. Naverius, who was lookup up and down at me when he heard I was sick, said, ¡°Anyway, why did you run all the way here? Why would the little Duke of Jalier suddenly propose to you?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told people around me that I¡¯m going to marry you¡­ What do I become if you do this?¡± I listened calmly to his words one after another. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been in contact with the little Duke¡­ ho, this is an affair.¡± Meanwhile, Naverius insisted this was an affair. It would be refreshing to tell him to get out of here right away, but I didn¡¯t do that. ¡®In my old days, I seriously thought about who I should choose between Haures or Naverius as my companion.¡¯ I will take revenge on Naverius. It was something that would happen someday for sure. So I shouldn¡¯t release my intent to kill this man, or else I would be found guilty. That made me choose what to say, and I managed to bring out the first word in a trembling voice. ¡°Naverius, I think there is some misunderstanding between us.¡± ¡°What? Misunderstanding?¡± ¡°First of all, we didn¡¯t break up. As I said before, we¡¯re not yet married. We have no relationship in the name of God. But why did you say I have an affair?¡± ¡°That means in the meantime you-!¡± ¡°Did I ever say I love you?¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Naverius, the reason that made me your foe was not because of love but friendship. I haven¡¯t complained about the marriage plan because my parents want it.¡± Hearing this, Naverius widened his eyes. The Vanora he knew had a timid personality and had no friends, so she used to stick close to him when they went to a party. However, he felt betrayed when the girl who had been following him suddenly spoke in a cold tone. I didn¡¯t stop and brought up the following words. ¡°It was comfortable when I was around you, but my heart never trembled. Then I finally found true love.¡± ¡°¡­¡± True love? As I said so, shaking my eyelashes shyly, Naverius was silent with a stunned face. ¡°My mother once told me, just looking at your true love is enough to make you feel good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Until now, I didn¡¯t believe the story, but I only found out about it when I met Aloken not long ago.¡± ¡°What¡­ did you know¡­¡± ¡°That he¡¯s my match made in heaven. And what¡¯s even more surprising is that Sir Aloken also saw me¡­ like that¡­¡± I hesitated for a moment, covering my cheeks, then held my hands together and smiled. ¡°I heard he fell in love with me at first sight.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Like lovers in a book, we recognized each other¡¯s soul mates. Besides, I can¡¯t believe his personality that suits me so well. In an instant, we quickly developed into a deep love and promised to get married.¡± But then. As soon as I finished speaking, Naverius grabbed my shoulders with both hands. I frowned at his sudden action. Naverius spoke with a serious face, regardless of my reaction. ¡°That¡¯s definitely a lie from the little Duke. You¡¯re being fooled.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That man will soon inherit the title, so there¡¯s no way he can fall for you, a young lady from a Count family, right? I¡¯m sure there must be something else¡­¡± Then I remembered the first time I met Naverius. There was a moment when such a person confessed that I was the most beautiful person in the world, and he loved me no matter what my status was. I wish I had known in advance that those sweet words were simply an act. ¡°It¡¯s okay if he fooled me. Still, I love him.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°!¡± Tak. I spoke quietly, striking his hands on my shoulder. Naverius tried to protest against my action, but he couldn¡¯t. It was because my expression, which raised my head, was so cold that he had never seen me like this before. Chapter 24 9. To The Female Protagonist (1) Translated by alyalia ¡°Vanora.¡± Naverius called my name in a trembling voice. I always looked at him with my innocent eyes and smiled repeatedly. ¡°Naverius, I¡¯m so sorry. Of course, I know you¡¯re a good person.¡± ¡°Yes. As expected, you like me, right?¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you hate me, Naverius?¡± I was no longer the Vanora used to be. My eyes no longer saw Naverius as my savior. I had a disappointed look on my face as if all expectations had been shattered. ¡°W-Why would I hate you? No one in this world thinks of you as much as I do¡­¡± However, he shut his mouth at the words from me that followed. ¡°Since you found out that I like insects, you always said it was a disgusting hobby. And I¡¯ve heard your friend pick up what you had been talking about. You told your friends that I am a dull and ugly woman. You also said that you will reap the rewards if I follow you for good.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I wasn¡¯t surprised to hear that. Because I secretly felt that you were starting to get tired of me.¡± Everything I said was true. Naverius was bewildered by this and tried to argue something. But I was faster at bringing up the next words. ¡°I like someone who loves even my shortcomings.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I will give you freedom. Now our plan to marry is over. In the future, we will never get involved again.¡± As Panora struck a wedge with her pitiful face, the atmosphere quickly subsided. Naverius had never heard a cold word from Vanora. Maybe that¡¯s why the one side of his head felt like it had been poured with cold water, so he couldn¡¯t even get angry. ¡®I wish I had said this much.¡¯ I felt tired of keeping a straight face. So I put an end to this conversation. This is because I had to maintain some friendship with him for my revenge in the future. ¡°But as we talked, I got it. Naverius, you came here because you were really worried that I was being deceived by Aloken, right?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°As I said before, you have a good personality.¡± I bent my eyes and began to smile calmly. Unlike the timid and awkward smile of the original me, it showed tenderness. I already made harsh remarks, but now I changed my words to a soothing words, just like whipping a horse and giving carrots alternately. ¡°You must be tired of me because I¡¯m not good enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So that¡¯s fine. You will find a better match for you as you become free.¡± At those words, Naverius only looked at my innocent face and shook his head after a long time. He had nothing more to say to me. Because every time he tried to make excuses, he remembered a scene of himself undermining Vanora in order to pretend to be strong in front of his friends. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± I coughed a dry cough a few times to keep the scenario that I was ill. ¡°Then go back. The sun is hot today.¡± In other words, it was a euphemism for ¡®get lost.¡¯ However, Naverius stood in a place and only licked his lips. To this, I said calmly, ¡°If we meet at a party someday, let¡¯s say hello again. Just because our arranged marriage was broken doesn¡¯t mean our friendship is broken too.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± ¡°Butler! Here, the young master of the Demangdwi family is going home, so take him to the carriage.¡± I called out the far-sighted servant in a butler¡¯s uniform with a loud voice. Then, I went inside the mansion under the pretext of being sick. As a result, Naverius was under pressure and had no choice but to return to the carriage he had been riding. * * * ¡°Did it go well?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sitting in the carriage with a blank look, Naverius was asked by the escort knight accompanying him on this outing. But how can he answer this? ¡®She didn¡¯t like me?¡¯ Naverius was a man with a deep narcissism. So he couldn¡¯t possibly say that he was not chosen by the ghostly woman hiding in the mansion because of a man who was as good-looking as himself and not lacking anything. ¡°That¡¯s it. They say Aloken is so oppressive that it can¡¯t be helped. As expected, calling him a northern bastard is suited well. So what if he¡¯s the Duke? He only stole someone else¡¯s woman.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± After some time, the carriage of the Demangdwi family departed. At first, Naverius had said that as a bluff, but the more he thought about it, the more he noticed something. ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ He was sure that Vanora was within reach of his hand not too long ago. It wasn¡¯t long before that boring woman became his wife. But everything changed completely in one day. Naverius stomped his foot on the floor of the carriage for nothing. He felt annoyed. Still, his wrath was directed at the Aloken, who stole her, who was supposed to get married with him. ¡°Abominable bastard.¡± He gritted his teeth in thought. ¡®That¡¯s right. After all, Aloken Jalier must have a plan.¡¯ The little Duke couldn¡¯t really fall for such a lowly woman. In the social world, Aloken bragged that he had fallen in love with Vanora at first sight and proposed to her, but Naverius believed that was not the case. ¡®The future is so obvious.¡¯ Obviously, Vanora will be unhappy. In Naverius¡¯s mind, the image of Vanora regretting being taken advantage of by Aloken was portrayed. * * * ¡°Ouch! I shouldn¡¯t have sewed when it was dark.¡± Time passes, 11:50 p.m. After trying to appease Naverius, I lost my energy and only read books, so it was already this time. I decided to stay up until midnight and practice embroidery. The other noble ladies were educated in various arts under their mother since birth, but I was neglected, so there were many shortcomings. ¡°It hurts.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t that I never had an etiquette education. However, my memories with Hanar were always full of fear and hate because Hanar was so strict and didn¡¯t give me a single compliment to me. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Before regressing, I hated the time to study manner, which was only full of moments of me being scolded by her. It was even more heartbreaking to see my younger brother being hugged even if he made a mistake next to me. That¡¯s why I disliked things related to manners, so naturally, there were many parts that I was inferior to others. ¡°Uh¡­¡± However, I couldn¡¯t neglect my studies just because I didn¡¯t like them or because I was scolded. The essential education for young ladies were embroidery, art, and music. After all, that person is also a noble lady. It was difficult to even say a word to Vasago. ¡°The needle hole is too small.¡± I was studying embroidery alone like that, and finally, a clear sound rang out. Daeng. Daeng. Daeng. As the large grandfather clock in the hallway signaled midnight, I saw magical letters that shone brightly in front of me. This was the start of another week again. ¡°!¡± * * * 9. To the female protagonis ¡¸#1 Countess Creed¡¯s Salon On the last day of spring, a fateful encounter came to Vasago. Aloken, son of the Duke Louis Jalier, appeared there.¡¹ ¡®But why is the script like this?¡¯ ¡¸#1 Countess Creed¡¯s Salon On the last day of spring, a fateful encounter came to Vasago. Aloken, son of the Duke Louis Jalier, appeared there. Vasago sees him approaching her, and she thinks that the heir of the aristocratic faction leader is boldly trying to spy on her. Aloken: This is the first time we have met in person. How have you been? Vasago: The fireplace here must be very hot for you who came from the north, so I don¡¯t know if you can stay here. Aloken: It sounds like you¡¯re telling me to get out of here. Vasago: Because you don¡¯t fit the purpose of this salon. Aloken: Wasn¡¯t this a place to discuss each other¡¯s philosophies about art? I am also interested in art and poetry, Lady Guelder. Vasago made frowns on her face¡¹ ¡°The last day of spring? Vasago and Aloken are meeting at the salon today?¡± It was certainly not strange to look at the two families. The Guelder family, to which Vasago belonged, was simply a Duke family with the power equal to royalty. On top of that, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Aloken also engulfed all the northern territories of this kingdom, so it wasn¡¯t weird to see both of them hanging around. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that the Aloken family belonged to the aristocratic faction.¡± Seeing that Vasago was hostile like that, does the Guelder family belong to another political faction? I didn¡¯t know much about this information because I was out of society. ¡®Come to think of it, when the novel first started, there was Aloken name in the list of the characters.¡¯ I thought about it as I wrote the text that appeared in front of me today in my diary. ¡®If Vasago and Aloken become friends, maybe I will be introduced to Vasago, and I can approach Vasago?¡¯ Thinking about that, this information was like gold that came from the novel that I had been swearing for a while. ¡®From this novel, I can learn a lot about her as much as I deal with Vasago as the protagonist. I even learn from her favorite lemon juice to her preferred drawing style.¡¯ I even thought of seizing the seat of Vasago¡¯s friend in the future. There¡¯s no way I can take revenge normally on Vasago, who was surrounded by escort knights. But even if she was a princess, she wouldn¡¯t be with her escort knights every time she had tea time with her best friend. ¡®That¡¯s right. Poison. I like that. I¡¯m going to poison Vasago.¡¯ If I lay low calmly and wait for the right time, the opportunity is bound to come. ¡®I used Aloken only for the engagement relationship and tried to keep our distance, but it would be a different story if what happened in the novel was right.¡¯ I decided to check whether Vasago and Aloken had encountered each other at the salon, as I read from the novel today. It would be strange if I asked if he had met Vasago right away, so it would be good to bring up the topic at the engagement ceremony. * * * ¡­There was a time when I thought that. ¡°Cecil¡­ Can you repeat what you said once more?¡± Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. At the next morning. I rose from my seat to the unpleasant chirping of birds at high notes. And the news Cecil brought was before I even ate my meal. ¡®Why can¡¯t the midnight magic predict this future?¡¯ ¡°Lord Aloken Jalier is not at the main door. He asked me to call Lady.¡± ¡®I mean, at least tell me something before you come¡­¡¯ Cecil showed up in a cold sweat in the morning while holding out a silver tray. A gold brooch was placed neatly on a tray. Aloken sent an item with the Duke¡¯s seal to announce his visit. ¡°Why is he here?¡± Why would a man who was busy with the matter of his father¡¯s new will come by? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be busy calling lawyers by now and manipulating them to get the successor¡¯s position? ¡®Is there a problem in the process? Or does he need my help?¡¯ I pondered briefly. However, Cecil¡¯s arm, holding the silver tray, was about to fall off. So I eventually snatched the brooch from it and put a simple shawl over my clothes. ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs to meet him, so you better prepare something in the dining room.¡± ¡°Wh-What about the Count?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He would have looked for my father, not me if it was something important. Don¡¯t bother reporting such trivial things.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± I then ran halfway to the main door. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Ah, Lady Vanora! Right now, the young master of the Duke is at the front of the main door¡­¡± ¡°I know. Open the door.¡± With the help of the mansion knights, I saw something pretty familiar when the huge door was open. Chapter 25 9. To The Female Protagonist (2) Translated by alyalia ¡°Lord Aloken.¡± Short hair resembling black silk with eyes that curve softly like a fox. A man stood neatly in front of the black carriage. The dark suit he was wearing was no different than usual. If I had to pick one thing that made this scenery different from the last time, it would be that the man has a cane in his hand. ¡°I wondered if I would have to wait a long time under the scorching sun again, but you showed up early, Lady Vanora.¡± Aloken stepped on the ground, holding a cane made of silk that looked expensive at first glance in his right hand. His spare hand lifted up and pointed at Vanora. ¡°Looking at your face, I guess you want to know why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His guess was correct. To be honest, I wanted to ask why he had come suddenly without prior notice, but Aloken started talking about it. ¡°I heard belatedly that my fianc¨¦e¡¯s birthday is just around the corner.¡± ¡°Birthday?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it will be your birthday? In the next few days.¡± For a moment, I didn¡¯t understand why he brought up the topic of birthdays. And then¡­ ¡°I know you don¡¯t have any plans today. So, let me accompany you to the dressing shop.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Did you not understand? I¡¯m here to help you fit into a dress.¡± I didn¡¯t even correct my disheveled shawl as I was startled by his words, so Aloken added a few words. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to wear jewelry, but you have to measure your dress, right?¡± ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t get it right now¡­ Are you talking about fitting a dress for our engagement ceremony? Or¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s about a dress for your birthday banquet. We will also make a wedding dress according to your measurements today.¡± I was almost swept away by Aloken¡¯s words. If you think about it, this was strange. That he personally will take care of my birthday, an event that has nothing to do with our engagement. Judging from his duality in treating the Duke, Aloken Jalier was a human being who wouldn¡¯t move unless it was to gain an advantage for himself. ¡°You won¡¯t get anything from doing something like this.¡± I warned him to stop if he hoped to gain something from doing this. But Aloken whispered softly without changing his expression. ¡°Vanora, you said you would break up with your ex-fianc¨¦ with this deal, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you would know that it would be a problem if people found out that our engagement was a fake with a set deadline, right? There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t know about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m keeping the terms of the deal for you. To avoid suspicion, at least pretend to be my fianc¨¦e.¡± Is he a man who kept his word more than I thought? It was a grateful consideration to imitate the behavior that only lovers would do to keep the secret of this fake engagement. ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, I understand. Then, if we show the public that we can interact once a month¡­¡± ¡°Celcius.¡± TAK. However, my answer was not satisfactory, so he hit his cane hard on the ground. As my gaze turned to the sound source, the man began to talk again. ¡°Tell me who I am.¡± I don¡¯t know what he means right now, but I do what he told me to do for now. ¡°Aloken¡­ Jalier.¡± ¡°In more detail.¡± ¡°Uh? More details?¡± I rolled my eyes for a moment, then tried to hide my anxiousness and continued the explanation. ¡°That¡­ You¡¯re Aloken, the heir to the Duke of Jalier.¡± ¡°Is that the only thing that comes to your mind? What are my characteristics?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re rich, powerful¡­¡± After hearing this, he was still displeased. The confidence gradually disappeared from my voice. In the end, I decided to bring up everything I could think of. ¡°And¡­ handsome?¡± Isn¡¯t this the answer? I tilted my head, not sure of what I said. Aloken let out a flat laugh when I talked about his appearance. ¡°Ho, what did you say?¡± But his expression finally began to unravel. Aloken took a step back and placed both of his hands on top of his cane. Now he looked relaxed. ¡°I don¡¯t think you know, so let me ask you one thing. We obviously will break all our relationships as soon as the contract ends. And you told me that I can announce why we¡¯re breaking up, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You can tell them that you can¡¯t stand my personality.¡± ¡°But even if I made such a rumor at the time of our breakup, what would people think if I was the one who turned a blind eye to my fianc¨¦e¡¯s birthday during our engagement period?¡± Aloken picked up the cane that was on the ground and turned it half a turn. ¡°As you said, I¡¯m the next Duke of the Jalier family. Even after breaking up with you, I have to marry a new person that I have in mind, so it¡¯s hard for me to lose my reputation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So I will be accompanying you to your birthday, New Year¡¯s Eve celebrations, the royal celebrations, and even the Celcius family tea party. I¡¯m not going to neglect any event that you will attend.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised? You know that the reputation of an ideal fianc¨¦ is not built in a day or two, right?¡± Aloken tilted his head to the side to examine my complexion, then slowly stretched out his hand forward. It was a gesture to escort me. ¡°If you want to keep this deal going, you better keep up with the play.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°There are some parties where their fianc¨¦e must accompany them, so if I send an invitation, make sure to come quickly. I¡¯m doing my duty here too, so you won¡¯t betray me, right?¡± ¡®It¡¯s getting annoying.¡¯ Things have really become a nuisance. ¡®He shouldn¡¯t take this fake engagement seriously!¡¯ I should have known that the relationship between humans is not the same as trades between merchants, where there is only supply and demand¡­ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Ah, is that person running over here the butler of the Celcius family?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a newly promoted butler.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell him that we¡¯re going to buy a dress for you.¡± Rattle. I was forced to enter the black carriage after Aloken threatened to break our contract. However, even when the high-quality cushion was touching my butt, I felt uncomfortable, as if I was on a torture chair. ¡®Why didn¡¯t this person go to see Vasago today¡­¡¯ How could the prediction be wrong? I clearly thought Aloken would leave me alone if he had already achieved our contract deals. But I can¡¯t keep rejecting him. His justification for his reputation is not so wrong. ¡®Well, it would have been weird if I didn¡¯t accompany him on a day like New Year¡¯s Eve, so it¡¯s already bound for him to ask me to be his partner someday.¡¯ We had a contractual relationship, so if something happened, we had to be sure to look like a couple. After completing the calculations, I waited for Aloken to return to adjust the contents of our deal. After a while. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go inside?¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to join me? You brought two carriages.¡± ¡°The other one is to carry the things we¡¯re going to buy. Come on! Coachman, let¡¯s go.¡± After talking to the butler, Aloken entered the carriage where I was without hesitation. Even if it was a luxury carriage for nobles, it was cramped when the two young people boarded it. So, how did I, as his fianc¨¦e, feel when I skipped my meals and got into the carriage in this early morning? I expressed my infinite gratitude to him. ¡°You took care of my birthday¡­ I¡¯m so moved to tears.¡± ¡°Your expression doesn¡¯t look happy at all. Are you sure you¡¯re feeling like that?¡± Soon the carriage rattled and moved, so I changed the topic. ¡°By the way, you said that you¡¯re going to call for me when there is a party that needs a fianc¨¦e as the partner. I¡¯m sorry, but I also have my own schedule¡­¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°I will try to meet the schedule as much as possible, but I will decline it depending on the situation.¡± I thought I was making my claim too proudly in front of the future Duke, but surprisingly, Aloken accepted my request. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose an astrologist that is capable enough to save the Duke, so do whatever you want.¡± ¡®What do you mean by astrologist? You don¡¯t even believe in it.¡¯ At this moment, I felt that calling me an astrologist was a way for Aloken to mock me. ¡®When will we arrive at the boutique? Come to think of it, I was in a hurry to come out, so I was wearing an ugly indoor dress.¡¯ Clip-clop, clip-clop. The carriage was silent for a while. I looked out the window as I straightened the shawl that hung over my shoulder. As soon as I woke up, Cecil brushed my hair so my hair avoided looking messy. However, when I looked at the reflection in the window, it was not so neat. ¡®Maybe people in the world will not believe how such an ugly woman like me became a Duchess.¡¯ Black curly hair gets messy like tangled threads, dull skin caused by frequent insomnia, and dark lashes. In addition, people with thin lips, which is far from the standard of beautiful women these days, were often criticized for looking mean. I looked at my appearance in the carriage window for a long time, which looked like I had been cursed all my life. Even though I came back a few years younger than before, I didn¡¯t look pretty. ¡°We have arrived.¡± ¡°I can get off by myself¡­¡± ¡°Count¡¯s daughter will reject the escort from the little Duke?¡± Aloken, who touched the ground with his cane with a light sound, reached out his hand. I felt awkward and uncomfortable with his escort. Still, I had no choice but to respond because of the passerby¡¯s eyes. And then. ¡°What kind of cane is that?¡± Perhaps because I had been reading the atmosphere for a while, Aloken¡¯s cane suddenly came into my gaze. So I asked a question to soothe the awkwardness before entering the clothing store. It was a cane with a dragon¡¯s head at the tip. Even if not now, it seemed that I would have noticed it sooner or later. ¡°Cane? Ah, in the North where I was, beasts popped out of the carriage from time to time. That¡¯s why I always carry a sword.¡± ¡°Does this have anything to do with it?¡± ¡°In the royal capital, if someone other than a knight carried a sword, people would label them barbaric. I can¡¯t walk around as I did in the North, and my hands feel empty if I don¡¯t carry anything.¡± I didn¡¯t know the details of the human being called Aloken Jalier. So this little information felt new. ¡®He knows how to wield a sword.¡¯ Perhaps Vasago or Naverius had also completed their swordsmanship classes. That¡¯s why I thought I should also consider my revenge target¡¯s martial arts skills for a better plan. And after a few seconds. After getting off the carriage and walking a few steps, I saw a huge boutique in front of us. ¡®I¡¯ve never been to such an expensive store in my life.¡¯ A sign with the name ¡®Romang Boutique¡¯ stood out. This boutique created a new product inspired by priests¡¯s robes around the time when I was an adult. Soon I remembered that the clothes made at that time had been sold like hot cakes. ¡°Welcome to the Romang Boutique. What kind of clothes are you looking for?¡± ¡°I would like to see some dresses for my fianc¨¦e¡­¡± ¡°Then I will take you this way.¡± Although this boutique is not number one in the industry now, the boutique was neat as a high-end clothing store with a reputation among nobles. I felt some strange glances as I looked around the glamorous boutique. ¡°I came at this time on purpose because I didn¡¯t want to disturb others, but there were no customers.¡± The strange glances came from a group of nobles who were enjoying shopping early in the morning. I couldn¡¯t figure out who they were. ¡°Over there¡­ people with black hair, aren¡¯t they a bit familiar? Aren¡¯t they them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met Lord Aloken Jalier in person, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him.¡± ¡°Oh my, are they here to get a dress for their engagement ceremony?¡± The whispers of nobles couldn¡¯t be heard clearly, but I thought about it as I received the gaze of the unfamiliar ladies. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®They must be looking down on me.¡¯ That¡¯s because I¡¯ve been living for nearly 20 years as a person who had been labeled with blemishes, shameless, gloomy, and strange lady from the Count Celcius family. Due to these circumstances, I reflexively think like that just by seeing other people whisper. Moreover, those labels were not so wrong. Chapter 26 10. Obsessed (1) Translated by alyalia ¡°The little Duke chose a lady who wasn¡¯t famous and didn¡¯t look pretty? Unbelievable. Anyway, I¡¯m better than her.¡± ¡°What the hell did she do?¡± I could easily feel that they looked down on me just by their strange glances. If I had been the lady I used to be, I would have been afraid of their sarcastic remarks and chattering. ¡®¡­¡¯ However, the current me didn¡¯t have much emotion. ¡®As long as I have the Io¡¯s power, it¡¯s easy to break their poor life like cutting down wild grass.¡¯ The more they looked down on me, the more confidence grew within me. Raising my head even more, I showed a perfect way to walk according to the manners that were already engraved on my body. ¡°¡­¡± As I showed my dignified attitude, their glances soon disappeared. ¡°These are the new dresses that will be introduced this summer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything a little thick to wear right now? This lady will be celebrating her birthday soon.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how about this dress? If she wears long gloves and a hat¡­¡± As we entered the center of the boutique, Aloken began to choose my clothes at his will. ¡®Well, I guess there¡¯s something he wants me to wear for my birthday banquet. Shall I look for a dress that I¡¯m going to wear to another party in advance?¡¯ I didn¡¯t really mind it and looked around alone for a few minutes at the countless designs from the boutique. ¡°How do you like it, Lady? If there is anything you want to try on, I will bring it to you!¡± ¡°I-I will take a look a little longer.¡± This place must be one of the best boutiques in the Kingdom, but none of the designs were to my liking. ¡®As expected, this store didn¡¯t sell dresses made with black cloth¡­¡¯ This was purely because my taste was unique. A black dress that others would wear at funerals. Since I was a child, it looked so beautiful in my eyes. I didn¡¯t like my black hair and black eyes, but I really like black fabric. However, black was the color that nobles avoided because it was used for mourning or servant¡¯s clothing. I was even told that it was rude if someone wore black fabric to the banquet, saying that they ignored the banquet¡¯s host, so no matter how much money I have, I never had a chance to wear a black dress. A few minutes later. ¡°Vanora, did you find any dress you like?¡± Aloken walked towards me while talking to a person who appeared to be the boutique¡¯s chief seamstress. ¡®Come to think of it, in the midnight novel I saw, Vasago often wore sky blue dresses. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s already in trend.¡¯ I, who had thought it thoroughly, answered without difficulty. ¡°There¡¯s a saying that calm sky blue dresses will be in trend this year. So what if it¡¯s a sky blue dress?¡± ¡°Are you talking about this light blue cloth?¡± ¡°I have no interest in fashion. So I don¡¯t know what to choose for this season.¡± Upon hearing my answer, Aloken¡¯s response was dull. But whatever Aloken¡¯s reaction, it was true that I wasn¡¯t interested in fashion. I just wanted to get out of this boutique quickly. ¡®I¡¯ve looked around, but the prices are all too burdensome.¡¯ My little pocket money and the future fund I will receive as a birthday present are money that needs to be used up a lot in the future. So I thought it was a waste to spend the money on dressing up. ¡°Hmm, sky blue. It doesn¡¯t seem like it would suit you well.¡± ¡°Then, little Duke can choose what you like. You¡¯re the one who buys it, so how could I complain about that?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t call me little Duke as a joke.¡± After a useless chat, Aloken knocked on the floor with his cane to call the nearby clerk. ¡°Yes, did you call for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my sweetheart doesn¡¯t seem to have much interest in clothes. So there will be no other order to change the design.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, the lady is more gentle and obedient than I thought.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Now that we¡¯re done ordering dress, I wonder if we could simply proceed to take my measurements and go home. All of a sudden, this sentence came out of Aloken Jalier¡¯s mouth. ¡°I order all the women¡¯s clothes in this boutique and deliver them to the Celcius mansion.¡± ¡°How long is the deadline?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it because I will give you a generous amount, but the dark green dress over there, I want it to be delivered within 4 days.¡± When I heard those words, I reflexively grabbed Aloken¡¯s hem. ¡®This guy! He¡¯s doing things like a prince in a three-rating romance novel!¡¯ Since I had already seen the price of a dress here, I couldn¡¯t just ignore Aloken¡¯s madness. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to pay back this much money.¡± ¡°Pay back? It¡¯s just a tool to enhance the authenticity of our engagement.¡± ¡°But you spend so much just to show off!¡± There was a clerk nearby, so I whispered urgently into Aloken¡¯s ear. The clerks¡¯s expression darkened as if she was watching a quarrel between lovers. Still, I had no time to worry about it because my priority was to stop Aloken. ¡°I warn you! I don¡¯t appreciate such a gift. You¡¯re wasting your money just like throwing it to the ground.¡± Fortunately, Aloken called the clerk as if he had changed his mind in response to such fierce opposition from me. ¡°Hey, if I buy all the clothes here, calculate how much it costs.¡± ¡°Pardon? Yes, I understand!¡± Aloken suddenly became serious and demanded the total costs from them. The clerk moved quickly without even having time to breathe, perhaps because she knew he was a little Duke. Rustle. Soon after, the bill was in my hand, and Aloken read it calmly. Of course, his subsequent reaction again defied my expectation. ¡°You were making much fuss that I thought the price really that much, but this is no problem at all.¡± ¡°Are you really going to spend this much money on your fianc¨¦e¡¯s clothes?¡± ¡°Did you say this was like throwing money to the ground?¡± Aloken patted my shoulder as I shivered and looked at the bill. Then he proceeded with the calculations. At this time, his expression seemed to judge me. ¡°For me, this amount of money is the amount I wouldn¡¯t even know if I dropped it on the ground.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What the hell do the central people think of the Duke¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Somehow, it felt like you¡¯re mocking the northern, which made me feel unpleasant.¡± ¡°Should I apologize now?¡± * * * 10. Obsessed ¡°Lady, what is all this?¡± ¡°Clothes¡­¡± ¡°Then what is this?¡± ¡°Shoes?¡± ¡°Lady Vanora! A carriage came from the jewelry store, and they need to confirm it with Lady¡­¡± ¡°Why did I take Aloken as my fianc¨¦¡­¡± ¡°L-Lady?¡± High sky, blue landscape. The birthday of Vanora Celcius is just one day away. As the merchant¡¯s carriage flocked like locusts into the Celcius residence on such a slope, the servants passing by thought. ¡°It¡¯s all birthday presents for the lady.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. All of them for lady?¡± ¡°Like what Cecil is talking about these days, Lord Aloken Jalier is obsessed with her¡­ As expected, there seems to be something charming about our lady, right?¡± It was quite different from the scenery where I had previously referred as a gloomy human being. However, my mood didn¡¯t improve even though the servant¡¯s opinions about me changed. ¡°Lord Aloken, why are we going to the shoe store?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s weird to be barefoot while wearing a dress.¡± ¡°I have shoes at home too.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about those awful rose shoes, let¡¯s stop. The level of the Celcius family will be evaluated by your appearance. Don¡¯t make a fuss again to me about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What would I be if I heard the fianc¨¦e of little Duke Jalier walk around wearing cheap clothes?¡± ¡°¡­¡± First of all, I received many adornments as my birthday present. All of these items were necessary before entering the social world. Nevertheless, I wasn¡¯t happy with those gifts. ¡®Aloken firmly believes that I will be of help in the future. What if the future information I gave to him by a small variable is wrong? It¡¯s dark before my eyes!¡¯ It was because I felt pressured for the next deal. But I don¡¯t know if he knew that I was having such a hard time. The servants around me were excited to sort out the evidence of his love that I had received. ¡°It¡¯s a love that breaks the boundaries between Duke and Count family.¡± ¡°So romantic!¡± In fact, in the Kingdom of Kasius, there were some cases where the Count family was equivalent to a higher title due to the nature of their territory, so it wasn¡¯t a particularly shocking story between nobles. Still, people have always been thirsty for dramatic love stories. Before I knew it, the engagement between Aloken and me became the hot topic of discussion in this Kingdom. ¡®Just let it be. The lady who was leaning on the reputation of the Duke. Let¡¯s use this to make ties with high-ranking nobles safely.¡¯ I, the person involved in it, decided not to think about it deeply anymore. Aloken already said it was money that could be thrown away, so who cares. ¡°Cecil, can you prepare the bathwater after moving all the dresses?¡± ¡°I understand, Lady.¡± Still, I was concerned about how to hand it back to Aloken if I was left with a fortune after I had completed my revenge. Before I had an evil heart, I had a personality that never forgot grace. * * * The next day arrived with no time for the uproar. ¡°The label of this dress said to wear it at Lady¡¯s birthday banquet. Shall we do that?¡± ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Then I will help you change.¡± Today as well, I, whose eyes were darkened due to insomnia, was served while yawning. I didn¡¯t have aesthetic eyes to distinguish beauty, so I chose my shoes according to the trend in the midnight novel. It was because I thought that if I dressed up like this, I would at least not be treated funny. ¡°Cecil! Come in now. I¡¯m all dressed.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± But will this change other people¡¯s perspectives when I dress like this? ¡®Come to think of it, what kind of experience did I have in my previous debutante?¡¯ I recalled for a moment. In my past, I was shunned without receiving a single escort, stood in the corner of the wall, and was made of fun by ladies from the prestigious family. Just thinking about the embarrassment at that time made me feel a headache. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be ridiculed anymore.¡¯ This may have been close to my original desire. It was a natural wish that I didn¡¯t want to be harmed by others. ¡°Now, all I have to do is get Lady¡¯s hair done. Please lower your head a little.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Do I need to go through the pain of being bullied in my second life too? If others pointed at me again, it could have become difficult for me to approach Vasago. I wanted to blend in with the social world of nobles at least once. To do so, I reviewed the knowledge that would be used in the social world day and night these days. However¡­ ¡®Flea is still flea even if it¡¯s decorated¡­¡¯ I was concerned about my appearance these days. Naverius always said that I was shabby every time he looked at me, and the future Vasago scolded me, saying that she was avoiding me because I looked so gloomy. Therefore, no matter how hard I tried, the evaluation of people around me might not change. ¡®I keep having bad thoughts. Let¡¯s think of something good.¡¯ Brush. Brush. Unlike Seir, it felt good to have Cecil organizing my hair with gentle gestures. Still, my mind was so complicated that I had to close my eyes to control my mind. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± A little later. The back of my head was heavy, probably because Cecil braided my hair in a single braid. When I opened my eyes, I could see the mirror in front of me. Pale skin with black hair. Contrasting all of that was a gorgeous dark green dress. I just looked at my reflection in the mirror and thought that the dress was too much. I didn¡¯t even have a smile on my face. ¡°Lady, don¡¯t you like the look¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯d like your hair done differently.¡± My exclusive maid was still holding a brush in her hand and spoke softly. However, I only sat quietly. ¡°It¡¯s rare for you to ask such a question.¡± Chapter 27 10. Obsessed (2) Translated by alyalia Cecil is a maid who always does her job neatly. She tied her hair when I told her to, even put on gloves if I commanded her. However, it didn¡¯t mean she should bite more than she could chew. ¡°You don¡¯t have to change it.¡± I remained consistent with my attitude that as if I had nothing to do with her, then Cecil took out a few words more carefully. ¡°It¡¯s Lady¡¯s birthday banquet, but I don¡¯t think Lady seems happy.¡± I almost immediately responded to her words. ¡®Did you think it would be fun when people throw a birthday banquet in a hurry for their daughter who had been neglected for 15 years to the point that they didn¡¯t care if their daughter was dead or alive?¡¯ Fortunately, my screw wasn¡¯t loose enough to spit out what I thought. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m nervous because I¡¯m not used to the banquets.¡± I gave a plausible excuse and got up from my seat. Today, as usual, I was a quiet master who neither criticized nor praised my servants. ¡°Lady.¡± But only Cecil¡¯s behavior was different from my daily routine. My dedicated maid spoke carefully as if she had to burst out what she had been holding back in silence. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®What¡¯s going on with this compliment?¡¯ Cecil widened her eyes and tensed as if she had made a big mistake. In contrast, I only nodded with an expressionless face. Creek, thud. I came out of my room with a familiar sound of hinges and went down the stairs to avoid being late for my birthday banquet in the garden. At the same time, when I found a silver mirror among the numerous ornaments in the hallway, I looked sideways at it. I look the same as before. But I¡¯m starting to like the dress a little bit, which only seems ridiculous. ¡®This was ridiculous.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps even Vasago, the matchless beauty, would have thought that she was ugly if she had only heard being ugly from an early age?¡¯ I hurried my steps past the mirror. My brief thoughts didn¡¯t last long. * * * I eventually arrived at the banquet hall in the garden. It¡¯s only a simple banquet, unlike my younger brother¡¯s birthday, which they prepare grandly every winter. ¡®Huh?¡¯ But something was more surprising than the size of my birthday banquet. ¡°Butler, is there a separate list of guests attending?¡± ¡°Ah, Lady Vanora, you¡¯re here. If that¡¯s the case, here¡­¡± ¡°Let me see it for a moment.¡± Clearly, my birthday banquet was a modest event featuring a few young ladies and young master from the Count family and a few vassals of Count Celcius. It¡¯s because my parents didn¡¯t put much effort into recruiting the guests. However¡­ ¡°Are all these people really coming?¡± ¡°They are already filling the guest seats. The banquet will begin shortly, so please wait while chatting with them.¡± The list of participants in this life was different. Not only Aloken Jalier was participating, but there were quite a few key figures which I had heard of their name in society. ¡®Since the rumors of my engagement with Aloken have spread, the quality of guests has changed.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess why this happened. But the real tiring thing is from now on. ¡°Thank you all for attending the birthday banquet of Lady Vanora Celcius. Before beginning the banquet, there¡¯s an important announcement¡­¡± At my birthday banquet, it will be announced that I will become Aloken¡¯s fianc¨¦e. So, all the people were flocked to the little Duke. Even though the performance of the banquet started, his side was so crowded. ¡®I¡¯m disappointed that you¡¯re treating me like this when my fianc¨¦ has changed. You treated me like a ghost on my first 16th birthday.¡¯ I skillfully greeted people with good grace. However, as I was surrounded by fake laughter, I felt tired. ¡°I¡¯ve been really curious about your face since Lady has never accepted the invitation to my tea party. I was amazed that you were so beautiful in person!¡± ¡°After all, Lady is Count Bale Celcius¡¯s daughter. Even at such a young age, you¡¯re already elegant¡­¡± ¡®What the hell do these old people want from a little girl?!¡¯ I was tormented by their compliments and tried to get out of my seat with the excuse to eat. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Where are you going? You have to see your fianc¨¦¡¯s face.¡± But then. As soon as I left the crowd, someone grabbed my waist. Contrary to his cultured way of speaking, he was a person who didn¡¯t show consideration for others. As soon as the panorama broke away from the crowd, someone pulled her wrist. ¡°¡­Lord Aloken.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s skip the honorifics. This is my last piece of advice.¡± Aloken Jalier. He appeared in a coat of the same color as the green dress I was wearing. Even from a hundred steps away, we looked like a couple. ¡°The banquet is smaller than I thought. If I knew this would happen, I would hold it at my villa.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a virtue to prepare a birthday celebration at home without getting helped by someone else.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never had a celebration like that in the past 15 years, but to draw a line like that¡­¡± At those words, I was slightly surprised. ¡°Did you do a background check on me?