《The Villainous Mastermind Gets Lucky in His Later Years》 Chapter 1 ¡°¡­I¡¯m sick and tired of being disappointed in you.¡± At the cold voice of the man, hands and feet trembled. ¡°You are not my daughter. Even from the very beginning, you are nothing to me.¡± As soon as this was heard, tears were shed, a heart pounded unbearably. Despair. As if the world had collapsed. While gasping, the chest was grasped tightly. ¡°Dad, no, Father. Please, I-I was wrong. E-Everything was my fault.¡± So, please don¡¯t leave. Don¡¯t throw me away. I¡¯ll be a good daughter. It was muttered constantly, this plea of forgiveness. Forgiveness¡­ Forgiveness¡­ ¡®Why the hell am I pleading for it?¡¯ Suddenly, she came to her senses. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ Doah noticed a beat late¡ªthat her hands were soaked in thick, crimson blood. As soon as she looked down slightly, she saw that her chest had been stabbed, a dagger sticking out in front. ¡°¡­¡­¡± They say that shock could render one so speechless that you won¡¯t even scream. Doah stiffly looked around, the only part of her moving were her eyes. The only source of illumination in this dark room were the candles that shook dangerously. Beneath her seat was a round circle, a hexagram and unknown patterns that were drawn with blood. It was such a strange thing to see, as if it¡¯s a determined effort to curse someone¡­ ¡°¡¯Please let Ophelia die¡¯. Did you make that wish?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you whether this is true!¡± ¡°No! I-I only want to be O-Ophelia, I want to be your real daughter¡­¡± Doah¡¯s head hit the floor, and there, she prayed. Then, as though he was pressing down on the anger welling up, a rough breath rang out. Soon, a terribly subdued voice could be heard over her head. ¡°Even until the bitter end, you¡¯re crossing the line.¡± ¡°F-Father¡­¡± ¡°Live as if you¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to endure your existence any longer.¡± And, as if he had no regrets, the man turned his back and left. Those footsteps were getting farther away. At the same time, this body on the ground, which could not move as though it was being pressed down with sleep paralysis, finally moved. The mouth, which had been talking about unfamiliar words and emotions, finally stopped. Doah quickly wiped away the tears that covered her eyesight with the back of her hand. Bang¡ª! However, the door already slammed shut with a loud sound as though it would break. Dust rose sharply, filling the entire space between the ceiling and the floor. ¡°Cough, cough¡­!¡± Doah looked around as she coughed in the heady air. ¡°What¡­ What the hell is this¡­¡± A space filled with only dust, spider webs and mold. It was the place where she woke up, when she thought that she had died. * * * Park Doah was an orphan. That¡¯s why, when she caught the eye of a chaebol family, who everyone knew just by their name alone, she was very happy. Because she had many dreams about having parents and siblings. What was it like to have someone who would always be on your side? What did it feel like to receive love and attention every moment? Until she left the nursery and got into a luxurious foreign car that everyone envied, she was full of expectations. She now had people who she could call her family. And yet, it was all without knowing that this was nothing but a trap. ¡°Sa-Save me! Please let me out! I was wrong! I¡¯m sorry!¡± In that dark abyss where she couldn¡¯t see even an inch ahead of her, Doah pounded on the door so hard that her arms started to bruise, scratched it until her nails had cracked and blood flowed from them. Even so, the door never opened. Except for when meals were being delivered. A hundred and twenty days later, a shaman opened the door and came in, giving Doah a cold look. ¡°Don¡¯t even dare to breathe as you wish. You are here to receive the young lady¡¯s misfortune.¡± Only then did Doah come to know of her situation. That she had been adopted only because she resembled the family¡¯s precious daughter who was destined to live a short life. She was trapped here only to be used to receive that daughter¡¯s misfortune. Ten years. She lived like that for ten years. Trapped in darkness, taking away that bad luck. It was not until she grew to adulthood that she could barely escape from this infernal household. No, to be exact, it would be more accurate to say that she had been thrown out with all their might. But she was happy. Finally, she would be free to live like others. Finally, she would not be a tool to be used¡ªshe would be a human being just like anyone else. It was worth it to endure and be obedient all those years. However¡­ She was run over by a car. The screeching of a vehicle¡¯s brakes, the shouts and screams of a shocked driver, the car that broke through a guardrail and rolled down a cliff, the terrible pain that penetrated her abdomen, the breaths that were slowly escaping from her¡­ As she watched the series of accidents that took place in an instant, Doah was convinced. Ah, the Park family¡¯s finally killing her. ¡®So it seems that after killing me, they¡¯ll disguise it as a car accident.¡¯ It was so unfair that she couldn¡¯t even bring herself to cry. If she were to die like this, she thought that she might just wander in the netherworld without even being able to move on to the next frontier. But here she was. She didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯d become a ten-year-old child. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ I definitely died.¡± Doah muttered as she denied reality. She clearly remembered the very moment she stopped breathing. However, as though betraying her conviction, unfamiliar memories flowed into her head. It was the memories of this body¡¯s owner, ¡®Bunny¡¯. ¡®Bunny?¡¯ It was ordinarily meant for rabbits, but surprisingly enough, it was her real name. She was just an orphan born and raised in the slums called ¡®garbage dump¡¯. However one day, she accidentally caught the eye of Grand Duke Credel, and so she was adopted. It was because she looked similar to the Credel family¡¯s youngest daughter, Ophelia Credel. It wasn¡¯t anything like a sob story of not being able to forget his dead daughter. Ophelia was doing well in the family¡¯s countryside villa. There was a reason why the real daughter was sent off to a countryside villa and took a fake into the family. ¡®What do you mean, avoid the curse of the sorcerer?¡¯ One might wonder if these people were too far gone into some manic pseudo religion, but they weren¡¯t. In this world, things like ¡®curses¡¯ were real. Magic users that used the forbidden arts for evil were called sorcerers. One of them cursed Ophelia, and Bunny was adopted so that she could be a substitute for that curse. Doah lowered the sleeves of the dress she was wearing. Then, she saw the hidden black pattern engraved on her forearm. This was the sign that she had received the curse instead of Ophelia. ¡®No one ever told Bunny what this curse was.¡¯ However, one thing was clear to her. The moment her 18-year-old mind took over, she knew what would happen after the curse would be complete. On the day the curse would be completely transferred to Bunny, everything would return to how they all used to. The real daughter would return to her family. The fake daughter would return to the slums. Chapter 2 ¡®Is this even possible?¡¯ One grew up as an orphan. The other grew up with a high social status, a lot of money, had a family and was respected by many people. She had been adopted just because she resembled the youngest daughter, only to be used to take in a harsh and ruthless bad luck. Bunny¡¯s life was far too similar to Doah¡¯s. To the extent that their souls could be twins. ¡®Then is that why I reincarnated like this?¡¯ Then, what happened to the original Bunny? She was confused about how this happened. However, she knew better than anyone else what she should do from now one. After all, she had already experienced this. ¡®I have to get out of here.¡¯ It has to be different from before. When she was kicked out after becoming an adult, it had already been too late. ¡®I can¡¯t let myself be murdered again like in my previous life.¡¯ Once the rabbit hunt was over, the rabbits would be eaten by the hounds. So, before becoming an adult, she had to get out of here before the curse could start affecting her body. ¡®Is it possible?¡¯ No. It had to be. Through the four pillars of destiny¡ªfortune telling and face reading. It wasn¡¯t that Doah didn¡¯t learn anything from that deplorable Park household. Inside the dark room, Doah¡¯s eyes glinted. * * * Bunny was currently trapped at the top of the Grand Ducal Castle¡¯s western spire. ¡°Ha, what kind of timing is this. Why did I have to be reincarnated now¡­¡± Doah lamented as she placed her chin on the window and looked down. The western spire was where guilty nobles were locked up instead of the dungeon. It was closed shut right now, and Bunny was alone in the spire. ¡®If I jump from here, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to recognize the bones.¡¯ The moment Bunny had been caught by Grand Duke Credel as she was using the forbidden arts, it was then that Doah possessed her body and was subsequently thrown into the tower. Bunny was originally meant to stay at the Star Palace, since she needed to receive proper education so that she could succeed as a fake ducal princess. ¡°As long as you can¡¯t abandon your habits while living in that garbage dump, you can¡¯t enter the Central Palace.¡¯ Angelus, the first prodigal son of the grand duke, spoke with his characteristically icy gaze. Bunny had to learn how to become an aristocrat and the proper etiquette and manners¡ªlike speech, posture and grace¡ªof a ducal princess from a tutor that was personally selected for her. She was also taught basic literacy, the history and culture of the empire. Apart from that, liberal and fine arts as well. In fact, they had no such high expectations on the eight-year-old child. At the very least they wanted to break the habits she had from wandering like a wild dog. But it was of no use. From her flippant manner of speech, to her rugged behavior, even with the radical way of thinking that she must steal what she wanted even if she didn¡¯t need it. All of those habits had already been deeply engraved in Bunny. ¡®It¡¯s not Bunny¡¯s fault.¡¯ What would a child know? The garbage dump was a place where the most atrocious crimes had been rampant ever since the city had been formed. Of all things, she was born in such a different world that all she learned was to do crimes. However, Credel could not wait patiently and be considerate of Bunny¡¯s situation. At first, she was kicked out and sent off to a villa. But when it was seen that she couldn¡¯t possibly be used as a fake ducal princess, she was eventually kicked out to the spire. Two years had already passed. ¡°So, to sum up, I¡¯m now the one who has to live in this spire until I become an adult.¡± For the next eight years? ¡°It¡¯s all too bleak¡­¡± Doah sighed. ¡®At least if I got reincarnated as Bunny before she was caught using the forbidden arts, the situation wouldn¡¯t be this hopeless.¡¯ She just happened to be a sorcerer. Because of a sorcerer, Grand Duke Credel had to send away his beloved daughter. But right in front of him, there was another sorcerer trying to change Ophelia¡¯s fate yet again¡­ ¡®I¡¯m doomed.¡¯ This was the only conclusion. No matter how hard she tried to think, there seemed to be no way out of this tower. She was completely deprived of the opportunity to remain as the fake daughter, and instead she was here, rotting away in the spire for eight more years to come. ¡®If it¡¯s like this, it might just be better to go back to the garbage dump.¡¯ Although it was a lawless place teeming with crime, at least she¡¯d be able to move freely there. There was also the option of confidently asking to be banished so that she could get out of the castle. ¡®If there¡¯s enough justification¡­¡¯ BANG¡ª! It was at that moment. The door opened unexpectedly all of a sudden. When she looked back in surprise, she saw a boy standing at the door, glaring at her as if he was going to kill her. ¡°Hey. You stole it, didn¡¯t you?¡± Stole? Before she could ask anything back, she got grabbed by the collar. Doah blinked and had no choice but to face the boy, who was just inches away from her nose. It was an unrealistic face. Pretty or handsome, it wasn¡¯t about that, but it was as though he had been beautifully sculpted by a masterful artist¡­ However, the appreciation of his appearance was cut short. This was because of the other things that caught Doah¡¯s attention. A wide, thick, glossy, clean forehead. ¡®This one was born into a great, rich family.¡¯ He had one eyebrow cut in the middle as though he had been scratched by a beast¡¯s claws. ¡®It¡¯s highly likely that he got into a fight with a sibling when he was younger.¡¯ A strong jawline and tightly closed lips. A face shape that was angular underneath the baby fat. ¡®Bold, yet has a narrow-minded way of thinking. Has a lack of flexibility and never compromises on anything that he¡¯s decided on before.¡¯ Eyes that were sharp, a nose that was high and straight, teeth that were neat but with fangs that were evidently pointed. Curly golden hair that was left scattered in the air, like a lion¡¯s mane. Eyes full of spirit that even his irises seemed to glow and burn with blue flames. A strong, sturdy physique, with muscles that were developed even at a young age. ¡®He tends to struggle and move according to his instincts, but his intuition and senses are developed.¡¯ If he were to follow his instincts too much like an animal, it had the potential to be poisonous. Overall¡­ ¡®If he decides to become a soldier, he¡¯ll have the world in the palm of his hand.¡¯ It took only a moment for her to reach this conclusion. Chapter 3 Doah was well aware of who this boy was. The second son of Grand Duke Credel, Salvier Credel. As I stared at his face, a memory popped into my head. ¡°Hey, trash.¡± ¡°Pretending to be Ophelia, just try doing it one more time.¡± ¡°You touched Ophelia¡¯s things again? I¡¯m going to rip you to shreds!¡± As she saw him in Bunny¡¯s memories, Salvier had the same expression as he looked at Doah now. With eyes so infested with malice to the point that his blue irises looked black. The scared Bunny was so overwhelmed that she knelt down immediately. However, without even batting an eyelash, Doah responded calmly. ¡°I stole something, you say.¡± ¡°Ha, so you¡¯re even stooping so low that you¡¯re pretending to be innocent.¡± Salvier laughed incredulously, then he spoke again with sarcasm. ¡°Who else would touch Ophelia¡¯s brooch if not you?¡± Brooch? Bunny stole a brooch? Doah quickly traced Bunny¡¯s memories, but she shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal it.¡± ¡°Ah, sure.¡± Salvier leaned his head over as he laughed, evident that he didn¡¯t believe her. And soon, he stopped laughing. Raising his head again, he muttered in a low voice that sounded like a growl. ¡°Hey, it seems like you didn¡¯t hear how I said I¡¯ll rip you to shreds.¡± He grabbed her collar with one hand, then the hilt of his sword with the other. Like a beast trapping its prey little by little, he chewed out one syllable at a time as though he was holding back his breath. ¡°One day. Just one single day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Behave and listen to me just before I brand you with the mark of a slave right here on your neck.¡± Salvier let go of Doah as though throwing her away. Then as he trampled on her shoulder before she could get up, he added. ¡°You know I¡¯m capable of doing that, right?¡± This was his final warning. The blue gaze directed at her was so full of hatred and contempt. * * * Doah belatedly realized what Salvier was talking about. It was a brooch that he always wore on his lapel. ¡®So it seems it¡¯s something that Ophelia gave to him herself before she left.¡¯ Then just how precious was it? Since it was given to him by his sister¡ªher alter ego¡ªshe could recall him loving it. Of course, ¡®How on earth did she manage to steal something that he¡¯s always wearing, aren¡¯t these false charges?¡¯ is what anyone would think here, but¡­ ¡®Actually, it¡¯s natural to be suspected.¡¯ Bunny¡¯s skills in pickpocketing were no joke. At her hometown, the garbage dump, she was praised for her devil-like talent. ¡®Thought it¡¯s not something that should be bragged about.¡¯ She¡¯s had some history of sneaking into Ophelia¡¯s room by breaking into the ¡®Central Palace¡¯s secret passages that only the direct descendants knew¡¯. At that time, Bunny was only eight years old. She was so young when she could already break through the security of a grand duke¡¯s estate. If a tail was long, it would inevitably be stepped on, so she was caught stealing things in the end as she did it while going in and out of the room several times. ¡®Besides that, the only thing of Ophelia¡¯s that Bunny could steal at the moment while she was in the tower was that brooch.¡¯ Salvier hovered around Bunny whenever he had the time for it, acting as though he was a guard monitoring a felon. It¡¯s been a long time now since this was happening. So, it could be natural to think that Bunny, whose hands were faster than the speed of light, had stolen the brooch from his lapel at some point before. ¡®The real culprit¡­ has a good grasp of Bunny and Salvier¡¯s relationship.¡¯ Probably, it¡¯s one of them. ¡®I¡¯ll know exactly who it is when I see them.¡¯ Since she was very young, Doah had already accepted that she was just a tool to be used. Like Bunny, she did not covet the youngest daughter¡¯s place, nor did she harbor any foolish hopes of becoming a real family with them. She never crossed the line with the Park family and acted thoroughly according to how they wanted her to act. Perhaps it¡¯s because of this, but whenever she was pretending to be the young miss¡ªexcept for when she was playing the role of the bad luck sponge¡ªshe did whatever she wanted to do. It was then that she learned about the four pillars of destiny and face reading. From Doah¡¯s life mentor and spiritual supporter¡ªa fortune teller grandma. ¡°Doah. The study of horoscope isn¡¯t just fortune telling. It carries both statistics and historical studies. During the Joseon Dynasty, it was one of the topics in the civil service along with oriental medicine.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not in the Joseon Dynasty anymore though.¡± ¡°This rascal¡­ No matter how different the world has become, there are always some things that will not change, tsk tsk.¡± Her grandmother1 said that the foundation of the four pillars of destiny was the cosmos¡ªor the universe¡ªand the energy. In this dimension that¡¯s completely different from the Earth she knew, there was still spring, summer, autumn and winter. There was still the sun, the moon, and a planet composed of the five elements. This meant that the universe around this world circulates endlessly and expands infinitely just as it did on Earth. Each and every person was a universe. This was because a human being¡¯s birth and death was the same as the universe¡¯s circular laws of nature. That¡¯s what her grandmother said. ¡®No matter how different the world is, even if it¡¯s a different dimension, the laws of the universe remain the same.¡± And this was also the case for face reading, or physiognomy. The array of energy that¡¯s engraved on the human body can be seen on one¡¯s face, and reading this was called ¡®physiognomy¡¯. What could be seen through fortune telling could be seen through physiognomy, and what could be seen through physiognomy could also be seen through fortune telling. Therefore, what Doah had learned so far would not be meaningless. Ka-chak¡ª Right then, as the sound of a key rattling through the lock could be heard, the doorknob turned. ¡®They¡¯re here.¡¯ t/n: 1 Doah and the fortune teller grandma aren¡¯t related, she just calls her that way 2 The five elements mentioned here really is five and isn¡¯t a typo because in the context of Chinese horoscope or the Taoist philosophy, this is true. The elements Doah¡¯s referring to are: metal, water, wood, fire and earth. Chapter 4 Up until that point, Doah had been lying down on the floor to conserve her energy. But at that moment, she jumped to her feet. The door cracked open just enough for a dirty bowl to be pushed in. It was obvious without even asking¡ªthat bowl had not been washed. ¡®Are you just going to deliver the bowl this time?¡¯ You can¡¯t leave just like that. While the other person was being careless, Doah quickly squeezed her small body through the gap in the door. And just as she was, she rushed out like a bull with all her might. ¡°UGH!¡± A woman in a maid¡¯s uniform plopped down to the floor. The bowl in her hand fwick¡ª flew and fell on her brown hair. At the same time, the stinking, sticky soup completely covered her head. ¡°You¡­ Are you crazy?!¡± The other maids also got shocked, and they similarly screamed as they saw Doah¡¯s unexpected behavior. ¡°Oh my gosh, are you okay, Melissa?¡± ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m okay?¡± Melissa snapped back at the other maid who asked the question. Huffing vigorously, she threw the bowl on the floor. She barely calmed down to wipe her face with a handkerchief. Then, she shouted sharply once more. ¡°You must be out of your mind, you devil-like thing. I told you to behave!¡± ¡®Ophelia¡¯s exclusive maids.¡¯ The maids who were surrounding Doah at this moment were close aides who stood behind the ¡®real Ophelia¡¯. Other than these maids, the only people who knew that Bunny was a fake were House Credel¡¯s vassals and representatives from each department, who all had devoted their entire lives to the grand duchy. The other servants had since been replaced for the sake of confidentiality. After all, there was a risk that Bunny¡¯s existence could be made known to the world. ¡®The knights and mages who they couldn¡¯t afford to fire were instead required to make a vow of secrecy and they continued living in this castle.¡¯ However, the three exclusive maids that Ophelia cherished the most weren¡¯t kicked out, even when they didn¡¯t make the vow of secrecy. ¡®Grand Duke Credel didn¡¯t kick them out so that they¡¯ll still be here when Ophelia returns.¡¯ Her room and the things inside were left as they were so that the grand ducal castle wouldn¡¯t feel unfamiliar to her. He couldn¡¯t help but do this. The grand duke loved his daughter so much. ¡®Thanks to that, Bunny¡¯s been looked down upon and persecuted by these maids.¡¯ Their subtle disrespect and harassment turned more explicit the further Bunny lost Credel¡¯s favor. And now that she was trapped here in the spire, it was to the point that nobody cared about her anymore. ¡°Do you still not know your place?¡± At that moment. The handkerchief was flung towards Doah¡¯s face and fell to the floor. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Doah stood still as this happened, sweeping her sticky cheeks with her fingers slowly. Then, she raised her head. And, she looked carefully at them As though she could look right through them, in both life and death. ¡°W-What the¡­¡± Melissa faltered for a moment, seeming to have gotten weighed down by Doah¡¯s sudden change in demeanor. But the maid soon raised her eyebrows ferociously with a red face. How shameful it was to flinch in front of a child. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for us, you¡¯d have already starved to death. You don¡¯t even know how to be grateful, this arrogant brat.¡± As she mentioned, the maids were also in charge of Bunny¡¯s meals and took care of her. Sure, with boiled mop water called ¡®soup¡¯. It was natural that the already malnourished Bunny got thinner day by day because of this. ¡°You¡¯re not going to complain about the food, are you? Even if this much is already more luxurious than any food you used to eat in your hometown.¡± Melissa and the maids standing behind her giggled, hitting each other¡¯s shoulders as though it was such a great joke. ¡°Now that the soup we painstakingly cooked got spilled like that, what should we do, Sara?¡± ¡°Oh, what to do? I guess she¡¯ll starve.¡± ¡°You only get what you deserve, after all. How unfortunate.