《So I Married An Abandoned Crown Prince》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Some love begins at the end of life. My love was like that. *** The person I believed to be my love was the second prince. He was the most miserable man in this glorious capital. His mother, who was a lowly dancer, was nothing more than a slave, and he grew up while getting all kinds of insults from the nobles. ¡°Rita, you¡¯re the only one for me.¡± I was deeply heartbroken by his daunting voice. I devoted all my youth to make him the emperor, and I even married a man I did not love for him. I loved him that much. No, I thought I loved him. I always believed my love for George was unrivaled until I met my little daughter, Yvonne. The moment Yvonne¡¯s little hand touched my finger. I realized that my feeling for George was never love. I did not hesitate to do all the dirty work in order to make George the emperor, but seeing his smiling face did not make me overjoyed with happiness. It was a marriage and a child that I never wanted, but the child¡¯s smile brought me happiness as if I was on top of the world. Her toddling tiny steps, her innocent giggles, and her folded eyes. Yvonne had completely changed my life. Yes, what I felt so far wasn¡¯t love. It was such an enlightening night. ¡°Yvonne, don¡¯t come out no matter what.¡± In order to flee from George, who became the emperor and wielded great power, I hid Yvonne in the secret passage of the Grand Duke¡¯s residence, under the pretext of playing hide-and-seek. ¡°Madam! Madam!¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s maids were shouting. ¡°Run away, madam! Hurry!¡± Yvonne¡¯s nanny was running towards my bedroom, and the knight who yanked her hair, loudly raised his voice. ¡°Where¡¯s the child!¡± Those were the same people who always bowed their heads because I was the Emperor¡¯s lover. ¡°What kind of misconduct is this!¡± When I frowned at the man who released the nanny, Sir Robert, the Emperor¡¯s personal knight, stepped forward. He was the man I personally chose as the royal guard captain for George. I knew that he was a man who was quick to turn his head after meticulously calculating the profit and loss. What George, the son of a concubine, needed was not a loyal subordinate, but a cold-blooded man who lusts for power. Sir Robert, who knew about the relationship between George and I, opened his mouth with a cold expression that I had never seen before. ¡°Oh my! You look surprised, Lady Cardinale. No, should I call you Lady Katan now?¡± I felt a strange sense of deja vu from his cold attitude as he treated me like he had never seen me before. ¡°His Majesty ordered to take Yvonne Katan, so you¡¯d better bring your daughter out.¡± ¡°¡­Why her? Why is George looking for Yvonne!¡± Contrary to what people suspected, Yvonne was not George¡¯s daughter. She was the child I had with my husband, Joseph, who stood by my side for the past 7 years even though we were in a false relationship. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for George to look for Yvonne!¡± But Robert didn¡¯t even pretend to hear me. Abandoning the honor of a knight, Robert yelled at his colleagues to look for the child¡¯s traces, even checking under the bed like a ruffian. The blankets were thrown out carelessly and feathers scattered everywhere. I began to scream frantically so that Yvonne¡¯s breathing sound behind the wall wouldn¡¯t be heard. ¡°Sir Robert! What kind of impudent behavior is this!¡± ¡°We have found the evidence that the Grand Duke has attempted treason! Watch your mouth if you don¡¯t want to be taken as well!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± No way. In order to put George on the throne, my father chose an abandoned crown prince, who was not interested in his succession, as my marriage partner. ¡®He¡¯s a man who ran away from the throne and locked himself up in Katan, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯d try to claim the throne now¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± The knights put his ears close to the wall as if they were trying to find a hidden space. ¡®No¡­.you can¡¯t!¡¯ ¡°I heard breathing sounds here! Everybody, find the hidden door!¡± Only then did I realize that I had told George the secret passage of Katan Castle. ¡°Stop!¡± After struggling to escape from the knights¡¯ hands, I ran to Robert and pushed him away, but his solid body did not budge. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, I will scribe my alchemy¡­.!¡± I threatened him and took out my alchemy chalk from my pocket. ¡®I didn¡¯t use it frequently because I hated to be called a Cardinale witch for being an alchemist.¡¯ But in this emergency, I couldn¡¯t help it either. When I hastily took out my chalk, Robert only glanced at me and smirked. ¡°Go ahead, scribe.¡± ¡°Crepitus!¡± I couldn¡¯t put up with Robert¡¯s provocation anymore and activated the alchemy. ¡®¡­.How on earth?¡¯ Was it because I hadn¡¯t used it in a long time? ¡®Joseph, where is Joseph?¡¯ When my attempt was futile, only then did I look for my husband, whose figure was nowhere to be seen. If it¡¯s Joseph¡­he could destroy these ruffians. I forgot that I usually treated him like he didn¡¯t exist, yet I shamelessly looked around to look for him. ¡°Ha! Here you are!¡± But before I could find him, Robert destroyed the firmly locked wardrobe door and pulled Yvonne out. The child¡¯s light body was lifted in the air. ¡°Ahhh, mom! Mom!¡± The scream spread from every direction. I couldn¡¯t tell whether it was my scream or the child¡¯s cry. ¡°Sophie, bring His Highness Joseph here! Hurry!¡± I looked back at Yvonne¡¯s nanny in a hurry, but she, who was caught by Robert¡¯s men, was already lifeless. ¡°Yvonne, no! Yvonne!¡± I rushed and stretched out my arms toward the child who was being dragged by Robert. ¡°Mom, mom!¡± The cry of the frightened child tore my heart to shreds. ¡°Let her go! Yvonne Katan can¡¯t get away from attempting treason!¡± That was absurd. Yvonne was too young to be involved in the terrible crime of treason. ¡°Take me instead. Sir, please!¡± Even though I was only an illegitimate child, my mother¡¯s noble blue blood that flowed in my blood was my pride. I was so arrogant that I had never kneeled before anyone, but I fell face down in front of Robert. ¡°Sir, I beg you. Please, let go of Yvonne¡­just Yvonne!¡± ¡°I said let go!¡± ¡°I will talk to George, I mean, His Majesty and¡­¡± If I tearfully begged him, George might overlook it, right? I was his best friend and lover who stayed by his side through thick and thin after all. Even when he welcomed Ibelina as the Empress instead of me¡­. My erupted tears fell on my hands. Robert only sighed when he saw me tremble in fear of losing Yvonne. ¡°Madam, you still don¡¯t get it, do you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°His Majesty has abandoned you.¡± ¡°You¡­ His Highness the Grand Duke will surely punish you for your sins.¡± My husband was the only card I could show to threaten Robert. However, as if such a threat was ridiculous, he twisted one corner of his mouth. ¡°Just why do you think you could hear me say that your daughter is a traitor? The Grand Duke is already dead.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°For his disobedience to the Emperor¡¯s order to bring Yvonne Katan and you.¡± *** That day, Yvonne, who was taken to the palace, never returned to me. So did my husband. The only thing that returned to my arms was an unnamed box containing the ashes of my husband and child. The sinner who committed treason could not hold a funeral, so I sprinkled my child¡¯s ashes to a small river. ¡°¡­You said you¡¯d protect me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me to protect your child and husband, did you?¡± I stained my hands with so much blood in order to make George the emperor. I cunningly disposed of Prince Carlo, framed him for deploying troops, and did not respect Joseph as my husband. But my daughter did not do anything wrong. No, she died before she could do anything. ¡°An oracle has come down for Yvonne, Rita.¡± George, who came to me alone, caressed my cheek that was stained with tears with his disgusting hands. ¡°You¡¯ve become so gaunt.¡± He clicked his tongue as though he felt sorry for me. ¡°¡­What oracle?¡± What kind of damn oracle declared a young child as a traitor? ¡°The oracle says that the half-king from the north will appear.¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying that was Yvonne?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a girl, but she is the daughter of Joseph, who had Angelus¡¯ blood in her vein¡­. You do know that I haven¡¯t completely seized the throne yet.¡± George seemed to be confident that I would understand him. ¡°I was originally trying to get rid of Joseph along with Carlo. But the Count pushed your marriage with him, so yeah, it was a little late.¡± He smiled sweetly as if he was heartbroken at the sight of my crying face. As if he was trying to return to our old days. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But you can just have another child, right?¡± Bullshit. Even if he brought all the children into this world, they could never replace the child I lost. ¡°I¡¯ll let you have my baby this time. She must be more lovely than Yvonne.¡± George¡¯s hot breath touched my neck. At his creepy, insect-like touch, I pushed him away with all my might. ¡°Get lost. You son of a bitch.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 2 Chapter 2 An oracle is granted to every aristocrat in Las Vecchia the moment they are born. [Don¡¯t be blinded by desire] It was the oracle granted to me. Was it the price I must pay for ignoring my oracle by thinking that it was just an old myth? Was my struggle to escape the humiliation I got from being an illegitimate child led to my daughter¡¯s death? ¡°His Majesty has sent troops to Katan.¡± As I sat in the riverside while scattering the ashes of my child and husband, the butler came closer and muttered. ¡°Yes, I see.¡± I only nodded indifferently at his words. Yvonne was no longer by my side. Now, I had no reason to live anymore, so I didn¡¯t feel threatened by that. ¡°¡­His Highness Joseph has prepared an escape route. Katan¡¯s knights will be blocking the troops, so please run away.¡± ¡°Escape route?¡± Although I had no intention to run away, the butler¡¯s words made me scowl. ¡°Did you know that His Highness Joseph rejected His Majesty¡¯s order to bring Lady Yvonne?¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying George tried to kill Yvonne instead of Joseph from the start?¡± I had no idea. Since Joseph never told me about any danger moving towards Katan. ¡°His Majesty seems to have offered a promise to leave Katan alone in exchange for Lady Yvonne, but seeing that madam doesn¡¯t know¡­¡± The butler said with a bitter smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think His Highness Joseph had any intention of handing over Lady Yvonne to His Majesty in the first place.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± I never thought he cared for Yvonne this much because of his stiff personality. I couldn¡¯t even say sorry. How dare I. I was so anguished that I couldn¡¯t lift my head and tears fell to my hands. ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ I¡¯m really, really sorry. How I wish I could say that out loud, but only the sound of my wailing gushed out. Joseph was the previous emperor¡¯s legitimate son, and the older brother of Carlo, who was removed from the line of succession after falling into my scheme. Although he got discrowned, Joseph, who once held the succession, was chosen as my partner in a political marriage to pressure Carlo. ¡®He was no different than a hostage.¡¯ Even if it was a loveless marriage, there was no way he wanted to take me as his wife. Because I was the one who tried to eliminate Carlo from the throne and help his lowborn half-brother, George, to ascend the throne. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t a bad husband. He was blunt but respectful. He never blamed me, his wife, nor my father for using him as a hostage to pressure Prince Carlo. Even so, I still hated Joseph. I was afraid of his great commanding force that led the victory in the vicious war against the West, and I was disgusted each time I saw his large build, which was twice as big as mine. Unlike George who could loosen up the mood, he was a taciturn man who rarely opened his mouth, so I used to avoid him because he always seemed to criticize me in his silence. His neat and righteous gaze reminded me of those dirty bastards who were scornful toward George and I. ¡®The battle for the throne is always a constant war.¡¯ I only wanted to make the prince I chose to be the emperor, and I thought George had the ability to lead the country. Just like a coward, I wanted to turn a blind eye on Joseph¡¯s existence, which prickled my petty conscience. ¡®Still, he made an escape route for Yvonne and I.¡¯ He could¡¯ve just run away with us, but the lord couldn¡¯t abandon his land. After smiling candidly at the butler¡¯s worried eyes, I stood up and reached out to him. ¡°Butler.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡± Since I was always waiting for the day George calls me to the palace, I always neglected Katan. ¡°I¡¯ve been a horrible madam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± The butler answered my unexpected apology with his head down. ¡°I won¡¯t let George trample on Katan.¡± Although he didn¡¯t express it because he was bad with words, I knew Joseph cared for Katan. The land surrounded by a snowy mountain range was desolate and barren, yet he embraced Katan warmly in his arms. ¡®It¡¯s the only way I can make amends for Joseph.¡¯ I walked over the ridge toward George¡¯s troops that swarmed like ants. ¡°Sir.¡± The man in the lead was the knight who dragged my daughter. On top of the horse, he raised his hand high as he caught my eyes. ¡°Surrender. His Majesty has ordered us to catch you alive.¡± ¡°George? He wants me?¡± Did he still think of me as useful? I smiled sharply and raised one corner of my mouth at Robert. ¡°Don¡¯t speak of His Majesty¡¯s name carelessly with your mouth, madam. I¡¯m warning you.¡± ¡°I shall give you a warning since you like it so much.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Sir, you¡¯d better not step on that line.¡± I clearly warned him, but Robert grunted and ignored my words. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t realize that you¡¯re no longer in a position to command me.¡± As soon as he finished talking and took the reins of his horse- Whaang! Kaboom, bang! The alchemy, which I began to scribe on the day Robert took Yvonne away, was activated. ¡®George seems to have installed an artifact inside the Grand Duke¡¯s castle to block alchemy¡­but this is an open space.¡¯ ¡°This witch is playing a wicked trick! Back off, everyone!¡± The panicked Robert ordered the knights to retreat, but it was meaningless. The alchemy, designed to prevent anyone from stepping on Katan land, began to destroy the ground that the troops had stepped on. ¡®George used my alchemy to become the emperor.¡¯ I didn¡¯t have much time left anyway. Alchemy wasn¡¯t magic, and there was always a price to pay to get what one wanted. It took quite a sacrifice to destroy the hard ground extensively. I seized George¡¯s troops in exchange for my remaining life. Whoong! Boom! ¡®No one will be able to lay their hands on Katan.¡¯ Along with my oath, the alchemy began to create a protective barrier that covered the huge northern mountains. As I felt my blood turn cold, I smiled satisfactorily when I watched Katan shining in a white glow. *** Plak-! Surprised by the sudden slap, I tried to get myself together, but someone pulled my hair violently. ¡°How dare you humiliate me in front of the Empress?!¡± ¡®¡­Father?¡¯ The voice of the man clasping my long black hair was familiar to me. ¡®How does father know about Katan?¡¯ No, I recently had sacrificed my life to hide the existence of Katan from the enemy. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me the alchemy failed?¡¯ Being alive meant my final alchemy didn¡¯t work properly. ¡°Ka-Katan¡­¡± What happened to Katan? While holding my throbbing head, I mumbled to my father. He was familiar, but somehow his face looked younger than I last remembered. ¡®Did you dye your hair?¡¯ I looked around to figure out what was going on in the room. ¡®Isn¡¯t this the count¡¯s basement?¡¯ It looked like the count¡¯s basement that I used as a laboratory to hone my alchemy. ¡®Because I was often confined here.¡¯ But I had never been here since I married Joseph. Even if my father was the greatest lord of the south, he couldn¡¯t keep his married children in custody. ¡°Yes, Katan! If you have a mouth, explain yourself!¡± I didn¡¯t know what explanation he wanted from me. ¡®Did Katan eventually collapse?¡¯ If George decided to mess with Katan without consulting with him, of course he would be furious. Because my father was the one assembling the Chimera army using the monsters that fell into a deep slumber in the north. ¡°So you don¡¯t want to talk, huh?¡± His eyes glistened when I didn¡¯t answer, and his hand landed on my cheek again. Plak! His powerful hit made me fly like a broken marionette and fall face down on the ground. The rough basement floor made my knees bleed, but it didn¡¯t hurt that much. ¡®This is nothing compared to Yvonne¡¯s pain.¡¯ George, who had a great obsession with the throne, won¡¯t give Yvonne an easy death. My heart felt numb when I remembered the crying child who was dragged away. So I couldn¡¯t listen to my father who kept raising his voice. ¡°How dare you embarrass me in front of the Empress by saying that you won¡¯t marry the Grand Duke of Katan!?¡± Without giving me a chance to breathe, he kept punching and kicking my body, which laid helplessly on the floor. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you¡¯re just George¡¯s lover? How dare a bastard child like you try to covet the empress seat!? Prince George will be the Emperor!¡± I wasn¡¯t my father¡¯s biological daughter. Since he was infertile, one day, he called out his subordinate to my mother¡¯s chamber. He did that to conceal his weakness. ¡®Because of that petty reason, he made my mother come off like a promiscuous woman and eventually killed her.¡¯ However, his shameful actions were not important now. ¡°Even though I raised a bastard child like you as the daughter of the late Countess! Such an ungrateful wench¡­.¡± All the words that came from my father¡¯s lips were strange. Did he turn so old that his head got even crazier? ¡°Get ready to marry the Grand Duke of Katan! I don¡¯t want to listen to your opinion!¡± I gasped for breath as he viciously kicked me. Then he closed the basement door and left. I only stared at the closed door and frowned. ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ Yvonne passed away at the age of six, and I had a baby the following year after I married Joseph. That means I married Joseph seven years ago. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°My lady, are you alright?¡± ¡°¡­Sabrina?¡± I slumped down the floor without any intention of getting up, but a woman with a familiar face approached me. ¡°Why are you¡­?¡± Sabrina was my maid in the past, and now, she lived in the Imperial Palace as George¡¯s queen. (T/L: Queen is an imperial wife/imperial concubine) ¡®She¡¯s that human trash¡¯s wife, but she has it better than me.¡¯ While George pretended to love me so he could take advantage of me, I think he genuinely cared for Sabrina. He had been fooling me for fear that I would hurt her out of jealousy if I found out about his relationship with Sabrina. ¡®My relationship with Sabrina? Rita, she¡¯s just a lowly maid, the daughter of your nanny. Whereas you are the noble daughter of a noble count.¡¯ George always gave out a lewd gaze to Sabrina, and when I questioned his true feelings, he brushed it off with laughter and said that it was only my imagination. ¡®You¡¯re my only love.¡¯ But as soon as he became the Emperor, he secretly brought Sabrina into the palace. ¡°The count is too much. He¡¯s still abusing his daughter who will get married soon¡­.. He¡¯s so mean.¡± After my father, Sabrina began to say strange things as well. I glanced down at her shining scalp and smirked as she supported me by the shoulders. ¡°What a shitty dream.¡± The sneer was so dry and pointless that it left a bad taste in my mouth. I couldn¡¯t believe that I came back to my horrible, Cardinale days. If I was going to dream about the past, it would have been better if I dreamed about Yvonne¡¯s birth. Katan was an awful place compared to the fertile Cardinale, but it was a comfortable land because it¡¯s not tainted with greedy humans who fought over fortunes. ¡°¡­My Lady?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you alright? Did it hurt a lot?¡± I wanted to scoff at Sabrina¡¯s face as she pretended to be worried about me, but my dry mouth no longer moved as I wanted. ¡°No, not really.¡± He just slapped and kicked me several times. ¡®There were a lot of times when he hit my legs so bad until it broke, so this is nothing.¡¯ I looked back at Sabrina with a casual nod. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sabrina¡¯s pretty face shone with curiosity at my question. She twirled her finely braided hair as she tilted her head. ¡°Why are you asking? Prince George will be visiting soon, so I¡¯m here to help you prepare.¡± I shook my head slowly at Sabrina¡¯s words. ¡®I don¡¯t want to see that scumbag even in my dream.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let me rest.¡± ¡°Then shall I convey your words to the prince?¡± Sabrina¡¯s mouth slightly lifted at my words. ¡®You look happy to see George when I¡¯m not around.¡¯ The way she looked reminded me of the days when she and George secretly kissed in the county¡¯s parlor during his visit. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I realize sooner when it was so obvious?¡¯ Only after Sabrina became the Queen did I know about their passionate love. George wanted to hide it until the end, but Sabrina went all the way to Katan so she could tell me the truth directly. ¡°You can leave, Sabrina.¡± After I returned to my room with her help, I fell flat on the bed. ¡®I¡¯m going to shatter this weird dream of mine.¡¯ The haggard face of my dead daughter appeared in my darkened vision. ¡°Ugh, eugh.¡± I put all my strength into my hands that grabbed the edge of the blanket. ¡®Let¡¯s hurry up and sleep.¡¯ Yvonne, I wanted to dream about Yvonne. *** In my dream, I saw a blue light covering the Katan Castle. ¡®Alchemy¡­.?¡¯ Touching the floor with one hand, I stood up after checking the alchemy I made to protect Katan. The blue light was overflowing on the floor. A dream in a dream, it was very strange. ¡°Something seems to have changed.¡± The alchemy, which was studded with complicated formulas around the pentagram, was drawn by me, but there seemed to be an unknown formula added to it. ¡®Who altered my formation¡­?¡¯ However, being an alchemist was a very rare job as it required talent and mathematical skills. There were not many alchemists in the Empire, and no alchemist in Katan could decipher my formation. ¡°And I¡¯ve never seen such a formula.¡± In alchemy, a formula was like a language. So I concentrated my ears to hear the words that occupied the wide floor. It was so refined even though the mark was pierced sharply. This alchemist¡¯s language was so outstanding compared to mine. ¡°This must be¡­¡± When I was enraptured by the delicate formula, the blue light began to encircle me. ¡°Ah!¡± The moment when the light from the alchemy began to twist around my ankle, I could understand the meaning of this delicately rectified formula. ¡®This is the only way for me to protect Katan.¡¯ When the hourglass was flipped over, the clock hands began to move backward. I turned back time using my life as collateral. ¡®¡­Maybe I can save Yvonne.¡¯ I might find a way to revive my dead daughter, as well as Katan, which was crushed by George. As I held back my throbbing excitement, I began to familiarize myself with the alchemy. ¡®I have to understand exactly what kind of alchemy it is.¡¯ To do that, I had to know who messed with my formation first. As soon as I tried to move, the blue light surrounding me slowly faded and soon began to disperse. ¡°No!¡± No, no! I hadn¡¯t found a way to protect Yvonne yet! I wailed while trying to reach out for the diminishing formula, but there was no way to prevent the light from scattering. *** An antique ceiling greeted me when I opened my eyes. The pillar engraved with Cardinale¡¯s emblem, red roses, was the first thing I saw. Back then, I tried to become someone worthy of that rose. ¡®I need to know today¡¯s date.¡¯ If I really turned back in time, there were things that had to be corrected. When I got up from my bed, I pulled the rope next to my bed, and a maid came in. ¡°You¡¯ve called, miss?¡± This simple-looking brown haired maid who came in was not Sabrina. ¡®It was Sabrina who was in charge of me before I went to Katan.¡¯ If my exclusive maid wasn¡¯t present in my bedroom, obviously¡­ ¡°Where¡¯s Prince George?¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the parlor. Sabrina went to tell him that you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°I feel better now.¡± ¡°A-Are you going down now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maid was so flustered by my words. I glanced at her as I bowed my head and put a robe over my body. ¡°Would you help me?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. My Lady.¡± Maybe because I landed on the hard basement floor earlier, my twisted ankle throbbed. I leaned on the maid and began trudging to the parlor. ¡°M-My lady.¡± Fortunately, the drawing room and my bedroom were quite close. The maid stopped me in a hurry when I reached the drawing room. ¡°Well, I, uh, the Count wanted to tell you something¡­¡± My father couldn¡¯t have said anything else after he beat me up in the basement. So I made eye contact with a maid who tried to stop me with a ridiculous excuse. ¡®So you know what¡¯s going on inside.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Rona, My Lady.¡± ¡°Rona.¡± The maid¡¯s eyes widened because she thought I was going to scold her. ¡®Rona, so her name is Rona.¡¯ Her freckled face was familiar, but I didn¡¯t know her name. ¡®As the only daughter of the Count, I thought I shouldn¡¯t remember the servants¡¯ name.¡¯ Some of the Count¡¯s servants used to feel sorry for me. That is because since I was very young, the Count used to lock me up in the basement, starving me to death. But I dismissed their compassion as cheap sympathy. When I was officially registered as a Cardinale, I was so prideful that I ignored all the commoners who dared to sympathize with me. ¡®¡­People who gave me a hint about George¡¯s suspicious behavior, and people who tried to help me, there are servants like them.¡¯ Eventually, Yvonne was taken away, but it was all thanks to servants like Rona that I could see my daughter¡¯s face for a little longer. ¡°Thank you, Rona.¡± After smiling at her, I put my hand on the door handle. Kiik-! ¡°My Prince!¡± Sabrina¡¯s voice was mixed with the door creaking sound. ¡°My love, I missed you so much.¡± Having spent my childhood with Sabrina, I could see that her sweet voice was very artificial. ¡°I missed you, too. Sabrina.¡± George whispered disgustingly as he stroked Sabrina¡¯s hair. ¡°Ahem.¡± George and Sabrina, who noticed my presence only after I made a small sound, turned their heads at the same time. Committing such an indecency in the parlor of another person¡¯s house. Shamelessly. When George became perplexed and opened his mouth, I raised my hand carelessly towards him. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 I tilted my head in front of the man whom I believed I loved so much. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to accept my greeting?¡± The tactful Sabrina quickly got up and left the parlor. Meanwhile, George tried to avoid my gaze with an awkward cough. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± George, who was left alone, fumbled with the cigar with his head down and said. ¡°You look inappropriate.¡± I slightly coughed because of the strong smell of his cigar, but he still took a quick puff on his cigar regardless. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re not feeling well?¡± ¡°I feel better after lying down. I hurried down because I was afraid you¡¯d wait.¡± George, who swept up his dark blond hair, turned his gaze toward me. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± He lifted the corners of his mouth sweetly. ¡°I¡¯m just playing around with your maid. It¡¯s just like a practice.