¡± Aloken responded with a calm look contrary to me.¡± ¡°A background check¡­ I think it¡¯s natural to wonder what kind of person my fianc¨¦e is like.¡± ¡°Even you already said that you don¡¯t have any interest in me¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, I did dig a little bit to see if there was anything harmful. But the results were meaningless.¡± Tap, tap. He turned his gaze away, touching the tip of his cane with his index finger. The voice that came out afterward was so small that it could easily be buried in the laughter of party-goers. ¡°The abandoned daughter of house Celcius named Vanora. There was testimony that she was a little strange lady. I can understand why those rumors were going around.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Your debutante is right around the corner, so your first birthday party is to announce your survival. Besides, Hanar Celcius acted like all she had to do was reap even though your fianc¨¦ suddenly changed. But as long as I will be the Duke, everything will be fine.¡± ¡°So, what do you want to say?¡± ¡°I like you because you¡¯re being despised by your family at home.¡± Aloken¡¯s expression changed when I looked at him, who was wary that my partner had begun to dig up my family affairs. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no Celcius family behind you, so I¡¯m relieved. Betrayal is possible only with power.¡± ¡°Are you saying you like me? Because I don¡¯t have any power?¡± Aloken, who leaned lightly with his weight on his cane, loosened his cold expression and raised the corners of his lips. ¡°Normally, you have compassion for people who are like you. You¡¯re not the only one in this world who has a family like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± At Aloken¡¯s meaningful words, I looked into his eyes for a moment. But my action didn¡¯t last long. Because a familiar voice called me. ¡°Lady Vanora!¡± ¡°!¡± Red hair like a burning flame, and likewise red eyes. A boy with an innocent smile that didn¡¯t suit the thin ice of the social world ran over here. ¡°Is that¡­Carl Andras?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you two know each other? Vanora.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t remember allowing a dog to enter this banquet.¡¯ I tilted my head when I saw a guest¡¯s face who appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Lady Vanora, happy birthday!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°This is a birthday present. I bought a parasol because your skin looks so pale, but I don¡¯t know if you will like it or not.¡± The already noisy banquet hall became even noisier. The third son of the Andras family. In the future¡­ No, we don¡¯t have to go in a few years later, even now, a man called a beast and a jerk appeared in front of me. I wasn¡¯t too embarrassed to see him, but my doubts remained, so I asked a few questions. ¡°I don¡¯t think my mother would have sent an invitation to the Marquis family. How did you get here?¡± ¡°The invitation? I got it. It was me who said that I wanted to come first.¡± ¡°Did you know it was my birthday?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s it. That¡­¡± Carl Andras was wearing a red overcoat as if to represent his family today. Despite the intense color, his behavior was modest. ¡°I¡¯m worried that Lady Vanora might have forgotten about our promise, and you hadn¡¯t contacted me. I¡¯ve been looking into what you¡¯ve been up to lately, but when I heard you were having a birthday banquet¡­¡± So what this boy tried to say was that I had left him alone, so he came by himself to me. ¡®Did I use Europa as bait for nothing? He¡¯s so sweet that he¡¯s coming to me at his own pace and making a fuss.¡¯ In fact, I was deliberately taking time for it slowly. It was because I watched how he would come out in a situation where Shuteri died after dueling with him and how he took responsibility for it. But I didn¡¯t expect him to visit me in person. The timing was bad too. ¡°¡­promise? Are the two of you close enough to even make a promise with each other?¡± ¡°Lord Aloken, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I know there is no relationship between Celcius and Andras.¡± My fianc¨¦, Aloken Jalier, stood by my side. It doesn¡¯t matter emotionally because my contract with him will be broken later on anyway. But it was very cumbersome to question the useless suspicion of Aloken. ¡®Carl, there¡¯s no way this naive thing can lie. He¡¯s making a mess of it, and now Aloken is gonna find out that I¡¯m involved in Shuteri¡¯s death!¡¯ It made me in a fear I had never felt before. A cold sweat burst out of fear that everything would be revealed. It would be strange if I came to him now and shut Carl¡¯s mouth or urgently sent him back. ¡°How did you two become friends?¡± ¡°Ah, about that.¡± However, the words followed by Carl were unexpected. ¡°Because we love animals! We got to know each other while talking about dogs before.¡± ¡°Dogs¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Maybe one day we will join an animal rights group together. Ah! I said that next time I would show her the Lord¡¯s horse as well. Our promise was to come to my family to see the horses.¡± Carl Andras, surprisingly, was able to lie skillfully with such an innocent face. ¡°Will Lord join us to come to my house and see the horses too? If Lord does a duel with me just once, you can get the horse for free.¡± ¡°N-No. I¡¯m busy with my schedule these days. Right? Lady Celcius also knows about it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It was good that the topic of conversation changed naturally, like flowing water, but Aloken¡¯s reaction was strange. It was as if he hated Carl¡¯s invitation. ¡°Yes, well, he must be busy. He¡¯s gonna have to deal with his work¡­¡± I calmly helped Aloken, then spoke with courtesy. ¡°Carl Andras, I will make an appointment with you soon. I will call you after today¡¯s banquet, so please wait. Actually, I¡¯ve been busy preparing for my birthday banquet these days.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Fortunately, the encounter with Carl did not last long. When I explained the future schedule roundabout, Carl got away from there by himself. ¡®I will have to go visit him soon.¡¯ After taking revenge on Shuteri, I didn¡¯t communicate with Carl Andras. It was an act of concern that some evidence would be left that could blame me. Now, the case where the apprentice knight has been neatly closed, I thought I should contact him slowly. ¡°Do you like animals?¡± Soon, Aloken, watching Carl move away, asked that question. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only I nodded my head roughly. ¡°Yes, I liked them.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie. I loved insects, and insects also belonged to animals. Chapter 28 10. Obsessed (3) Translated by alyalia Aloken squinted at my answer and put his hands behind him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re even made an appointment with Carl Andras just by talking about animals. Your skill is great.¡± ¡°Are you interested in him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not him, but Marquis of Andras.¡± Aloken frowned at first as if he didn¡¯t like it. However, as the conversation continued, his gaze changed to a different atmosphere. ¡°Vanora, I don¡¯t know about the head of that family, but I¡¯m putting in a lot of effort to recruit his third son. That¡¯s why I know. It¡¯s the same with that little guy. They¡¯re hard to please.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But judging from the behavior of the red colt earlier, how friendly he was with you¡­¡± A man who looks like a painting is looking at me. This should be a pleasure, but I hated his gaze, which was as cold as a snake. Aloken whispered in my ear, persistently bent down as I dodged his gaze that made me shiver. ¡°I changed my mind.¡± ¡°What¡­ What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Looking at your brilliant astrology skills, as well as your friendship with Andras, who is difficult to deal with¡­¡± Slowly, he lowered his head to the side and began to look into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m interested in you.¡± I spat out the words without thinking about them first in my head. ¡°Throw away your interest.¡± When I refused with disgust, Aloken smiled and relaxed without saying anything. ¡°Lady, would you like to come to the central table? It is said that the Madam is giving a toast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming. Well, thank you for coming to the banquet today. I look forward to your preparations for the rest of the engagement ceremony.¡± While we were talking, it was already the highlight of the banquet. It was the most important thing to do at the birthday banquet. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Elegant wheat-colored hair curled up like a snake¡¯s tail, thin and small eyelashes, unlike mine. However, her cold expression alone made it hard to believe that we were a family. I, who faced my stepmother at the center table, greeted her with courtesy. Hanar looked down dryly at me and reluctantly lifted the glass. This is the first toast of the banquet. It was also the first congratulation I heard at the age of 16. ¡°God, please take care of her well too for this year.¡± When this word came out, thunderous applause poured out from around. It was the first big sound of congratulations I had ever heard in my life. ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± The louder the celebration, the vain I felt. The thunderous applause was a celebration I hadn¡¯t received when I was really 16 years old. This was all fake. ¡°¡­¡± When I thought that the whole scene in the banquet hall was fake, I felt sick and eventually couldn¡¯t get my hands on the food of my birthday banquet. Even now, I just felt angry and not happy at all. ¡®Let¡¯s make an appointment with Carl right after my birthday banquet.¡¯ I just wanted to close my enemies¡¯s eyes as soon as possible and end my long sleepless sleep. * * * After the banquet, I felt exhausted from dealing with the two men. It took about half an hour to send back Aloken from where we were supposed to go to see the robes for our engagement ceremony. After that, a few more minutes passed by as I made an appointment with Carl Andras to meet soon. ¡°I¡¯m so tired.¡± But today¡¯s work is not finished yet. As soon as the banquet was over, I heard my father calling for me and moved my steps to his office. ¡°Lady, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Please ask my father if I can come in now.¡± ¡®How long has it been since I had a conversation with my family?¡¯ In my childhood, I rarely talked to Bael. Before my engagement ceremony with Naverius, I had only one conversation with my father. So, it naturally made me happy when he called for me on my 16th birthday in the past. ¡°Yes, Master tells Lady to come in.¡± However, Bael had me sit down with his blunt character, held out a sheet of paper full of difficult words, and told me to take it. There was not even a word to congratulate me on my birthday. I, who was hurt by it, remembered that I left his office at a quick pace without asking what the document was. ¡°Did you call for me?¡± ¡°Sit down there.¡± I, who already know what will happen, have already given up my hope. I just put on a half-dying look on my face. ¡°¡­?¡± Bael Celcius was puzzled as he looked at my expression when I entered the room. Still, he didn¡¯t ask about his daughter¡¯s well-being. ¡°Take it.¡± Again, this scene flowed just like the past I remembered. Bael handed me a document bearing the family seal and told me to leave after receiving it. ¡°Is it my birthday present?¡± However, I opened my mouth rather than follow his orders. Pointing out the document of the transfer name of the sapphire mine, I asked him about it. Then my father answered. ¡°What would it be if it wasn¡¯t?¡± But I was not very happy with the present. First of all, the reason he gave this mine was to advertise to the social world that he¡¯s such a good father. Second, this sapphire mine will be mine, but it was not at her disposal. In the future, I was scammed by the entire mine. Then what was Bael¡¯s reaction? ¡°Do you know what kind of mine is that? Why did you let people scam you easily?¡± He got angry and added more ¡±How dare you to still use Celcius¡¯s name!¡± I almost got kicked out of the mansion because of this mine. I cried and begged all three days, barely holding on. Of course, losing such a great fortune is reprehensible. ¡®This wasn¡¯t really a gift for me. My father got angry because he still regarded it as his own property.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡± In fact, there was something I wanted more than this sapphire mine. There was a time when I thought it was enough if Bael bought a small toy for my birthday and celebrated my birthday. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Thank you, Count.¡± It¡¯s all in the past now. I got up from my seat after a brief recollection of the past. But then. ¡°Did you just call me Count now?¡± If it had been like usual, Bael would be buried in the papers and didn¡¯t care whether I left or not. But he brought out a word that had never been brought before. He was bothered about the way I called him. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Would it be a big trouble to say that I can¡¯t call him father anymore?¡¯ So I came up with a small excuse. ¡°Yes, because I¡¯m all grown up now.¡± The 21-year-old me in my body said quietly. After that, I left the room without even looking at my father¡¯s expression. ¡®What a boring life.¡¯ * * * 7 days later. A cream-colored bonnet that creates shade on the face with a short brim. Wearing an expensive dress, with silk gloves the same color as it, I finally reached the gate of that family mansion. ¡®The western edge of the Kingdom.¡¯ I arrived at the Marquis¡¯s estate, which is on the border with other kingdoms. It was the day of the appointment to visit Carl after the birthday banquet. When I talk to Carl, who had come to my birthday banquet, that I wanted to talk to him soon, he replied, ¡°Let¡¯s meet in my family estate seven days later.¡± ¡°This is the home of Andras¡¯s family¡­¡± When I turned my eyes, I could see the vast and beautiful estate that made Celcius¡¯s mansion look like a toy. As I opened the first gate and entered, I noticed a large lake and a plaster statue carved out of the symbol of Andras¡¯s family. ¡®Even only looking from their garden made my mouth open wide.¡¯ As expected, the Marquis family is wealthy. I clasped the parasol in my hand and knocked on the door of the mansion I had arrived at. ¡°Which family did you come from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vanora from Count Celcius¡¯s family. I¡¯m here because I have an appointment with Carl Andras.¡± ¡°I understand. I will inform the young Master about Lady Vanora¡¯s visit.¡± However, the atmosphere here was somehow strange. The servant who had gone up to the mansion didn¡¯t come back after a long time. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m being neglected again¡­¡¯ By the time I was contemplating whether it was daring for me to step into the Marquis¡¯s estate or not. Fortunately, my thought was in vain. A few minutes later. ¡°Young Master tells Lady to join him inside.¡± I was able to get in through a servant, who walked back quickly. However, the interior scenery that I encountered was surprisingly simple. ¡®The mansion looks gorgeous on the outside, but there aren¡¯t many art pieces on the inside, and it even feels frugal.¡¯ The surroundings were full of old-fashioned traditional-style furniture from Kingdom Kasius. When trade is booming these days, at least there should be one item imported from abroad, but there wasn¡¯t something like that. ¡°Welcome! Lady Vanora Celcius.¡± Soon after arriving in the parlor room, I heard an unfamiliar voice. ¡°Since the head of the family is away, it was inevitable for me to provide hospitality. Please excuse my rudeness.¡± The owner of the voice had red hair as if to indicate that he inherited the Andras family blood. It didn¡¯t take long to find out exactly who he was because of his strong personal characteristics. Big as a mountain, and even the scars like the constellations that fill his face. He is the second son of the Andras family and the older brother of Carl. ¡°My name is Carlos. Please have a seat. Would you like some drinks? We also have delicious cookies too.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± The parlor room was lined with sweets to entertain me. It must have been prepared when I was standing outside the mansion. I sat down at my seat, sipping the drink he recommended. ¡®Is this fruit juice?¡¯ The nobles of the Kasius Kingdom got used to the taste of tea brought in from other kingdoms. Still, it was unusual that they served fruit juice instead of tea to entertain guests. Then we immediately entered into the conversation. ¡°Our territory is on the border area, so it¡¯s rare for guests to come here. I got excited because it¡¯s been a long time since someone visited.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! Ah, do the cookies fit your taste? You might not like it because it¡¯s made for Western¡¯s people taste buds.¡± ¡°I like it because it¡¯s light.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± By the way¡­ Somehow the direction of our conversation went different than expected. I imagined the second son of Andras¡¯s family was not this kind of man. ¡®If it¡¯s the second son of Andras¡¯s family, I heard that he fought a wild beast with his bare hands and strangled it on the day of my debutante.¡¯ I thought his personality would be tough as he also had a lot of achievements from fighting. At this rate, maybe it was kindness, not violence, that ran through Andras¡¯s blood. That¡¯s how much I was being treated with great care. ¡®Certainly, the second son¡¯s look is terrifying as rumored, but¡­¡¯ Carlos, who had a large body, kept pushing cookies to my side and later brought out these words. ¡°Oh, look at me. I forget to ask because I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re enjoying the sweets. Uh¡­ So, did you say you¡¯re Lady Vanora from the Celcius family? What happened that the daughter of Celcius to come to our residence¡­?¡± I could feel how sloppy this man was to bring me into the mansion and asked it belatedly the reason for my visit. ¡®How could he lead the knights with such a gentle personality?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I came here for an appointment with the third son, Sir Carl Andras. We already set the date, so I thought you already knew about it.¡± ¡°Carl? Lady has an appointment with him? Oh my, he should have told me that his friend would come!¡± Just as he slapped his thigh and lamented, I asked him, Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Then where is Carl?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he has forgotten about Lady Vanora¡¯s visit. He just went to the stable to groom the horse by himself. It¡¯s not so far from here, so I¡¯ll call him right away.¡± ¡®Eh, the stable?¡¯ Chapter 29 11. I (1) Translated by alyalia * * * Too-too-too-too-toooooom! ¡°I already blew the trumpet, so he¡¯ll soon return to the mansion.¡± The way Carlos called for Carl was simpler than I thought. First, he called the servant to bring a trumpet painted red. Second, when the magnificent sound resounds that can make your ears fall, Carl will come back to the mansion. ¡®It¡¯s an efficient method, but somehow it felt like they were dealing with an animal.¡¯ ¡°But I didn¡¯t see the stable when I was on the way in the carriage. If Carl is far away, he might not be able to hear the sound¡­¡± And about a minute later. I was struck by the astonishing sight. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s coming.¡± ¡®What¡¯s he doing in his own estate!¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect him to appear right away, but striking red hair came into view after a few seconds had passed. It was natural that even the same horse would have a different speed depending on how the rider handled it. But his handling of a horse was so fast that it seemed dangerous, so I shouted, ¡°You don¡¯t have to come in such a hurry!¡± However, those words reached him when he had already sped up his horse and jumped over the bushes in the garden. Hiiiek! Perhaps he ran at full speed from the stable to here, and at the same time, as the horse made a loud noise, he grabbed the reins strongly and stopped right in front of us. ¡°Hello, Lady Vanora! I forgot you¡¯re coming today.¡± Carl Andras said hello. He is really a man who always made impressive appearances whenever I saw him. ¡°A man who makes such a rush in the garden¡­ It¡¯s my first time seeing someone like this.¡± ¡°Really? My whole family is like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I have a lot to say, but I decided not to. Carl slid off the horse, and the servant withdrew from there. Only then did I speak properly to him. ¡°The reason I came here today is¡­ Wait a minute, the servant could show up again when we¡¯re standing and talking here. How about going to the library?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me a secret story?¡± At my request, Carl looked around unobtrusively, and he responded with the same innocent smile as always. ¡°There¡¯s a good place for that. Let¡¯s go where I know.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do you know how to ride a horse?¡± I shook my head as I had never ridden it before. ¡°I want to learn, but I don¡¯t know how to ride it right now.¡± Then I wondered if we could move to where that place was with I sat in front of him, and he grabbed the reins from behind. Surprisingly, Carl didn¡¯t allow me to ride with him. ¡°Then we should walk!¡± ¡°If I ride it with you, won¡¯t we be able to get there quickly?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s dangerous if a beginner rides on a horse carelessly. Be sure to learn how to ride a horse properly before riding it.¡± I wanted to refute his claim by saying, ¡®Right, say by someone who jumped over the fence of his mansion earlier,¡¯ but I endured it. I walked a long walk with him. Soon after, a vast meadow spread out. There was nothing left nearby to the extent that the stable looked so small in the distance. ¡°This is where my brothers go for a walk when they ride horses. But today, my brothers are busy, and my father is away, so no one will come here except me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying we can talk freely, right?¡± ¡°Yes, you can hear the trumpet sound faintly from here, so it¡¯s okay even if you shout it out loud.¡± The nearby leaves lay neatly with the wind blowing from afar. At the same time, a faint grass smell is felt. It somehow put people¡¯s minds at ease, but I had to start saying things that didn¡¯t go well with this beautiful scenery. ¡°All right, so let¡¯s start with the matter of Shuteri first. First of all, you should be held accountable for his death¡­¡± ¡°That person? He didn¡¯t have any family. The trial wasn¡¯t even held properly. I¡¯m sure the consolation money has gone to Lady Vanora¡¯s family.¡± ¡°You did a good job, as I said. You even kept it a secret about that.¡± I walked calmly with my clasped over my belly button, and Carl, who followed me, opened his mouth. ¡°By the way, Lady Vanora, is it really true that an apprentice knight named Shuteri died because of me?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a similar experience before. But now I¡¯m controlling my power so they won¡¯t die¡­¡± ¡°You must have made a mistake this time.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Step, step, step. He followed me from behind, then he suddenly increased his speed and blocked me. ¡°It may look like that from other people¡¯s perspective, but he won¡¯t die from it.¡± Carl¡¯s eyes were certain of something. He started looking straight at my black eyes. ¡°I think I did well as you ordered. So at least, please don¡¯t lie. Why did Shuteri die?¡± * * * 11. I It¡¯s a question that has no significance now. I stopped my steps and faced Carl, who stood in front of me. In his eyes, I saw my own face, a calm woman who had committed a heinous crime. ¡°It was necessary.¡± As I stopped walking, Carl also stopped walking behind me and listened. ¡°Anyway, no matter what I say here, it won¡¯t change the story that he died after a duel with you.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of blaming in the first place?¡± ¡°But I had to make sure your mouth was this heavy.¡± Carl narrowed his brow at my remarks. It was rare for him, who always had a smile on his face. ¡°Did you kill an innocent person just to make sure I kept a secret well?¡± His voice was full of disappointment. Carl tried to cancel the contract at my answer. But the following words that came out of my mouth were neither ¡®yes¡¯ nor ¡®no.¡¯ ¡°A long time ago.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°There was one knight who was addicted to gambling.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks I put my interlaced hands on my stomach. My expression was calm. ¡°The knight owed a huge debt from gambling one day, and he couldn¡¯t afford to pay it off, so he decided to flee to another estate.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He was going to run anyway, so he stopped by his friend¡¯s shop and started ordering expensive food and drinks. Of course, he pays on credit.¡± It was the common story of a gambling addict up to this point. I looked at the far end of the land and continued my words. ¡°And the knight wanted to go to the brothel for the last time¡­ But he didn¡¯t have cash, so he was beaten at the door.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In the end, the knight pulled out his honorable sword and pointed it to the poor girl who was out for a night walk.¡± I didn¡¯t have any interest in the story, and my tone when telling it was dull. ¡°Then the knight brazenly threatened the girl, saying, ¡®It¡¯s your fault for walking around in the dark,¡¯ and ¡®If you tell people about it, you will be blamed more,¡¯ after that, he ran away.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, there was a person right in front of me who repeatedly did similar things while walking around this area and that area.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He needs to be killed because he¡¯s crazy.¡± As I continued the sentence in a gentle tone like reading a fairy tale, Carl¡¯s expression changed strangely. But I still had something to say, so I took the lead before he opened his mouth. ¡°Well, do I have to tell a story like this to move on?¡± ¡°Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°You made a great contribution in the battle with the Sankrit at the age of 14. That means you¡¯ve already cut the enemy leader¡¯s throat before, but are you afraid of killing someone now?¡± Carl shook his head at those words. ¡°I certainly have no resistance to taking their lives.¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°But what kind of person are you if you hurt others as you want?¡± I thought for a moment, then he moved a step closer to me. ¡°I¡¯ve learned that it¡¯s not right to kill people.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°But I have the blood of Andras. In the end, seeing someone die makes me feel better.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve made the rules. Let¡¯s not kill innocent people.¡± I was familiar with the story related to Andras¡¯s blood. Unlike ordinary knights who suffer aftereffects from the guilt of killing someone when they go out on the battlefield, only the Andras family is said to be born into madmen who are excited when they kill the enemy from generation to generation. It was a horrifying rumor as if they were monsters like bathing in human blood, but it was true. The scandal following Aloken may be false, but his cruelty is all true. ¡°So I was wondering why Shuteri died.¡± Why is there no hesitation in his eyes? How can he look at me with such pure eyes? I closed my eyes for a moment. ¡°¡­¡± I, who had been choosing my words inwardly, opened my mouth. ¡°Carl, I will kill people from now on. This is my revenge.¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have the strength yet. I don¡¯t even know how to defeat them.¡± I wondered how he would react to this. Perhaps he will break our contract because it didn¡¯t meet his expectations, but I think it¡¯s time for me to tell the truth since he hasn¡¯t lied so far. ¡°I need an accomplice.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you-¡± ¡°If everyone I think of is guilty of a crime just like the knight in the story, just like Shuteri¡­ Will you help me?¡± ¡®Carl Andras, how will you judge the weight of the sins committed by Shuteri?¡¯ I fiddled with the tips of my nails while looking at the floor. ¡°I¡¯d like to say he deserved to die, but¡­¡± However, Carl Andras¡¯s expression subsided. He began to reply with a vague face. ¡°Well, taking someone¡¯s life is worse than anything else.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if Lady Vanora¡¯s revenge is a proper judgment. What if someone gets an unfair ending for a small sin? What if there was a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides, the people of the world will not forgive Lady Vanora who committed the murder, no matter what the reason.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Maybe revenge is the wrong way to go.¡± I suddenly thought I didn¡¯t want to hear his voice. All the words this person was saying were honest and upright. But his sentences were very awkward for me, who began to deviate. ¡°So, is there any other way to get revenge? Um, if there isn¡¯t maybe a way of looking for your own happiness¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t stand the words he brought up and became angry. ¡°No. I don¡¯t have any. When did they get my permission to harm me? I was innocent at first, but they were the ones who ruined me!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°If you had been worried about paying them back too much, they shouldn¡¯t have ruined my life so much! I finally got the chance to pay them back, and now, you said to forgive them?!¡± I, who had been calm all the time, suddenly raised my voice. As my face turned red from getting angry, Carl tried to calm me down. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m going the wrong way! Still, still¡­¡± ¡°Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Carl Andras!¡± Then, I finally shouted his name. Then Carl was startled and shut his mouth. After that, my trembling voice echoed in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense, just answer this. I can give you the holy relic of Europa.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, will you quietly help me get my revenge? Or are you going to stop me by stating the same reason?¡± My gaze shook unsteadily. Carl stared at my eyes, then raised his hands gently, telling me to calm down. He looked very docile towards me. Chapter 30 ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± What follows is the silence between us. While I caught my breath, the red-haired boy seemed to ponder. ¡°I¡­¡± And a few seconds later. In his words, it seems like Carl had concluded about what to do. ¡°I¡¯m a person who tries to be nice¡­ but I¡¯m not really a good person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I also want the person who tries to bully me to die too. Actually, I can relate to Lady Vanora.¡± It was a sentence that was difficult to understand right away from my point of view, but his words were sincere. Carl Andras was not a good man. No one in this world is perfect. ¡°Before, I just talked without thinking. I didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡± So, the person standing in front of me also had a side like this. ¡°Besides, if you are already thinking of taking revenge, it must be because they¡¯re guilty.¡± ¡°Therefore?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Carl smiled awkwardly, sweeping down the back of his neck with his hand. Every time he acted like this, he looked like an innocent boy, not a war hero. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. After all, I really need that holy relic.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not right, but I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Finally, his consent fell. But before I could be happy with this, I had no choice but to be nervous at the next words he brought up. ¡°If Lady Vanora breaks the promise to give me the holy relic in return, then I will take revenge on you.¡± A weapon with a standing blade is dangerous. Just because I had it in my hands, there was no way it wouldn¡¯t cut me. * * * ¡°Carl, I swear here that I will not defame you in the future.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said. Actually, you don¡¯t have to come forward yourself.¡± After a while, I briefly pointed out the parts to be corrected in our deal. ¡°If I don¡¯t take revenge with my own hands, I can¡¯t get rid of my resentment.¡± Carl, who had been quietly listening, was smiling again as usual. ¡°I don¡¯t care if my reputation is tarnished. For Europa¡­¡± ¡°No. Maybe one day you will be the one to prove my innocence¡­¡± I thought about the bloody things that would come and go as a chat between us. ¡°The reason I came here today was to tell you about my future schedule. Carl, I have a favor. I can give you time to prepare.¡± For me, this was the main thing I had been longing for. ¡°You¡¯re a member of Andras¡¯s family, and I assume you have killed enemies for many years. You have a lot of experience in sparring, and maybe you have a book passed down from your family that explains a person¡¯s vital points.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I want to know how to kill people. However, there are no books with such dangerous contents on the market. So I want to learn from you how to take down people with ease.¡± I owned Io, so the struggle won¡¯t be that big. However, just because I owned it and became strong enough didn¡¯t mean that I had the skill for it. I should also consider the process. If I always solved the problem with force and the same method, I could be pushed from behind. In addition, as a result of dealing with Io, my body was easily damaged from its fatal flaw, so it was a problem in many ways. ¡®I can¡¯t trust assassins.¡¯ In fact, the best assistant in this situation is the Assassination Guild, but¡­ it wasn¡¯t likely that they would sacrifice their lives only for a few bucks. Besides, evidence remains if I contact them. ¡°Do you need any knowledge about poison too? Due to my family circumstances, there are many cases where I encounter poison, so I think I can tell you about that.¡± ¡°Good. I like it.¡± But what is this situation? Carl quickly read what I wanted. He was more obedient than expected. Through this, I confirmed once again how important the holy relic was to him. ¡°It will be difficult if you¡¯re detained, so you should avoid the eyes of others as much as possible. Then I will have to create an excuse for us to meet in the future.¡± ¡®I¡¯m delighted!¡¯ After all, visiting Carl Andras was the best choice. Even in this time period, he kept his promises very well, although his sense of ethics was vague. ¡®I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while. He¡¯s reluctant to kill innocent people, but he often wields his sword with violence. He¡¯s not as nice as you think.¡¯ So we started walking on the wide plains again and made serious plans in a peaceful atmosphere. How will he train me in the future? What information can he get¡­ When I talked until my mouth felt dry, the time had passed, and when I noticed that it was lunchtime, Carl suggested that we walk back to the mansion. I followed his words. Walking quietly, I heard the grasshoppers sound from somewhere in the distance. I was subtly following the sound with my ears, then noticed the next words Carl was speaking to me. ¡°By the way¡­ Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, yes?¡± He seemed to have something to say. ¡°You said you¡¯d give me Europa when your 18th birthday comes, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But why is the deadline until then?¡± When Carl spoke about Europe, I stopped walking. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I need to apologize for.¡± ¡°Yes¡­? What¡­?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I lied a bit when I offered to make a deal. I couldn¡¯t trust you at that time, so I couldn¡¯t tell you the whole truth.¡± Carl blinked his docile eyes at my words. ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t have Europa in my hands right now.¡± ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°B-But it¡¯s true that I can give you Europa.¡± Carl changed his expression from moment to moment as if he couldn¡¯t hide his emotions despite being a noble. He was surprised at first, then turned into a face of relief. ¡°I know the person who has Europe. Include who they are and where they live.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And¡­ when I turned 18, I decided to take over Europa from that person.¡± The red-haired boy tilted his head at my explanation. ¡°How did that person decide to give you Europa? Why are you taking it on your 18th birthday?¡± So far, he has kept his mouth shut and listened carefully, but suddenly he showed he¡¯s suspicious of me. It¡¯s not like he believed I would give him Europa at our first meeting. I wondered if he had the ability to distinguish between true and false. ¡®At times like this, those bright red eyes are stinging.¡¯ It was because there was a small lie hidden in the sentence she brought up this time. It is true that it takes about three years to receive Europa. Still, it was not a matter that was previously agreed upon with the owner of Europe ¡®in this life.¡¯ The owner of Europa at this time may not even know my existence yet. Still, I was confident that the holy relic of eternal life will surely be in my grasp three years later. ¡°I cannot tell you why. However¡­¡± I spoke more slowly, comparing for a moment the grown-up Carl Andras whom I had met a few years ago with the boy in front of me now. ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll definitely give you Europa. I can prove right now that I have something to do with the holy relic.¡± ¡°Haha. You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°Um, then¡­ Anyway, if our contract is fulfilled before three years, I will tell you how to receive Europa.¡± After discussing the holy relic and returning from the riding area, the sky was still dazzling indigo. The weather was so nice that I thought my skin would have been ripe if I hadn¡¯t worn a hat and long gloves. ¡°I guess we walk faster than I thought. We somehow got here before lunch.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, shall we eat something in the dining room? Today¡¯s menu is probably the bear that I hunted a while ago. When made into a stew with spices, it will be delicious and make you feel full.¡± Carl Andras was also wearing a shirt that wrapped his body tightly except for his head as if he knew the dangers of the summer sun. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to eat.¡± I didn¡¯t want to waste time doing something like that when I was already here. ¡°I want to learn more about poison rather than do that.¡± ¡°Do you feel eating was a waste of time? If you don¡¯t eat properly, you won¡¯t gain muscle.¡± Carl pointed at my skinny arm and said it would be difficult to harm a person with my condition. He also tried to feed me meals, telling me to think about my health repeatedly. ¡°Putting aside muscle, starving is not good for your body. First of all, let¡¯s go eat and then study, okay?¡± I suddenly felt annoyed. Irritated by stress, I showed signs of bursting at any time, even in trivial matters. ¡®I said I won¡¯t eat, but why does he keep saying that?¡¯ If I reveal that I¡¯m the owner of Io here, things will be easier. But no matter how heavy Carl¡¯s mouth is, is it right to show everything to him? That idea suddenly crossed my mind, and I swallowed my anger again. At the same time, I looked into Carl¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°All right, I will eat light food.¡± However, Carl has been paying attention to my actions and making remarks as if he had been digging deep inside me. ¡°Lady Vanora always¡­ looked uncomfortable. You look like an angry person.¡± ¡°!¡± I was silent. When I didn¡¯t answer, Carl smiled awkwardly with an apologetic look. He made his way through the conversation as if I didn¡¯t need to say anything. Then he gets his servant to bring sandwiches. ¡°I want to train in the training ground from now on. Lady Vanora will be looking at me from the side. So, can you bring us something to eat outside?¡± ¡°I understand. I will prepare sandwiches and bring them there.¡± I, who watched Carl ask the servant in an un-noble manner, slightly adjusted my crooked hat. After a while, when the servant had already retreated into the mansion, I said, ¡°Carl, thank you for your consideration of the meal. But what do you mean by training ground? What about the poison?¡± ¡°My brother has the key to the medicine room. But what will he think if I borrow the key and enter the room while Lady Vanora is visiting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to look weird¡­¡± ¡°Instead, I will lend you the related books today. After all, my family hardly reads books, so even if the book I borrowed disappears, it won¡¯t be noticeable.¡± ¡°Can you really say something like that about your family?¡± Carl took the lead, whether I was dumbfounded or not. ¡°Now, I need to look at your basics under the pretext of you watching my training from the side. Do you have any weapons you can handle? I don¡¯t think there is.¡± ¡°Why are you asking when you know there¡¯s no¡­¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The Marquis¡¯s estate was so wide that there were not only one or two giant fences made of sharp iron. So it took quite a while for us to get to the training ground, and thanks to that, we were able to chat quite a bit along the way. ¡°Carl, can you recommend a good weapon for me to handle?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°What I recommend is¡­ Ah, we¡¯re almost there! This is the training ground.¡± Carl was talking, but he ran away there when he saw the training ground. Without hesitation, I grabbed the hem of my skirt and ran with him. In the first place, I¡¯m not a very polite young lady either. Chapter 31 When My Enemies Began to Regret Chapter 32 My eyes became clouded at the extraordinariness of Carl Andras that was revealed in every scene. ¡®Even though his appearance and relationship with his family are fine, I think I can see why his engagement was broken up.¡¯ ¡°I think I know why he was broken up when his appearance and family are so fine.¡±¡¯ ¡®He is a sad boy.¡¯ But Carl made a worried face, mistaken that I felt sorry for myself. ¡°Is Lady offended by what I just said? I¡¯m sorry. You listened to me so well that I didn¡¯t notice it. Ah, I talked a lot today because I felt excited.¡± ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± ¡°Yes? Uh, because I¡¯m weird. Everyone gets upset when they talk to me for a long time.¡± As Carl spoke in a crawling voice, I shook my head. ¡°No, rather I feel good. You¡¯re not telling me to stop taking revenge.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And the explanation of the weapons you gave me earlier was really interesting. It¡¯s fun to learn because you speak fluently about it.¡± Others may feel Carl¡¯s words and actions were barbaric as he¡¯s noble, but I didn¡¯t feel the same way. Every time Carl spoke violent words, it made me shrug inside, imagining how good it would be to use them against my enemies. ¡°It¡¯s not that you¡¯re weird, but you have different interests from them. Maybe they felt uncomfortable because you¡¯re talking about your favorite stories.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± I stood up and grabbed the hand of Carl that had been extended to me. ¡°But it¡¯s okay because we have the same interests.¡± Now it was time to go back. * * * My hands were heavy as I returned from Andras¡¯s mansion. ¡°This is a book that summarizes the vital points of a person, and this is a medical book that contains information about which blood vessels produce a lot of blood, etc. And this one is about the toxicity of plants that you can find around¡­¡± That was because Carl gave me several books as a gift. ¡°Actually, these three books are the books that contain information Lady Vanora needed.¡± But the weight increased because he added the useless novel into the gift and then deceived me. ¡°And this is a novel that I enjoyed reading as a child. The main character is cool. He cut off the enemy leader¡¯s head.¡± ¡°You read it when you were young? Then why give it¡ª¡± ¡°Lady will be on a long road to return to your mansion. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to read some books on the way?¡± I pulled out a physical training diary that Carl had handed over to me, written by the author of many books. ¡°¡­¡± There were quite a few easy-to-understand methods of training explained with pictures. ¡°It¡¯s going to take a lot of time.¡± I recalled my future schedule in my mind. ¡°A year from now¡­ I¡¯m going to be busy making my debut in the social world¡­ Can I prepare well for the engagement ceremony?¡± First of all, this was the most urgent schedule. After spending a lot of time, the new engagement ceremony schedule is approaching in a blink of an eye. Since my fiance comes from the Duke¡¯s family, there was a sense that I wanted to unnecessarily delay it to show to the public. ¡®I¡¯m confident I can withstand the cold. I¡¯ll take this opportunity to visit the North, which I¡¯ve never been to in my entire life.¡¯ The engagement ceremony will be held in none other than the heart of Duke Jalier¡¯s territory. So I had to head to North as soon as this carriage arrived home. There was no reason to blame others because I rushed to make the tight schedule. ¡°¡­¡± By the way, I am a little curious now. ¡®How will the engagement go?¡¯ In order to speed things up as much as possible, I entrusted Aloken to prepare for the engagement ceremony on the condition that he could ignore my opinion. ¡®Even if I give my opinion, my family wouldn¡¯t listen to me anyway. I would rather he discussed it directly with the Count.