¡± Sara had a sour smile on her face as she spoke, poking Doah¡¯s chest with one finger right below her collarbone. ¡°But I won¡¯t just give you another bowl tomorrow. If you want to eat, then try begging. That¡¯s what you do best.¡± Doah swayed on her feet as Sara continued poking her, but all the while, Doah was just staring at Sara¡¯s face. At the same time, that same eerie feeling passed through her entire body like tremors. Sara quivered as chills ran down her spine for a moment. She frowned and soon folded her finger. ¡°Why in the world have you been having that terrible look in your eyes since earlier. What, you want to play with me?¡± This time, Sara leaned down close as if threatening the child. ¡°Stop it.¡± The third maid hid Doah behind her. ¡°Emma. Just who are you defending right now?¡± Emma flinched as though she was scared, but she tried hard to speak clearly. ¡°W-What if Bunny runs away at this rate?¡± ¡°To run away and try to avoid Credel¡¯s pursuit? My.¡± Melissa snorted. ¡°But you never know. Bunny is necessary for Her Ladyship. If something bad happens to Bunny and the curse gets affected on this girl who¡¯s already weak¡­¡± Emma trailed off. Then, Melissa sighed with a somewhat disinterested face. Emma tended to get dragged around by the two other maids and was forced to do their bidding, but whenever the two would try to cross the line, Emma would always step up and try to mediate. ¡°Anyway, aren¡¯t I so nice.¡± The maids threw several insulting words towards Doah, then they eventually shoved her back into the room. Just before the door closed, Emma, who met Doah¡¯s eyes, had a small smile on her lips paired with a sad expression. ¡®I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help you.¡¯ That¡¯s what her expression seemed to say. And so, Doah was trapped here once more. ¡°Hm¡­¡± But still, her original purpose had already been achieved. Doah had read those maids¡¯ faces. ¡°¡­So it¡¯s you.¡± Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 5 Doah recalled the maid¡¯s face. She first read the maid¡¯s physiognomy through the forehead to ascertain her luck during her youth. It was narrow and flat, the sides were hollowed, there was not much flesh and it looked immensely gloomy. That was to say, when she was young, she did not benefit from her parents and no wealth passed through her hands. ¡®With mousy eyes like that and a red tip of the nose, the light doesn¡¯t look good. Her ears are as thin as paper like wide-spread wings, the same as having no earlobes, indicating scantiness. Since her lips are tugged up and crooked because of her sharp mouth, she has a physiognomy pointing towards poverty.¡¯ If she would ever run a business, each and every time it would go to bust. If she would ever try to gamble, each and every time it would all blow off. She had no inherited property, and it was also difficult to acquire her own property and she had insufficient means to do it. ¡®As a result, the chances of alleviating her poverty is through stealing.¡¯ Above all, with the shape of her head curving forward, there was a tendency for them to seem as though they¡¯re looking sideways without looking straight ahead. A person like this would be quite rash with their actions because they couldn¡¯t see anything far away, focusing their attention on only immediate pursuits. ¡®So, it has to be you.¡¯ Phrenology1 was not an area of study that judges a person only based on their appearance. In particular, it wouldn¡¯t be good to take one glance at someone and conclude that, ¡®Your face isn¡¯t good.¡¯ Apart from one component of the face, there were many things to consider all at once, and it was a harmony of features, colors, radiance, voices, gestures, postures and expressions. Not only should someone¡¯s innate nature be comprehensively taken into account, but also their mind, their thought process, and their attitude that they had acquired throughout their life. In other words, if the person¡¯s mindset had changed, then the reading of their physiognomy would be completely different. ¡®In that sense, you didn¡¯t even show any effort into changing your innate nature.¡¯ This fate was something that could be changed any time depending on one¡¯s efforts. It was rather fortunate that Doah could pinpoint the culprit right away. * * * The following night¡ª As light suddenly poured through the door, Doah frowned. It was light from the lamp that Salvier was holding. ¡°Ha.¡± He smiled in disbelief as he saw Doan lying on the floor. ¡°Do you know your place now?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you growling and lashing out like a mongrel?¡± The only part of Doah that moved were her eyes, which stared at him. In the first place, she didn¡¯t even have any strength to get up. She had starved all day. Without lifting a single finger, she moved only her cracked lips. ¡°I found the culprit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk any nonsense. I know it was you who stole it.¡± Salvier didn¡¯t even give her a chance to explain. In his mind, it had already been determined that Bunny was the thief. ¡®This second son of the duke is twelve this year, right?¡¯ He was so tall and broad that he looked to be about fifteen, but even so, he was still a child. ¡®You rely on your intuition far too much.¡¯ No matter how much he was born with this intuition, such a thing could be wielded correctly only through much practical experience accumulated. It wouldn¡¯t be good to go with your gut at such a young age and run headfirst into everything. Before he¡¯d be able to conquer the world and grab the bull by its horns, the chance might just run away first. ¡®If I give him such advice in this kind of situation, it would be my neck that he¡¯d grab.¡¯ Doah had laidback thoughts. ¡°Take her out.¡± Salvier commanded without delay. At his clipped command, the maids behind him moved in unison. They grabbed Doah¡¯s arms and dragged her out forcefully. Melissa. Sara. Emma. They were Ophelia¡¯s favorite maids. ¡°So, shall we get started?¡± The method of branding slaves was simple. If you tear a magic-infused scroll in front of the person you want to brand as a slave, that would be all that would take. Then, a vine pattern indicating that someone was a slave would be engraved on one¡¯s neck, as though it was a leash. ¡®And it would be impossible to go against the master¡¯s orders.¡¯ Not just that. There would also be no hopes of escape. That¡¯s because both a subservience spell and a tracking spell would also be engraved. Melissa dragged Doah forward and forced her to kneel right before Salvier. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Doah slowly raised her head. He was staring down, looking exactly at Doah as he held the scroll tightly¡ªlike he would tear it at any given moment. ¡®Are you really going through with it?¡¯ In fact, it looked like he was still half unsure. Doah wondered if he would really do something so inhumane. It was impossible to imagine that a person from modern times would do this. ¡®Narrow-minded, inflexible, would not compromise at all once he¡¯s decided¡­¡¯ Doah was convinced that when she looked into Salvier¡¯s eyes as the fire in the lamp was reflected inside it, his eyes glinted with a burning red light. That was the truth. He really just did whatever he wanted. Gritting her teeth, Doah jumped to her feet. ¡°Kyaak!¡± Melissa faltered back. She had let her guard down when she saw that Doan was staying still without any hint of rebellion. ¡°You¡¯re making such a loud racket when you can¡¯t even control one thing?¡± Salvier lightly clicked his tongue. Then, he abruptly reached towards Doah with frightening speed. ¡°You.¡± However, Doah turned to Salvier and spoke. Pointing exactly at him with one finger. ¡°¡­What?¡± Salvier paused for a moment. And he doubted his own eyes and ears. Did she just point at him and impudently call out to him? ¡°This crazy¡­¡± Now convinced that this was not merely an illusion, his expression quickly became distorted. His face had changed so suddenly that it was like a difference of night and day. Then, Doah casually moved her finger to the side, pointing towards the person behind Salvier. ¡°You stole it.¡± Then, in an instant, a cold, frigid silence came. ¡°Pardon?¡± The one Doah pointed at was Emma, who hesitated as though flustered. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± Emma looked perplexed. And, she looked towards the other maids without saying a word, exchanging gazes with them and silently asking, ¡®Are you talking to me?¡¯ It was no wonder that this was the reaction. Of course, Emma was the only maid who continued to help Bunny. 1 Phrenology ¨C a theory of human behavior based upon the belief that an individual¡¯s character and mental faculties are correlated with the shape of their head Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 6 Sometimes, Emma also secretly gave Bunny some food to eat or some other clothes to wear. Bunny had no choice but to trust and rely on her because she had no one else. ¡°M-Milady, I¡­¡± Taken aback for a moment, Emma was speechless but she soon began to tear up. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re claiming that I stole it. I don¡¯t even know what the stolen brooch looks like.¡± Did I perhaps step on the Lady¡¯s toes? Emma continued to imply this pitifully. Tears formed around her big eyes and soon trickled to the floor. Then the two maids, who usually took good care of the kind Emma, turned around with a fire lit in their eyes. ¡°Emma is definitely not the one!¡± ¡°Emma? A thief? Absolutely not! A gentle child like here wouldn¡¯t do something like stealing the Young Master¡¯s prized belonging. What a ridiculous false accusation!¡± Sara and Melissa wrapped Emma in their embrace, glaring down at Bunny with a contemptuous look. ¡°As far as we know, it¡¯s Emma who took care of the Lady a lot¡­ You can¡¯t abuse other people¡¯s kindness.¡± There seemed to be the underlying meaning of, ¡®There¡¯s a limit to your ungratefulness¡¯. However, Doah responded without even being shaken by anything that they said. ¡°Then go ahead and search Emma¡¯s quarters.¡± ¡°Milady!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t find anything, then I¡¯ll obediently accept the branding.¡± Sara and Melissa both widened their eyes at Doah¡¯s words. It was because they just thought that Bunny was being cornered, so she was targeting Emma, who looked to be the easiest. ¡®But why are you so confident?¡¯ Was it because of Doah¡¯s confident declaration? Emma flinched as though nervous, then after a moment of contemplation, she fumbled. ¡°You¡¯re too much, Milady! I, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong to the Lady!¡± With a dubious expression, Salvier looked between Doah and Emma. But he soon snorted and spoke up. ¡°Why do I have to make such an effort?¡± He seemed to believe not one ounce of Doah¡¯s claims. Of course. ¡®I won¡¯t be able to get out of this unless I can present the right evidence to prove that I didn¡¯t steal it.¡¯ At this point, she had now fully recognized Salvier, and so she spoke. ¡°Those maids are the exclusive maids of Princess1 Ophelia.¡± Instead of meaninglessly trying to insist that she was innocent, she deliberately mentioned Ophelia, who was Salvier¡¯s weakness. ¡°So?¡± ¡°What if Emma really stole it? When the Princess returns, it¡¯s like you¡¯re allowing a petty thief to stay next to her.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At this, Salvier¡¯s brows became furrowed. This time, there was no retaliation of harsh refutation, threats or ridicule. This was because when the name Ophelia was uttered, his worries arose. ¡®Wow, look at how his eyes change the moment his sister is mentioned.¡¯ It¡¯s ridiculous. Doah continued speaking, her eyes cold. ¡°I heard that the Princess is a gentle and innocent child. Is it alright if you don¡¯t check this maid properly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And if it¡¯s someone like the Princess, she¡¯ll cover for this maid, even if she¡¯s a thief.¡± Her voice was quiet and serene, like a flowing river. Salvier felt that something was amiss after hearing Doah¡¯s calm voice. It was different from her usual tone of voice, shouting at him to look at her. ¡®Have you always been like this?¡¯ She was much too calm. The gaze that blindly chased after him, the gaze that was so desperate. It was nowhere to be found. There was only a distinct coldness to her red irises, and he couldn¡¯t read what she was thinking at all. It seemed like she would not even blink when faced with the threat of branding her with a slave¡¯s mark, even done through fire and not a magic scroll. ¡®Did you somehow get ahold of rat poison inside this spire?¡¯ Salvier stared at Doah as though he would tear her to shreds. But soon, he spoke through clenched teeth. ¡°You. Guide me to your quarters.¡± ¡°B-But, Young Master¡­¡± Emma stuttered. Her face was not only white¡ªit had turned blue. Her legs were shaking as though she was about to collapse. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who did it!¡± ¡°Guide me there while I¡¯m still being nice. Don¡¯t make me say it again.¡± Considering that he never compromised on anything as soon as he¡¯s decided, Salvier¡¯s temper rose. While butting his head near Emma¡¯s face, Salvier growled furiously. And right then, she collapsed as though her legs had loosened. ¡°Stand up. You there, call the knights in front of this maid¡¯s room.¡± As he went on to solve this case like a bulldozer, Doah barely managed to sit while leaning against the wall. ¡®Seems like I starved too much.¡¯ Since she didn¡¯t eat or drink, she was left dizzy and exhausted. She couldn¡¯t even lift her fingers. ¡®Ah, I feel like I¡¯m about to faint.¡¯ If she could just close her eyes like this, it would soon come to an end either way¡­ But Doah had no intention of ending it here. With her shaking hand that was about to lose its remaining power, she pointed towards Melissa. ¡°That maid.¡± And, she continued to ignore her increasingly blurry vision. ¡°Because of her desire to gain recognition, she¡¯s very two-faced and has an extremely light mouth.¡± Her body was gradually losing strength. Ah, not yet. ¡°There¡¯s a high possibility that she¡¯s been spreading around Credel¡¯s internal affairs to others. Her employment contract should have a clause of sword secrecy somewhere there. Even if it doesn¡¯t have one, well. She knows such a big secret, but I¡¯m not sure if it would be good to still keep her.¡± Then, Doah immediately pointed to Sara. ¡°This one has the disposition of a swindler. Some of the other servants must have suffered under her. There¡¯s no one outside who could refute her words, so there¡¯s a chance that she¡¯s been making false claims about Credel.¡± Fortunately, before her vision turned dark, she was able to finish what she needed to say. ¡°Please, try and investigate¡­¡± Doah added this. Then, her eyes closed shut. 1 A duke or grand duke¡¯s daughter can also be called ¡®princess¡¯. She¡¯s not part of the royal/imperial family Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 7 Salvier was unrelenting. Once the seed of doubt had been planted, he chased after his opponent to the ends of hell just to get to the bottom of the truth. Now that Emma was in Salvier¡¯s sights, there was no other outcome other than being caught for her theft. ¡°How dare you steal my mother¡¯s belongings¡­¡± His anger shot up so high that his clenched fist started bleeding because of how deep his nails dug in. After the room¡¯s floor was torn off, several valuable items were found. This included Ophelia¡¯s brooch. Among the other valuables were the grand duchess¡¯ earrings, which had gone missing about three years ago. ¡®This wasn¡¯t planned by that insect.¡¯ Bunny was brought into the mansion two years ago. That¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t have been responsible for this theft. He was wrong. Entirely. Salvier glared at Emma with a gaze that was reminiscent of a volcano that¡¯s about to erupt. ¡®Of all things, why did you steal the brooch.¡¯ Salvier despised Bunny to the core. It wasn¡¯t enough that her appearance resembled Ophelia, but she was also a fake who was trying to take his sister¡¯s place. There was no way that he would come to like her. Since entering the Credel Castle, Bunny had done all kinds of things. Every day, she stole Ophelia¡¯s belongings and displayed them in her room as though they were trophies of war. After hearing about Ophelia¡¯s way of speaking and some of her mannerisms, she copied them exactly to the point that he got goosebumps watching her. Instead of just filling in the spot because of a role, she acted as though she really would steal the real Ophelia¡¯s position. His younger sister was stuck at the furthest corner of some remote village without even enjoying all the good things that were her birthright. Bunny was here only to receive a curse in Ophelia¡¯s stead. ¡®That insect has crossed the line a long time ago.¡¯ Nevertheless, it was impossible to kick her out. Ophelia was cursed with malice, that¡¯s why it was difficult to bring any harm to her. That¡¯s why that maid cleverly thought of stealing the brooch that Bunny would have coveted, framing her at the same time. She knew that even before a proper investigation could take place, Salvier would point at Bunny and accuse her of being the culprit. ¡®Did that maid use me in her plan to steal?¡¯ Salvier was so outraged that his vision was turning white. ¡®I will interrogate you personally.¡¯ He would make her pay a great price for daring to underestimate him. On the other hand however, there were other thoughts that wouldn¡¯t leave his mind. Salvier recalled how Bunny looked before he left the room. Leaning against the wall and closing her eyes helplessly. As though her breathing would stop at any given time. ¡®Damn it, that insect.¡¯ Whatever happened to her, it was none of his business. But it would be difficult if she would die. He had been holding it in for a while now. Whenever he had the urge to kill her, he thought of Ophelia¡¯s lovely smile and suppressed it. ¡®But you¡¯re going to die all on your own?¡¯ Did she think that he¡¯d let her go just like that? Salvier beckoned the knight commander to come close. ¡°Call the interrogator and pull out a confession.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At the same moment the commander was about to leave the room after Salvier¡¯s command, He recalled what Bunny had said while pointing towards the other maids. As long as it was true that the maid Bunny had pointed out was the real culprit, her words about the other maids couldn¡¯t be dismissed as nonsense. ¡°Investigate the other maids. In addition to what they¡¯re doing inside the mansion, find out about their reputation outside, their family, acquaintances and everything else. Be thorough.¡± After this additional command, Salvier hastened his steps and headed towards the western spire. Bunny was still in the same spot, sitting against the wall with her eyes closed. Salvier reached out to her. He wondered if she was already dead. But when a light breath touched the tip of his finger, he flinched and pulled back his hand. She¡¯s alive. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Hey. Insect.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± She¡¯s just pretending to sleep. Salvier hit her without even the slightest thought to be considerate. Then, Bunny¡¯s body slid down all the way to the floor. She fell. And at the same time, the boy, whose face was tinged with annoyance, became very flustered. ¡°Hey!¡± He grabbed Bunny and raised her up again. When he shook her, her body just followed the movements limply, so he had no choice but to cradle her in his arms. ¡®You¡¯re this light?¡¯ Things that he didn¡¯t used to pay attention to suddenly entered his vision. He looked down at the forearm that he was holding with his hand. It was much too thin. To the extent that all he could feel were her skinny bones. Even Ophelia wasn¡¯t this thin despite being born weak and often had to be bedridden¡­ ¡®Do you even eat?¡¯ Though she was from the slums, she should have been fed high-quality meals inside this mansion she¡¯s been living in for two years. It didn¡¯t add up. ¡®What kind of ragged outfit is this. Why are you wearing this?¡¯ It was a dress made of silk. But being part of the noblest of noble families, Credel, Salvier grew up seeing only the best of everything in his entire life. Far beneath his standards, Bunny¡¯s clothes looked like rags to his eyes. Moreover, the fabric was too thin. She¡¯s wearing such rag-like clothes while enduring the cold of the north? She wasn¡¯t in this condition before. When did it start. ¡®Even your hair is all tangled up.¡¯ The only thing about her that resembled Ophelia was her face. Rather than being taken care of, her hair even smelled, and it led him to question when on earth the last time she washed. Something wasn¡¯t right. Although she was locked up in the western spire, there was a dedicated budget for Bunny every month, and it amounted to 200,000 Festha. It was the amount equivalent to the cost of maintaining the dignity of even an imperial princess. Of course, compared to Credel¡¯s enormous wealth, even that was just a chump change. ¡®That money was being given to you so that you won¡¯t look for trouble.¡¯ But where did that money go. From checking the ledger regularly, he knew that she¡¯s been buying luxury goods until recently. ¡°Damn it¡­ What the hell is going on.¡± As he cursed, he carried Bunny and left the room. No, he was about to leave the room. Until he found an old bowl at the entrance. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The stench of the unpleasant looking liquid in it rose to the tip of his nose, smelling like a rotten mop. It didn¡¯t take him long to figure it out. That it was supposed to be a bowl of soup. And that the only meals being given to Bunny was food waste. Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 8 ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A pained moan automatically leaked through her lips. Doah gasped heavily and closed her eyes. She could feel that there was cold sweat on her forehead, but somehow, she couldn¡¯t find the strength to wipe it off with her hand. It was so painful she felt like she was about to die. Her head was spinning so much that she couldn¡¯t stay lucid. Her entire body was throbbing with pain, to the extent that it felt like someone was beating her black and blue. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve gotten so sick like this¡­¡¯ No matter how badly sick she¡¯d be, no one would be there to take care of her. She had to get up by herself and somehow get some medicine. Bunny¡¯s body was still young. It would be dangerous if this fever would continue. She tried to fully wake up, but every attempt just made her consciousness slip away. It felt like she was on fire, as though she¡¯d been thrown to the depths of hell. ¡®Somebody, please.¡¯ Even though she knew that it was futile, she inadvertently tried to beg because who she was right now was Bunny. When she was still Park Doah, she couldn¡¯t even conceive the thought of asking for help. Being in a child¡¯s body made her have the thoughts of a child¡¯s fussing. ¡®Help me.¡¯ As a child born in the slums, being born pretty did nothing for her. To survive, she had to choose between only two options. Give up everything and cling to other people who were strong, or hide yourself thoroughly enough that her features wouldn¡¯t be discovered. Bunny chose the latter method. It was difficult being even a beggar because of the threats of violence all around. Surviving somehow or another. That was Bunny¡¯s ultimate goal in life. Until one day, the Grand Duke of Credel miraculously appeared and reached out a helping hand to her. ¡°Would you like to come with me?