¡± George caressed my hand that was holding onto the sofa. I grimaced at the awful feeling of a bug crawling through my body. ¡°I have to learn how to deal with women now.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? You and the count promised to help me.¡± As if trying to soothe me, George tucked my loose hair behind my ears. ¡°Am I¡­.supposed to help you?¡± ¡°Yeah. You even made me the camouflage potion, didn¡¯t you?¡± As I turned my head away to resist his dirty touch, I was lost in thought. ¡®Did I come back in time before George tried to defame Carlo?¡± George came up with a promiscuous way to slander his half-brother. He disguised as Carlo and messed around with countless women. ¡®My father thought of that dirty trick when he saw my camouflage potion.¡¯ I was a talented alchemist, so I could make a potion that made George look like Carlo even with my eyes closed. George, who drank my potion and was perfectly disguised as Carlo, did promiscuous things with many people. He didn¡¯t single out anyone. He did it with his cousin, the Duchess and her young daughter, and even the woman who lived in a monastery. ¡®It was a crucial moment to make the angry nobles and priests turn their back on Prince Carlo¡­¡¯ Carlo has never even held a woman¡¯s hand. I clicked my tongue and looked at George with narrowed eyes. As he stretched his slick hand, it moved slowly around my waist. ¡®Dirty bastard.¡¯ When I stopped him after barely holding back my nausea, George frowned as if he felt suspicious. ¡°Why? Are you jealous that I¡¯m seeing other girls?¡± His stupidity knew no limit. George, who was oblivious to my killing intent, stroked my cheek lightly and continued. ¡°No matter how superior I am compared to Carlo, I could never obtain the throne by staying still. You know that, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Carlo is the son of Her Majesty the Empress.¡± He seemed to be hurt by the fact that his half-brother was the legitimate son of the Empress. I wanted to laugh at his face, but my dry mouth didn¡¯t move at my will. ¡°Even if I was supported by the Count and the holy council, His Majesty the Emperor only favored Carlo.¡± George frowned bitterly as he revealed his long-lasting trauma about his bloodline. ¡°I see.¡± He scowled, perhaps wondering about my overly calm answer, and then smoothed my blistered lips. ¡°You¡¯re cold today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I swallowed my saliva as I was nervous if George has noticed my secret. ¡°Yes. Actually, I thought you¡¯d be mad at Sabrina or me.¡± However, rather than doubting me, he looked disappointed. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be jealous at all.¡± ¡°As my prince said before, I¡¯m the only one for you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± I moistened my lips as I faced George¡¯s smooth face and calmly said. ¡°I trust you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you trust me.¡± I quickly opened my mouth as he smoothed my chin with his fingertips. ¡°What did you think I was going to do?¡± ¡°Hmm, I thought you¡¯d be surprised at the very least.¡± ¡®I should¡¯ve pretended to be surprised.¡¯ However, I had just realized that I had returned to the past, so I had no time to think about it. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you knew about my relationship with Sabrina all along?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± I shook my head firmly at George¡¯s question. ¡°By the way, what brings you to Cardinale?¡± ¡°Of course I came to see you. The count told me about your marriage to the Grand Duke of Katan.¡± ¡®I want to send him back quickly and organize my thoughts.¡± George smiled at me affectionately. He stroked my head when he saw me biting my lips in anxiety. ¡°There are times when the count is a little coercive to you. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not a bad person.¡± Even though he knew I was assaulted by my father, George would always openly defend him in front of me. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get married to Joseph, I won¡¯t force you¡­but it will help me greatly.¡± George whispered sweetly and kissed me on the cheek. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure your marriage won¡¯t last long. When I become the emperor, I will welcome you as my empress. I don¡¯t care if the count opposes it.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± He might not know because I told a red lie, but I questioned him under the guise of indifference. George, who still had his boyish charm, raised the corner of his lips. ¡°Of course. A mere duchess doesn¡¯t suit a woman like you. I will make you the most elegant empress in the history of this empire.¡± George always tried to coax me with those sweet words because I was ostracized by the high society for being an illegitimate child and an alchemist. He promised me the position of empress, and persuaded the aristocrats to accept me under the pretext that the concubine¡¯s son like him also had the chance to become the emperor. ¡®But that can¡¯t be true.¡¯ The noble blue blood was the symbol of nobility and the validation for authority. Even if I was formally put into a family register, the high society would refuse to recognize me, who was the count¡¯s bastard child. Instead of me or Sabrina, George welcomed the saintess of the great temple, Ibelina, as the Imperial Empress. ¡®I was stupid.¡¯ George, who closed his lecherous eyes, stroked the rim of my ears. He, who had always been shining like a prince in a fairy tale, now looked like a sly snake flicking its tongue out in my eyes. ¡°Thank you for thinking about me, my prince. I¡¯ll proceed with my marriage to the Grand Duke of Katan for you.¡± George¡¯s eyes opened wide as if he thought my answer was unexpected. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you will call me to the palace anyways.¡± My eyes glistened as if I truly believed in George, while my cheeks were red like a love-struck maiden. ¡°The Empress¡¯ palace must be more beautiful than the Count¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Of course! Thank you so much, Rita!¡± George jumped up from the sofa and hugged me as if he was really happy. ¡®Don¡¯t touch me!¡¯ I wanted to act like how I did before, but I got goosebumps at his actions and pushed him away. ¡°Ah, my bad. I forgot you¡¯re a virtuous lady.¡± Fortunately, George mistook my disgusted reaction as a woman¡¯s shyness. Because he couldn¡¯t even imagine a woman rejecting him. ¡°As expected, Rita is completely different from a shallow woman like Sabrina.¡± George clicked his tongue as if he blamed Sabrina when he was the one who had a secret love affair with her in the parlor just a little while ago. ¡°Why is an unmarried maiden playing around frivolously like that?¡± I was seriously dumbfounded. But as though he thought I agreed with him, George caressed my head as if he was praising his pet dog. ¡°You haven¡¯t even kissed me yet.¡± It was fortunate that I refused to have an intimate relationship with George in the past since I wanted to protect my virtues as a refined lady. ¡°You must be busy. Please go back now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you leave for Katan, my love.¡± George, who kissed me lightly on the back of my hand, grinned. As soon as he left the parlor, I called the maid to prepare a bath. ¡°Take all the perfumed oil out and prepare it. Bring disinfectant from my lab as well.¡± ¡°Pardon? Do you want me to take everything out, my lady?¡± ¡°Yes. Everything.¡± I wanted to wash away that hideous man¡¯s touch. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Katan and Cardinale¡¯s political marriage proceeded rapidly when I didn¡¯t oppose my marriage to Joseph adamantly like before. ¡®I want to leave for Katan before George comes back to Cardinale.¡¯ The feeling of not wanting to see his disgusting face ever again was my biggest reason. ¡°My lady, which salon should I order the wedding dress from?¡± When asked by Rona, I stopped packing and looked up. ¡®Last time, I ordered Madame Estee¡¯s dress.¡¯ Madame Estee was a haughty designer who exclusively made dresses for the royal family. In the past, I spent half of the budget from Katan¡¯s side just to buy that dress. In the past, I felt dejected about marrying Joseph, but I wanted my wedding to be more spectacular than anyone else. ¡°Order it from a nameless salon. Make it as simple as possible.¡± But this time, it was different. I wanted to go to Katan as quietly as possible and prepare for my revenge. ¡°You want it to be simple? But it¡¯s a wedding with the Grand Duke¡­ Are you sure?¡± Rona opened her round eyes wide, clearly bewildered by what I was saying. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not going to invite anyone anyway.¡± ¡°Does the Grand Duke want to marry you in secret?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­but he¡¯s not someone who likes to have a fancy wedding¡­¡± He loved the barren and deserted Katan, so he couldn¡¯t have wanted a grand wedding where people flocked in. Besides, he didn¡¯t like me as his bride, so he wouldn¡¯t want to waste so much time on the wedding. I was accustomed to that fact, so I wasn¡¯t offended at all. Our marriage was pushed by the holy council and the aristocrats to hold him hostage and suppress Prince Carlo. ¡°My lady, you don¡¯t have to be extremely mindful of the Grand Duke¡¯s preference. You also have a say in this marriage.¡± Rona bit her lips and patted my hand as if she thought I was pitiful. ¡°Rona.¡± When she leaned closer to me, I noticed bruises around her neck. I knitted my brows and opened my mouth. ¡°My father must be doing that to you¡­¡± ¡°Oh, no, My lady.¡± The bewildered Rona cut me off and hurriedly covered her exposed neck. With my eyes narrowed, I recalled Roscoe Cardinale¡¯s weasel-like face. The Count was a nasty man who did not hesitate to force a woman younger than me. ¡°Rona, why don¡¯t you come with me to Katan?¡± My careful question made Rona teary-eyed. She barely managed to speak up as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she just heard. ¡°Do you mean it? I¡¯m not even your exclusive maid.¡± ¡°Yes. So from now on, you can be my exclusive maid.¡± The Count was a greedy man who was unwilling to lose anything, so I had to head to Katan without a single penny of dowry. Nevertheless, I could still afford to hire Rona using the remaining budget from Katan¡¯s side. ¡°Do-Does that mean you¡¯re leaving me behind?¡± Sabrina, who was stuck in a corner listening to our conversation silently like a dead mouse, suddenly raised her voice. ¡®She must be anxious since she¡¯ll be the Count¡¯s next target if I took Rona instead of her.¡¯ I casually turned away from her pale face. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My lady, forgive me!¡± Sabrina knelt before me and pleaded forgiveness for the first time. ¡°I know Prince George is your lover, but I couldn¡¯t help it! The Prince forced me!¡± George was a despicable man, but he wasn¡¯t someone who liked to force women who refused him. He seduced women and took pleasure in watching women clung to him. ¡°My lady, I beg you! I will never yearn for Prince George ever again!¡± When I didn¡¯t respond much to her appeal, Sabrina banged her head on the floor and raised her voice. ¡°Ugh, cough! Please take me to Katan, My lady!¡± I looked indifferently at Sabrina, who was crying pathetically, and nodded. I was going to take her anyway. ¡®If I take Sabrina with me, George will visit Katan like before.¡¯ In the past, I thought he visited Katan because of me, but I was mistaken. ¡®I can¡¯t be excluded from George¡¯s scheme.¡¯ To completely block his schemes, I have to know what he was planning. ¡°Are you going to take me with you? Thank you¡­ Thank you very much, My lady!¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes glistened as she grabbed my arm. I slightly looked down at her and shook off her hands. ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t even think about touching me with your disgusting hands.¡± I rose from my seat and brushed off my arm that had been touched by her nasty hands. *** A land forsaken by God. It was another name for Katan. The road to that place is as rough as I remember. The devastated estate of the north was surrounded by mountain ranges. It was barren and the road was not paved properly. ¡®But it¡¯s chilly.¡¯ It was mid-summer, but as soon as I entered Katan, a cool wind brushed my cheek. ¡®Who would have thought that an abandoned crown prince would become the Grand Duke in a place like this?¡¯ Even the Emperor, who decided to dethrone him, would not have expected it. I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the mountain breeze coming through the opened carriage window. ¡®I¡¯m sleepy.¡¯ I must have become fatigued after riding the carriage for several days without getting off. ¡°M-My lady! Wake up, My Lady!¡± I was feeling drowsy under the shining sun when Rona, who was sitting across from me and sticking her head out of the window, urged me to wake up. ¡°It¡¯s a beast! The beast has appeared!¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised by her terrified scream. ¡®Looks like the beast is showing up again this time.¡¯ In the past, when I first set foot in Katan, the first thing that greeted me were beasts. ¡®It wasn¡¯t called a land forsaken by God for no reason.¡¯ Growl-! Rona hastily closed the window as the beasts surrounding the carriage growled and approached. ¡°What do I do, My Lady? The County¡¯s knights have never dealt with beasts!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will be fine.¡± The Grand Duke¡¯s castle, known as the silver ice castle, was still far away. Fortunately, the carriage stopped within Katan¡¯s territory. ¡®I don¡¯t know if we¡¯re outside of Katan, but Katan¡¯s troops are always guarding their territory.¡¯ Although Katan was a barren land that couldn¡¯t produce a single plant and was constantly attacked by beasts, it wasn¡¯t a place where people couldn¡¯t settle. ¡®Joseph is an excellent lord. In the past, he sent people just in time.¡¯ There were two kinds of swordmasters in the Las Vecchia Empire that could stand against the beasts. The paladin using a holy sword and the demon hunter using an impure aura. The paladin was greatly respected by everyone including the Imperial family. But the demon hunter was considered a flaw, enough to dethrone the innocent crown prince. Joseph, who will soon be my husband again, was born with the demon hunter¡¯s impure aura. -For submitting to the evil spirit and becoming a loyal slave of the devil, you¡¯re a disgrace to the Imperial Family! The conservative Imperial family denounced the young crown prince, who exhibited the qualities of a swordmaster, and deposed him to Katan. ¡°Look out! Shit, I have no luck! Those people are the demon hunters!¡± Some of Cardinale¡¯s servants look disgusted whenever they see the impure auras of the approaching knights as demon hunters were still heavily frowned upon by people from the capital. Unlike the paladin who had healing powers, those with impure aura wouldn¡¯t be welcomed anywhere because their power corrupted the soil. ¡®Until the deposed Joseph ruled over Katan.¡¯ The demon hunters were unable to join the ranks, so they could only be mercenaries. But Joseph gathered them to develop Katan, the land abandoned by the Empire. Katan, which was infested with beasts, gradually turned into a land for people to live in. ¡®It¡¯s a territory that will prosper in 7 years, but it¡¯s not bad now.¡¯ I nodded as I looked around the land. It wasn¡¯t fertile, but there were traces of people living here. ¡®After George ascends to the throne, more people will flock to Katan.¡¯ People from the south and north already came to Katan and settled in. To be exact, those who couldn¡¯t pay the extremely high taxes imposed by the Imperial family, or those who were ousted by the deep-rooted status system sought a new opportunity in Katan. Katan was no longer a large wasteland, but the new commercial center of the north. Because the demon hunters who were reborn as knights after receiving harsh training from the swordmaster Joseph had never neglected their duties and patrolled every day. ¡®¡­Maybe I can help this time.¡¯ In the past, rather than taking care of Katan as the Grand Duchess, I was desperate to win George¡¯s heart. Even though I loved alchemy, I couldn¡¯t even showcase my ability because I was worried about how people think of me. Although not as much as demon hunters, alchemists were also condemned for having a power affiliated with the darkness. ¡®I¡¯m not going to hide my ability anymore.¡¯ ¡°My Lady! The Knights of Katan defeated all the beasts!¡± Rona, who was looking out of the window, clapped and clamored. ¡°Oh my god. How cool! I¡¯ve never seen knights like that before.¡± People in the north were generally big-built and muscular. Moreover, the demon hunters were trained as hard as the Imperial knights, so Rona, who was born and raised in Cardinale, was awestruck. ¡®Southerners are usually short and slender.¡¯ When I followed Rona, who was looking out of the window, I hardened at the appearance of an unexpected figure. ¡®Joseph?¡¯ In the past, the beasts attacked Cardinale¡¯s carriage, but Joseph did not come to my rescue. Because the first time I saw my groom was on our wedding day. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Grand Duke?¡± Rona, who followed my gaze, let out a feeble scream and gasped with excitement. ¡°What a wonderful man! My lady, you¡¯re so lucky!¡± Rona seemed to have imagined that the man my father forced me to marry was a pot-bellied old man. ¡®True, he¡¯s a great guy.¡¯ I nodded awkwardly at Rona¡¯s words. He held his white long sword with one hand. A moment later, our gazes intertwined in the air. The abandoned crown prince, the lord of the silver castle, and the king of desolate north. And my husband whom I never smiled affectionately at. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¡°Why have I never heard of the Grand Duke in society?¡± Rona, who made a fuss, tilted her head in amazement. It was strange enough that a rumor about his handsome face did not spread at all. ¡°You may not have heard about the Grand Duke of Katan¡­but have you never heard of the deposed Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Pardon? I heard the deposed Crown Prince was cursed by the devil and died of a disease that made his skin rot. Is that what you mean?¡± Not many people knew that Joseph Katan was originally Joseph Las Vecchia Angelos. The Red Palace of Las Vecchia wanted to hide the fact that a demon hunter was born in the Imperial Family. ¡®That¡¯s why they disguised the deposed Crown Prince as the Grand Duke of Katan and made him guard the border.¡¯ In other words, they sent a child to the cold northern part of the empire, where there was nothing but monsters, and left him to die alone. But who would have predicted that Katan would thrive under his leadership? Only the Imperial Family and the church knew that Joseph was the brother of the current Crown Prince, Carlo. Known as the Grand Duke of Katan, he was reluctant to go to crowded places, and he was rarely seen in the Imperial Palace. ¡®But he¡¯s always been that cold.¡¯ No matter how handsome Joseph may be, there weren¡¯t many women who could handle a vicious demon hunter who returned alive after crushing the western barbarian alone. ¡®But he isn¡¯t as cold as he appears to be.¡¯ As proof, he did his best to protect me, his wife. ¡°Rita Cardinale, right?¡± Joseph, who moved his long legs towards the carriage quickly, asked me. Even though the carriage¡¯s height was quite high, his tall figure allowed him to make eye contact with me. ¡°Rita Annunciata Cardinale. I humbly greet Your Highness Grand Duke of Katan.¡± The cool wind brushed past his white hair. ¡®You certainly look younger than the last time I saw you.¡¯ We were married when I was 20 and he was 24. Gazing at his countenance, who had been condemned for being a devil, I hurriedly bowed my head at the thought that I had been staring at his face for too long. ¡°I¡¯m Joseph Katan.¡± He kissed the back of my hand that held the window. ¡°¡­It¡¯s not the first time we met.¡± I tilted my head at Joseph¡¯s words. It was the first time I heard about it since he was already deposed before I entered the Imperial Palace. ¡®We first saw each other at our wedding, right?¡¯ Did he come to my debutante? As a member of the Holy Church, I had my debutante banquet at the palace. It was possible that I didn¡¯t see him among so many people. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you at the castle.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± He briefly bowed before returning to his horse. Katan was a chilly place even during summer. However, the back of my hand that his lips touched felt as hot as fire. *** To meet my demands, it was decided that our wedding will be very simple. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to rent a cathedral?¡± Dante, the butler in charge of the Katan household, continuously tried to confirm my sincerity, as if he couldn¡¯t believe that the Grand Duke¡¯s hall was enough for a wedding ceremony. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine with that.¡± ¡°The Grand Duke is not so frugal for him to forbid you from renting the cathedral.¡± Dante continued. He was stuttering as if he thought I misunderstood Joseph. ¡°Isn¡¯t your marriage an important occasion that will mark the union between the Holy Church and the Imperial Family?¡± ¡®My father and George are using that reason to push our marriage for their own benefit.¡¯ I shook my head at the butler¡¯s words. ¡°But the Gray Hall is enough for me.¡± Since the cathedral, which was only used for the weddings of high ranking nobles, has only been used once. ¡°I know His Highness is not a frugal man, so you don¡¯t have to worry, Dante.¡± Joseph hated getting people¡¯s attention, but he was willing to comply with my request to use the cathedral as a wedding hall back then. ¡®Because of that, I got an earful from George.¡¯ It was him who forced me to marry the Grand Duke of Katan, but he berated me for having a splendid wedding with Joseph. [What an arrogant decision to hold a wedding in the cathedral. Does he not realize how impudent he was for someone who was no longer a member of the Imperial Family?] [But it was my decision to choose the cathedral as my wedding hall, my prince.] [Are you taking his side in front of me?] [¡±¡­.¡±] [I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re swayed by his face!] ¡®Now that I think about it, George wasn¡¯t angry because he was jealous. It must have been because of his inferiority complex towards Joseph.¡¯ I was told that George had never defeated Joseph in swordsmanship despite being the Holy Knight of the Empire. ¡°Do you know my name?¡± The butler made a strange look when I frowned at the unpleasant memories. ¡®Ah, I made a mistake.¡¯ Dante was the Grand Duke¡¯s butler whom I met almost everyday back then. Of course I know Dante¡¯s name and his child¡¯s name, who was going to be born a few years later. But right now, I¡¯m not the madam who took charge of the household for 7 years anymore. ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s going to be the Grand Duchess of Katan. It¡¯s only natural for me to know the name of my butler.¡± I grinned and answered nonchalantly to gloss over my mistake. ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When he watched me clumsily nod my head, Dante¡¯s eyes somehow looked a little warmer than before. *** ¡°When My Lady told me to order a dress from Madame Elva¡¯s Salon, I actually wanted to oppose it.¡± Rona, who was staring blankly at me as I tried on the wedding dress for my wedding ceremony, suddenly brought it up. ¡°Really? Why?¡± I tilted my head and asked, but she hesitated for a moment while holding a pearl, which will be used to decorate my hair, in her hand. ¡°¡­Madame Estee¡¯s dresses are much more famous, while Madame Elva¡¯s dresses are elegant but modest.¡± Rona, who already put rose powder on my cheek, exclaimed. ¡°But I think it¡¯s super beautiful when My Lady wears it! It doesn¡¯t look modest at all.¡± Rona, who looked like she was about to cry at any moment, pulled the mirror in front of me. ¡°As expected, you have a good eye! As a matter of fact, this dress makes your beauty shine more than Madame Estee¡¯s fancy dress.¡± Following her lead, I got up from the sofa and spun around to check my dress one last time. As a result of my gestures, the hem of the white dress swirled and brushed the floor. ¡®It¡¯s really better than I thought.¡¯ The wedding dress that was made from light, flowy chiffon looked plain even though red silk was added as a decoration. ¡®The red adornment highlights my green eyes.¡¯ Standing in front of the mirror, I slowly blinked my eyes, which were covered with dense eyelashes. A woman with a coy expression was looking at me from afar. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because our lady is naturally gorgeous. Isn¡¯t that right, Sabrina?¡± Rona, who was babbling while fixing my headpiece, turned her head to Sabrina. She was stuck in the corner, and only bowed her head without saying a word. Both Sabrina and Rona were my maids, but instead of helping Rona, she was busy running errands from time to time. ¡®Figures, she must be a little embarrassed to tend to me.¡¯ Sabrina, who was suddenly called out, was surprised and looked at us alternately. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Madame Elva¡¯s dress looks as bright as a summer rose when My Lady wears it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Sabrina nodded nervously when Rona shamelessly referred to my nickname, ¡®The Brilliant Rose of Cardinale¡¯, when she described the dress. ¡°Uh, yeah. Well, My Lady¡¯s beauty is famous in society.¡± ¡°Oh, no. My Lady is not a beauty.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the beautiful one, Sabrina.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But My Lady is right here, and she¡¯s going to be offended by that.¡± Sabrina looked away as if she was embarrassed, but she didn¡¯t deny Rona¡¯s words. Rona, who attached a snowflake patterned crown over my head, added leisurely. ¡°I mean, My Lady is more dazzlingly beautiful than a self-proclaimed beauty like you. I think it¡¯s more appropriate to describe her beauty as one that can entrance someone since it can make people lose their mind.¡± ¡°Huh? Yes?¡± Sabrina¡¯s black eyes opened wide, perhaps wondering if she heard Rona right. Rona smirked as she looked at the stiffened Sabrina. ¡°Did you just misunderstood what I mean?¡± Rona¡­.. She surprisingly has a feisty personality. I watched from the side as she enthusiastically humiliated Sabrina. ¡°Sabrina, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. Of course, My Lady is ten million times more beautiful than you are.¡± Sabrina nodded, biting her lips as if she couldn¡¯t contradict Rona in front of me. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± It was a little embarrassing, but it wasn¡¯t so bad to watch Sabrina¡¯s trembling fingertips. Due to that, I kept silent as if I didn¡¯t hear their conversation. ¡°Lady Cardinale, if you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll take you to the Grey Hall,¡± Dante¡¯s polite voice came from outside the door. Finally, my second chance in Katan has come. ¡®I¡¯ll never make stupid choices again.¡¯ With that in mind, I followed him with a firm commitment. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Katan Gray Palace was so desolate and dreary to the point it was called a ghost castle. However, the castle was very glamorous today. It was decorated with various flowers for the wedding ceremony. ¡®Why am I nervous?¡¯ Is it because I am looking forward to marrying Joseph this time? Standing in front of the archway, I mustered my courage and entered the gray hall. ¡°Lady Cardinale, dip your feet in the holy water.¡± The high priest, who led the ceremony, whispered to me. Washing one¡¯s feet with holy water before the wedding oath meant washing away one¡¯s sins before starting a new life. ¡®I really need this ritual.¡¯ After washing my feet with the holy water in the silver basin, I stood right next to Joseph. ¡®I wonder, what are your thoughts on this marriage?¡¯ Suddenly, I was curious about how he felt at this moment. What does this forced marriage mean to him? Wouldn¡¯t it be unfair if he had a lover? I wanted to see his expression, but the veil only let me see the tip of his polished shoes. ¡°Joseph Catan. Will you cherish and love Rita Annunciata Cardinale as your lifelong companion?