¡¯ That¡¯s why I knew very little about my engagement ceremony. However, I only need to sleep for a few nights and wake up, then experience it by myself. So, there¡¯s no need to waste my time imagining the engagement ceremony. There was nothing important on the road back to the mansion. In the meantime, I slept every night dreaming that the assassin sent by Hanar put their dagger in my chin, but fortunately, what I worried about didn¡¯t happen. A few days later. ¡¸She looked at the boy¡¯s shabby clothes. Vasago: I guess I¡¯ll have to get some new clothes. I¡¯m sure there must be a servant suit for your age to wear in our mansion. That¡¯s right. Well done, my maid, now, please try it on. Young servant: Can I really wear such precious and nice clothes? My body is dirty, so the beautiful clothes will get dirty very quickly. Vasago: In the name of Vasago, I assure you, you¡¯re no longer dirty. Do you want to look in the mirror? After taking a bath, your impression is different.¡¹ Lately, a new character has been added to the midnight novel I saw. ¡°Is he that person?¡± Even the proper name has not yet been given, but I¡¯m guessing that he is the exclusive servant who will be by Vasago¡¯s side in the future. This is because Vasago¡¯s exclusive servant in the future had a similar impression to the brown-haired boy who appeared in the novel. ¡®They¡¯re about the same age. The servant Vasago carried with her looked quite young even though he may not be that young¡­¡¯ In the novel, he was rescued and educated by Vasago while she was wandering in the slums. In the process, he fell in love with Vasago¡¯s kindness. The servant who serves Vasago by her side is narrated as one of the characters in the ¡®Dangerous Love.¡¯ It may be possible to find out this servant¡¯s weakness, or on the contrary, to find Vasago¡¯s fault from this servant¡¯s point of view. ¡®Can I bribe this servant with something like money? No, I didn¡¯t even negotiate often. Let alone convincing people to appease others.¡¯ But this is only a shallow prediction. This novel only provides fragmentary information about Vasago, so it was difficult to do something right away. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Therefore I decided to stay curled up for now. ¡°Lady Vanora, they say we will pass through the gate soon. Let¡¯s get back in the carriage.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Even if someone doesn¡¯t ask the reason, my body can¡¯t help but curl up in this cold weather¡­ ¡°Are you cold? It¡¯ll be better if Lady wears a fur coat.¡± ¡°No, I tend to tolerate cold weather well, so I will get used to it.¡± ¡°But, Lady¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± This place was near the gate to the Northern, Hamel, where the home of Duke Jalier is located. These days, I was getting ready for the engagement ceremony and finally heading there. Of course, the people of the Celcius family departed more leisurely than me, and I didn¡¯t have to worry about them. ¡°I will be the main character who comes last, so I¡¯m sure I will get criticism.¡± Looking out the window, I realized this place was completely different from the capital. ¡®It¡¯s been so long since winter ended, but the scenery is still like this?¡¯ When people of the capital think about the North, they say it is a place where there is nothing to eat, dangerous places with many wild animals, barren land¡­ etc. ¡°!¡± But after a while. With a jolt, we soon entered the heart of Duke Jalier¡¯s territory, where the engagement ceremony would take place. As we crossed one of the fortress walls, the scenery I saw changed. ¡®It¡¯s better than I thought.¡¯ When I entered the city, I could see people living there. Unlike in the capital, the roofs of the buildings here were light colors, gave off a frugal feeling, and the neatly arranged carriageways gave a good impression. ¡®I heard that the North is a place where crops get frosty even in the summer, but that¡¯s not the case.¡¯ It¡¯s only 5 a.m. right now. The temperature was chilly for a while, but the weather was so clear by the time the sun came up. The coolness that is quite different from the early summer experienced in the capital approached me positively. ¡°Lady, now that we¡¯re in the city, I think you can close your eyes a little bit. I will wake you up when we arrive at the cathedral.¡± At that time, Cecil, the maid sitting opposite me in the carriage, suddenly suggested it. Her personality is quite like mine, who had a business-like attitude as her expression didn¡¯t show any emotions. But it was clear to me what those few words meant. ¡°Do I look so tired?¡± Chronic insomnia I suffered from left a dark shadow on my face. ¡®She must be thinking about how to cover her Lady¡¯s face with powder.¡¯ ¡°The two families want each other anyway, so just because I look ugly doesn¡¯t mean the engagement ceremony will be canceled. Relax your shoulders.¡± I turned my dry eyes to the window. Perhaps she understood the attitude of me expecting nothing, and luckily, Cecil didn¡¯t say anything more. Rumble. Rumble. The time of dawn when the noise of the wheel of a carriage and the faint sound of horseshoes mix. I couldn¡¯t sleep, but my eyes hurt even when I stared blankly out the window. I spent some time closing my eyes tightly to protect my stuffy eyes. A lot of thoughts came to my mind in the darkened vision. Should Naverius be cut like sashimi, grilled, boiled, or buried alive? ¡°Lady¡­ Lady Vanora. We¡¯re here.¡± And not long after, Cecil woke me up. By the time I opened my eyes again, the scenery had changed. ¡°You mean my engagement ceremony will be held in here?¡± Compared to a wedding, it¡¯s customary for an engagement ceremony to be simple, just like only praying over water¡­ ¡®Why did he choose such a gorgeous cathedral?¡¯ Somehow, it felt like something would be creaking from the first step I took. ¡®No¡­ I left everything to him in the first place. How can I disparage the person who prepared so hard? Let¡¯s just take it lightly.¡¯ I moved as the vassals of the Jalier led me without a single complaint. I was taken to the cathedral¡¯s narrow passage and put on the yellow robe sent by the Duke Jalier. White is the standard for marriage and yellow for engagement, so it was a natural choice. After that, with Cecil¡¯s help, she long braided up my hair and tied it, and by the time she managed to do it, she put the headdress sent by the Duke Jalier again. ¡°What did my family do?¡± Having made it this far, I wondered what Bael Celcius had helped with the engagement ceremony. ¡®He was obviously not interested in his daughter¡¯s engagement, but¡­¡¯ I bowed my head for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s done, Lady Vanora.¡± I got up from my seat when Cecil had done her touch. It¡¯s the same that I¡¯m not interested in this engagement, so there¡¯s nothing left to postpone. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± I got up straight from my seat without seeing my figure and followed the butler of the Jalier family. Even now, I just kept thinking, ¡®After this is over, I will have to memorize the books that Carl gave to me.¡¯ ¡°The Lady of Celcius family is entering.¡± But just a few minutes later. When the door to the high priest¡¯s room opened, I had to stop what I had been thinking about. ¡°¡­Then my prospective companion must have come. The witness stand seems to be filled, except for the rather slow ones, so let¡¯s start without delay.¡± A neatly combed hair. The engagement uniform, similar to mine, seems to have been tailored for today¡¯s ceremony. The ceremonial sword hung over his waist was so glamorous. However, the reason why I didn¡¯t look at the decorations was because his face caught my eyes. ¡®Ah, I shouldn¡¯t have dragged Aloken Jalier in.¡¯ The dark-haired man found me and gave me his distinctive thin smile. At the same time, the unmarried ladies who sat on the benches of the cathedral lamented. I was convinced by this. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have been greedy for nothing. Now that I think about it, I should have used someone else to break up my engagement with Naverius.¡¯ Aloken Jalier. He is more attractive than I thought. I had never heard of the Duke of North looking so handsome, and I regretted seeing his stylish appearance now. The fame of capturing him will one day return as envy and jealousy. Just because I¡¯m trying to have a little higher power, that will make things go wrong. Chapter 33 12. Personally (1) Translated by alyalia 12. Personally ¡°What are you thinking about when you come all the way here?¡± ¡°Take a guess.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not good at guessing other people¡¯s minds.¡± It¡¯s been a few weeks since I spoke this arrogant way. The two of us, the main characters of today carefully climbed up in front of the podium. Aloken then put one hand behind my back and reached out the other to help me lightly. When I looked around, there were already necessary figures filling the seats. Priests who will grant the engagement in the name of holy god, elders of both families, vassals of Duke and Count. However, there were many nobles who I didn¡¯t know there, so I thought they were probably from the North. ¡°Then, let the ceremony begin. Remember the request to keep it as short as possible. My fianc¨¦e doesn¡¯t like being bored.¡± ¡®When did I ever say that?¡¯ With all the necessary guests present, all that remains is to proceed with the ceremony. The venue was decorated splendidly, and the process was surprisingly simple. First, the priest raises the guests who will witness the engagement ceremony and offers a simple prayer. After that, everyone sat down again, and the priests recited the baptismal speech for the fianc¨¦e. Then, the vassals of the two families stand up and exchange the pre-written engagement document. Of course, the documents had to be stamped with each other¡¯s family seals. ¡°¡­The two of you, please put the token of your promise into each other¡¯s hands.¡± And the last, the exchange of engagement rings. ¡®This is the ring I borrowed from now on.¡¯ I could see at a glance the engagement ring that Aloken prepared arbitrarily looked so luxurious. I thought for a moment if he was spending too much money on this fake engagement. However, since it would be retrieved after our contract is done, it won¡¯t be a big loss to him. ¡®Let¡¯s be careful not to lose it. I can¡¯t bury this in my body like Io.¡¯ When Aloken grabbed my hand and put the engagement ring on my ring finger, I did the same to him. As the engagement process came to an end, the priest made the guests stand again and recited a long prayer. ¡°By this, I declare that the engagement of the two has been promised by God¡¯s permission.¡± This was the end of it all. An engagement ceremony is a simple event with no special reception. The related parties signed the document under the priest¡¯s certification. At the end of the ceremony, the witness went back one by one. Some of them approached the related parties and talked to them. ¡°Little Duke, as joining the Celcius family in the future¡ª¡± ¡°Lord, you¡¯re so dignified today. With Lord as the successor of the family, the future of Duke Jalier will be¡ª¡± ¡°Lord, I have the medicine that will help the Duke¡¯s recovery¡ª!¡± As soon as Aloken Jalier came out from the high priest¡¯s room, he was surrounded by people. But the problem is, I was also surrounded by a crowd. ¡°Hello, Lady Celcius! I¡¯m Emiliara, the eldest daughter of Viscount Barsen. Congratulations on your engagement today. Lady¡¯s engagement ceremony is so grand as if the whole Kingdom blessing your engagement.¡± ¡°Lady Vanora, I heard that you¡¯ve been out of the social world due to your weak body, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve improved. Are you okay now?¡± ¡°If Lady doesn¡¯t have any plans afterward, how about we go to our house party¡­¡± I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a long time, but it was funny. They¡¯re so desperate to make a connection with me just because I¡¯m engaged to Aloken Jalier. ¡®Well, I¡¯m not much different from them.¡¯ It was what I had hoped for anyway. Because I also chose this engagement for power. There will be no one who will carelessly touch the person who will become the Duke¡¯s companion. If someone¡¯s jealousy makes things worse, now I have the power to punish them. ¡°Thank you for treating me kindly as I¡¯m not yet familiar here. Even though northern people¡¯s hands are cold, you have warm hearts.¡± ¡°Oh my, how can Lady speak so beautifully like a poem?¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I haven¡¯t gotten used to the Northern climate yet, so it will be difficult for me to accept the invitation¡­¡± ¡°Lady Vanora, I will send fresh gentian to the Celcius mansion right away! I hope Lady is always healthy.¡± ¡°Yes, then, goodbye.¡± I managed to get out of the crowd of nobles, who would hardly let me go, using the excuse of my health. Then, it was the perfect time to go back to the room where Cecil was waiting for me, change into casual clothes, and prepare to go home. ¡°Hey, wait!¡± Step. Step. Step. However, I turned my head when I heard someone following me at a fast pace. I clenched my fists tight and didn¡¯t forget to search for the vital points of the mysterious person, thinking it might be someone with malicious intent. ¡°Who are you?¡± However, the person who appeared in front of me was a young master from a noble family. ¡°Huh, don¡¯t you recognize the man¡¯s younger brother you were going to marry?¡± ¡°Aha.¡± With such a story, I only now realized that he looked like Duke Jalier. His hair was so close to brown that I couldn¡¯t recognize him at first. If he had black hair, I would have recognized him right away. ¡°Greetings, Rose Jalier. It¡¯s my first time seeing you.¡± He is the second son of Duke Jalier. In the future I remember he was the person who inherited the Duke instead of his older brother. Still, he died suddenly in an unfortunate accident. Even though I greeted him with courtesy, he suddenly got angry. ¡°I¡¯ve known since the time you didn¡¯t even show your face to my family while preparing for the engagement, but I can¡¯t find any feeling of guilt coming from you. ¡° I know not helping in preparation for the engagement ceremony is enough for me to be blamed, but why would this boy get mad? I looked puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s you who didn¡¯t show your face. I even prayed beside the Duke when he was sick. ¡° ¡°But isn¡¯t this your first time in the North? You didn¡¯t even recognize me until just now. ¡° Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°It¡¯s because I had a health issue¡­ I said my greetings to the Duke in advance, so I was going to introduce myself to you after the engagement ceremony as we become a real family. I¡¯m sorry if I offended you by introducing myself late.¡± I didn¡¯t show any emotion and behaved as a noble should do. But inside, I thought about him, who was getting mad at me. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this brat? Shall I check if he really had the Jailer¡¯s blood?¡¯ Still, I think it¡¯s not a good thing for him to give tantrums from time to time. As I stood still and took a deep breath, Aloken¡¯s brother continued the conversation at his will. ¡°Huh, your family didn¡¯t have any fertile land, and the head of your family didn¡¯t have good skills for business¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I wonder if the engagement between the Count family and Duke family was something really necessary to do in the first place.¡± Is he intimidating me by saying, ¡®How dare someone like you to get engaged with the Duke¡¯s family?¡¯ I felt something different as my fianc¨¦¡¯s family, which I had only known from the book, unfolded in front of my eyes. ¡°Did he prepare quickly while I was away? In addition, when I heard about the engagement, I found out that you have no reputation in the social world. Just like a ghost. Besides, there¡¯s a rumor saying that you¡¯re born out of wedlock¡­¡± ¡°Wait, why are you bringing up this topic now? And why should I be listening?¡± This has gone too far. Even the most prominent nobles had no right to make a fuss about an unspeakable scandal. The boy named Rose frowned and lowered his voice as I showed I felt uncomfortable with his words. ¡°I mean, why would that arrogant Aloken Jalier make you, who is an insignificant human being, as his fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Are you gossiping about me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel strange to yourself? I don¡¯t know how Aloken deceives you, but you have no idea what kind of person he is.¡± And at this time, I noticed a figure walking silently behind him and shifted my gaze to that figure. ¡°I¡¯m saying this for you. I don¡¯t know what you want from the Duke¡¯s family, but do it in moderation and break up your engagement¡­¡± Rose Jalier kept talking without noticing the figure, but it wasn¡¯t long before he found out who that figure was. ¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t it too much to try to steal your brother¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°¡­Aloken!?¡± In the meantime, Aloken had already changed his formal attire into his usual dull navy coat. I reflexively bowed my head to greet Aloken. However, Aloken wasn¡¯t in a good mood to say greetings at all. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you two talked about breaking up the engagement, but I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t want to be called a broken-hearted man right now. Ignore what he said, Vanora.¡± ¡°Cut the crap! Lady Vanora, I definitely warned you. If you get married to him later, you¡¯ll regret it. It will be like that! Then¡­¡± Is this really a conversation between brothers who share blood? Aloken is eager to ignore his younger brother, and his younger brother has uttered all of his words to slander him. Of course, Rose had to pay the price of what he said. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°!¡± Pow! With a punching sound, Rose fell back. Aloken punched him in the chest before he could further open his mouth. ¡°If you talk about me like this¡­ don¡¯t blame me for being cruel. We need to clarify our causal relationship.¡± ¡°Ugh, keheug.¡± Maybe it was because he hit him so hard that his younger brother grabbed his chest and couldn¡¯t breathe. I stood firm as I saw the fight between the brothers. ¡°How long do you think your act will work? I will tell all of this to father! There are so many witnesses!¡± ¡°You urge my beloved fianc¨¦e to break up with me. Is there anyone who won¡¯t be angry when in the same position as me?¡± What follows is, of course, a romantic statement. It wasn¡¯t something I wanted to hear from a person who beat his relatives with a cold expression. ¡°Lady Vanora, you still haven¡¯t changed your mind? Even after seeing what he¡¯s doing right now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It would be a thorny road waiting for you to become Aloken¡¯s wife.¡± I didn¡¯t respond to the ensuing threats from Rose. Then Rose groaned and backed away. He looked back at his brother, then quickly disappeared from the hallway. ¡°Aloken Jalier.¡± When the disturbing brother disappeared, Aloken approached me with a relaxed look. However, I felt that it was necessary to say these words, so I opened my mouth while refusing his escort. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that I would suffer from your family even before getting married.¡± ¡°Just like the good astrology said, I can¡¯t predict the way ahead.¡± * * * ¡°But what are you doing here? Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± Step. Step. Although I am wearing shiny clothes as if they had been polished like jewels, only my shoes are in a frugal appearance, so the stepping sound rang out from the low heels. After walking in the hallway for a long time, I wondered why Aloken had come all the way here. Aloken gently answered me, ¡°I already knew what Rose would do when he found out about our engagement. When he was busy with other things, I had a hard time secretly preparing for the engagement ceremony.¡± ¡°Did you just come here to stop your brother?¡± ¡°Yes, but I was late because I was caught by the elders.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Aloken checked his sleeves over and over again to see if any spots got dirty from his previous fight, even though there was not a single speck of dust. I unconsciously checked Aloken¡¯s clothes and thought briefly. ¡®Aloken¡¯s younger brother¡­ At first, I thought he was arrogant and picking a fight with me, but now that I think about what he said, it seems that he hates Aloken more than he hates me.¡¯ There are many picturesquely harmonious noble families in the society, but the relationship in this family seemed severe. Chapter 34 12. Personally (2) Translated by alyalia ¡°Vanora, are you taking what Rose said seriously?¡± ¡°You mean if I marry you, what¡¯s waiting for me will be a thorny road?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re not even really married.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding it, but what he said was true.¡± Aloken clicked his tongue and titled his head. ¡°The reason why Rose acts like that¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s something you should already know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Have you already forgotten what you said when you tried to lure me down?¡± ¡®If the reason why his younger brother is being hostile to him¡­¡¯ There is only one thing to point out right now. I put the sentences that came to my mind before arriving at the dressing room. ¡°Is it the succession issue? Even though he was born as the second son, he wanted to become a Duke, right? But his effort being overthrown again by you, that¡¯s why he was trying to keep you in check?¡± ¡°Exactly. My little brother thinks that I will gain something by marrying you and securing my successor position.¡± ¡°Is he trying to break up this engagement so that you won¡¯t increase your power?¡± Tak. I stopped at the corner of the hallway and looked up at Aloken. His face was still expressionless. ¡°Why does the succession problem get so twisted?¡± I also had a calm face and utter it with a light heart. ¡°I knew that Duke Jalier was thinking about choosing the successor, but I don¡¯t know why. According to the original tradition, you should have easily become the successor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is there any reason why you couldn¡¯t become the successor?¡± Anyway, the answer to this question was unavoidable. However, I didn¡¯t expect Aloken to come out this way. ¡°Is there any reason why I couldn¡¯t become the successor? If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you search for the answer by standing by my side in the future.¡± He had a seemingly impeccable smile, but those slender eyes somehow made me feel irritated. I shut my mouth. I didn¡¯t want to be by his side just to solve my curiosity. ¡°This room is probably the room my maid is waiting for. Thank you for escorting me. I look forward to your kind cooperation. I¡¯m going to get back after changing into my daily clothes, so about the next schedule please write it in a letter¡­¡± It means that I¡¯m done with today¡¯s work. As I was getting ready to go, Aloken spoke calmly as if he spoke about today¡¯s weather. ¡°Ah, I forgot to tell you. If you¡¯re talking about getting back with the carriage you had been in, I already sent it back.¡± ¡°Yes, I underst¡­ What did you just say?¡± ¡°In addition, all your family members are probably on their way home by now, so there¡¯s no such thing as the Celcius¡¯s carriage.¡± At first I didn¡¯t think it was a serious matter because of the way he spoke. But the more I looked back, the more unexpected it was. ¡°Why?¡± ¡®What the hell is he talking about? Sending my carriage back out of the blue?¡¯ I consciously placed two hands on my stomach, clenching them tightly. Aloken stared at it and spoke softly. ¡°Duke Jalier suggested this morning. He seems to want to have a meal with his prospective daughter-in-law. So, you have to attend our family dinner, which will be held in the next five days.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear it beforehand.¡± ¡°Because I just said it now.¡± Look at this guy. For a moment, I¡¯m thinking of breaking his neck bone using Io¡¯s power. After barely managing my emotions, I answered quietly. ¡°It¡¯s so sudden, and I never said that I would accept the invitation.¡± This was a euphemistic refusal. But Aloken shook his head even though he knew I would reject it. ¡°You must come.¡± ¡°Is there a reason?¡± ¡°The Duke won¡¯t understand which noble lives on such a busy day, but I tried to protect your will. The proof that we could hold the engagement ceremony safely even though you didn¡¯t even have time for it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But somehow¡­ There¡¯s a limit to the excuse. If you don¡¯t show your face even though you have already come to the North for the engagement ceremony¡­¡± ¡°Will he be suspicious?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t only be suspicious. He¡¯s going to find out why we held the engagement ceremony hastily even though we¡¯re in love with each other, and he¡¯s going to find out all of it was fake.¡± If the engagement broke up, I would suffer the most. So I couldn¡¯t say no at my will hastily. ¡°Can¡¯t you get back five days later in return for all of the consideration I have given?¡± When I think about it, surely he made me feel more convenient. No matter how heartless the deal is, there are usually many things that the fianc¨¦e has to take care of in the engagement ceremony. But Aloken had prepared everything perfectly. Thanks to this, I was able to act freely in the meantime. ¡®Without his help, I wouldn¡¯t have had time to meet Carl.¡¯ Besides, having a meal together is not difficult, and that¡¯s what my father-in-law is asking for. I handed my hand to Aloken only after considering the advantages and disadvantages. Implicitly, it was a gesture for him to lower his head and kiss my hand. ¡°I can¡¯t. If the Lord asked me to do it with more sincerity, maybe I will do that.¡± It was already decided in my head that the invitation couldn¡¯t be avoided. Nevertheless, I showed an aggressive appearance. It was because I worried that if I forgave this incident, he might continue to make an appointment without telling me first as he pleases in the future. ¡°¡­¡± Born as the little Duke in the Kingdom, this is the first time he has ever been treated like this. Aloken slowly retreated to his smiling face and returned to his cold look, but in the end, he didn¡¯t refuse my request. He then bowed his head and kissed the back of my outstretched hand. Bend his head by the words of others, not by his own. This would be the greatest apology he could ever show. ¡°¡­I beg you from the bottom of my heart. I hope you shine at the dinner party held five days later, Vanora Celcius.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right.¡¯ With that manner, I felt like doing a favor. * * * The war of nerves with the little Duke is always tiring. ¡®After all, I¡¯ve already made a deal with him.¡¯ It would be a problem if our relationship looked too shallow. Still, it was dangerous to give the impression that he was crawling over my head. So, it was difficult to fill the narrow gap. ¡°Cecil, I¡¯m sorry for the suddenness. That¡¯s what happened. I won¡¯t do anything that will make you tired while we¡¯re in the North, so call this as a vacation and rest.¡± ¡°No, Lady.¡± Zrrrt. I can feel Cecil¡¯s hand fixing the pocket over the fabric of the underwear I was wearing on the waist. I thought something as I waited. ¡®5 days. It would be a long time to feel bored, but it wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t stand it.¡¯ ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes. Lastly, I¡¯ll fix Lady¡¯s hair again.¡± After wearing a simple dress, this thought came to my mind as I went for a walk. ¡®It¡¯s surprising. I didn¡¯t think Cecil would wait for me, instead of going back with my family¡¯s carriage¡­ Well, how could a maid leave her master behind? Poor thing.¡¯ I was grateful for Cecil to stay with me in a foreign place. It was also due to the fact that I¡¯m comparing her with Seir day by day. Therefore, I decided to take good care of Cecil so that she wouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable during her stay here. ¡°Cecil, let¡¯s go outside now. Aloken-nim has arranged a carriage for us to ride on, so when we arrive at the famous Duke Jalier¡¯s mansion¡­¡± ¡°Vanora, are we leaving now?¡± ¡°You surprised me.¡± However, I may not be the only one who came up with this idea. For example, suppose that Aloken is in my position and I am in Cecil¡¯s position, who was forced to remain in the North. If so, Aloken could have made his own calculations and decided to be nice to me so that I wouldn¡¯t be mad at him. ¡°It¡¯s a happy day, but your face is not saying so. Anyone would think you had attended a funeral, not an engagement ceremony.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t try to escort me the way out of the cathedral. ¡°But what happened? They left their daughter on someone else¡¯s estate and didn¡¯t even leave a single knight¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is it okay if my father-in-law trusts me that much?¡± That¡¯s how I headed to the Duke Jalier¡¯s residence. The luxurious prepared carriage didn¡¯t take much time to move because it had strong wheels. * * * ¡®Before, I spent the rest of my time in the carriage, and in front of others, I pretended to be his fiancee who loved him so much. So, in what time period will I pay all my revenge? Is my revenge a joke?¡¯ Rattle. Rattle. The carriage, which had a soft cushion, shook greatly once. Whenever that happened, my impatient mind also shook to the fullest. Even at this moment, the garbage that caused me to give up my life must be doing well. ¡°Huuuu¡­¡± My stomach turned upside down even if I stayed still. ¡®It¡¯s okay. I haven¡¯t prepared it properly yet, but if I act hastily, they will find out that I have Io and get caught and beheaded by the King.¡¯ Rattle. Rattle¡­ Outside, the sound of carriage wheels rolling down the shallow gravel road was heard. I followed it quietly by my ear, leaning against the carriage wall. ¡°¡­¡± And at this time, as Cecil had said, I realized that I was quite tired. Until now, even when I tried to sleep, my mind still focused, but when the ceremony was over, my body was heavy like cotton soaked in water. ¡®Sleepy.¡¯ I immediately closed my eyes and went to sleep quietly. Just before falling asleep, it was a bonus for me to imagine something like a dream. ¡®When I wake up, I wish I had the soul of a skilled assassin in my body.¡¯ How many minutes have passed? I opened my eyes as soon as the carriage began to slow down. When I rubbed my face, the hazy vision became clear. ¡°Cecil, have we arrived?¡± ¡°Yes, I think so, Lady.¡± I, with my sleepy face, relaxed my shoulders lightly. And when the carriage stopped, the door swung open as if it was natural. Because I just woke up, I forgot that I was being escorted. ¡°¡­¡± ¡®But what else is this¡­¡¯ ¡°Welcome, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Welcome! Lady Vanora.¡± Within seconds of getting out of the carriage, voices welcoming me burst out. It was coming from a group of about 20 servants. I, startled by the spectacle of the servants in neat uniforms lined up and bowing, stood still, and Aloken, who had already boarded the carriage in front of me, came down. ¡°Is everyone from the Duchy like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± If I don¡¯t do anything right away, the servants who bow deeply won¡¯t be able to straighten their spines. I took a step for now. At the same time, my mouth moved, and I spoke to Aloken in a small voice. ¡°Do all the servants come to say greetings every time you bring in a guest?¡± The splendid entrance ceremony felt somewhat uncomfortable for me. But Aloken, who was beside me, spoke as if it was no big deal. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°The servants here are only a drop in the bucket, so what¡¯s so fuss about?¡± ¡°¡­¡± If this welcome ceremony was a tactic to show off the power of the Duke¡¯s family and press down the lady¡¯s nose from the Count family, it was a success. Chapter 35 12. Personally (3) Translated by alyalia ¡®I thought my family was already rich¡­¡¯ I tried not to shrink as I walked along the path decorated with carpet. ¡®It is always true that there is still another sky above the sky. Even though both of us are nobles, our lifestyle itself is different.¡¯ Then we passed the high ceiling as if a dome had been raised, the paths that sparked no matter where I looked, and the hallway full of artworks. The decorations that were not easily found in the Kasius Kingdom were also noticeable. ¡®Carved artworks from turquoise gems? What beast is this? It looks cute even though it has a fat body.¡¯ Duke Jalier seemed to be enjoying the artworks from foreign kingdoms quite a lot. ¡°This is the room where my father is waiting for. Go in for a while and say hello to him, and when you come out, the maid will guide you to your room.¡± ¡°Can you give me an empty room for the maid I brought?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Coming up the second floor, I had to face Duke Jalier. ¡°Duke, this is Vanora from the Celcius family.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± Click. When the servant turned the doorknob, the sight in front of me was like this. Bricks with dark and heavy colors. The warm light of the burning fireplace. Duke Jalier, leaning on a large chair and looking this way¡­ After not seeing him for a long time, he recovered his health quite a bit and gained some weight. ¡°Greetings, Duke.¡± I took a few steps into the room and greeted him with the best etiquette I could do. With the carefully raised right hand until my chest and the other hand holding my skirt, I bent my knees to greet him. ¡°Sit this way.¡± Then, Duke Jalier smiled softly. At the same time, he pointed to a chair of the same shape next to him. ¡°¡­¡± The old man¡¯s voice rang out again as I sat down on the chair. ¡°You probably haven¡¯t even made your debut yet, but the manner of your greeting is excellent. I can¡¯t believe an upright child will be paired with Aloken¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± ¡°Hohoho. Since we are going to become a family, you don¡¯t need to be polite. It¡¯s not like this is political engagement.¡± He spoke with a rosy face. ¡°As soon as I woke up, I was surprised to hear that my son had found the one he loved. We¡¯re even on the verge of talking about engagement with another family. Still, I didn¡¯t expect him to want to be engaged with Lady Celcius immediately.¡± ¡®Did that man really convince his father with such a simple lie?¡¯ ¡°But what could I do? No parent doesn¡¯t want their child to be happy.¡± Aloken¡¯s father seemed to think positively of the engagement. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just the way he¡¯s behaving as noble or not. But he has treated me with a smile since before. ¡°Come to think of it¡­ I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been sick because of the epidemic. Are you okay now?¡± ¡°Pardon? Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking this because I¡¯m worried about you being sick to the point you can¡¯t even help prepare for the engagement ceremony.¡± During the conversation in a relaxed atmosphere, I answered in a gentle voice when asked about my health. ¡°Actually, the spring cold I suffered this year was very severe, and I still suffer from the aftereffects. But, since Aloken-nim actively asked me to marry him, I accepted it even though the schedule was too much for me.¡± This was a lie. I was busy planning for my revenge, so I didn¡¯t have time to do the engagement preparation. ¡°Oh dear, don¡¯t bear your pain. I¡¯ll tell the doctor to prepare some medicine to help you get better, so take them with you when you go back.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m getting better now. I don¡¯t know if I can receive such precious things¡­¡± My face was entirely darkened due to insomnia. So the excuse of my poor health worked well. It should be the time to send back the sick patient. Still, for some reason, Aloken¡¯s father was agonizing for a while before talking again. ¡°By the way¡­ There¡¯s one thing I wanted to ask.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Did my son tell you that he really loves you?¡± It was an unexpected question. I didn¡¯t know that the Duke wanted to hear a love story of his son. ¡®My heart feels complicated when I think of the two of them as a parent-child relationship. For me, this engagement is just a deal I made because it¡¯s worth it.¡¯ It seemed that Aloken had already persuaded his father that it was true love. So it would be dangerous to tell the truth and break the act, right? I recited the words that I had prepared beforehand. ¡°Aloken-nim passionately confessed that he loves me. He also said that he loved me from first sight. I also like that¡­ It wasn¡¯t hard to fall for someone who¡¯s caring as a person like Aloken-nim.¡± ¡°Caring¡­¡± Even though the Duke is not that old yet, he has been ill for a long time. After brushing his beard, he said, ¡°Lady Celcius, I never thought Aloken could love anyone. He was born with that kind of character and closed his heart for a while.¡± ¡°That kind of character?¡± ¡°I thought I already knew him because he is a little bit special, but maybe my son is also a human being after all, or is he tricking you¡­¡± The Duke has said something meaningful. I was dumbfounded because frankly, I didn¡¯t care about Aloken¡¯s behavior. ¡°I don¡¯t really want you to understand me now. But, please understand why I willingly allowed this unequal engagement.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for my son to have someone he loves. That feeling will definitely change Aloken for the better.¡± ¡°Duke wants me¡­ to change something about Aloken-nim?¡± Duke Jalier seemed worried about his son. It is Aloken, not the youngest son, who is the apple of the Duke¡¯s eyes? It was interesting but not a topic for me to delve into deeply. Therefore, I put on an act. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to change from him because I love how he¡¯s now.¡± Duke Jalier opened his eyes wide and smiled faintly as I spoke plainly. ¡°¡­The more I know about you, the more I like you as my daughter-in-law. But there¡¯s a little favor I want you to do. It¡¯s not a big thing to do. Just with you standing by my son¡¯s side is enough.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Be a good wife for him.¡± A good wife. A good husband. They were all vaguely worded, but the way people set their ideals were similar. But it was something I couldn¡¯t possibly achieve¡­ ¡°All right, Duke.¡± But I had nothing to promise as all of this is fake. Just about 3 years. I promise my father-in-law that I will support my husband well, even though I¡¯m going to break up with him later and become independent. The Duke seemed to like this answer, so he smiled deeply that his lips were deeply dented. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, so let¡¯s stop now. Make yourself at home.¡± With those words, it¡¯s really over now. I left the room without a hitch. The air outside felt fresh as I left the room, which had been warm due to the fireplace. * * * The next morning. I woke up and took a deep breath just as I got up. But even though I had already gathered my consciousness, I didn¡¯t want to get up, so I crouched on the bed. The soft blanket that touched my cheek had a pleasant scent, and with my body wrapped warmly in it, only my face touched the cold and refreshing air. ¡®There are a lot of eyes to see, so I can¡¯t do physical training. There¡¯s nothing to do even if I get up.¡¯ ¡°I have a lot of eyes, so I can¡¯t exercise, so I don¡¯t have anything to do when I wake up.¡± Rustling. I closed my eyes and wiggled until my fatigue faded away. How long has it been since I had a normal sleep? Actually, I didn¡¯t plan to sleep this long. ¡°Um¡­¡± I suffered from exhaustion as I hadn¡¯t slept properly for several days. So when I lay down on a soft bed, I overcame my insomnia and fell asleep for a long time. ¡®Stop sleeping. Even though I said I like this mansion¡¯s blankets, I¡¯m just admiring it.¡¯ I rose from my seat, forcing myself to do that. It was my first morning at the Jalier Duchy. ¡°Ah, I always rang the bell when I got up. Well, would someone bring me water to wash my face?¡± The start wasn¡¯t that bad. I saw a bedroom five times larger than my room in the Celcius mansion when I opened my eyes. And by the bedside, there is a handbell left by the maid last night, who will be my maid during my stay in this mansion. Jingle. Jingle. I rang the bell without much thought. I don¡¯t know if it would be the same manners or not to announce that I already woke up. And then¡­ ¡°Did Lady already wake up?¡± ¡°Lady, we¡¯re coming in.¡± ¡°?!¡± How can several servants answer outside the door as soon as the bell rings? As if they were waiting right in front of the door? ¡°C-Come in.¡± The bad things didn¡¯t end there. When I gave permission, there was a rattling sound of a doorknob being opened, and at least five people entered the room. ¡°Everyone, please help Lady Vanora to change. Lady Vanora, the maid named Cecil said it was time for Lady to get up, so she went to get the wash water. Please wait a little bit.¡± ¡°I will roll up the curtains, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Would Lady mind standing up and raising your arms?¡± They were the maids of the Jalier family, whom I saw yesterday. The one who stood upright in the middle and gave orders was a maid who introduced herself as Baroness Nain. The unknown maids carried a folding screen and placed it in the corner of the room. It was to change my clothes. ¡®¡­The bruise on my arms that I had when I killed Shuteri had already disappeared. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡¯ I quietly followed their will. Thanks to the skilled maids, the new clothes were on in the blink of an eye, and after blinking again, my hair was already being prepared. ¡°Oh my! Lady¡¯s hair is really thick¡­ I can¡¯t believe Lady has such pretty hair that it¡¯s hard to hold them all with one hand.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I think I can see why the young Master fell in love with Lady at first sight.¡± However, behind me, who was washing my face with the warm washing water Cecil brought, the maids said strange remarks. They complimented my hair, which had only been said to be too dark and curly so far. ¡°¡­¡± The maid, who was working next to me, warned the person with the comb as I trembled and bit my mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything nonsense because it could offend the Lady! I¡¯m sorry, Lady. This kid is really good at her job, but her light mouth can¡¯t be fixed¡­¡± My hair. I didn¡¯t want to hear anything bad about it when I was young, so I cut it short, but it was so bad. It was one of those annoying parts of my body that got worse the shorter it got, like charred fur. In particular, this black hair was associated with my most depressing memory. So I couldn¡¯t readily say thank you for the compliment. ¡®I guess it¡¯s true that she¡¯s good at her job.¡¯ Fortunately, the light mouth maid shut her mouth and only moved her hand. She was so skillful that I could feel the difference in how Cecil handled my hair. She brushed my hair neatly and applied a good fragrance to each of my hair so that my black hair, which was like the mane of a wild horse, shone like silk. ¡°Fyuu, what does Lady think about it? It¡¯s a masterpiece of my life. How beautiful would it be to tie it up and show Lady¡¯s neckline¡­¡± ¡°Shh, be quiet when you work. Shh!¡± I listened to the maid¡¯s chatter and stared blankly with a handful of my hair in my hand. At Celcius¡¯s mansion, the fragrance wasn¡¯t given to the first daughter. I didn¡¯t care about appearance, so I didn¡¯t know about it. With great effort, my curly hair, which had been dropping like an ugly dog, waved gracefully. ¡®¡­If only the color were brighter.¡¯ Looking at my curly hair that looked better, a short regret passed by. ¡°Lady Vanora.¡± When my long curly hair was being braided and adorned, the maid standing at the end talked. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°The breakfast in the mansion will start in an hour. If there¡¯s any food Lady wants to eat, I will tell the chef.¡± After I answered that it didn¡¯t matter, all the maids left immediately except for Cecil, who kept close to me even on this estate. Chapter 36 13. The Main Character¡¯s Personality (1) Translated by alyalia About an hour later, as the maid told me, one of Jalier¡¯s servants guided me to the dining room in the mansion. ¡®I knew this would happen.¡¯ There was a large table where the whole family could sit around there. However, only one person was waiting there, not deviating from my expectations. ¡°Does the Duke Jalier skip meals?¡± ¡°Now you have to call him ¡®father.¡¯ He went down to inspect the territory. He probably won¡¯t be back until dinner due to a delay.¡± ¡°What about your brother?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to run into me.¡± Aloken Jalier. A sharp-looking man with black, like my hair, sat arrogantly in a chair. He raised his hand and pointed to the opposite chair. I sat down without saying a word. ¡°Even if this meal is a little lacking, please bear with it. The kitchen servants are paying close attention to the meals with the intention of serving their best for the young Lady of Celcius.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s not that fancy, I would be happy just to eat with father.¡± ¡°If you refuse their sincerity, the giver will be ashamed.¡± The conversation followed a series of remarks that would not be a problem for others to hear. However, since we didn¡¯t have much to talk about, the topic of the conversation quickly dropped, and the conversation was cut off. We soon started eating the food on the table made of high-quality ingredients. ¡®Carl said I shouldn¡¯t neglect to eat.¡¯ I have no appetite, but I aim to train my body, so I forcibly shove meats into my mouth. ¡°Vanora.¡± And while I was asking the servant to bring more pieces of duck meat, a voice that I was getting used to rang across me. When I looked up, Aloken was looking straight at me. ¡°Will you go out to town with me after finishing our meal?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I bought a seat for the opera because I thought you would feel bored during the stay.