¡± How could she even dare refuse the offer. In the olden days, the world¡¯s central continent had been divided into four regions¡ªeast, west, north and south¡ªand apart from that, there were dozens of kingdoms competing for supremacy over the other. It was all due to the demonic monsters that the sorcerers and their lackeys had let loose to the world. A fog-like mist would come in through the fissures that would split open the fabric of space, and along with it were the demonic beasts that wreaked havoc unto the land. At that time, it wasn¡¯t strange for entire kingdoms to fall to ruin in just a single day. When the world was on the verge of collapsing, it was Grand Duke Credel who stepped to the plate and saved humanity. He slaughtered the leader of the demonic beasts, and through his power, he froze and sealed the ¡®core¡¯ of the beasts, which served as their source of life. With only a silver sword as his weapon. He unified the north, and along with the emperor, he founded the world¡¯s first empire. This was the ¡®Avicus Empire¡¯. The north was a place where the sun was up for only short periods of time and where it was cold and barren, but it was the best place to seal the demonic beasts. The power that Grand Duke Credel had was called ¡®ice manipulation¡¯. Thanks to this, the continent was no longer plagued by the demonic beasts, and the sorcerers were defeated or went into retreat. Even now, there were still demonic beasts throughout the east, west and south, but because they had lost their leader, they were nothing but scattered messes. The grand duke was truly a hero among heroes. If the emperor was likened to the sun in the way that he carried light unto an already enlightened world, the grand duke was the moon who had brought light unto the dark world. Accordingly, a clear, bright moon. A blue moon. Therefore, House Credel was known as ¡®Credel of the Blue Moon¡¯. Not long after, Ducal Princess Ophelia was born. Born during the beginning of the era of serenity, the guardian of the world¡¯s daughter naturally became a ¡®symbol of peace¡¯. With such a blessing from everyone, she was a child who was loved simply for existing. ¡®Me, too. Can I also become the princess?¡¯ These were Bunny¡¯s thoughts at first. That maybe, she¡¯d have a family, too. That maybe, she could receive love and attention, too. It was all useless, these thoughts. ¡®Me, too¡­¡¯ So, too, did Park Doah once have the same thoughts. Eagerly hoping that a ray of light would be cast upon her as she was in the deepest depths of the abyss, where she couldn¡¯t see in front of her even one inch ahead. Spare me. Help me. Please, save me. Without any words needed, please embrace me. Please adore me. Please love me. Doah¡¯s hands trembled as she reached out, unable to move away from her spot. But what entered her vision was a smaller, frailer arm that did not match her image of her original body. ¡­What kind of foolish nonsense is this. ¡®This child¡¯s body is just so¡­¡¯ The very moment her adult mind returned and she regained her rationality, she tried to lower her hand. But at the same time, someone else held Doah¡¯s hand. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Amidst her hazy mind, she could barely open her heavy eyelids. With her eyes blurry with tears, it felt like she saw the face of Credel¡¯s master for a split second. ¡°You are not my daughter. Even from the very beginning, you are nothing to me.¡± He said that for sure. ¡®Blue moon? Bullshit.¡¯ How conceited. In her half-asleep state, did she swallow or spit out these words, she wondered. Tears formed on the corners of Doah¡¯s eyes, eventually trickling down the side of her face. The master of the blue moon looked down at her with a stiff, frozen expression. Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 9 To Bunny, life was a battlefield. The era of peace? That was nothing but bull for the people of the slums. To survive in that place, they had to learn how to deceive, to threaten, to kill others. This was what constituted as ¡®common sense¡¯ in that world. Bunny was just a child with no parents to provide for her, no other means to earn money through fair methods. If she were to be honest, it was a miracle that she survived this far. After living such war-like days, she got adopted into the Credel family, and everything changed overnight. But beyond that, no one sympathized with her. She was surrounded by enemies everywhere she looked. In the meantime, it was nigh impossible to abandon the habits she had taken up throughout those days and suddenly act like a graceful ducal princess. ¡®Can you do it?¡¯ They should have asked her first. They shouldn¡¯t have given her affection. What they should have given her was consideration. If they wouldn¡¯t heal the wounds, then they should have given her time to heal. At the very least, if this family was known as the ¡®blue moon¡¯, then shouldn¡¯t they have done as much? She was only eight years old. At this young age, she had already been branded as irreparable only because she survived through a lowly background. Wasn¡¯t it only natural for a child who was terribly anxious about being kicked out to take increasingly extreme actions? ¡®So many things could have turned out differently if only someone asked Bunny why she made such a choice.¡¯ That¡¯s why. ¡°Someone like you, I don¡¯t need you either. From the very beginning.¡± When Doah muttered this under her breath, her tone forceful, the grand duke slowly let go of his grip. The warmth that had spread over her hand cooled down in an instant. It felt as though his hand had lost strength. It was strange. ¡®What the. This dream.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t have come to visit Bunny, to whom he had told that she should live as though she was dead. ¡®What a terrible dream.¡¯ It felt like she had encountered a ghost while she was trapped in the spell of sleep paralysis. It was unpleasant and uncomfortable seeing things that shouldn¡¯t be there. Grimacing, Doah wiped her hand on the duvet and soon closed her eyes, surrendering herself to slumber. * * * A cool, refreshing energy entered her body. At the same time, her entire body felt lighter as her fever went down in an instant. The muscle pain, which was rampant all over her, disappeared in just a snap as well. In her astonishment, Doah opened her eyes. And her gaze met a boy¡¯s. ¡°¡­¡­¡± With round eyebrows and round eyes, as though painted by a brush, the corners of his lips were slightly curled up. He was as beautiful as a painting. His golden hair was shiny, combed out carefully and styled neatly. As his arms and legs were long, like a tree stretching out to the sun, his posture was straight and upright. ¡®With a clear and neat atmosphere like a tree, boys like him are generally born bright and intelligent.¡¯ And with those features, he also had dignified eyes. It was the face of a typical scholar. ¡®At the same time¡­¡¯ His nose bridge had an angular line, and the tip of his nose was sharp like an arrowhead. The shape of his ears followed this as well, and his earlobes were narrow and sharp. This meant that he could be cold-hearted and even cruel, without any attachment to emotions. He was born with the natural talent of leadership and determination, but because of his personality, it was difficult for him to trust the people around him. ¡®At first glance, he looks like a pine tree that grew alone at the edge of a cliff, but¡­¡¯ Maybe he had this air to him because he was hiding his fangs and claws. Doah knew exactly who he was. Angelus, Credel¡¯s eldest son, who turned fourteen years old this year. ¡®No way, did you use your powers for me?¡¯ Her body was better in an instant. There was no other explanation but that. ¡®Because Angelus has healing powers.¡¯ This ¡®power¡¯ could only be wielded by those who inherited the blood of the imperial family. And it was a power that manifested while the ¡®Avicus Empire¡¯ was still known as the ¡®Avice Kingdom¡¯, and from the time when the Grand Duchy of Credel was still just the Duchy of Credel. This power was almost considered to be a miracle. If this power could be used over magic, it¡¯s said that they could make a forest. If this power manifested as healing, they could easily heal those who were at death¡¯s door. The problem was¡­ ¡®Why did you heal me?¡¯ Doah wondered. ¡°Why should I treat you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your wounds. Take care of it by yourself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever try to show yourself in front of me for such a trivial thing.¡± She was sure that these were what he said before. When Bunny had rolled down the stairs and bled before, he didn¡¯t even budge. Far showing any concern, he just completely ignored her. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Doah blinked, a perplexed look on her face as she looked around. Light pink wallpaper, fluttering lace decorations, pastel-colored antique furniture. A cozy bed, fragrant flowers, cute stuffed toys all around her. It was a familiar room. This was Ophelia¡¯s room in the central palace. And she realized again¡ªit was warm. Unlike the tower, where the cold permeated into her bones even when the fire was lit, this room was so full of warmth. It was like spring had come in this room. Bunny used to steal things from this room before, stashing them secretly in her own room. Accessories, Ophelia¡¯s old worn-out stuffed animals, hand-carved wooden blocks, a flower in the greenhouse, a mere stone on the side of the garden¡¯s path. ¡®That¡¯s how badly she wanted to be in this room.¡¯ Bunny¡¯s goal had never been money. She only stole things that radiated of love. And in her jewel box, she kept them as though they were the greatest treasures. In the end, even those had been discovered and taken away from her. It wasn¡¯t that she was faultless. Theft was still just that¡ªtheft. It was difficult to defend. ¡®But for the Credels who only think of Ophelia and Ophelia alone, they might not forgive Bunny for whatever she did.¡¯ Even so, when Doah thought about why the child did such a thing, she could vividly feel just how terrible her past had been, and how desperate she must have felt as she went through those experiences. And now, she was just¡­ confused. ¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself.¡± At that moment, a faint voice full of anger broke her train of thought. ¡°Just because you¡¯re in the central palace, don¡¯t delude yourself into thinking that you¡¯ve taken Ophelia¡¯s place.¡± Was what Angelus said. With a disgusted scowl on his face as though he was looking at a worm wriggling in filth. ¡®What kind of nonsense, all of a sudden.¡¯ It was all so ridiculous to Doah. ¡®Did I come here on my own two feet?¡¯ Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 10 She lost consciousness and had just opened her eyes again. What could she do if someone else took her here? Doah was just wondering because she couldn¡¯t understand why she was brought to the central palace. Even so, Angelus seemed to be convinced she had actively sought to be in Ophelia¡¯s room. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a familiar feeling.¡¯ Just the same with Bunny, Doah was also a person who was accustomed to this kind of treatment. She had also experienced much worse than this. ¡°I am not deluding myself.¡± As sharp as a knife, Doah retorted. Really, it didn¡¯t seem like it was an answer expected out of Bunny. For a moment, Angelus looked up and down at Bunny with his eyes opened wide as though he was doubting what he heard just now. He seemed to find fault with her even when all she¡¯s doing was breathing, and now that she gave him the answer he was looking for, she wondered why he¡¯s being so speechless. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But that was only for a moment. In Angelus¡¯s blue eyes, there was a clear distrust directed at her. ¡°You¡¯re pretending to be faultless.¡± As expected, he didn¡¯t believe her. To be honest, she wasn¡¯t expecting much either, so Doah wasn¡¯t feeling all too unfair. ¡°You¡¯d better be telling the truth.¡± He sneered in a very low voice. ¡°Especially you, if you ever try to ask me about becoming part of this family, you¡¯ll have to turn me inside out before that happens.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve driven away Ophelia¡¯s beloved maids and finally stepped into this room, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re just glad as if you¡¯re in your own world.¡± In other words, he¡¯s saying that he already knew what she¡¯s thinking and that she shouldn¡¯t pretend. Although Doah had been answering calmly until now, she had no choice but to frown at this remark. He was insinuating that Bunny had planned the situation and pulled the strings behind it all. ¡°The fact that the maids were driven out, I found out just now thanks to what you said, Young Lord.¡± Doah emphasized the words ¡®just now¡¯ since she had just woken up. Then, she continued, staring back at him expressionlessly. ¡°I can¡¯t be framed as the jewelry thief.¡± ¡°Have you ever been falsely accused before?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Bunny had done some things before, so unfortunately, she had no excuse. Doah felt like the shepherd boy who cried wolf. However, at least this time, she was obviously the victim. ¡°Have you heard what those maids have done to me?¡± Then, his smooth forehead slightly crumpled. ¡°What are you saying?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Do you know that Bunny had been abused? She¡¯s sure that he already knew, but she still asked. As though he was at a loss for words, Angelus crossed his arms and spoke loudly. ¡°That was obviously the other side¡¯s fault, so you¡¯ll be rewarded for it separately.¡± ¡°Reward¡­¡± She was rendered speechless. Doah clenched her fist and closed her eyes. She had to bite her lower lip. ¡®At first, I wondered why Bunny was being treated like this here¡­ And now I know.¡¯ It was only to make this conversation possible. No matter what Bunny said, they would cruelly rip through her wounds and dig through everything there was. ¡®Why do you have to do this?¡¯ Doah thought this to herself. That she¡¯s glad she¡¯s not the real Bunny. No matter how much the other person here would shoot out poisonous words, it¡¯s fortunate for Park Doah because she wouldn¡¯t feel anything from it. ¡°The main point here is that, I don¡¯t know what you did, but Father has decided to let you stay at the central palace.¡± What? She raised her head in surprise. When she opened her eyes in this place, she wondered if this might be the case, but she didn¡¯t know that it really was going to be like that. ¡®That¡¯s why you¡¯re acting so abrasively.¡¯ This girl from the lowest dregs of society had been trying to take his younger sister¡¯s place all this time through all sorts of tricks, and for once, she finally succeeded and was given permission to stay in Ophelia¡¯s room. It was only a room. Still, Bunny being allowed into the central palace meant a lot of things. At the very least, this meant that she was publicly considered as an ¡®official replacement¡¯ for Ophelia. ¡®Has that grand duke gone mad?¡¯ Bunny had always acted like a time bomb that¡¯s ready to explode at any given moment. She had been completely ignored and neglected by the Grand Duke of Credel. And besides, he never seemed to be willing to accept and embrace her. ¡®But you¡¯re letting me enter the palace now?¡¯ Doah hated this. As though they were photocopied one after another, the Credel family was exactly like the Park family. She had already been betrayed and killed off by similar people once. How could she ever trust anyone like that again? ¡®No matter how much money you have, no matter how much food, clothing and shelter you give me¡ªI don¡¯t like this.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t given any freedom. Whatever she did, she would be monitored, and the good treatment she¡¯d receive would always be proportional to the obligations she¡¯d have to fulfill. Moreover, Bunny had already done many things so far that could only incriminate her. Wasn¡¯t that already the case with the person in front of Doah now? ¡°You mentioned a reward.¡± Doah looked up with her wide, doll-like red eyes. When Angelus heard this, he smirked crookedly as though he was already expecting this. ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been aiming for, right? Was what he seemed to say. In an instant, there was a look of contempt in his eyes, as cold as a lake that had frozen over during the winter. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in advance, but you can¡¯t wish to be Ophelia¡¯s replacement even until you die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®Brother¡¯ unless we¡¯re in public. That¡¯s the only time you¡¯re permitted to call me that.¡± What was he saying. Doah stared at Angelus, who had been spitting delusional nonsense all this time to himself. ¡°Even in that kind of situation, I hope I¡¯ll never have to call you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Then, the final blow. ¡°Let me leave this palace, please.¡± Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 11 Angelus froze. He never imagined that such words could leave Bunny¡¯s lips. Bunny. That Bunny. Even if she was about to die, she was the kind of person who¡¯d leave a will asking them to bury her body at the graveyard where only people with Credel blood could be buried under. Did she just say that she wanted to leave the castle? She wants to leave Credel? Impossible. ¡®Right. That can¡¯t be true.¡¯ Where would she go if not here? The only place she could return to was that land filled with criminals, aptly called the ¡®Garbage Dump¡¯. Though she got caught, she went ahead and pursued sorcery all for the sake of never setting foot at the garbage dump ever again. That¡¯s how desperate she was. ¡®What kind of ruse is this?¡¯ This was what Angelus thought. Judging that it was impossible for Bunny to be this way, he arrived at only one obvious conclusion. ¡®Did you think I won¡¯t let you leave?¡¯ What an idiot. He wouldn¡¯t possibly hold on to her. Such a trick would only work with a person who felt even the slightest goodwill towards her. He was already suppressing the urge to kick her out of Ophelia¡¯s room right this second! What she¡¯s saying was so stupid that he couldn¡¯t even laugh at the attempt. ¡°The reward you want. It¡¯s to leave Credel?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How I wish.¡± The icy tone sounded as if nothing would be able to warm it up. It was as sharp as a knife that could cut through someone cleanly. As if he was expressing that there was truly no room for warmth. But instead of finally cutting out on her trick, far from showing her true colors and saying, ¡®How can you say that?!¡¯, she looked even more comfortable. ¡®You¡¯re smiling?¡¯ One corner of her lips was raised. As if relieved, she let out a small exhale. This expression disappeared in an instant, but Angelus definitely saw her smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so.¡± You¡¯re glad? ¡°But the one who has the authority to decide on this is the Grand Duke. I would like to see him at once.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Strangely enough, those words sounded sincere. ¡°Thanks for letting me know that you approve.¡± Without any hesitations, Doah rose from the bed and walked past Angelus. Her strides were consistent. As if she didn¡¯t want to be in that place for even a second more. Angelus remained motionless in that same spot until Doah had left the room and slammed the door behind her. He wondered how long she¡¯d be able to keep up this disgusting act. It was obviously a lie. She¡¯ll be back soon. She¡¯ll beg him not to kick her out. She took a few steps out, but she didn¡¯t mean any of this. He was sure of it. So, he waited. And waited. Five minutes. Ten minutes. An hour. He didn¡¯t know that Bunny wouldn¡¯t come back until the sun had already set. Angelus looked at the pocket watch in his hand, which had already become warm from his body temperature. He had been holding it so tightly that it threatened to break. His aide had been waiting impatiently in front of the door all this time, and eventually, he knocked. ¡°With all due respect, Young Duke, we cannot postpone your next scheduled agenda anymore.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m going now.¡± He rose from his seat and shoved the heated pocket watch into the inside of his coat. It was the first time that his schedule, which was completely packed without a moment¡¯s leisure, fell through. * * * ¡®He should be at his office around this hour.¡¯ Bunny already knew the palace¡¯s structure to some degree. She never officially stayed in this palace. It was all thanks to her ventures into hiding here a few times. When she thought of how to go to the grand duke¡¯s office, the information was available in an instant, as if there was a map ready in her mind. ¡®Amazing¡­¡¯ Doah was truly impressed. In her past life, she had a terrible sense of direction. ¡®Right, Bunny was only eight years old when she uncovered the secret passages inside the palace.¡¯ If Bunny had been brought up normally, she could have used this talent in a better way. Instead, she used this talent to steal instead. Feeling a bit sorry for the kid, Doah continued walking. ¡°Princess!¡± ¡°Huk, P-Princess!¡± Then, they fell silent. Everyone who saw Doah walking at a fast speed were taken aback. The nearest attendant ran over to her and tried to stop her. ¡°Princess, you mustn¡¯t already be up when you¡¯re still recovering! And it¡¯s cold out¡­¡± Instead of answering, Doah brushed past the attendant and smiled at him. ¡°Ah.¡± The servant stuttered and stopped speaking like that, as if a fuse had blown in his brain. Doah belatedly remembered. ¡®Come to think of it, Ophelia¡¯s appearance was quite famous.¡¯ Ophelia¡¯s biological mother was known all throughout the empire as the rose of high society and the beauty of the century. Since she resembled her mother, Ophelia¡¯s looks were also rumored from the moment of her birth. She was as lovely as a baby angel from heaven. ¡®Child of Peace¡¯. That was her moniker. Even Bunny, who had been born and raised in the garbage dump, heard the ducal princess¡¯ great reputation. ¡®And she was adopted for looking like Ophelia¡­¡¯ With a strong, vivid red glimmer, Bunny¡¯s eyes shone like jewels. Her skin was fair and her cheeks were pink. Her eyes were coy, and anyone who¡¯d see her would think that she¡¯s like a delicate peach blossom. Though she was young, there was an air of melancholy surrounding her, even if she was only staying still. Anyone could see that Bunny would grow so beautifully that she could even rise to fame in the empire. ¡®I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good thing.¡¯ In modern times, she would have been a celebrity. But in this place where human rights were shot and those of lowly birth were treated like insects, such a face and a slim figure wouldn¡¯t benefit her at all. With these idle thoughts in mind as she trudged forward, she soon arrived in front of a black door engraved with silver patterns. Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 12 There were no knights stationed in front of the office. Grand Duke Credel was the great hero who united the empire with only his sword. He wouldn¡¯t need to be guarded by anyone else. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± Permission was easily given. Perhaps because he didn¡¯t know that the person on the other side of the door was Bunny. Before he could even notice, Doah opened the door. Because the door was tightly shut and because he did not wish to see her, Bunny couldn¡¯t even take one step into this office before. ¡°What is it.¡± The grand duke said so with his down-turned eyes focused entirely on the documents before him. It seemed like he still thought that the person who came in was his aide. But the mistake was fixed instantly. ¡°¡­Why are you here.¡± How did he even notice when his eyes were still turned towards the documents while he said that. The sound of her footsteps? No, maybe the pattern of her breathing? Just a general sense? She couldn¡¯t figure out just how he knew. But even after he noticed that it was Bunny who opened the door and came in, it didn¡¯t seem like he was about to kick her right out. This was good. Normally, he would have instantly sent her back to the spire and said, ¡®Didn¡¯t I tell you to live as though you were dead?¡¯ ¡°I heard that you allowed me to stay in the central palace from now on.¡± Even as Doah said it aloud, she still doubted it. She couldn¡¯t believe it to be true. She was very sure that she saw this man cursing at his adopted daughter for being a sorceress. After seeing something like that, how could a person change and decide to let Bunny enter the central palace and make her the fake ducal princess? Didn¡¯t he already know what kind of wrongdoings she would make? Was he trying to live up to the nickname, ¡®Blue Moon,¡¯ now? It was a useless effort, but it¡¯s beneficial anyway that he was doing something ¡®good¡¯. ¡°What about it.