¡± ¡°I swear.¡± His voice was as low and resonant as the wind in the middle of winter. But I knew it was a false oath. ¡°¡­Rita Annunciata Cardinale. Will you love Joseph Katan as your lifelong companion?¡± ¡°Yes. I swear before God¡¯s name.¡± I knew there was no sincerity in his oath, but I don¡¯t intend to waste away my second life. Perhaps because my determined voice was a little unexpected, Joseph tightened his grip on my hands. ¡°Do you swear before Laurencia to spend the rest of your life as husband and wife?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph and I answered at the same time. ¡®Of course, we won¡¯t be together forever.¡¯ Once Carlo becomes the emperor, I plan to leave Katan without looking back. Joseph had a woman he loved. He broke up with his lover because of this marriage. On a lonely winter, the day when Yvonne was born, he told me that himself. ¡®Even so, he did his best for Yvonne.¡¯ So, it¡¯s my turn to work hard for his happiness this time. ¡®Let¡¯s carry out the plan seamlessly and return him back to her right after.¡¯ After the ceremony, Joseph slowly lifted my veil upwards. His blurry face gradually became clear. He looked younger, but that dark grey eyebrows, cold persona, and sharp profile of his, which exudes elegance, were exactly like what I remember. I gently closed my eyes as his face slowly approached mine. ¡®You¡¯re supposed to kiss me for the oath, but you¡¯ll end up kissing me lightly on the cheek.¡¯ Joseph was so courteous that he rarely touched me first. As for Yvonne, she was a result of a one night mistake. We were only a couple in name. Soon, his breath brushed against my cheek. I thought the oath was over, so I opened my eyes. ¡°If I kiss you now,¡± At that moment, a small whisper rang in my ears. A clear and courteous voice along with a soft scent of sandalwood. ¡°Will that be okay?¡± I was extremely embarrassed when Joseph asked me exactly what I wanted in a frank manner, so I nodded my head in a daze. He wrapped his big hand around my nape and slowly lowered his head. Thus, unknowingly, I tightened my grip that held his arm. ¡®Last time, he kissed me on the cheek!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a kiss on the cheek nor a deep kiss. Even though light kisses were common between aristocrats, that fact couldn¡¯t stop the heat from rising to my face. *** I was utterly exhausted when I arrived at the grey castle after exploring Katan on a wedding carriage with Joseph. ¡®It was my second time circling around this vast land in one day.¡¯ However, Joseph couldn¡¯t believe that I was already familiar with the circumstances within the estate. So, I had no choice but to look around Katan once more. ¡®Well, thanks to this, I came up with a way to make the land more prosperous.¡¯ Joseph and the demon hunters exterminated the demon¡¯s habitats. They made Katan a land for people to live in, but it was still a wilderness. ¡®I need to find a way to cultivate the soil with alchemy.¡¯ It won¡¯t be difficult to use the new alchemy technique that was developed just before my death. ¡°Madam! You must be tired, right?¡± As I was lost in thought in the bathtub, Rona walked up to me. Her swiftness of calling me madam was quite admirable. ¡°You¡¯re calling me madam already?¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯re married, you¡¯re not Lady Cardinale anymore. You are the Grand Duchess of Katan.¡± Rona replied, massaging my stiff arms. ¡®That¡¯s right. I become the Grand Duchess again¡­¡¯ That¡¯s why I had to take advantage of the opportunity given to me. ¡°Rona, can you bring me a paper and pen?¡¯ Having left the bathroom, I sat down and began to write in the alchemist¡¯s language. [1. Help Prince Carlo acquire the throne safely.] In order to protect Yvonne, a despicable man like George should never become the emperor again. Alchemy made it possible for me to go back in time, but it won¡¯t stop Laurencia from passing down the oracle. ¡­Yvonne. Each time I thought of Yvonne, I felt suffocated because I was reminded of the night when I called out my child¡¯s name. ¡®Will I be able to meet you again?¡¯ It was possible for me to meet Yvonne again. Because I knew the exact day I had Yvonne. Joseph and I only spent the night once, so it wasn¡¯t hard to remember. ¡®During the celebration of Goddess Laurencia.¡¯ On the day of the grandest festival of the year, George, who won the battle for the throne, welcomed Saint Ibelina as the empress. I fell into despair. I thought I had lost George¡¯s heart, without knowing that he never loved me to begin with. ¡®It was also the day Joseph lost his brother.¡¯ No one could explain why the healthy prince suddenly passed away, but I was sure it was part of George¡¯s schemes. That night, the entire country danced joyfully. Unlike the lively atmosphere, however, we both broke down in sorrow. We ended up having an intimate night under the influence of alcohol. For that reason, it won¡¯t be difficult for me to have Yvonne again. ¡®I won¡¯t let my daughter die again.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to put Yvonne through such a terrible occurrence even if I were to die again. [2. Increase Katan¡¯s power.] The Holy Council consisted of distinguished elites who had a close relationship with the temple that had power over the aristocracy. The Holy Council, including my father, appointed George as the next emperor because of his holy power. The only region that supported Carlo was Katan, which was known as the abandoned land. ¡®That being the case, I need to increase Katan¡¯s power first.¡¯ However, the situation in the north was not good due to the constant attacks of the monsters and harsh weather. ¡®Perhaps I can develop crops that can withstand the weather in the north.¡¯ I nodded briefly, recalling every technique I could use to cultivate the land. [3. Prepare enough funds to raise Yvonne alone.] It¡¯s possible if everything works out as planned, but even if things work out otherwise, Yvonne¡¯s well-being is the most important for me. ¡®As I thought, I want to have Yvonne again.¡¯ I know I was being selfish. But I wanted to meet my little angel again. ¡®I¡¯m the worst.¡¯ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t treat you well because it was the first time I had a child. I wanted to apologize over and over again. I¡¯m so sorry I failed to protect you. As long as Yvonne can live, I didn¡¯t care even if I had to repeat a gruesome death for eternity. ¡®This is what happened in the capital around this year¡­¡¯ As I was organizing the events that would happen in the future on a paper, someone tapped my shoulder. ¡®Is it Rona?¡¯ As I casually turned my head, I instantly stiffened. ¡®What are you writing in such a hurry?¡¯ The shadow that fell above my feet belonged to Joseph. His white face looked exceptionally moist, perhaps because he just washed up. ¡°Yo-Your highness, what brings you to my bedroom?¡± I was embarrassed by the sight of my husband standing in front of me in a black nightgown. His solid chest, seen through the slightly disorganized gown, caught my eye. He was a man of strong build, unlike his smooth and elegant face. ¡°As of today, you have become my wife.¡± Joseph¡¯s low voice tickled my ears. ¡°So¡­¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± What should we do now that we¡¯re officially married? ¡°S-So now what?¡± Joseph, who was oblivious to my flustered voice, sat down across the table. ¡°You¡¯re still not used to Katan.¡± I gulped, anticipating his next words. ¡°I¡­.¡± His lips twitched as if he was reluctant to speak. ¡®What do you wish to tell me?¡¯ So, I mulled over the words he would say moments later nervously. ¡®Do you wish to tell me to do ¡®that¡¯?¡¯ As I assumed that, I noticed that Joseph¡¯s attire was unusually thin. Then as my gaze slowly reached his sluggish red lips, I hurriedly shook my head and said before he was able to finish his words. ¡°If you are thinking of fulfilling our duty on our first night as a married couple, please reconsider, Your Highness!¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything you desire from me, please let me know. I¡¯ll consider it carefully.¡± Our words nearly came out at the same time. Damn it. I should¡¯ve heard him out first before I spoke!!! ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± As he asked that question, I noticed that his clear, amethyst eyes were filled with bewilderment. For that reason, I wanted to bite my tongue. Damn it, I misunderstood for nothing. But, to be fair, I had a plausible reason as to why I misunderstood. Before I went back in time, Joseph also visited my bedroom on our wedding night. -¡®I don¡¯t want to be your wife. Get out!¡¯ At that time, not only did I despise him, but I also humiliated him because I kicked him out of my bedroom on our wedding night. ¡®It was a must for nobles to fulfill their duty on their first night, so Joseph had no other choice.¡¯ But now, I don¡¯t hate him anymore. Even so, I don¡¯t want to fulfill our duty at the moment because I¡¯m not yet ready. What¡¯s more, I don¡¯t want to have a child other than Yvonne. ¡®Gosh, how embarrassing.¡¯ To make matters worse, I embarrassed myself only because I was busy thinking about how to avoid our first night without hurting his feelings. Having realized I embarrassed myself over nothing, I lowered my head and covered my flushed cheeks with my hands. ¡°¡­So that¡¯s what you wanted to tell me. To ask me what I desire.¡± ¡°Yes. You must have been worried about spending the night with me.¡± He tilted his head and stared at me, who couldn¡¯t stop smiling due to embarrassment. There was no sign of contempt in his pristine eyes. ¡®How can a human look so pure?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t stop admiring his appearance that was as pure as the color of snow. ¡®No wonder George always feels inferior to him.¡¯ George was always wary of my husband, Joseph, even though George didn¡¯t love me. Now, I know the reason why. ¡®They took swordsmanship classes together when they were young.¡¯ Joseph was such an outstanding knight that he was called ¡®The Empire¡¯s First Sword¡¯ among the military forces. Meanwhile, George may have been recognized by the Holy Council as the Holy Knight, but he hasn¡¯t earned any of his fellow knights¡¯ respect. ¡®Geez, I really have a bad eye for men.¡¯ Joseph, who wasn¡¯t aware of my thoughts as I gazed at his muscular body, slowly opened his mouth. ¡°You may not believe me now, but I¡¯m not a lewd man who would force you into unwanted intercourse.¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± I nodded at Joseph¡¯s courteous words. ¡°You¡¯re not that kind of person.¡± My husband was the person who respected me the most before. ¡®Even though he must¡¯ve hated me as much as I hated him. No, he should¡¯ve hated me more than I hated him, but his actions spoke otherwise.¡¯ Although I wasn¡¯t a pure blooded Cardinale, he must¡¯ve heard that I was going to ruin Katan for my family¡¯s sake. Considering that fact, there¡¯s no way he would¡¯ve liked me. ¡°You don¡¯t know me.¡± Joseph shook his head and chuckled at my resolute words. So, I slowly lifted up the corner of my lips and laughed along with him. ¡°You might not know this, but I have a good eye for people.¡± I couldn¡¯t deny Joseph¡¯s words. He must¡¯ve thought I was still hanging on to a man such as George. ¡°In any case, the purpose of your visit is to know what I desire, right?¡± Our marriage wasn¡¯t done out of love, rather, it was more of a deal. Cardinale intended to pressure Carlo¡¯s position by taking Joseph as hostage, while Carlo planned to use Joseph to acquire information from Cardinale and the Holy Council. ¡®If you want to strike a deal with someone, it is important to pick a reliable partner.¡¯ Of course, Carlo was at disadvantage since Joseph was unfit to be a spy. In fact, in the past, he gained nothing from me. ¡°Yes. Please let me know if you have any requests.¡± ¡°I have none.¡± How dare I desire anything from him when I¡¯m the one who¡¯s indebted to him? ¡°Well, now that we¡¯re here, shall we discuss how we¡¯re going to get along as a couple?¡± How timely. And so, I took out the proposal I wrote earlier, and placed it on the table. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve come up with.¡± ¡°¡­Is it a contract?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course, I won¡¯t force you to adhere to the clauses you dislike. I just wrote those down as a precaution.¡± Joseph began to read my proposal silently, but not long after, his face slowly hardened. Because of his reaction, I got a little nervous, so I fiddled with my fingers. ¡®Is there a clause he dislikes?¡¯ To sum up the proposal¡¯s contents roughly, we are to go on our separate paths and mind our own business. There¡¯s no way he would hate it. ¡®I even added a clause to show my willingness to not interfere with his love life.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t engage in each other¡¯s private lives.¡± Joseph, who pointed at the exact clause, asked. ¡°¡­What do you mean by private lives?¡± ¡°It means that if Your Highness has a woman other than me, I won¡¯t be jealous or be suspicious of you. After all, I¡¯m only your wife in name.¡± I wanted to support Joseph in his love life because what he felt towards who he loved was different from what I felt. My love for George was just a desire created by my false ambition of becoming an Empress. ¡°I see.¡± Joseph nodded slowly. ¡°Are you serious about the clause¡ªBoth of us are expected to fulfill our duties and responsibilities as the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°Yes. Although I¡¯m not the person you wanted as the Grand Duchess, I¡¯m still your wife. So, I¡¯m going to do my best for the prosperity of Katan until I no longer have that position.¡± As proof, I explained how we could improve Katan¡¯s soil. As I explained, I had my gaze on Joseph so that I could see his reaction to my idea. ¡®You seem to have understood my point, but why do you look so unhappy?¡± Based on his expression, he might¡¯ve thought I was spouting too much nonsense, so I showed him the other side of the proposal to reassure him further. ¡°Read it carefully, and then let me know if there¡¯s something you dislike.¡± If he does as I say, he would clearly see that there¡¯s no clause to his disadvantage. ¡°¡­It¡¯s as if I¡¯m reading a business plan.¡± ¡°Because Katan has a lot to improve on.¡± Seeing as his face became crumpled as if he was offended by what I said, I hurriedly added. ¡°What I wanted to say was that Katan has a lot of potential for improvement. Were you offended by what I said earlier?¡± ¡°No.¡± Even when he shook his head in disagreement, his brows were still furrowed. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to offend you, though.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to hurt him anymore. So, I slowly opened my mouth and touched the back of his hand. ¡°¡­I know you don¡¯t trust me enough to leave Katan to me.¡± I went on with utmost sincerity to ease his doubt. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t want to marry me.¡± But I¡¯m his wife now. ¡°So, I¡¯m not going to ask you to trust me or leave Katan to me right away.¡± I spoke slowly, wishing that even a little bit of my sincerity would reach him. ¡°However, please don¡¯t blindly distrust me just because I¡¯m a Cardinale.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Joseph nodded slowly at the words I said with so much difficulty. ¡®He¡¯s a man who values faith, so he¡¯ll consider it even if he doesn¡¯t believe me.¡¯ After I heaved a sigh of relief, I stood up and smiled. ¡°Thank you. Your Highness.¡± I stood up to send him off, but he didn¡¯t move an inch. ¡®It must¡¯ve been uncomfortable.¡¯ The table and chairs in my bedroom were too small for his large body. I glanced at his nearly hunched body, and opened my mouth. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He muttered something else after, but I wasn¡¯t able to hear what he said. ¡°Pardon?¡± But he only shook his head at my question. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll read the proposal thoroughly, so you can rest now.¡± As soon as he left my bedroom, I glanced at the chair he sat on. Perhaps he went to the garden before he came to my bedroom. Seeing as he left a crimson summer rose on the chair. It was a rare flower in Katan, where even the summer breeze was cool. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 ¡°Why have you returned already?¡± Dante was cleaning the chamber, having assumed that Joseph wouldn¡¯t return to his room today. He opened his eyes wide when his master returned so early. Joseph threw himself on his bed without answering Dante¡¯s question. His trousers, visible through the gown, were still firmly snug without a single tell-tale mess. ¡®No sign of undressing.¡¯ The quick-witted Dante kept his mouth shut in consideration of Joseph. However, the young servant who helped Dante arrange the bed, jutted his head out as if he couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity. ¡°Isn¡¯t it your Highness¡¯ first night today?¡¯ ¡°Manuel!¡± Dante hastily tried to stop the young servant, but he had already walked and even poked Joseph in the back when he lay down. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­Get out.¡± Joseph gave a short order while he buried his face on the pillow. Manuel, eyes filled with curiosity, was grabbed in the back of his neck by Dante and dragged out. Joseph let out a long sigh while he pressed his wrist against his forehead. ¡®As anticipated, you don¡¯t remember me.¡¯ It was to be expected. This summer was redemption to him, but it would just be an ordinary season without any significance to her. ¡°You must punish the Prince, Your Majesty.¡± Joseph recalled the beautiful voice of the Pope, who condemned him without any sympathy. ¡°Please send the Prince to the war against the Western Union. We might be able to eradicate his evil aura completely if we let him serve the continent.¡± He was only twelve years old. ¡°Would you let him become a stain on the reign of Angelus who has been around for generations?¡± ¡°He is the son of the deceased Empress who is also a saint, so how can I make him a demon hunter?¡± The Emperor grimaced in disbelief while pointing a finger at Joseph¡¯s dark aura. ¡°That was such a foolish question, Your Majesty.¡± At the Emperor¡¯s question, the Pope twisted her thin lips, visible under the hem of her veil. ¡°Her Majesty the Great Empress failed to educate him.¡± The nobles of the Holy Council nodded their agreement with the Pope¡¯s hasty conclusion. As if they couldn¡¯t believe that a cursed demon hunter was born into the royal family that had given birth to countless generations of powerful emperors. ¡°As a precaution, we should also keep an eye on Prince Carlo. Let¡¯s send him to the west together with the Prince to purify the dark aura¡­¡± But Carlo was only six now. Carlo wouldn¡¯t be able to survive on the battlefield. At the Pope¡¯s words, the boy chewed his lips as he looked back at his younger brother. He couldn¡¯t possibly put his younger brother in danger just because of his demon hunter aura. ¡°Don¡¯t disregard my mother¡¯s honor thoughtlessly. I¡¯m the heir of His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Demon hunters, who were oppressed by the empire, were usually born with a contaminated aura and were forced to fight the demon. However, it was said that even ordinary people could be demon hunters as well. ¡°¡­.I sold my soul to the devil because I was blinded by power.¡± ¡°Oh, are you telling the truth?¡± The Pope pushed him in front of the Emperor as if she had been waiting for Joseph to confess. ¡°Gosh, I can¡¯t believe he sold his soul to the devil. I don¡¯t think going out to the battlefield and serving the Empire will be enough to cleanse the Crown Prince of his sins!¡± ¡°Then what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°You should depose the Crown Prince, Your Majesty.¡± In the end, the Emperor was forced to depose his own son due to pressure from the Pope and the nobles. ¡°I will send the deposed Crown Prince to the battlefield to cleanse his sins.¡± It was disgraceful to execute a prince, so the Emperor sent him to die on the battlefield. Joseph listened to his father¡¯s command and nodded calmly. ¡°I will heed your order, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Ack! Go away! Stay away from me!¡± His aura could suck up people¡¯s youth and rot their souls away just from contact with him. ¡°I got goosebumps, yuck!¡± He was regarded as a demon who massacred people indiscriminately even if he was sent to a battlefield where bloodbaths were rampant. ¡°Did that kid survive this time? Even when half of our men are gone?¡± ¡°That young man was so blinded by power that he sold his soul to the devil!¡± Even the knights felt sorry for what the deposed crown prince had to go through, and they wished for the young Joseph, who barely reached their waist, to die instead. But he didn¡¯t die¡­ Twelve years old. A boy thrown into a bloodied battle without receiving a knight training yet still made it out alive regardless, it sounded more like a fantasy than a reality. The Emperor wanted his young son¡¯s neck to fall naturally into the enemy¡¯s hand, however, he did not die, and it inspired fear among people. ¡°Is the deposed Crown Prince still alive?¡± The Emperor began to panic when his son did not die on the battlefield. If Joseph survived, there would be a rumor that the blood of a demon hunter had been mixed into the dynasty. ¡°Since the Crown Prince¡¯s achievement is outstanding, continue your duty of subjugating monsters.¡± ¡°I heard there was a herd of monsters in the southwest part of the Empire.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± As he was covered in thick blood, without time to heal his wounded body, he had no choice but to be expelled from the Imperial Palace again. ¡®Let¡¯s die.¡¯ Joseph made up his mind, as he basked in the warm summer sun of the south. Whether the Emperor wanted him to cut down the enemy forces or his survival, he could never know. ¡®Will His Majesty forgive me if I did something?¡¯ It was a foolish hope. Everyone wanted his death so badly that they drove him to throw away his life. But at one fateful moment, ¡°Are you lost?¡± When a girl he never saw before grabbed his sleeve, Joseph did not shake her off or immediately answer her question. ¡°Hmm? Why are you sitting here?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Joseph looked at the girl who approached him fearlessly and blinked her big eyes. ¡°I want to die.¡± ¡°Now?¡± The little girl opened her eyes wide as if she couldn¡¯t understand Joseph¡¯s misery. ¡°Are you going to die now?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± ¡°Do you want to play with me if you¡¯re not going to die right now?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t play with you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Cause I¡¯m a demon hunter.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Joseph was baffled by the girl, who persistently clung to him despite his apathetic answers. ¡®Don¡¯t you feel my aura leaking out?¡¯ The grass surrounding the place where he laid down blackened, even though he didn¡¯t mean to demonstrate his power to the little girl. The girl wasn¡¯t afraid of the hideous aura that looked like a swirling shadow; she seemed like she was slow-witted rather than brave. ¡°Dangerous person.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dangerous?¡± When the little girl sneered in disbelief, Joseph twisted the rose right in front of her. Soon, the gorgeous rose withered as if struck by a winter blast. ¡°Look at this.¡± The little girl tilted her head when she saw him nervously holding the withered rose. ¡°It looks amazing though?¡± Despite their surroundings being dyed in black, she was poking at his aura as if she was playing with it. ¡°But what does this have to do with you not being able to play with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got an impure aura. Don¡¯t you know what a demon hunter is?¡± ¡°Surely you can play hide-and-seek!¡± The little girl pouted. ¡°¡­.I made your rose wither.¡± Joseph nervously glanced at Rita, who appeared unfrightened. ¡°So what?¡± The child scoffed, as if she thought he was ridiculous. ¡°I can do that much. The rose will die with only a few drops of poison.¡± The little girl, who suits summer roses more than anyone ever will, muttered and took a small glass bottle from her arms. ¡°Not everyone can make this, you know?¡± The little girl bragged as she pointed at the withered rose after the black liquid was dropped on it. ¡°Are you an alchemist?¡± Joseph alternately looked at the dead rose and the girl¡¯s innocent demeanor, then he frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t recklessly show your ability.¡± Perhaps not so much as demon hunters, alchemists were hated in the Empire in its devotion to sacredness. ¡°¡­.People.¡± ¡°What about people?¡± ¡°Because people might hate you for being an alchemist.¡± But despite Joseph¡¯s warning, she only wrinkled her nose beautifully and burst into laughter. ¡°So? I hate them, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Tell them to hate me all they want. I¡¯m leaving Las Vecchia anyway.¡± The little girl pouted, and began to trample on the dead rose. ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t die today. No one in the mansion talks to me.¡± The girl grumbled, and Joseph postponed his death. She looked as lonely as he was, so he thought it would be okay to hang out with her for a day. A day, two days, a week. Until a fortnight passed and he forgot his plan. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Please let me go, Sir Dante!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to watch your mouth in front of His Highness?¡± ¡°But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s ridiculous? She just kicked His Highness out of her chamber, right?¡± Manuel scowled at the unfairness of Dante¡¯s scolding. ¡°Why would His Highness want to marry that woman anyway?¡± ¡°That woman? She is our madam now.¡± Dante scratched his chin as he tried to persuade Manuel. The people of Katan, including Manuel, did not welcome Rita as the Grand Duchess. It was obvious that Count Cardinale wanted to exploit Carlo¡¯s weakness by using this political marriage. ¡°You know what kind of woman she is!¡± Manuel persisted in his tantrum. Rita Cardinale was a famous woman about whom rumors had even reached the secluded land of Katan. Although she was known as the most beautiful in the Cardinale, famous for its splendid beauty just like its rose symbol, she was not recognized for her appearance alone. ¡°That woman is the Witch of Cardinale.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor, Manuel.¡± ¡°Even if she isn¡¯t a witch, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s Prince George¡¯s lover!¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Manuel grumbled and shook Dante¡¯s hand off his shoulders. ¡°Sir Butler is also aware of Cardinale¡¯s hidden intention, right? They want to hold His Highness hostage through this marriage!! Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know just because I¡¯m young.¡± Dante couldn¡¯t refute his words. Since that nasty Roscoe Cardinale wouldn¡¯t make Joseph his son-in-law for nothing. ¡°Even though His Highness is the hero who freed the west from the barbarians.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think like that, Manuel. We don¡¯t know anything about our madam yet.¡± More mature than Manuel, Dante turned his gaze to Rita¡¯s bedroom, located far from Joseph¡¯s. ¡®That¡¯s right, no one in the north knows anything about her.¡¯ Even so, Joseph agreed to the marriage with Rita Cardinale without hesitation. It might be the Emperor¡¯s order, but he could have rejected it. ¡®What the hell are you thinking, Your Highness¡­¡¯ Dante was the one who raised Joseph, who was ejected from the Imperial Palace and became the Grand Duke at a young age. He was a reclusive person. But now Dante couldn¡¯t understand his master at all. ¡®No matter how I look, this is not the soil of grey land.¡¯ I curtly clicked my tongue when I looked at the flask that the young servant had given me. ¡®How many times has it been already?¡¯ Despite its vast territory, Katan had insufficient lands to grow crops. The northern grey land consisted of dry soil that crumbled easily, making it impossible to grow crops. ¡°¡­Is this really the soil of Kensteen Plain called the cursed land?