¡± I gave him a cold stare while no one was looking. This stare meant ¡®don¡¯t fool around¡¯ no matter who looked at it. However, Aloken didn¡¯t look at my stare and took out the wooden theater ticket from his arms. ¡°In this place, foxes come out often and disturb people, so it is troublesome for the young generation, but things have improved since my father¡¯s generation. So where do you think they will spend their remaining time as the hunting for foxes becomes less?¡± ¡°Is it by opera?¡± ¡°I can guarantee you this place has the best entertainment.¡± Aloken cut his portion of food into bite-sized pieces, put it in his mouth, swallowed it without chewing it a few times, and continued the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be fun to see the best actor in the Kingdom on the stage for today.¡± ¡°But that¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Lady Vanora will send me to the opera alone? How kind of the Lady I fell in love with! I hope you will come with me.¡± Before I could answer anything, he smirked and blocked the path of choices. ¡®Is this person really a human¡­?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t stand to resist saying harsh words in my mind and widened my tnote keyword=¡±sanpaku eyes.¡±]Sanpaku eyes refer to eyes in which either the white space above or below the iris is revealed[/tnote] * * * Creek, thud. ¡°What are you planning all of a sudden?¡± After the meal, I got into the carriage to head to the opera at Aloken¡¯s suggestion. I complained as I was forced to board the carriage. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in opera.¡± ¡°Neither am I.¡± ¡°Then why did you make us go to the opera suddenly?¡± I would pretend to be sick as soon as the engagement ceremony was over if I knew this would happen. I was so annoyed that I had to do something useless. ¡°Vanora, you probably have nothing to do in the mansion.¡± ¡°I was going to do a transcript of a theology book. Come to think of it, there were no pens and papers in my room.¡± ¡°Is that your hobby? That¡¯s probably¡­ why I¡¯ve got a very educated partner.¡± Aloken sat opposite me, even in the carriage, just like in the dining room. Sitting with his legs crossed, he brought a high-quality long sword around his waist instead of the cane he carried in the capital. ¡°¡­¡± I leaned against the back of the carriage, looking at the sword¡¯s pommel that hung on his waist. ¡°You¡¯re doing this to show our relationship to others, right?¡± Aloken politely corrected my sarcastic attitude and responded as I calmly talked about it. ¡°In fact, the Duke is very pleased with this engagement. For some reason¡­ you¡¯re really helping to solidify my position as the successor.¡± ¡°He also told me that you¡¯re lucky to have a fianc¨¦e like me.¡± ¡°¡­Did he change his mind after getting sick? I think he has decided that it is better for me to become the heir to stabilizing the family.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Anyway, I have to hide that this engagement is not a contract as much as possible like Lady Vanora¡¯s circumstance¡­¡± Aloken made no expression talking about his father. He seemed to have a cold personality, just like the rumors circulating in the capital in the future. ¡°Well, I¡¯m only staying in the North for a while, so I should focus on the act even during this time.¡± But looking at my own face reflected in the window, it was not that different from his expression. * * * 13. The Main Character¡¯s Personality Opera. It was one of the main entertainments for the nobles, with actors singing and telling various stories. However, I had never seen it before. I was uncomfortable being in a crowded place. I hid my face and was afraid others would recognize me as the ugly and gloomy Vanora Celcius. But this life is different. Now that I have already committed serious crimes, what should I be afraid of? ¡°Hey¡­ the most expensive seat upstairs. Could it be the little Duke Aloken?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°You¡¯re right. Isn¡¯t this his first time coming to the opera? Oh my! Then, the person next to him is the rumored fianc¨¦e!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really see her. That¡¯s too bad. But doesn¡¯t she look elegant even from a distance? Hahaha, or is it just me?¡± It was the center of Duke Jalier¡¯s territory. In addition, since the handsome young man sitting next to me was Aloken Jalier himself, it was expected that we would get their attention. ¡°Is everyone here to see the performance or to see you?¡± I said that as I looked down at the people downstairs. Aloken glanced at me, then turned his gaze back to the stage. ¡°!¡± Before long, this large theater, built in the suburbs, was filled with nobles and wealthy people. Soon, the inside of the theater was darkened as if the play was about to begin. In the process, I spoke to the man sitting next to me. ¡°How long does this opera last?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even started yet, but you already asked when it will end?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about three hours long.¡± Aloken, sitting with his chin on his chair, turned his head toward me and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®Indeed, his smiling face is like a painting.¡¯ I inwardly admitted that he had a handsome and attractive face that widened my eyes. ¡°The screenwriter and the actors have a good reputation, so you won¡¯t be bored.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Most testimonies said¡­ it moves people¡¯s hearts.¡± People used to be moved by works that were complete. It was the same for books, sculptures, and paintings. So I said, ¡°As you already evaluated it, I guess this opera would be great,¡± and talked to him more. ¡°Was it touching to you too?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s starting now.¡± But before my fiance¡¯s answer came back, the opera¡¯s first lines began. (Ooo, my love. I have come a thousand miles to meet you.) (I too have lived a hell of a time to meet you!) The title of this opera is none other than {Europa}. It was a love story based on a holy relic that is said to give you eternal youth. This legendary story is commonly known. ¡®So this is how opera actors act. Their acting is very exaggerated.¡¯ The opera¡¯s main character, Argo, is a man who lives eternal life. He has loved a lot so far and started a family, but all of those he loved have grown old, ill, and left him behind. ¡®¡­the sound of the song is good.¡¯ So, the man named Argo vowed not to fall in love anymore. Still, he fell in love with a new one. From a certain moment, the main character¡¯s anguish was expressed with the sound of a heavy brass instrument. At the beginning of the play, the two lovers sang like the orioles and had a happy time, but in the middle of the play, a crisis struck both lovers. ¡°¡­¡± And the main character of the play, Argo, soon came to a conclusion. He would no longer see his loved one leave, so he threw the holy relic into the sea and died with his last lover. This process is delicately expressed even to me, whose emotions had dried up, watching them with interest. ¡®Perhaps¡­¡¯ But the reason for my interest in this play was not simply because it was well made. ¡®Maybe she too was living this kind of life, so that¡¯s why she wanted to give up the holy relic?¡¯ I confirmed who the true owner of Europa was in my previous life. ¡°¡­¡± Looking back now, it¡¯s a fleeting meeting. I closed my eyes and briefly recalled the owner of Europa. ¡®At first, I thought their acting was exaggerated, but it¡¯s only natural for them to do that. If they don¡¯t speak like that, everyone in the back seat won¡¯t be able to hear them.¡¯ Before I knew it, the play ended, and several people went up on the stage and started to create a beautiful harmony. Unlike my previous reaction, which was boring, I liked it quite a bit and appreciated them. In the end, my eyes were looking at Aloken. ¡°This¡­¡± This is okay. I was going to say that at first. But I, who was speaking in a low voice, shut up as soon as I saw his face. ¡°¡­¡± Aloken sat slouching in his chair and remained silent. Obviously, his eyes are on the stage¡­ I felt something when I saw this look in his eyes. ¡°¡­¡± I turned my head quietly toward the stage. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the play really impressive?¡± ¡°What did I tell you? When Nelsandria announced that they would come back to play, we must go see the play that is really worth the name of the best actor in the Kingdom!¡± ¡°The composer¡¯s skill is excellent. When the main character is in agony, it is absolutely immersive¡­¡± Step. Step. Several people lined up and left the theater. The theater emptied at speed like a bullet. Aloken and I also left the theater with our servants shortly after that. ¡°It¡¯s going to get dark if we¡¯re late. Opera is all good, but it¡¯s troublesome because it doesn¡¯t start early.¡± Then, if we get on the carriage waiting on the street corner, even our silly play would be over. ¡°Vanora, how was the opera? I hope my precious fianc¨¦e likes it.¡± I looked at the brazen Aloken and gave him a reaction he probably didn¡¯t expect. ¡°It was a lot of fun, Aloken. It really touched my emotions.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°But there¡¯s something I¡¯m disappointed about. The fact that the actor wasn¡¯t as cool as you were.¡± Aloken raised one eyebrow to this response. But I took two steps closer to him and grabbed his wrist. Chapter 37 13. The Main Character¡¯s Personality (1) Translated by alyalia I could feel the guards who were following us were also agitated. ¡°If I had a holy relic like the main character in the opera, I would have made the same choice for Aloken.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eternal life doesn¡¯t matter if I can be with you.¡± Tuk. I pretended to lean lightly on Aloken¡¯s shoulder. It¡¯s a copy of the people¡¯s behavior who passed before my eyes. Aloken tried to reflexively back off when I touched him. But a few seconds later, as if he had finished judging, he changed his attitude. ¡°I don¡¯t even crave for holy relics in the first place. With such a lovely fianc¨¦e by my side, I have enough treasure.¡± ¡°Oh my, is that true?¡± As expected, Aloken responded skillfully to the play. As he approached, the appearance of whispering love while wrapping his arms around my shoulder was more natural than me, who had begun it. (What a sight!) (Did they drink honey to become that sweet?) (It¡¯s a happy thing that our young Master is happy, but to do that on the street¡­) It was obvious what the servants who were walking with us together would think by now. Rather, it was what I had hoped for. Aloken and I continued our playful play until we boarded the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s already late. I¡¯m in trouble if my fianc¨¦e gets hungry, so can you hurry up?¡± ¡°All right, my Lord.¡± I got into the navy-colored carriage, gracefully accepting Aloken¡¯s hand escorting me. Aloken, who had few words with the horseman, also approached the carriage shortly after. Aloken, who had a few words with the horseman, also approached the carriage shortly after. ¡°Hmm?¡± However, he took a seat next to me this time, not the opposite of me. I sat beside him without saying a word. Soon I watched the carriage door close. Tung. The heavy sound of the door closing was soon followed by a shallow vibration every time the wheels moved. ¡°Vanora.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Now that the curtain had fallen, it was the actors behind the curtain¡¯s turn to show their true faces. ¡°What did you do that for? You don¡¯t even usually keep your manners.¡± Aloken had returned with a cold look that made it feel like his voice had been lowered by one tone. He leaned his upper body toward me and whispered so that the conversation wouldn¡¯t leak to anyone. The pressure grew as much as our distance got closer. However, I had already lost my fear since I broke Haures¡¯s head. ¡°You seem to be going through a lot too.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Naturally, this kind of pressure didn¡¯t impress me. I went on, fiddling with the cloth hanging by the window. ¡°Aloken, you didn¡¯t like the opera you just saw, didn¡¯t you?¡± When this was brought up, Aloken¡¯s expression on the window hardened. ¡°No, not that much. I wasn¡¯t interested enough to the point I didn¡¯t care if the actor on the stage died right away¡­¡± ¡®What?¡¯ It was a casual remark. However, I acted as if I had been trampled upon. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did I offend you?¡± Aloken shutting up. Seeing him unhappy with this situation, I wondered whether he made a slip of the tongue and reflected on his remarks. But no matter how much I thought about it, there was no problem. ¡°I know the eyes of people who are not interested in a certain subject because I have received a lot of similar glances over the years.¡± ¡®Especially since my father often saw me with that look.¡¯ I dismissed my thoughts and continued the conversation in a small voice. ¡°It hurts to be bored.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But seeing you sit in a boring opera for hours just trying to be a fake lover¡­ It made me think differently.¡± Usually, while talking about this topic, someone would have said a word of sympathetic response. Still, the man sitting next to me only looked at me with questionable eyes. ¡°Looking back, you always did your best to hide our fake engagement. Thanks to that, there wouldn¡¯t be words about me regarded as a fake fianc¨¦e, but on the other hand, I think I¡¯ve been too uncooperative.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So from now on, I¡¯m just trying to keep up with my acting¡­¡± This play was honestly not a bad thing for me either. The more solid our love seems, the less room for Naverius to find out about it. ¡°Vanora.¡± At last, Aloken, who had not said anything, opened his mouth. He looked down at the floor, clasping my hands, and subtly asked a question. ¡°I certainly don¡¯t like opera. It¡¯s boring, but there¡¯s actually more than one or two boring things like that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No matter what I do with the things around me, it¡¯s not fun at all¡­ At first, I looked for something stimulating to appease my boredom. I don¡¯t like gambling. Fortunately, I like to hunt.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°But these days, I¡¯m getting tired of hunting.¡± He leaned lightly. Then he supported his elbow against the carriage wall and said while putting his chin on his hand. There was no such thing as arrogance or humility. ¡°Then what should I do when hunting becomes as boring as an opera?¡± ¡°You just have to find another hobby, right?¡± I answered without much thought. ¡°That¡¯s right. Fortunately, I think I¡¯ve already found something I¡¯m interested in this time.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks If I had known that he would then bring this up, I would have had a conversation with him more sincerely. Soon Aloken¡¯s eyes turned to me. He seemed to have realized something. ¡°Everything Lady Celcius brings up these days is interesting. When you pretended to be my lover earlier, I even thought it wasn¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this way before.¡± Aloken smiled at me while looking at my face. ¡°¡­So, what I mean is, you¡¯re charming.¡± I pretended to be startled when the word charming came out of his mouth. ¡°¡­¡± However, there was no significant change other than me raising both my eyebrows slightly. In other words, my face didn¡¯t turn red or even smile. ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you.¡± ¡®I need to get used to this kind of sudden attention¡­¡¯ It was awkward to hear that I was attractive, the opposite of the insults I had heard. Rather, it felt like he was giving me a slap on my face. ¡°Your reaction is too cold.¡± Aloken straightened his tilted upper body and sat upright when I showed such a cold face. Then he looked at my face and added a few words. ¡°What I¡¯m interested in you it¡¯s not just a one-time contract. I¡¯m even willing to carry out this until marriage.¡± I couldn¡¯t let those words slip away. ¡°Marriage?¡± ¡°These days, I think it¡¯s okay to have Lady Vanora as my real wife.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s okay?! You won¡¯t gain anything by marrying someone from the Celcius family¡­¡± ¡°I see. When we made a deal, you politely said that we didn¡¯t have to get married, but the truth is you just didn¡¯t want to.¡± Aloken pulled up a short curtain hanging from the carriage¡¯s window to see how close we were to the mansion and then calmly began to look straight ahead. His face had regained its smile. ¡°My family is not a family that will be shaken just because of marriage to Count Celcius¡¯s family.¡± ¡®He said before there¡¯s already a family he had in mind to be married to! Now he wants to throw them away?!¡¯ I listened quietly to his words and noticed. Aloken¡¯s remarks were sincere. ¡°I have no intention of getting married.¡± For me, he was merely a tool to establish myself in the social world while at the same time beating out Naverius. I have already made up my mind. I will destroy and kill my targets in the next two years, but it would be difficult if I stumbled upon a marriage I didn¡¯t even want. It¡¯s not good to be clingy. ¡°That will never happen.¡± I drew a line as cold as frost in the North. However, Aloken replied as if it was natural, without turning his head to look at the front of the carriage. ¡°My hunting skills are better than you thought.¡± ¡°Why did you say out of nowhere¡­¡± ¡°I have no hobby other than hunting, so the skills I had been immersed in for a long time naturally improved.¡± Tap, tap. He placed his hand on his twisted leg, tapped his knee lightly with his index finger, then lowered his head and raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m persistent when it comes to beasts I¡¯m interested in.¡± ¡°Are you comparing me to a beast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same whether it¡¯s a person, a beast, or a piece of meat.¡± He drew the end of his words softly and joked. I clenched my fists for a moment at his attitude. Shortly after, I turned my head to look out the window as if ignoring his words. As I saw a familiar landscape, we seemed to have reached the Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°You¡¯re going to hunt me down like a toy, right? Even if I say I don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Is that how you respond?¡± ¡°Even the gratitude I felt for you before is disappearing. I¡¯ll pretend that there won¡¯t be any further cooperation from now on. I don¡¯t want to be more than a business partner with you.¡± As soon as the horseman stopped the horse¡¯s hooves, I opened the door and got out of the carriage. ¡°Yo-Young Master, did something happen between you and the young Lady?¡± Even though Aloken and I apparently got out of the same carriage, I got off without an escort. Even if it¡¯s unusual for anyone who sees it. Aloken, who stepped on the ground belatedly, told a lie. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s just a quarrel between lovers.¡± * * * That night. It was good to run out first, but I couldn¡¯t avoid mealtime since I stayed in this mansion. So I had to have an overly lavish evening with Aloken. In addition, Aloken shamelessly delivered a letter to my room, saying, ¡°People feel intimacy and affection for those they see often.¡± I didn¡¯t like this situation. ¡®My head hurts.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t understand why he showed such great interest. Obviously, he didn¡¯t bother me until recently, saying that if I wanted to get married after breaking up with him, I would lose my reputation. ¡®Naverius and this guy are equally annoying!¡¯ I eventually gave up thinking. I hope this is just a brief, poor-quality prank by the arrogant little Duke. ¡°Lady Vanora, did you call for me?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t sleep well, and I¡¯ll probably stay up all night. So could you bring me a new candle for the night?¡± ¡°I understand. If Lady is experiencing such symptoms, scented candles seem to be helpful. Should I bring it with the rest?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± By the time my maid brought the new candle, I had unfolded the theology book I had received and began writing with the tools from Aloken. It made me calm down. The more sharp nib pressed against the paper and the more wavy letters I drew, the calmer my mind became. ¡®Why do humans crave for love?¡¯ Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Because they want the person they¡¯re interested in to be interested in them as well? Even though there is a good concept called friendship, they always want more than that. I thought they were greedy. ¡®Everyone is trying to ruin their lives for love.¡¯ Chapter 38 Author: alyalia Four days later, 00:00 AM. ¡¸#3 In front of the burning fireplace (night) In front of the fireplace, Vassago and Eyal check the letter that came to her. Vasago: I didn¡¯t expect him to contact me first. Eyal: Who¡¯s the letter from? Vasago: The arrogant man who I fought at the salon last time. Little Duke Jalier¡­ By the way, it seems like he will apologize to me. Eyal: If you lower your head like this, it¡¯s unfair to refuse. Vasago: I have no choice but to accept the invitation. so Vasago went to the dinner party in the Jalier Duchy¡­¡¹ And then that evening. ¡°Aloken. Are you close to Vasago Guelder?¡± ¡°You ask me something strange.¡± Finally, the dinner party came today. Coincidentally or inevitably, the dinner party of Jalier¡¯s family was also mentioned in the novel I read last night. So I asked Aloken a question I had been putting off. ¡®What¡¯s the relationship between him and Vasago?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about it for a long time if people from the Dukes family were close¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s the young Lady of Guelder, I¡¯ve never spoken to her.¡± ¡°Never?¡± ¡°We are not that friendly with the Guelder family. I think I¡¯ve seen her face at the King¡¯s birthday banquet, but that¡¯s it.¡± But I didn¡¯t expect their relationship to be like this. I then mentioned the salon¡¯s name, where the Guelder family participated. ¡°Well, have you ever been to Madam Creed¡¯s salon?¡± ¡°No.¡± But the answer returned was not what I expected. ¡®This is the first time that the content in the novel is completely wrong¡­¡¯ According to what I had read until today, Aloken should have already met Vasago twice. ¡®Did it change because I got engaged to him? Or is there a problem with the magic I¡¯m experiencing?¡¯ I thought the former was the most likely to happen from the two answers I came up with. As I regressed with memories from my past and took different steps from my previous life, I had no choice but to influence the world. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you like the dress I prepared for you¡± ¡°Nothing. Since your father is waiting for us, let¡¯s go in.¡± We soon entered the dinner hall in the Duchy of Jalier. As I appeared with the escort from Aloken, the two men standing near the table and talking turned their heads. ¡°Welcome, Lady Celcius. Seeing the two of you standing side by side, you two look so good together.¡± ¡°Hmm..¡± ¡°Rose, what are you doing? Not saying hello to them.¡± When Aloken Jalier¡¯s father and younger brother greeted with courtesy, a pair of man and woman who entered responded. After a brief greeting, we quickly sat down. I glanced at the dishes spread out on the dinner table. Aged cheese, pate, tarts, various fruits, and sweet desserts. For meat dishes, sharks and baby foxes were served, but none of them could keep up with the dishes set in the center of the table. I asked as I finished the thank-you prayer to God. ¡°What meat is that?¡± ¡°Snow leopard. I wanted to give a meaningful gift to his fianc¨¦e, and this is something Aloken had been hunting for a while ago. A snow leopard this big is rare even in our estate.¡± The snow leopard dish in the middle of the table was simply grilled with many spices, but it looked grandeur by decorating it with its skin and head. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so happy.¡± As I heard about it, I spit out a sentence that didn¡¯t contain any sincerity, effortlessly and naturally. At this moment, I just wanted to go home as soon as possible. But then. Duke Jalier, who had been watching me happily eating my meal with perfect etiquette at a young age, opened his mouth. ¡°Excuse me, Lady Celcius.¡± ¡°Yes, father.¡± ¡°Since we already had an engagement ceremony, I think this is a late question¡­ but please forgive me as my son and I hadn¡¯t time to talk because of our work.¡± ¡°Of course. What question do you want to ask?¡± ¡°What is the best part you like about Aloken?¡± Klang. My hand, which was handling the fork, stopped at the question from my father-in-law. I exchanged glances with Aloken, who was sitting across from me instantly. Aloken was smiling with his eyes bent into a half-moon shape as if the situation was funny. ¡°I-If I had to say what the best part I like about Aloken-nim is¡­ I can¡¯t tell you because I like everything about him¡­¡± ¡°But what if you had to pick one? I heard that you were already on the verge of getting engaged with someone before you met Aloken. I wondered what the reason you canceled the plan without hesitation was.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It may sound old-fashioned, but¡­ I¡¯m worried that you may not be able to turn down his proposal because of our family status.¡± The man who I was about to get engaged. ¡®Naverius.¡¯ When the man was mentioned, I put down the tableware I had in my hands, looked in the direction of Duke, and made a clear declaration. I thought it was necessary to put the end here. ¡°The wedding conversations I had in the past were what my parents wanted, just like any other marriage. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t get along well with him, but I endured it because I thought it was my duty to not go against my parents.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°But one day, I confirmed that there was a real relationship made by God. Father, did you ask me what¡¯s the best part of Aloken-nim?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Tell me.¡± ¡°The reason I was attracted to him the most because he had a lot in common with me. It felt like I had found my other half.¡± My current remarks were similar to those from books I had read in the past. If I had to tell the truth, I would say, ¡®I approached him because of his power.¡¯ That¡¯s why I had to borrow the words from a romance novel. ¡°Hoho, your other half.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he too good for me? I wondered where Aloken-nim came from because he looked so handsome, but now that I see father, I finally found out the answer to that.¡± ¡°Hohohoho, you¡¯re so kind. You¡¯ve found a good partner, Aloken.¡± Hohoho. My pretentious laugh and the warm smile between the father and his son enveloped the table. Who didn¡¯t look happy in this place was only the second son, Rose, who was next to the Duke with a face that seemed to be chewing on a bug. ¡°Then Aloken, which do you like most about Lady Vanora?¡± ¡®It serves you right! Go through the pain of squeezing out the reason that didn¡¯t even exist.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks After I passed the hardship, the arrow turned to my fianc¨¦. I, who had a sore mouth due to a forced smile, slowly returned to my calm look and looked at the man in front of me. Then Aloken looked at his father and replied with an unusual smile. ¡°Her appearance.¡± ¡°Pft!¡± ¡°!¡± Upon hearing his reason, Rose, who had never said a word, laughed. It was immediately clear why the second son was happy. This is because the smile of Duke Jalier, who had an upper seat, has faded. ¡°Ahem. What do you mean by appearance? Son¡­¡± ¡°Why are you reacting like that? I fell in love with Vanora instantly. It would have been natural.¡± However, Aloken showed a confident look despite her father¡¯s words, slicing his portion of snow leopard meat and turning his eyes to Vanora. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her since the first time I saw her. I didn¡¯t even pay attention to the eldest daughter of Guelder, who is said to be the most beautiful woman of the century.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Those black wavy hair, thick black eyebrows¡­¡± There was a reason why he showed confidence. He was a good talker. ¡®He¡¯s good at lying. When we really met for the first time in the maze garden, he didn¡¯t even look at me and disappeared.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even laugh at the story he was telling. Then Aloken sarcastically said this. ¡°Especially, the calm expression that she makes when she looks at me is so beautiful. When I first fell in love, I fell in love with his appearance, and as I talked to her, I felt something deep inside me at this age.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t hold this person in my grasp, I¡¯d be upset.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what this father thought when I saw your mother when I was young. Like father, like son! Hohoho.¡± You flattered me at first about my ugly appearance, but now you¡¯re criticizing my facial expression? A tendon sprang up in my hand, holding the knife as I squirmed it. ¡°Ah, stop it, Aloken.¡± ¡°Vanora, does the food fit your mouth? Let me know whenever you need anything. Of course, if my beloved fianc¨¦e wants it, I will even pick the fruit of the gods.¡± Hahaha, hohoho. Once again, the dining hall was filled with laughter from the family. I thought quietly in this friendly atmosphere. ¡®If you don¡¯t want to die, you better behave yourself.¡¯ My target lists could be updated at any time. The dinner party at the Duchy Jalier ended like that. I then returned to the Central Region of the Kingdom, sitting on the carriage all day. ¡°I think I slept in the wrong way in the carriage. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t even turn my head.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring warm water, Lady.¡± This week was the worst for me. Even after the dinner party, I was called to Duke Jalier and worked hard to please him. I even had to go back to the capital with Aloken. Fortunately, we rode a different carriage. If I had sat in the same carriage with my fianc¨¦, I would probably have opened the carriage door and jumped out right away. ¡°Haa, I¡¯m tired.¡± However, a servant stopped me from going up to my room. ¡°Lady Vanora, are you back now?¡± ¡°?¡± Looking at his face, he was quite young, but he was a person who I did not know his name because I didn¡¯t meet him often. The young servant then handed me a piece of a letter and said, ¡°Well, this letter. It¡¯s for you, Lady. The Count told me to deliver it to Lady as soon as you get back.¡± A letter? Is there an invitation to come to me, who has never attended social gatherings since I was young? I looked at the letter, which had already been opened once, and read out the contents. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lady, I have prepared warm water for you.¡± The servant who gave the letter returned to his position. As Cecil approached from the second floor, I raised my head and said immediately. ¡°Cecil, get ready to go out right now.¡± ¡°Pardon? We¡¯re leaving again?¡± ¡°Hurry.¡± Where did my haggard appearance go before? I grabbed the hem of my skirt and ran up to the second floor. Cecil also began to panic at my seemingly urgent action. ¡®Finally!¡¯ {Announcing the pass away of former butler, Ronwe.} Good news has arrived for me. * * * ¡°Huhuhu¡­¡± Hahaha. ¡°Heuk¡­¡± Hahahaha. ¡°¡­sniff.¡± Hahahahahaha. As I had my tears falling like jade beads, my head was filled with laughter. The place where I am currently standing is none other than Ronwe¡¯s funeral home. Everyone was dressed in black and bowed their heads toward the small tombstone. ¡®Dead.¡¯ Butler Ronwe died painfully from Gustav¡¯s disease. The funeral was originally scheduled to be held modestly with only his immediate family and relatives. Still, according to Ronwe¡¯s will during his lifetime, I was also invited. I didn¡¯t have a black dress to wear for the funeral yet. So I covered my clothes with black cloth, which was as dark and modest as possible. (That Lady¡­ isn¡¯t she from the Celcius family?) (Yes. She often came to visit when he was alive¡­) (These days, it¡¯s rare for nobles to come to their servant¡¯s funeral¡­) Who would swear at this kind-hearted girl? In the eyes of others, I came as a noble Lady who showed sincerity without forgetting the hard work of those who devoted themself to my family. Everyone gathered at that place, admiring her as she mourned for Ronwe, who had passed away. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®I wish I had witnessed the moment of your death.¡¯ But who will know the truth of the matter? The young Lady from the Count family standing there is the culprit who made him die, and she¡¯s delighted at this moment. Chapter 39 Author: alyalia I wiped away the fake tears that had been shed and looked at Ronwe¡¯s tombstone with a mocking gaze. ¡®This world is hideous.¡¯ Just as he ignored my pain, Ronwe was left alone at the end of his life, shunned even by his family. I considered it karma. After Ronwe was buried under the ground, the level of refreshment that filled my heart was different. I no longer felt sad when I remembered the former butler who looked at me like a bug. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sad, Lady Vanora. I felt hurt every time Lady cried. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s gone to a comfortable place.¡± ¡®Is this his wife who left him when he was dying? Well, she did a good job. Who wants to listen to a man like Ronwe¡­¡¯ Shortly after that, I, who was touching the tombstone, came to the Ronwe¡¯s wife and offered the consolation. Just before Rowe¡¯s death, she seemed to have lost all affection for him, and when he, who had lived his life as a married couple, died, she also seemed to be feeling guilty. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure he went to a good place¡­¡± I spoke with his wife without any guilt, even though I was contributing to his death. ¡°Sir Ronwe was a very nice person while he was alive¡­¡± ¡°Oh my God¡­!¡± ¡°!¡± It was then. Ronwe¡¯s wife, who was facing me, noticed someone coming from behind me and suddenly bowed her head. ¡®Huh?¡¯ As the person in front of me greeted the person behind me, my gaze naturally turned to the back. Then came the voice of an old woman I had never heard before. ¡°Is your name¡­ Vanora Celcius?¡± White hair tied high, wrinkles filled over time, and a voluminous body shape. The Madam, who has a unique gaze and noble posture of looking down at others like the characteristic of high ranking position, appeared in black clothes from head to toe. ¡®Black dress.¡¯ I was unconsciously enchanted by the black dress she was wearing. Still, in my eyes, the black clothes used for mourning looked very beautiful. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s right.¡± I belatedly answered after blinking my eyes when she asked again. The Madam who appeared looked at me with her eyes. Then Ronwe¡¯s wife, who was by my side, introduced her to me who this person was. ¡°Lady Vanora, this is¡­ Countess Maquil.¡± ¡°!¡± Countess Maquil. I was surprised and greeted her politely. ¡°I greet you for the first time, Countess Iva Maquil.¡± The foolish me, who had only been crying until now, corrected my posture and greeted her. The Countess looked down at me and said, ¡°Ronwe eventually returned to the arms of God. If I had known he would die so soon, I would have come to the capital a day earlier.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have received several letters from Ronwe. The first letter I received this year said he was ill and in critical condition.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, Ronwe didn¡¯t ask for my help to cure his illness, nor did he ask me to visit him when he was sick. And from the next letter, he talked about one lady.¡± In her youth, Countess Maquil, who was so dignified and sophisticated and said to have taken over the social world, continued to speak with an unwavering appearance, proving that her reputation wasn¡¯t a myth. ¡°Your name is the name written on his letters. Ronwe begged me before he died. Please take care of this lady.¡± ¡°Sir Ronwe¡­ you mean?¡± ¡°He said Vanora Celicus didn¡¯t receive a single education until today and will soon be thrown into the social world.¡± As our conversation continued in a serious direction, Ronwe¡¯s wife, who was next to me, slipped away to look around. Then, only two people stood next to Ronwe¡¯s tombstone. ¡°At first, I tried to refuse. Because I¡¯ve never had a goddaughter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­but after reading all the letters from Ronwe, I couldn¡¯t.¡± I thought at this moment. What was the content of the letter? It was not difficult to hear from the person concerned. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking good care of Ronwe, who was sick all this time.¡± ¡°Ah, well, this is because Sir Ronwe has contributed to the Celcius family for the rest of his life¡­¡± Countess Maquil¡¯s expression slowly began to change when she heard my answer. Until now, her facial muscles were sternly stiff, but she lit up the corners of her mouth with a sad expression on her face. ¡°I was tired of the social world. To the point that I decided to spend the rest of my life in a quiet place.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But I guess it¡¯s not time for me to retire yet.¡± The Countess looked into my eyes and said politely, ¡°Vanora Celcius. If you allow me, I will help you make your debutante.¡± A once-in-a-lifetime debutante. Getting help from a big figure in the social world at that event wasn¡¯t easy. I figured out what was going on for a few seconds. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long for an answer to come. ¡°I¡¯m so happy. It¡¯s an honor, Madam¡­!¡± Thus, in my second life, I finally formed a relationship with Madam Maquil. After the funeral, we promised to meet at Celcius¡¯s mansion a day later. * * * ¡®He really sent the message to Madam Mquil, not anyone else?!¡¯ Step, step, step. The evening after the funeral, I returned to the mansion and moved back and forth in my room to the point of disbelief. ¡®It was unbelievable, so I forgot that Sir Ronwe had said that. What should I do? I already made an appointment right away. Should I report this to the Count or Countess?¡¯ No matter how much I was at a loss compared to my heyday, Madam Maquil was still an influential figure in the social world. Her younger brother is a high priest. Her son graduated from the academy with the highest grade and has a seat in the parliament. Even rumors said his son was close with the second princess¡­ ¡®¡­I don¡¯t have to report it right away. But I can¡¯t avoid this news getting into their ears.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks I was worried that my family might try to stop me from making connections with the Maquil family. In particular, I was wary the most about Hanar Celcius. ¡®If she had known this kind of luck would come to me, Hanar would have tried to kill me.¡¯ I briefly recalled her. ¡®Anyway, Hanar¡­ that woman¡­ What kind of wretched feelings does she have for me? What does she think she has got to do with such a little girl for the rest of my life?¡¯ I felt that revenge on my family should be the last thing to do. Did I think like that because hurting your family is high treason that even God won¡¯t forgive? There was no such moral reason. The reason was that I¡¯m still young now. If a member of the Celcius family suddenly gets injured, I, who had been abused by them, will be suspected. Of course, the mansion will become noisy about it. ¡®It will be difficult to take root in the social world once your family is destroyed. There are other targets left to kill, so I shouldn¡¯t touch Hanar for smooth operation.¡¯ How did I get this opportunity¡­? ¡°¡­¡± I stopped moving back and forth. ¡°Let¡¯s bow my head to the Countess to keep my relationship with Madam Maquil.¡± I eventually decided to plead to her if she tried to interfere with the sudden come of godmother for me. That¡¯s all I could think of right now. ¡°Cecil, where are you?¡± ¡°Did you call for me? Lady?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bed early today, so please help me change my clothes.¡± A few minutes later. My body was in pain from the exhaustion of the long journeys and the shock of what had happened at the funeral home. So I lay down on the bed early. However, suddenly, the thought of Ronwe crossed my mind. It felt strange that he helped me only after he¡¯s dead. He and I could have had a rather good ending if the order had changed slightly. However, I had no regrets about the process of revising the contents of my life that had already been written. That¡¯s right, I had no regrets. * * * 14. It Was Good. The next day at 3 PM. The Celcius family has a guest come. A middle-aged woman who got out of a carriage opened a parasol to escape the sunny summer sun. She took one or two steps closer to the mansion door, grabbed the doorknob, and knocked politely. ¡°Who are you?¡± Soon the Butler of Celcius opened the door and asked about the purpose of her visit. Then the guest, who had a benevolent smile on her face, answered. ¡°I¡¯ve come to see the first child of the house, so please tell your Master that ¡®Iva Maquil¡¯ has come.¡± Of course, the first child of this family was a term referring to Vanora Celcius. Suddenly a celebrity like Countess Maquil is looking for the quiet Lady of the house. The butler reported it at a bewildered and quick pace. ¡°Madam, we have a guest outside now.¡± ¡°Guest? No one made an appointment for today, so who is coming?¡± ¡°T-That, Countess Iva Maquil came to see Lady Vanora¡­¡± The person in charge of overseeing what was happening in the mansion flinched her brows when she heard his report. ¡°Countess Maquil to that child?¡± Hanar Celcius threw away the personnel documents she reviewed and rose from her seat. ¡°First, let her relax in the parlor on the first floor, and when I¡¯m ready to greet her, take her to the second floor.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Countess Maquil didn¡¯t wait long. Hanar had been welcoming her guests from 3 PM onwards, so she was already wearing formal attire. 15 minutes later. After finishing all the preparations, Hanar and Iva were seated next to each other in the parlor room on the second floor. ¡°Thank you for welcoming me even though it was a sudden visit.¡± ¡°What does Madam mean by sudden visits? I¡¯m concerned about Madam Maquil, who has a reputation for courtesy and solemnity. By any chance, has our first daughter made a mistake?¡± Hanar said with a concerned look. Then Madam Maquil gently led the conversation. ¡°No, I came here without an appointment, so I will briefly explain my purpose. I want to be the godmother of your daughter, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°It¡¯s about your daughter, so shouldn¡¯t I tell you about it? And when the time comes, I want to refine that child¡¯s manners by myself before the debutante.¡± ¡°Now¡­ the godmother, did you say godmother?¡± Who in the world would refuse the education from Countess Maquil? Right now, even Hanar Celcius asked Countess Maquil several times to educate her son on etiquette. However, it had always been rejected, and she gave up on it a few years ago. But now she¡¯s going to support that brat? ¡®Not even my son, but that Vanora?¡¯ When Vanora received Aloken¡¯s proposal, she was better off. Panora was better off when she received Aloken¡¯s proposal. Anyway, Vanora needed to be taken over by another family. Hanar was able to get over it. But this time is a different story. Hanar felt as if Vanora was taking what his son should have. ¡°If it¡¯s my daughter, she¡¯s very shy. I¡¯m sorry, but I think it will be difficult for her to contact Madam¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I already got permission from her.¡± ¡°But that child isn¡¯t a bit lacking in manners. She couldn¡¯t keep up with her studies from a young age, no matter how good a teacher I put on her. She will definitely make you suffer.¡± ¡°I think it is in the hands of the teacher what the learner will accomplish. Rather, if she¡¯s not good enough, she will have to start making up for it.¡± Hanar persuaded her not to be Vanora¡¯s godmother, but she was repeatedly rejected. She was speechless for a moment, picking a story to tell, and then pulled out the following words with difficulty. ¡°Vanora is going to be sent to debutante next year. As time runs out, I have already tried to solve her shortcomings with several teachers.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, how about our son, who has more spare time than her? He¡¯s a very smart child and has a good heart. Of course, he will take good care of his godmother.¡± This story, of course, did not interest Countess Maquil at all. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°The only person I want to hold my hand in the debutante is Vanora Celcius.¡± Iva Maquil said it straightforward. In response, Hanar took a sip of the tea on the table for a moment and finally said, ¡°Then I can¡¯t help it. Since we both want different things, I will decline about Madam wanting to be the godmother of my daughter¡­ thank you, but I refuse it.¡± Chapter 40 Hanar smiled brightly. Maintaining her youthful and beautiful appearance, she looked like a chrysanthemum flower. ¡°Isn¡¯t that child¡¯s education up to me?¡± Hanar thought that if she cut Countess Maquil coldly, Countess Maquil would give up. Since Countess Maquil is noble, she values manners, so she won¡¯t hang around when Hanar turns down the job she asked for. But things didn¡¯t always go the way you thought. ¡°Education¡­¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°If Madam Celsius had properly treated her like your child, I would have listened to you and gone back.¡± Countess Maquil rebuked with a calm face as if she was talking about wildflowers. ¡°The fact that I didn¡¯t leave means that you didn¡¯t do it like what I said.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Those were clearly offensive remarks. Up until now, Countess Maquil has tried to be polite. As Hanar revealed her teeth, her hand holding the teacup trembled. ¡°What Madam is talking about¡­¡± ¡°Until Lady Vanora turned sixteen, you hadn¡¯t even had a birthday banquet for her, nor had you tried to find friends of her age, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because that child has a passive personality¡­¡± ¡°Someone from this mansion, whom I know very well, didn¡¯t say so. I heard you discriminated against your daughter.