¡± The grand duke replied without looking up from the signature he scrawled over the document. ¡°Thank you for your kindness. However, I refuse.¡± And at the same time Doah said so, the pen snapped in half. It wasn¡¯t even made out of wood. It had a finely crafted metal body. It snapped right in half with only the grip of his fingers. Doah doubted her own eyes when she saw this, but at the same moment, At last, the grand duke raised his head to look at her. Grand Duke Credel, the celebrated guardian of the north, the protector of the region¡¯s eternal tranquility, the head of the family known as the ¡®blue moon¡¯. Pietro Credel. Wearing thin-rimmed round spectacles, his long hair was loosely braided on one side. At first glance, he looked like a scholar who held only a pen his entire life. Of course, if one would just look down from the delicate features of his face, which seemed to have been sculpted from ice, you would have to immediately withdraw that first impression. Wide shoulders. Huge physique. Rippling muscles that couldn¡¯t be hidden by even many layers of clothing. He was the hero¡ªthe illustrious general who, on horseback, led large armies to victory in every war. ¡°What did you just say?¡± He leaned back against his seat. Then, he removed the glasses that were perched on the bridge of his nose and placed them on his desk. Previously hidden behind those glasses, his sharp eyes were now revealed. ¡®The face of a hero, truly.¡¯ Whether fortunate or unfortunate, There was nothing unexpected here. He was the careless man who brought Bunny into his household, so for a second there, Doah wondered if he was a narrow-minded person who was far too concerned with his image. After seeing him personally like this with her own two eyes, it couldn¡¯t be denied that his physiognomy truly matched the two words, ¡®blue moon¡¯. To an excessive extent. One look from his long-shaped, sharp eyes would overwhelm anyone at all. His nose was affluently high, and his shapely lips were like petals that were stained red. Both his face and his bodily physique were perfectly balanced and symmetrical. Even though he was someone who must have lived on the battlefield for most of his life, his skin was clear and flawless, like the moon god who was the protector of justice. As though he was a precious being who had descended from the heavens, as though he would bless the land on which he stepped, he was a naturally gifted individual who looked like he would live a long life. To see that he seemed to have a good nature or personality, it was unbelievable. ¡®Well of course, he¡¯s a hero to the people, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s everyone¡¯s hero.¡¯ As soon as she thought this, ¡®Ah.¡¯ As soon as their eyes met right then, Doah realized belatedly. His sons got their eyes from him. However, the grand duke¡¯s blue eyes, far from having a luster to them, rather looked like a riverbed that had been dried up during a severe drought. With no water left. The eyes were the windows to the soul. Considering his heroic past, those eyes must have once had a brilliant spark. What was left now was nothing short of something like the scattered black ashes after everything had already been burned to the ground. With this brief look into his soul through those windows, it served as a shock¡ªhow on earth he was still alive like this. ¡°I asked you a question.¡± After being so distracted by his eyes, Doah was pulled out of her reverie only after Pietro asked for the second time. ¡°I would like to make a different suggestion.¡± ¡°Suggestion?¡± ¡°I understand that once Princess Ophelia¡¯s curse has been passed over to me, I can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± Better than anyone else, Doah knew how to deal with such a person. She just needed to do exactly the opposite of what Bunny had been doing thus far. ¡°Please send me back to the slums.¡± She deliberately spoke succinctly and did not say anything unnecessary. She didn¡¯t even bring up anything that would make the air in the room cold. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of me that Princess Ophelia can¡¯t come back to Credel¡¯s territory?¡± State your demands clearly. Stay in your lane and maintain that boundary between. And be sure to mean what you say. ¡°So that the Princess can stay in the Blue Moon¡¯s Castle permanently, I will make myself scarce. I will not appear before your eyes ever again.¡± With a smile that looked as if it belonged to a painting, Doah concluded. ¡°Permanently.¡± Don¡¯t forget to rate and leave a review for this series on novel updates! Chapter 13 Doah thought that Pietro would agree immediately. ¡°Why do you think that way?¡± However, what came back was a strange question that he asked with a blank face. It was impossible for Doah to read his thoughts. ¡®Why else?¡¯ Everybody who knew Bunny¡¯s true identity knew the answer. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it, too, so I know.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes. If the originally cursed person and the host who will next carry the curse are near each other, then there¡¯s a chance that the curse will return to its original state.¡± Angelus and Salvier explained through gritted teeth that this was the only reason why Ophelia was living in the countryside. It¡¯s all because of Bunny. But since that¡¯s the case¡­ ¡°If you just let me leave this family, then wouldn¡¯t that problem with Princess Ophelia be easily solved?¡± But after he heard this, the grand duke¡¯s eyes were as somber as the deep sea. He murmured grimly. ¡°That kind of drivel, who¡­¡± Huh? With a bewildered expression, Doah blinked. She could only guess why he reacted like that. ¡®Is it just a rumor?¡¯ Did distance between Ophelia and Bunny really have nothing to do with the curse? ¡®But everyone believes it.¡¯ The source of that rumor was uncertain. But it could be guessed that it was from a reliable source. After all, even both ducal princes of Credel expressed their resentment against Bunny for this reason. Since Angelus and Salvier believed it, then Doan also believed it without any doubt. ¡®Ah, wait.¡¯ This was going to be a problem. If it¡¯s really false, then the only card she had was completely useless! Silently staring into Doah¡¯s eyes, Pietro spoke once more. ¡°Pay it no heed. It¡¯s not true.¡± Damn it. ¡®I was hoping it¡¯s true, but it wasn¡¯t.¡¯ Doah tried to appeal to emotion. Even if it was the reasonable choice to keep Bunny here, would he really leave his real ten-year-old daughter alone? Are you going to leave your poor child, who lost her mother at birth, and let her live alone for the next eight years to come? One¡¯s memories during childhood would last forever. This was how she was going to persuade him. ¡®It all went wrong.¡¯ Doah closed her eyes tightly and managed to press down her despair. Now that she thought about it, she had a question. ¡°Then why is Princess Ophelia in the countryside?¡± If it had nothing to do with the curse, then wouldn¡¯t they want to just stay with Ophelia? They could have just left Bunny locked up in the spire, far out of everyone¡¯s sight. It wouldn¡¯t have been difficult to do. And they could just do what they¡¯re doing now. ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern.¡± Right. Of course he wouldn¡¯t tell her anything substantial, just like that. But because Bunny went to the extent of receiving someone else¡¯s curse, she had the right to know. Doah gritted her teeth. Even if the cards she held now were worthless, there was no option to fold and withdraw from here. ¡°If you so wish, I can go under the vow of secrecy.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The vow of secrecy was a lifetime pledge. The moment you reveal the secret, you¡¯d lose your life. No matter how big of a secret it was, the vow wasn¡¯t usually used by anyone. There¡¯s still the possibility that a person could inadvertently reveal the secret, or perhaps could say something similar, to which case they¡¯d still die. But Doah said she would do it. ¡°Or you could put me under surveillance. As a matter of fact, when you let me leave, you can even send me off to a foreign country, if the garbage dump is too close for comfort. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s the countryside, either.¡± Please, just send me wherever you want, she added urgently. Doah was confident that she¡¯d be able to live anywhere, even if it was hard. As long as she was free. Because Bunny had a gift. And Doah, too, had her abilities. If the price to this was the vow of secrecy, then she would do it a hundred times over. She just needed a way to break the curse without telling the secret, just as she had pledged. ¡°Go back to your room.¡± But the grand duke ignored her. Apparently, it was not worth giving her an answer. Of course it¡¯s like that. Would he ever take such trouble for Bunny¡¯s sake? The most convenient option was to just keep her close by and have her under surveillance. ¡®Ha¡­¡¯ Doah looked at Pietro with an icy gaze. No matter how much she looked at him, it still felt like not a drop of blood would come out of him even if he was stabbed. Just one word from him would have been enough for her to leave Credel right away. And on the contrary, just one word from him could also forever bind her to this hellish Credel family. Until the day she turns into a cold, dead body. ¡®Those eyes.¡¯ Those two unfeeling eyes that were so dry and scarce. Like sewage water. Or rotten water that¡¯s been left in two puddles. Pietro seemed to be watching everything in a constant state of boredom. ¡°Truly, do you not have any intention of letting me leave?¡± As if watching the dust floating in the air, that slow, blank gaze turned towards Doah. ¡°For my daughter, it is the best choice.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You shall continue to stay here, Ophelia shall remain elsewhere. This will not change, not even in the future.¡± Had she been talking to a wall all this time? How could there have been absolutely no change. It felt as though she was in front of a machine that could only answer the same two things. ¡®Ha, sure. I can clearly see in his eyes that he¡¯s not in his right mind.¡¯ With such a person like him in that state, there was no way that he¡¯d be able to empathize with another person¡¯s circumstances. Despite the fact that what he¡¯s doing wasn¡¯t malicious harassment, it was still problematic. From the start, not an ounce of affection, which he found troublesome, was directed at Bunny, and neither did there seem to be any motivation coming from him to try and like her. However, even so. ¡®I¡¯m mad.¡¯ Even though Doah tried to remain calm, she was angry. It¡¯s understandable why Angelus and Salvier had rejected Bunny. Because this situation was something they didn¡¯t want. It¡¯s just that, one day, a fake who resembled their younger sister was suddenly brought into their house and acted in such a terrible way. Who in their right mind would start to love her? But Pietro¡­ Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®You. You¡¯re the one who brought her in.¡¯ Even if you take in an abandoned dog from the streets while saying that you¡¯d raise it, if you start to neglect it, then you¡¯re nothing but an animal abuser. What more with a human being! Chapter 14 The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became. ¡°Noble, honorable Head of the Blue Moon Family, I would have been ever so thankful if you were able to spare this person of the lowest class a small chance.¡± Doah spoke sarcastically. ¡°But forget kindness or grace. I can understand why you don¡¯t like me since I¡¯ve been stealing the Princess¡¯ belongings.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Even so, can¡¯t you spare me some kindness just this once?¡± ¡°You are safe here.¡± Ha. Safe? ¡°The slums and the Credel household are no different to me.¡± No, rather, it was worse here. In the slums called the Garbage Dump, if the adults would harm her there, then she could have easily and immediately run away. Bunny was very quick on her feet. And while those adults were busy with their own work and lives, they didn¡¯t chase the child to death. They gave up right away. But here, in this place, there was nowhere to go. To Bunny, those three maids were like three huge mountains that she couldn¡¯t overcome. Those maids were the evil ones who stripped a child of her right to live while surrounding her with such harshness. If Bunny would say that she trembled with fear every night she was here, would Pietro care, even a little? Unlikely. Still, Doah said it. ¡°I don¡¯t want to starve anymore. I don¡¯t want to be criticized for no reason. I don¡¯t want to be pushed down another set of stairs again.¡± I don¡¯t want to live like this anymore. Doah¡¯s chest heaved. She didn¡¯t even cry because it wasn¡¯t her own experience, but because she had Bunny¡¯s full memories, she couldn¡¯t help but empathize. So, she bowed her head to keep her emotions in check. Then, at that moment. Suddenly, a large hand reached towards her and lifted her chin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± When the hell did he come here. Not even a moment ago he was just sitting behind his desk, and that was some distance away. How could he have come here in a split second? The atmosphere around him was as still as ever, and his eyes had the same look in them as if he was an exhausted man without any will to live. For a moment, Doah felt as though her heart had dropped to the ground. To her, it felt like he wasn¡¯t even alive. At that moment, Pietro¡¯s reached up to sweep a thumb under one of Doah¡¯s dry eyes. She crumpled her eyes automatically. His rough finger was full of calluses, and as it brushed across her tender skin, it stung her. ¡®What the hell.¡¯ He thought that she was crying. He looked down at the finger that had not one drop of moisture on it, and just as quickly as it came, his hand was retracted from her. ¡°Ophelia had been suffering from an endemic disease, so she had been quarantined and treated until now¡ªthat is what¡¯s known.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Now that she has recovered, she has returned to the Central Palace, where she should be.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ( t/n: there were no pronouns in the original text, so this line can also be translated as, ¡°Now that you have recovered, you¡¯ve returned to the Central Palace, where you should be.¡± ) After he had said all this, Doah couldn¡¯t retort back any longer. ¡°Go back. Even if you were healed with divine power, it¡¯ll be futile if you don¡¯t rest.¡± How did he know that she had been treated with divine power. She came here as soon as she woke up. ¡®Ah, I get it.¡¯ In the first place, it seemed like Pietro had ordered Angelus to heal her. It¡¯s known now that Ophelia ¡®recovered from an endemic disease¡¯. Other people would be suspicious of this story if she continued to be bedridden with a fever. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Doah looked up at the grand duke, expressionless. She had just let out her unbearably scorching anger, but this gradually cooled down until all she was cold. She might have expected a little. Even if he had refused her request like this, then at the very least he could have said some warm, comforting words. I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t notice what the maids were doing to you. I assure you that it¡¯s never going to happen again. I¡¯ll take care of you from now on so that you can live more comfortably in the future. He could have said these things. Even if it had nothing to do with Doah whether he said something like this or not¡­ Doah wanted Bunny¡¯s heart to heal a little, after such a wound had been left unattended, festering. She wanted him to comfort Bunny. However¡­ ¡®No matter what I do, he¡¯s not going to let me leave.¡¯ She¡¯s had enough. After confirming the iron wall that the grand duke had built between them, Doah completely gave up on what little expectation she had for him. Rather, she was glad that he told the cold, hard truth. Bunny was merely a tool to him, and he spelled it out very clearly that she was here only because of the curse. Thanks to this, Doah was now sure that the Credel family was no different than the Park family. Well, if that¡¯s how much he wanted her to act as his fake daughter, Then, she would do it. ¡®To live as if I¡¯m dead, that¡¯s what he said.¡¯ So, she was going to live exactly like that. Doah was more confident than anyone else when it came to holding her breath and trying to please people who were superior to her. To live and die as a tool while acting as a substitute for someone else¡ªshe had already done this once. She¡¯d be happy to be as obedient as a marionette being controlled by strings. Until they stop being wary of her, until they stop doubting her, until they trust her deeply. As there would come a time that they would be distracted and would turn their eyes away, they would not know that this mere tool had been strangling them all this time. Doah¡¯s eyes curved beautifully. ¡°I understand Your Grace¡¯s will perfectly.¡± Her smile was like a flower blooming underneath the spring sun, yet this hid her eyes which gradually became icier by the second. ¡°Your choice at this very moment. I hope you don¡¯t regret it someday.¡± When that time comes, Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Doah would disappear without a trace. Like a person who had never existed in this world from the very beginning. And, of course, she would be returning the curse back to its rightful place. Chapter 15 By the time she left the office, Doah had regained her composure once more. After she had decided what she must do from here on out, a plan was gradually starting to take shape in her mind. She could take her time, and she was sure it would work. ¡®The question is, how can I leave¡­¡¯ She tried to think of a way to escape the clutches of Credel and leave the territory safely. However, no matter how many ideas she could think of, she could only imagine failing and being dragged back to the grand duchy. She wondered if a successful method existed out there. ¡®At the very least, I should be able to use magic though.¡¯ Ah! While contemplating, a sudden thought popped up. ¡®Now that I think about it, there¡¯s that!¡¯ Doah turned and went on a different path. There was a shortcut that Bunny used before, she was able to reach her destination safely without encountering any passing servants. As she left the building, the sky was already turning red. ¡®It¡¯s around here, right?¡¯ Doah crouched on the ground and dug through the weeds that had already grown thickly for the past two years. ¡®Why did it grow so much.¡¯ Should she have brought a shovel with her? Grumbling, she dug through the weeds and grass with her bare hands, pulling out the roots of some unknown plants as she worked her way through the soil. She did that for who knows how long. After a long while, finally, glittering jewels could be seen deep into the ground. ¡®Found it!¡¯ She shook off the dirt and pulled it close. This thing was called an artifact. A gem infused with magic. ¡®It was something Bunny stole while she was still at the dump.¡¯ To be exact, she had stolen it from a group of bandits. That group considered Bunny to be a talent that they wanted for themselves. She was quick on her feet, knew her way around the place after being there for only a short time, was great at finding escape routes, and could hide herself well. Above all, her hands were faster than the speed of light. For this reason, the leader of the most notorious bandit group in the Garbage Dump, called Dark Brigade, worked Bunny like a dog without paying her anything. ¡®And this artifact was something Bunny stole from the brigade right when she was taken away from the dump.¡¯ In fact, this artifact was by itself an extremely expensive item, but it wasn¡¯t enough to be called a treasure. Because if you have money, you could save anyone. Even so, Bunny knew that the leader of the Dark Brigade wouldn¡¯t have been pleased to know that she stole it. This artifact was something he had displayed for everyone to see whenever he told stories of his glory days, and he would brag about how he stole this thing from a royal palace in the past. So, she had to steal it from him. Whether it was one thief stealing from another, Bunny had been really determined to exact revenge on them. ¡®Can I use this?¡¯ Doah looked at the artifact closely, which was in the form of an elaborately crafted earring. ¡®What is it? What kind of magic does it have?¡¯ She was perplexedly tilting her head to the side because she couldn¡¯t figure out how to use it. But then, at that moment, ¡ªWho is it? Suddenly, a voice rang in her head. Doah was so startled that she dropped the earring to the ground. ¡®Communication magic?¡¯ This was something that was usually exchanged between aristocratic lovers while they were far away from each other. No wonder it was only one earring. ¡®But he said he stole this from the palace.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Doah felt somewhat uncomfortable. Should she just bury it again? ¡®If he stole it during the war, then that kingdom might be extinct by now¡­ If this is unlikely to be tracked down, then I think it¡¯ll be alright.¡¯ After a moment of hesitation, she picked up the earring again. ¡°Um, hello?¡± ¡ªI asked you who you are. The speaker spoke in the lowest tone he could, but no matter who listened to it, it¡¯s clearly a child¡¯s voice. ¡®It¡¯s a nice voice though.¡¯ Doah had such a thought out of the blue. She was taught that one¡¯s voice was what completed a person¡¯s physiognomy¡ªthat even if you mask your expression, you can¡¯t hide your voice. ¡®While clear and resounding, it¡¯s a husky voice that gives off the feeling that it¡¯s clean and absolutely flawless.¡¯ Even though the person on the other end of the line was still a child, his pronunciation was clear and neat, and his tone from beginning until the end was leveled. He spoke only a few words, but it had the power to command the attention of everyone listening. This voice caught Bunny¡¯s attention. ¡°It¡¯s Bunny.¡± ¡ª¡­A rabbit? ¡°No, it¡¯s my name.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ Soon, silence ensued. The way he couldn¡¯t say anything in return seemed to express the unsaid question of how anyone¡¯s name could possibly be Bunny. He could understand why he¡¯s aghast. And it¡¯s not even her name. ¡ªEight years. After a long silence, the other child said this. ¡ªI¡¯ve been waiting for all eight years of my life for a reply, but all I get is a response from a rabbit¡­ She¡¯s a human though. ¡°Are you eight years old?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe he said ¡®all¡¯ eight years of his life. He was two years younger than Bunny¡ªbasically just a kid. ¡ªWhy do you have that? The child seemed quite angry. However, unlike a kid of his age, he didn¡¯t express his anger by huffing and puffing or throwing a tantrum. He asked for an explanation first, calmly and slowly, and in a voice that suppressed his emotions. Doah was deeply impressed. ¡°Um, I just happened to get it.¡± ¡ªJust happened to, you say. He repeated what Doah said. ¡ªWhen? ¡°Two years ago, but it was stolen long before that and has been going around for an even longer time before.¡± She just answered honestly. After all, this kid was someone she¡¯d never meet. Even if he¡¯d come here to retrieve the earring, he wouldn¡¯t be able to break through Credel¡¯s strong defenses. ¡ªHow can I trust your words? ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether you want to believe me or not.¡± What could she get in return for lying to an eight-year-old kid whose name she didn¡¯t even know? ¡°You said you¡¯ve been waiting for eight years¡ªfor a lifetime.¡± At that moment, Doah almost burst out in laughter. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®All eight years of his life, he said¡­¡¯ That¡¯s just so cute. Chapter 16 Of course, I tried to hold back my laughter because I know he¡¯s just going to be in a bad mood. ¡°I know that being expected to wait without a promise is harsh.