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The servants called it a cursed land because it was so dry that no single grass could grow there. So I asked them to bring the so-called Kensteen soil. However, the soil brought by the servant was a moist red clay that could only be found in the south. They would bring soil that was different from my request every single time. It was already three times in a row. ¡°Is there any problem with the soil that I picked all the way from Kensteen Plains?¡± I was baffled by the young servant¡¯s impudent attitude and clicked my tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t you see it¡¯s brown? I know for the fact that Kensteen Plains are grey.¡± ¡°Hmph. Maybe it¡¯s mixed with southern soil a little, I guess.¡± No crops could grow properly on the grey soil, so Katan had to import soil from the nearest southern territories for farming. Therefore, the soil from the south could be mixed up a little with Katan¡¯s soil, but not for this one. ¡®Manuel, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ I took a glance at the baby-faced boy and heaved a sigh. ¡®This kid always hates me.¡¯ Because the northerners hated Cardinale. So I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t understand why they acted that way¡­. ¡®But he didn¡¯t make it so obvious before.¡¯ I thought of scolding him, but I didn¡¯t have time to pick a fight with a little servant and waste my time in a quarrel. ¡®I have to go to check the soil myself.¡¯ The law of alchemy discovered by Eastin, the Great Sage of The East, was that all the natural products of the earth were eventually made up of a single substance. I was planning a way to turn the northern soil into a prosperous soil just like in the south, using the law of alchemy that he discovered. ¡®I¡¯ve been stuck in my office since the wedding, yet I haven¡¯t made any progress.¡¯ So I slowly rose from the sofa and looked for Rona. ¡°Rona, I have to go out, so prepare for it.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take a short trip to Kensteen Plains.¡± ¡°The sun is really strong at noon. Will you be okay with that?¡± Getting a little tanner was no longer a big problem for me. ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± When I shook my head, Rona quickly left after saying she¡¯d bring me my outdoor clothes. ¡°You¡¯re also dismissed.¡± I turned my head at Manuel, who instead of leaving the office, stood tall in his place and watched me closely. ¡®Do you have anything left to say to me?¡¯ ¡°¡­Just why do you need Kensteen soil?¡± His eyes, the color of ripened wheat, showed clear hostility toward me. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of using it as an ingredient for my alchemy.¡± I frankly answered the boy¡¯s question with my head tilted sideways. In the first place, reforming the soil so it could be used to grow crops was my plan for Katan, so there was nothing to hide. ¡®Rather, if the rumor spread and people of the land helped me, I would be able to develop it faster.¡¯ But contrary to my expectation, Manuel¡¯s dark-skinned face paled as if he heard something shameful. ¡°As expected, Miss Sabrina¡¯s words were true.¡± ¡­.Huh, Sabrina? I furrowed my brows at the name that suddenly popped out of the boy¡¯s mouth. ¡°Katan is already a barren land even without your curse¡­¡± My curse? What nonsense is that? Manuel looked straight at my widening eyes and spoke out loud. ¡°But don¡¯t think of anything stupid because His Highness already knew that madam is going to use alchemy to sabotage Katan¡¯s agriculture!¡± While I was dumbfounded, Manuel bowed to me and scurried out. ¡®Sabrina is spreading nonsense about me?¡¯ Because of George, I ignored her and just kept silent even when she didn¡¯t do her task properly or just fiddled around. But it seems instead of reflecting, she was sowing enmity toward me. ¡®Even back in the county, she sweet talked my father and was living a comfortable life because of that. It¡¯s natural that she doesn¡¯t know her place.¡¯ Sabrina would have been my father¡¯s concubine had she not become George¡¯s lover. In addition, at that time while publicly recognized as the Count¡¯s daughter, I was treated as merely an illegitimate child within the household. ¡®But now I¡¯m the Grand Duchess of Katan.¡¯ I didn¡¯t want to care what George¡¯s lover was doing, but I didn¡¯t want her to interfere with my plan. ¡°Rona, I¡¯m taking Sabrina with me, so tell her to get ready.¡± Dressed in my outdoor clothes, I tightened my bonnet and ordered Rona briefly. ¡®I will tell you properly who is on top and who is below.¡¯ Sabrina, sitting across from me, pulled a letter from her pocket and started fiddling with it. Rona kept scolding her because Sabrina was acting like an attention seeker. ¡°The carriage is shaking so much, so don¡¯t you feel dizzy reading like that?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not dizzy.¡± (T/N: She¡¯s talking informally.) Sabrina, answering bluntly, widened her eyes when they met mine, and she started rambling. ¡°Ah, this is just a letter, there¡¯s nothing much in it!¡± ¡°Yeah, I see.¡± I didn¡¯t ask, and I didn¡¯t want to ask. ¡®It must be a letter from George.¡¯ If Sabrina was eager to boast about it to me, then of course it¡¯s from him. George had a talent for enticing people with his affectionate words. It was obvious he wrote that letter to seduce a young maid. ¡®It must be similar to the letters I received.¡¯ ¡°¡­I¡¯ll let you see if you want.¡± Sabrina seemed to think I was trying to hide my curiosity about her letter. ¡°No, thanks.¡± I shook my head briefly at her suggestion, then slowly closed my eyes in the cool sunlight streaming through the window. ¡°I don¡¯t want to taint my eyes with dirty things.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°It¡¯s a letter from Prince George, right? You wanted to show it to Madam?¡± When I didn¡¯t show any reaction to the letter, Sabrina shifted her target by showing the letter to Rona. ¡°Uh-huh. Seems like he wants to take me as his wife.¡± ¡°What a crazy bitch!¡± A smirk rose when I heard Rona¡¯s voice from the corner of the carriage. George wanted to be an emperor, and an emperor¡¯s official wife was an empress. ¡®George will never give a commoner the empress¡¯ seat.¡¯ He thought of his mother¡¯s lowly origin as his only flaw. In reality, George never gave Sabrina an official position until he ascended to the throne. He married her off to Marquis Letty and took her as the Emperor¡¯s mistress. Just as he had married me off to Joseph. Thinking about Sabrina¡¯s future made me frown, and Sabrina, who was right in front of me, sneered. ¡°Since Madam is married to His Highness, Madam is no longer in a relationship with Prince George, right?¡± How shameless. You cried, claimed George forced himself on you, and begged for forgiveness. Did you forget about that already? This was a society where one¡¯s status changed depending on who they married. Hence, I could understand why a mere maid like Sabrina was acting like she was above me. Because she believed that she had won George¡¯s heart. In fact, there were also noble women who forced beautiful maids to debut in society, and strengthened their own influence by organizing marriages with powerful figures. ¡®Who is really standing on top? That¡¯s another problem to think about.¡¯ So I nodded because I was too lazy to quibble over knowing one¡¯s place to arrogant Sabrina. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If Prince George becomes Emperor¡­does that mean I become an empress?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± After responding indifferently to Sabrina¡¯s question, I stood up when the coachman announced we had arrived at the Kensteen Plains. Kesteen was such a desolate land that it was closer to a wasteland than a plain. The southern plain was called the Golden Sea because of the abundant wheat, meanwhile, the Kensteen Plain was so dry that it was hard to see a single blade of grass. ¡®It¡¯s definitely gray.¡¯ As I stared at the gray, crumbly soil completely depleted of nutrients, I took the bucket from Rona and extended it toward Sabrina. ¡°Pick up the soil, Sabrina.¡± ¡°¡­.Pardon? Why me?¡± Sabrina flinched and lifted the hem of her skirt. ¡°As you can see, I am wearing a dress, not a maid¡¯s uniform. This is a precious dress gifted by Prince George.¡± I tilted my head at Sabrina wordlessly. When I gave no answer, Sabrina tried to persuade me by pointing at Rona and said. ¡°Since Rona is here, can you just ask her to do it? I don¡¯t want to hurt Prince George¡¯s heart, Madam. He said he was going to take me to the Imperial Palace soon.¡± I could no longer hold back my laughter at Sabrina¡¯s words. ¡°Haha!¡± Her eyes filled with embarrassment when she saw me burst out laughing. ¡°Wh-why are you laughing? I can show you the letter!¡± ¡°Sabrina, George is not an emperor yet.¡± And he won¡¯t become an emperor because I¡¯ll stop him at all costs. ¡°Besides, you haven¡¯t even become his concubine yet!.¡± I used my hand fan to raise her chin. ¡°Even if you are the Prince¡¯s lover, you are just a maid of the current Grand Duchess of Katan.¡± Sabrina bit her lip and dawdled for a while. However, her slender body did not budge. ¡°Pick up the soil.¡± Sabrina did not respond to me, so I tapped her shoulder with my hand fan. ¡°Hurry.¡± I had made the hand fan with alchemy so it was an artifact that amplified the user¡¯s power. ¡°Ugh!¡± So I was able to knock her into a muddy puddle with a light push of my hand fan. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± She got up in a hurry after falling on her rump, but George¡¯s green dress was already wet and dirty. ¡°Madam! What do you think you are doing!¡± The enraged Sabrina raised her voice. ¡°If Prince George finds out about this, he won¡¯t stay still!¡± ¡°I ordered you to put soil into the bucket, Sabrina.¡± Hand fan spread open, I tilted my head and repeated my words resolutely. ¡°If you make me repeat myself again, prepare to walk until you reach the Castle.¡± Sabrina¡¯s gorgeous face paled when she realized I was serious. ¡°Uhh, oh!¡± I watched her, with her mud-caked body, then turned my back, ¡°Madam! It¡¯s a monster!¡± Rona poked her head out of the carriage window and screamed in horror. ¡°What do we do? I think the coachman ran away!¡± Rona pointed at a monster in the form of a wolf. A silver monster with a larger physique than an ordinary wolf, menacingly baring its sharp teeth. ¡°¡­Will the guards arrive on time?¡± Sabrina, sniffling in the corner, held her dirty dress and belatedly asked. ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t know.¡± Katan¡¯s guards were patrolling more diligently compared to other regions¡¯ security guards, but even so, they did not always arrive at the right time. Grrrr- The wolf monster, grunting as if to threaten us, leaped to the roof of the carriage. Crack! The sound of the broken wooden roof rang loudly. The monster¡¯s shining eyes glowered through the hole in the roof of the carriage. ¡®Just in time.¡¯ I grinned when I met the monster¡¯s shining blue eyes with my own, ¡®I don¡¯t have an excuse about Sabrina¡¯s shabby appearance.¡¯ Sabrina had already formed friendships with the other servants in the castle to the point she could spread malicious rumors about me. In addition, her face was swollen because she continued crying while scooping up soil. ¡®I¡¯m in trouble if people think I¡¯m harassing her.¡¯ As soon as Sabrina returned to the castle, she would grab people and tell them I pushed her into the mud. ¡°Hmm.¡± I took turns looking at Sabrina and Rona, both trembling in fear, and opened the carriage door. Sabrina was hunched down in the corner, so I yanked her hair and kicked her out of the carriage. ¡°Kyaak!¡± Thud-! ¡°Ma-Madam! Madam! Please save me! Save me!¡± When Sabrina fell from the carriage, the monster turned its eyes toward her and began to approach her. The terrified Sabrina began to scream and beg me for forgiveness. ¡°Madam, Madam! I was wrong! I was wrong, Madam!¡± She had tried to threaten me using George¡¯s name earlier. As expected, a close fist is scarier than a distant power. I looked down apathetically at the trembling Sabrina and jumped from the carriage. ¡®It seems like they¡¯re almost here.¡¯ Just before I kicked Sabrina out of the carriage, I heard the distant sound of horses galloping. ¡®If there are many people riding horses at night, they must be the guards.¡¯ I intentionally ran toward Sabrina while dirtying the bottom of my dress, then crouched on the ground to add more dirt to my body. ¡°¡­Madam? What are you¡­?¡± Dumbfounded, Sabrina opened her mouth. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ignoring her, I drew an alchemy circle on the muddy ground with my bare hands so I could look more like a beggar. Grrrrrr- The monster showed its teeth and glared at me when it saw me stretch my arms to protect Sabrina. ¡°Sabrina, run!¡± I looked back and shouted loudly. However, even before I spoke, she was already running without looking back. As soon as she reached the guards who appeared over the hill, the monster snorted and dashed at me rapidly. Wham! ¡°Ack,¡± When the front paw of the giant monster pushed my shoulders, I couldn¡¯t help but fall backwards. ¡®I fell on purpose.¡¯ This was my chance. ¡®Oh yeah!¡¯ I shouted inwardly and activated the alchemy circle to deal with the monster. But at that moment¡ª Kaaaeng-! With a faint scream, the monster flew away instantly and crashed to the ground. If there was one person who could throw a monster of that size with one hand¡­ I gulped and raised my head. The light illuminated the knight¡¯s face. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Wife. For some reason, my face blazed when he quietly added that word. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Upon encountering Joseph, Sabrina fainted on the spot. ¡°Help that woman, Velskin.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± At Joseph¡¯s order, a knight clicked his tongue as he took the unconscious woman in his arms. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to run away when your Master is in danger¡­¡± I listened to the knight¡¯s murmur. It was a small, barely audible whisper, but alchemists are sensitive because we always deal with nature. ¡°Didn¡¯t our Madam tell her maid to run away? Madam seems to treasure her maid a lot.¡± A man who looked a little older than the knight holding Sabrina, curtly responded. The knight frowned and contradicted him. ¡°Even so, I can¡¯t believe she actually ran away so cowardly like this. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have done that if she was from Katan. As expected from southerners¡­tsk.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s a little unexpected that our madam tried to protect her maid. Maybe she¡¯s different from the rumors after all.¡± I quietly smiled at the knight¡¯s words. ¡®Now, fewer people will listen to Sabrina¡¯s slander about me.¡¯ ¡°Are you hurt somewhere?¡± While I was snickering alone, Joseph grabbed my shoulders. He helped me get up easily and shook off the dirt on my head. ¡°Th-Thank you.¡± I got a little embarrassed because I felt he was treating me like a child. ¡®You¡¯re still as sweet as ever.¡¯ A long shadow fell over me as his fingers brushed my head. I was a little dazed due to Joseph¡¯s unexpected arrival. ¡°Were you on patrol?¡± It was unusual for the Grand Duke to personally go on a night patrol. Joseph was the only Lord of Katan and a Grand Duke who ruled the north. He was an extremely busy person, thus he didn¡¯t have time to patrol the territory himself. At my question, he shook his head briefly. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­you¡¯re here because of me?¡¯ Even though I didn¡¯t believe it to be true, I couldn¡¯t take my doubtful gaze off him. ¡°I was worried because my wife hadn¡¯t returned even though it was late at night.¡± Joseph heaved a small sigh then grabbed my wrist as I stood in place absentmindedly. He pulled me, and before I knew it, I was already standing before a black horse. ¡°Why did you go to Kensteen Plains?¡± ¡°¡­.I went to gather some soil. I feel the need to examine it.¡± As I replied, Manuel suddenly showed up with a grumpy face. ¡°See? I told you so! That witch is going to curse the Kensteen Plain!¡± Joseph turned his head toward Manuel, who raised his voice and even dared to point his finger at me. ¡°Manuel. Watch your mouth.¡± ¡°¡­His Highness doesn¡¯t even believe me, so I got mad¡­¡± Perhaps he was intimidated by Joseph¡¯s stern voice, he quietly glared daggers at me. I tried to ignore Manuel¡¯s fierce eyes and grabbed Joseph¡¯s sleeve. My grip was weak enough for him to shake it off easily, but Joseph did not do that. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Yes, Wife. Please speak.¡± Seriously, he¡¯s such a sweet man. He bowed his head closer to me and patiently waited for my words. Upon closer look, the moonlight highlighted his beautiful dark grey eyebrows and dense eyelashes. ¡°I¡¯m not a witch, and I don¡¯t know how to curse.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Please trust me.¡± I knew I was being greedy, but I wanted Joseph to trust me. Even if I was the daughter of Roscoe Cardinale, the man who shamelessly appropriated Katan¡¯s fertile lands. If only he put faith in me, who was born in Cardinale. But there was no way he¡¯d believe me. An upright person like him wouldn¡¯t judge people just by their background, but being a Cardinale was not the only terrible thing about me. So I had to take action before Sabrina spread her rumors. I let out a low sigh because Joseph seemed to have a hard time answering. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought my wife is a witch.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Joseph raised my head. I opened my eyes wide in surprise at his touch. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to your explanation when we return to the castle.¡± My black hair slipped through his fingers as he held my head. Dazed by his sudden action, I stammered. ¡°¡­Yes. That sounds good to me. I will explain it to you.¡± He nodded briefly in response, and raised his white sword. His shining white-as-snow sword was particularly striking in the moonlight. ¡®Thinking about it further, that monster is the type that can be tamed into a divine beast.¡¯ ¡°Your Highness, please wait,¡± Approaching the screeching monster surrounded by knights, Joseph looked back at me. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t kill this monster.¡± I quickly stepped forward before Joseph could wield his sword. ¡°Why?¡± He tilted his head when he saw my anxious face. I hesitated before answering. ¡®The way to tame a wild monster into a divine beast won¡¯t be known until the distant future.¡¯ However, it¡¯s not like I could tell him the truth now. ¡°¡­This monster is pregnant.¡± The monster was a creature belonging to Devildom, and it was intrinsically ferocious and hostile toward humans. The only way to tame them was to raise a young monster that had not yet been exposed to magic. ¡®Ibelina tamed Geneva the Black Dragon using that method.¡¯ The black dragon was a creature powerful enough to be called the king of monsters, and one dragon was enough to handle a large group of soldiers. ¡®It can be helpful to protect Katan.¡¯ I apologized to Ibelina internally, but I needed to tame Geneva before her. And since I don¡¯t have a personality like hers, I needed to practice taming the monster first. In that sense, since a wolf belongs to the dog family (canidae), I thought it¡¯d be a good practice partner. So I gulped, and pointed to the monster¡¯s bloated stomach. ¡°So, what I mean¡­¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I wanted to explain as to why a pregnant monster should not be killed, but Joseph already nodded before I could say anything. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill it.¡± He had already returned his sword to his scabbard. I opened my eyes wide at his behavior and tilted my head. ¡®This easy?¡¯ Well, it¡¯s a relief either way. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t leave a dangerous monster in the middle of the road, so we need to do something about it.¡± Joseph looked back at the growling monster near the crushed carriage with troubled eyes. It was quite frightening to see a gray wolf flaunting its teeth in the bright moonlight. ¡°Then, should I move the monster into the forest?¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nodding at Joseph, I activated the magic circle I had drawn earlier while the knights were watching. ¡°Nox, Renau.¡± The grandeur and brilliance in my language reflected my arrogant personality. ¡®I¡¯ve never used it in front of people.¡¯ It was a fact that I realized only after I died. It was a waste to hide my talent just because I was conscious of people¡¯s eyes. The swirling light began to light up the dark night as it slowly materialized from the magic circle. ¡°Wow.¡± It was so beautiful that even Manuel, so busy accusing me of witchcraft each time he saw me, looked truly captivated by the sight. As the light emerged from the magic circle surrounding the wolf, the wolf¡¯s body blurred before completely disappearing. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I prepared a cave for the monster beforehand.¡¯ I had told Rona to set up my secret laboratory deep inside the forest surrounding the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. ¡°Thank you so much for doing me a favor, Your Highness.¡± I approached Joseph, who looked at me with concerned eyes, unlike those who were charmed by my performance. ¡°Wife, Katan is a harsh and cruel land.¡± I raised my chin at his seemingly random words. His eyes were kind as he hesitated before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯re too soft-hearted.¡± ¡°¡­.Pardon?¡± I think my husband may have misunderstood me. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡®As expected, it¡¯s faster to study the soil while examining it directly.¡¯ After a few attempts to formulate the alchemy, I couldn¡¯t hide my proud smile and poked at the gray soil that had turned into a color resembling red soil. It was a satisfactory result. ¡®It¡¯s pretty moist.¡¯ The moist soil seemed hydrated enough to grow crops even though it was not dampened with water. ¡°Madam, the Grand Duke has come.¡± I hurriedly nodded at Rona¡¯s announcement after writing down the formula I had just used in my book. ¡°Yes. Open the door.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± As the heavy wooden door creaked open, Joseph entered the room. ¡°I heard you were looking for me, Wife.¡± ¡°I have something to show you.¡± Since I didn¡¯t want to waste his precious time, I quickly lifted the flask on the desk. ¡°Can you guess where this soil came from?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it red soil?¡± He replied with a calm expression as if the answer was obvious, but I slowly shook my head. ¡°This is the soil from the Kensteen Plains.¡± If even Joseph couldn¡¯t guess correctly, it meant that my alchemy had worked to some extent. ¡®But I still want to test whether this soil is really suitable for crops.¡¯ Still, it was quite a smooth start. With a sigh of relief, I switched my gaze to Joseph, who seemed impressed as he looked around my office. ¡°This office has become your laboratory.¡± Joseph muttered as he slowly surveyed the study that was filled with alchemy books, new tables, and glass bottles containing various dried materials. He was usually a bit distant, but I clenched my fist in surprise upon seeing his face was particularly cold today. ¡®Did I offend him?¡¯ He might have been offended since I made the office into a temporary laboratory without his permission. ¡°Uh, um, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± A small wrinkle appeared on his forehead as if he was puzzled by my apology. Trying to read his mood, I spoke carefully. ¡°¡­I changed His Highness¡¯ office without permission. There is no other place for me to put my equipment.¡± Although Rona was working hard to move materials to my secret research lab in the forest, there was no place as big as the Master¡¯s office for temporary storage of my tools. ¡°Wife.¡± He heaved a sigh when he saw my timid attitude. ¡°Have you forgotten that you are the Grand Duchess of Katan?¡± I tilted my head hearing his firm tone. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°We are equal here. No one will say anything even if you use this office as a stable.¡± Of course, I wasn¡¯t a weirdo who put horses inside a precious office filled with old books! ¡®That¡¯s right, he has always been a kind person.¡¯ It seemed he didn¡¯t want an outsider like me to worry for no reason. I appreciated Joseph¡¯s consideration, but on the other hand, I was worried about his overly-generous attitude. ¡®He treats me nicely even though I¡¯m the daughter of his enemy. I don¡¯t want others to think he¡¯s a pushover!¡¯ Fortunately, his beloved woman would never take advantage of him. Because she was a perfect saintess. ¡®What a relief.¡¯ I nodded and handed him my research plan to improve Katan¡¯s gray soil. ¡°Can you show this research plan to scholars living in Katan?¡± There were no alchemists in Katan, but there were many scholars studying the plants and monsters that only exist in the north. ¡®The Wizards¡¯ Tower plans to establish a branch in Katan, so I can borrow their skills.¡¯ I nodded to myself while Joseph looked through the research plan seriously. ¡®You won¡¯t understand even if you¡¯re reading it¡­.still, you¡¯re reading so diligently!¡¯ Joseph was a magnificent knight and strategist, but not a scholar. In addition, alchemy and chemistry have only recently begun to gain popularity¡­. Even if he was well-educated as a member of the royal family, basic alchemy was very difficult, and many nobles did not pass even the introductory lesson. However, Joseph let out a huff that sounded like admiration, as if he understood my formulae. ¡°Is it really possible to change Katan¡¯s soil into something as nutritious as the red soil?¡± My eyes opened wide in surprise ¡ª he actually understood the purpose of my formula! ¡°Have you ever studied chemistry, Your Highness?¡± ¡°For a short time, when I lived in the Imperial Palace.¡± Meanwhile, George, living his whole life in the Imperial Palace where all the outstanding scholars were gathered, did not understand a single formula. He just brushed it aside, dismissing it as nonsense. ¡°¡­.It makes it easier to explain since you understand the formula. Your Highness, I¡¯m thinking of turning Katan¡¯s land into red soil.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know alchemy so I barely understand your formula. But these ingredients are difficult to prepare with Katan¡¯s current budget.¡± Joseph pointed his finger at the plan and frowned regretfully. ¡°If it¡¯s half of this amount, maybe I can consider¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s only a plan, so I can¡¯t use your private property.¡± My formula was meant to be the basis of the experiment. The ingredients could be mixed incorrectly or a minor mistake could lead to completely different results. ¡°I won¡¯t use Katan¡¯s budget until I¡¯ve proven my formula. You don¡¯t have to worry because the inheritance that I will receive as a Cardinale is quite hefty.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you going this far?¡± Joseph tilted his head as if he couldn¡¯t believe what I had said. But I wasn¡¯t offended when he doubted my purpose. ¡°I care about Katan as much as you do. If I say this, you wouldn¡¯t believe it, right?¡± A blatant lie that anyone would find hard to believe. I was indebted to Katan, but there was no way I treasured Katan as much as he did. ¡°But I want to do my best for Katan during my time as Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°During your time as Grand Duchess?¡± As if asking what it meant, Joseph lifted one eyebrow. ¡®Why is this expression new to me?¡¯ Joseph seemed to have a hard time understanding my words. ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t read the proposal I gave you.¡± ¡°Was there a clause like that?¡± It was me, not him, who needed the contract, so he might be not interested. I sighed at Joseph¡¯s belated question and searched the drawer. Placing the ¡®marriage contract¡¯ on the table, I grasped my quill pen and began to recite the clauses one by one. These clauses were not bad for him, since there were clauses such as helping Carlo ascend the throne safely and increasing Katan¡¯s property. ¡°¡­Just like this, I will work hard to develop the territory as the Grand Duchess of Katan.¡± ¡°I had heard that you are a great alchemist, but you¡¯re more incredible than I thought, Wife.