¡± ¡°Is that our employees? N-Now, are you saying that you¡¯ve asked someone to personally check about it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I know that person well. If you dismiss the news, I have been exchanging with that person for a long time¡­¡± The more they talked, the less amount of tea was in the cup. Hanar was upset because the conversation didn¡¯t flow the way she wanted. ¡°This is the business of our Celsius family, and it¡¯s not a matter for a third party to interfere.¡± In the end, Hanar couldn¡¯t stand it and made that remark. She also made an expression as if she would kick her out immediately if she continued her rude request. ¡°¡­¡± The results would have been obvious if you were educated under these parents. Thinking so, Countess Maquil said as she took the last sip of her tea perfectly, without a single hair disheveled. ¡°Is it okay if it has nothing to do with the Celcius family? It¡¯s not the daughter of this family that I¡¯m trying to be a godmother¡­ then what if she would later become the Duchess of Jalier?¡± ¡®Huh, after being so sassy, she ended up doing something like this to make a connection with the Duke¡¯s family!¡¯ Hanar almost snorted at her remarks. ¡®Was it because of such a snobbish reason?¡¯ Now she understands why the other person wants to help that child. ¡°Then there is a condition. Madam becomes the godmother not only for Vanora but to all my children¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, but there is a small misunderstanding between us.¡± Countess Maquil suddenly cut off Hanar¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask a favor.¡± The remarks that followed were said in a serious tone with some pressure. ¡°This is only a notice. A notice that I will be Vanora Celicus¡¯s debutante as I please in the future.¡± ¡°¡­Madam Maquil.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see her take her first step in perfect shape, but you will refuse it anyway.¡± Shrug. Countess Maquil leaned her upper body loosely against the back of the chair and put a smile on her lips. ¡°You¡¯re a parent who¡¯s blocking your child¡¯s path. Don¡¯t expect to get a good reputation from other Madams.¡± That was a clear threat. As soon as Hanar heard those words, she glanced at the servants in the parlor. Then, the eyes and ears that were filling the room quickly escaped. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°My reason for doing this? Hadn¡¯t I said I would be your daughter¡¯s godmother?¡± ¡°Yes, that child¡­ that child¡­¡± Hanar Celcius lowered her voice. ¡°That child may be born out of wedlock, and if I let Madam be her godmother, Madam¡¯s reputation will be greatly damaged. I¡¯m trying to be considerate.¡± Her words tell Countess Maquil that their family¡¯s first daughter might actually be an illegitimate child. It was a surprising enough remark, but Countess Maquil didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know where you came from?¡± Countess Maquil asked questions instead of answers, and Hanar was silent. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go.¡± Countess Maquil eventually prepared to leave the parlor, judging that she was no longer worth talking to. ¡°Personally, Lady Vanora is really¡­ looks like a young lady from a family that I know. I fully understand why you¡¯re worried about me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But Countess Celcius, can¡¯t you just follow my greed for this once?¡± However, before leaving the room, Countess Maquil held Hanar¡¯s hand gently. Hanar responded to it by nodding her head. Now that the story has come to this, it can¡¯t be helped. ¡®She¡¯s being stubborn like this, but if she still has a conscience, she will help me in the future.¡¯ It was wiser to take advantage of the reputation of having Countess Maquil as Vanora¡¯s godmother. ¡°If Madam is persistent about it¡­¡± ¡°As expected, Count Celicus must have no worries for having such an understanding wife.¡± ¡°Hohoho.¡± Hanar laughed loudly as if to let the servants standing outside know about it. When the conversation ended, Countess Maquil left the parlor. Hanar stood there for a few seconds, holding the empty teacup in her hand. ¡®That child has been lucky these days. To the point of I have doubts¡­¡¯ And a few seconds later, with anger inside her, she dropped the teacup she was holding to the floor and broke it. ¡°Ma-Madam?¡± Clang. The sound of an expensive gold cup being shattered rang out, and the servants waiting outside the door entered all at once. When Hanar turned her head towards them, her expression had already turned back to her graceful face. ¡°Ah, the cup slipped by mistake. Go ahead and clean it up.¡± * * * After talking with Countess Celcius, Iva Maquil went to Vanora¡¯s room. ¡°This is your room.¡± ¡°Did you already tell her I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Ah, that, the Lady¡­¡± They spoke a few words outside then the door swung open. Inside, a 16-years-old Vanora, already well-dressed, was waiting. ¡°Greetings to Countess Maquil.¡± Vanora had already known that Countess Maquil was visiting today, so she had already prepared tea and refreshments in her room. Countess Maquil looked at the simple dessert placed on the table and said immediately, ¡°Thank you for the treatment, but I have a busy schedule.¡± ¡°Madam doesn¡¯t even have time to drink tea?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put it bluntly. Before you make your debutante, I will teach you the essential culture and etiquette, so come to my mansion to study.¡± ¡°Madam¡¯s mansion? When should I start visiting?¡± ¡°Tomorrow would be fine. The duration of your stay is until the end of your education. So, it would be better to consider it as staying at your relative¡¯s house and bringing your luggage.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± It was an unusual offer, given that common godmother would visit their goddaughter¡¯s mansion every few days to assist their education. However, this was actually because of Ronwe¡¯s request. ¡®This mansion is an uncomfortable space for her¡­¡¯ If Countess Maquil could help her until her debutante, Countess Maquil just had to pass on what she knew so that Vanora could get through the rest. As she holds her hand and finishes educating her for her debutante, the wish of the one who passed away will come true. Countess Maquil thought so and lowered her head toward Vanora. It was to make eye contact with her. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s not like that. But I don¡¯t know if my parents will allow it¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already obtained permission from your mother, who is in charge of your education.¡± ¡°Then there is no problem! I will prepare right away and see you tomorrow morning.¡± Vanora accepted her offer to leave this mansion without any hesitation. Countess Maquil left her room with an expressionless face even though she was shocked. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she agreed to leave this mansion without hesitation. The situation at this mansion may be worse than it looks.¡¯ However, the reality was completely different from Countess Maquil¡¯s thoughts. ¡®This is it! If Aloken comes to visit me again for some reason, it will be painful to deal with him, so let¡¯s go to someone else¡¯s mansion. Education for my debutante is a good reason to avoid him!¡¯ The relationship between the two who worked together, even though they had different purposes, began. The next day at 9 A.M. Vanora packed up her luggage and headed to Madam Maquil¡¯s mansion. * * * ¡°Madam, Lady Vanora Celcius has visited us.¡± In the quiet morning, I looked around at the appearance of the mansion I had arrived at. The elegant ivory exterior wall resembles this place¡¯s owner, and the garden is harmoniously decorated with only green plants. Although it was smaller than the Celcius¡¯s mansion, there was no shortage. ¡°Greetings again, Countess Maquil.¡± ¡°¡­Is that all you brought? What about your maid?¡± ¡°Except for the clothes and accessories my fianc¨¦ gave me as a gift, I didn¡¯t have many things from the beginning. Even I have one maid¡­ she¡¯s not mine, she¡¯s a servant belonging to the family, so I need my mother¡¯s permission to take her outside.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°B-But since I was young, there were more cases where I didn¡¯t get help from a maid. I can manage my surroundings on my own.¡± What I brought was a large bag that seemed too heavy for a young lady to carry and another small bag. But it wasn¡¯t Hanar¡¯s fault that I didn¡¯t bring any servants. ¡®It¡¯s a chance to avoid the eyes of my family for the first time, so it would be better not to bring the servant who can report anything to Hanar.¡¯ I admired Cecil¡¯s work skills but didn¡¯t fully trust her. Therefore, I persuaded Cecil, ¡°If you stay by my side too much, you will be caught in my situation and get despised by others. So, stay in this mansion and help me with other things.¡± And when I came here, I said something like I didn¡¯t bring my servant because Hanar despised me. ¡°If the direct lineage of the Count has to do the chores by themselves, it will only be out of the etiquette. I¡¯ll give you a new maid while you¡¯re being educated here.¡± Fortunately, as I already expected, I will be accompanied by the servant of Countess Maquil. Soon after, a young servant with a mole on her face came to my side and took my luggage. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m only here for education, so I only brought what I really needed¡­ will it be okay?¡± ¡°Is that so? Let¡¯s see.¡± Click. When I opened the bag I had brought, you could see only a few clothes to change, a comb, and at most a writing tool that I had brought to transcribe the midnight novel. Madam Maquil glanced over inside the baggage I had brought for a moment, then instructed the servant to move it to my room. ¡°Now, then, about education¡­¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In a few minutes, we moved to the parlor of the mansion where the chairs were. ¡°Will Madam teach me about social etiquettes, such as how to greet or host a party?¡± I, who was looking at the comfortable room, said those words, and Countess Maquil spoke with a stiff face. ¡°Not only such basic etiquette but also faith, court etiquette, singing, social dancing, performance, philosophy, and understanding of international affairs.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°The culture that nobles should possess is broader than you think.¡± As Madam Maquil said so with a stern expression on her face, I kept my mouth shut and listened to her. ¡°What Ronwe asked me to do is to make up for your lack of education.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My teaching method will be strict and don¡¯t think I will always be on your side. After I help your debutante, I will return to my estate again. My help is only for being your educator.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I clenched my fists on my lap and nodded my head. Chapter 41 ¡®I can¡¯t miss this opportunity!¡¯ After Vasago later makes her debutante, she will definitely participate in the salon hosted by Madam Creed. If I didn¡¯t make a connection with her there, it would be difficult to even approach Vasago. And the salon¡¯s invitation was given through rigorous screening. ¡®There is a rumor that the selection of the one who will receive the invitation is based on etiquette¡­ so even if you suffer from the hardship of life, you have to pretend it was nothing.¡¯ As I gave eyes that I was ready to follow any of her education, Madam Maquil stood up from her seat with a stern look. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s start our first class right from today.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. Thank you!¡± Up until now, I couldn¡¯t understand why she had a bad expression on her face. So, I couldn¡¯t ask a question recklessly while thinking that Ronwe¡¯s last will might have offended her. A few minutes later. I changed into a comfortable indoor dress at the orders of Madam Maquil. Afterward, I headed to the front of the tea table in the back of her mansion. There, Madam Maquil was already sitting and waiting. ¡®Studying outside like this?¡¯ The garden near the mansion¡¯s back door had quiet scenery and many shades, and a cool breeze blew. However, I, who was looking at the garden, suddenly received an order. ¡°Say greetings to me, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± We have already said greetings before. I almost asked her back why I should do that. Madam Maquil coughed and spoke more authoritatively as I stood silent and spaced out. ¡°Today, I will evaluate the basic etiquette of Lady Celcius.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°All socializing starts with greetings. First of all, I should look at how you greet each other.¡± Only then did I understand Madam Maquil¡¯s true intentions and properly greet her. With my right leg in the back and my knees slightly bent, I gazed down a little and put my hand on the collarbone, making me look like a flower that quietly withered to death. It was the same greeting that I repeated hundreds of times in my life until I was 21. ¡°Greetings, Madam. My name is Vanora, the eldest daughter of Count Celcius.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Then, the eyes of Madam Maquil, sitting in her seat, widened. ¡°?¡± As I finished my greeting and lifted my head, Madam Maquil straightened her expression and covered her mouth with a fan, then said, ¡°This time, think of me like a royalty and offer your greetings.¡± I perfectly showed her the latest method of greeting. ¡°¡­¡± When the evaluation of the greeting was over, Madam Maquil pointed to the table. As I sat down at her command, the next evaluation immediately began. ¡°This time, I want to see your tea-drinking etiquette. From now on, use the tools in front of you to fill up my teacup.¡± ¡°Is anything really fine?¡± I obeyed Madam¡¯s orders without saying a word. As naturally as possible, I used the teapot carefully and moistened my throat with the tea without making a sound. ¡®Oh? It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ In the midst of this, the tea prepared for my education was luxurious. It was so delicious with the soft scent of flowers drifting down my throat, and my thoughts were distracted for a moment. ¡°¡­next.¡± The schedule after that went by slowly. I sat at the table and discussed various topics to grasp the basic knowledge I had, learn table manners at lunch, and play various instruments until the sun went down¡­ ¡°Next!¡± And before I knew it, it was already the time for dinner at the mansion, leaving only the evaluation of dancing. ¡®I remember the class I took when I was young. My mother always looked at me with a stinging gaze, so I couldn¡¯t eat comfortably.¡¯ Rattle. I seemed to be having trouble digesting my food because I kept my back straight in etiquette that didn¡¯t fit my body. However, I couldn¡¯t show my discomfort in front of Madam, so I quietly pushed the food into my mouth. But then, Madam, who watched me eat my meal, quietly spoke her first words. ¡°Honestly, you¡¯re doing great.¡± Tuk. I put the glass back down on the table. ¡°Your understanding of art history and the language Gamiel still need to be improved, but your basic etiquette is beyond my expectations.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What was especially surprising was the greeting. I could even say it was ingrained in your body at such a young age¡­ I wonder if Hanar taught you about it?¡± For the first time in my life, I was praised by my teacher. It made me feel strange for a moment, so I avoided looking at her gaze. ¡°¡­¡± If I wanted to, I could pretend to be a fool at this age, but¡­ I had to show my best in every evaluation because it would put me in a higher class if I showed all the skills I had built. The only thing that makes me look splendid now is that I¡¯m doing something like this at my age. If I had stood next to a real genius like Vasago, I would have looked like an idiot again. ¡°I¡­¡± If so, how should I explain the good manners that have already been ingrained for my age? ¡°I just¡­ tried. In order not to be a nuisance to my parents¡­¡± It was just a silly reason. ¡°Vanora¡­¡± However, Madam¡¯s reaction to my expression was unexpected. Where did her stern face go so far as she gave me an unfamiliar look for a while. ¡®She looks like about to cry.¡¯ I realized that I had never seen her eyes being like that, even at the funeral. However, Madam¡¯s expression became calm again. ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This was enough, and it won¡¯t take long for you to adjust your posture. Classes will start in earnest from tomorrow¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right. I asked an acquaintance in advance to find you a teacher for the dance.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Madam Maquil put down the tableware in her hands and spoke calmly. ¡°How about calling me Godmother from now on?¡± ¡°!¡± I said calmly without thinking much about it, ¡°Yes, Godmother.¡± Madam Maquil seemed to be satisfied with that. The dinner was over. It was said that the vitality to accomplish great things comes from health, and Madam Maquil sent her servant to send me herbs and good quality honey that are good for the body. The herbs were enough, but I wondered why she sent me honey. ¡®She must have thought that my skin was ugly.¡¯ I was forced to lie on the bed even though I didn¡¯t want to lie down yet, and my arms, legs, and face were covered with honey. ¡®Smell so sweet.¡¯ As I lay down, I wiggled my sticky toes. Still, if I learn properly here, I¡¯m sure I will be able to successfully make my debutante.¡¯ I was scheduled to participate in debutante on 3rd February of the following year. Since there was only a short time left, it was better for me to focus on my studies than to kill my enemies for the time being. Compared to my relatively easy-to-deal enemies such as Ronwe, Shuteri, and Seir, big players like Vasago, Naverius, and Hanar were still out of reach. ¡®For the next two years, this Kingdom will be at peace. I¡¯ll think about it carefully¡­¡¯ I thought about it with my eyes firmly closed. ¡®Let¡¯s think about how to kill them lightly.¡¯ Vengeance was like a curse. The curse that I had to suffer forever until I achieved my goal. ¡¸#1. Training Ground (Dawn) Vasago, who came out to the training ground in the dawn for sword training, wields a wooden sword. Some of the knights who came out to practice stared at her. Knight 1: Lady Vasago is also beautiful when she wields a sword. Knight 2: Besides, her swordsmanship is excellent! Knight 1: She is also the daughter of the Duke and the only princess in Kingdom Kasius. What kind of person will marry her, who is like the God¡¯s agent¡­?¡¹ I looked back at the diary that recorded the content of a midnight novel early in the morning. Today too, the novel¡¯s content is only about ¡®Vasago is really amazing.¡¯ As Vasago in the novel passed the road, men who met her fell in love with her beauty and made a fuss that the fairy of wisdom appeared when she barely threw a single word at the salon. In the final, when Vasago showed her versatility that can do anything, a scene portrayed those around looked at her with admiration. ¡®What a waste of ink as I copied it for nothing.¡¯ What is the usefulness of the information of Vasago practice with the knights at the training ground every 3 days for my revenge? I got up from my seat with a sigh. Today¡¯s schedule is not as tough as yesterday¡¯s, so I had to finish the dance evaluation in the main hall first. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Oh my god! What¡¯s all this for, Godmother?¡± ¡°I already said I¡¯ll see Lady Celcius¡¯s dance skills today. In addition, the musicians here are the court orchestra members before their retirement, so they will teach you harp after the evaluation.¡± However, the atmosphere in the hall when I arrived was unusual. The musicians lined up in the form of a semi-circle were waiting for only one person, me, to dance. ¡°It will be your first dance today, so I will play the man¡¯s role. Come on, Lady Vanora put up your hand.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes¡­!¡± There are many different ways to make money. I was bewildered at first but was able to quickly focus on the Madam¡¯s education at a rapid pace. I had to kill a few people. Even at this moment, when I closed my eyes, blue water approached me calmly. The anger that had accumulated over the years was already completely engulfed in my heart. My revenge didn¡¯t stop easily just because one season had passed. ¡®I have to be a better person. Then I have to approach Vasago.¡¯ The painstaking intent to kill became my ferocious motivation. ¡°Just 20 years ago, the act of two people dancing together was criticized for being vulgar, but under Princess Marina¡¯s influence, there was a change in the trend of ballrooms from a group ballroom dance to a pairing form as it is today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The traditional ballroom dance is still being done at parties hosted by the capitalists, but it would be helpful for Lady Vanora to learn about this.¡± I listened to Madam Maquil, paying attention to her words, so I didn¡¯t miss a single word. Then after a while, Madam stood right in front of me as she demonstrated the man¡¯s dance application etiquette. She soon asked me, ¡°Vanora, do you know the basic movement of dancing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded quietly and put my hand on her shoulder while the other hand clasped with her hand. As I presented the first move as excellent in the textbook, a smile came from Madam Maquil¡¯s lips. ¡°Then, let¡¯s start with a slow song.¡± One, two, three. The sound of the band¡¯s performance began with the gentle voice of the Madam. In the shiny hall of the mansion, our steps were mixed. ¡°!¡± ¡°But our dance didn¡¯t last long. ¡°Stop.¡± This is because Madam Maquil stopped all the musicians before they could even perform the fast tunes song. I was then notified after a short conversation. ¡°Dance lessons are not suitable for you. I will cancel all the lectures about it.¡± Chapter 42 ¡°Godmother, are you here?¡± In the late afternoon. After taking harp lessons from the musician introduced by Godmother, I stopped by the library. ¡°Vanora?¡± I happened to run into Godmother, who was reading a book. ¡°I will come back later if you¡¯re busy in here¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the key I gave you to use, so make yourself at home.¡± ¡°Ah, can I borrow some books then? Tomorrow, Godmother will teach me about the relationship between noble families, so I want to prepare myself¡­¡± I glanced at Godmother as she sat at the square table in the library and was writing some documents. ¡®Is she writing a letter to her family in the estate?¡¯ There was no other family member of Maquil in this large mansion, so I had one idea or another about it. I then picked up a book. There were only two materials I needed for the study. ¡®Uh? This book¡­ It didn¡¯t even exist in our house.¡¯ Looking through the bookshelf, I was distracted by the book¡¯s title at the bottom. ¡®The Planetary Theory of Nariose¡¯ was a rare book related to astronomy. ¡®I have some free time at night, so I can read one, right?¡¯ I glanced at Godmother on the table behind me for nothing. And a little later, I leaned down silently and pulled out the book. But¡­ ¡°Hmm?¡± On the side of the book, a white triangle was sticking out like a corner of a piece of paper. I opened and checked the part because I thought one of the pages was folded. Then an old piece of paper fell to the floor. ¡°Drawing?¡± ¡°!¡± It was a drawing sketched with charcoal. It was so well drawn that I could recognize the figure on it was Madam Maquil when she looked young. ¡®Then, who is the girl next to the godmother?¡¯ ¡°Godmother, this drawing came out of the book. Shall I put it back?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know this would be there. I¡¯ve been looking for it for a long time.¡± I picked up the fallen paper and showed it to the godmother. My behavior could be criticized by her, but she didn¡¯t scold me at all. ¡°Thank you for finding it.¡± I looked at my godmother¡¯s grim expression as she looked at the drawing and turned around while saying I needed to put the book back. ¡°¡­¡± But then. One thing was catching godmother¡¯s eyes while looking at me, who turned around. Looking closely at my hand holding the book, she could see my hand full of calluses. ¡°Did you get calluses because of the strings of the harp?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s my first time playing it¡­¡± Godmother, who examined my hand full of calluses, narrowed her brows and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that if you overdo it on the first day, you¡¯ll only have a setback in your next schedule? Why are you being so stubborn? You should have taken a break.¡± Hearing her tone, it looked like I was being scolded. So I used the sentence that came to my mind immediately as an excuse. ¡°Ah, that¡­ It was the first time someone created such an educational environment for me, so I was delighted.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°And I wanted to work hard. I¡¯m sorry, Godmother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sorry? What¡ª¡± ¡°But this is only the way for me to repay it. I don¡¯t know if the debt I owe to Godmother and Sir Ronwe is this heavy.¡± I laid down the four books I was going to take away on the table. Then I put my hands neatly on my belly and took a proper posture. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Godmother fulfilled Sir Ronwe¡¯s will. I¡¯m sorry if you might be doing this when it¡¯s something you don¡¯t want to do¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s why I was too greedy to show good results.¡± A lie mixed with the truth will be only a natural statement. As such, more than half of what I said now was true. It was the first time I received such an education, so I really did my best. ¡°¡­¡± However, godmother widened her eyes when she heard my remarks and remained silent for a while. ¡°Godmother?¡± ¡°Get out.¡± The next thing she told me was to go back to my room when I had already picked out all the books. I obediently followed her order, judging that there was nothing good about being annoying to her. However, as I opened the door and was about to leave the library, her last words rang behind my back. ¡°Don¡¯t say sorry so easily in the future.¡± I replied that I would keep it in mind. * * * A few days later. Vanora faithfully followed the classes Iva Maquil taught today. As her explanation contained metaphors that were easy to understand and she showed the most perfect sample, Vanora could quickly learn it even when looking sideways. On top of that, Iva couldn¡¯t help but be amazed by the class¡¯s progress. ¡°Do you like books? At this rate, I think you will be the most shining person in the salon right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Many nobles¡¯ children couldn¡¯t even turn a page of philosophical books properly, and it was the same for any literature. ¡®I have nothing to teach her.¡¯ Is it because her expectations were too low from the beginning? Therefore, Vanora¡¯s achievement came as a shock to her. She originally thought of Vanora as a child and wanted to teach her step by step. Far from walking, Vanora even sprinted in progress, and for a moment, she even wondered if Vanora was a genius. ¡°¡­¡± But that can¡¯t be true. Madam Maquil immediately looked at the girl sitting there with her sunken eyes. ¡®Looking at her quietly, she looked rather like a slow-witted person. Still, her knowledge and etiquette are in a higher level even for the grown-up noble.¡¯ Her vision showed Vanora contemplating hard to complete her assignment. ¡®Because she¡¯s lonely with no place to lean on, she made the books as her friends.¡¯ There¡¯s no way Vanora knew that Madam Maquil thought that way. Vanora said energetically that she would soon find the answer to her assignment. ¡°It¡¯s enjoyable to memorize the book because Godmother personally taught it to me.¡± Vanora smiled at Madam Maquil as she tried to flatter her, but Madam Maquil¡¯s expression remained in shadow. ¡®I don¡¯t like children very much, do I?¡¯ Iva Maquil¡¯s attitude has always been like this. No matter how high achievement Vanora made, she never gave a big smile to her. She would only say, ¡°Well done.¡± Vanora, who knew about it, felt the pressure inside because her godmother had always maintained a stern expression as if to keep the distance between them. And a little later. According to Maquil¡¯s education policy, which says that one class needs less concentration if you do it all day long, Vanora began to practice harp. Since the harp lessons were entrusted to the expert, Madam Maquil diligently began other tasks in the meantime. ¡°The side of the annex was also very badly damaged. It¡¯s only been a few years since I¡¯ve been away.¡± Madam Maquil lived on the estate far from the capital for a while. As a result, her mansion in the capital was somewhat neglected. Although it had been urgently cleaned for Vanora¡¯s education, there were still parts to be repaired. ¡°The house without people living in it tends to get ruined quickly.¡± Madam Maquil took notes of the places that needed to be fixed as she looked around her mansion. After that, she carefully checked the work of her mansion in detail, such as whether there was a lack of firewood used for cooking and whether Vanora¡¯s room was in good condition. ¡°That¡¯s what I need to know. Tell this to the cook.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The sun outside had already gone down when she finished going around her mansion and doing all the chores. ¡®The harp has stopped.¡¯ It¡¯s almost time for Vanora¡¯s class to end. When she thought so, the musician and a little lady came out of the music room. ¡°Today¡¯s lesson is over, so go back to your room and rest.¡± ¡°Yes, Godmother,¡± Vanora Celcius said with a polite attitude that didn¡¯t suit her age. Less than a week after being educated, Vanora¡¯s standing position has already changed. ¡®She¡¯s watching me with her eyes and fixing her own posture.¡¯ There¡¯s a saying that if you teach one, the wise disciple will learn about ten. Madam Maquil tried to hide her smile, but she couldn¡¯t help liking how Vanora looked at her. ¡°At this rate, we won¡¯t be running out of time until your debutante.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Godmother¡¯s good teaching.¡± Now that all of Vanora¡¯s schedule was over, the two headed to the second floor in their own rooms until dinner started. ¡°Godmother, by any chance, if I do well in the exam I¡¯m taking at the end of this week, will you please grant me a request?¡± ¡°What kind of request is it?¡± ¡°You said that I can study effectively only if I take a break. So, can you give me a day without classes once every 10 days? I want to go out and see my friend.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be tired if you do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure there is no setback in learning, so please¡­¡± After a light chatter, the two arrived at the stair. They stood side by side and climbed the stairs. A creaking sound resounded with every step they took. ¡°If Lady Vanora says so¡­¡± But then. Suddenly, there was the sound of something breaking, and Madam Maquil stumbled loudly. ¡°!¡± The old wooden stairs were broken, and she lost her balance. Madam Maquil reached for the railing to support her body momentarily. Still, the distance was too far; to make matters worse, her dress caught her foot, and her body tilted backward. It was indeed a shocking moment. The sound that followed was the sound of someone falling down the stairs. Hearing the loud noise, the servants ran there. In addition, the servants swallowed their breath when they arrived there. ¡°¡­¡± If you suddenly fall down the stairs where you step with confidence, you will feel dizzy because of the falling. Madam Maquil felt that way and widened her eyes. She blinked and saw the ceiling of the mansion. ¡°¡­¡± But somehow, she didn¡¯t feel any pain as she fell. At the same time, when she realized hands were holding her tightly on her waistline, Iva Maquil turned hurriedly with a surprised face. ¡°Lady Vanora!¡± Vanora was crushed there. * * * What did I do with my small body that is hard to control? I wrapped up the fallen godmother. ¡®It hurts!¡¯ I was also shocked by accident, then felt the tingling pain in my back and the back of my head. Fortunately, we didn¡¯t fall from a high place, and I¡¯m still young, so there seemed to be no injuries outside. It didn¡¯t fall from a high place, and Panora was young, so there seemed to be no injuries. ¡°What is this!¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you get hurt for nothing when we fell together? If you hadn¡¯t held me back, neither of us would have been hurt!¡± But before I could even recover, godmother¡¯s scolding fell. It was only after hearing her voice that I realized my own mistake. ¡®Ah! She still had the perception that I was weak. Originally, with my own strength, I couldn¡¯t pull it off¡­¡¯ Io¡¯s power is not easy to use because of the price, and since I have lived as a weakling for the past 21 years, it is bound to show this side of me. ¡°Lady Vanora.¡± Does godmother still have anything to scold for my mistake? When my name was called, I, who was sitting down, turned my head quickly. Then her wrinkled hands touched my cheeks. ¡°Godmother¡­?¡± ¡°Your once-in-a-lifetime debutante is just around the corner. At such an important moment, I can only think of how embarrassing it would have been if you had broken your leg bone¡­!¡± Again, she began to scold me for my careless behavior. However, when it came to my godmother¡¯s words which I had been obediently accepting, it was unfair this time. Because this happened so suddenly. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. My body moved first, so I didn¡¯t think about it.¡± No matter how much you grew up and changed, your nature as a person would eventually become rotten. ¡°Uh?¡± Blood belatedly burst out from my nose as the impact of my head that had been hit. As I thought this resulted from my acting stupidly, I felt a bit embarrassed. So I covered my nose and tried to laugh out loud. ¡°¡­!¡± But I couldn¡¯t smile any longer because of the scenery in front of me. Godmother, who always had a stiff expression like the person in the portrait, was about to cry while looking at my face. Chapter 43 ¡°¡­¡± After that, I, who was taken to the widest bed in the mansion, lay still and looked at the ceiling. ¡®It didn¡¯t feel hurt anymore.¡¯ It was just a fall from the low stairs. The bleeding from my nose has stopped for a long time. ¡®People might mistake it as if someone is dead.¡¯ Still, godmother, who was sitting next to me, was crying. I spoke to her and smirked. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Godmother, who heard those sentences, fell into remembrance. She had experienced the same scenery in the distant past. A young lady half was lying on the bed by the window where the sunset cast, saying words not to worry about her in her remembrance. Godmother, lost in the reminiscences, looked at me with wet eyes. Beyond the tears, this moment seemed to overlap with the scenery of the past. ¡°When I see you, you remind me of my daughter.¡± She reached out her wrinkled hand and placed it on the back of my hand, giving me a rough feeling. ¡°Yesterday, you asked. Why did I listen to Ronwe¡¯s will?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because I owe him a favor. It¡¯s also not because I feel sorry for him who died¡­ but this was just because you looked like my daughter.¡± I understood her right away. A few days ago, the girl in the drawing in the book I opened was her daughter. Then, if I naturally asked, ¡°Is your daughter in the estate?¡± The conversation will continue. But my mouth didn¡¯t move easily. It was because I had sensed intuitively that Madam Maquil was talking as if pointing out that her daughter had already died. ¡°You¡¯re as smart as my youngest daughter.¡± Godmother clearly taught me that it was a virtue for nobles to lead the conversation smoothly. Still, I didn¡¯t bring up my words. She, who noticed my thought, smiled sadly. ¡°It reminds me of the old days when I taught her like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have taught my children the virtues and culture by myself. But there was only one person who followed my education perfectly.¡± ¡°Was it your youngest daughter?¡± Godmother nodded with a mellow expression. ¡°She was a genius.¡± A genius That word reminded me of that woman¡¯s name. Soon after, that woman¡¯s name was also mentioned by Madam Maquil. ¡°If she had been alive, she would have been able to match that Vasago.¡± ¡°She¡¯s really a gift from heaven.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t know how kind-hearted she was. When she sees a wounded beast, she can¡¯t just pass by it.¡± Godmother said, sweeping the back of my hand as I sat on the bed. ¡°The baby born from my belly is cute even when she stays still. Lady Vanora will understand it when you have a child someday.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t know how lovely she had been since she was smart and kind.¡± It was said the youngest daughter of the godmother would not be defeated when compared with Vasago. Moreover, unlike Vasago, who has an arrogant side, she must have been like an angel because of her kind heart. ¡°¡­What happened to your daughter?¡± But how did such a lady die? As I asked carefully, godmother said calmly, ¡°She died. Because of her kindness.¡± ¡°!¡± Soon her hand, which had been placed on the back of my hand, fell off. Sat upright, godmother continued. ¡°I put everything I had into raising my youngest daughter. When she was about to make her debutante, I finally realized that she became the most perfect noble in this world.¡± ¡®Well, of course, the blood of Madam Maquil could do that.¡¯ ¡°It was my job to lead her on the perfect path. Because I believed that making her second to none would make my daughter happy.¡± Godmother told the story still in a dry tone. ¡°But as soon as my daughter made her debutante, my mistake began to be revealed.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I was so obsessed with refining her skills that I didn¡¯t teach her the bad intentions of people.¡± ¡®No way¡­¡¯ ¡°My daughter was in trouble for a while. She lent huge sums of money to the fallen noble who pretended to be pitiful. Misunderstood her kindness, she got involved with political affairs.¡± The story is still fine so far. At that time, godmother had the strongest influence, so she could solve her daughter¡¯s problems if she stepped in. ¡°And this story ends in a really pointless way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°My daughter got hit by a carriage one day while trying to save a young servant.¡± Godmother made a sigh, and I closed my mouth tightly. ¡°Then everything went futile.¡± * * * Madam Maquil, who was telling the story, looked at the distant window for a moment. Her eyes were filled with regret. ¡°I feel useless when the best child I raised with all my heart disappeared instantly.¡± ¡°Godmother¡­¡± ¡°I had my daughter¡¯s funeral and never took a step out of the mansion in my estate. Did you think the same way when you were left alone?¡± ¡®What if I hadn¡¯t praised my daughter¡¯s good character?¡¯ ¡®What if I hadn¡¯t liked seeing her helping others by sacrificing herself as a virtue?¡¯ Parents worry that when their beloved child is sick, it might happen because they didn¡¯t give to their child healthily. Likewise, Iva Maquil also blamed herself for contributing to her daughter¡¯s death. ¡°Lady Vanora.¡± The old woman, looking at the window, turned her eyes and called for Vanora. The girl¡¯s appearance sitting there made her keep thinking about her daughter even though Vanora didn¡¯t have any resemblance with her daughter. ¡°You look like my daughter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When we fell down the stairs, and you wrapped me around, I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears when I heard you say that your body moved first. Because my daughter often said the same things.¡± Vanora bowed at the words and only wiggled her hands. ¡°It was just an impulsive judgment to have you as my goddaughter, but seeing you say the same thing as her¡­¡± This became heavy guilt that weighed on herself. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It feels as if we were destined to meet.¡± Madam Maquil, looking at Vanora, who avoided her eyes, reached out. Then she gently stroked Vanora¡¯s hair and said, ¡°I want to give you an education that I haven¡¯t been able to teach my daughter.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t live to be a good person.¡± At those words, Vanora widened her eyes, and Madam Maquil continued solemnly. ¡°A kind and pure heart are useless in this world. Others know that too, so those who call themselves prestigious families are already in a hurry to care for themselves and pretend to be kind. That¡¯s why I got sick of the social world.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°I was interested in you being good and becoming your godmother. But from now on, you must abandon your kindness.¡± ¡°How could I¡­¡± Don¡¯t live to be a good person. Vanora reacted with discomfort to those words. Madam Maquil said firmly as if she finally made up her mind. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be evil. Never help others if there is no benefit for you. Even if you live like that, I will help you so no one can point a finger at you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve kept my distance because I was afraid I would get hurt again, but now I¡¯ve made up my mind. I won¡¯t make such a mistake again.¡± Madam Maquil returned to her usual stern expression. But there was no longer sadness and hesitation in her eyes. ¡°You will be my last daughter.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Even if your debutante is over, I will remain in this capital as your godmother.¡± Hearing those words, Vanora felt something stuck in her throat. And a little later, Vanora stepped in and took action instead of answering. She opened her arms and hugged her Godmother. ¡°¡­!¡± In Madam Maquil¡¯s arms, the warm body temperature of the young girl touched her. It¡¯s been years since she hugged a girl. Madam Maquil held her awkwardly at first, then she was overcome with strange emotions and held her tears. ¡°¡­¡± Vanora, who leaned her cheek against her shoulder, spoke quietly. ¡°I will do as Godmother¡¯s wish.¡± Out of the reach of Madam Maquil¡¯s eyes, Vanora¡¯s expression hardened out. She seemed to ponder something deeply at that moment. * * * My schedule hasn¡¯t changed much since that day. Godmother still conducted the class strictly, and I quietly carried out my busy schedule. But if there was one difference, it was this. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Good job. As promised, you can hang out with your friend tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you, Godmother.¡± Godmother no longer had a stiff expression on her face. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to check the letter¡­¡± I felt relieved that I had a strong ally I could use even after my debutante. It gave me more peace of mind. Now, all that remains is for me to plan for the future comfortably. ¡°Let¡¯s see. There¡¯s no letter coming from home either.¡± Rustle. I immediately ripped open a letter the servant had brought to me. There were short sentences written in messy handwriting. [Good. I will see you that day.] ¡°It¡¯s a relief.¡± I had told Carl immediately when my break time was decided not long ago. I have break time every 10 days, so he will come to help me train. Naturally, I refrained from directly telling him about the training, and Carl sent a reply that there would be no problem if I wanted to be trained at any time. ¡°I can¡¯t neglect this side either.¡± I read the books Carl lent me in my spare time, even during my busy days of studying. If I add the education from Andras¡¯s family, who is good at knocking down people, there must be something I gained in the future. I reviewed the book about the vital points of the human body again before the appointment. ¡­And the next day. 6 A.M. ¡°..¡± ¡°Hello, Lady Vanora! Good morning.¡± ¡°..¡± ¡°This mansion is wonderful. There is a lot of planted grass, so it smells fresh.¡± ¡°..¡± ¡°By the way, are you very busy these days? In the meantime, under your eyes got darker.¡± Early in the morning, when the sun had just risen, I silently listened to the boy in front of me chattering. ¡°Lady Vanora? You look dazed. Are you okay?¡± Usually, it¡¯s around 3 P.M. when the nobles of the Kasius Kingdom visit someone else¡¯s mansion. You can meet in the morning if you make an appointment in advance by letter, but even in that case, it¡¯s common sense to come around 11 A.M. And now it is still 6 A.M. ¡°..¡± I remained silent for a while before spitting out my first word. ¡°Why are you here now?¡± ¡°You told me to come today, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still 6 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Yes! The morning started now.¡± After hearing Carl¡¯s cool answer, I thought, ¡®Is he crazy?¡¯ I can¡¯t even say that he was being rude while he talked to me with such pure eyes. ¡®Godmother will be shocked if she sees Carl¡¯s manners.¡¯ I looked at his clothes at the same time. Normally, nobles wore attire that revealed their identity even when going out for a simple trip. But instead of looking elegant, Carl appeared sloppy in old and worn clothes. I know we met today to learn about fighting, so it¡¯s right to wear comfortable clothes, but¡­ ¡®Does he hate clothes with buttons on them?¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect him to wear clothes without buttons. ¡°Lady Vanora, you look tired. I think you should cancel today¡¯s appointment.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I know a place to avoid public eyes around here, so let¡¯s go there.¡± But it doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s the big deal? It was good that we had more time to train as we met early. I took the lead with a rather bright look. Carl Andras followed me with a smile as usual. Chapter 44 After a while, we arrived at a hut in a secluded place. ¡°A musty smell¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be used as a warehouse. I¡¯ve heard that no one comes here when autumn comes.