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ ¡°Still though, I guess you¡¯ll need to find another way to contact the person you¡¯re waiting for.¡± That was all Doah could say. And there was nothing more she could do here. Even if she wanted to return this earring, Doah was trapped in this castle. Then, at that moment. ¡ªWait? I¡¯ve been waiting, you say¡­ The kid on the other side hesitated as he spoke and eventually trailed off, as if he was trying to trace his memory. ¡ª¡­Yeah, I¡¯ve been waiting. Indeed, I wanted to hear someone speak through this. Compared to the rough way that he said it, his tone was still even and it was a voice with little to no emotion. ¡ªI thought my calls were being ignored¡­ But it wasn¡¯t even with that person in the first place. Eight years ago was around the time the war ended. During the dawn of peace, if there¡¯s someone you couldn¡¯t find, it¡¯s one or the other. Either dead, or you didn¡¯t look hard enough. Maybe that¡¯s why the bandit leader managed to steal things from the palace and come out unscathed. ¡ªIf it¡¯s to that point, then I guess it¡¯s not worth looking for me and my mother anymore. No, did he just forget our existence? Then¡­ Judging by his reaction, it seemed like the latter was more probable. ¡®I can guess who the other person is.¡¯ Even though I was just listening to him, it felt like I was getting immersed into a deep, dark swamp. A grudge that was firmly rooted at the depths. Stagnant and rotting, the kind of grudge that had already degenerated so severely. An artifact in the form of earrings like this one meant that the other half was a token of affection. If it had communication magic etched on it, this token meant something like, ¡®Even though my body is far away, my heart is always with you¡¯. But if the person who gave you this token suddenly couldn¡¯t be contacted, leaving you behind with a child that was now eight years old¡­ Honestly, it was kind of obvious. ¡®Did the father have an affair?¡¯ Then abandoned his wife and child? Doah guessed from the context clues in this conversation, but if that really was the case, then this kid¡¯s father was the worst piece of sh*t in the world. ¡ªNever mind. Because¡­ The kid trailed off again. Although they weren¡¯t facing each other, his emotions were so clear and distinct from how suppressed his tone was now, with his wavering voice and with his shaky breaths. Anger. Hatred. Despair. Resentment¡­ ¡ªHe¡¯s not worth anything to me now. Resignation. What kind of experiences had this child gone through that he was expressing these kinds of feelings? He could have clung onto Doah and whined while asking to help him. In fact, if he really was just eight years old, it was natural for him to do something like that. As if he was neither a child nor an adult, it¡¯s just that he was acting like he never held any hope at all. Doah couldn¡¯t immediately end the conversation. Her chest was feeling heavy, too. It¡¯s like she was looking into a mirror, back when she was still a child herself before she met her grandmother. Doah clamped her lips together. She wanted to offer even just words of comfort to this kid. But¡­ ¡®No, never mind. I¡¯ve got my own problems to deal with.¡¯ Doah tried to push down this sense of camaraderie. ¡®He¡¯s different from me. I was an orphan, and he said he has a mother. That¡¯s good enough.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks What happened to him was none of her business. In the first place, she couldn¡¯t afford to be concerned for another kid who she didn¡¯t even know. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll hang up now.¡± Doah spoke quickly. It was futile to worry, so she decided not to talk to him again. But then, ¡ªWait. The kid stopped her. He spoke urgently this time, with a voice that blatantly revealed his desperation, so unlike how he had been suppressing his emotions earlier. ¡ª¡­Don¡¯t hang up. At the end of this last sentence, his voice trembled slightly. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Doah noticed belatedly. ¡®So you were actually feeling anxious.¡¯ He wanted to whine and cling onto someone, but it seemed like he had never done that before. He didn¡¯t know what to do. He was just pretending like this wasn¡¯t affecting him. That¡¯s what he¡¯s really feeling. Of course. He had been waiting for his entire life, yet he was rewarded with betrayal. He couldn¡¯t possibly be alright after that. ¡®Huu, what do I do¡­¡¯ She wanted to cut off the conversation. This kid obviously had some complicated family history. But Doah had always been like this. She couldn¡¯t just walk past those who were in trouble. ¡°Why, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ ¡°Tell me. I¡¯m listening.¡± The boy couldn¡¯t say anything back. It seemed like he couldn¡¯t believe whether Doah would actually listen to him or not. For the longest period of silence between them, Doah waited silently. ¡ªThe earring¡­ Don¡¯t throw it away. Then right after he said that, he cut off the call. ¡®What the.¡¯ Did he really hang up? She was speechless. Hey. What the hell. ¡®And I was so concerned about you even.¡¯ That kid just said what he wanted to say and then hung up. Doah glared ferociously at the earring as if it was the kid. But in the end, she sighed and just organized the uprooted plants that had gotten mutilated when she dug up the ground. The artifact she had been banking on turned out to be useless. The communication magic encrypted in it was like a phone, but with only one number saved on it. Rather than an asset, it became a burden on Doah¡¯s escape plan. ¡®Should I just put it back underground and never let it see the light of day again?¡¯ As she was wrestling with the dilemma of whether she should bury it again or not, suddenly¡ª ¡°Hey, insect.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She heard a familiar voice behind her. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chapter 17 Salvier. Of all people, it was the worst one out of the lot. Doah quickly hid the earring in her sleeve. Bunny¡¯s quick reflexes and fast hands were unwarrantedly helpful. ¡°You¡¯re doing something suspicious again.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, no wonder you¡¯ve been so calm.¡± Already suspecting what was there, he checked to see the pit that Doah had dug through to see if she had stuffed a few of Ophelia¡¯s stolen belongings there. But naturally, there was nothing to see. The earring was already in her sleeve. ¡°Where did you hide it?¡± In a pointless endeavor, Salvier strode up to Doah and glared down at her threateningly. He was only a year older than Bunny, but he was already so tall. As he stood in front of Doah, her small body seemed to shrink in his shadow. ¡®Um¡­¡¯ Doah looked away, trying to think of an excuse. Then, she stuck out her left hand that was holding a plant. ¡°I was looking for something I could eat, that¡¯s why.¡± She said the first thing that popped into her head. Doah thought, ¡®Ah, I might get grabbed by the collar again for saying some nonsense.¡¯ But then¡­ ¡°Y-You, are you saying you¡¯re scarfing down dirt right now?¡± Salvier¡¯s reaction was different from what she imagined. Without a doubt, he believed what she said just then. Needless to say, she thought he¡¯d persistently accuse her and tell her to show what she was hiding. This was a surprise, but she was relieved in any case. ¡°Scarfing down dirt, huh. This is something you can eat, you know. Isn¡¯t this an herb?¡± ¡°What herb, this is a weed!¡± Ah, so it¡¯s a weed? ¡®It looks nutritious though.¡¯ She thought it was ginseng or something. ¡°Are you crazy? Hey, just scarf down the soil, why don¡¯t you. It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t know that most plants growing in the north are a little poisonous¡­¡± Uh, of course she didn¡¯t know. Doah glanced again towards the root plant she was holding. ¡°I think I ate something similar to this back in the Garbage Dump though.¡± And she thought that the taste was pretty good, too. Although she did have a stomachache. Doah traced Bunny¡¯s memories as she protested, but at this, Salvier opened and closed his mouth like a fish as he was at a loss for words. She couldn¡¯t believe that the great second young master of the household couldn¡¯t speak properly. His complexion even got a little pale. It¡¯s really amazing. ¡®What¡¯s with that reaction?¡¯ Dear Young Master, just because one piece of weed was eaten, does that mean that the world has split in half? Have you never met such a primitive human? While Doah was guessing what he might be thinking, suddenly¡ª ¡°Chef¡­¡± Salvier muttered something. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Call the chef this instant!¡± He suddenly shouted at the escort knight standing behind him. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks * * * There was a sudden commotion in the middle of the night. The head chef and all the other cooks, who were already sleeping soundly, rushed to the kitchen urgently. ¡°What would you like us to cook, sir?¡± As the cooks tried to sense the atmosphere, the chef answered nervously with a trembling voice. ¡°The Second Young Master has asked that we cook everything there is that could be cooked.¡± ¡°W-What on earth¡­¡± But that¡¯s unlikely, right? Salvier was famous for being aggressive and demanding, but he was one of the easiest masters to serve from the perspective of the servants stationed at the kitchen. As long as he was given his meals on time, he wouldn¡¯t go on a rampage like a beast when he was hungry. He also ate whatever he was given well. He was different from the other nobles who made unreasonable demands to the chefs and tried to torment them for no reason at all. ¡°What are you all standing around for? It¡¯s urgent!¡± The chef cried out. Everyone couldn¡¯t understand the reason behind it, but they had no choice but to cook a lot of random dishes. But really. Out of everyone here, the one who¡¯s the most mystified was Doah. Salvier had just stared at the weed as though she was holding something so contemptible, then he suddenly dragged her back to the palace and shoved her into her room. With a huge amount of food that was enough to fill the room entirely. ¡°Eat everything.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check back later to see if everything¡¯s finished or not.¡± Then soon, the door slammed shut. ¡®That nutjob¡­¡¯ Rubbing her wrist, Doah swallowed down the curses that were about to flow out of her lips. The wrist he had pulled on earlier was sore. It was difficult to guess whether he really intended to grip that hard or whether he just didn¡¯t know how to control his own strength. ¡®Just what do you want me to do here.¡¯ Salvier had trapped Doah together with piles upon piles of food. It¡¯s not that she was physically confined to this room, but he said that she couldn¡¯t go out until she finished everything. That was as good as being locked up here. So now, was he telling her to gorge herself to death? ¡®I¡¯m not in the right physical condition to eat all this greasy food in the first place.¡¯ Doah sighed deeply. After entering the central palace, the ones who had tormented Bunny disappeared first, so maybe he was trying to screw with her like this now. However, she was not going to be swayed by this kind of petty bullying. ¡°Doah, the difference between luck and misfortune is a single blank sheet.¡± These were her grandmother¡¯s words. She meant that any crisis could become an opportunity. ¡®He did say to eat everything, but he never said that I should eat everything by myself.¡¯ Taking aside only one bowl of soup, she pulled the rope by the bed and called the maid. ¡°You called?¡± ¡°Can you move everything to the dining hall?¡± ¡°Are you talking about the grand dining hall, Milady?¡± Doah shook her head. ¡°No, the servants¡¯ dining hall.¡± ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡± The maid asked back in surprise. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Chapter 18 It was commonplace for the employees to secretly eat the leftovers of the household¡¯s masters. And implicitly, it¡¯s also permitted. It was characteristic of aristocrats to be served numerous dishes that they normally wouldn¡¯t even eat. Especially as the era of peace had come, the luxury that the nobles immersed themselves in grew worse and worse over time. Perhaps it was the mentality of compensating for all that they suffered through. Even ten years later, it had become customary for them to do this. ¡®But with food that hasn¡¯t even been touched¡­¡¯ It felt like the princess had prepared all this food for the servants from the very start. ¡°Everyone must be sleeping now, so just call the ones working during the night shift, then leave out some for the others and heat them up in the morning.¡± ¡°But hasn¡¯t the Young Master prepared all these for you?¡± At the genuine question, Doah gave back an ambiguous reply, neither confirming nor denying. ¡°How can I eat all these alone?¡± Her statement couldn¡¯t be refuted. ¡®And the Princess has just recovered from being bedridden.¡¯ Salvier was known to be an older brother who cared very extremely for his younger sister, but he could not have known that a recovering patient could only eat a more delicate menu. ¡®Well, come to think of it, if it¡¯s the strong Second Young Master, I don¡¯t think he wouldn¡¯t know.¡¯ The maid glanced at Doah again. Bright red eyes reminiscent of the finest of rubies. Long, golden eyelashes that looked as if the sun¡¯s rays were right there. As she tilted her head slightly to the side, her shiny hair cascaded down along with the movement, and each strand looked as if they were made with pure gold that was melted into thin threads. The maid forgot what she was thinking for a moment, mesmerized entirely by Doah¡¯s each and every action. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to take care of you all because I¡¯ve been sick.¡± As Doah tucked a lock of her hair behind one ear, her eyes folded into arcs. Then, she continued. ¡°I¡¯m sure that it¡¯s the first time for everyone to see me in person.¡± Since all the employees had been replaced to hide Ophelia¡¯s absence. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Consider it as a small token since I¡¯ll be in your care now. Don¡¯t feel too pressured about it.¡± The maid belatedly came to her senses. ¡®Did the Princess ask the Young Master to have all this food cooked just for us?¡¯ If she had said, ¡®Please cook some dishes for the servants¡¯, then the chef and his assistants wouldn¡¯t have done it properly. Being the world-class chef that he was since the emperor also coveted to employ him, that chef and his students had their noses so high up. Even when they were all employees working at the same grand duchy, they acted snobbishly and looked down on the others at any given chance. If they had been ordered to cook for the other employees, then it was obvious that they would have still followed, but they would cook horrible dishes. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s what would have happened. They were told that it¡¯s going to be for the Princess just so we could eat these gourmet dishes¡­¡¯ The maid ended up being teary-eyed. Unlike other noble households, House Credel treated their servants humanely, though the treatment was still far from friendly. This very instance was the first time that the servants had received such favor from a direct descendant of Credel. ¡°I understand! I shall deliver the Princess¡¯ big message to everyone!¡± As the maid clenched her fist, there was a passionate sense of duty burning in her eyes as she went out to call other people to bring the food. ¡®Um, did I get away with it somehow?¡¯ Doah recalled the maid¡¯s face that she had just read. ¡®Though she has a light mouth and easily jumps to conclusions, she¡¯s quick to act.¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Putting it nicely, she was a pure person. But putting it bluntly, she¡¯s simply na?ve. ¡®I should at least give her some desserts later on.¡¯ Doah didn¡¯t even need to lie. The maid helped Doah all by herself through her misunderstanding. As Doah thought this, she scooped up a spoonful of the soup she had set aside earlier. At that moment, the earring inside her sleeve fell down and slipped on the bed. ¡®I ended up bringing it with me.¡¯ Ah, whatever. She could just think about how to throw it away later. Staring at the earring for a moment as she twirled it between her fingertips, she sighed and put it in her pocket. * * * ¡°Wake up right away.¡± In Doah¡¯s sleep, it felt like she heard the second hand of a clock ticking¡­ But it wasn¡¯t a clock. It was a human making that sound. Tak, tak. Tak, tak, tak¡ª When she opened her eyes, she saw the first young master, Angelus, who was tapping at the desk with a regular rhythm. ¡®Am I still dreaming?¡¯ Doah rubbed her eyes, thinking that this must be a nightmare. However, she still clearly saw Angelus as he was arrogantly sitting in another person¡¯s chair, tapping the desk as though he was a metronome. This sight did not disappear. Unfortunately. Doah stared blankly at the boy who was sitting upright with the most perfect posture. Then, Doah spoke with a drowsy voice as she was still half-asleep. ¡°Young Master. You¡¯re being a bother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, the tapping came to a halt. He asked with an astonished tone. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say?¡± Well, should she thank her for not waking her up by grabbing her by the collar? He¡¯s the one who barged into another person¡¯s room and was just sitting there so arrogantly. He was doing it so unashamedly that Doah wondered if they had previously made an appointment to meet before, but she just forgot. Towards Angelus, who appeared out of the blue so early in the morning, Doah asked calmly. ¡°Have you been waiting for me?¡± ¡°What an unpleasant thing to hear. I just got here.¡± In an instant, a grimace fell on his features. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Instead of replying, Doah stared wordlessly at his hand. There¡¯s no way this person wouldn¡¯t come here without looking at his watch first. Belatedly noticing her gaze on the pocket watch in his hand, he shoved it back into his coat pocket right away. Chapter 19 It¡¯s amazing that even when he moved nervously, his elegance was still evident despite his young age. Getting up from his seat, he looked down at Doah with an arrogant gaze and said, ¡°So, have you achieved what you¡¯ve been wishing for?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± So he¡¯s asking why she was still here. Doah was speechless for a moment. Because she absolutely did not accomplish what she wanted. ¡°¡­His Highness was resolute.¡± ¡°Ha, resolute.¡± Angelus scoffed briefly. As if saying, of course he is. ¡°Have you ever tried to look back on your past behavior, even a little bit? I¡¯m sure Father did not feel any sincerity in anything that you¡¯ve said.¡± Instead of getting riled up from his words, Doah lowered her gaze. It was to hide the two eyes that had a defiant gleam. ¡®What a troublesome kid.¡¯ However, there¡¯s no way for her to express her frustrations in front of a grand duchy¡¯s heir. If the grand duke really wouldn¡¯t let Bunny leave this castle, then she¡¯d have to stay here and bear with it all somehow. And if she got emotional and provoked the young duke first, then they might restrict her movements and punish her. In the end, she was the only one at a disadvantage here. ¡®Both of them really want to bite me like two crazy snakes right now, huh¡­¡¯ In this case it would have been better to say yet to whatever he was saying unconditionally, like a mere puppet with no other choice. Unless he could use his head even a little, then he¡¯d figure out that she was only trying to force herself. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She tilted her head slightly and closed her large doll eyes halfway, her thick lashes casting two shadows. As if she was truly crestfallen. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the truth and I was just complaining, so that must be why His Highness flatly refused my request.¡± As the long shadows fell over her red eyes, the already fragile image she had became even more pitiful The clear, transparent eyes containing a hint of light thickened in the shade, and moisture started pooling at her eyes. ¡°I must have been very frustrated after living in the spire all that time. His Highness had allowed me to stay in the Central Palace, and I got a little excited, so¡­ I made a slip of the tongue because I just wanted to go outside the castle even for just a short time.¡± A face that infuriatingly resembled Ophelia¡¯s. A face that gave off such a delicate air that one mistake just might break her. ¡°How could I ever give up my peaceful life in the Credel residence? This is the only place where I belong.¡± Bunny would not ever be able to live peacefully within the walls of Credel. Angelus was well aware of that. He had already been briefed on how Ophelia¡¯s maids had been treating Bunny all this time. However, he thought that this was enough to compensate for all the troubles. Bunny should be feeling better now. Even when she¡¯d hear such insulting words, she¡¯d continue gloating about her position and would just keep clinging to him while saying, ¡®Older Brother!¡¯ But right now¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll be good from now on. The role of Princess Ophelia¡¯s decoy¡ªI¡¯ll do it perfectly. I¡¯ll never do anything to disparage the reputation of House Credel.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks As though choking up in tears, Doah stopped talking for a moment, but she continued speaking. ¡°Then one day, I hope that I can walk around freely outside the castle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Angelus¡¯ chest felt tight. ¡°Brother, when can I go outside the castle by myself?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be dangerous, I promise. Dad even gave me all the mage escorts!¡± ¡°It¡¯s only going to be a little while¡­¡± It was getting harder and harder to breathe. All the guilt that had been buried deep inside, those that had never escaped from their confines during his entire life. They were all surging up. The voice he missed so very much started scrambling through his head. Those memories that happened so long ago came up so vividly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Young Duke?¡± Was it because the silence stretched out for too long? At Doah¡¯s call, Angelus slowly let out all the breath that had been trapped. ¡®It¡¯s all in the past.¡¯ His sensitive nerves had been honed so sharply just now, but they started to dull. Even now, that memory remained as a deep scar upon his heart. But rather, this pushed aside personal feelings and made him see the future. Whatever Bunny meant to do, the important thing now was not to expel her from the household right away. ¡®A fake ducal princess must exist in this castle.¡¯ Ophelia was the symbol of peace. Therefore, it was even more difficult to let the world know that she had been cursed. But what if she didn¡¯t show up in high society until she came of age? ¡®Then the household¡¯s honor will plummet.¡¯ Those who didn¡¯t know the full story would make up all sorts of rumors behind their backs. Of course, it was important to pass on the curse properly, but they also needed to think about what would happen after Ophelia would return home later. Wasn¡¯t that the only reason why Bunny had been selected out of that many orphans in the first place? He had forgotten in the meantime. There was no other choice. He had never been able to talk to Bunny properly at all. He didn¡¯t even expect that she¡¯d be able to fill the role as Ophelia properly. ¡®But strangely, you started acting obediently.¡¯ She didn¡¯t seem to be acting as she had before. Thus far, at least, by the looks of it. However, he couldn¡¯t trust her just yet. ¡®If she could maintain at least this obedience in the future¡­¡¯ If Bunny could be educated thoroughly, then they could announce that she had been miraculously healed of the endemic disease. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only This could also be used to their advantage and people would think that apart from being the symbol of peace, she was also beloved by God. After taking all of this into account, he finally answered. ¡°This is the last time I¡¯ll believe you.¡± Chapter 20 Doah was utterly dumbfounded. Angelus must have never, ever placed his trust in Doah, so what was he saying now about this being the last time? While she was at a loss for words, he brought up something else. ¡°In the meantime, I heard that Ophelia¡¯s maids have embezzled your money by disguising it as if you were the one who spent it all.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Her money? Money, he said. ¡®When was Bunny ever given money though?¡¯ Doah had never heard of this before. ¡°What money are you talking about?¡± What followed was even more absurd. He said that Bunny was given a monthly allowance of 200,000 Festhas. For two entire years! With the 4.8 million Festhas that they gave her, she could have been able to buy a small mansion in the capital with that much money. ¡®I can¡¯t believe they left all that money to the maids.¡¯ Who did they believe in exactly? Bunny was a child¡ªa child who was left isolated and neglected. Since she was such a child, did they not think about what would happen to Bunny¡¯s allowance if she was given much more than she needed? Wasn¡¯t this a very mouth-watering invitation for anyone who had no conscience? Besides that, as she recalled the personalities of those maids she gleaned from their physiognomy, then this type of situation was very much up their alley. Seriously, these Credels really didn¡¯t know? ¡°Whose job was it to transfer that money? Was it the financier?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about the budgeting, then Mother is the one who¡¯s in charge. She¡¯s pure and soft-hearted, so she¡¯s very upset that this happened.¡± The grand duchess? The unexpected answer made Doah narrow her eyes. The grand duchess, who was the mother of the three children, passed away ten years ago when she had given birth to Ophelia. Right now, the grand duchess was the second grand duchess. ¡®Actually, she¡¯s the previous saintess.¡¯ If she was the kind of person who was secluded from the world as she lived in a temple her entire life, then she would have stayed ignorant if she hadn¡¯t asked anyone. ¡°Then, the reward.¡± ¡°What?¡± Doah replied. ¡°In the first place, I¡¯m here for the reward that you¡¯ll be given. After the incident that happened, it¡¯s indisputable that you had been harmed because of the maids.¡± Then, he followed that by saying that if she wanted anything, she should tell him. ¡®Anything?¡¯ Doah¡¯s eyes flashed wider. Every time this boy opened his mouth, he really had a way of scratching the other person¡¯s nerves with terrible words. But right now, he was saying something that she finally agreed with. ¡®So that¡¯s why you waited.¡¯ Angelus was thorough when it came to his calculations. If he received anything, he would return the favor. If someone was caused undue damage, then they would be compensated. Bunny¡¯s wish to leave House Credel was not granted, so he was trying to give her something else. ¡°It¡¯s your wish, obviously.¡± As he murmured, his blue eyes gleamed with blatant contempt. ¡°This is the only time.¡± Then, he ruffled Doah¡¯s hair. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­¡­?¡± What kind of act was this. Here he was saying that she could get whatever she wanted, and she was truly amazed by how convinced he was that this really was what she wanted. What¡¯s worse was that it¡¯s difficult to even say that he was ¡®stroking¡¯ her head. Her hair had gotten so haphazard because of his rough touch. Doah pulled her head back and deliberately avoided his hand. ¡°Excuse me, can you get this hand off me?¡± That appalling look was a bonus. He said he¡¯d repay her for everything, but all he meant by that was stroking her head? ¡®These brats are no joke.¡¯ She grimaced and leaned back as far as she could. The bed was so large that she was able to widen the distance between her and Angelus. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then, his expression faltered. He seemed to be trying to maintain his composure, but it looked as if he eventually got embarrassed. ¡®Of course, if I was the real Bunny, I would have already become a sobbing mess from being so moved and emotional.¡¯ This rejection was a first. That¡¯s why it felt even worse. It¡¯s like she was a witness to a child who was hungry for love and desperate for touch, as if she herself was the child begging like so. It¡¯s as if Angelus was saying just take this and stop it with the act of wanting to leave. Doah wanted to spit out an inordinate amount of saliva like an alpaca, but with great patience, she spoke. ¡°Young Duke, I¡¯m afraid that I don¡¯t need to request for such a worthless thing.¡± ¡°¡­Worthless?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s worthless to me.¡± It was an ambiguous response. It couldn¡¯t be determined whether she was saying that the act of stroking her head was worthless, or Angelus himself was worth nothing to her. ¡°From now on, Young Duke, I will never ask anything like playing family with you, even until I die. So you don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± Doah wholeheartedly said something that she knew he wanted to hear. ¡°Just as you want, unless we¡¯re outside and keeping up pretenses, I will never call you Older Brother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Something like calling you Brother, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to¡­¡± And yet, Angelus continued looking down at his hand. ¡°Young Duke?¡± Only then did he dazedly raise his head with a quiet, ¡®Ah.¡¯ ¡°So, can I tell you what I wish for now?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Speak.¡± At last, permission was granted. ¡°Since I will be standing in as Princess Ophelia¡¯s decoy, I do think there¡¯s a need for a decent budget that fits my role.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Doah did not mention what standing Ophelia actually had and simply raised the corners of her lips smoothly into a materialistic smile. ¡°In addition to the compensation I will be receiving.¡± It was a clear demand to stop this shitty act and just give her money. Chapter 21 As soon as Doah decided to take on the role of Ophelia, the first place she visited was the library. So far, she had only been relying solely on Bunny¡¯s memories regarding what she knew about this world. Bunny was quite knowledgeable, and in fact, she was smart for her age, but she was still only just ten years old. ¡®I¡¯ll get a tutor like I did in the first life, but it¡¯s better to study before then.¡¯ Doah took out all the fundamental books that she could find and piled them all up in a trolley. ¡ªHey, you there?¡± Doah was a little shocked by the familiar voice that she suddenly heard. ¡ªAnswer me if you¡¯re there. It¡¯s a call. ¡®That startled me.¡¯ Doah reached into her pocket and took out the earring that she had forgotten for a while there. While she was thinking about whether to answer him or not, the voice that urged her to answer changed its tune. After a long time, the child murmured to himself calmly. ¡ªSo she threw it away, I knew it¡­ ¡®I knew it,¡¯ he said. What¡¯s with that. Doah pressed down the urge to sigh. Truthfully, she also had a choice to keep her mouth shut and just ignore him. Given her current situation, ignoring him was the wisest and the most reasonable decision. However. ¡°What?¡± She kept the thing while she was caught off guard, but it was unfair on her part to be misunderstood that she had been carrying it in her pocket all that time and just threw it away like that. And she pretended to brush it off, but she actually felt uncomfortable to hear that resigned voice of his. ¡ªSo you didn¡¯t throw it away. ¡°You told me not to.¡± ¡ªYou didn¡¯t sell it either. An artifact could get you just the right amount. It was an accessory with a ¡®mana stone¡¯ where magic spells could be engraved, but the higher the purity of the mana stone, the higher the price it could fetch. And the mana stone could also be reused in a way that the previous spell would be removed and a new spell would be engraved. ¡°Why should I sell this thing when it¡¯s not mine? If I do that, then you¡¯ll never have the opportunity to contact the person you¡¯ve been waiting for all this time.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ Then, after a moment of silence, he replied with a weak chuckle. ¡ªWhat does that have to do with you though? Ah, maybe she should just bury this again by the roadside. Suppressing the impulses that came in violent waves, Doah asked curtly. ¡°So then, to what do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡ªJust wondering if you still have it. What a trivial reason. But she had a hunch that this kid wouldn¡¯t have contacted her just because he was feeling a bit bored. Doah listened carefully to the kid and asked again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your voice?¡± ¡ªVoice? What? ¡°It¡¯s totally messed up.¡± ¡ªAs if¡­ You heard it wrong. She couldn¡¯t have. The last time she heard his voice in a call, she was impressed by the fact that he had been born with a good voice, so she could clearly distinguish between the voice before and the voice now. ¡®Something must have happened.¡¯ For a moment, she thought about asking, but she didn¡¯t push through. It didn¡¯t seem like this kid would answer easily. Doah had a rough image of the child. It seemed like it¡¯s normal in his daily life to hold back his emotions, so pretending to be fine had already become a deeply ingrained habit. It wasn¡¯t likely that he¡¯d easily express himself at all. ¡®No one else but me is there to listen to him, it seems.¡¯ She was sure of this because she could draw from her own past experiences. Doah recalled that one child who was crouching in the dark. A child with tears that have already dried, with no energy left to shout for help, with only panting breaths leaving her lips. A child who would have withered away had it not been for one caring old woman who reached out a helping hand. That child was Park Doah from her previous life. So, she decided not to rush him. In a case like this, it¡¯s better to just stay where she was right there. ¡°I¡¯m alone, too.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡ª¡­¡­ ¡°There¡¯s no one for me to meet, nothing for me to do. I have all the time in the world.¡± Surprisingly, the kid on the other side stayed silent. He didn¡¯t ask how she knew that he was alone, too. She wondered if this was something common between two lonely people. Doah moved for a moment, taking out a book and sitting down at a desk. ¡°All I¡¯m going to do today is to read some books. If there¡¯s anything you want to tell me, you can go ahead any time and just say it.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ He¡¯s really quiet now. He was rather more talkative back then during the first time they talked to each other. Glancing up at the particularly clear sky, Doah spoke. ¡°The weather is so nice today. Are you outside?¡± The kid, who was just breathing for a long time without saying anything back, muttered back so quietly that Doah wouldn¡¯t have heard anything had she not been listening intently. ¡ªSo the sun¡¯s already up¡­ It¡¯s been quite a while already since the sun rose to the sky, but it seemed like it¡¯s the first time he noticed it. She wondered if he was looking up at the sky. With a broken voice, he muttered. ¡ªThe sky is blue. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s clear and blue, with not one cloud in sight¡­¡± ¡ªThere¡¯s one cloud. It looks like a rabbit. ¡°That¡¯s me, actually.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ So it seemed like this kid didn¡¯t know what jokes were. She said this because she suddenly recalled the way he asked her if she was a rabbit because her name was Bunny. It was enough to make anyone feel awkward because the intended reaction wasn¡¯t elicited, but Doah turned the page without paying too much attention to it. When talking to a kid, sometimes it¡¯s better to do it in plain language. She read the book in front of her for a long while. There was a sharp turn of the pages. Then the sound of the wind knocking at the window. And the colorful fallen leaves circling in the air. ¡°How relaxing.¡± Doah suddenly realized. She didn¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been since she last looked at the sky like this and watched the scenery outside the window while feeling so calm and relaxed. Then suddenly, the kid spoke. ¡ªThe night is going to come again today. As if he was talking to himself, not exactly hoping for an answer. ¡ªTomorrow, the day after that, and the day after that. Instead of berating him for saying such an obvious thing, Doah asked, as if she had hit the nail on the head. ¡°Are the nights long for you? Are they scary?¡± The boy had been consistently answering with succinct words or simply silence all throughout, but this time, he immediately responded. ¡ªI don¡¯t like the dark. ¡°Then is it the darkness that feels long and scary?¡± ¡ªI told you, I don¡¯t like it. This kid really, how difficult. Doah smirked as she said. ¡°In the night skies of winter, if you look closely, you¡¯ll be able to see a rabbit right there.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Doah told him about the constellations she had studied so desperately all those years ago. There was a simple reason why she had studied such useless things. What she was the most scared of in the world was the darkness of the night, so she tried to overcome that darkness somehow. ¡°If you connect the stars in the skies with a few lines, they can become various objects, figures or animals. Among the stars, you¡¯ll be able to see a rabbit outline.¡± ¡ªYeah right. ¡°Something like darkness can¡¯t be solved just by closing your eyes. Rather, that fear will just grow even bigger inside you if you do that.¡± She closed the book she was reading and explained it calmly with a gentle tone. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°So, when night comes, you have to look at the evening sky with your eyes wide open.¡± Most fears could be overcome just by facing them directly. Chapter 22 The anxiety that the abyss-like darkness was about to devour her was just an illusion, and when given the chance to look straight at darkness, the realization might come that it¡¯s actually not a big deal. ¡°Then you¡¯ll be able to see the big, bright moon, the countless stars, and the little rabbit in the night sky.¡± ¡ªLittle rabbit¡­ ¡°Look for it when winter comes. It¡¯s a bit hard to find.¡± This was a different dimension, so the constellation that Doah knew about might not even appear in this place. The most important thing was that he¡¯d be able to face his fear of darkness while he¡¯s trying to find that constellation. ¡°That rabbit is actually me, you know.¡± Doah made that bad joke again. ¡°I¡¯m watching you from the sky.¡± She spoke more earnestly this time though, and after a long while, the kid whispered softly. ¡ªOkay¡­ This kid had been adamant about drawing the line between them all this time, but he suddenly answered her nicely. Maybe it was because of that, but she was delighted to hear it more than she thought. ¡®What¡¯s this.¡¯ Huh, it felt so sweet. It¡¯s like her nerves finally had a time to be a little relaxed now, what with having to deal with the Credel father and sons this whole time. No, even further back in the past than that. Before Doah became Bunny when she died, her mind had been in constant turmoil because of all the torment she had experienced in the Park household. It felt as if that had also melted away. She was trying to comfort another child here, but she¡¯s being comforted as well. Doah let out a small chuckle. ¡ªWhy are you laughing? Then, a curt answer came back to her. Maybe he thought that she was teasing him. ¡°Just, you know. This is nice.¡± ¡ªWhat? This moment. This moment where she was having a conversation with a kid she didn¡¯t even know, in this moment where they didn¡¯t even ask anything about each other. Right here and right now, Doah didn¡¯t have to be a bad luck receptor or curse substitute. She didn¡¯t have to be the Park family¡¯s youngest daughter, and neither did she have to pretend to be Ophelia. She didn¡¯t have to persistently analyze someone¡¯s physiognomy or read their fortune in the name of her own survival. As Doah couldn¡¯t explain all this to the other person, she summed up her current feelings with a few words. ¡°It¡¯s just, I think I¡¯m going to like you quite a bit.¡± Maybe it¡¯s because they didn¡¯t even know each other¡¯s names. Doah could only say these words that did not need any pretenses, towards this child who she would never meet in the future. ¡°So call me often, okay?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ If they kept in touch like this, maybe one day they¡¯d be able to open up and honestly tell each other what has been going on in their lives. ¡®It¡¯s ridiculous how he builds a wall first, but also calls me first, but¡­¡¯ She was going to let it slide because she thought he was cute. It¡¯s like raising a street cat. To put it into words, perhaps it¡¯s like she wished to tame him well and become his cat butler? Though they didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s identities, it might be nice to provide a small shelter for this kid, just so he could take a breather once in a while. No, honestly, he was the one giving Doah shelter. With these thoughts in mind, Doah was able to settle her nerves and regain her composure. ¡®Right, let¡¯s just think about this calmly.¡¯ There was no rush here. Bunny was only ten years old. There¡¯s still eight years left before she would come of age. It¡¯s fine to get to know each other little by little. That¡¯s what she was thinking, but¡­ ¡ªFine. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks With one clipped word, the call ended. She suddenly wondered what he meant, and she realized that it must be the answer to what she said about him calling often. * * * ¡°Hey!¡± A threateningly sized rock flew straight at his head, then fell down to his feet. Damien looked down at the rock on the floor. ¡°Terrible jerk. You don¡¯t let out a scream even once.¡± ¡°Dude, that¡¯s only obvious! How can a mute speak?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re really one?¡± The children crowded in front of Damien broke out into giggles and scathing laughter. The child slowly raised his head. Small, thin figure. Ragged clothes. His shaggy hair, tangled in dust and blood, covered his face and showed only his chapped lips and slender jawline. ¡°My mom ended up in the Garbage Dump because of you. She¡¯s starving every day because of you!¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all because of you. We¡¯re all starving every day because of you!¡± ¡°You killed Annie. You deserve to die too!¡± Another kid threw a rock that was in his hand. Damien looked indifferently at the rock that was headed for his head. However, he lifted his hand and lightly caught it. Then, without a word, he turned towards the other children. ¡°T-This monster!¡± ¡°Hey, the monster is coming to kill us!¡± ¡°Ack, run away!¡± The children who were gathered as a group just now screamed and scattered separately. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Damien stared at the alley that was emptied in an instant, then looked at one kid who was slow to run. He reached out one hand and made a gesture with his hand, grabbing that kid¡¯s neck in the air. And he made a rough estimate as he looked at his hand. If those kids didn¡¯t throw stones at him, then he wouldn¡¯t do this. He¡¯s sure that he would stop some of them from breathing. ¡®Monster¡­¡¯ Using the back of his hand, Damien wiped off the drops of blood running down his chin. There was a cacophony ringing in his ears. The sound of swords being brandished, anguished screams, bursts of blood, a desperate cry¡­ At one corner of his periphery, he could see structures made from scrap materials that couldn¡¯t be called houses. If someone were to curl up in this street where no one cared about anyone, then it wouldn¡¯t matter who died. He hated the dark. Because he didn¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of doing in the dark. As he was overcome with an uncontrollable rage, he had a hunch that he really might turn into the monster that they were calling him. ¡°In the winter¡¯s night sky, if you look closely, you¡¯ll be able to see a rabbit right there.¡± Damien looked up at the sky. The cloud shaped like a rabbit had already disappeared in the wind. He was never going to see it again. ¡®Rabbit constellation¡­¡¯ But the stars. Wouldn¡¯t it be there all winter? Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The four seasons here in the north were always severe. Even now, he¡¯d have to worry about the possibility of freezing to death once the sun went down. However, as Damien rubbed his frozen hands until they were red, he suddenly thought that he wanted winter to come quickly. Chapter 23 A few days later, Angelus personally visited Doah. ¡°Here.¡± He handed over a black card with the family seal ornately engraved over it. ¡¸ 6.8 Million Gold Festha The total amount to reimburse Ophelia Credel ¡ªFluvia Credel¡¯s deputy, Angelus Credel ¡¹ ¡°In addition to that, from now on, 500,000 Festha will be set aside every month for your expenses.¡± Doah almost let out an exclamation. ¡®Wow¡­ You¡¯re really giving it to me after I asked for it.¡¯ What if she saved all that money for eight years? She¡¯d be able to buy an island, build a mansion, hire employees and spend the rest of her life playing and eating without a care in the world. Faced with an astronomical amount of money, she naturally set out a blueprint for the future. ¡®You¡¯ve got something going for you after all.¡¯ That he wasn¡¯t stingy when it came to money. Doah had a new outlook on Angelus. It felt like she discovered a new potential in him. She first thought that it¡¯s better not to interact with him in the future, but she changed her mind. That is, there¡¯s a good outlook on him as a personal wallet. ¡®My moneybag¡­¡¯ ¡°What kind of look is that in your eyes?¡± Did he perhaps see the greed that flickered in Doah¡¯s eyes? At Angelus¡¯ feisty comment, Doah smiled broadly and curled her eyes into crescent moons, as if she had never once looked at him as a cash cow. ¡°I¡¯m so happy. I can buy pretty and warm clothes now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Um, I can also eat a lot of delicious food, buy some toys, dolls, books¡­¡± Doah counted with her fingers one after another, listing things that children her age might want. The high and mighty Angelus might have gotten his conscience stabbed at, too, as he couldn¡¯t reply for a brief moment. ¡®If I want to avoid their surveillance over what I¡¯d spend this money on, I shouldn¡¯t spend it on just reasonable extravagance. I wonder if there¡¯s a good place where I can freely spend a lot of money.¡¯ Doah¡¯s cheeks reddened with excitement as she wondered how she¡¯d turn this money into an escape fund without being discovered. However, on the surface, she looked like an innocent child who was rejoicing at the gift she was given. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I can buy you that much.¡± What? Doah looked up at Angelus with round eyes. He must have gotten flustered after saying this impulsively that he brushed one finger over his lips in a mild panic. But it was just for a moment. Angelus quickly regained his composure. As he raised his chin haughtily, he said. ¡°What, it¡¯s not like I said something I¡¯m not supposed to say. You¡¯re a ducal princess now, even if you¡¯re just a substitute. As long as you¡¯re called Ophelia, you will be given whatever you want.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Ah. Doah could feel her lips curling up on one side, but she pursed them instead. She really didn¡¯t need any of it. Fluffy and soft fur coats, colorful jewelry, cute dolls, wonderous toys, interesting fairy tale books, pretty flowers that weren¡¯t common in the northern region¡­ As Bunny endured alone for two years, these were all the things she desperately wished for. ¡®Those were things that you could have given her with just one command.