¡± ¡®You are being very respectful while implying that my plans are fruitless, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ I chuckled a little thinking about how his answer was so like him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you to trust me right away. Please look forward to it.¡± ¡°¡­Is this the only thing you want from me, Wife?¡± Joseph asked in a low voice. His was deeper than most men¡¯s voices, and the whisper that caressed my ears as he bent his body toward me sounded ever so sweet. I looked down at the clause that he had indicated. [When the time comes, we will have a clean divorce.] ¡°Yes. If the day I leave Las Vecchia comes, please don¡¯t look for me.¡± That was the only thing I wanted from him. If everything went well and I could leave Katan with Yvonne, I wanted to give my child a happy life without anyone¡¯s interference. ¡®I don¡¯t want Yvonne entangled with Laurencia¡¯s oracle.¡¯ I knew how horrible one could become after getting blinded by the power of the throne, which madness had resulted in the death of my beloved daughter. ¡®At least, the George that I know was not cruel enough to kill an innocent baby girl.¡¯ Even if I defeated George as planned, I wanted to prevent Yvonne from entering the throne fight. ¡°So, are you saying you¡¯re doing all of this for the sake of Katan¡­¡± Joseph pursed his lips as if he was worried. ¡°Are you asking me not to look for you when you disappear one day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph wouldn¡¯t reject my offer for sure. It might sound unbelievable right now, but it was too tempting to refuse. ¡®I should disappear for Joseph so he can be happy with the woman he loves.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t think there is any loss for you in accepting this proposal.¡± But his response was delayed. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± I couldn¡¯t understand why he was so hesitant to answer. Chapter 14 ¡°What do we do, Madam? I think it¡¯s dead!¡± I nodded at Rona¡¯s tearful observation. The birth of a new monster is equal to another monster¡¯s death. ¡°Even a monster looks like a baby animal when it¡¯s still a baby.¡± Rona removed the baby monster that resembled a baby wolf from its dead mother¡¯s embrace. A wolf-shaped baby monster with lustrous silver fur. ¡°Vivi.¡± I muttered its name casually as I smoothed the fur of the squirming newborn monster. ¡°Vivi?¡± ¡°This monster¡¯s name.¡± One of the most important steps in taming a monster was to give it a name. There was a significant meaning behind that act. ¡®Monsters will submit to humans who named them.¡¯ After putting Vivi down on a small bed, I knelt in front of the sleeping monster. ¡°Rona, you may leave now.¡± In order to imprint myself on the monster, only I had to be by its side the moment it woke up. ¡°Yes, Madam. Please be careful.¡± As soon as Rona left my temporary lab located deep in the forest, the cave was quickly engulfed in silence. Alone in a quiet space, where only the monster pup¡¯s soft breathing echoed, I was reminded of Yvonne¡¯s sleeping face. The dead child managed to squeeze her way into the small void in my head and soon occupied my entire thoughts. ¡®Yvonne used to sleep with such an angelic face.¡¯ Baby human or baby monster, do they always have such a pretty sleeping face? I smiled slightly, caressing the fur around Vivi¡¯s eyes, the place where its dense eyelashes cast a shadow. ¡°Vivi.¡± Vivi was actually the name of Yvonne¡¯s dog. It went missing when the Imperial Knights stormed the Grand Duke¡¯s castle. ¡°Let¡¯s get along from now on.¡± As soon as I whispered, Vivi opened its eyes. I tensed when I met the cub¡¯s blue eyes. Grrr- Is a monster a monster after all, even if it¡¯s still a baby? I felt a shiver down my spine when Vivi growled. If I hadn¡¯t pulled my arm quickly, I would¡¯ve been bitten. ¡°Sit down, Vivi.¡± I commanded, grabbing the leash that I had attached while it was sleeping. It was a special leash made to restrain monsters, so Vivi quickly lost its strength and tumbled down. I drew my head back a little farther from Vivi, who barked at me with a wronged expression. ¡®Ibelina said it took a full three years to tame Geneva the Black Dragon.¡¯ Vivi was a wolf-type monster, not a dragon, so it might take less time to tame it. ¡°I¡¯ll be back when you¡¯re hungry.¡± Grrr- Tapping Vivi¡¯s soft fur lightly, I left the cave hurriedly to avoid being bitten. ¡°Madam, the farmers you invited have arrived at the Grand Duke Castle.¡± I opened my eyes wide to Dante¡¯s polite announcement. The soil¡¯s quality was seriously bad. Most of the people of Katan made a living by hunting as their main source of income. ¡®I already expected that the number of farmers here would be much smaller than in other territories¡­.¡¯ But only three people? Isn¡¯t that too severe? I glanced at the three farmers sitting in the parlor. A skinny woman around my age, a middle-aged man and a young man. There can¡¯t be only three people who rented the Grand Duke¡¯s territory to farm! ¡®The Grand Duchess is calling them, but they didn¡¯t even show up?¡¯ Recalling my reputation in Katan, I couldn¡¯t hold back my bitter smile. Looking at my expression, Dante hesitated before speaking. ¡°Most of the residents are stubborn and despise the nobility so much that they don¡¯t even listen to His Highness the Grand Duke, Madam.¡± I nodded as if considering his explanation, but in fact, I didn¡¯t fully believe him. ¡®It¡¯s because many people dislike Cardinale.¡¯ The southern and northern region shared a long history of civil war, and the Cardinale, known as the Southern Rose, had a very bad image especially in the northern region. ¡®I can¡¯t blame them. My father took over the Karha Plain, which was the only granary in Katan.¡¯ Already a barren land, Katan suffered from famine a few years ago. Joseph allocated the funds to buy food supplies from residents of Cardinale, one of the richest territories at that time, and my father charged him a usurious interest. ¡®He couldn¡¯t pay the debt, so he had to hand over the granary¡­¡¯ No matter how much I thought about it, Joseph must have had a heart as wide as an ocean or he was the world¡¯s prime pushover. I heaved a small sigh as I noted their distrustful gazes. So I kept my head straight, and smiled at the woman who kept glancing at me and Dante. ¡°Thank you for responding to my call.¡± ¡°..Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Perhaps she didn¡¯t think I¡¯d talk to her, but she shook her head, looking a little puzzled. ¡°Have you tested the soil that I sent you through Dante? To tell you briefly, using alchemy ¡­.¡± ¡°Do you expect me to believe that the red soil you sent is actually Katan¡¯s soil?¡± The middle-aged man next to the woman cut me off. ¡®That man¡­¡¯ Was it Umberto? He was memorable because his name was quite noble-ish for a commoner. No, in fact, even if it wasn¡¯t for his name, he was someone that I would never forget. Umberto continued to talk before I could open my mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you are trying to lure innocent farmers like us, but I will tell you that we¡¯re not going to fall for it.¡± Umberto concluded, raising an eyebrow. I knitted my own eyebrows when I looked at the sack filled with my alchemy ingredients that I had prepared for the farmers, placed against the wall. ¡®I knew you wouldn¡¯t readily believe me, but I never thought that you¡¯d be so open about it.¡¯ It was a mistake on my part for thinking I could use my authority as the Grand Duchess to persuade them. It¡¯s not so surprising, since Katan was also a territory with a characteristic similar to that of a free city. I had an embarrassed smile plastered on my face because the farmers did not even consider looking at the ingredients I prepared. ¡°You may not believe me, but that doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t even try.¡± ¡°The soil is so dry no matter how much red soil was poured on it, so what if the soil becomes contaminated after pouring your strange drug on it?¡± I turned my head toward the man who so strongly opposed me. He was a cleaner-looking farmer, a little younger than Umberto. ¡°That won¡¯t happen. I can guarantee it.¡± ¡°Even if you guarantee it, you can¡¯t revitalize contaminated soil! The farmland the three of us manage are the only lands in Katan that can be mixed with red soil.¡± The man shook his head angrily as Umberto grabbed his shoulder and added. ¡°Ricky is right. Because Count Cardinale took the Karha Plains away!¡± ¡°Umberto, watch what you say in front of Madam!¡± Dante couldn¡¯t tolerate his impudent behavior and stepped forward, but I stopped the butler. ¡°Then I¡¯ll farm on the Kensteen Plain myself! If it¡¯s proven effective, there¡¯s no reason for you not to use my method, right?¡± ¡°Of course. If you could turn Katan soil into red soil, the cost of farming could be reduced by one-tenth,¡± Only the woman nodded as if she agreed with me. ¡®It should be easiest to persuade her.¡¯ Ignoring Umberto¡¯s glare, I focused on her. ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, I¡¯m leaving! Don¡¯t ever call me for useless things like this ever again!¡± Umberto and Ricky stormed out of the drawing-room without taking the alchemy bag prepared for them. ¡°I don¡¯t mind even if you pour it on a very small area, so would you like to test it yourself?¡± I held out the bag to the woman who stayed in her place. She hesitated at first, but eventually accepted my bag. ¡°Alright. Then, can you please forgive my father for his rudeness?¡± ¡°Are you Umberto¡¯s daughter?¡± So you had a daughter. ¡°Yes. Do you know my father?¡± I knew him pretty well. Before returning back in time, his son died because of the Cardinale. ¡®Give back my son, you witch!¡¯ In that past, he unleashed his seething anger at me. At that time, I had just married Joseph. ¡®At that time¡­¡¯ Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Back then, I couldn¡¯t understand him. ¡®Your father tricked my son into working as a miner!¡¯ His flushed drunk face and the smell of a cheap whiskey from his scraggly beard were enough to disgust the noble me. A commoner raised his voice in front of a grand duchess, evaded the four people who tried to block him, and fell on his knees before me. ¡®Madam, please help me. My son is just a child!¡¯ ¡®Umberto, are you crazy? Do you want to die!¡¯ ¡®Please, please give my son back!¡¯ Dante yelled at Umberto as if to hide my puzzled face, but it was futile. He pushed the butler away and fully showed his reddish, drunken face in front of me. A face that didn¡¯t seem rational. Perhaps because he was drunk or had cried too much. ¡®What did I say to the crying Umberto back then?¡¯ ¡®I know you¡¯re able to feed your family using your son¡¯s labor wages. So instead of behaving like this, shouldn¡¯t you be grateful to me?¡¯ I grimaced without an ounce of sympathy for his unfortunate situation. ¡®But he said he would train my son as a knight¡­he told me not to worry, that it¡¯s not a dangerous job!¡¯ ¡®In the south, a commoner child is not allowed to become a knight. Are you going to blame me for your lack of common sense?¡¯ ¡®What did you say?! Count Cardinale lied that he would train Katan¡¯s young boys as knights and sent them to the mine instead!¡¯ ¡°Whether he trained them as a knight or sent them to work as a miner, it was my father¡¯s decision as their employer, not mine to make.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡®If you really want to see your son, you can return the money you received from my father. I¡¯ll try to talk to him.¡± Despite my generous offer, Umberto had spent all of his son¡¯s wages on treatment for his sick wife. But at that time, I couldn¡¯t understand that the prolonged famine left Umberto no choice but to send his son to the mines. Why do you blame me now when you¡¯re the one who sent your son for money? That¡¯s what I thought at that time. ¡®He must have thought that his son would come back alive.¡¯ My father obviously had fooled him by saying that he would train a commoner child who never wielded a sword as a knight, and Umberto never doubted the integrity of my father¡¯s words. ¡®In the end, he can only hope that his son will return home intact.¡¯ Watching me recall my memories of Umberto, his daughter hesitated to speak. ¡°Madam, do you happen to know where the children recruited by Count Cardinale were sent?¡± ¡°Why are you curious about that?¡± ¡°My little brother was recruited by the count some time ago, but he hasn¡¯t replied to our letters. My father is extremely worried about him.¡± It seemed the departed child did not reply to Umberto¡¯s letters. I stroked my slim chin at her words. Around this time of year, the mine that had a big accident¡­was it Sirtha? My father would pay low wages and send Katan¡¯s poor people to perform hard labor in dangerous places where southerners were reluctant to work. In Katan, it was prohibited to exploit children for dangerous jobs such as mining or fishing, and such action was considered illegal dealings. ¡°I¡¯ll find out where your little brother works.¡± ¡°Do you mean it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sirtha was located on the border between Katan and Cardinale, and I already had plans to go there in the first place. Because the black dragon¡¯s egg was buried there. ¡°Thank you! Thank you very much, Madam!¡± Her eyes glistened with tears while she thanked me and bowed her head before leaving. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of visiting a mine in Sirtha real quick.¡± The fingers holding the cup flexed when I announced my intention. ¡°Mine? What do you mean?¡± Admiring the bulging veins on his beautiful white hands, I tilted my head and muttered. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to find out.¡± His gentle smile faded at my carefree remark. ¡°The mine in Sirtha is located on the Northern Wall, and it¡¯s where the monsters often appear.¡± The magnificent snowy mountain range that stretched from Katan¡¯s Black Forest across the southern region where the warm sun melted the snow. People often referred to it as the Northern Wall. The Northern Wall was originally meant to be the dividing line of the northern region, but it had become an area that was overrun by monsters. I shrugged casually at Joseph¡¯s remark. ¡®Of course it¡¯s overrun by monsters since it¡¯s where the black dragon, known as the king of monsters, resides.¡¯ ¡°Yes. I know.¡± Joseph did not relax his tense expression despite my calm tone. ¡°It¡¯s not a place for you to visit.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you are worried that I¡¯m going to plot something?¡¯ I hurriedly tried to reassure Joseph. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything harmful to Your Highness, so please rest assured!¡± At my firm vow, he let out a low sigh and shook his head. His gray hair showed shades of blue under the strong sunlight as loose strands fluttered from side to side. ¡°What I¡¯m worried about is not my own safety.¡± ¡°Then, what are you worried about?¡¯ I lifted my teacup, waiting for his reply, but he didn¡¯t answer directly. ¡®You keep doing things that I can¡¯t understand.¡¯ Joseph was reserved and rarely expressed his feelings, so it wasn¡¯t easy to read his mind, but he became even more unpredictable in this return to my past life. ¡®Especially looking at how he handles Sabrina.¡¯ Sabrina did not dare to make eye contact with me after the monster incident and seemed to have sought her own way to survive. After failing to establish herself as my personal maid or as the Grand Duke¡¯s maid, she volunteered to be Joseph¡¯s chambermaid. A chambermaid was tasked to organize the owner¡¯s bed and manage the bedroom. It wasn¡¯t a position most would choose since they were often assigned to a night duty, thus making them susceptible to gain the master¡¯s attention. Sabrina still volunteered even though she was fully aware of this fact. ¡®I think she abandoned any thought of trying to be on my good side.¡¯ I didn¡¯t intend to stop Joseph even if he took Sabrina as his chambermaid. If he wanted a concubine, I must respect his choice. But after a while, rumors spread around the castle that Sabrina was expelled from his chamber because Joseph found her tidying his bed while naked. (TN/N: Get the guillotine ready! I can¡¯t believe they let a prostitute roam around so freely in a noble space.) It was obvious why the generally kind Joseph rejected her so coldly, to the point of hurting Sabrina¡¯s pride so badly. ¡®Such incredible love.¡¯ Joseph wouldn¡¯t fall for Sabrina¡¯s cheap seduction because his heart only belonged to the saint. But what I found strange was how Joseph tried to explain to me his reason for ousting Sabrina. ¡®I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand, Wife.¡¯ ¡®Why would you think I¡¯d misunderstand?¡¯ As I recalled the face of my husband biting his lips anxiously, I was brought back to the present by Rona¡¯s voice. ¡°Madam. Should I tell Sabrina to ride another carriage?¡± I shook my head briefly at her question. ¡°Do we need to bring Sabrina along, though?¡± ¡°Pardon? B-But Sabrina will keep flirting with His Highness! Are you sure it¡¯s alright to leave her alone with His Highness in the castle?¡± I just nodded unconcernedly at Rona¡¯s frantic question. I really couldn¡¯t care less whether Sabrina committed adultery with Joseph or George. ¡°Ah, I see. You must have a plan in mind, right?¡± No, I didn¡¯t consider anything like that. I creased my eyebrows at Rona¡¯s excited chattering. ¡°Madam is amazing! You let Sabrina guard the Grand Duke Castle all by herself!¡± Rona¡¯s eyes were sparkling as she pointed to a grand white carriage just behind mine. ¡°Only His Highness can use that carriage!¡± No, it wasn¡¯t my original intention. I didn¡¯t know what to say to Rona, who got very excited at something I hadn¡¯t planned, so I only pursed my lips. Joseph extended his arm to escort me, lifted me up lightly, and placed me on a cushion. ¡°Your Highness, are you coming to Sirtha with me?¡± As if he didn¡¯t understand my puzzlement about the unexpected schedule, he nodded casually. Are you worried that I¡¯ll do something in Sirtha mine? But I¡¯ve never done anything to harm him or Katan! ¡°Why? I know that you don¡¯t trust me yet, but¡­¡± ¡°There has been a report of a monster roaming on the border.¡± He cut off my anxious words with a calm explanation. ¡°I thought it would be efficient to move with you as we¡¯re headed to the same place, but I¡¯m sorry if you¡¯re upset by this.¡± ¡°N-No! Not at all. That¡¯s fine by me¡­.¡± Embarrassed by Joseph¡¯s firm answer, I covered my flushed cheeks with the back of my hands. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 ¡®I¡¯d rather go alone.¡¯ We sat in silence as the carriage rattled toward our destination. I was completely at a loss what to do, so I just wiggled my toes under my skirt. With Joseph suddenly joining us, Rona had no choice but to ride a smaller carriage. Riding the carriage separately was equal to telling the world about our political marriage. Since it was easy for rumors to spread. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand the stifling awkwardness and impulsively cleared my throat. Joseph, who was looking out the window, turned his head to me. The moment our eyes met, I was compelled to say anything and ended up opening my mouth on a whim. ¡°Mo-monsters! Are you going to hunt the monsters personally?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joseph seemed bothered by my presence, so he nodded briefly as if he had no intention of continuing the conversation. ¡°But is there anything urgent that requires you to go in person, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Usually, I wouldn¡¯t really need to go all the way to Sirtha, but I received a report that a new type of monster appeared there, so I should inspect it myself.¡± Listening to Joseph¡¯s serious answer, I shrugged off my delusion of thinking that he was following me to Sirtha. ¡®Is the accident in Sirtha mine related to the monster?¡¯ In the past, all I cared about was the financial loss caused by an accident in a mine owned by the Cardinale. I didn¡¯t care about the cause or detailed damage. ¡°I see. I hope it¡¯ll be solved well.¡± I wrapped my hands around my knees and firmly locked my fingers, hoping my sincerity would reach him. ¡®Oh my God!¡¯ However, my sincerity aside, the monster had already ravaged the mine. I frowned at the sight of a mine that looked more like a sieve after being ravaged there and there. It was said that Saint Ibelina discovered the egg of the Black Dragon Geneva here. The birth of a monster meant the death of another monster¡­ ¡®The black dragon mother must have died after laying an egg here.¡¯ I nodded slightly and glanced at the man who was running toward me. ¡°My Lady, have you come?¡± The chief of the Sirtha Mine was someone I knew. Chief Milan was one of the people in charge of the mines owned by the Cardinale, and he often visited the county. ¡°If you had told me in advance, I would¡¯ve greeted you properly. I¡¯m sorry, My Lady.¡± I felt a strange sense of deja vu from his polite attitude. ¡®Why aren¡¯t you greeting Joseph?¡¯ I briefly glanced at Joseph and said. ¡°Milan, say hello to His Highness the Grand Duke of Katan.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± He couldn¡¯t have missed Joseph, who was significantly taller than him, but he nodded slowly as if he just realized Joseph¡¯s presence. ¡°I greet His Highness the Grand Duke of Katan. My name is Milan and I¡¯m in charge of managing Sirtha.¡± ¡°Be careful next time.¡± I stepped up to rebuke Milan because I thought Joseph would be offended by his attitude. In fact, Joseph¡¯s countenance was indifferent, as if he didn¡¯t care about Milan¡¯s rudeness. ¡®Milan is someone my father treasures quite a lot.¡¯ All of the people my father treasured were of the same kind as him. They were so blinded by greed that they didn¡¯t notice the trap my father had laid for them. His glittering, greedy eyes were similar to my father¡¯s. ¡°Speaking of which, what brings you to Sirtha, My Lady?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not My Lady. Call me Madam.¡± I corrected Milan¡¯s words sternly as I linked arms with Joseph. ¡°Ah, by the way! I reckon His Highness is a famous demon hunter.¡± Milan wrinkled his nose in disgust as he spoke. His way of speaking began to feel more and more unpleasant. ¡°¡­that¡¯s right. I heard a monster was detected in Sirtha. So I came to take care of it.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I shall guide you to the mine.¡± Milan beckoned a servant with his chin. ¡°Guide His Highness and Her Highness inside.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Grace.¡± The child, who had been called, briefly glanced at me and Joseph before turning toward the mine entrance. ¡°Please follow me.¡± Standing in front of the entrance, the child pointed his finger to a small cart. ¡°I think it¡¯s a little too small for all three of us to ride. Is it okay with you?¡± The cart installed on the rail only had two seats. I swallowed my saliva as I looked alternately between the child in the front seat and Joseph in the back seat. ¡°It could be dangerous, so you should¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a little embarrassing, but I can¡¯t help it either.¡¯ Joseph was hesitating whether to leave me behind or not, and eventually, I left him no choice as I sat on his lap. ¡®I¡¯ll be in trouble if Joseph finds the black dragon¡¯s egg before me.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I urged the child sitting in the driver¡¯s seat as I leaned my back against Joseph¡¯s arm. ¡°Yes!¡± Creak, creak- The cart began to rattle along with the noise of iron against iron screeching. ¡°Please be careful not to bounce off, Madam!¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Because the cart was shaking quite a bit, I had no choice but to hold onto Joseph¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Are you feeling uncomfortable?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Contrary to his immediate answer, Joseph did not make eye contact with me. ¡®It¡¯s understandable. He used to hate physical contact like this.¡¯ In the past, Joseph used to flinch whenever his hand touched my body. ¡®I was offended back then, but now I understand.¡¯ I tapped his shoulders and smiled, trying to reassure him. ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon, please endure a little bit more.¡± He seemed to open his mouth to answer, but the rattling stopped and the servant turned his head to the back. ¡°We have to walk from here. May I know where you want to go?¡± ¡°First of all, let¡¯s go to the place where the monster was first discovered.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± At Joseph¡¯s words, the boy smiled brightly and nodded. Without the light from the torch, the cave would be totally dark. ¡°I don¡¯t need a torch.¡± Joseph rejected the servant offering him the torch and closed his eyes briefly before opening them. Looking at his dazzlingly bright eyes, the young servant exclaimed. ¡°Ah! Those must be the rumored Ghost¡¯s Eyes!¡± ¡®Ghost¡¯s Eyes¡¯ was an ability manifested by those who hunted monsters and waged wars with demons at the forefront of the empire. Just as a knight becomes a swordmaster upon reaching their peak, those who dealt with evil forces would naturally manifest the Ghost¡¯s Eyes. ¡®However, unlike the Paladin¡¯s holy power, the devil hunter¡¯s Ghost¡¯s Eyes were despised by people.¡¯ Demon hunters¡¯ existence was important in an empire overrun by monsters, but unlike that of paladin, demon hunter was a job everyone avoided. Therefore, commoners with a criminal history or former mercenaries who couldn¡¯t join the ranks made a living from hunting monsters. ¡®That¡¯s why Milan also ignored him.¡¯ Joseph had already forsaken his honor when he decided to protect the border, and I used to think his noble sacrifice was something vulgar and disgusting. ¡®In my previous life, he never showed me his Ghost¡¯s Eyes.¡¯ His blue eyes were shining brightly in the dark, and it was the first time I saw it. ¡®Even though I¡¯ve seen another demon hunter¡¯s Ghost¡¯s Eyes.¡¯ I met a child with a demon hunter¡¯s ability before I came to Katan. However, I couldn¡¯t remember much because I was so young. ¡®How pretty.¡¯ His blue eyes were usually very beautiful because their color was transparent and clear, but now ablaze, their appeal was quite different. ¡®Somehow it¡¯s quite sexy.¡¯ ¡°¡­Are you scared?¡± Joseph stopped as if he was flustered by my piercing gaze. ¡°No. It¡¯s pretty.¡± I shook my head slowly and followed the boy ahead of us. ¡®Am I being too frank?¡¯ Demon hunters were never proud of their Ghost¡¯s Eyes, so he might have been offended because he thought I was being sarcastic. ¡®Did he like getting complimented like that?¡¯ I had spent seven full years with Joseph, but I didn¡¯t have the slightest idea of his preferences, because our relationship hadn¡¯t been close to begin with. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s in this pit¡­.aargh!¡± It was then. Along with the scream of the servant who was leading the way, a huge rock began to fall from above our heads. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°Aaahhh!¡± Through the thick debris, Joseph found his wife right away and held her tightly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rita let out a short sigh and nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. But what if the mine collapsed?¡± At his wife¡¯s fretful question, Joseph looked at the huge stone wall in front of them. ¡°It seems someone has laid a trap.¡± Joseph frowned at the visible monster¡¯s claw marks near the stone wall. ¡°¡­Will Milan¡¯s servant be okay?¡± He was busy observing the rock, but he looked back when his wife uttered a question anxiously. ¡°I can hear a breathing sound over the wall. Please don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Worrying about a servant whom she only met once, her face was pale as if she were about to collapse. ¡®You¡¯re still as soft-hearted as before.¡¯ Rita in Joseph¡¯s memory was someone who put others before herself even during a difficult situation. ¡®That¡¯s probably why she helped me without knowing my identity.¡¯ He recalled the girl with an innocent face. He thought she probably couldn¡¯t even imagine that the person she met was a deposed Crown Prince. ¡°The previous Crown Prince is also a demon hunter like you. They said he was dethroned because of that.¡± The little girl sitting on the swing decorated with rose vines looked just like a fairy. Whenever her green eyes twinkled beautifully, she would often smirk mischievously as if teasing him, a little boy who had never removed his mask. ¡°This is a secret, okay? I secretly overheard what my father said to the vassals. He said he recently stopped by the south, but he hasn¡¯t even met him.