¡± I looked around. When I made an appointment with him, I had placed a lamp in advance on the floor here. ¡°This would be better than training in the open space. The walls are thick, so you can hardly hear the sound if we close the door.¡± ¡°Did you choose this place so we wouldn¡¯t get caught?¡± ¡°Yes, but only until my debutante.¡± When I removed the hood I was wearing, Carl also removed the cloth draped over his head. I already paid attention to the surroundings when we were already coming this far. However, no matter how much I hide it, one¡¯s tail is bound to be stepped on if it is long. So I told Carl what I had in my mind. TL/N: It¡¯s a proverb that means something secret is bound to be revealed if it continues for a long time. ¡°It¡¯s not bad to be careful, so let¡¯s reduce the number of our meetings as much as possible.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will do my best to study on my own for the rest.¡± At those words, Carl scratched his cheek awkwardly. ¡°But Lady is bound to meet me when you need me. One day, they will find out about our meetings.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, how about this?¡± Clap. Then, along with the clapping sound, the suggestion was as follows. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the social gathering held by Madam Seiji!¡± ¡°Social gathering?¡± When I asked back, Carl said the following words, whether he had been thinking about this for a long time. ¡°Last time, I told Lord Aloken that we like animals.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Besides, after Lady Vanora visited my mansion, he thought we were friends¡­¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the conclusion?¡± ¡°This is the time to let the public know that we are friends who go to social gatherings together!¡± Regarding friends, it is safe for us to stick together! As he suggested that, he smiled brightly like the sun. My expression, of course, didn¡¯t change at all. ¡®If only everything worked out so easily¡­¡¯ At first, I felt uneasy about it. However, I thought it was a reasonable suggestion after a few seconds. ¡®No, it¡¯s much better than doing nothing, right? Carl is right. We can say that we often meet because we have the same hobbies.¡¯ With that, it will be less suspicious rather than meeting secretly. I thought so and accepted his suggestion. ¡°Okay. From now on, no matter what anyone asks about us, let¡¯s answer that we are close friends who have the same hobbies.¡± Carl waited with a smile as I pondered in agony. Soon, he smiled even more broadly. ¡°Oh? For some reason, it makes me feel like I have really made friends, so I¡¯m happy.¡± How in the world is there such a good boy like him? Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t that really good boy, so I didn¡¯t feel guilty using him. ¡°Then let¡¯s get started. First of all, I want you to demonstrate this part of the book.¡± ¡°Are you really thinking of learning bare-handed martial arts? But¡­¡± ¡°For Europa.¡± ¡°Uh, I will do as you say. Even I will bark if you tell me to bark!¡± A few hours later. ¡°Now, look at me. How do you usually hold a kitchen knife?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never cooked before¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Uh¡­ then I¡¯ll show you. Think of this pen like a knife. Many people hold it like this.¡± Time passed, and it was already evening as we were still engaged in the conversation. I sweated a lot while mastering the technique, but I focused on him without showing any difficulty. ¡°For slashing is fine, but for stabbing, it shouldn¡¯t be held like this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s easier for them to drop your knife.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°So when you want to stab, hold it in reverse. If you hold your thumb to support the handle like this, it won¡¯t shake.¡± Actually, Carl is smart enough for those who aren¡¯t interested in studying. His explanation was easy to understand. Moreover, if I had any questions, he showed a textbook-like attitude to anything, so there was no shortage of him being a teacher. ¡°When you retire, how about teaching martial arts?¡± I asked, pretending to hold a knife as he told me. ¡°Me? If I join the Knights Templar, the only way to retire is being died, right?¡± Then he answered as if it was natural. Upon hearing those sentences, I widened my eyes for a moment. ¡°¡­¡± What comes to my mind at this moment is the future that I know in a few years. This red-haired boy later made a significant contribution to the war of conquest by the King. There were even rumors that we won the war thanks to Carl Andras. But in exchange for the victory, he lost his life at a very young age. ¡®Besides, if I recall the memories at the victory ceremony, the second son of Andras family also returned crippled from that war¡­¡¯ Anyway, the evening sun began to set. Since today¡¯s class ended here, I took a deep breath and voiced my opinion. ¡°Carl, by any chance¡­¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you live without going to the battlefield?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°What if¡­ you had enough money to spend your whole life in luxury?¡± I thought it would be in good condition, but Carl widened his eyes. ¡°Even if I become a beggar, I like to fight. Besides, protecting the Kingdom is something to be proud of!¡± ¡®It¡¯s not easy¡­¡¯ Hearing Carl¡¯s answer, I, who knew the future well, felt frustrated. So, I decided to be more specific about the danger. It was uncomfortable for me not to say a word when I knew he would die. ¡°Then, let¡¯s say a war will break out in the next three years. And let¡¯s say¡­ you go to that war. How old are you this year?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixteen years old. What about Lady Vanora?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me too¡­ No, my age doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± In the middle, I discovered that we are the same age, but let¡¯s move on from that. ¡°Do you want to die at the age of 20?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that, but I hate not being able to go to war.¡± ¡®What kind of person is this!¡¯ I hit my chest in annoyance that the conversation didn¡¯t go the way I wanted. Then Carl came close with a surprised face and panicked. ¡°Are you alright?!¡± ¡°¡­by any chance, does your brother feel the same way as you?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes, yes. Generally.¡± So this is really the Andras family. I looked at the floor for a moment, bending my posture. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s no use trying to stop him if he wants to.¡¯ Perhaps this was enough for a warning. I eventually gave up on keeping Carl out of war. Moreover, just before the war broke out, I was going to deliver Europa to him. ¡®Future will change if a holy relic of eternal life is in his possession anyway.¡¯ For the rest, it had to be left to fate. * * * ¡°I¡¯m back, Godmother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you came back. Let¡¯s have dinner¡­¡± Creek. I, who returned from my business, greeted her with the same neat appearance as when I left. Later, my schedule was a flat dinner with Godmother and reading books in my own room. ¡®I moved too much today, so I¡¯m tired.¡¯ For me, being a 16-year-old was once again a continuation of my sweet days. Originally, around this time, Seir would get angry at me. ¡°¡­¡± Meals prepared on time. Clean clothes. Before I knew it, my surroundings were the same as the paradise I had dreamed of. ¡°Did I already fill the ink for tonight?¡± Nevertheless, the revenge in my heart showed no sign of stopping. It¡¯s hard for me to forget my anger because the events I had experienced throughout my life had already eaten away every nook and cranny of my memories. ¡°I need to fill in the ink¡­¡± Come to think of it, I was only a few years old when I was hit by an ink bottle thrown by Bael. I looked at the clock; it was 8 P.M. By this time, my depressed mother had grabbed me tight and shouted at me. Looking down at my nails reminds me of that. Maybe I remembered that because it happened after dinner. ¡°¡­¡± I¡¯m furious even at this moment. I have so many memories of that. Others say that they live based on their bright memories of their childhood, but as I grew up, there were many days when I shed tears for nothing. ¡®It¡¯s done. I¡¯m ready to write the novel.¡¯ I slipped out of my mind from the long recollection. As I continued my lack of study after refilling the ink, time flew by, and it was already midnight. Daeng. Daeng. Daeng. When the big clock in the hallway rang, I stopped my hand and looked familiarly into the air. At midnight today, the next chapter of ¡®Dangerous Love¡¯ appeared. ¡¸#1. Vasago¡¯s Room Vasago reads the letter, leaning on the light by the fireplace. Her expression gradually becomes serious. Maid: Lady, what is written on it that makes your face look worried? Vasago: I don¡¯t know what this guy is thinking these days. Maid: Did he send anything strange? Vasago: No! Rather, he said what I wanted to hear the most. The long-standing checks between the dukes didn¡¯t help the future of the Kingdom in any way, so as the next dukes, he asked first to unite with each other. Maid: (Brew the tea) Vasago: But, there¡¯s no way the House of Jalier, the head of the aristocratic fraction, would make this choice. Maid: Then it may be that man¡¯s will, not the whole family¡¯s. Vasago: I can¡¯t do this. I have no choice but to talk face to face with him. #2. Luxury Restaurant (Night) On the top floor of a restaurant. Vasago and Aloken talk in a heavy atmosphere where only the two are there. Aloken: The food here is very delicious. Vasago: Don¡¯t try to talk nonsense. Why did you send such a letter? Aloken: I don¡¯t understand what you mean. Vasago: There¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to make a deal that is not benefiting you. Aloken: Your evaluation of me has been disastrous. Vasago: Do you want me to reveal your true colors? Aloken: If you treat me like this, I have to repay it. And, is there any way it¡¯s not benefiting me? Stop the useless warfare and join hands with me in the 2nd ball of the Kingdom. Vasago: What¡¯s the catch? Aloken: You can get more involved with the state affairs¡­ and you will also have a happy life from that too. Vasago dropped the knife. Time elapsed. After eating, Vasago and Aloken continued their talk. Vasago: I didn¡¯t expect you to think like that. There was a misunderstanding between us. Aloken: While I was hunting foxes in the estate, my brother had already done some underground work in the capital social circle. Vasago: Are you saying all the rumors about your personality are fake? Aloken: (Laugh) Not all of them. Vasago: What? Aloken: If you¡¯re curious, look for it by yourself. How far is it fake? Vasago got up with an interesting expression on her face.¡¹ Tuk. Tuk. I tapped the paper with a pen tip and read intently the novel that appeared. ¡®At first, the two were growling at each other, and now they¡¯re gradually getting closer¡­¡¯ At this moment, according to my experience reading books from various genres, those are the beginning of¡­ ¡°Is this a romance novel?¡± Tuk, roll. I dropped the pen I was holding in my hand. ¡°Aloken is the male protagonist?¡± Chapter 45 A lot of time has passed. Autumn has arrived in the Kingdom of Kasius. Two seasons have passed since I read the novel containing this world¡¯s secrets. I continued to take note of the magic that appeared in front of me. The rules of ¡®Dangerous Love¡¯ I had known was this. First, the novel appeared at 12 P.M. every 7 days. Second, the novel disappeared one hour after I wiped them with the palm of my hand as if I was wiping a window. Third, if I¡¯m unconscious at midnight, the magic doesn¡¯t appear even if I wake up at 0.30 A.M. (If I miss it, it will appear next week.) And when it comes to changes that have occurred over the past seasons, the gap between the time zone in the novel and reality began to widen. ¡®It¡¯s already winter in the novel.¡¯ In reality, each day always flows at the same time, but that was not the case in the novel. In the novel, if you want to move to the future, it¡¯s enough to write one sentence, ¡®Three years have passed since then.¡¯ There is also the characteristic that the description is omitted for the parts that the author considers unnecessary, so the time zone in ¡®Dangerous Love¡¯ will be 3 months ahead of the present. ¡®Until now, I only thought I could dig up Vasago¡¯s daily life with this magic, but with this, I can foretell the future.¡¯ I went back to the past after killing Haures. Thanks to that, I already know the future six years later, but people aren¡¯t always prepared to go back to the past. In my head, the Kingdom¡¯s big and small events were scattered all over the place. Fortunately, from now on, I could redefine the tangled timeline with that novel. ¡°¡­¡± But¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Most of the content from that novel really happened in reality. It made me believe to the extent that my death in this world is nothing more than something scripted from the novel. However, there was only one part where the novel was inconsistent. ¡°It¡¯s always different with the part when Aloken appears.¡± The scene where Vasago and Aloken meet. In the novel, the two of them are already close enough to have a meal and talk about their family history. ¡°Why is this part completely different?¡± Not long ago, I received a letter from Aloken. In the earlier letter, I said that I wanted to be friends with Vasago, so can¡¯t he arrange a meeting with Lady Guelder? Aloken replied that just like he said last time, he had no such relationship with her, so don¡¯t ask for it again. In addition, the PS he added in case I didn¡¯t know, explained that he had never personally met with Vasago in his life. ¡®It¡¯s probably because of me, right?¡¯ The reason why the future assumed to be the original of this world was distorted can be easily guessed. ¡®He didn¡¯t go to the first meeting in the salon because his deal with me started.¡¯ With the memory of a 21-year-old, I predicted that the butterfly effect had occurred because I was making different choices than before. ¡®No, wait. What does that mean?¡¯ And as I accumulated more content of the novel, I noticed something. This is because Aloken himself said this in the latest chapter. ¡¸Vasago: Then why did you force yourself to come to the salon back then? Aloken: At first, I just wanted to look at the head of the Royalists looks like. I had a lot of free time. Vasago: You have a big gut. Aloken: But if I hadn¡¯t gone to the salon, I wouldn¡¯t have known you were this kind. In the end, it went well. There¡¯s no talented person like you to be my business partner.¡¹ ¡°Aloken first met her at the salon, and he became interested in Vasago with only one meeting.¡± Where have I seen this flow before? I immediately began to break into a cold sweat. My trauma suddenly came out of nowhere. ¡°Then¡­ If Vasago and Aloken met in this life, maybe my fianc¨¦ would fall in love with Vasago again¡­¡± Naverius Demangdwi, my former fianc¨¦. That man had an affair from the beginning. Still, he always apologized after cheating, saying it was a mistake so I could forgive him. But how serious things got after Naverius met Vasago at the debutante and fell in love with her. Perhaps that was the beginning of my catastrophe. ¡°¡­¡± Fortunately, I regained my composure after taking a deep breath. I was shocked for a moment because it was a similar situation. Still, if I think about it, it was completely different this time. ¡°Right, I don¡¯t need to care whether the original partner of Aloken is Vasago or not.¡± Our relationship is only contractual, so there¡¯s no need for me to pay attention to Aloken¡¯s love life. ¡°The relationship between the Guelder family and Jalier family was actually more serious than I thought. Like an idiot, I didn¡¯t even know about this fact, and Aloken¡­¡± I finished my thought with cold eyes. Soon I stretched out and got up from the desk. ¡®Since godmother is out today, should I go out too?¡¯ Clear sunlight pours in from outside the window. The weather was cool and clear as it was already autumn. ¡°Um?¡± ¡°Lady! Lady!¡± But then. A little boy came running in with a loud bang. He was a servant who had just learned to work. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is godmother back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. A guest has arrived asking for Lady.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Today wasn¡¯t the day to meet with Carl, so I don¡¯t know who it was. ¡°If the guest comes from the Celcius family, you can ignore them. Go out and tell them I¡¯m not in the mansion.¡± But the servant shook his head at my words. ¡°I¡¯m sure the guest came from different families. I can¡¯t remember exactly, but¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t that person give you anything to announce their visit?¡± ¡°Gasp! I forgot about it and just came here.¡± I became expressionless, and that made him scared a little bit. But the voice that came out from me was so gentle. ¡°Then what does the guest look like?¡± If he gave the characteristics of Aloken, I would ignore that guest. But this time, the servant¡¯s answer was also unexpected. ¡°A tall man with brown hair like fallen leaves in our yard is waiting for Lady.¡± ¡®Who is it?¡¯ Eventually, I headed to the front door to meet someone who I didn¡¯t know their origin. ¡°You¡¯re here? The servants were rude.¡± ¡°!¡± When I arrived, I saw a man leaning against the mansion¡¯s wall. It was definitely a familiar face. ¡°Rose Jalier-nim?¡± The second son of Duke Jalier. In other words, Aloken¡¯s younger brother visited the mansion. ¡®Is it difficult to send a letter a few days before your visit?¡¯ Whether Aloken or his younger brother¡­ I didn¡¯t like their attitude, but I didn¡¯t show any sign that I didn¡¯t like it and responded gently. Rose belongs to the duke¡¯s family, and as long as he belonged to it, he couldn¡¯t be treated like this. ¡°If I had known that you would come like this, I would have prepared tea for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late to worry about tea from now on.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you inside.¡± It wasn¡¯t that strange that he found out where I was. Because my education is not being kept secret, anyone could visit me if they wanted to. By the way, why did his brother, not Aloken, come to me? ¡®There must be a reason.¡¯ I, who was guiding him to the parlor room, wondered if Aloken himself had sent this younger brother instead because of circumstances. ¡°The mansion¡¯s owner is away now, so please understand if the hospitality is simple.¡± ¡°I already knew about it.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Arriving at the parlor room, Rose Jalier sat down at the guest¡¯s seat as if it was natural. I glanced at him, settled in the opposite chair, and brewed the tea. ¡°So, what¡¯s your business?¡± But after a while. I handed over the tea and asked the question, and Rose got up from his seat, locked the door of the parlor room, and returned. ¡°?¡± ¡°Listen carefully from now on.¡± I had Io in my grasp, so there was nothing to worry about being left with him. So I will stay still for now. ¡°Ha¡­ I don¡¯t know where to start talking about this. Even though I was careful when we first met with a worried heart.¡± Rose Jalier continued to speak in front of the silent me. The topic of the conversation was the continuation of what happened at the engagement ceremony. ¡°Did you ignore my advice? Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Are you saying you want to get married like this?¡± I remained silent. ¡°I see. If you¡¯re so eager to marry Aloken, feel free to do so.¡± ¡®He suddenly changed his opinion?¡¯ I raised the teacup in front of me but only looked at him without putting it to my mouth. At the same time, Rose Jalier also picked up the teacup. Likewise, he didn¡¯t drink the steaming hot tea. ¡°But before you two get married, there is one thing I want to tell you. Because I understand the truth of the matter.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I wondered before why he had chosen a woman from a humble family. I didn¡¯t think ¡®I got a fianc¨¦e¡¯ would have been so important.¡± The main point of the conversation is from now on. ¡°It was kind of strange. Even after the engagement, I looked carefully at your family wealth and political power, and no matter how much I looked at it, I didn¡¯t see anything that Aloken would gain from.¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re Aloken¡¯s younger brother, you don¡¯t have the right to insult my family.¡± I, who was listening to the conversation, said my first words, and Rose frowned and raised his voice. ¡°Who do you think is a fool! You haven¡¯t been in the social world for less than a year, and it doesn¡¯t make sense that the two of you are in a relationship! You must get involved with the lying too!¡± ¡°!¡± Even after that, Rose continued to speak in the atmosphere and weighed on his opponent. ¡°Frankly speaking, my father is more caring than his looks, and he is genuinely happy that Aloken has a fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He thought that his flawed son would become like a human if he found his true love.¡± ¡°Flawed son?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you so obsessed with his looks that you didn¡¯t even notice the flaws of the man you were going to marry?¡± Rose Jalier murmured, looking down at the teacup in his hand. ¡°Anyway¡­ I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s trying to change father¡¯s will with this fake relationship. I didn¡¯t know that Aloken would use this emotional trick. He even brings a lady to act with him just in time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Thanks to you, my feet are on fire. How about it? Are you happy that things are going well?¡± ¡®Why on earth is he saying this to me?¡¯ I searched for his intention while maintaining my expressionless face. When I didn¡¯t respond, Rose said coldly with a cold look on his face. ¡°Celcius, you¡¯re forgetting something.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who was the original successor of this duke? Somehow, I think you know about it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Rose tilted his head and glared at me. As the conversation was cut off in the ferocious atmosphere, the air in the room quickly cooled. A long silence passed. ¡°Lady Celcius.¡± The one who broke the silence was Rose Jalier. ¡°I¡¯ve told you the story so far because now I¡­ didn¡¯t have any hidden card, but I knew that you were just an actor.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°That means I can intimidate you and your family now without hesitation. It¡¯s¡¯ not my business to trample on Bael¡¯s business.¡± ¡®Father?¡¯ When Bael was mentioned, I showed a rare change in my expression. Rose looked at my face and raised the corners of his lips, thinking that his words had been conveyed well. ¡°You know what? Your fianc¨¦ actually has nothing in the corner of the house other than father¡¯s deep compassion. The elders and vassals of the family overwhelmingly support me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Who have you trusted so far? Will he be able to protect you properly?¡± But then. Rose got up from his chair and slowly approached me. As I looked at him standing next to me, Rose slowly tilted the teacup in his hand on the top of my head. ¡°I will¡­ do something like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident that no matter what I do to you, I will not be scolded.¡± Drip. Tuk, tuk, tuk. Cold tea slowly pours over my head. The sensation of the tea dripping down my head and into my face left me with damp, unpleasant feelings. ¡°Lady Celcius. If you still want to get married, do it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°By the way, if you don¡¯t reveal the act you played in front of the Duke with your mouth¡­¡± The man holding the empty teacup looked down at me with a cruel face. Chapter 46 It didn¡¯t take long to hear my answer. I blinked a couple of times as the tea poured over my head, then got up and stood facing Rose. And wouldn¡¯t it be right of me to raise my right hand? ¡®Should I just slap him on the cheek?¡¯ My action obviously looked like I was about to slap his cheek. But I changed my posture with a calm face. My hands quickly changed into fists. ¡®I promised Carl that I wouldn¡¯t beat anyone until I learned it properly.¡¯ ¡°Um?¡± What follows was obvious. Pow! A heavy sound couldn¡¯t be compared to the slap Rose had imagined, echoed in the parlor room. ¡°Urgh!¡± A stroke below the collarbone. As my fist pierced the center of his chest, Rose was breathless for a moment. In addition, the throbbing pain made him bend down. ¡°Keheug, Urgh!¡± ¡®Now he¡¯s being a little respectful¡­¡¯ I relaxed my posture in front of him, who bent his back. My gaze was reversed as he straightened his back and raised his hands slightly over his stomach. With his head bowed, Rose knew that my eyes now became colder than the ones he made before. ¡®What the hell happened! A young lady punched me!¡¯ Shortly afterward, Rose raised his head with an angry look. I talked as if I hadn¡¯t done it without thinking and waited for this to happen. ¡°Rose-nim, I have a question.¡± ¡°What in this situation!¡± ¡°What are you talking about this?¡± ¡°If you have such great power, why didn¡¯t you just visit Aloken secretly today?¡± ¡°!¡± Come to think of it, it was strange. If Rose is a noble who lacks courtesy like Aloken or Carl, I may not notice it. Usually, to visit someone, you need to send a letter in advance. If you sent a letter and didn¡¯t get a reply, you could have forced yourself to come then. So, how come Rose ignored such a procedure and came to see me? Based on this situation, I thought he couldn¡¯t send a letter because he worried Aloken might find out about it. ¡®He¡¯s not mature yet and can¡¯t control his expression.¡¯ And the result of my speculation was proved by the change in color of Rose¡¯s face. As he was agitated by my remarks, I dug deeper. ¡°I don¡¯t think you would have come to threaten me like this if Aloken was really powerless. Even if you do something to me, it¡¯s not like I will face the death penalty.¡± ¡°Even so, don¡¯t think your family will be fine¡­¡± ¡°Aha, are you going to take my family as a hostage?¡± Besides, there is something seriously wrong with the cards that Rose holds. ¡°If you want to, do it.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± I told him calmly because neither my parents nor my brother was worth anything to me. But from Rose¡¯s point of view, it felt as if there was something he didn¡¯t notice. He can¡¯t believe it. Even if there is no family love, the children of nobles are usually afraid they will lose their family name. ¡®This little Lady. I thought he would wag her tail if I threatened her a little bit.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t know why things don¡¯t go as planned. It made him frown. ¡®Is he scared? But to come here¡­¡¯ However, from my point of view, this conversation was not entirely irrelevant. Because Rose realized that my engagement was an unsympathetic deal. ¡®If he knew I asked Aloken for the deal first, things would get bigger. Let¡¯s just pretend.¡¯ I spoke after a moment of deliberation. I pretended to be naive, so I wouldn¡¯t be involved in these lame sibling fights. ¡°And Rose-nim. I dare not know the situation of the Jalier family, but there was a misunderstanding, so let me be clear.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± ¡°I accepted the engagement because I really love Aloken.¡± What do you mean by love now? ¡°So whatever you say, it¡¯s hard for me to break up with him¡­¡± Of course, Rose didn¡¯t seem to believe it, but when I spoke again with moist eyes, he seemed to be shaken. ¡°¡­¡± Send a warning failure. And threatening me also fails. Even if I claim to love Aloken like that, he won¡¯t be able to buy me even if he gives me better pay than Aloken. Nevertheless, Rose thought hard to change my stubborn mind. As such, the issue of succession to the title was a serious issue for Rose. ¡°Celcius.¡± ¡°Do you still have something to say? The Countess will be back soon.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m sorry that my methods were violent.¡± Snap. As I tried to leave the room without listening to him, Rose grabbed my arm. ¡®What he wants to do?¡¯ He knew I won¡¯t stand still as he got beaten up here before. I eventually stopped walking. The situation made me wonder what he would say next. ¡°But it¡¯s something you should know. I told you from the beginning. I¡¯m stopping the marriage for your sake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I hesitated because it was a matter of family prestige, but I¡¯ll tell you now. The reason why he shouldn¡¯t be the successor.¡± The reason why Aloken couldn¡¯t be the successor. Although I regressed from the future, it was still unknown to me. So, what is the reason? ¡°Aloken was born sick.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He looks fine on the surface, but in reality, he¡¯s very different from us.¡± Aloken was born sick? It was strange to hear the unexpected reason, but I responded calmly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just lying?¡± To this, Rose described the incident in detail. ¡°A normal person wouldn¡¯t want to drown your sibling just because your sibling touched your toy. But I almost died because of him when I was five.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°How surprised father must be? The elder brother drowned his younger brother in the lake. Besides, when he heard the reason¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Because his younger brother took away his belongings. He thought it would be resolved if his younger brother was gone.¡± From what I heard, it certainly wasn¡¯t a common sibling fight. I furrowed my eyebrows at his remarks. ¡°Aside from that, there are not one or two terrifying accidents. It must have been the decisive reason why father thought he couldn¡¯t hand over the family to him.¡± ¡®What the hell is it?¡¯ ¡°When I was 10, the first thing he said at mother¡¯s funeral when he didn¡¯t shed even a single tear¡­¡± Are those words from Rose just a lie to shake me? Or is it real? I thought that I couldn¡¯t judge it with my eyes. But his lowered eyes looked truly heartbroken. ¡°How can he say that to our mother who died?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°He said that he was annoyed because our mother was meddling with him every day, and he said that it¡¯s good not to hear her nagging anymore¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At that time, father realized the seriousness of his sickness and tried everything to fix Aloken. In the end, the doctor only gave the answer.¡± He¡¯s born with a different mind. Rose, who said so, frowned as if he were horrified just to recall the past events. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such a man was born into the famous Jalier family. How can I entrust him with the family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to believe.¡± ¡°Celcius, I don¡¯t know what Aloken you¡¯ve seen, but it¡¯s okay to assume all of it was a lie. It¡¯s his habit to deceive others.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°And he changed his ways cleverly since father scolded him a lot. He began to imitate others.¡± While saying that, Rose grabbed my two hands and spoke as if pleading. ¡°But my father is already old, so he may have felt compassion for him. That¡¯s why he is being deceived by older brother¡¯s acting.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°His temperament will never be improved by education. Father thinks older brother has been cured since he starts pretending to be a normal person.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Maybe if he inherits the title, you too will be killed without mercy. Because he is a person like that.¡± ¡°Aloken¡­ to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because once he has achieved his goal, he will try to form a relationship with a stronger force than the Celcius family. That¡¯s why this is a matter of life for both you and me.¡± ¡°Rose-nim¡­¡± ¡°If you expose my brother¡¯s lies and help me, I will give a big reward to the Celcius family when I inherit the dukedom.¡± It¡¯s a matter of life for both you and me. I pondered the sentence he had brought out and opened my mouth with a cautious attitude. ¡°Does that mean¡­ if Aloken becomes the duke, he will kill you too?¡± It will happen in the future a few months from now on. Based on the will after the death of Duke Louis Jalier, the next Duke will be Rose Jalier. But before he could even enjoy the glory, Rose got into an accident and died. Because of this, rumors about the eldest son who murdered him spread around the capital. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to listen carefully because the words came from a man who has been picking a fight with me since we first met.¡¯ I realized that the future I knew and what happened in the past didn¡¯t go much differently, so I focused on Rose¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ve been a hindrance to Aloken since I was a child.¡± ¡°Then the other way around. What will you do to your brother if you become the successor?¡± ¡°Once I officially succeed in the title, the scope of what I can do will change, so I plan to make sure that Aloken doesn¡¯t harm others anymore. I will ensure he gets treatment in the Holy Kingdom for his mental sickness.¡± ¡°You mean he will get therapy, not being shackled there, right?¡± ¡°He was born as my brother, so I don¡¯t want to kill him. We will prepare a place where he can receive good treatment.¡± When Rose noticed that I was interested in the story, he sighed heavily as if he had finally relieved himself. ¡°So, Lady Celcius. Get your hands off that cruel man who can betray anyone anytime.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will find you another good marriage candidate too!¡± Rose Jalier, holding my hand so tightly that it hurts, pleading. I, who was carefully examining the figure of such a man, slowly pulled out my hand. Then Rose¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Rose-nim, I have already sworn an engagement with Aloken to the Mother Goddess. Even if I get betrayed by him, I will accept it as a price for my love. I¡¯m sorry, I will forget everything I heard this time.¡± With cold eyes and dry lips, is it really fair to use love as the reason? In the end, Rose left without saying goodbye to me after my gentle rejection. As he burst out of the locked door, the servant passing through the hallway was startled. ¡°G-Goodbye, young¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­Master.¡± The servant in the hallway greeted him, but Rose ignored it and walked away. ¡®It would be nice if this could delay some time, but somehow, I¡¯m not looking forward to it. Useless bitch.¡¯ He walked just like usual, but everyone knew that he was offended just by the look on his face. ¡°Lady, what¡¯s going on? The guest just left in a state of great anger¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a problem that will be resolved soon.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Huh? But how did Lady¡¯s clothes end up in that state?¡± I stopped by the bathroom to clean up the tea before godmother came back. After letting all the servants out, I thought quietly in the bathtub. ¡°Aloken is a cruel person¡­¡± We¡¯re engaged by contract, so if you think about it normally, it¡¯s okay for us to break up. But if everything Rose said was true about him that he didn¡¯t shed a single tear at his mother¡¯s funeral, I didn¡¯t know what strange things he would do. So, I decided to check it out right now. ¡°Cruel enough to kill me?¡± Should I keep holding hands with him or throw out that presumptuous helper? Chapter 47 But then, I had a small problem. I forced myself to spare time to meet Aloken for the first time in a long time, but the letter I sent him didn¡¯t receive any answer after several days. ¡°You have no appetite?¡± ¡°N-No, Godmother. I enjoyed the meal.¡± The road to the North is rough, so maybe the mailman got in trouble on the way. Could a wild animal even bite a horse to death? I eventually gave up meeting Aloken because I didn¡¯t get any reply even after sending him a letter again. On the way, I concentrated on godmother¡¯s lessons and Carl¡¯s teaching, developing my power and knowledge. Crumble. Around the time when Kingdom Kasius came to the beginning of winter, I opened a letter from the mailman. [Duke Jalier is dead. I will be busy with the succession issues, so if you have anything to say, visit me in the capital around New Year¡¯s Eve.] It was a very short letter, but he was the one who made the appointment in advance. ¡°New Year¡¯s Eve.¡± New Year¡¯s Eve is the most important festival in the Kingdom of Kasius. ¡°The Duke died sooner than I thought.¡± Our meeting was scheduled for two months from now on. * * * Two months later. The downtown area of Kingdom Kasius. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°L-Lady Vanora. Are you upset? Your fianc¨¦ is late for the appointment.¡± ¡°No.¡± Tak, tak, tak, tak. New Year¡¯s Eve, the first new year since I regressed and a day from five years ago that I had already been through once. The rich and poor in the capital were out on the street enjoying the festival, and I was also sitting leisurely in the coffee house with the generosity of godmother. However, no matter how long I waited, the person who asked me to meet him on the second-floor terrace didn¡¯t appear. ¡°It¡¯s cold. I will bring Lady a blanket¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tak, tak, tak. I nervously tapped my nails on the table and sometimes ground my teeth. But in fact, I wasn¡¯t upset because my fianc¨¦ was late. ¡®Until when do I have to live like this? I think I have learned etiquette and methods to kill them enough now. How can I wait until I make my debutante?¡¯ I had been nervous about not getting my revenge over the past few months. ¡®Those rotten people! Did you call yourself noble in the end?! Do you think I will never be able to get my revenge for the rest of my life?!¡¯ First of all, I had set the order of my revenge in my plan. The more you are involved in many cases, the greater the risk of being caught. In the case of Vasago, even if I didn¡¯t get to the trial, I may not be able to get close to her as soon as a terrible scandal comes to me. I think things will work out well if I target Vasago first. But again, Duke Guelder¡¯s name wasn¡¯t just a decoration. ¡®If she goes around like that, does she even have such a thing as privacy?¡¯ Just in the last hour, I had attempted to assassinate Vasago. That¡¯s because Vasago made a rare appearance in the street, just like described in the ¡®Dangerous Love¡¯ novel. But when I went to see her in person, what happened? There were at least five escort knights, as described in the novel. Plus, there was the young boy who she always brought with her. ¡®If the world is just like in the novel, it¡¯s okay to be lax¡­ ha¡­¡¯ Then, I think I can aim for another opportunity. Still, the scope of Vasago¡¯s activities in the novel was not very wide. At best, the Guelder mansion, the Jalier mansion, the royal castle, the salon¡­ All of them are reputed to have tight security, and even if I am aiming when she rides her carriage, it¡¯s still full of guards. It was almost impossible to aim at her when she was alone without being a friend to her. ¡®Even if I am destined to die soon, I¡¯m still a noble. I also came to the New Year¡¯s Eve being tailed by godmother¡¯s servant.¡¯ So, in the end, I decided to wait for the right time. First of all, I decided to participate in debutante and approach Vasago step by step when I was already old enough to enter the social world. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ah! Lady, I hear footsteps. This time it must be the Duke!¡± But I thought about it for a while. The godmother¡¯s servant standing next to me chatted like a sparrow. I looked up belatedly. A few seconds later, as the servant said, a man entered the small terrace seat. ¡°Greetings.¡± I greeted him with a formal greeting as he approached. ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The new owner of the Duke¡¯s family. Duke Aloken Jalier revealed his face after a few months of absence. All his succession matters have finally been completed. ¡°You guys get out.¡± Aloken sent the butler he had brought and the servant who was next to me out of the door. After that, he sat down in the empty seat opposite me, raised the corner of his mouth, and smiled. ¡°Have you been well? Vanora.¡± ¡°Yes. You have successfully inherited the title. Congratulations.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should call this successfully.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it. As long as the seal has been officially stamped, isn¡¯t the game over?¡± ¡°My younger brother, who doesn¡¯t understand that easy thing, is still struggling.¡± The past few months have been simple to sum up. Aloken eventually succeeded in crafting a new will without missing a moment when his father woke up from bed. Therefore, even if his overall support is still insufficient, considering the tradition and will of the family, it is inevitable that he will be overwhelmed with the advantage to succeed the title. In the end, he sat down in the Duke¡¯s seat as he wanted. ¡®It¡¯s just something that will happen someday.¡¯ I finally could comfortably call him. Well, in my memory, he had already become ¡®Duke Jalier¡¯ for several years, but it¡¯s so uncomfortable to call him ¡®little Duke.¡¯ ¡°Duke, then¡­¡± ¡°Ah, many people call me as duke even if Lady Vanora doesn¡¯t call me like that. So stop it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we in agreement to call by our name? If you don¡¯t like it, we can change it using the nickname as a special provision¡­¡± However, even if the naming problem has improved, the inconvenience seems to continue. I responded coldly to Aloken¡¯s mischievous remarks. Aloken, on the other hand, only wriggled his left eyebrow. ¡°Ahem. Anyway, I have something to say.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, you sent a letter to me when the Duke passed away. So, what do you want to say?¡± As Aloken, who was seated, leaned the staff in his hand against the terrace wall, I took a sip of the cooled tea and continued. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± But what came out of my mouth was far from the sentence I really wanted to spit out. ¡°I said that I would provide helpful information to extend the contract once a year. But, come to think of it, I think I will be busy preparing for my debutante in the new year.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why you wanted to see me in the fall.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to meet you in person. I¡¯m not supposed to tell you this in the letter.¡± Once again, I sipped the tea and began to whisper in a low voice. ¡°This is the information for this year. In the near future, the merchants from Gamiel, who have been popular in our Kingdom, will withdraw one by one.¡± ¡°Is it because the disease the previous duke suffered and Popira, the fruit from Gamiel, was about to be revealed by the middle of next year?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with that. It¡¯s the spice merchant who will withdraw.¡± As I said so, Aloken leaned his upper body toward the table and listened more. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but the climate of Gamiel Kingdom has changed a lot recently.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It seems the yield of spices grown in Gamiel has declined sharply. The monarch will soon issue an export ban as there is not even enough quantity to be consumed in their own Kingdom.¡± The terrace filled with the key part of the information I was holding. ¡°So, before spring arrives, sweep up the Gamiel spices in the capital. Especially aromatics, which nobles are accustomed to, will become very expensive later on.¡± Of course, Duke Jalier, the most wealthy man in the Kingdom, can monopolize the goods. Aloken briefly retraced the information I had brought up. ¡°It¡¯s mouth-watering information, but I don¡¯t see any trend yet for anyone to buy spices¡­ how can you know about it so quickly?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is my fianc¨¦e actually Gamiel¡¯s spy?¡± I responded with a smile, contrary to his remarks. ¡°Did you see the sky on your way to the capital yesterday?¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°The night sky was clear, so my fortune-telling came out well.¡± This meant that I had no intention of telling the source of information, so shut it up. ¡°¡­¡± At such a response, Aloken let out a laugh. After that, he nodded in a somewhat convincing manner. ¡°Yes, thanks to an astrologist like you, I was able to rise to the duke position without seeing blood, so I will trust you again this time.¡± But¡­ ¡°Aloken.¡± I, who had been pondering the sentence he uttered, immediately asked with a subtle face. ¡°Does that mean that we would have seen blood if you hadn¡¯t been able to become a duke?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aloken immediately answered the question. As if there was nothing to worry about. ¡°Hmm? No, I¡¯m just saying. The fight would have been a mess, but would I kill my brother?¡± ¡®What?¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect him to give such a cool answer. Look, he¡¯s a man with a coldness in his eyes, but he¡¯s just reluctant to make a bloody battle out of the succession fight. ¡°Then, what if the title of the duke is being taken away?¡± ¡°Should I assume that I succeeded but failed to do my duty?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, if I had lost¡­ no matter how much ambition I have, I would lower my tail. I would have gotten a few bucks and left the estate to live.¡± I was astonished by his unexpected, ordinary idea. Aloken wondered why I was reacting like that and then came to his own conclusion. ¡°Aha. I was wondering why you asked me this. You were worried that your status would also fall if I failed, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You must have been in trouble. Wealth and status are also good conditions for courting the opposite sex.