¡¯ And yet he was giving them all to Doah, who was just a shell now. It¡¯s like fixing a barn when the cow had already disappeared. ¡®Now that I¡¯m here, you¡¯re being good, huh.¡¯ It¡¯s funny. But at the same time, sad. Because Bunny, who would have jumped for joy, was gone forever. ¡°Wow, really?¡± Unlike her cynical thoughts, Doah pretended that she liked what she heard. And pretended to be shy as she ducked her head to hide the cold look in her eyes. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want, let me know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care, as long as the Young Duke gives it to me¡­¡± It¡¯s all useless. So it doesn¡¯t matter what you give. She smiled broadly, showing her white teeth, then moderately reworded what she wanted to say. ¡°You¡¯re always busy, Young Duke. You¡¯ve also already lost a lot of precious time because of me. I¡¯ll figure things out on my own from now on, so you don¡¯t have to pay any attention to me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to give me this much, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I¡¯ll use it well.¡± It was a euphemistic rejection. Angelus glanced down silently at Doah for a long while, as if he had been caught off guard. ¡°Angelus¡ª Brother!¡± ¡°Please play with me.¡± ¡°Hmph¡­ Brother is always busy.¡± ¡°Are you very busy again today?¡± His already moon-white face grew slightly paler. Now knowing what Angelus had recalled just now, Doah tilted her head to the side, wondering what made him make that expression. ¡°¡­You¡¯ll be given a month to rest under the pretext of recuperation.¡± Having been stiff for a long while, he quickly spat out what he came here to say. ¡°In the meantime, don¡¯t raise any trouble and adjust well. Your education will start again after that.¡± And without even waiting for Doah¡¯s response, he suddenly walked out and slammed the door behind him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Ridiculous kid. ¡®You sound like an old man, but you¡¯re only just fourteen.¡¯ He¡¯s like an unpredictable season, going hot and cold like that. But she wasn¡¯t all that curious about him anyway. Chapter 24 Translated by Yonnee Doah brought the card over to a drawer and stored it there. After that, she recalled what Angelus just said. ¡®Classes after a month?¡¯ Doah recalled the man who had been in charge of Bunny¡¯s education for two years. She decided to read some of the books that had been assigned to her. ¡¸ Basic social etiquette ¡¹ ¡¸ History of the Continent ¡¹ ¡¸ Art during the Period of Decline ¡¹ ¡¸ The Warring Period and Literary Ideology ¡¹ As she read through the books, much of the content was different from what Bunny¡¯s tutor had taught her. It was either of the two. First, perhaps her tutor wasn¡¯t good at his job. Second, he intentionally taught her wrong information. ¡®Will he be the same tutor again, I wonder.¡¯ If he was, then that would be great. Doah¡¯s eyes glinted red. Then, at that moment, Knock, knock¡ª A short rapping sound came from the door, and soon after, a familiar maid stuck her head through the small opening. ¡°Princess, I have gathered a group of maids who have volunteered to take care of you temporarily¡­¡± It was that foolish maid. * * * She was walking around well enough, so why on earth were they here to ¡®take care¡¯ of her? She was going to decline them. ¡°Princess, say ah¡ª¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± And as it could be seen, she had failed to do that. Doah looked down at the spoon of soup that the maid had briefly blown on. It was so suffocating because of the excessively affectionate gazes directed at her. This maid¡¯s name was Ruby. She was the maid that day when Salvier had ordered a lot of food to be cooked, and she was the one who distributed it to the other servants. ¡®What the hell have you been saying about me?¡¯ That¡¯s all Doah wanted to ask. Just what did she say to the others that there was not just one, but an entire group of servants who had volunteered to take care of Doah? ¡°My arm is going to fall off, Princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll eat by myself.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s too heavy!¡± She had never heard of a spoon being heavy before. But Ruby was being serious. ¡°The doctor said that you¡¯re malnourished, Princess.¡± At this, the other maids were moved to tears. ¡°Malnourished¡­ That just can¡¯t be. How sick must have the Princess been that she couldn¡¯t even eat properly¡­¡± A few days ago, the grand duchy¡¯s family doctor had given her a check-up and henceforth diagnosed Bunny with malnutrition. But did it even make sense that the princess of House Credel had been abused and was malnourished? She should have been able to eat exotic delicacies any time she wanted. The maids had misunderstood on their own, that Ophelia had been so ill that she couldn¡¯t eat food properly all this time. Thanks to this, Doah couldn¡¯t even have any peace during her mealtimes. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Have just one spoon, please. Our Princess, it¡¯ll be really big trouble if you don¡¯t. Please?¡± ¡°Please, Princess. Now, say ah¡ª¡± If she were to be touched, she would break. If a gust of wind were to blow, she would scatter away. That¡¯s what they thought. And although it¡¯s publicly known that she had been suffering from a severe case of the epidemic until now, they had no qualms about being near her. It was their first time seeing Ophelia, who Doah was posing as, and they were treating her as if they¡¯d been loyally serving her for decades. ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because they volunteered.¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect such a good response after she had only passed on the food that Salvier had given on his own. ¡®It¡¯s probably because Ophelia is the symbol of peace who is loved by all.¡¯ Doah thought that as she glanced back at the maid¡¯s desperate urging. ¡®I¡¯m reminded of Grandma.¡¯ She was the one who raised Park Doah when Doah herself had just been waiting for death to come to her. Of course, her grandmother didn¡¯t flatter her like this to the point that she was babied. ¡°Eat. Those who live must continue to live.¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m alive, what¡¯s the point of living though?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. If you treat yourself like dog shit even when you¡¯re born with such a great name, then you really will live like dog shit.¡± Even so, she was more affectionate and more gentle to Doah more than anyone else. ¡°My Doah, you are a spring tree. Spring is the time when flowers bloom on a spring tree. With your fate, you will have many spring trees, enough to form a forest. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if you can just wait for winter to pass for now?¡± ¡°Will I be able to live until then?¡± ¡°The spring tree is a symbol for strong vitality. It has taken root in the frozen soil and overcame the harsh frost of the winter. If you try to cut down a spring tree, it¡¯s the axe that would chip away.¡± Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be stronger than anyone else. That¡¯s what her grandmother said. With a conviction as though she was saying something obvious without not one shadow of doubt, Doah¡¯s grandmother told her that she would bloom in the spring. And so, Doah had been left waiting for the terribly long, harsh winter to pass. She learned how to survive through the winter. Thanks to her grandmother, Doah learned that even though it was a miserable life, there could still be a candle there that could brighten up the darkness. ¡®I died before that spring came though.¡¯ Ah, but wasn¡¯t she alive now? And, more tenaciously than anyone else. Fate would follow the individual¡¯s soul1, and even now as she was in a different body, Doah¡¯s fate remained to be that of a spring tree. ¡®Right, I must eat. I need to eat so I can live.¡¯ She would have to survive so that she could greet the new spring¡ªon the day that the flowers would finally bloom. With this thought in mind, Doah slowly opened her lips. ¡°Oh, what a good girl. Please eat a lot.¡± ¡°Have another bite, Princess.¡± ¡°Does your stomach hurt?¡± Of course though, she still couldn¡¯t get used to this babying treatment. While she chewed on her food, Doah nodded. Because of the soft, ticklish atmosphere, her every move felt stiff as though she was an ungreased machine that creaked every time. ¡®Why am I being so stiff?¡¯ Perhaps because she had no immunity towards pure kindness that did now ask for anything in return. As she was thinking about this, it was at that moment. Knock, knock¡ª Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the door. Knock, knock, knock¡ª Far from what¡¯s customarily courteous, it was a sound that exuded a sharp temperament. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only 1 Instead of ¡®soul¡¯, the actual phrasing of it is the ¡®ego¡¯, which consciously acts and gives the body agency. But for the sake of brevity, the word ¡®soul¡¯ was used. Chapter 25 Perhaps it was only Doah who felt it, but the maids exchanged glances and looked back at her. ¡°¡­Come in.¡± The atmosphere of the room had been as warm as the sun¡¯s rays that were permeating through the window, but it all soon cooled down in an instant. With a meek expression on her face, Doah asked the door to be opened, then stared silently at the person who walked in. It was a woman in her forties. ¡®The head maid, Angela.¡¯ And following behind Angela were five unfamiliar maids. ¡°Good morning, Young Miss.¡± Angela greeted Doah insincerely, then she scanned the room to look at the maids inside, her gaze full of disapproval. ¡°All of you here.¡± ¡°Yes, Head Maid!¡± ¡°Have you not heard that the Princess has been assigned other maids starting from today? Go back to your stations. Now.¡± The maids exchanged glances. They had not heard anything about this before. There was no mention of assigning new maids to be in charge of her. Has the decision been made secretly? And in the meantime, the maids here were being kicked out like this. However, orders from above were absolute. Most of the maids inside the room showed their doubts, but they couldn¡¯t do anything but back down here. ¡°The Princess has not yet finished her meal.¡± Even so, there was one maid who did not immediately comply with the order and replied firmly. It was because she felt that the way that the head maid had proceeded with this decision without asking the ducal princess¡¯ consent was quite rude. Doah looked closely at that maid. ¡°So you¡¯re disobeying the order?¡± ¡°That is not true. I only mean that it doesn¡¯t have to be right this instant.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right!¡± Ruby, who was silent as she looked around, also responded and stood her ground. ¡°E-Even maids are not disturbed while they are eating, so you must let the Princess finish her meal!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°I-I mean¡­ It¡¯s just like¡­ that¡­¡± The head maid stared down at her with wide, angry eyes, so Ruby¡¯s spirit was soon crushed and she could only clasp her fingers together. Still though, Doah thought that she did her best. ¡°The newly assigned maids will take care of the Lady¡¯s meals. Don¡¯t be stubborn. Just do what¡¯s assigned to you.¡± At the words of the head maid, the two maids who spoke up pursed their lips and bit them tightly as they bowed their heads down. As they raised their heads again, their eyes met with Doah¡¯s as she had been watching them all this time. Ruby smiled back innocently, but the other maid bowed her head again even deeper as she was surprised. ¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It is Candice.¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a sugary name.¡± What did I just hear? Candice raised her head carefully. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks As Doah had asked the maid for her name, her eyes were curved finely. ¡°I will remember.¡± When Candice saw that smile, she forgot what she was supposed to say and froze as she was. Because she heard that the young lady would remember her from now on. Ruby felt somewhat left out behind Candice, so she pointed to herself with one finger and appealed quietly. Princess, what about me? What about my name? ¡°T-Then, we shall leave now.¡± Candice regained her senses belatedly and grabbed the dense Ruby and dragged her away. Doah replied without a sign of annoyance at them. ¡°Yes, go back safely. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡± It meant that she would remember them. Candice left the room in a hurry. For some reason, she could feel her heart pounding loudly. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t just Doah who would now remember Candice¡¯s name. Glaring discontentedly at the retreating back of the insolent maid who dared speak against her, Angela spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that the maids who will be in charge of you have already been decided and that this decision cannot be revoked.¡± It was a threatening tone. ¡°Whose decision is it?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I am asking you. With whose jurisdiction are you acting on here.¡± Doah asked back icily. It was as if she had never smiled like a spring flower just now. In an instant, her way of speaking, her expression and the atmosphere around her changed sharply. ¡°It¡¯s only natural that it is my responsibility to assign the maids.¡± The head maid faltered for a moment, but she quickly retorted. ¡°It¡¯s all up to you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that everything here is your responsibility?¡± She even used the heavy word of responsibility. Still, Angela twisted one corner of her lips upward and snapped back sarcastically. ¡°Well, of course it is.¡± The head maid, Angela, knew Bunny¡¯s real identity. At this moment, all the heads of each department knew that she was a fake ducal princess. But Doah wasn¡¯t all too concerned about this. ¡®I thought that a person given the position of a department representative was someone who at least knew how to act accordingly and far from self-interest.¡¯ Well, that¡¯s actually not the case here. Was it because the head maid had suddenly gone crazy? Or did the head maid not even have a high enough IQ to realize that, unlike when Bunny was still being detained in the spire, she now needed to treat Bunny respectfully since she¡¯s entered the central palace? ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem to be either of the two.¡¯ A hooked nose reminiscent of a hawk¡¯s beak. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Since the olden times, a shape like that was typically held in high regard, thinking that a person with that kind of nose was someone remarkable. But the eyes, too, were important. Chapter 26 Good eye hook nose. Evil eye hook nose. It¡¯s said that if the person had good eyes, then they would be born with the vigor of a hawk and would be brave and wise. However, if they were born with evil eyes, then they would be a fraud who¡¯d do nothing but bad things with that good intellect of theirs. Angela¡¯s case was the latter. ¡®You have a backer you trust, don¡¯t you?¡¯ A very reliable backer. If that¡¯s the case, then there might be another one pulling the strings behind her. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Doah examined the physiognomy of the maids that Angela brought with her. They seemed as bad as the maids that had been recently kicked out. ¡®So tiring.¡¯ They were not like the maids who did odd jobs. They were in charge of the meals. Also the laundry, cleaning, bathing and preparing to go out. They would be in charge of everything necessary in Doah¡¯s life. ¡®While they can naturally blend into my daily life, if I mess up, they can grasp and shake my right to live here.¡¯ Though of course, they would act accordingly as they would prioritize their own safety. However, as Bunny was merely a fake ducal princess from the garbage dump, Bunny¡¯s situation was like a candle in the wind. She would never know when they¡¯d change again. She couldn¡¯t be swayed like this all her life. Doah quickly finished her calculations and spoke. ¡°Do you think it makes sense for me to be attended by maids who I don¡¯t know where they¡¯ve been or what they¡¯ve been doing?¡± ¡°However you can¡¯t change the maids that have already been assigned¡ª¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been telling you since a while ago. I mean to say, give me these maids¡¯ r¨¦sum¨¦s.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Angela could not immediately answer. Noticing the head maid¡¯s hesitation, Doah relaxedly stroked her chin and said with a lighthearted voice. ¡°You said you¡¯re in charge, yes? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have it.¡± ¡°¡­I cannot decide whether I can show you that or not, even if I have it.¡± ¡°But you said it¡¯s under your jurisdiction, so why? Who dares take over your work? Do you want me to go and scold them for you?¡± Doah said so with a round smile as though she was teasing the woman, and from where she was, she could hear the head maid¡¯s teeth gnash. ¡°Then, bring all the r¨¦sum¨¦s of the other maids as well. Of course, including yours.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Did she really not understand that Doah was asking for her r¨¦sum¨¦, too? Angela was now making a face as if she was thinking, ¡®What the hell is this brat up to?¡¯ ¡°I guess it¡¯s too much of an unreasonable demand?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was as Doah said. ¡®If only she had asked to see the letters of recommendation,¡¯ Those were only a means to infer who it was that introduced the maids and where they came from. However, a r¨¦sum¨¦ contained only personal details about where and what they had done before, so there was nothing special about it. ¡®Why the hell¡­¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Angela somehow felt uncomfortable. But she could think of no reason to refuse, so she then ordered the maids to transfer hundreds of r¨¦sum¨¦s. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Doah flipped through the documents with an indifferent expression. There was nothing for her to see here. She picked out the r¨¦sum¨¦s of only Angela and the four maids she brought with her. From their physiognomy, it seemed like there¡¯s one maid with an unusual fortune among them. ¡®As expected, the date and time of their births are all written here.¡¯ In this world, the matter of ¡®birth time¡¯ was quite important. Because the very moment of birth was considered to be very sacred. Thanks to this, there was a custom of recording not only the date of one¡¯s birth, but also the ¡®time¡¯ of one¡¯s birth. It was a custom for everyone, be it with royalty, nobility or the common people. For someone like Doah, it was a stroke of luck. Fortunetelling was based on the year, month, day and time of birth. Besides that, the calendar system here was the same as it was on Earth, with 365 days in a year, a total of 12 months and one week was seven days. This was the solar calendar. Therefore, it was possible to shift the focus from the sun to the moon to overlap it with the lunar calendar. Doah, at last, opened her lips to speak. ¡°This can¡¯t be your fortune though¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t understand. At this, Angela responded a beat late. ¡°What?¡± Doah looked at Angela¡¯s fortune one more time. Then, she read the woman¡¯s face again. ¡°¡­¡­¡± She was nothing but a child staring back at her. However, Angela felt as if everything about her was being exposed to this kid right this very second. ¡®Why? Why do I have this feeling?¡¯ With her fists clenched, Angela swallowed the anxiety surging within her. Then, at one point, she couldn¡¯t stand the suffocating silence any longer. She barked out loudly. ¡°Then you must be satisfied enough now! You¡¯ve wasted enough time. You have to be clothed satisfactorily enough for Credel¡¯s standards¡ªright this instant.¡± Then she gestured to the maids who had been waiting behind her. They were responsible for monitoring, controlling and reporting each and every move that Bunny, the fake ducal princess, would make. The maids moved in unison and tried to take off Bunny¡¯s nightgown with their rude touch. Even so, Doah was not agitated at all. ¡°Head Maid.¡± On the contrary, she lifted one finger up. As if to beckon her closer. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Angela approached her stiffly. Then, she whispered into the woman¡¯s ear. ¡°You. So you¡¯re pretending to be a dead person, hm?¡± Chapter 27 What Doah said made Angela inhale sharply. That very reaction was a clear indication that Doah hit the nail on the head. Though that reaction was gone in a flash, seeing this strengthened Doah¡¯s conviction with her guess. ¡®So that¡¯s really how it is.¡¯ There was not a single thing in Angela¡¯s r¨¦sum¨¦ that matched her physiognomy. Even if you say that she made a desperate attempt to change her fate and even if you say that she had changed her outward appearance, her fortune as Doah could read was impossible. Because her fortune during her early days did not match. ¡®Early fortune, which covers the period of birth to adolescence, is something that¡¯s almost impossible to change.¡¯ Children were forced to conform to the strong influence of their parents and their surroundings. If a child¡¯s physiognomy states that their luck during the early years isn¡¯t good, then their four pillars of destiny might contradict this because the child¡¯s luck also depends on their parents¡¯ fortune, so they could still be well off. In particular, this was where the positive seal would be developed. This meant that, with the help of the child¡¯s parents and the other adults around them, the child would likely grow up with a gentle spirit as they would grow up properly through good education. This was completely separate from one¡¯s physiognomy. But it¡¯s not just that. ¡®From the date and time of birth in this r¨¦sum¨¦, I could see that there¡¯s supposed to have been a massive stroke of fate working against this person at the age of twenty-five.¡¯ In other words, the year this person turned twenty-five was the beginning of their downfall. The sa-ja-jin triad1 has a strong water energy attribute while any fire element that they could have had is completely extinguished in the already water-dominant fortune. Besides that, any earth element they had that could have suppressed the water element would just collapse under the water¡¯s pressure. ¡®So it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if the household this person is in fell into deep trouble.¡¯ This usually points to someone¡¯s death, or to the entire family¡¯s ruin. If someone who had this fortune was paired with a family that¡¯s in deep trouble, then that person¡¯s five elements would be in complete imbalance. This directly translates to health problems. In particular, this person would need to be careful with their stomach. ¡®Modern medical technology would give this person a higher survival rate, but.¡¯ Health care in this place was not very advanced. And if this person didn¡¯t have any money, it¡¯s impossible to receive proper treatment. It¡¯s enough to die from it, but the Angela standing in front of Doah right now looked perfectly well and healthy. It¡¯s obvious that this was someone else. ¡°What a bold thing you¡¯re doing.¡± At Doah¡¯s words, Angela¡¯s face turned as white as a sheet. Frozen in place, only her mouth moved as she stuttered out. ¡°W-What on earth could you be talking about. H-How could you accuse me of such a dreadful thing.¡± She tried to pretend that she wasn¡¯t affected, but her voice was trembling. This was due to how accurately Doah had pointed out her weak point, which she had so desperately hidden from anyone¡¯s notice. And this was what Doah was aiming for¡ªto hit Angela exactly where it would hurt her and catch her off guard. ¡°Head maid, you must know perfectly well how Princess Ophelia¡¯s three exclusive maids are doing now, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks There¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know. Melissa, Sara, and Emma¡¯s misdeeds were all caught by Salvier. There were many rumors going around how the three were staying at the dungeon right now, their anguished screams ringing out in the middle of the night. And Angela¡¯s crime was just as heavy, given that she brazenly stole a dead person¡¯s identity and landed a job in the grand duke¡¯s residence. ¡°I believe you¡¯re under some misconception, Head Maid. Do you think those three maids got kicked out just because they were unlucky?