¡± Joseph naturally frowned at the girl who clicked her tongue in disappointment. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared of the deposed Crown Prince?¡± All citizens of this religious empire were afraid of demon hunters. Demon hunters played a major role in a monsters¡¯ subjugation, but in the end, they were considered no different than the monster itself. The little girl only rolled her round eyes at Joseph¡¯s question. ¡°Why must I be scared?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a rumor that he¡¯s a monster.¡± ¡°Do you really believe such a foolish rumor?¡± Even though she had never seen his face, the little girl frowned as if wanted to defend the Crown Prince. ¡°How can you call someone who didn¡¯t die in a war, a monster? Is being strong a bad thing?¡± ¡°Unlike other Imperial family members, he doesn¡¯t have holy power.¡± ¡°So what if he doesn¡¯t have a holy power? Do you think those who have a holy power are all good people?¡± Tears welled up his eyes as he stared at the little girl. Her delicate and flawless face was reminiscent of a rose petal, but revealed under her dress every time she moved, her ankle and wrist were full of scars. The wounds were not an accident. ¡°And a man like my father also has a holy power.¡± The girl continued to mumble by herself. ¡°I never believe people who say I¡¯m a bad girl.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t believe that the abandoned Crown Prince is a monster. The same goes for you. So don¡¯t die.¡± The little girl held onto Joseph¡¯s wrist with all her might, as if she knew the intended use for the dagger hidden beneath his coat. ¡°Don¡¯t die. Go to Odobelli instead. Even a devil hunter can live a normal life in that country.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Odobeli was clearly the empire¡¯s enemy. It was nearly impossible for a member of the Imperial family to seek refuge in Odobeli. ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± However, she gave him a ticket to Odobeli. ¡°My father must be thinking of trading with them. So I stole it while I was looking for a shipping service.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll need it more than I will.¡± Knowing her relationship with her father wasn¡¯t an ordinary one, Joseph stared down at the ticket on his palm. ¡°I can¡¯t go anyway. Because my father won¡¯t let me go. So you should go instead of me.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°And you have to pay this debt, okay?¡± She whispered so softly that it stuck in his head like a memory. ¡°I will definitely leave Las Vecchia someday. When I¡¯m ready to be free, you should help me then.¡± The little girl smiled like a rose in full bloom. The girl silently endured a harsh life as a young noble yet was more concerned about others than herself. In the end, little Joseph couldn¡¯t save the girl or escape to Odobeli. As he went to Katan to subjugate the monsters, he was so occupied with his tasks that he forgot about her. ¡®I can¡¯t just say that I want to pay you back only now¡­.¡¯ Even if it was only a belated regret, Joseph wanted to protect her. ¡°Did you hurt your leg?¡± He thought he had rescued her quickly, but Rita was looking at the wall and limping. ¡°I¡¯m okay. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Her smiling face looked so fragile that Joseph clenched his fists hard. Just as Joseph said, there was a sound of someone running away over the wall. ¡®Did he really lay a trap and run away?¡¯ That rascal! You¡¯re dead if I catch you! I stared at the wall and bit my lower lip. ¡®It must be Millen¡¯s work. Is it because the mine is on the verge of closing?¡¯ Fertile territories and mines were the main sources of income for the Cardinale. Since the mine wasn¡¯t doing very well, Millan must be loathed by my father. ¡®Are you trying to threaten me¡­.?¡¯ I had no intention of going along with Millen¡¯s scheme, so I moved around to see if I could do something to break the wall despite my aching ankle. ¡®Seems like I should use my navigation alchemy.¡¯ With his dark aura, Joseph was a sword master who could easily deal with a rock like this like cutting a pudding, but the ceiling might collapse if he made a slight mistake. ¡°I¡¯ll find a crack between the rocks.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± I was trying to draw the magic circle, but Joseph lifted me and perched me on a flat rock. After briefly asking for my permission, he carefully took off my shoe and held my ankle. ¡°Ahh!¡± I didn¡¯t think I was seriously injured, but I seemed to have sprained my ankle quite badly. ¡®This can hurt more the longer I look at it!¡¯ I closed my eyes because I didn¡¯t want to check on my wound for a petty reason. My ears reacted sensitively to the sound of fabric being ripped in the darkness. ¡®What are you ripping?¡¯ ¡°¡­Your Highness?¡± When I opened my eyes to see what he was doing, his firm abs came into my sight first. ¡®Why are you suddenly taking off your clothes?¡¯ My husband seemed to be an exhibitionist by the way he was acting. ¡®Last time you came into my bedroom wearing a transparent gown!¡¯ Did he want to show off his body? ¡®Of course, I am quite thankful to see it¡­.¡¯ I tilted my head, trying to cover my rising smile. ¡°Are you feeling hot?¡± ¡°¡­Please keep your eyes closed.¡± Unaware of my filthy mind, he tore off his shirt and used it as a bandage. ¡°You could¡¯ve ripped my dress.¡± I rolled my eyes sideways because I was embarrassed by the sight of his muscles. After completing the bandage regardless of my complaint, he grabbed my ankle again. ¡°It¡¯s all done.¡± I smiled softly watching Joseph carefully tighten the bandage and put my ankle down. ¡°Thank you.¡± Joseph stared at my smiling face and slowly pursed his lips inward. He didn¡¯t say a word. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s feeling awkward with my gentleness toward him.¡¯ After observing his handsome face for a while, I cleared my throat. ¡°Ahem, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even if this is a political marriage and we each have a lover¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Strangely enough, Joseph¡¯s expression hardened as I spoke. I hurriedly added in case he misunderstood me. ¡°But I still want to get along with Your Highness. Like a friend.¡± However, Joseph only frowned as if he didn¡¯t hear what I just said. ¡°A lover¡­.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Is that why you want to divorce me?¡± A thick vein bulged on the back of Joseph¡¯s clenched hand. I just nodded slowly despite his rigid face. ¡°Yes.¡± I was hoping he wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed even if he was caught having a lover. Because I sincerely wanted to support him and Ibelina. ¡®What a lovely couple.¡¯ Just like Joseph, Saintess Ibelina was Crown Prince Carlo¡¯s closest aide. She was the only saintess who supported Carlo, unlike the church or the Holy Council who supported George. I had waited for George to summon me to the Imperial Palace even after my marriage, but unlike me, Joseph had never revealed his relationship with Ibelina. ¡®He must have done that out of consideration for me, his wife.¡¯ I only knew about their relationship after I married Joseph. The day George abandoned me and Joseph lost his younger brother, Carlo, he said. I have someone I love Joseph continued to look out the window as he hugged my naked body. I was holding onto his firm arm, falling deeper into loneliness and sadness. ¡°¡­.I understand.¡± Joseph clenched his fists even more, perhaps he was embarrassed that he had been caught. The rocks crumbled in his hand. ¡®You¡¯re really strong.¡¯ I brushed off the dirt on my hands lightly, thinking that a sword would not be more necessary to break that stone wall. ¡°I thought of a way to get out of here!¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 ¡°Is this enough?¡± Joseph used his black aura to drill a hole into the boulder as I intended. A cloud of black smoke billowed from the boulder turning to liquid like molten iron. ¡®It does look like a monster¡¯s aura.¡¯ The black aura enveloped the surrounding. It felt like watching a bottomless abyss from above. Then, Joseph quickly squeezed his body through the gap and escaped to the other side of the boulder. ¡°Genevite! Destroy the ceiling!¡± As if waiting for me to get out of there, Milan grabbed my wrist. ¡°Hurry!¡± ROOOAR-! At Milan¡¯s command, the monster began to cry and shake the whole mine. ¡®How does Milan do that?¡¯ Because at this point, Ibelina hadn¡¯t revealed the method to tame a monster. Moreover, the monster that Milen had called was not an ordinary monster. ¡®It¡¯s a black dragon.¡¯ The appearance of a monster flapping its wings vigorously behind Milan made me frown. The monster could be heard breathing roughly and was too similar to the Black Dragon of Geneva. ¡®Is it Geneva¡¯s mother?¡¯ It was highly possible that this black dragon was Geneva¡¯s mother. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I removed my hand from Milan¡¯s grip and looked around. Iron bars were installed everywhere like an underground prison, and injured monsters were wailing inside. The monster that breathed roughly did not seem in good condition at all. I peered at the large jewel that was embedded in the monsters¡¯ forehead. ¡®It must be the control device.¡¯ I wonder what he had done to the black dragon. Whenever Milan swung the rod with a black ruby embedded in it, Geneva trembled painfully. Even if it was a monster, I couldn¡¯t bear to witness such a terrible sight. ¡°Are you making a chimera?¡± ¡°Seems the Count really doesn¡¯t tell you anything!¡± While he was answering my question, Milan¡¯s eyes were brimming with a dark aura. I had heard rumors about crazy humans combining themselves with a monster to gain more power. I guess Milan was that sort of human. ¡®It was considered black magic, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s taboo¡­¡¯ My father was a nutcase himself, but I never thought he would keep such a crazy person by his side. ¡°That¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t tell me anything. My father wouldn¡¯t say anything important to a mere wench like me.¡± As I responded to Milan, who seemed to be in a delirious state, I found the right time to draw a magic circle. ¡°Still, you¡¯re his only daughter. You must be useful in some way!¡± Milan grabbed my wrist and tied it on my back as if telling me not to attempt something stupid. ¡®This is the problem with alchemy.¡¯ Unlike wizards, alchemists were rarely sent to war because they were often killed by enemies while drawing a magic circle. ¡°Do you know if a rabbit dies, the hunting dog that caught the rabbit will be eaten by its owner?¡± I only stared at Milan who whispered threateningly. ¡°Do you want to take revenge on me because my father abandoned you?¡± Roscoe Cardinale had many enemies. He was a high-ranking priest and a powerful man who used his connection to the pope to exert power among the nobles. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the precious daughter of that cold-hearted Roscoe Cardinale!¡± Yeah, but only on the surface. In order to avoid suspicion, he concealed the fact that he was infertile by raising and treating his illegitimate daughter as his own. But he still abused me because I was living proof of his disgraceful flaw. I was glad that I revealed my alchemy talent, otherwise, he would have killed me. ¡°Damn! Don¡¯t you know how much I fell into debt just to manage this mine?¡± ¡°Debt?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! For Roscoe, I caught monsters in the wild and attached the control devices!¡± A control device. It was an expensive jewel that could be used to control a young demon hunter, as well as suppress the power of the sword masters or demon hunters who turned into criminals. ¡®If you had used all those expensive control devices on those monsters, you would have lost your fortune.¡¯ ¡°But Roscoe Cardinale fired me because of the mineral shortage and the failure of the monster experiment!¡± I nodded apathetically at his passionate ramble and glanced over the rock where I had escaped. Except for this space, all other areas seemed to have collapsed. Did Joseph get hurt? ¡°Oh, my lovely chimeras!¡± Milan exclaimed in a cracked voice and gestured toward the prison where the monsters were caged. The four-legged monsters seemed to have lost their original form. ¡®That wolf-like monster is probably the same species as Vivi¡­¡¯ However, it was so terribly deformed that it had lost most of its beautiful silver hair. ¡°I found out why my experiment failed! It¡¯s not the cost! There are not enough mediums!¡± I frowned in disgust when Milan approached me panting rigorously with his foul breath. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be easy to combine the monster with another monster in the first place.¡¯ It was obvious that Milan would end in failure no matter what he did. ¡°But Roscoe ignored me when I asked for support.¡± I understood he meant to take me as a hostage and extort money from my father. I didn¡¯t think Roscoe Cardinale would waste his money on me, but I just nodded silently. ¡®I can get out of here before my father refuses.¡¯ So I gestured toward the black dragon to distract Milan. ¡°¡­If my father continues to support you, how will you complete the chimera? Can you turn the black dragon into a chimera?¡± ¡°Ha! You¡¯re just a wench, but you¡¯re still an alchemist. So you must be curious.¡± Milan clapped his hands and moved away from me. ¡°Humans! We can use humans as material!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± I frowned at Milan¡¯s deranged eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve captured some children to combine with Genevite! But another ingredient, the Duras drug, cannot be obtained without Roscoe¡¯s support.¡± I couldn¡¯t hide my revulsion upon hearing his words. Is that why the children kept disappearing? ¡°You¡¯d be better off dying here.¡± It would be better for such a disgusting human being to disappear from the world as soon as possible. I gathered strength into my fingers in order to activate the completed magic circle that I had drawn on the stone wall earlier. Boom! Boom! ¡®Ack, my magic circle¡­.!¡¯ But even after trying so hard to draw the magic circle until my nail broke, the stone wall suddenly crumbled down. I moved back to avoid the crumbling stone and lost my balance, but firm arms caught and hugged me. ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that recklessly.¡± The low-pitched voice belonged to Joseph. Sweat had formed on his forehead after digging through the ruins and running hard. Meanwhile, his arms smelled like a forest in winter. ¡®Does a handsome guy smell good, too?¡¯ Perhaps he misunderstood something, he tightened his grip on me and whispered slowly. I wasn¡¯t talking about my own life, I was talking about Milan¡¯s life¡­.! But Joseph, who dropped me in a safe spot without giving me a chance to explain, pulled out his sword. The monsters that escaped when the ceiling crumbled down began to growl at him. ¡°I think you¡¯d better close your eyes.¡± He drew his white sword. Even in the darkness, he easily cut down the monsters. Having not closed my eyes despite Joseph¡¯s warning, I began to examine my surroundings. There were many monsters, but my focus was only on Milan and the black dragon. ¡®It¡¯s over there.¡¯ I drew a magic circle with both of my hands in a hurry and built a wall in front of Milan who was trying to run away by riding Geneva. ¡°Hyaak!¡± I blocked him from every side with a hard wall and snatched the control device from his hand. ¡®I need to get the evidence first.¡¯ I was going to use his atrocities as evidence to reveal my father¡¯s wickedness to the world. ¡®It¡¯s an opportunity to let everyone know how dirty Roscoe Cardinale is.¡¯ If I was able to tear down George¡¯s biggest supporter, it would only be a matter of time before he lost his right to the throne. ¡°Gasp!¡± However, as soon as I tried to catch Milan, from nowhere a dagger penetrated his neck. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Oh, no! My evidence! ¡®Which bastard is it¡­.!¡¯ ¡°Long time no see.¡± A man trampled Milan, who screamed and collapsed in death throes, and kissed the back of my hand. A man emitting a sharp atmosphere like a well-trained hound. ¡°You¡¯re still as beautiful as ever.¡± His shining gold eyes showed deep anger. ¡°For a woman who got married without saying a word to me, you¡¯re still so damn beautiful!¡± I was bewildered by his sudden appearance. ¡°Let go of me, Oscar.¡± My return to the past was so sudden that I had completely forgotten about his existence. ¡®Right. Oscar was always madly obsessed with me.¡¯ He was the leader of the assassination guild called Spina, which handled all of Cardinale¡¯s dirty laundry, and my fanatical admirer. I lost my sense of self-worth and dignity hanging on George, but at one point in my life, I was able to make Spina move for my purposes. ¡®I used Oscar to help George become emperor.¡¯ If George faked his love while hiding his contempt toward me, Oscar seemed to enjoy being used by me while lusting after me. ¡®In short, he¡¯s a perverted bastard.¡¯ Even now, Oscar was smiling brightly while berating me for my hasty marriage to Joseph. ¡°I missed you, Rita.¡± As he got nearer, I stepped back but soon hit the wall, and eventually, I was trapped in his arms like a cornered mouse. His long shadow gradually shrouded me. Clang! A sharp metallic sound rang when Oscar¡¯s dagger and a longsword clashed. Soon, Oscar couldn¡¯t withstand the force, and his dagger dropped to the ground with a loud rattling sound. ¡°Back away.¡± The owner of the dazzling sword was Joseph. He glared at Oscar¡¯s neck effortlessly even when he held a long sword with one hand. ¡°Before I chop off your head.¡± At Joseph¡¯s warning, Oscar raised both hands up as if hoisting the white flag, but Joseph did not lower his sword. Shiing. His tumultuous black aura left a long scratch on Oscar¡¯s neck. Oscar always wore clothing that covered his neck, so red blood was staining the torn fabric. ¡°Damn. You¡¯re putting a sword to my neck before I can introduce myself.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your identity.¡± Joseph answered sharply to Oscar¡¯s sarcasm. Oscar cupped his bleeding neck with his palm and smirked. ¡°Are you really not at all curious about my identity?¡± Oscar didn¡¯t stop running his mouth as he backed away from me to avoid Joseph¡¯s sword. He kept spewing his poisonous remarks. ¡°Ah, come to think of it, I heard a rumor that Katan¡¯s Grand Duke is the deposed crown prince who¡¯s already dead.¡± Joseph scoffed at Oscar¡¯s ridiculous question. I looked up at the broad back that was blocking my way. It felt strange to see his sturdy back. ¡®Is it because it¡¯s been so long since someone protected me?¡¯ Some small strength returned to my feet, and my heart was filled with warmth. I held Joseph¡¯s sleeve tightly and peeked at Oscar. ¡°I¡¯m sure my father didn¡¯t order you to start a fight with my husband.¡± I frowned and looked over Oscar¡¯s shoulders. If the past hadn¡¯t changed, Oscar would still be my father¡¯s hound¡­. As expected, a man emerged from the huge clouds of dust without a single smudge on his clothes. ¡°Rita, are you okay?¡± My father, who surely came here to shut Milan¡¯s mouth, stroked my cheek with a pale face. ¡°I was so surprised to hear that you were trapped in a mine!¡± He fussed as he looked around at the remains of monsters buried under the rocks after Joseph had disposed of them all. ¡°I don¡¯t know what goes on in Milan¡¯s head to commit such a heinous crime.¡± My father¡¯s disgusting hand gently swept my cheek. He clicked his tongue as if he was feeling sorry that one of his vassals died sinfully. Biological experiments using humans were extremely taboo in the empire which was faithful to the Goddess Lorencia. Especially my father who was constantly wary of the Pope. In the end, he cut the tail himself when he was about to get caught. ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± I grabbed his hand and smiled brightly. ¡°Father!¡± He was a bit surprised when I called him rather ardently, but that was all. Roscoe Cardinale was looking over my shoulders, watching Joseph and Oscar still glaring at each other. ¡°Oscar, don¡¯t be rude to His Highness.¡± Oscar pouted as he retrieved his dagger and took a step back. Meanwhile, my father bowed slightly to Joseph as if apologizing for Oscar¡¯s rude behavior. ¡°I¡¯ve shown you such an unsightly appearance.¡± Joseph seemed a little surprised by my father¡¯s sudden arrival, but he quickly regained his composure. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°What brings you to Sirtha?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but worry about my daughter.¡± I wanted to laugh at his obvious lie, yet he exaggerated further as if he were wary of Joseph. ¡°Moreover, I haven¡¯t heard from you at all since you left for Katan.¡± Because I don¡¯t know what you will force me to do if you can reach me. Roscoe Cardinale knew best how to exploit my alchemy. ¡°I¡¯ve been well, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Upon answering with a shrug, I escaped my father¡¯s grasp and approached Joseph. He quickly hid me behind him as if he had noticed my uneasiness. ¡°Hoho. I was worried about marrying off my daughter, but she seems to be on better terms with His Highness than I had feared.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even let me see my daughter whom I haven¡¯t seen in a long time.¡± My father censured Joseph with a friendly smile. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Only then did Joseph glance at me and narrow his forehead anxiously. ¡°Do you want to talk to the count?¡± I wanted to say no so badly, but it wasn¡¯t yet the time to show my hostility to my father. ¡°Yes. Can you leave for a moment?¡± When Joseph nodded, my father led him to the secret exit as if he were familiar with this place. ¡°Your Highness, please go out first.¡± Joseph glanced back as he left the mine through the secret exit. He looked concerned, so I had trouble calming down a weird sensation in my stomach. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± When Oscar left, my father began to scold me with his usual sharp tone. ¡°Why is this stupid wench messing with the family business and making this much fuss!¡± ¡°His Highness said he had a business to take care of in Sirtha. I just thought he might do something related to Prince Carlo.¡± When I made a reasonable excuse, he soon calmed down. ¡°Damn. I still have some use of Milan! I shouldn¡¯t have killed him over a wench like you!¡± If Joseph weren¡¯t outside, my father would¡¯ve hit me with full force right away. ¡°You seem to keep forgetting your purpose. You have to persuade him to talk about Carlo¡¯s weaknesses.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Surely, you¡¯re not swayed by him, right?¡± Who is it that forced me into this marriage in the first place? ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I¡¯m sure you know how much I love Prince George, right?¡± ¡°¡­I know, but¡­¡± When I put up my best smile while confessing my love for George, my father only twitched his lips as if he was speechless. ¡®People with strong divine power like George and my father don¡¯t die so easily.¡¯ How can I let those people experience the worst and painful death? ¡®Let¡¯s take away their wealth first.¡¯ Now that I understood Katan¡¯s situation, it was time for me to disturb Cardinale. I smiled brightly while facing my father¡¯s oily face. ¡°Ah, I heard the gold in Sirtha was dry.¡± I clapped lightly as if I suddenly remembered. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m looking for another investment destination.¡± ¡°Then, should I persuade His Highness to buy the Sirtha mine?¡± In the Sirtha mina, collapsed due to the monsters, high-purity mana stone was about to be discovered. I won¡¯t let Cardinale eat such appetizing food. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Huh! Are you going to sell this useless mine to Grand Duke Katan?¡± Roscoe Cardinale laughed arrogantly from how ridiculous it sounded to him. He reached out his hand to pat my shoulder. ¡°What made you say something that would please me! But will the Grand Duke buy the mine?¡± I knew it would be like this. So I looked at the figure fiddling with his moustache. ¡°I just need to convince him. I¡¯ll try to talk him into it, so please rest assured.¡± ¡°Will you do that?¡± ¡°Yes. And I think I can do the biological experiment that Milan did.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you hated using humans as an ingredient?¡± My father squinted, doubting me. ¡°I became interested when I saw the chimera.¡± With a low groan, my father took a small key out of his pocket. ¡®There must be a room where the children are locked up.¡¯ I received the key from him, putting on a cold expression as much as possible. ¡°Yeah. I guess you weren¡¯t completely useless either.¡± Even though the money he earned from selling my potions would¡¯ve been a great help to his business, he still had a poor opinion of me. In his eyes, I was good for nothing. A freeloader and a beggar. My father often called me that instead of my name. ¡®At that time, I was so desperate to be useful to him.¡¯ I shrugged recalling my foolish thoughts in the past. The reason why I did that was simple. I thought of him as my father. I was just a child who craved her parents¡¯ love and wanted to be recognized by him. Yvonne would also run toward me while holding a wild flower just to make me smile. ¡®But Roscoe Cardinale and I are different.¡¯ Unlike him, I loved my daughter more than my life. ¡®In order to create a safe world for Yvonne, that human must disappear first.¡¯ I bit my lip slightly, thinking about the downfall of Cardinale. As he left, I stared at the back of the man whom I loathed so much. The moment Milan was killed by Oscar, Genevite ran away at lightning speed. ¡®It should be around here.¡¯ I took a careful step following the black blood stain on the ground. When I reached the end of the mine, I could find Genevite lying there. Grrr. Feeling my presence, the black dragon opened its eyes wide. The black dragon whipped its dangerous and huge tail to threaten me, but it only produced a weak wind due to its already exhausted state. ¡®It will die soon.¡¯ Upon realizing that Genevite was going to die, I glanced at the black egg wrapped under the black dragon¡¯s wings. ¡°¡­Are you worried?¡± I approached the wide-eyed black dragon and smoothed its face. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of your cub. I promise.¡± The egg was going to hatch soon, so the black dragon couldn¡¯t even close its eyes even on the verge of dying. ¡®As expected from the king of monsters. It¡¯s very intelligent.¡¯ The monsters had to sacrifice their mana force in order to reproduce, so most of them were unable to nurture their offspring. I looked alternatively between the black dragon and the egg. The black dragon¡¯s huge body slowly collapsed. Genevite turned into a black grainy sand and began to scatter in the air. ¡®It won¡¯t be as easy as taming Vivi.¡¯ Holding the black egg in my arms, I stroked the egg while thinking about the soon-to-be born Geneva. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can be as good as Ibelina in taking care of you¡­.¡± I will do my best. Since I promised your mother already. The egg seemed to vibrate weakly as if responding to me. ¡°Rona, there must be a warehouse around Milan¡¯s mansion. The children were trapped there, go release them.¡± After safely escaping the mine, I looked back on the completely collapsed Sirtha. ¡®We must clear all these rocks so that we can begin excavating the mana stone.¡¯ The Black Dragon Genevite¡¯s death was the reason why mana stone had formed here. While its power was considered corrupt and evil contrary to the holy power, at the end of the day, no one could deny how great of a power a monster can have. Mana stone containing that much mana was not used yet in the Empire, but it was an indispensable item in the neighboring country, Odebell. ¡®Sirtha was the first mine to produce mana stones. A great amount of mana equal to the Black Dragon¡¯s mana.¡¯ It was a fact that no one knew before Ibelina tamed the Black Dragon Geneva. Katan needed funds, and mana stone was an opportunity to acquire wealth. ¡®The thing is, will Joseph trust me?