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I will win Lady Vanora¡¯s favor before my strength decreases.¡± I froze at his words. Aloken was rather interested when he saw me and added a few words, ¡°Why don¡¯t you reconsider now? You¡¯ve succeeded in making me a duke as planned, so I¡¯ll give you the wife¡¯s position for that.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t buy it.¡± Of course, I, sitting opposite him, refused immediately. It seems that the choice of my words was a little off, but we didn¡¯t have to argue about it here. ¡®Why is he trying to seduce me these days? Isn¡¯t he going to horribly throw me away after I¡¯ve done my best?!¡¯ But it was then. ¡°Vanora.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes.¡± ¡°But¡­ you don¡¯t tell me something.¡± Clatter. Aloken lifted the cup of coffee from the table, then said slowly, ¡°You must have met my brother once in the meantime.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As expected, I got caught. I was silent for a moment at his remarks, and soon Aloken¡¯s eyes fell into my gaze. It was a deep amber gaze that I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. ¡°Yes, Rose Jalier came.¡± He probably already knew what his younger brother had said. So, I made a head-on breakthrough to reveal Aloken¡¯s true nature. He¡¯s a human being, so if I hit the nail on the head like I did when he found out about his father¡¯s illness, he will have a slight reaction. ¡°Your brother told me something quite shocking, so I couldn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Aloken, were the stories he told me true?¡± I boldly recited exactly what Rose had said. The fact that he tried to kill his five-year-old brother because of a mere toy, and what happened at his mother¡¯s funeral. As far as saying he has a mental illness. All of that passed over the table, and Aloken slowly closed his eyelids. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± And a few seconds later. The reaction of Aloken was like this. Chapter 48 ¡°Wait, what else are you talking about? What¡¯s wrong with that brat? He¡¯s getting better at framing his brother day by day.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± ¡°When I return to the estate, I should recommend my brother to be a playwright.¡± Aloken raised his voice and widened his eyes. I was the one to watch with my mouth open. ¡°I always thought he would have said nonsense because he couldn¡¯t bring me down, but I didn¡¯t know he would really do that.¡± ¡°Are you both lying?¡± ¡°I¡­ never did that when my mother died. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± But somehow, the reaction was getting weird. Aloken continued to defend himself well, but when he reached the end of the sentence, he shortened his words. He looked into my eyes twice as if he hesitated to say something out of his mouth. ¡°?¡± Is Aloken worried about the way other people are looking at him? I waited, wondering what was wrong with him, and he finally continued. ¡°¡­It¡¯s true that I was diagnosed by a doctor.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°We kept it a secret, saying that if this information spread, the Jalier bloodline would be mocked because of me.¡± The man, who had shown various expressions such as arrogant smiles or surprise, suddenly returned to being expressionless. In my eyes, his face looked a little different than usual. ¡®It¡¯s not just a stiff face. But as if nothing were contained in it.¡¯ I hesitated and finally asked, ¡°Is the diagnosis reliable?¡± To that, Aloken titled his head and answered, ¡°It has always been hard for me to understand others.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even when my father yelled with a red face, I couldn¡¯t understand what he was trying to express.¡± I listened quietly to what he had said and interrupted in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of such an illness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an illness.¡± Aloken rolled his eyes briefly, then shifted his gaze to the right. A colorful cloth announcing the festival was hung between the buildings. ¡°The doctor and my family described me like a heartless, chaotic animal, but there are times when I feel happy and times when I feel annoyed.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°But the duke had a different attitude toward me. He acted like I was seriously broken.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why he tried to make your brother as his successor?¡± ¡°He¡¯s afraid of ruining the lineage by making a person with an illness pass on to the next generation.¡± Having said that, Aloken picked up the sugar from the glass with a tong and dropped a couple of them into the coffee. He didn¡¯t do that because he wanted to drink it, but because his hands were bored. ¡°Just like a child who can¡¯t hear well is a little slow to learn to speak. I¡¯m becoming like that because I haven¡¯t received anything from them.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the parent praise you when you get better in the end, even if the progress is slow? But the previous duke was very greedy, so he wanted me to be perfect immediately.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t achieve what he wants, I will lose the successor position to my brother, so lately¡­ I have corrected all my actions.¡± I heard the story and spat out a single sentence that sounded like a sigh. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why the previous duke was being like that.¡± My sudden response made Aloken tilt his head as if he didn¡¯t understand. I, therefore, explained to him what I realized. ¡°That¡¯s why he was so happy when you told him we would get married.¡± ¡°?¡± ¡°Now that his son, whom he thought was sick, fell in love, so he thought your illness was cured. Perhaps falling in love is the most representative emotion.¡± Aloken widened his eyes as if surprised by my words. That expression didn¡¯t last long either. ¡°That makes sense.¡± He put his chin on his hand and said indifferently. Rose said his older brother wouldn¡¯t get better even if he continued being educated. But I had a different thought. ¡®I haven¡¯t noticed his character until now. I thought he was rather arrogant and emotional.¡¯ Aloken has been hiding his temperament through his past efforts. He communicated with people without difficulty, and although there were some shortcomings, he was able to communicate well. ¡°Did your corrections teach you to value human life?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Thanks to you, I realized that I had acted wrong up to now. I¡¯m busy taking care of my servants now.¡± I asked the last question I wanted to confirm. After hearing his answer, I decided to still hold Aloken¡¯s hand in the end. ¡®It looks like I got caught up in his brother¡¯s interference.¡¯ In other words, I confirmed that Aloken was not a crazy person who would suddenly harm me. ¡®He¡¯s not just acting. He¡¯s learning how to fit into society, and he¡¯s getting better.¡¯ Of course, rather than this conversation, Aloken ascended as the duke and had not killed Rose until now, so I trust him. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you care about my temperament?¡± Aloken said that, and I answered calmly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to care about.¡± ¡°Now that I have the duke¡¯s reputation, it would be interesting to use it as a bargaining chip.¡± ¡°Even if I shout that you have such an illness, I will be the only one called a crazy woman.¡± I just closed my eyes and passed the small scratch made by Aloken. Rather, it¡¯s better for him not to be emotional. Because there was no better condition than this because of the contract. ¡°Besides, I feel reassured. If you were born with that kind of dull feeling, is it a play that you have shown interest in me until now? Ah, yes. I thought it was weird.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re a duke, don¡¯t exhaust yourself anymore. You can relax in front of me.¡± I drank the tea with a light heart because the uncomfortable problem was solved. Of course, this tea never went over my esophagus. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re coming to an end, and you¡¯re coming up with the wrong conclusion. Why do you think I dared to tell you my secret?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°This is to get the attention of my fianc¨¦e.¡± When Aloken suddenly spoke about this, I stiffened with the tea in my mouth. ¡°I learned that sharing secrets helps build affection.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Aloken only smiled with his eyes bent when he saw me stiffened. ¡°The part I have denied so far has finally been affirmed¡­ I knew you would react like this.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Now I can understand the meaning of love.¡± He said before that he didn¡¯t care a little about the feelings of others. ¡°I never thought that I would find my first love at this age. If you feel sorry for me, why don¡¯t you pay me back.¡± ¡®What do you mean? First love?¡¯ Of course, it would have been a shame to just let this go and leave. ¡®Why is he doing this when he¡¯s already busy? I¡¯ve been through Naverius. Does he think I will be happy to play love games?¡¯ I, who barely swallowed the harsh words that were about to come out of my throat, thought as rationally as possible. ¡®Is it like ¡®This is the first time I¡¯ve met a woman like you¡¯ that often appears in romance novels? Then if I slap his cheeks just like the lady did to the rich man in the novel, will he come to his senses?¡¯ I tried to think rationally to be exact. However, when things didn¡¯t go as planned, I got up from my seat, fearing that he would expose my bottom line. ¡°We¡¯re done talking, so I¡¯m leaving. Duke Jalier.¡± ¡°The New Year¡¯s banquet will continue in the evening, so why not enjoy it?¡± ¡°You want me to go to the banquet until night at this age? Don¡¯t say that until after I make my debutante.¡± In response, Aloken greeted me with an obvious smile on his face. ¡°Okay. Then see you again at your debutante.¡± * * * After New Year¡¯s Eve. Weekdays at 9 a.m. In today¡¯s midnight novel, there is Vasago, who enjoys her birthday while being with three people: the kind relative¡¯s older brother, the wealthy man aka Aloken, and her overprotective father. Whenever she was happy in the novel, I felt like my intestines were twisted, and blood seemed to flow from my eyes to see how everyone loved her. ¡°A horse spear competition at the New Year¡¯s festival? Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Yes! I couldn¡¯t participate because I was late, but watching it was nice too!¡± But I could bear it. Today was finally the day I met Carl. How can a model student like me be afraid of classes? I was able to achieve rapid achievements thanks to my effort to train while reducing my sleep. With that, the basic martial arts class has reached its end. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. How could someone without knowledge of fighting already have such a posture? Someone like you should be in the military academy!¡± Maybe today is the last day of the class. I was proud of what I had learned in the warehouse, where I had a class with Carl. ¡®I was recognized for my posture for the first time.¡¯ At least at this rate, there will be no cases of me swinging fists in the air or kicking in vain. Getting praised for my basics brought up a hopeful imagination in my head. But for a while. ¡°By the way, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve gotten used to the basics to some extent.¡± Carl poured cold water on my happy imagination. ¡°How about using poison¡­? Or take your revenge¡­ two years later while taking it easy¡­¡± He fidgeted with his red hair, avoiding my gaze. I said what I wanted to say. ¡°I don¡¯t have time that long.¡± To be precise, I came to see a future in which this kingdom would later be embroiled in war and ruined. I went on, boldly skipping the details of the situation. ¡°And why stick with poison while there are many options? Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have more means?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The boy who glanced in my eyes as I spoke confidently answered immediately. Why did he tell me to use poison rather than the technique he taught me? ¡°It¡¯s true that Lady Vanora has good achievements. This is enough to subdue nobles of the same age as yours who are unfamiliar with fighting.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Other than that, to be honest, Lady Vanora is so weak that no one can guarantee your victory.¡± He removed the smile he had always had on his lips and spoke seriously. ¡°You have little muscles, and your body is small. It¡¯s better if you use a weapon, but in bare-handed fighting, your weight basically has a big impact.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Even if you have skills, Lady Vanora will generally lose to people like the successors of a family who have trained their physic.¡± Carl¡¯s gentle nature erased my smile. As if he was looking at the pitiful thing, my eyebrows twitched as he repeated the words ¡®You¡¯re weak¡¯ several times. It was as if he was saying that my efforts were useless. ¡°You¡¯re so weak. What if you get hurt while using the skills you learned carelessly? So, as I said earlier, either increase the training period or¡­¡± ¡°Am I that weak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I bowed my head. Because of that, Carl couldn¡¯t see my expression, but the fact that I was upset right now was felt on his skin. ¡®I was happy that I could finally use it in real life with this level of achievement. But I¡¯m so weak that I can¡¯t beat anyone¡­¡¯ Clearly, in the eyes of others, I was too late to start. While the other family successors learned the basics of swordsmanship from an early age, I didn¡¯t start physical training until I was 16 years old. ¡°If you don¡¯t quite understand, would you like to have a spar with me?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Lady Vanora, take your weapon. I wouldn¡¯t use a single arm with my bare hands.¡± But as soon as I heard these remarks, one side of my head cooled down. ¡°This way, you will understand what I mean.¡± From Carl¡¯s point of view, these words were uttered because he was genuinely worried about Vanora. If he let her know that she wasn¡¯t at the level to go into action now, there were parts where he thought that Vanora would do wrong by acting hastily. ¡°¡­¡± However, I lifted my face slowly at his remarks and immediately thought something. Chapter 49 How can he be so cruel about something I¡¯ve been working on for so long? Is he saying that I shouldn¡¯t even think of responding to my enemies with violence since I¡¯m weak? I¡¯ve already been beaten by them over and over again! He¡¯s saying this because he doesn¡¯t know Io is in my hand. Soon, I shot him back with a fierce look that he had never seen before. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s have a duel right now. Instead, you and I are under the same conditions.¡± ¡°Yes? B-But¡ª¡± ¡°If I lose, I will consider your words.¡± Step, step. I took a couple of steps before him and lifted my gaze upward. There was Carl Andras, who was very tall in the meantime. He stiffened his body unbelievably. ¡°But if I win this duel, don¡¯t criticize my choice again.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± I spoke strongly, and Carl put on a gloomy expression like a dog in the rain. But even with such a gentle appearance, the blood of the Andras family eventually flowed into his body. ¡°Okay, then we will have a duel just once.¡± It is not long before his true nature is revealed. ¡°Let¡¯s set the rules. Let¡¯s say we¡¯re both bare-handed, and since Lady Vanora is still a beginner, if you hit me effectively enough to hurt me, I will say you won.¡± ¡°Is it really okay to have such rules?¡± We wore very simple clothes from the moment we entered this warehouse, so it was enough to prepare by taking off the cloak we had worn to avoid the cold. It¡¯s rather good. Because I wanted to have a duel with people at least once. It wasn¡¯t difficult to prepare my mind either. Although it was the first duel in my life, I wasn¡¯t nervous. Unlike in the past, when I spent my entire life as a weakling, my physical strength and skill improved significantly during this time period through hard work. Besides, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m going to knock down Carl. I will win if I give him one effective blow. If so, I thought there was no need to borrow Io¡¯s power. He¡¯s arrogant because he¡¯s still young. After all, Carl in the future and Carl in this time cannot be the same. I thought briefly as I looked at Carl¡¯s young face, and soon the signal that the two of us had started a duel rang out. ¡°Then, shall we begin?¡± But a few minutes later. I realized who was really arrogant. ¡°!¡± A panting breath. The sound of blood rushing around and the voice of the boy in front of me muttering. I felt all the sounds were distant, even though my ears weren¡¯t hurt. It was due to the beating of my stomach. As a result, I felt suffocated, and physiological tears filled my vision instantly. It¡¯s only been a few seconds since the duel started. Less than two minutes. Nevertheless, I was already gasping for breath. It contrasted with the boy who had not even a single strand of hair disheveled. I can¡¯t beat him. I admitted right away, though we only dueled for a few moves. Carl was different. Standing before Carl, I was like a chick in front of a fox. I¡¯m only at this level, but I¡¯m screaming like I¡¯m going to kill someone. There was someone more heartbroken than me who had learned my weakness with my own body. Carl stopped the attack and thought when his opponent couldn¡¯t straighten up due to pain. ¡®If I let Lady Vanora wield what she has learned in this insufficient state, she will face great trouble later.¡¯ Carl was the type who usually enjoyed fighting with others. After fighting all over, his whole body was excited, and his heart was happy to the extent that he felt alive because of this. But it¡¯s been a long time since he had such an unpleasant duel. A duel must be established to some extent to be enjoyable. It was not his temper to bully a weak person for nothing. ¡®Lady Vanora has a reason to desperately want strength. I wonder if she will give up with only one duel¡­¡¯ Carl Andras is soon in agony. And it was then. ¡°!¡± While Carl was distracted by other thoughts, I narrowed the distance, grabbed him by the collar so he wouldn¡¯t run away, and targeted his vital point. Carl twisted my arms with force and pulled himself out, but he was surprised that I had not yet given up. But how can I give up? I already know that I¡¯m weak¡­ I was born weak from the beginning. Because I don¡¯t have more strength than them. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m a nobody. I lived my entire life acclimatizing to the fact that I was not born with it. However, I believed it was the right life if I lived with a good heart, even if I had no power. As a result, I¡¯ve been driven to the cliff. How can I be convinced of my shortcomings twice? ¡°Aargh!¡± ¡°!¡± I couldn¡¯t live like that anymore. I wanted to prove that my efforts to get revenge were not vain by winning this duel. ¡°Uh?¡± Soon afterwards, I clenched my teeth and rushed, and Carl took my fist straight into his grasp. A different heavy sensation from before made my wrist bones tremble. ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­¡± Carl Andras. He wasn¡¯t the type to hesitate to hit his opponent, whether they were old or weak. There are even rumors that he broke his engagement by assaulting his fianc¨¦e. ¡°I thought it¡¯s been a while since I had such a boring duel.¡± However, no matter how many times he looked after me, I was still standing strong no matter how many times he hit me. In addition, this duel wasn¡¯t even with Andras¡¯s family but Celcius, who grew like a flower in the greenhouse. ¡°It¡¯s starting to get a lot better.¡± Carl¡¯s cheek began to flush at this situation. To him, my growth was amazing. A person who didn¡¯t even know to hold a dagger until a while ago has now stimulated pain quite a bit. Carl¡¯s heart gradually fluttered as he did when he was enjoying a duel, and he soon burst into laughter with a flushed face. ¡°¡­¡± When Andras¡¯s family fights, they laugh so happy like that. That¡¯s why their family got called as monsters. So how do I stop this laughter? I, who was thinking about it, came up with a simple method. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to surrender now?¡± Pow! I fell backwards with a blunt sound of a fist hitting a human¡¯s chest bones. I woke up in a hurry, but the shock seemed great. Carl, who saw my tied hair in an ugly mess, asked that question. But what came was not my voice but my right fist. ¡®Does she want to suffer like that again?¡¯ For Carl, the repetition of an attack that didn¡¯t give a valid hit was questionable, but in fact, the target was his left hand. ¡°Huh!?¡± Suddenly there was something like power in front of Carl¡¯s eyes. My left hand held the dust on the warehouse floor when I fell. ¡®She¡¯s really good at using the contents from the book!¡¯ Even if it¡¯s a street fight or a duel, it¡¯s enough to help you win. Of course, Carl protected his eyes because of his reflexes. It was a situation in which he stopped moving for at most one second. But it was the moment that decided who won the duel. ¡®¡­Oh god.¡¯ Tuk. I dug into the gap without missing a beat, grabbed Carl, and pulled him. I was trying to hit the floor like a knight wearing armor would normally do. Give me strength! In order to do that move, it was enough to borrow a little bit of holy relic power. ¡°Huh?!¡± Soon afterwards, with a huge fricative sound entering the old warehouse, Carl banged his back on the floor. It¡¯s a shame that there¡¯s straw on the floor. If he was thrown straight on the hard floor, he couldn¡¯t be safe no matter how strong he was. ¡°¡­!¡± Shocked, he blinked and couldn¡¯t get up from his seat. His whole body was startled, and he didn¡¯t even think of fighting back. ¡°¡­Gasp, gasp¡­¡± I looked at him as he collapsed and took a rough breath. Is it finished? With the power of the holy relic, I was able to bring Andras, who was also called the monster of the kingdom. ¡°¡­¡± But should this really be considered as a victory? I immediately lowered my gaze and examined myself. The ends of my dress were torn, and the skin except for my face was on the verge of bruising. Moreover, the string that tied my hair is nowhere to be seen. ¡°¡­Would I get caught even if I wear¡­ the cloak well?¡± When I was muttering with an unsure voice, the boy who had been lying there soon burst into laughter. ¡°Haha¡­ Ha¡­¡± He began to laugh in disbelief. The pain rising from his back had blood vessels lined up on the nape of his neck, but his expression was bright. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°!?¡± ¡°Oh my God, really¡­¡± Then Carl leapt up his upper body. With an excited face, he clasped my hands tightly and spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve lost to someone other than my sister!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just that you¡¯ve been generous with the rules¡­¡± ¡°I lost this! I couldn¡¯t even move for a long time! If this was a real duel, I would be dead!¡± I¡¯m sure it still hurts because I used Io¡¯s strength to knock him down. When Carl smiled brightly with his eyes twinkling like that, I just nodded with a puzzled face. ¡°Oh my God. Wow.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we have a duel one more time?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Just one more time! It was so good!¡± But he can¡¯t even get up for a while. Perhaps it was so impressive to be beaten by me that Carl asked for a rematch while I thought about it coldly. Come to think of it, when it was my birthday. Carl asked for a duel at that time, but Aloken expressed his displeasure. I think I know the reason¡­ If Aloken had a duel with such a fighter, his limbs would not be fine, so wouldn¡¯t everyone say Aloken is being out of his mind again? I talk to Carl in a calm voice, ¡°You know when I say no, it¡¯s remained no.¡± ¡°But.¡± ¡°Are you now refuting my answer again¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, n-no.¡± Fortunately, Carl didn¡¯t forget the memory what he had promised before the duel. He looked at me as if he would no longer fight. What¡¯s wrong with him making me feel guilty for nothing? ¡°Then, what about my assessment now?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I was asking if today could be my last class.¡± ¡°Um¡­ Of course¡­¡± After that, it was already the moment when the two of us were ready to leave the hut. When I asked that question before, Carl smiled more sincerely than anyone else and said, ¡°Congratulations on your graduation, Lady Vanora!¡± Graduation. From my POV, it was a word I had never heard before because I had never attended an academy, but it didn¡¯t make me feel so bad. * * * A few minutes later. ¡°Then I will be on my way. Goodbye~¡± ¡°All right. For the time being, I¡¯m busy preparing for my debutante, so I won¡¯t have a chance to contact you. Still, if I need help again later, I will send you a letter.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± We said goodbye in the middle of the forest road where we always parted. I went straight down the road and returned to godmother¡¯s mansion, and Carl went out over the bushes and set off to find the carriage. ¡®Today was really fun.¡¯ Carl, who came out alone, though. Except for his family, there were a few people with the same hobbies as him in the social world, so he was a loner wherever he went. The meeting with Vanora, where you can freely talk about your interest, was fun. ¡®She¡¯s a good person.¡¯ Carl had always been good-natured, so it had been a long time since he realized that her nature was good. Vanora didn¡¯t look at him strangely no matter what he said, so he was naturally comfortable with her. ¡®And today was amazing! I really want to serve Lady Vanora!¡¯ It was a pity that he couldn¡¯t meet Vanora for a while from tomorrow. ¡°Wow, how did she hide that power?¡± Besides, today¡¯s duel was fun enough to make his hair stand still. Carl recalls when he was severely beaten again, but his footsteps stopped at that moment. Chapter 50 ¡°How can she do that with a body like that?¡± Huh? Thinking about it, it was strange. Carl definitely resisted, but for a moment, he was pushed back by force. If his eyes weren¡¯t wrong, it was almost impossible to reach that strength with Vanora¡¯s muscle mass. ¡°¡­¡± Then¡­ ¡®Perhaps¡­ the owner of the missing Io.¡¯ Doubt passed instantly, and Carl¡¯s speculation was like a person with great interest in holy relics. But that speculation vanished from his mind within a few seconds. ¡®Ei, no way.¡¯ Carl walked diligently again. He will be late for dinner tonight if he delays more than this. ¡®If she had it, she wouldn¡¯t be doing that.¡¯ * * * The next day. ¡°Lady Vanora, what¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Carl and I have made our second appointment this year. It was because I sent a letter urgently to Carl Andras, who was staying in the capital¡¯s mansion. [See you tomorrow.] A short sentence that seems to show a simple tone. Carl shook the letter in his hand and made a worried face. He¡¯s sure that what I said last time was our last meeting, so what¡¯s the reason for me suddenly calling him again? He wondered if something terrible had happened to me in the meantime. However, I tried to avoid his clear eyes and soon opened my chapped lips. ¡°It was my mistake. I forgot what I had to say when we met because I was so immersed in the duel. Just like a fool.¡± ¡°Seeing that you memorized all the books I gave you, Lady Vanora is much smarter than me. It¡¯s okay because sometimes it could happen!¡± It¡¯s already snowing in the capital these days, and it¡¯s cold, so asking him to come a long way could annoy him. But Carl didn¡¯t blame me for my mistake. Is it because I won the duel yesterday? I told him not to object to my actions from now on. It feels strange because I feel like I gained loyalty by force. I thought so and barely brought up the main point. However, the main point was not without problems. ¡°Anyway, Carl¡­ please give me some money.¡± ¡°?¡± When Carl tilted his head and looked bright at the words, I added with a feeling of prickly heart. ¡°Ah, a-about the money! I will pay you back. I¡¯m going to call you and give it back!¡± But somehow, the flow of the story became even weirder. ¡°Lady Vanora, are you gambl¡ª¡± Carl tried to express his concerns at my subsequent remarks for a moment, but he shut up when he remembered I said not to refute my choice again. ¡°I-I will lend it to you right away.¡± I feel like I¡¯m stealing money from an innocent person right now! Naturally, Carl¡¯s final answer was yes. But my face darkened because I felt a guilty conscience about this. ¡°Um, by the way.¡± And a little later, Carl, who was watching me, didn¡¯t ask why I wanted to borrow money but brought up another topic. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much you need, but I don¡¯t have much money. Is that okay?¡± ¡°How much exactly do you have?¡± ¡°Um, I don¡¯t know. I will have to count to find out.¡± Carl looked away for a moment and tried to remember something. ¡°But no matter how much it is, it may not meet Lady Vanora¡¯s expectations. In fact, my family doesn¡¯t have any money.¡± ¡°Why? Your family is marquis. Your mansion was also very glamorous.¡± ¡°It was because the mansion is visible to others, but in the first place, our family shouldn¡¯t have accumulated financial resources.¡± They can¡¯t build up their wealth? I tilted my head at Carl¡¯s words. He talked about it even though it is important information about his family. ¡°The king doesn¡¯t like it if my family, which has the military command, would have enough money too. I heard that the royal family is keeping us in check.¡± ¡°!¡± ¡°Ah, similar to us, the two dukes are also under similar surveillance. In particular, the Jalier family has soldiers despite the northern environment.¡± I was momentarily surprised by what he was saying and then asked cautiously, ¡°By the way, all these things¡­ can you really talk about it to me?¡± ¡°Uh? Is there something I shouldn¡¯t say?¡± However, Carl only blinked innocently as if he didn¡¯t know that he had confided in his family situation. ¡°Did something offend you? I¡¯m sorry if so¡­¡± Let¡¯s not talk about it. Carl doesn¡¯t go anywhere and is not into politics. His unquestioned attitude to me was trustworthy yet unfortunate. Anyway, that¡¯s not the point. ¡°Ahem, if you¡¯re not an extravagant person, you probably have a lot of personal funds from your family.¡± ¡°I definitely have some savings.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to borrow it.¡± The reason I wanted his money was to invest. I¡¯m trying to take advantage of the spice shortage incident that was revealed at the new year festival some time ago. In order to enter the upper-class salon that Vasago attends in the future. The basic requirement I have to achieve is to donate at least 10,000 bil to the church. In this world, money brings more money. In order to get such a huge amount of wealth, you needed large amounts of money or to own territories. But the money I have now is all the pocket money I have saved up to this age and the small sapphire mine my father gave me for my 16th birthday present. Even the profits from the mines were managed by my family, and if I sell the ownership of it, my family will notice it. I can¡¯t help it. When I told Aloken about that information, he didn¡¯t even fully trust me¡­ So I decided to take this opportunity to slowly raise money. The beginning was only a small start, but as the results piled up, it would see the light someday. ¡°Anyway, give me all the money you have.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I spoke somewhat carelessly, preoccupied with the future plans in my head. ¡°Then, have a good time.¡± ¡°Hahaha. Yes! Lady Vanora, stay healthy!¡± Unfortunately, that really became our last conversation before my debutante. It was ugly to wrap up our meeting by talking about money. * * * ¡¸#1. Guelder House (Morning/Montage) Vasago wakes up from the bed and gets the morning sun. She gets her hair styled and makeup from the maid. Holding two necklaces, she asked the maid which one suited her. Fully dressed, she looked straight ahead and smiled. #2. Royal Castle February 3rd. It¡¯s the day of the debutante. As young nobles who started their social debut gather in the Royal Hall, the last main character of the ceremony appears. Servant (V.O): The eldest daughter of Duke Guelder, Vasago Guelder, is entering! When the servant with a good low-pitched voice shouts, the eyes of the people in the hall gather at the entrance. Naverius: Is that the Vasago you can only hear of? The Duke Guelder¡¯s daughter? Haures: Close your open mouth. You¡¯re going to drool.¡¹ * * * Two months later. The residence of Count Celcius in the capital. ¡°Welcome back, Lady.¡± ¡°Yes, Cecil.¡± As the new year began, the nobles who had gone down to the estate to escape the cold returned to the capital one by one. ¡°In the meantime, the interior of the mansion changed again.¡± ¡°It is said to be a trendy style.¡± ¡°Orange color and light¡­¡± If so, it meant that the first event announcing the opening of the social season was just around the corner. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have a lot of bright things in this mansion.¡± Rattle, rattle. I, who was looking at the carriages outside the busy window, soon turned my head. ¡°Lady Vanora, I will pick up your luggage.¡± Vanora Celcius. After completing the education with godmother, I will also show my face in earnest from this season. * * * 17. There¡¯s No Frustration ¡®I think Lady has changed a bit in those few months.¡¯ Cecil, who took the luggage I carried out when I headed to Countess Maquil¡¯s mansion, thought as she moved it to my room. Apparently, when she first served me, my appearance was as thin and unseemly as a poor commoner. But I, whom she met again today, had changed dramatically. ¡°¡­Lady has grown taller.¡± ¡°You notice it too.¡± In fact, I was not short stature from the beginning. In the past, Seir¡¯s bullying caused me to lack nutrition during my growth period, but I was once an inch taller than my peers. If I ate well and moved well as I am now, the slow growth could be resolved easily. ¡°I came to the mansion earlier than expected. I will have to fix the dress for my debutante.¡± My appearance began to change from the past. I looked more like a different person thanks to correcting my crouching posture. If I had to pick one thing I regret, it is that I was still suffering from insomnia, so there was dark under my eyes, but I didn¡¯t really care about it. I then took hold of my skirt and moved at a rapid pace. There were more than one or two things to check from now on as the debutante was just around the corner. And then. ¡°!¡± ¡°¡­¡± A familiar face appeared in front of me, who was moving urgently. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± When Bael, who was talking to the butler in front of my room, asked first, I answered politely, ¡°Yes.¡± After that, I tried to go straight into my room, and Bael made way with his usual blunt face. But after that, ¡°Lady Vanora, wait a minute.¡± When Bael disappeared to the first floor, the butler who remained in the hallway came in and delivered a brief message. ¡°Master has prepared a dress for Lady in advance. I will tell Cecil to get your debutante dress, so try it on.¡± ¡°Father was the one who ordered my debutante dress? It wasn¡¯t mother?¡± It¡¯s weird. I¡¯m sure Hanar was the one who ordered my debutante dress ¡®last time.¡¯ I tilted my head and followed the butler¡¯s words. Soon afterward, Cecil, my exclusive maid, showed up groaning while carrying a heavy dress. ¡°I will help Lady change from now on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But the dress that appeared¡­ was a splendid dress with various primary colors to the point of blinding. At a glance, there is no such thing as a stylish corner, and it was better than the cheap dress that Hanar had tailored before my regression. Which dressing room sold such dress to the Count? How old does Bael Celcius think about me? When I saw the design with many frills and ribbons children would like, I couldn¡¯t help laughing. I didn¡¯t like this kind of thing even when I was young. Besides, that was not the end of the absurdity. ¡°L-Lady, this is¡­¡± ¡°Take it off right now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± The measurements were out of the match. Naturally, I grew a few centimeters tall while I was away from my family. I didn¡¯t think the result would be different even if I stayed still in this mansion. In a way, this could be seen as how Bael¡¯s indifference to me. Well, he¡¯s not a great person enough to care about his daughter¡¯s growth. By the way, what should I do with the pre-matched dress that was worn out¡­ ¡°Lady, then¡­ Shall we make an appointment for the dressing room today?¡± In fact, there was already a way out. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Countess Maquil has decided to send me clothes to celebrate my social debut.¡± My clothes are ready. It¡¯s enough to just put on the accessories I have. ¡°Come to think of it, did Aloken¡¯s servant ever come to the mansion? We have to set departure time.¡± ¡°There has been an appointment for a visit tomorrow afternoon.¡± The preparation was perfect, as I finished ensuring the person who would sit next to me. ¡°My¡­¡± I recalled my first debutante at the age of 16 and my past life, which has been twisted since then. After a long time, I slowly opened my closed eyes. My second social debut. It was finally the showdown. Chapter 51 ¡¸February 3rd, Royal Castle¡¹ February 3rd morning. Today is the day of the debutante, which I suffered from before my regression. When I opened my eyes in my dream, I saw the view of the Great Hall, where the young men and women shyly made eye contact and danced in pairs. In my dream, I leaned alone against the cold wall with a gloomy face. I stared endlessly at my fianc¨¦ dancing with another woman. The sadness of that time is still clear, but I had no time to hesitate. Because today is the chance to change those memories. Debutante. It is one of the important events in the Kingdom Kasius, where the young nobles officially step into the social world. Even at a younger age, the children of nobles can make small social events such as tea parties. Still, after their debutante, the range of events they can participate in has changed in earnest. ¡°Come on, everybody, come with me.¡± First of all, the process of debutante of the Kingdom Kasius was like this. As the young nobles of each family showed their faces to the society for the first time, the first person they had to greet was the King. ¡°Then, each of you will come inside for one minute at a time. You can return the other way when you have finished greeting the King.¡± Currently, the young ladies of each family were standing in a line in front of the huge audience hall, dressed in pure white and simple clothes. Of course, I was in that long line too. Although my family hierarchy wasn¡¯t that high, I could stand quite in the front row because I¡¯m Duke Jalier¡¯s fianc¨¦e. ¡°¡­greetings to the King.¡± Soon after, a high chair was placed under the guidance of the royal attendant. When it was my turn, I walked in front, bowed my head, and sat down on one knee just like a knight had sworn an oath. ¡°My name is Vanora Celcius, the eldest daughter of Count Celcius.¡± And on top of that chair sat none other than the King of Kasius, Valmont IV. That was the first ritual of the debutante. It was a procedure in which you presented your greetings to the King. ¡°Yes. You can get here now.¡± King Valmont reacted reluctantly when I kissed his right hand as a sign of allegiance as a noble. ¡°Hoaaam¡­ next!¡± There was never a chance to see the King so close unless you were from the Marquis or Duke family. The King yawned loudly, how bothersome the precious ritual was, without even paying attention to the people around him. ¡°¡­¡± I knew it but quietly turned around and got out without changing my expression. Outside, there were countless ladies still waiting for their turn to say greetings. It¡¯s definitely too early. Since the opening ceremony of the debutante began in the early morning, when it was still the time for them to close their eyes, the hallways were lined up with the yawning nobles. But I never showed any signs of disarray. ¡°¡­Lilac Fort from Baron Fort is entering!¡± ¡°¡­Kate Livis from Baron Livis is entering!¡± The event that followed was finally the ball, the core of the debutante. Usually, after waiting in the order from the lowest family, they entered the Great Hall with their mother or partner, according to the attendant¡¯s announcement. ¡°Vanora, are you nervous?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous because Godmother is by my side.¡± I looked at the huge door I would enter from the Castle hallway. Then Countess Maquil, who was standing by, slowly grabbed my left hand and said, ¡°The next time you go to Sir Ronwe¡¯s condolences, please tell him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I kept my promise.¡± I felt strange. Originally, I entered my debutante alone when I was 16 years old. So, as my name was called out loudly, many nobles laughed at the fact that I came alone at that time. The voices of them who pointed their fingers at me, asking why I came alone and how I could find a godmother or partner, and the vague memory of me looking at the floor of the hall was still there. But today was different. As Ronwe¡¯s last will, Countess Maquil held my hand as I made my debutante. ¡°By the way¡­¡± Besides, I was blessed with one more figure who was idly by my side today. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright by yourself, Aloken?¡± I asked the person who had been staring at godmother and me. Then the black-haired man standing nearby replied. ¡°What if Lady Vanora desperately wants to throw her fianc¨¦ away? I have to do what I should do.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you had such a great Godmother, I wish you would let me know in advance. Ah, Countess Maquil, I¡¯m sorry for the late greetings.¡± ¡°Greetings to Duke Jalier.¡± This is the first appearance of Aloken since the New Year¡¯s festival. He had already made his debutante, but since he was qualified as my fianc¨¦, he showed up dressed up here. Still, when he heard that the seat next to me was already full, he expressed exaggerated disappointment. ¡°But what can I do about it? With the sole intention of holding the hand of my beloved fianc¨¦e, I gave up my work and entered the palace¡­ Thanks to you, I will go to a party by myself for the first time in my life.¡± At his words, I glanced at my surroundings, then moved away from godmother for a moment, beckoning to Aloken. As Aloken bent down to my action to lend his ear, a cold voice pierced that man¡¯s ears. ¡°It is the punishment for making a habit of appearing without an appointment every time.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Aloken, who was smiling softly like a fox, heard the words, nodded, and stood up again. Then he shouted as if to let everyone listen. ¡°From now on, you don¡¯t have to be shy to say that you love me!¡± He was a man who never lost from begging to the end. ¡°Did he really propose to you first?¡± ¡°Yes, Godmother.¡± After that, Aloken moved somewhere, saying he wanted to change his outfit before entering. Then Godmother glanced at his back and smiled faintly. ¡°If Ronwe had met Duke Jalier in his lifetime, he might not have sent me a letter.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°It means you weren¡¯t alone.¡± With that, I also realized myself. I don¡¯t know if it will be like this or that, but my second debutante must be that warmth. ¡°Lady Celcius, please get ready.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± After a while. I was placed in the order of entry. What in front of the huge door of the Great Hall, which I often see after becoming an adult. ¡°What¡¯s that? She said she¡¯s getting engaged. Why is she alone?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh. A once-in-a-lifetime debutante, she is wearing a dress like that.¡± ¡°For that lady, you need to consider asking her to dance. Even if she pretends not to be, she¡¯s an outcast child from her family. What good are you going to get involved with her?¡± I stepped forward, trying to erase the fear of my debutante that remained in my memory. ¡°Vanora Celcius from the Count Celcius is entering!¡± Before long, the voice of the servant who announced my name resounded in the air. The gold door opened wide, and the light of the gorgeous chandelier in the Great Hall poured down. ¡°¡­¡± I frowned for a moment as my eyes were dazzled by the light pouring through the door. As I walked forward, I held godmother¡¯s hand even stronger so I wouldn¡¯t fall. ¡°¡­¡± And a few seconds later. When I got used to the light, I finally opened my closed eyes. I raised my eyes and captured the scenery of my second debutante. It¡¯s the same as back then. As I entered the hall, the eyes of the nobles inside turned to me. Stabbed by those sharp gazes, I felt like a nightmare repeated itself. However, (Is that Lady Celcius?) (Countess Maquil, who had retired from society, took her as a goddaughter. Hoo~) (She¡¯s not that fair, but she¡¯s really an eye-catching lady.) I noticed that the faces of the nobles whispering from afar were different. They had curious eyes rather than faces that were laughing at ridiculous clowns. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go inside.¡± ¡°Yes, Godmother.¡± Then, what about the next step? Originally, I crouched after entering and hid behind a pillar out of sight. Still, I could stand proudly in the center of the hall this time. ¡°Greetings to Countess Iva Maquil! It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°How sad I was that I couldn¡¯t see Countess while you were recuperating! I want to make a place to celebrate your return!¡± ¡°Your goddaughter is so mature!¡± As soon as we appeared in the hall¡¯s center, the crow gathered instantly. It¡¯s like bees gathering in nectar. The goddaughter of the Countess. At the same time, I¡¯m in the position of being the fianc¨¦e of Duke Jalier, so I was treated quite differently from the last time. But it was good. Gathering eyes like this were what I was hoping for. ¡°Hello. Even though I¡¯m not good enough, please take care of me in the future.