¡± They were Ophelia¡¯s three favorite maids. They must have been confident that, no matter what they did, they would be forgiven because they were here for Ophelia, who would someday come back home. ¡®Only because they had a strong backer named Ophelia.¡¯ That¡¯s why they had such nerve to commit crimes. However, Doah had been able to kick out those maids. Who would have expected something like this? They thought they had the world at the palm of their hands, so they didn¡¯t expect that they¡¯d be judged guilty. ¡°I was the one who found them out, so I reported them.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°So, are you still saying that everything is under your responsibility?¡± ¡°M-Miss¡­¡± Everyone was calling Doah ¡®princess¡¯, but Angela still called her ¡®miss¡¯ until the end. It was her way of cheekily expressing her discontent. She had no intention at all to serve her as a ducal princess, but since there were eyes watching her, she still called Doah ¡®miss¡¯¡ªa title that could be used for commoners as well. What an overbearing attitude even until the bitter end. Perhaps she still didn¡¯t know her place. ¡®Or do you think Bunny¡¯s just easy?¡¯ Then perhaps it was the latter. Bunny stepped into the grand duchy two years ago, when she was just eight years old, and she did not know how to wield any weapons. The only thing she knew was to swear and scream out. As she grew up as a beggar in the slums, she thought that she¡¯d look a little stronger if she did this. ¡®But Bunny, this isn¡¯t a battlefield. It¡¯s a world mandated by social standing, through and through.¡¯ Although it was only for show, she was the esteemed daughter of a grand duke now. She was a princess who had been adopted by the head of the household himself, and he gave her the role of the fake Ophelia. ¡°If this is how you answer me, Head Maid, then I¡¯ll reveal what exactly you¡¯ve done.¡± Doah rose to her feet without any hesitation. She had not one single maid at her side to do her bidding, so there was no choice. She¡¯d have to do it herself. ¡°P-Princess!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only 1 the sa-ja-jin (???) triad pertains to the beginning of autumn (?), the middle of winter (?), and the end of spring (?). these three attributes have a powerful water energy keep in mind that the four pillars of destiny is calculated through the month, day and time of a person¡¯s birth, and there¡¯s a branch and stem character for each of the four parts of their birth time in relation to the 10-year luck cycle (that¡¯s where the sa-ja-jin characters come from) Chapter 28 Only then did Angela¡¯s bravado falter at once. She knelt down urgently. ¡°I-I apologize deeply.¡± The way her pupils shook relentlessly expressed how desperate she was to do whatever Doah asked of her here. Doah looked down at Angela unsympathetically. She paused for a moment, but she soon spoke. ¡°The offense of disturbing me in the middle of my meal.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°The offense of kicking out my maids without my permission and ushering in other maids I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And the offense of not respecting me as this Grand Duchy¡¯s esteemed daughter and instead treating me with arrogance and callousness.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Go and tell the head of the household yourself.¡± And so, she concluded with a cold, icy voice. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°What, you can¡¯t do it?¡± Personally saying this meant that the head maid would directly tell the head of the household to his face that she would not acknowledge the fake ducal princess that he had appointed. It¡¯s a clear protest against his authority. Even if she were to be kicked out right away after this, there was nothing that she could say to defend herself. However, this was better than being caught in the act of stealing a dead person¡¯s name and assuming their identity. If that happened, then she would be questioned whether she was a spy or not. ¡°¡­No, I will do as you ask.¡± Gnashing her teeth as a scowl flashed over her exceedingly pale face, Angela prostrated with her face so close to the floor. * * * ¡®Ha. Do you think I¡¯m going to let this slide?¡¯ Angela swung the door open. ¡°AHH!¡± One maid was there by the door, startled as she looked up at her. ¡°What, you¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡ª Did you eavesdrop?¡± When she looked closely at who it was, she realized that it was that cheeky maid who was hiding behind Candice and said the last word before they left, provoking Angela. ¡°Huh? N-No, I just wanted to give this to the Princess¡­¡± Ruby gripped the tray as she stammered. The tray held a tea canister filled with tea leaves that were good for indigestion, then a teapot with rabbit patterns. ¡°Out of my way, insolent girl!¡± Slap¡ª Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Angela struck Ruby across the cheek without an ounce of hesitation. It was an act that she had done not just once or twice in her life. Ruby held her red, swollen cheek right then, but Angela did not care and walked past her. The place Angela headed to posthaste was not the grand duke¡¯s office. She hurried towards the exact opposite direction. She had no intention of doing as Doah had said. There was a place she could go to, a place she could believe in. Just as Doah surmised, there was a ¡®strong backer¡¯ behind Angela. ¡®Just because she knows who I am doesn¡¯t make any difference. I¡¯ll just need to explain my situation to that person, and if I ask for mercy, then she will surely stick up for me!¡¯ And now, Angela was right in front of the grand duchess¡¯ room. She knocked on the door without a moment wasted. But in an extremely courteous manner. ¡°Come in.¡± Permission was given. Angela¡¯s intention was to kneel right away the moment she stepped into the room. ¡®Since she¡¯s the kind and soft-hearted Madam, she¡¯ll be flustered and will ask me to get up from the ground. Then if I just cry and say how much I¡¯ve been wronged by that Bunny because she threatened me¡­¡¯ But her thoughts had to stop there. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Salvier, the second esteemed son, stood beside the grand duchess. He looked down at Angela obliquely. ¡°Y-Young Master, you¡¯re here as w-well.¡± Angela hurriedly bowed her head. ¡®Why¡¯s he here?¡¯ Salvier didn¡¯t have that much of a close relationship with his stepmother that he¡¯d come to greet her so early in the morning. Perhaps the first son, Angelus, was more likely to do this. But there was no time to think about this right now. The head maid, who faltered for a moment, implored the grand duchess. ¡°There is something that I must tell the Madam.¡± With his arms crossed, Salvier watched her with one silver brow raised. ¡°Are you telling me to get out?¡± ¡°N-No, not at all¡­¡± ¡°Then why did you say that if not to tell me to leave?¡± What she said was certainly disrespectful towards one¡¯s master. Angela acknowledged her mistake and apologized profusely. ¡°I apologize. I did not mean to say it in that way, Young Master. It was only a slip of the tongue because I had been in such a hurry.¡± Salvier remained silent as she spoke, but as she said that, one corner of his lips rose. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Somehow, that smile made her entirely nervous. ¡°If you¡¯re in such a hurry, then just say it now.¡± Chapter 29 Translated by Yonnee ¡°Pardon? N-No, I will just come back next time, Young Master.¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s urgent. Or if not, then were you just lying?¡± If she said that it really wasn¡¯t urgent, then it would seem like she was trying to kick Salvier out of the room for something trivial. Feeling the cold sweat trickle down, Angela answered laboriously. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of utmost secrecy¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s some kind of secret that you, the Head Maid, knows but I don¡¯t?¡± As Salvier¡¯s eyes glinted with a dangerous look, Angela desperately turned to the grand duchess to implore her wordlessly. The grand duchess looked at Salvier for a moment, then with the most affectionate and benevolent expression, she spoke. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You can say it now.¡± ¡°M-Madam.¡± ¡°If you tell me later instead, won¡¯t it look like I¡¯m hiding something from my own family?¡± At that, Angela was thrown into a sea of confusion. ¡®But isn¡¯t this supposed to be a secret? If this gets revealed, there will be a huge blow to the Madam¡¯s image.¡¯ Angela thought it over quickly. Then, at the same time, it finally clicked. Come to think of it, Salvier extremely disliked Bunny. No, it¡¯s not just dislike per se. Just saying the first syllable of Bunny¡¯s name in his presence would be enough to make him grit his teeth. It¡¯s true that he helped let Bunny into the main mansion and also helped drive out Princess Ophelia¡¯s exclusive maids, but this was all for Princess Ophelia¡¯s sake. In fact, he must have wanted to get rid of Bunny as soon as possible. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t he be the one who¡¯ll be happy to hear this more than anyone else?¡¯ Angela concluded so. But the thing is, there¡¯s also the matter of Salvier ordering the chefs to cook for Bunny, regardless of whether she gave it all to the servants or not. Angela didn¡¯t hear anything about this at all. ¡®Yeah, this should be something I can say in front of him, right?¡¯ Perhaps this would make the young master be more aggressive. Since Angela¡¯s and his interests were aligned, she just might gain another strong backer here. Laughing inwardly, Angela quickly spoke. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve assigned new maids for the fake Princess. I don¡¯t know what else to call it other than my masterful handiwork. To control it well, I appointed the maids who are very good at discreet bullying.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Salvier¡¯s expression was cold and stiff. Even the mocking smirk he had just now was completely gone. Unaware of this fact, Angela bowed and continued speaking without a hint of hesitation. ¡°Regardless of what that fake does, I assure you that I¡¯ll report her every move. It won¡¯t be possible to do anything drastic since she¡¯s in the main residence, but I believe we can prevent her contacting anyone outside. It¡¯ll be easy to isolate her and discipline her with food.¡± ¡°Her food, her movements, huh.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± Angela proudly answered. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t listen, she will be starved, and¡ª¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks But she couldn¡¯t even finish her sentence. Salvier abruptly grabbed her throat remorselessly. ¡°Urk!¡± Suffocated right then, Angela gasped for breath while instinctively trying to tear off Salvier¡¯s hand. But as though he couldn¡¯t even feel her efforts, he didn¡¯t budge. With his eyes focused entirely on Angela alone, his teeth gnashed together. Then he asked. ¡°That kid is already like a skeleton, but why are you going to starve her?¡± ¡°Mmph, keugh¡­¡± ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you try starving?¡± The grand duchess, as she was frozen for a moment now, suddenly ran forward and grabbed Salvier¡¯s arm. ¡°Stop it. She¡¯s going to die.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t die this easily.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have killed her off that easily. In the first place, he was controlling his strength enough that she could still breathe. Not knowing this, Fluvia placed her hand over Salvier¡¯s and patted it gently to soothe him. ¡°It¡¯s much too harsh to use force without even asking why first. You¡¯re not that kind of child.¡± No, it would be right to say that he was. ¡°Let go now, come on.¡± However, Salvier let out a deep sigh. He had no choice but to loosen his grip. His stepmother, Fluvia, looked as white as a sheet, like she was about to faint any second now. Barely being able to back away, Angela coughed loudly. Her face was bright red because her circulation got cut off. And as soon as she caught her breath, she fell to her knees in front of Salvier and trembled. ¡°Plea¡ªcough! Please spare me!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Let¡¯s just say you¡¯re crazy enough that you¡¯re seeking your own death, but why must you report something like that to Mother?¡± Was she trying to shock someone who¡¯s already weak? As Angela prostrated with her face nearly sticking to the ground already, Salvier leaned down and roughly raised her chin. All the while, he was fiddled with the sword at his side, showing an inch of its blade and then sheathing it again, over and over. It was a clear threat. His icy blue eyes glinted like a well-sharpened blade. I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m really going to die here. She knew that it wouldn¡¯t end with just grabbing her throat next time. Losing all sense of rationality as she was at the door of death, she spewed desperate words unknowingly. ¡°The M-Madam told me to do it!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°What?¡± Who asked to do what? Chapter 30 What he heard was so preposterous that Salvier couldn¡¯t immediately respond. He just knitted his brows slightly. ¡®Mother ordered that a kid like that would be surveilled, locked up and starved?¡¯ It was absolutely, utter nonsense. But for some reason, something about Angela¡¯s expression bothered Salvier. After doing something like that, she was already terrified to the point that she¡¯d lost her rationality. Usually, if someone was pushed to such an extent, they would blurt out the truth. ¡°Mother, is what she said true?¡± He glanced behind him at Fluvia. He couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard, but he was still asking for her confirmation. For a few moments, she only showed how taken aback she was, but there soon was a pitying expression on her face. And instead of answering him, she asked Angela. ¡°Truly? Did I say something like that?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Angela was entirely dumbstruck. ¡°But Madam, surely¡­!¡± Ack. At a loss for words now, confused, Angela clamped her lips shut. Now that she thought about it again, she wasn¡¯t explicitly told to do any of that. In the first place, Fluvia was known as the grand duchess who was pure, honest and righteous¡ªsimply worthy of the name of the blue moon. She wasn¡¯t the kind of person who¡¯d give such orders. ¡®But I definitely thought that¡¯s what the Madam wanted. That¡¯s the only reason why I took the initiative!¡¯ She felt so wronged to the point of madness. ¡®I mean, Bunny didn¡¯t know her place and often insulted the Madam. The Grand Duchess is also an orphan, but becoming the Ducal Princess like that is just, surely I¡­!¡¯ Angela put the Grand Duchess in a tough spot. Bunny hadn¡¯t looked well since she entered the main palace. Letting out a sigh, Fluvia murmured under her breath, ¡°I hope Bunny doesn¡¯t hate me a lot as her stepmother.¡± She¡¯s not the real ducal princess¡ªjust a fake who was going to be kicked out one day. The grand duchess was someone who never said harsh things to other people and was so sweet, but that Bunny was disturbing the Madam¡¯s mood. That¡¯s why, that¡¯s why¡­ Angela thought that it¡¯s only natural for her to step forward. She was under the impression that if she was favored by the grand duchess, then she would be able to push out the head lady-in-waiting and take her place. ¡°Y-Your Grace said that if I do my best for you, I can be the head lady-in-waiting¡­¡± ¡°I only meant to say that I could see your potential. I have no idea how on earth you could connect my words to such terrible plans.¡± ¡°But I heard from Your Grace¡¯s favorite lady-in-waiting that Bunny has been running her mouth and insulting you while she herself doesn¡¯t know her place!¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°You mean Lily? She¡¯s simply too attached to me that she sometimes makes up things that aren¡¯t true. I already berated her about that habit.¡± Fluvia shut her eyes tightly and placed a hand over her chest, taking in a deep breath. Then, she stumbled forward as though she had gotten dizzy. Surprised, Salvier quickly helped her lean back on her chair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Angela. But I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± Fluvia cradled her throbbing head. ¡°If you have a reason behind this, then will you tell me? I want to understand you.¡± ¡°I-I did it all for you, Madam.¡± ¡°Was what you did truly for my sake?¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t it? I was chosen, and I¡¯m special just like the Madam!¡± There¡¯s nothing more worth listening to. Salvier called the knights in and ordered them to drag out the deranged maid. ¡°Keep her in solitary confinement. Don¡¯t give her a drop of water for a week.¡± ¡°P-Please spare me! Madam! I did it for you alone! Madam!¡± Did anyone even say that you¡¯d be killed? Salvier clicked his tongue as he watched Angela warble like a pig being dragged to the slaughterhouse. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you get tangled up only with such crazy people, Mother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Surely their hearts are wounded severely, that¡¯s why. I should have noticed and took better care of them¡­¡± Fluvia murmured, her expression carrying heavy regrets. ¡°You¡¯re being too forgiving with those crazy people who don¡¯t know their place. Mother, you¡¯re no longer a saintess.¡± Salvier blurted out the words without much thought. Of course, he meant these words in a way that she shouldn¡¯t be responsible for all those trash-like people since she wasn¡¯t a saintess anymore. Then, in a split second, there was a crack in Fluvia¡¯s gentle demeanor. However Salvier didn¡¯t know what kind of effect his thoughtless words had on her. He followed after the maid who was dragged away, so Fluvia remained alone. The compassion and anxiety-filled eyes that trembled pitifully soon became cold. ¡°No longer a saintess, he said.¡± She muttered to herself. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m no longer a saintess.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She was the Grand Duchess of Credel. She lacked nothing, be it honor, power, or wealth. And from now on, she would never lack it all. ¡°So then, how was it discovered?¡± Chapter 31 Translated by Yonnee * * * Doah wasn¡¯t actually interested whether Angela went and confessed her sins to Grand Duke Credel or not. It was just a pretense. The important thing here was to allow her to move autonomously. That way, it would be possible to figure out who¡¯s the one telling her to do these things. In short, it was like using a small fish as bait for a larger fish. To find out who the mastermind was, pulling the strings from behind the curtains. ¡®But this¡­¡¯ ¡°Darling.¡± Doah, lost in thought, raised her head suddenly as someone called her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t come to see you, I¡¯m only making you tired.¡± It was a sweet voice, so very full of affection. ¡°Go ahead and lie down. I just meant to see you for a second.¡± It was ambiguous whether she was still youthful or whether she was already middle-aged. She was a beauty, the kind you¡¯d see as an actress in classic movies. Warm, golden eyes and neat, platinum silver hair. Even though she was wearing frugal clothes with not a single jewelry adorned upon her, there was an air of elegance surrounding her. It¡¯s her, Grand Duchess Fluvia. ¡°I visited the temple to pray for you. I wished for you to get well soon.¡± As the woman let out a sigh of great concern, Doah looked up at her. Ophelia¡¯s biological mother died ten years ago while giving birth to her. Then, Grand Duke Credel remarried two years after his first wife¡¯s demise. There seemed to have been a reason for it. ¡®She was originally called a ¡®saintess¡¯ after all.¡¯ She was Saintess Fluvia, the one who saved the world from destruction. When the empire had still yet to unify, there was a group of vicious knights who tried to throw the world into chaos. Grand Duke Credel was the one who sealed the monsters that were summoned and militarized by the sorcerers. But on the other hand, it was Fluvia who blocked and suppressed their plans, coming forward as a great support to the grand duke. However, she exerted herself too much and completely lost her divine powers in the process. She was then cast aside by the temple. She was the saintess who saved the world, and yet she had been excommunicated by the temple. She lost everything and was kicked out to the streets. Grand Duke Credel, Master of the Blue Moon, could not stand by and just watch this happen. Fluvia was his comrade who he shared experiences of life and near death with on the front lines. And so, he remarried and gave her the position of the grand duchess. Although it was a marriage without love, it allowed her to receive the proper respect that the savior of the world should get. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡®And sure enough, Fluvia knows more about the forbidden arts more than anyone else.¡¯ There were still a handful of sorcerers who survived the battle. They were holding their breaths, waiting for the right time. It was to put a curse on Ophelia, the symbol of peace, and to let it be known to the world that they still held power on their side. To protect his daughter, who his beloved wife left behind, Grand Duke Credel needed Fluvia. Although she had already lost her divine power, she was still once the saintess who personally dealt with the forbidden arts before. However, the sorcerers¡¯ grudge was very deep and persistent. The day Ophelia turned seven years old, the sorcerers finally succeeded in leaving a curse upon the symbol of peace. ¡®After that, according to my memories¡­¡¯ The grand duke tried every means necessary to lift the curse, but when each and every attempt failed, it was decided that the curse should be moved to a different target. And that target was Bunny now. ¡®Now that I think about it, it was Fluvia who directly moved the curse to Bunny.¡¯ She was the only one who knew how to do it. And this was as far as Bunny memories went. Fluvia was smiling at Doah now, a graceful expression that would remind you of a goddess. Doah stared at the woman sharply. ¡°Has something happened recently?¡± Doah asked. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Your hands are shaking.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Fluvia clasped her trembling hands together, as if it¡¯s her first time realizing this. Then, she spoke in a quivering voice. ¡°Actually, the head maid came to me and said something strange.¡± ¡°Something strange?¡± ¡°The head maid¡­ Oh, I can¡¯t bear to say it myself. It was such an unfathomable idea, such an unforgivable thing¡­ I was so shocked that I wanted to make sure you were safe.¡± And at this point, Doah was confused. ¡®Is that also acting?¡¯ She seemed genuinely shocked though. ¡®Your physiognomy doesn¡¯t look bad either.¡¯ There was a bit of a shadow over her forehead, but her thick eyebrows were neat, and her high nose was angular. ¡®Even if you were born in a poor family, you were still blessed with a lot of help from the people around you.¡¯ Her eyes neither drooped nor rose too much. Still, the corners were rising slightly upward, which meant there was a blessing in disguise. Her nostrils were also shaped appropriately, signifying how she would later be able to enjoy wealth, riches and honor. Apart from that, her plump lips signify her open mind and tall virtues, which would allow her to be blessed with power and glory as well. It could be said she was the true epitome of a saintess. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®But, then again¡­¡¯ There¡¯s something¡­ off.