¡¯ I was bragging to my father that I could persuade him, but Joseph wasn¡¯t a fool who would buy a collapsed mine. ¡°Your Highness.¡± I called out to him as I got into the carriage. ¡°Please say it.¡± ¡°I have something to tell you regarding the mine.¡± ¡°Are you talking about that pile of stones?¡± He asked, pointing to the collapsed mine. ¡°¡­Yes. Is it possible for Katan to buy that pile of stones?¡± I got more anxious when Joseph looked at me with a blank expression. ¡°You may not believe it, but I know a way to accumulate wealth using Sirtha mine.¡± I sounded more like an airhead swindler by the way I urged him to believe me unconditionally. ¡°Perhaps, only you know this information?¡± Joseph¡¯s transparent eyes, which showed no sign of doubt about me, made my face blush for no reason. ¡°Yeah. Only I know about this. There¡¯s an information network between alchemists.¡± Even it sounded like a swindler¡¯s bluff to my ears, too. As he did not say anything, I fiddled my fingers while trying to read his expression. ¡°I¡¯ve come up with a good business idea¡­.that might be of help to Katan.¡± No matter how naive a person might be, he won¡¯t be fooled by these words. ¡°I-It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± If Joseph was unwilling to spend Katan¡¯s budget for this, I just needed to find another way. ¡®I think I¡¯ll be able to buy it after selling all my fortune and borrowing some money.¡¯ If the mana stone starts to be mined, I could pay my debt in no time, so it wasn¡¯t a big deal for me. I was busy recalling the company where I could take out a loan with the lowest interest rates and a company to sell my mana stone. But Joseph suddenly nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡­.Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy the Sirtha Mine according to your will.¡± I was the one who begged him to buy a mine, but my heart skipped a beat when he actually agreed to it. ¡°Do you mean it?¡± I stared at Joseph, mouth wide open in shock. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to trust me and buy a pile of rocks?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡± Joseph furrowed his eyebrows as if he couldn¡¯t understand me. Looking at his sharp jawline that slowly hardened, I shook my hands in a haste. ¡°If you don¡¯t want it¡­¡± ¡°N-No! It¡¯s true that I want it.¡± ¡°But why are you getting angry?¡±] Unknowingly, I wrinkled my nose looking at Joseph¡¯s naivet¨¦. ¡®It will be very fortunate if he doesn¡¯t get scammed anywhere else.¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect my husband to be such a pushover! In the past, I thought he was a lord who had built Katan from scratch without his wife¡¯s help. But it seemed like it was thanks to Dante¡¯s great ability. ¡°Your Highness, if someone ever asks you to do business together or tells you to invest your money in something, you must run away immediately.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can jump from the carriage.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± I tilted my head upon hearing Joseph¡¯s random remark, but he only smiled as if he found my widened eyes funny. ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly what my wife said to me?¡± ¡°¡­Except for me. You can trust me. Because I sincerely want Katan to prosper.¡± Joseph only nodded at my shameless words. ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ I suddenly began to worry about Joseph¡¯s future. The only daughter of Katan¡¯s greatest enemy, the Cardinale, just tried to persuade him to buy Cardinale¡¯s ruined mine. I couldn¡¯t help but sigh when I saw him nodding his head unassumingly. Before I leave Katan, I have to make sure to secure the finances for him. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Are you Umberto¡¯s son?¡± Upon opening the carriage door, my eyes instantly fell on the boy sitting next to Rona. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Get out. Your father is waiting.¡± His face sparkled as soon as he heard me, but his bright complexion soon turned gloomy again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been paid by the count yet. I don¡¯t want to be a burden to my family.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about that. I promise to sponsor you at the Grand Duchy.¡± He was worried his younger siblings wouldn¡¯t have enough food if he returned to his family empty-handed. ¡°Ollie, that¡¯s your name, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Ask Dante to educate Ollie together with Manuel. He¡¯ll be useful as an administrator. Give other children suitable positions as well.¡± As I was giving Rona orders, I recalled Katan¡¯s tight budget, and my personal property was beginning to dwindle as well. ¡®I must increase the mana stone¡¯s price more than when I sold it at Cardinale.¡¯ A price increase was justifiable because people from the Mado Empire didn¡¯t have such resources in their home country. Standing in front of their wheat field, Umberto and his daughter, Selina, opened their eyes wide in disbelief when they saw us. ¡°Daddy~! Sister!¡± Ollie rolled downhill and ran toward his family. Perhaps they had been waiting for us, but Umberto¡¯s family members were already craning their necks in anticipation. ¡°Ollie!¡± Umberto hugged Ollie at once, burying his face into his son¡¯s thin neck. The breeze blowing through the wheat field subdued his voice. I couldn¡¯t hear him properly, but the heartwarming sight made me smile. The fresh scent of unripened wheat was savory. ¡°Madam, thank you so much!¡± Selina was looking at me tearfully, at a loss at what to do. ¡°If you¡¯re truly grateful, try to persuade farmers to use the red soil.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve used it already. Although the field I worked on is not as wide as my father¡¯s.¡± I was surprised by her answer. ¡®I thought you were worried that it would ruin your field.¡¯ ¡°Is it working?¡± I was very nervous waiting for Selina¡¯s answer. ¡°Well, about that¡­.¡± Is the artificial red soil I made practical enough to be used in actual fields? Although I developed it, agriculture was not my expertise to begin with. I was half skeptical that it would work well, so I couldn¡¯t help it even if the farmers refused to believe in me. I held Selina¡¯s hands, feeling thankful for her willingness to use the artificial red soil even at the risk of destroying her field. But Selina replied cheerfully. ¡°Madam¡¯s red soil is so amazing! Not only the green wheat, but also the southern Hail rice started to grow!¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes. It hasn¡¯t fully germinated underwater yet, but take a look.¡± I walked to the place where Selina led me. Soon, I was able to see tiny rice seeds sprouted cutely in the nurseries. ¡°Hail rice is so difficult to sow, that¡¯s why only the southern nobles were able to eat it. This feels unreal!¡± I couldn¡¯t help but bite my lip to contain my excitement. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I succeeded¡­¡¯ Seeing her happy face was a somewhat peculiar experience. Come to think of it, I never used alchemy to help anyone. ¡°Madam¡¯s alchemy is really amazing!¡± Selina smiled brightly and hugged me. Although I wasn¡¯t treated as badly as a demon hunter was, alchemists were scorned in the Las Vecchia Empire where the holy church ruled. George and my father used my alchemy to support their various schemes yet they neglected and abused me. This pride and joy I felt for the first time in my life truly rendered me speechless. To top it all, the relief I brought to Ollie¡¯s family made me burst into tears. ¡®George would be very surprised if he saw me like this.¡¯ I was a woman who never shed tears. I didn¡¯t shed a single tear even when George accepted Ibelina as his empress. George called me a woman with an iron heart because of that. But now, tears flowed down uncontrollably. While being held by Selina, I tried so hard to hold back my tears and sniffled my runny nose. But someone else pulled my shoulder and hugged me. I lifted my head in surprise when hard arms wrapped around me. The chilly scent of a winter wind tickled my nose. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°What makes you cry sorrowfully?¡± Joseph looked down at me with a grim face. I couldn¡¯t utter a single word until his long fingers wiped my tears-stained cheeks. ¡°B-Because I¡¯m happy. My red soil was effective.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Surprised, Joseph looked over my shoulder at Selina, who already pointed at the Hail rice sprouts. ¡°Your Highness, this is the southern Hail rice which is only able to grow in the southern red soil.¡± Upon hearing Selina¡¯s eager explanation, he looked at me and murmured briefly. ¡°That¡¯s indeed amazing.¡± ¡®You¡¯re making me blush for no reason.¡¯ Once I came to my senses, I quickly escaped Joseph¡¯s arms and nodded. ¡°I want to distribute artificial soil to farmers in Katan. There are not many farmers yet, but if we show them that farming is possible, more people will begin farming.¡± Katan was poor because most young people made a living through hunting. Therefore, it was impossible to collect taxes on poor residents who struggled just to fill their stomachs each day. Except if Joseph was heartless enough to squeeze their money dry like my father. ¡°I will tell Dante that the red soil made by my wife has been proven effective.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Without realizing, I smiled broadly at Joseph only to blush again upon seeing his deep gaze that was directed to me. ¡®Why are you looking at me like that again?¡¯ Is there something on my face? Or did my overly excited expression look foolish to you? ¡°Then, how many people should we hire to help Madam develop the land?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± Dante raised his voice at his master, who was lost in thought after ordering him to help Rita. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I asked how many workers we should hire to help Madam.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Joseph belatedly nodded and just agreed with Dante heedlessly. While exchanging opinions with Dante, Joseph was constantly reminded of his wife. ¡®She¡¯s someone who can smile like that.¡¯ Two months had passed since they were married, and it was his first time seeing his wife smile so sincerely. ¡®I¡¯m such a terrible husband.¡¯ Even though the marriage was only a way to free Rita, he was still her lawful husband. Joseph put all the blame on himself, and grasped his head in agony. ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡± Dante was puzzled at his master¡¯s behavior and tilted his head. ¡°What month is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first day of August.¡± A long crease formed on his forehead upon hearing Dante¡¯s answer. ¡°But why is it still so cold?¡± ¡°¡­Are you feeling cold? Should I add more firewood in your room?¡± ¡°Not my room, but you need to take special care of my wife¡¯s room.¡± ¡°I think Madam¡¯s room is warm enough. Do you want me to increase the temperature?¡± ¡°Yeah. Make it warm enough until it truly feels like summer.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡­¡± Dante just nodded lethargically at his master¡¯s stubbornness. Joseph noticed the slight displeasure on the butler¡¯s face, but Joseph¡¯s mind was filled with Rita and wondering if she was having a hard time adjusting in Katan. He couldn¡¯t help but worry every time he thought of Rita¡¯s thin and fragile body. Katan was too cold for Rita, born and raised in the warm south. ¡®She said she hated the cold when she was young.¡¯ ¡±It seems that the count locked our young miss in the basement again because she was misbehaving.¡± ¡±Wait, isn¡¯t it too much? Our young miss is only 11 years old now!¡± When the monsters invading Cardinale were subdued, the emperor ordered him to head to Katan right away. He couldn¡¯t meet Rita in the end. ¡±I really hate the basement. I¡¯m freezing to death.¡¯ The young Rita would tremble every time she brought up the basement that a young lady normally wouldn¡¯t be familiar with. ¡®I won¡¯t let you shiver in the cold again.¡¯ Joseph clenched his fists, recalling the young girl who trembled as if holding back tears. Seeing her cry, his heart pounded because he was upset. ¡°Dante.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­.You wouldn¡¯t want to see your savior struggling, right?¡± ¡°Well, I think so?¡± Coming to terms with his unfamiliar emotions, Joseph nodded at Dante¡¯s response. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 22 ¡°His Highness bought the Sirtha mine. Did you hear that, Manuel?¡± Manuel¡¯s ears twitched hearing Sabrina¡¯s words. The boy stopped organizing the documents and turned to the maid next to him. ¡°Yes, why?¡± ¡°The Sirtha mine was originally owned by the Cardinale.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± Sabrina brought her index finger closer to her red lips as if only telling Manuel this secret. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried if Madam is fooling His Highness.¡± ¡°But Sabrina, you were wrong before.¡± While saying that, Manual couldn¡¯t take his gaze away from Sabrina, who was sticking close to him. Recognizing Manuel¡¯s clumsy gesture, Sabrina put her arms together and leaned her upper body toward the boy. ¡°Selina said that Madam¡¯s red soil was effective¡­.¡± Katan was cold even during Summer, but Sabrina insisted on wearing Cardinale¡¯s thin uniform. Seductively revealing her deep neckline and breastbone was so like her. ¡°But I heard the Sirtha mine has collapsed. His Highness wouldn¡¯t have bought the collapsed mine if not for Madam.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re right.¡± Wearing a cunning smile, Sabrina looked down at Manuel, who nodded his head foolishly. Manuel, ears turning red, shrugged his shoulders. ¡®It¡¯s like trying to coax a young boy. How fun.¡¯ Even high-ranking figures such as Prince George and Count Cardinale lost their minds to Sabrina¡¯s charms. ¡®Grand Duke Katan is the weird one.¡¯ ¡±Get out.¡± ¡±Pardon?¡± ¡±Get out. I won¡¯t punish you because you were my wife¡¯s maid.¡± Joseph took off his jacket, rolled a blanket around her, and threw her into the hallway. ¡®It was the first time someone ever treated me like that.¡¯ Sabrina had never been rejected by a man and now trembled in rage. ¡®I¡¯m 20 times more charming than Rita!¡¯ She moved her round hips and pursed her plump lips slightly. Judging by the face alone, maybe Rita could have been a little better looking than her. However, Rita was like a rose without a scent. ¡®Who would like a woman who¡¯s like a stone?¡¯ Her lover, George, eventually fell into Sabrina¡¯s embrace. ¡®Is George going to pick me up soon?¡¯ She just sent a tear-stained letter complaining about Rita treating her badly. George sympathized with her and her hard life enduring Rita¡¯s anger. ¡®Before George comes for me, I have to undermine Rita¡¯s reputation.¡¯ She might lose his favor if George learned that Rita had been acting like a great madam in Katan. ¡®I can¡¯t let that happen.¡¯ Sabrina, nibbling at her nails, bent her eyes to half-moons and gently looked at Manuel. ¡°Cardinale people never do anything that does not benefit them. There¡¯s no way she¡¯d help anyone unconditionally¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I have heard that, too.¡± ¡°About the mine and the red soil¡­.I really can¡¯t grasp what Madam is trying to do.¡± Manuel, who harbored feelings for Sabrina, easily took the bait. ¡°Ah¡­what? What about Madam?¡± The blushing boy gulped hard when she stealthily caressed the back of his hand. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t you think her artificial red soil is too suspicious? His Highness may be in trouble if he trusts Madam and uses that soil.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know her nickname, right?¡± The Wicked Witch of Cardinale. Rita had displayed talent in alchemy since young and was given that nickname. Sabrina thought that nickname suited Rita better than her other nicknames: The Summer Rose of Cardinale and The Reincarnation of Goddess of Beauty. ¡°¡­Now that I think of it, you¡¯re right. I need to tell Ricky about it.¡± Ricky was the unofficial leader of young people in the estate. People tended to trust people whom Ricky trusted and avoided people who got on Ricky¡¯s nerves. ¡°Good idea, Manuel! As I thought, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Sabrina praised the young boy as if he had done a good job figuring out Rita¡¯s evil deeds by himself. ¡°Did you say people refused to use the artificial red soil?¡± I frowned because I couldn¡¯t make sense of Umberto¡¯s words. ¡®Haven¡¯t I proved its effectiveness? What¡¯s the problem?¡¯ I didn¡¯t expect the farmers to be this stubborn. I thought it¡¯d be better if I just persuade Joseph to enforce a law where they had to use the soil. ¡°Selina began cultivating using your artificial red soil, but that bastard Ricky opposed it.¡± Umberto pouted as if he were trying to snitch on Ricky. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°These days, rumors are circulating within our community that Madam is stealing our assets. They suspect that Madam is up to something bad using the red soil.¡± I¡¯m stealing Katan¡¯s assets, you say? Katan didn¡¯t even have that much money for me to steal. ¡®If I wanted to live extravagantly, I would have married another man.¡¯ I haven¡¯t even purchased a new dress since I married Joseph. Umblerto glanced at me as I creased my brows due to the unfairness. ¡°I heard you bought a mine. The mine has completely collapsed¡­.is that rumor true?¡± I couldn¡¯t deny Umberto¡¯s words and told him the truth. ¡°I bought Sirtha mine because I have a plan. I wasn¡¯t being extravagant.¡± Hearing my words, Umberto let out an awkward cough and took off his hat. ¡°Whatever the case, I trust Madam because you found my son, but Ricky doesn¡¯t believe you even when we showed him the Hail rice.¡± ¡°How do they know that I bought Sirtha mine?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been hearing rumors from people who reside in the castle.¡± Umberto¡¯s answer brought a certain servant to mind, one who could talk lightly about the Grand Duke¡¯s affairs. ¡°In particular, that young administrator who often comes down to the village. He¡¯s close to Ricky, too.¡± As expected, it was none other than Manuel. I nodded at Umberto¡¯s words. ¡°I see. Thank you for letting me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, Cardinale is a wealthy estate where Madam could be extravagant without any restraint¡­but unlike the south, Katan is not a rich territory.¡± I looked at him as he stood up while trying to convey sincere advice. ¡°Is there a reason why you assume I¡¯m extravagant?¡± He hesitated a bit at my question and soon pointed to wood burning in the fireplace. ¡°For example, that firewood. Fuel is a precious thing in Katan. I know for a fact that His Highness doesn¡¯t even light up the fireplace in summer.¡± Katan was a cold place even in midsummer, but sweat beads had formed on Umberto¡¯s forehead. Next to the fireplace, there was a large stack of firewood that I didn¡¯t know was there. ¡®I don¡¯t even know why that firewood is piled there!¡¯ I felt so wronged by Umberto¡¯s words about me. I was put in a tight position even more. I told them countless times not to light up the fireplace, but that firewood kept appearing out of nowhere. ¡°¡­.Alright. Thank you, Umberto.¡± I couldn¡¯t say that I was feeling hurt by Umberto¡¯s words because he genuinely cared about my reputation. ¡°No problem. If there¡¯s anything I can do, please call me anytime.¡± After seeing Umberto off with an awkward smile, I hurried to find Manuel. ¡®What kind of nonsense have you been spreading!¡¯ What does someone who didn¡¯t even come to Sirtha even know? Katan¡¯s budget was spent on buying the mine, but it wasn¡¯t enough to drive the Grand Duchy into bankruptcy. ¡°Dante, where¡¯s Manuel?¡± ¡°Perhaps in His Highness¡¯ office.¡± Just in time, I met Dante in the hallway and asked him for Manuel¡¯s whereabouts right away. ¡°Did that child make any mistake?¡± I hesitated to answer Dante¡¯s careful question. ¡®Should I tell Dante to scold him?¡¯ No, it seemed useless. Dante and Joseph had always sided with Manuel. Dante had taken care of Joseph when he was demoted from the crown prince position. And Manuel was the nephew of such an important figure in Joseph¡¯s life. Furthermore, Joseph sympathized with Manuel, who lost his parents to the monsters. ¡®Since Manuel is precious to Dante, Joseph wouldn¡¯t deal harshly with Manuel.¡¯ However, Manuel was too rash and arrogant for someone who could succeed Dante in the future. I let him slide because he was young, but I couldn¡¯t afford that anymore. Perhaps because of Yvonne, I was too soft when it came to dealing with children. ¡®But he¡¯s already 15, isn¡¯t he almost an adult?¡¯ ¡°Manuel has been talking carelessly about the Grand Duke¡¯s property.¡± ¡°Oh, no. Then I will scold him¡­¡± I shook my head firmly and cut off Dante¡¯s words. ¡°No. I will scold him personally.¡± Although Dante was the butler, disciplining the servants was a Madam¡¯s duty. ¡°Get ready and follow me.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 With Dante awkwardly following behind me, I took a deep breath in front of Joseph¡¯s office door. ¡°Hooo¡­¡± The moment I put my hand on the doorknob, I heard Manuel¡¯s loud shout from inside. ¡°Do you really believe her? Your Highness, you¡¯re a total pushover!¡± ¡°Manuel, watch your mouth.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Your Highness is too soft-hearted that you¡¯re being used!¡± ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ I was wondering if he was having an argument with Joseph, but on second thought, it was so bizarre that a mere servant could raise his voice to Joseph, the Master of this household. ¡°Your Highness was fooled! She was trying to make up for the loss by selling Sirtha to Katan!¡± I furrowed my forehead listening to Manuel¡¯s words. ¡®Does he think I¡¯m a swindler?¡¯ As I thought, I shouldn¡¯t let him slide. As I firmly made up my mind, I heard Joseph persuading Manuel in a calm voice. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°As long as I can be of any help to my wife, I¡¯m fine, Manuel.¡± Manuel clicked his tongue, perhaps because he thought Joseph¡¯s remark was absurd. But Manuel wasn¡¯t the only one who was dumbfounded by his words. ¡°Your Highness!¡± I burst the door open and looked for Joseph right away. Huh? As long as you can be of any help to me? What do you mean? ¡°¡­.Wife?¡± Perhaps surprised by my sudden appearance, Joseph¡¯s clear eyes were opened wide. ¡°Just now, what is that supposed to mean?¡± He hesitated to answer my question and stammered. I walked up to him, who seemed bewildered, and put my ear close to his chest. ¡°You¡¯re pounding so hard. It seems you were nervous.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps worried that I will scam you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Wife.¡± Joseph shook his hands in a hurry to deny what I said. But I wrinkled my nose, eyeing him and Manuel alternately. Manuel made eye contact with me and hurriedly lowered his eyes. ¡°I bought Sirtha mine for a reason, Manuel. You can only believe me until the business company starts mining mana stones.¡± Genevite¡¯s remains were still being absorbed into the ground, so I had been a little relaxed, but now I thought I shouldn¡¯t waste any more time. If I delay it longer, I will lose more credibility from baseless rumors.. ¡°T-That can¡¯t be true. How can a magic stone come from a gold mine!¡± I ignored Manuel who shouted eagerly with a runny nose. ¡°Whether you believe it or not is not important to me. But Your Highness,¡± Joseph was cornered by me and flinched when I called him. It felt strange that a strong man who could push me away at any time was caught by me. ¡°¡­.Your Highness. What I value the most is trust. If you didn¡¯t believe me, you shouldn¡¯t have bought Sirtha.¡± Even without him lending me money, I could have just taken some private loans. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you purchased Sirtha with the intention of helping me?¡± I began to really worry about his future, more than when he said he believed me unconditionally. ¡®Who is worried about who now?¡¯ I have my own fish to fry. ¡°Please only help those who are really in need, and only when Your Highness can afford it. Being nice can be poisonous if done excessively.¡± ¡°¡­I will keep it in mind.¡± Joseph¡¯s expression looked like he was feeling wronged, but I didn¡¯t care even if his handsome face was a little crumpled. ¡®How could I leave him in peace when he¡¯s such a pushover.¡¯ It would have been a relief if he didn¡¯t spend Katan¡¯s property, which I worked so hard to acquire, to help others. I thought it¡¯d be better to educate the cunning Manuel and attack him next to Joseph. ¡°Manuel, follow me.¡± When I gestured my chin, the haughty child nodded meekly, perhaps feeling intimidated by me. I reached out to Dante, who was holding the whip I requested from him earlier. ¡°Hand me the whip.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± When I held the whip in my hand, Manuel opened his eyes roundly. ¡°Huh? A-Are you going to hit me?¡± ¡°Yes. Aren¡¯t you doing something that deserves punishment?¡± I only glanced at Manuel who seemed anxious. ¡°Oh, it is within my authority to discipline the servants, so don¡¯t think about intervening, Your Highness.¡± I drew the line firmly because I was afraid that the soft-hearted Joseph would try to stop me. Fortunately, Joseph nodded slowly, seemingly persuaded. ¡°¡­Your Highness!¡± Manuel raised his voice in protest as if he had been betrayed, but I quickly dragged the boy by the collar. Bam! Entering the small annex in the office, I closed the door roughly and threw Manuel in. Thud! The child fell on his buttocks and scrambled up with a tearful face. ¡°W-Why are you punishing me! I was just worried that His Highness would lose his wealth¡­.¡± ¡°His Highness doesn¡¯t punish you for talking about Sirtha.¡± Ptaash! I shook my head, lifting the whip high until it bent in the air. ¡°You. I heard you often went down to the village to spread news about His Highness purchasing Sirtha mine.¡± ¡°¡­How did you know!¡± Manuel opened his eyes wide in shock. I scoffed and rolled up the boy¡¯s trousers. ¡°A servant who works for a family doesn¡¯t talk about the family¡¯s affairs so lightly. Will you be able to become a butler without knowing such a basic thing?¡± ¡°B-But I was really trying to stop His Highness-¡± Ptaash! I swung the whip first to shut him down. ¡°Argh!¡± For Manuel, who received knight training, the whip wielded by me wouldn¡¯t hurt much. So I used alchemy to amplify my strength. ¡°Ahh! H-How can you be this strong!¡± I swung the whip every time Manuel tried to run his mouth again. Ptaash! ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡± Ptaash! ¡°Madam is the wicked one!¡± Ptaash! ¡°Ugh, cough! I-I was wrong!¡± The whip was almost broken before Manuel finally cried and admitted his fault. ¡°I-I ran my mouth carelessly, uhh, cough.¡± Dropping the whip down to the floor, I knelt down in front of the crying boy and made eye contact with the child. ¡°I knew you were genuinely worried about His Highness. Because you¡¯re His Highness¡¯ family.¡± Joseph thought of Manuel as his cute little brother. ¡®Maybe because Manuel reminds him of Carlo, his beloved younger brother whom he left in the cold Imperial palace.¡¯ In addition, Manuel, who lost his parents when he was young, looked up to Joseph and considered him as his own brother. The reason why Manuel acted out like this, which hadn¡¯t happened in the past, was because I had actively approached Joseph. ¡°Even if His Highness suffered damage because of me, you shouldn¡¯t tell the residents about it.¡± ¡°¡­.Urk.¡± ¡°Manuel, do you know the reason?¡± Manuel shook his head at my question. I lifted the boy¡¯s chin, drenched in tears and snot, and spoke with a clear voice. ¡°Katan is a barren land and a difficult place to live. The majority of residents believe in His Highness¡¯ excellence and choose to reside here.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°So don¡¯t make such people anxious, Manuel.¡± The Cardinale¡¯s Witch was taking advantage of the soft-hearted Grand Duke. I could guess the rumor that Manuel would have spread. ¡®In the long run, it could harm Joseph, too.¡¯ Of course, the residents would sympathize with Joseph, manipulated by an evil witch like me. However, the Lord shouldn¡¯t be pitied by his people. ¡®If such rumors continue to spread, the people will think their Lord is an unreliable and incompetent ruler.