¡± ¡°!¡± I greeted the nobles who gathered around me. I had a rather heavy expression until now, but I made a soft expression for this moment. To behave according to etiquette properly at such a young age. The Madams who participated as godmother to the young nobles admired this. ¡°How can your greeting attitude be so perfect?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the good teachings of Godmother.¡± ¡°Hohoho. Lady Celcius, if you don¡¯t mind, after the debutante, my family¡ª¡± It was around when we had been in the conversation for a while. ¡°Aloken Jalier from Duke Jalier is entering!¡± At last, it was my fianc¨¦¡¯s turn to come in. When his name was called out loud, the people who were talking turned their heads at once. When the man¡¯s name was called out loud, the people who were talking turned their heads at once. ¡°It looks like little Duke Jalier is also participating in this ball¡­ Ups, I should stop making this mistake.¡± ¡°Lord, how could you still get confused by his title? He¡¯s a duke now, so be polite.¡± After entering, Aloken looked around the hall leisurely. The outfit he wore today was a suit mainly made of white fabric, which says it¡¯s time for a new start. There was also a dark blue embroidery on it, a color permitted only to high-ranking nobles. ¡°Oh my, he¡¯s like a painting.¡± ¡°People in the North say that the climate is rough and people in there look thin, but when you see Duke Jalier, you can¡¯t believe that word.¡± Soon after, Aloken walked to me without hesitation. What followed was a conversation in a flat tone. ¡°This year¡¯s debutante is bigger than last year.¡± ¡°Aloken, is there a more powerful person than you?¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no one more powerful than me.¡± Aloken stopped talking and then turned around. His gaze touched the entrance of the hall. ¡°But there is only one person who can match my power.¡± At the same time, the servant finally called out the last participant. ¡°Vasago Guelder from Duke Guelder is entering!¡± Aaah, that¡¯s right. At the slowly open door, the protagonist of this banquet and the protagonist of this world began to appear. Finally, It was the prelude to the second chapter of the novel. Chapter 52 Vasago Guelder. The only powerful woman in this kingdom from the Duke¡¯s family, which only two in this kingdom. However, the reason why she became famous in this kingdom wasn¡¯t only because of her high-ranking family. ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Education, culture, and martial arts. Showing her first-class talents in any field, she has been called the kingdom¡¯s treasure since her childhood. Also, God¡¯s blessing was always with her. ¡°¡­¡± Looking at the deep eyes resembling the world tree, the fresh green silky hair, and the beautiful lips dyed in spring color, it made sense to say that she was the incarnation of Mother Goddess. She¡¯s beautiful. I felt she was more dazzling than when I entered the Great Hall. Perhaps, most of the people who saw Vasago in this place felt the same way. ¡°Is this the first time you see Lady Guelder? You can¡¯t take your eyes off her.¡± As I was silent, my fianc¨¦, who was by my side, spoke to me. I saw her for the first time in this life, but I got tired of seeing her as an adult before my regression. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡± I answered calmly and then let my emotions go. ¡°Now I understand why Naverius hates you. Who wants to love you when you¡¯re gloomy and like to blame others?¡± I can¡¯t kill people in the banquet hall. If I kill someone in the banquet hall¡­ Vasago Guelder. I still felt a tingling sensation on my cheek from the touch of the wine she poured on me vividly. ¡°Countess Maquil, I think the debutante¡¯s first song will start soon. May I borrow your goddaughter?¡± ¡°If she allows it, you can.¡± But at that moment, someone grabbed my hand as I was reminiscing. ¡°Vanora, I know you¡¯re nervous about your debutante, but let¡¯s get ready.¡± ¡°Yes? For what?¡± ¡°Hey, no matter how beautiful Vasago is, you shouldn¡¯t lose your soul like this.¡± My eyes blinked because I hadn¡¯t been concentrating on the conversation so far, so Aloken returned without a word, leaving his cane to the servant. A harp melody slowly filled the venue in line with the sound of Aloken¡¯s shoes hitting the floor. ¡°Lady Vanora.¡± People¡¯s eyes are on the place where the Duke and his fianc¨¦e are located. Then, Aloken announced the start of the ball with a more polite attitude than anyone else. ¡°Please give me the honor of your first dance.¡± Held one hand behind my waist and the other in front of me, hoping me to hold it. When he asked for a dance request in a soft voice, I looked at his face. This man is like a fox. He put his brazenly smiling face in front of me. I reluctantly placed my hand gently over his. It meant I gave permission. ¡°I will be back, Godmother.¡± When he completed the dance request, the surrounding noblemen began to pair up with their partners one by one. Usually, the person with the highest position dances one song first at the ball. Still, it¡¯s customary for several people to dance together in the debutante, so many couples will soon fill the hall. ¡°Did Iva Maquil teach you how to dance?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t learn how to dance from Godmother.¡± Step, step. We soon stepped forward toward the center, holding hands. Almost everyone here has also decided on their first dance partner, so the debutante will be completed when we move to the music. ¡°You look determined to step on my foot.¡± But Aloken grunted nervously before it started. My parents shunned me, so even if I had been educated hard for several months, the most important thing should be dance, but how could I not get any dance class? ¡°Don¡¯t worry though. It¡¯s a dance. We will dance a lot in the future, and you will get better. I will teach you.¡± Aloken took the basic posture of leading the dance and said that playfully with sarcasm. As he wrapped his arm around my waist and stretched his other hand to the side, I moved my body. And then. ¡°¡­!¡± I put my five fingers on top of his hand, tilted my upper body stably and upright my lower body. In the basic posture, I spoke quietly, revealing the side of my neck. ¡°When you can¡¯t take classes, there are two reasons.¡± Then a cheerful tune of music began in the hall. It was the Kasius-style round dance, the tradition of the debutante. ¡°!¡± As the dance begins, my dress¡¯s hem, which stretches to the floor, waves gently. One step, and the next step. The gestures between the steps were flexible, and when I took one powerful turn, my dress made a shape as if it were in full bloom like a lotus flower. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Aloken could not help but be surprised at this. My dancing skills were ideal. It was difficult to match my partner¡¯s breathing, but each of my postures was beautiful enough, just like in the textbook. The gentle line of my bent waist and side face doesn¡¯t even get messy after many turns. It¡¯s been a long time since I dressed up and danced like this. In fact, I have liked dancing since I was young. I started learning it for Naverius, who likes the ball, but surprisingly, I found dancing suited me. Before my regression, I couldn¡¯t find a partner, so I always went around alone. I dreamed that someday I would do a wonderful dance with Naverius on New Year¡¯s Eve. Should I say that my dream came true? However, I didn¡¯t expect my future partner to be Duke Aloken Jalier, not Naverius. I danced and looked up for a moment at the man who was firmly supporting me. Aloken might be one of the three best grooms of the kingdom. I realized that this man was now silently standing up for his partner. His face shines like a light, so he¡¯s perfect for drawing attention. Then the tune changed. As the song played at a slower pace, I glanced sideways, slowing down the rhythm of moving my body. Then, it was not difficult to find a gaze directed toward me. Vasago Guelder. The novel¡¯s protagonist makes up this world and the woman who should have received overwhelming attention from the debutante. She stopped dancing and looked at Aloken and me with a startled face. Actually, that wasn¡¯t the only thing that happened. Most of the people¡¯s attention was focused on us. ¡°Hey, Naverius. The lady dancing in the middle¡­ she¡¯s almost become your fianc¨¦e, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Was Celcius always that pretty?¡± Watching me dance with his mouth open, the blond man was furious at his friend¡¯s words. ¡°Do-Don¡¯t talk nonsense. What¡¯s the prettiest thing about betraying your fianc¨¦ and having an affair?¡± Naverius drank the drink in his hand and strode to where the noble ladies gathered, saying he would go dancing. Of course, not many nobles gave negative opinions about Vanora. ¡°So elegant¡­¡± Most of the ones who looked at me with envy were the young ladies who stood in the corner, waiting for a dance request. ¡°¡­¡± Then the tune began to change once more. I stopped dancing and greeted my partner face to face. Even though I already ruined it like this, will the debutante flow the same way as the midnight novel? After that, I moved to the place where the drink was and looked around. As expected, Vasago appeared nearby as the novel described a few months ago. ¡°!¡± This is an opportunity. ¡°Hello, Princess Guelder. Congratulations on your debutante.¡± Then Vasago fluttered her thin eyelashes and smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± That was all of our conversations. Vasago then walked away with her drink on the table. At the ball¡­ I shouldn¡¯t kill people¡­ It was an expected result. She blatantly shows that she is not interested in conversation, but if I talk too much, I will be the only one who gets a backlash. I decided to spare some time. Vasago will respond to anyone who¡¯s not entering the salon she went to like that. However, it didn¡¯t mean the world would follow my will just because I wanted to be relaxed. ¡°Lady Vanora Celcius!¡± ¡°Lady Vanora! Please dance with me¡ª¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no else to dance with you¡ª¡± After that, people flocked to my side, requesting a dance. By the time I sent them all back with a knack for words, Vasago had already vanished from sight. * * * ¡¸Vasago accepts Naverius¡¯s offer and invites him to the mansion. #2. Guelder¡¯s mansion (night) Vasago and Naverius sat facing each other with a tea table in between. Vasago: (sipping the tea) I¡¯ve known for a long time that your family is a distant relative of my mother, but if I had known you were such a person with this personality, I would have invited you sooner. Naverius: ¡­ Vasago: Why don¡¯t you say anything? Naverius: Ah, i-it¡¯s because you¡¯re so beautiful. Vasago: Pft. You escorted me like an adult at the banquet. So you have a clumsy side too. Naverius: But why don¡¯t you touch the peaches I brought? I had a hard time getting it, but did you hate it? Vasago: I don¡¯t like it a little bit. Vasago can¡¯t bear to reveal that she almost died from eating that fruit when she was a child¡¹ Today is the day when the next page of Dangerous Love comes to my mind. This phenomenon has already been repeated for several months, so I began to write the novel as a habit. ¡°Because the ¡®#1¡¯ started in summer¡­ I think the background in this novel is already at the end of the social season?¡± One, two. As I wrote down Vasago¡¯s daily life, not my own, in my diary, I accumulated quite a bit of information. However, the time gap between the novel and the reality that once occurred has hardly been narrowed. ¡°Vasago is always ahead of me.¡± To conclude, the current me has just made my debut. And in the novel, it¡¯s already the end of summer, which is a few months later. I closed the diary and gently swept its cover while muttering quietly. ¡°Then your death should come first.¡± It was late at night, and no one could hear my voice. ¡°¡­¡± However, there is still a long way to go. I¡¯m slowly seeing the benefits of this magic. Fortunately, the midnight novel is a big help for me these days. In the novel, after turning 17, Vasago began to increase her fortune with her unique genius skills to form her own power. It feels like I¡¯m stealing what Vasago should get. There¡¯s no way I would sit still and watch that happen. As expected, stealing her future fortune was the easiest thing in the world. I made full use of the information, such as how to contact the top, which was learned by looking at Vasago¡¯s information, or how to monopolize the route to supply luxury ingredients cheaply using profits made from monopolizing the aromatics. With such investment, the amount of my money that was only a small allowance for a lady had increased considerably. I know the future, so there¡¯s no need for me to risk depending on joining hands with Aloken. Now, just for once. If I make a big profit, I can achieve my goal. It probably won¡¯t be difficult to seize the opportunity. This year, the social world will see the full-fledged appearance of Vasago, which will cause a stir in fashion. Chapter 53 ¡°I never thought the round wind would come like this¡­¡± ¡°What did Lady just say?¡± The next afternoon, I looked tired as soon as I returned to my room after lunch. It was because when I opened the door, the first thing I saw was invitations piled up like a tower on my small desk. ¡°The child who carried this must have died.¡± ¡°Lady Vanora! Here¡¯s a letter from the Jalier family¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s fortunate you¡¯re still alive.¡± Creek. When the door opened again, a new letter was delivered. I tapped the shoulder of the servant who brought it and looked at him pitifully. The young servant looked surprised at the warm treatment. ¡°When will I finish this?¡± When the servant closed the door and disappeared, I fluttered the letter from Aloken in my hand and sat at the desk. ¡°Cecil, this knife has become too blunt. Please sharpen it and bring it back to me.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± By the way, in my previous life, did I even get a single letter after my debutante? The way they changed their behavior towards me made me want to laugh. The Duke¡¯s fianc¨¦e, the goddaughter of dignified Madam, what¡¯s with all those facades? The person sitting at this desk is a murderer who can even be immediately dragged to prison. ¡°Well, I¡¯m the same as them.¡± As Cecil left the room, I picked out the letter with a sneer around my mouth. There were only one criteria for me choosing the invitations. Whether it will help me approach Vasago or not? Judging that way, half of the letters piled up like a tower were thrown on the floor, and this time, half of them burned when I picked out which of them was the one more helpful. In the process, Aloken¡¯s letter also went to the fire pit. ¡°Then, first of all, the first thing to do in society is¡­¡± All leaves were letters enough for me to hold them all with one hand. Cecil, who had been on her errand, brought in a letter knife, and I opened the letter skillfully. ¡°Cecil, do you have free time on the second day of next week?¡± ¡°Pardon? Yes. I have no plans to take a vacation.¡± ¡°Come with me to Baroness Bourbon¡¯s party.¡± Cecil nodded to this, and the schedule was confirmed. Perhaps because I got used to overwork after regression, I moved my hands without a break when the first party appointment was scheduled. After opening all the remaining letters and writing a reply expressing my intention to participate, it was already sunset. * * * The first week after my debutante has passed. ¡°The schedule for this month is already full.¡± What can I do if I¡¯m busy? After entering the social world, I chose Vasago Guelder, the novel¡¯s protagonist, as my first revenge target. A criminal like me needed to try as much as I set the ideal high. And it¡¯s already midnight on the first day of the week. ¡°10 seconds¡­9 seconds¡­8 seconds¡­¡± I had been holding back my sleep to look at the pages of a midnight novel, despite having an appointment tomorrow. And a few seconds later, the long-awaited text appeared in the air. I skimmed through the words that appeared and stopped looking at one part. ¡¸Haures: So how was it? Did you spend time alone with the princess? Naverius: Of course! Besides, how close and kindly she treated me. Especially considering that she even prepared her family¡¯s carriage when I returned. It¡¯s clear she has a crush on me too. Haures: Eii, but you already have a partner. Naverius: Are you crazy? Why are you bringing her up? I don¡¯t even want to think about that stinky woman!¡¹ Ah, come to think of it. ¡°He appeared today.¡± After the appearance of Naverius, who fell in love with Vasago at first sight in the novel¡¯s debutante, a new character was mentioned with him. Haures Hopen. Haures, Naverius¡¯s old friend, plays a role of no importance in the novel as a whole. Even after my death, I couldn¡¯t forget this man¡¯s name. Because he was the mastermind who made me want to die and the person who built my tombstone. ¡°But as expected.¡± Something was off. This is what I felt when Haures was first mentioned in the midnight novel, but the way he spoke and looked while alive was very different. I¡¯ve already confirmed what the characters say are the same lines when given the same situation as in the novel¡­ Haures raised his family status, who had been poor quickly. He, who had been exceptionally smart since he was young, was so knowledgeable that he took over the parliament seat at a young age. Perhaps that is why Haures, whom I actually met, used a very cultured tone. He said that he drove me like that because I¡¯m merely a piece of paper. ¡°Why does he act differently?¡± However, in the novel, Haures recited lines like a neighborhood rascal on the same level as Naverius. Unlike the reality I know, he didn¡¯t even particularly act smart. Why did this difference occur? This novel seems to be about me before my regression, so I have never intervened. ¡°¡­¡± As expected, there was no way to point it out, but is that possible? Then how old is this world already? I feel worried for a moment. But this worry didn¡¯t last long. I can¡¯t be late for the first party after my debutante. I eventually finished thinking and lay down. After struggling to sleep, the morning sun gently raised its head, and I finished dressing up with the help of Cecil. ¡°Come on, hold my hand and come up. The carriage is a little high.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± I wore ivory attire today, the dress code for the tea party. However, I didn¡¯t forget to wear a wide-brimmed hat, which is now popular in the capital. I was too lazy to wear an outdoor dress in my previous life, but now I¡¯m dying to do something I¡¯ve never done before. Before I knew it, the carriage departed and arrived in front of the garden of the Baron¡¯s mansion. Tables and white chairs prepared in advance for party attendees were lined up in the garden landscape. ¡°¡­¡± However, I didn¡¯t have time to look around and hardened in place. Soon afterward, several nobles who attended the party greeted me. ¡°Vanora¡­ did your skin become weak? To wear such wide-brimmed hats. You will get less sunlight if you live in the North with me.¡± Why the hell is that man here? ¡°Naverius?¡± ¡°S-So this is how we will meet again. How have you been? I saw you during the debutante¡­ and you danced really well.¡± Why did he participate? ¡°Hello! Lady Vanora!¡± You might want to ask how the guy who doesn¡¯t like gatherings got here. I stiffened my expression when I saw the three men at the party. Of course, I couldn¡¯t object to their participation. Shortly after, Baroness Bourbon, the party¡¯s host, came out and spoke to me. ¡°Oh my! Thank you for coming here, Lady Vanora.¡± ¡°Greetings, Madam.¡± ¡°I have reserved a good seat for you. It¡¯s also an honor for the Lords to come to the party I host. Hoho.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Come on. Everyone, please don¡¯t stand still. Let¡¯s sit down.¡± I looked at Baroness Bourbon and recalled the midnight novel that once appeared. ¡¸Vasago: You attended today¡¯s meeting. Amore: I wanted to be the person to meet you first after the debutante, but I¡¯m sorry. Ah, I got some nice tea from Baroness Bourbon¡¯s tea party last time. Would you like to join us today?¡¹ ¡®Amore,¡¯ who appeared in the story, is Vasago¡¯s friend. And the party ¡®Amore¡¯ didn¡¯t miss was this Baroness Bourbon¡¯s tea party. So, to explore the people around Vasago first, I chose this place as the first place to show my face. I wanted to kill those guys¡­ I swallowed the tears of blood because of the variable I hadn¡¯t thought of and the fact that I couldn¡¯t see Vasago¡¯s friend, who I had hoped for. ¡°Let¡¯s start the party, announcing the spring of this year!¡± Whether or not she knew my burning heart, the host started the conversation with an excited voice that her party level had risen. The main topic was the review of the debutante. ¡°So, I was surprised. During that time, I could only imagine what Duke Jalier¡¯s fiancee would be like, but she just appeared right in front of me.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°I really wanted to be close to you, but I¡¯m so happy to have a chance to drink tea together like this.¡± ¡°Hohoho.¡± I thought about it, listening to the conversation that didn¡¯t matter. I want to go home. Why do I have to be here when the person I was aiming for was not here? But now I had come, it was impossible to go back. Then something happened when I was forced to act courtesy as Lady Celcius. ¡°By the way, Duke Jalier. I didn¡¯t expect the Duke to announce your intention to participate in this party. I¡¯m sure you must be busy these days, are you alright?¡± When the chatty host asked a question, the man who was enjoying tea leisurely next to me answered. ¡°Today is my beloved fianc¨¦e¡¯s first social activity, and I just want to see her face.¡± ¡°Oh my~¡± ¡°Oh my gosh.¡± Several people sitting at the table exclaimed with admiration. ¡°Then the rumor must be true. The story of Duke came down to the capital, saw Lady Vanora, and fell in love at first sight.¡± ¡°I never thought that would happen in my life.¡± In the distant seat, the young ladies were whispering to each other. I watched the scene, quietly shoving the refreshment into my mouth. Aloken is probably the one that wrote the letter that came to me last time, which I burned¡­ Looking through the nobles who were chatting, I finally uttered my first proper words. ¡°By the way, Madam, you have a good connection to send an invitation for the young master of Demangdwi.¡± ¡°Oh my? It¡¯s not like that! He personally contacted me saying he wanted to join my party.¡± ¡°Aha, it¡¯s Madam¡¯s second tea party, so it¡¯s only natural that your reputation grows. I¡¯m sorry for asking you something I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± ¡°Hohoho. Don¡¯t flatter me too much!¡± The purpose of my words was the question of how he got here. But the answer that came back was surprising. Did Naverius come to this party to see me? So, there¡¯s only one question left. I turned my head and looked at the person sitting at the farthest end of the table. Then, I could see Carl, who had already started talking to the person next to him. ¡°But are you really a member of the Andras family? You¡¯re really tall.¡± ¡°Yes? Yes¡­!¡± Seeing that he hesitates to talk to the person next to him immediately, he seems very unfamiliar with the party. I soon gave up thinking because I couldn¡¯t even guess why Carl came here. Still, he came dressed properly for the party. It has been about an hour since then. It was around the time when the light topic came and went, which anyone could hear, and the repeated praise for the taste of the snack served by the host. Huh? I accidentally raised my head and looked in the direction of Carl, and a situation that bothered me happened. When the nobleman beside him brought up the topic, Carl responded with a few words. Still, the nobleman¡¯s expression gradually darkened, and he closed his mouth with an uncomfortable expression. It was obvious that Carl had made a slip of the tongue. What kind of mistake did he make? Carl and my seat were quite far away, so it was impossible to guess because we couldn¡¯t communicate with each other in a low voice. And while I was so distracted, Aloken¡¯s voice next to me was heard. ¡°Ah, but did you all hear the rumors?¡± When Aloken opened his mouth, most people except me focused on his words. Because he had the highest position in that party. ¡°What rumors?¡± ¡°Well, I went to a party a few days ago, and someone said that my fianc¨¦e actually had an affair with his lover while meeting me.¡± Chapter 54 ¡°Gasp¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not only that.¡± Clatter. He put the teacup down gracefully, and smiles rose in the corners of his lips. However, it contrasted with his eyes, which didn¡¯t move, creating a strange atmosphere. ¡°I¡¯m really sad that my love has been misunderstood by people these days.¡± Aloken spoke those words and glanced at Naverius, who sat across from him. ¡°Lord Demangdwi?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Right, I heard you enjoy all kinds of parties without missing a thing. You must have a lot of acquaintances. Do you happen to know who is gossiping about my fianc¨¦e?¡± In the midst of that, when his name was called, Naverius¡¯s gaze became unstable. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Upon hearing Naverius¡¯s poor reply, as if he was trying to hide something from him, Aloken smiled even more. ¡°I¡¯ve been horrible at understanding other people¡¯s feelings before¡­ so I don¡¯t know how the people who spread rumors feel. I hope to have a face-to-face conversation with them someday.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If you hear the source even later, please let me know.¡± Then Naverius put down the teacup he was drinking and remained silent. It was quite different from when he proudly cursed someone in his debutante. What? Of course, I was embarrassed by that. In that corner, I was focused on Carl, and when I tried to return to the main topic after paying attention to him, the atmosphere here was so dead. ¡°Aloken, don¡¯t pay attention to such trivial rumors. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m in your way as you¡¯ve been busy working for your family these days.¡± I belatedly brought out the words from my mouth to settle the conversation. ¡°Everything about you never bothered me. I¡¯m just grateful to you and Baroness Bourbon for letting me see such a wonderful gard¡ª¡± Aloken responded as usual, but soon after, a servant dressed in black approached and whispered to him. ¡°I got it.¡± Then Aloken calmed down his smiling face and took his cane. ¡°Countess, I¡¯m sorry, but I need to leave in a hurry.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡± ¡°I will greet you again the next time I see you.¡± He soon politely said goodbye to the host. Then he bowed to me and whispered in my ear before leaving the table. ¡°You better answer the next letter right away.¡± I indeed ignored his letter. I only shook my neck with a calm expression. ¡°Now, since everyone is full, can I give you one last little present?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see what it will be.¡± ¡°Is it forbidden to open it until we get home?¡± Now, the person with the highest rank already left the progress after that was quick. As the sun went down and dinner time approached, the host announced the end of the party and gave a small gifts to the participants one by one It¡¯s over. With this, my first schedule went smoothly. Most of the participants were impressed by my vocabulary, which was naturally praised by others. But my work wasn¡¯t all over. ¡°Carl.¡± ¡°Ah, Lady Vanora!¡± I took advantage of the chaos as the others began to leave one by one to separate with my servant and contact Carl. After that, I talk with an expression of just saying hello to him. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you come to see me, Carl?¡± Then Carl opened his surprised eyes and shook his head. ¡°No? I¡¯ve done what Lady asked me to do, so I can¡¯t come to you carelessly.¡± ¡°Huh? So, why do you come here when you don¡¯t even like parties?¡± I thought he came here because he had something to say. My expression turned to a questionable face when I found out he had no business with me. Then Carl murmured in a discouraged manner. ¡°Well, Patriarch¡­ told me that since I¡¯m a noble, don¡¯t just train and visit places like this sometimes¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°So I was thinking about where to go, and the host here said that if anyone wants to join her party, she will gladly accept it¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I was so surprised to see you! I can¡¯t believe I happened to meet Lady Vanora.¡± He has been pushed by his family. After confirming that he had nothing to do with me, I sighed in relief. But I still have questions to ask. ¡°Then, when you were talking to the person next to you earlier, both of you suddenly had an uncomfortable expression.¡± ¡°Were you watching?¡± ¡°How can I not watch it when you¡¯re at the party?¡± Carl frowned slightly as I uttered the words I had been thinking about without much intention. He was somewhat glad that I had paid attention to him. ¡°If I had known this would happen, I would have sat near Lady Vanora from the beginning.¡± Carl said shyly. ¡°Thankfully, he brought up the conversation first. Then it just happened that we talked about hobbies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°He must be taken aback when he hears my answer.¡± When asked what his hobby was, it was obvious what Carl would say. I met Carl often because of the martial art class, and I heard it a few times last winter. His hobby is fighting, and I knew how detailed his description was about how fun it was, especially when he defeated his enemy. It must have been a scary story for the noble from the capital, who was not used to a small wound, let alone a fight. There must have been a lot of cruel content that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t want to hear. To the extent that they feel uncomfortable hearing his story. What did the other person think in the end when Carl talked about his violent hobby, which is characteristic of Andras¡¯s family? Carl told the Andras family¡¯s unique and violent hobby story, so what could the other person have thought of in the end? I¡¯m sure they must have thought that Carl was ignored by his family or that Carl was a beast just like the rest of his family. ¡°¡­¡± At this rate, Carl will be isolated from society¡­ I was worried when I heard the reason why they looked like that, but Carl smiled broadly as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°When I met Lady Vanora, it was okay for me to say anything, so I guess my tongue slipped without realizing it.¡± ¡°Carl.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡± Be careful? Why all of a sudden? I frowned at his words. Then Carl, who noticed my mood, responded on his own. ¡°As we recently promised, we will join the animal rights club. In the future, I¡¯m sure there will be many people who call me as Lady Vanora¡¯s friend, but if I¡¯m rumored to be weird, Lady Vanora will be disgraced too.¡± Hearing the answer, I recalled a short sentence in my head. God is indifferent. Why did he pour the blood of Andras into this kind person? Although Carl naturally should be like the devil, he sometimes acted like an angel. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± After saying those words, I turned my body halfway around as if I had nothing more to say and headed back to my family carriage. ¡°¡­¡± I walked to Celcius¡¯s carriage. And the moment I was about to get on the carriage, I could see a familiar hair color outside. When I looked at it, I saw Naverius was preparing to return in the distance. ¡°Sir Coachman, we¡¯re leaving now. Lady Vanora has ridden.¡± ¡°Come, Cecil. Make sure to close the window when you get in!¡± Naverius, Naverius. As the carriage began to move, I rested my chin against the window and quietly fell into thought. * * * Why do I seek revenge on Naverius Demangdwi? Why do I hate Vasago Guelder? My anger was not caused by myself, but rather by about three or more people interrelated. And this week that finally arrived. It was a week after the last tea party. ¡°¡­¡± From this point on, the reason for my revenge began to appear in the novel in a very detailed way. ¡¸#1. Demangdwi Mansion (Night) Naverius and his fianc¨¦e argue in the gloomy parlor. Naverius: Stop it now. I¡¯m tired of looking at your face! Naverius threw the cup he was holding onto the floor with all his might. Surprised by this, his fianc¨¦e grabs his pants and begs. Vanora: Please, don¡¯t tell me that.¡¹ I stared blankly at my name that floated in the air. But what needs to be done hasn¡¯t changed. Taking out a pen, I write the novel, relying on the light candle. As I had already lived through that novel once, I didn¡¯t shed tears now. There was no reason to ruin the paper in the diary. * * * 19. The Duke¡¯s Successor ¡¸Naverius: I¡¯m sick of your obsession. How many times have I told you that we broke up, but you still can¡¯t give up?! What are you going to get for marrying me now! Vanora: You said you loved me. I loved you to death. Naverius: Look at you! Had I known how ugly you would be, I wouldn¡¯t have been engaged to you, even if I had to bite my tongue! Vanora: I will fix it from now on! I¡¯m going to act as you said¡­ Naverius roughly slap his fianc¨¦e Naverius: It¡¯s late. My heart has already been dedicated to the Vasago. Vanora: Naverius! Naverius: If you truly cared for me, you would have let me go for my happiness and wished me true love. You hypocrite! Vanora: (sobbing) Naverius: If you believe in the power of your family and intend to constrain me forever, I will not stand still. As Naverius leaves the room, his fianc¨¦e being left sits down on the floor. #2. Vanora¡¯s room (Dawn) Vanora was asked to break up with Naverius. She is standing around with an anxious face. Vanora: Vasago? My fianc¨¦ has a crush on Vasago? As if it wasn¡¯t enough to make a debutante the same as that person, I lost everything I had to that person. How could this happen to me! Vanora, who is heartbroken, sits on the bed wet with tears. Vanora: I can¡¯t break up with him. Yes, there is no way that the kingdom princess would allow getting married to a person with a status like Naverius. Naverius will find out soon enough that it¡¯s pointless. #3. Ballroom (night) The next day. Vanora, who participated in the scheduled ball, finds Vasago dancing with Naverius. She saw it and ran out with a bewildered face. Vasago: I think your fianc¨¦e was also at the ball today. Is it really okay if I dance with you? Naverius: I don¡¯t want to dance with someone I don¡¯t even like. Vasago: So, are the two of you engaged by political arrangement? It¡¯s a loveless relationship in this social world. Aren¡¯t you being used as a tool by your family? What is the use of power if it is difficult to get married according to one¡¯s will? Naverius: (Shamefully) W-Why don¡¯t you ask me something than that? Vasago: Pardon? Naverius: The meaning that I dance with you¡­ Vasago: Ah! I wasn¡¯t used to the new shoes, so I stepped on the hem of my dress. It¡¯s torn, so I will fix it. But, what did you just say? Naverius: Ah, it¡¯s nothing! (Timelapse) Vanora, looking at them with a gloomy face in the corner of the ballroom. Vasago and Naverius were having a drink and laughing together after dancing. Vanora: Why¡­ Vasago! You have everything. Meanwhile, I have nothing from the beginning¡­ ¡¹ Chapter 55 ¡¸#4. Tea House of The Guelder Family As the summer season approaches, a tea party is held in the shaded garden to avoid the heat. Chamberlain: Lady, are you really sharing this precious thing? Vasago: It was ice that I couldn¡¯t use all by myself anyway. All the nobles were amazed when the host, Vasago, brought out the ice given by her relative. Amore: As expected, Lady is different because you¡¯re loved by Lord Preta and the Duke. I heard that you recently received a huge amount of ice as a gift, but I didn¡¯t know we would be getting it too. Noble 1: That¡¯s right Noble 2: Thank you very much! Noble 1: Besides, at the party a few days ago, even the handsome Naverius asked Lady Vasago to dance. There are a lot of wonderful people around her, so it¡¯s fun to watch. Amore: (Frowns) But why are you hanging out with a man like Naverius? I know you keep him by your side because of his family¡­ but his family is just your distant relatives. That kind of treatment is overkill. Vasago puts down the teacup she is holding. Vasago: Lady Amore, I highly respected Naverius¡¯s ability and considered him a close friend. As long as I think they¡¯re okay to be my friend, they¡¯re my person from then on. Please refrain from speaking ill of him. Amore: I¡¯m sorry. Noble 1: Except for his family, Naverius is really cool. I don¡¯t think you will find a more gorgeous man than him at the ball. I won¡¯t wish anything else if I get a dance request from someone like that! Noble 2: But I¡¯m a little concerned. That woman is attached to Naverius. Vasago: That woman? Noble 1: That woman is his fianc¨¦e. Her rumor has been bad for a long time. Naverius even did many deeds and cheated on her many times. Still, she wanted to have a handsome man, so she forced her family to get her engaged to him. Amore: I¡¯ve heard that before. Noble 2: Oh, poor Naverius. After all, he caught the eye of such a person! Vasago: Did you all see that with your eyes? It¡¯s not right to raise your voice with an uncertain story. Noble 1: But I¡¯m worried. I¡¯m sure that woman will grit her teeth after seeing Lady Vasago being close to her fiance. She would think she lost her man.¡¹ ¡¸#1. Vasago¡¯s Room (evening) After the tea party, Vasago, who has changed into her indoor clothes, is lost in thought alone in her room. This is because she was concerned about what happened during the day. Vasago: Naverius has always been reluctant to talk about his fianc¨¦e. So is that true? At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Butler (V.O): Lady. Lord Naverius is here. Vasago: At this time? I¡¯ll be there soon, so take him to the parlor. #2. Parlor (evening) When she arrived at the room, Naverius lowered his head with a red face. Vasago: Have you been drinking? Naverius: Vasago, Vasago. Please listen to me. I¡¯m so frustrated these days¡­ I¡¯m just on my way back from a fight with my fianc¨¦e. It¡¯s so sad and frightening that I can¡¯t be free because of such shackles, even though I have someone I love. Vasago: You¡­ Naverius: You once said. What is the use of power if it is difficult to get married according to one¡¯s will? Vasago: ¡­ Naverius: However, the reality of the Kingdom Kasius is that someone born into a powerless family like me can¡¯t even dream about it. Do I have to get married to someone I don¡¯t like? Vasago: I didn¡¯t expect you to suffer¡­ this much. I will personally come to the young lady Celcius¡­ Vasago holds Naverius¡¯s hand. Then Naverius stopped crying. Naverius: I love you, Vasago. Vasago: (Surprised) Naverius: The one I loved was none other than you! I have endured it because I fell in love with you. My heart now feels like being stabbed by a dagger! Vasago: What are you talking about? Naverius: Isn¡¯t it obvious? You¡¯re so beautiful, and every time you smile at me, I can¡¯t help but fall in love with you. Didn¡¯t you have a single feeling of liking me? Then why did you treat me so kindly? Vasago: ! Naverius: Only you, only you didn¡¯t look at me as someone from the Demangdwi family, but as a person named Naverius. Vasago: I, I¡­ Naverius: I like you. My heart feels so stuffy that I have to tell you these words now. Vasago: You¡¯re too drunk. Calm down. Naverius: Yes. I¡¯m drunk! I can¡¯t control myself. So, if you don¡¯t like it, just get away. Naverius grabs Vasago¡¯s shoulder and tries to kiss her. Vasago falls into a moment of reminiscence. #3. Montage (reminiscence) At night in the salon, Vasago meets Naverius at the request of a distant relative. Naverius expressed his political views and declared he would stand by Vasago¡¯s side. A figure of Naverius who kindly takes care of Vasago whenever they meet at a party. #4. Parlor (evening) Naverius finally reveals his feelings. Vasago is surprised when she realizes that Naverius, whom she recruited to increase the faction she joined, felt this way. She feels conflicted about the kindness that Naverius has shown her in the past. But at the end of her reminiscence, Aloken¡¯s face pops up, making her push him away with all her might. Naverius: Vasago¡­! Vasago slams out of the door without saying a word¡¹ ¡°So something like this happened.¡± Following last week, I, who finished writing today¡¯s scene where Naverius confessed to Vasago, briefly put my pen away and closed my eyes. It was nice to be able to know a side of the world that you didn¡¯t know about. ¡°Vanora¡­¡± Vanora Celcius. I soon traced my own name on the paper. The midnight novel with a narrative of this world. The next page¡¯s content was vivid in my memory, even if I didn¡¯t have to look at it. ¡°The protagonist of this world, Vasago¡­ I wonder how she saw me when I was driven off a cliff.¡± I recalled the past without opening my eyelids. The hunting festival was held on the day not long after Naverius, who had confessed to Vasago, assaulted me by saying I was the culprit behind the tea. I could still remember the color of autumn flowers that bloomed that day. * * * A few years ago. The Autumn Hunting Festival in the Kingdom of Kasius. ¡°How dare you to the Princess!¡± After all the hunting was over, the after-party was about to begin. When the black-haired woman ran to Vasago, standing in the banquet hall, and asked for a conversation with a desperate face, the green-haired figure calmly nodded. ¡°Let go of her. I have something to talk to her about.¡± When she ordered, the knights who had stopped the black-haired woman quickly retreated. After a while, only the two of them were left on one side of the banquet hall, so the person with black eyes opened her mouth first. ¡°G-Greetings, Princess. I have a favor to ask of you! Please listen.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The conversation between the two continued for a long time, starting with the answer of the beautiful woman. ¡°My fianc¨¦, Naverius, has been demanding that he wants to break our engagement because he has been in love with you since one day.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± ¡°Yes? Th-that¡­ engagement is not such a light matter. And I would be in a lot of trouble if our engagement was broken. It¡¯s hard to find¡­ a new fianc¨¦¡­ that¡¯s why I have to marry him¡­¡± ¡°I mean, what does that matter have to do with me?¡± That time, Vasago gave her a sharp attitude, so Vanora tried to correct her gibberish attitude and said, ¡°The reason why I¡¯m here¡­ was because Naverius misunderstood the Princess¡¯s kindness. The Princess treats him so well that he thinks as if the Princess has a heart for him, so if you correct it, everything is gonna be fine¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°B-But Princess doesn¡¯t love him! Right?¡± At the words that followed, Vasago flinched her eyes. ¡°If Princess really wanted to keep my fianc¨¦ by your side, you could have broken our engagement at any time, but you¡¯re staying still, which means you don¡¯t have that kind of motive.¡± ¡°¡­that¡¯s right. No matter how high my position is, I wouldn¡¯t break engagement between the families without any reason.¡± ¡°So, Princess! Please keep some distance from my fianc¨¦. Please make it clear that you have no feelings for him.¡± Soon afterward, Vanora wept and bowed her head, and Vasago¡¯s eyes captured her completely. ¡°Until now, Naverius has only said that he would rather lose his eyes or become someone else¡¯s concubine rather than marry me. Moreover, as time passed, he regretted cheating and apologized frequently. But this time, it¡¯s so different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± ¡°A noble man like him can¡¯t be someone¡¯s concubine, so Naverius is tormenting me when he first talked about a breakup, and I oppose it¡­ He said that would break free from me and form a bond with you.¡± ¡°Ho.¡± ¡°I can never break up with him. So please, please don¡¯t dance with my fianc¨¦ anymore. Please tell him that you don¡¯t like him¡­¡± Vanora begged desperately as if no matter how harsh words and deeds her fiance did, she could never break up with him, no, as if she would not be able to live any longer if they broke up. ¡°Tell Naverius I don¡¯t like him¡­ and keep the distance¡­?¡± ¡°!¡± Was Vasago willing to grant the request of the Vanora? As Vasago repeated her request, Vanora nodded with a tearful face. But the following words were not what she had hoped for. ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Vanora hardened in her seat as she noticed Vasago¡¯s eyes had turned cold. ¡°Are you saying that Naverius looked away from you because I was friendly with him?¡± ¡°Yes? That¡¯s, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Then, are you saying that in the future I shouldn¡¯t talk to the nobleman who has a fianc¨¦e?¡± Why, why is she speaking with such a cold attitude? Vanora didn¡¯t want this atmosphere. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s in a tough situation, so she just came to ask for the last favor, as if holding a rope. ¡°It¡¯s not that. These days, Naverius keeps saying that Princess likes him in his sleep¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not an illusion. I like Naverius.¡± ¡°¡­yes?¡± ¡°He¡¯s kind to me, and what he wants to achieve is similar to me. I like him as a friend.¡± Tak. Vasago put down the glass she was holding in her hand and moved closer to Vanora. ¡°I can¡¯t hurt my friend just by listening to your request. I can¡¯t suddenly cut off our relationship and make some distance.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Vasago spoke confidently, Vanora lost her words for a moment and then answered with a slightly red face. It was because blood rushed to her face without her realizing it. ¡°He¡¯s my fianc¨¦. My fianc¨¦¡­ is trying to have an affair with Princess right now¡­¡± The hot tears in her eyes looked like they were about to flow out at any moment, but she struggled to hold them back. However, tears dropped from Vanora¡¯s eyes at Vasago¡¯s following words. ¡°If you don¡¯t like your fianc¨¦ cheating on you, you should improve yourself. So why are you telling me to stay away from him?¡±