¡¯ Manuel eventually nodded, perhaps he understood what I meant. I heaved a sigh and glanced at Manuel¡¯s red calf. I had moderated my strength in order not to leave any scars, but it must have been quite painful. ¡°Is it Sabrina?¡± Manuel flinched at my belated question. ¡°I asked if Sabrina was the one who made you think like this.¡± ¡°Oh, no. N-No way!¡± I was convinced when I heard Manuel¡¯s hasty denial. ¡®So it¡¯s Sabrina.¡¯ If you still can¡¯t pull yourself together even when I dunked you to the mud¡­. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 After sending Manuel out, I went straight back to my room and plopped down on the sofa as if passing out. I wasn¡¯t even competing for George¡¯s affection, so I thought everything would be just fine. Even in the past, Sabrina and I were at each other¡¯s throats. A noble lady and her maid. It seemed like our relationship could never be reversed, but the reality said otherwise. Sabrina is a maid that my father cherishes, and I¡¯m only a daughter he raised to conceal his flaws. A patriarch¡¯s authority was absolute in the noble family of the Las Vecchia Empire. ¡®She was backed by my father and George and despised me.¡¯ Moreover, Sabrina knew that I was an illegitimate daughter, and she used that secret against me like a weapon. ¡®If you threaten me like this again, I might spread your dirty secrets, too!¡¯ ¡®What did you say?¡¯ ¡®The fact that you¡¯re an illegitimate child! I know everything!¡¯ Sabrina used to sneer at me when I was so wary of her getting intimate to George. I valued my image as the Count¡¯s only daughter so much that her threat was scarier than any blade aimed to my neck. I frowned as I recalled Sabrina¡¯s delicate gait and coquettish behavior. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she¡¯d turn this way. Should I just send her back to Cardinale?¡¯ I kept her by my side to keep track of George¡¯s plan closely, but actually I already knew the big picture of his future plan. ¡®It¡¯d be nice if I could find out where George found the Goddess¡¯ crown¡­.¡¯ So far, the holy grail that conveyed Goddess Lorencia¡¯s oracle was the only holy grail managed by the Great Temple. The Goddess¡¯ crown was another holy grail that could deliver Lorencia¡¯s voice and a major contributor to George¡¯s enthronement. George used the Goddess¡¯ crown to claim that he was the Emperor chosen by the Goddess. ¡®He would have told Sabrina where he got it.¡¯ He held back from speaking recklessly in my presence, but George seemed to reveal his plans in front of Sabrina easily. ¡®George was sure that a mere maid like her wouldn¡¯t understand anything he said.¡¯ With a deep sigh, I rose from my seat and called Rona. ¡°Rona, bring Sabrina here.¡± ¡°Ack, if it¡¯s Sabrina, she went to meet Prince George just now. I guess she didn¡¯t act upon Madam¡¯s order again this time?¡± I frowned at Rona¡¯s bewildered answer. ¡°George?¡± ¡°Yes. He just arrived at the Grand Duke Castle.¡± Speak of the devil. But why didn¡¯t he contact me first? ¡®If I do well this time, I have a chance to send Sabrina away.¡¯ Sabrina will no longer be needed if I could locate the Holy Grail. So I was pleased by George¡¯s sudden visit. ¡°Long time no see, Rita.¡± Entering the parlor, I ignored George¡¯s greeting and gestured at Dante. ¡°Where is His Highness?¡± ¡°He set out to help the soldiers who were overwhelmed by the monster.¡± At Dante¡¯s answer, George chimed in and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I just happened to have something to do nearby, so I wanted to see you before I go.¡± I passed Dante and sat across from George. ¡°What brings you to Katan?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already? I came by because I had something to do nearby.¡± As soon as Dante left the room to bring the tea, George quietly leaned closer to me. ¡°Why are you so cranky? Are you upset that I came without any notice?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. I appreciate His Highness who came all the way here despite your busy schedule.¡± I scooted away from George trying to make a move on a married woman. ¡°What brings you to Katan, really?¡± ¡°I ran out of the camouflage potion you gave me last time.¡± George swept his slim chin and smiled seductively. I tried so hard to hide my twitching mouth by lowering my head. ¡®Disgusting prick.¡¯ Even though he was a flawlessly handsome man on the surface, he was so unpleasant to the point it was embarrassing to face him. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ve been living well with that bastard Joseph.¡± Patting my cheek, George clicked his tongue. Now that I see him, George did not resemble Joseph at all even when they were half-brothers. The overly fancy attire he wore was typical of George¡¯s clothes, but he still used the camouflage potion I made in the past to fix his facial structures. There was no way to take away the potion that had already been given. If I give him a fake and useless potion, he¡¯d be suspicious of me. So instead of eliminating the effect of the potion, I created a side effect that made George reluctant to use it again. ¡°By the way, are there any side effects of the potion?¡± ¡°Hmm, nope. Is there anything I need to be careful about?¡± Looking at George¡¯s anxious gaze, I narrowed my forehead as if I was worried. ¡°Yes. There could be a side effect due to improper use of the potion, so please be careful. I can¡¯t exactly tell you about the side effects either.¡± The new potion that I made will cause side effects just by using it. ¡®Let¡¯s get rid of that hair at least.¡¯ I folded my eyelids slowly after looking at George¡¯s bright blonde hair. He was a vain man with great pride in his outer appearance, so he wouldn¡¯t have any choice but stop consuming the potion. It would have been icing on the cake if there was a side-effect to remove his holy power, but unfortunately, alchemy couldn¡¯t remove innate power. ¡°I¡¯m glad I can be of help to you.¡± As if relieved by my cordial attitude, George slicked back his soon-to-disappear bangs. ¡°I think you¡¯ve changed a little. Is it just my feeling?¡± ¡°¡­Do you think so?¡± I shouldn¡¯t reveal my hostility yet. ¡°No. You¡¯ve definitely changed.¡± Surprised by his murmur, I clenched my fists resting in my lap. What did he notice? ¡°Yeah, maybe you¡¯ve become more attractive now that you¡¯re a married woman. You¡¯re like a forbidden fruit.¡± I deliberately suppressed my urge to laugh at George¡¯s nonsense. ¡°I know you were a quiet Lady who upholds your dignity,¡± What kind of nonsense are you going to spout this time? I wanted to tear his dirty mouth apart, but he kept chattering without knowing my mind at all. ¡°How about it? Just in time, Joseph isn¡¯t in the castle.¡± Ignoring George¡¯s blatant proposition, I just hoped Dante would hurry back. ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t see Sabrina. I heard that she went to meet you first?¡± ¡°I sent her out because I was afraid you¡¯d be offended.¡± George winked at me as if he¡¯d done something praiseworthy, and God knows how much I wanted to punch his left eye. But I only shrugged as if it didn¡¯t bother me at all. ¡°Why? Sabrina is my maid, so it¡¯s normal for her to meet my guests. It¡¯s something dutiful and expected.¡± ¡°¡­Really? I thought you¡¯d be offended.¡± George didn¡¯t seem to like my answer somehow. Narrowing his forehead, he lightly parted his lips. ¡°It seems like Sabrina is barely serving you. I thought she was jobless at some point.¡± ¡°I like her because she¡¯s intelligent and adept. Why else would I bring Sabrina to Katan?¡± George wanted me to loathe Sabrina for some reason, so I praised her in front of him. ¡°¡­It makes me want to keep your maid. There are only a few maids in the Imperial Palace whom I can trust.¡± He began to test me with a curl on his lips. ¡°What if I keep Sabrina with me?¡± ¡°I happen to participate in the black market event that took place in Katan territory. I need a woman to accompany me.¡± George¡¯s whisper sounded like he wanted to take Sabrina to the place where I supposedly go with him. I would have been angry in the past, but now I was contemplating whether it was necessary to do it or not. ¡°Is that so? You may take her, then.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 ¡°What did you just say?¡± George knitted his brows as if he couldn¡¯t believe what I said. ¡°You may take Sabrina as your maid.¡± I tilted my head to the side as if I found his reaction strange. Meanwhile, he twisted his lips coldly when he stared at my innocent eyes. ¡°Are you up to something? Don¡¯t you know that Sabrina and I have an illicit sexual relationship?¡± I was dumbfounded by George¡¯s annoyed tone. ¡®Do you want me to be jealous?¡¯ The same person who used to be annoyed every time I accused him of being in a relationship with Sabrina. ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t have a say in your private choices.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Instead of answering George¡¯s question, I raised the corners of my mouth. Just in time, Dante appeared with a tray of freshly brewed black tea. ¡®So you came with Sabrina.¡¯ George kicked her out, but she seemed to rush here upon hearing the news that I was with George. I briefly looked at the figure with glossy red hair. ¡®Aren¡¯t you cold?¡¯ Ignoring Katan¡¯s cold weather, Sabrina dressed in an outfit that would normally be worn in Cardinale. A short-sleeved maid¡¯s uniform, which was close to sleeveless, was designed with a quite revealing deep neckline. ¡°Madam, I brought some refreshments.¡± At Dante¡¯s signal, Sabrina walked up to George and put down the freshly baked cookies on the table. ¡°It¡¯s an earl grey cookie that Prince George likes.¡± I lightly shrugged upon hearing Sabrina¡¯s voice that seemed to deliberately keep me in check, and then stood up while holding Dante¡¯s wrist next to me. ¡°I believe Sabrina will be able to serve Your Highness well, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re leaving already? Leaving me here?¡± ¡°Yes. I happen to have something to discuss with Dante.¡± It was an obvious lie, but the tactful Dante immediately nodded. ¡°What is it about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the Estate.¡± I could easily tell from his expression that George was saying, ¡®That¡¯s something an outsider like you doesn¡¯t need to stick your nose in.¡¯ In front of Dante, George only raised his chin stiffly, perhaps he didn¡¯t want to appear offensive. ¡°Alright. You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, I hope you have a comfortable time.¡± I tried to smile as kindly as possible before leaving the parlor with Dante. It wasn¡¯t an excuse at all because I really had something to ask Dante. ¡®You said you have to go to the black market, right?¡¯ It was a fact that I, his right-hand, didn¡¯t even know. A smile rose on my face as the plot began to unravel. ¡®What¡¯s changed?¡¯ George frowned as he recalled Rita¡¯s appearance, which was several times more beautiful than what she looked like before the marriage. ¡®Her aura is different.¡¯ Rita has always been a beautiful woman and lived up to her nickname, the Rose of the Cardinale, but George seemed able to see her beauty only now. ¡®You couldn¡¯t even look me in the eyes before.¡¯ George was always aware of Rita¡¯s passionate love for him. How could he not when she always gazed at him with longing eyes? However, Rita¡¯s eyes today did not contain a single light, let alone passion. ¡°Lord George, I missed you so much.¡± Sabrina whispered in a sweet voice and plunged into George¡¯s arms. A sweet scent like melted caramel enveloped him. ¡°Sabrina.¡± George tucked back some of Sabrina¡¯s unruly hair and smoothed her lips. ¡°What is the relationship between Rita and Joseph like?¡± ¡°¡­You mean Madam and His Highness? They are married, of course.¡± ¡°I mean, between those two, what kind of relationship do they have when you see them?¡± Sabrina was offended by George¡¯s question. Until now, George had never talked about Rita, saying that he didn¡¯t want to think about work while enjoying the secret affair with Sabrina. ¡®Why are you suddenly interested?¡¯ Sabrina replied while pouting, unable to hide her displeasure. ¡°Well, like most aristocrats, they look like a married couple who avoid each other. Because they don¡¯t even share a bedroom.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think they are in a passionate relationship like Lord George and I.¡± Sabrina leaned over to hug George again without seeing that George, who was satisfied with her answer, lifted the corner of his mouth. Letting her soft arms wrap around his neck, George didn¡¯t grope her body like usual. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± Sabrina asked with furrowed brows, wondering why he didn¡¯t pay attention to her today. ¡°I think Rita got prettier. I was wondering if it was thanks to the Grand Duke.¡± Sabrina bowed her head to George¡¯s honest answer, trying to hide her trembling lips. ¡®I know you don¡¯t like jealous and clingy women.¡¯ She knew George¡¯s taste in women very well. She shouldn¡¯t cling to him like he was the only one even though they had spent a long night together. ¡°¡­Is that so? Well, Madam is 20 years old now. She¡¯s at the blooming age.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s possible.¡± George nodded lightly and caressed Sabrina¡¯s cheek. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 27. Someone said, it is the age at which women ripen most beautifully.¡± She blinked her long eyelashes to better flaunt her seductive beauty. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re already 27?¡± However, George only briefly clicked his tongue. ¡°Southern women are like roses. Most beautiful in spring and summer when they have just begun to bloom.¡± Sabrina noticed that what George meant by ¡®roses and bloom¡¯ was Rita. ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. But I still adore you even if you¡¯re 27. Don¡¯t you see how great my love for you is?¡± He spoke as if he wanted her to thank him, so Sabrina¡¯s mouth began to twitch. She wanted to scream and ask if he had a death wish, but then she remembered that her opponent was the Emperor¡¯s son. ¡°You¡¯re right. Thank you for loving me, Lord George.¡± Sabrina smiled beautifully and began to rack her brain. ¡®I have to establish my place in the Imperial Family as soon as possible.¡¯ Before George lost interest in her. The thought that it may be just around the corner made her nervous. ¡°Lord George, when will you take me to the palace¡­¡± ¡°Oh, Rita said I can take you to the palace as my maid, but I want you to stay in Katan for a while to monitor the situation.¡± George had promised to marry her. She was supposed to be Count Cardinale¡¯s concubine, so there had to be a price to pay for plucking her from that situation. ¡°Your maid? Are you going to take me as your maid now?¡± ¡®Because of you I begged Rita to take me to Katan!¡¯ Sabrina couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak her mind, and yet George blurted out lightly. ¡°Yeah. My mother opposes taking you as my wife.¡± George shrugged as if he was clueless as to why she was surprised. ¡°As long as you can be with me, right? That¡¯s all you want.¡± Sabrina was taken aback by George¡¯s words, but she made an effort to calm her expression. ¡°¡­Then, does that mean Lord George¡¯s first child became an illegitimate child?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± George was stunned by Sabrina¡¯s confession and opened his eyes wide. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s your child.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure?¡± Sabrina began to squeeze out tears pitifully. ¡°Are you doubting me? I came all the way to Katan to avoid Count Cardinale for you!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± George shook his head in a hurry while caressing Sabrina¡¯s tearful face. ¡°Of course, I believe you. I asked just in case.¡± ¡°Hic, hic.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my mother again.¡± Sabrina bit her lips while hugging George, who patted her back to calm her down. ¡®Seems like she cried.¡¯ Sabrina¡¯s face was red as she left the parlor. I tilted my head, glancing at her clothes which showed no wrinkle. ¡°Sabrina.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°How was your conversation with the Prince?¡± ¡°Are you talking about me going to the Imperial Palace?¡± I nodded indifferently at Sabrina¡¯s question as she seemed to be wary of me. If George¡¯s motive to go to the black market was to attain the holy grail, then I didn¡¯t have any reason to keep Sabrina in Katan. Because all she did was create trouble while she was here. ¡°¡­Madam, do you want me to go to the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be comfortable for you and me?¡± I answered Sabrina¡¯s question with a question. ¡°Ha, why? Are you scared that I would also steal the Grand Duke from you?¡± I bit my lips and glared at Sabrina as if I wouldn¡¯t lose to her. ¡°Who did you steal from again? Is it George?¡± How ridiculous. ¡°I¡¯m not that greedy, so take them all for yourself.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 ¡°W-What did you say?? Sabrina was utterly shocked, it was an exaggerated reaction considering I didn¡¯t even insult her. ¡°I¡¯m talking about George. I¡¯m no longer interested in him.¡± I tilted my head, looking at her flushed face. ¡°¡­Why? Didn¡¯t the Count and my Lady, no, Madam, say that Prince George would be an emperor?!¡± Sabrina raised her voice as if she couldn¡¯t believe what I said, so I put my index finger on Sabrina¡¯s mouth to shush her. ¡°Did you forget that we¡¯re in Katan now?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true that Prince George will be an emperor! Prince George was born with a Holy Power. And I heard that Prince Carlo couldn¡¯t stop himself from going in and out of brothels!¡± Carlo was injured in the battlefield and locked himself in a monastery to recover, and George used the opportunity to disguise himself as Carlo and ruin his image. ¡°Yeah. So what?¡± But even if Carlo was really a promiscuous guy it doesn¡¯t mean he cannot rule the Empire. ¡®Even that human trash, George, was able to become an emperor in the past.¡¯ ¡°So that means Lord George will be the Emperor!¡± I calmly looked into Sabrina¡¯s eyes, whose face flushed red as if she were being mistreated. ¡°And I will be Empress, no, even if I can¡¯t be an empress, I can still be a queen. As you see, I know how to grab and shake a man¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Is that so? Good for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a *stony woman like you!¡± (T/N: ??? is a legendary faithful wife who died and was turned to stone waiting for her husband. It is also a term for someone who is stuck in place or very stoic and inflexible) Yeah, there was a time when I thought that, too. I couldn¡¯t hold back my laughter at Sabrina¡¯s words. I wasn¡¯t mocking her, rather, it was a self-deprecating laugh. ¡°Prince George and Count Cardinale adore me, so I¡¯m sure Madam must be very nervous right now. Why don¡¯t you just give up already?¡± Misunderstanding my laughter, Sabrina tried to provoke me further. ¡°Sabrina.¡± I put my hand on her stiffened cheeks. I felt her soft skin in the palm of my hand. ¡°George¡¯s power never belongs to you. No matter how beautiful you are, no matter if they adore you enough to kiss your feet, there won¡¯t ever be a miracle where their power belongs to you.¡± Wielding the power that you never had in your life was sweet, to the point where you can¡¯t help but covet even the crumbs that fell under your feet, I was born an illegitimate daughter of a powerful man and imprisoned in a basement, yet even then George promised me the Empress seat. It was a seat where no one could treat me recklessly and a place where the world would kneel before me. However, George wasn¡¯t a man to give the Empress seat to just anyone, whether to me, the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman, or Sabrina, a mere commoner. ¡°George doesn¡¯t love you, Sabrina.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°You won¡¯t get what you want from him.¡± ¡°Are you cursing me right now?¡± As if to reinforce her denial, Sabrina, with a slightly distorted face, shoved my shoulder and stood in front of the stairs. ¡°I have Lord George¡¯s child with me.¡± You¡¯re lying. I frowned at Sabrina¡¯s blatant lie. ¡®Sabrina never got pregnant with George¡¯s child.¡¯ However, even if it was true, what I had said before still stood. ¡°Nothing changes. You¡¯ll still be a maid, and even if you become Queen, George won¡¯t ever respect you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only you! Madam and I are different! Unlike you, I know how to gain a man¡¯s heart!¡± I shook my head indifferently watching Sabrina¡¯s fit of rage. I really can¡¯t communicate with you. ¡°Yes. You can take all those affections for yourself. Because I don¡¯t need it.¡± Can you really call it affection if you have to beg for it? Sabrina walked up to me with a hate-filled gaze, perhaps my sarcasm really hit the nail on the head. ¡°I pity your child, Madam.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°A woman like you, who is so cold, doesn¡¯t smile well, and doesn¡¯t act cute wouldn¡¯t be loved by your husband! Because you can¡¯t earn your husband¡¯s love, your child also won¡¯t receive any love from their father!¡± Although Joseph didn¡¯t love me, he wasn¡¯t a lacking father to Yvonne. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something for you to worry about.¡± I huffed, and shook Sabrina¡¯s hand off my shoulder. ¡°Well, can you even give birth? A stony woman like you would likely give birth to a stillborn child!¡± Slap-! I swung my hand in order to shut her dirty mouth, who hadn¡¯t only insulted me, but also insulted my daughter Yvonne. ¡°Why are you hitting me? Who are you to hit me?!¡± Slap-! ¡°Just wait and see!¡± As soon as I raised my hand once more, she stumbled by herself and rolled down the stairs. Thud, thud, thud! ¡°Kyaaaagh!¡± People began to gather in the hallway due to her scream. ¡°Argh! My stomach! My stomach hurts so much!¡± Sabrina sat on the floor and cried in pain. She kept screaming George¡¯s name while hugging her flat stomach. ¡°Lord George! Lord George!¡± The parlor door burst open as the blonde man rushed out in hurry. He ran to Sabrina, shoving my shoulder hard en route, and looked back at me. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Rita!¡± He raised his voice angrily at me as I was heading down the stairs to check on Sabrina. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re antagonizing Sabrina, who¡¯s not even your maid anymore!¡± ¡°Sabrina is still my maid.¡± ¡°Rita!¡± I touched my forehead, feeling a little fatigued by the voice that seemed to blame me. ¡°We¡¯re in front of Katan¡¯s servants. Please mind what you call me.¡± But George was so exasperated that he couldn¡¯t hear my warning. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking this maid to the doctor?!¡± He watched the pitiful appearance of Sabrina as she was carried by the servants and grabbed my shoulders. ¡°Have you lost your mind? Didn¡¯t you hear that Sabrina is carrying my child?¡± ¡°¡­.No, I¡¯ve heard it.¡± I winced due to the man¡¯s strong force. Glancing at my collar that he clenched so hard until it almost tore off, I nodded lightly. ¡°But you pushed Sabrina down the stairs? I guess you¡¯re out of your mind with jealousy!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t push her. I just slapped her because she insulted me, but she rolled down the stairs on her own.¡± George¡¯s face became even more twisted. ¡°What? A slap on the cheek?¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply educating my maid.¡± ¡°Sabrina is not your maid, but a woman with my child!¡± I twisted the corners of my mouth because he looked so ridiculous. ¡°So what?¡± Sabrina lied about her pregnancy, but even if she did, I don¡¯t feel sorry for her. George killed my child, so why can¡¯t I kill his child, too? ¡°Even though I¡¯ve been treasuring you because you¡¯re the Count¡¯s daughter, you didn¡¯t know your place at all!¡± It was the moment when George, who grabbed me by the collar, tried to push me back, ¡°Argh!¡± The hilt of a sword coming out of nowhere hit George¡¯s hands. ¡°I heard a guest came to Katan.¡± ¡°Why are you using violence!¡± Joseph¡¯s face was cold, as if saying George was lucky that he didn¡¯t take out his sword. He gave strength to his grip as if wanting to slice his half brother right away. The bulging vein in his temple was so blue, it was a threat by itself. George stared at Joseph, who shielded me. ¡°If you have something to say to my wife, please tell me.¡± ¡°Joseph!¡± George was blocked by Joseph¡¯s height, so I could only see my husband¡¯s wide back. I clenched Joseph¡¯s hem, guessing what expression George made by his furious tone. ¡°Huh? Are you calling this Cardinale woman, your wife?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Even though it was a sarcastic question, Joseph calmly affirmed. ¡°If I, her husband, don¡¯t defend her, who else will? Please back off.¡± Joseph moved the sword as if giving a warning. A deposed prince shouldn¡¯t threaten a member of the Imperial Family, but George quickly backed away as if scared. ¡°You seem to have forgotten why you had to marry Rita Cardinale.¡± Intimidated by Joseph, he stumbled back, but George¡¯s twisted lips did not stop issuing venomous remarks. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t forget that Carlo is still in the hands of the Imperial Family, Joseph. Your brother is now handicapped so it wouldn¡¯t be strange if he died at any moment.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 As soon as George turned his back, Joseph turned quickly toward me. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking if you¡¯re hurt anywhere.¡± It wasn¡¯t me who rolled down the stairs, but Sabrina. I was a little embarrassed by Joseph¡¯s concerned eyes which were quite burdensome to me. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m alright.¡± ¡°The area around your neck is red.¡± As if he couldn¡¯t believe what I said, Joseph¡¯s finger pointed at my collarbone. Only then did I discover that the collar on my neck was open, so I adjusted my clothes in a hurry. ¡°I guess it got a little worn out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Dr. Nicola right away.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t even listen to my explanation and took me in his arms. He carried me to get my wounds tended by his family doctor. ¡°Dr. Nicola is probably examining Sabrina right now.¡± Suddenly floating in the air, I hurriedly hugged his neck out of shock. ¡°He¡¯s the Grand Duke¡¯s doctor. It¡¯s only right to see my wife first.¡± In the end, due to Joseph¡¯s persistence, I had no choice but to get examined before Sabrina, who screamed and complained in pain. ¡°I applied the medicine so that the wound doesn¡¯t get worse, so you don¡¯t have to worry about a scar.¡± It was such a small wound that I was ashamed to even apply medicine. ¡®I said I¡¯m really fine.¡¯ I struggled to press my burning cheeks with the back of my hands due to the embarrassment. ¡°Thank you, Nicola. You can go check Sabrina now.¡± I couldn¡¯t overcome the embarrassment and tried to send Nicola to Sabrina. But Joseph blocked Nicola as he was about to get up from his seat. ¡°No, it would be better to examine my wife¡¯s health status.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Nicola was the Grand Duke¡¯s doctor and couldn¡¯t possibly disobey the Lord. ¡°Aaaak! Argh! I¡¯m dying! I¡¯m dying!¡± Eventually, he ignored Sabrina¡¯s screaming from the room next door and began to examine my body. ¡°Overall, you seem to lack physical strength and you are quite fatigued. It¡¯s a much colder climate than the South¡¯s, so you should pay special attention to each drop in your body temperature.¡± Like a master, like a servant. Nicola did not seem to care about Sabrina¡¯s scream. He examined my complexion and pulse with a very serious face then sighed deeply and looked back at Joseph. ¡°Madam doesn¡¯t seem to eat and sleep well recently.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Joseph urged me to answer with wide open eyes as if Nicola¡¯s words were shocking. ¡®I couldn¡¯t take care of my health because I¡¯m the busiest these days¡­¡¯ I wasn¡¯t a terminally-ill patient or anything, and just because I didn¡¯t eat or sleep properly, I won¡¯t collapse right away. ¡°Your Highness, were you not aware of this?¡± Nicola looked like he was blaming Joseph and clicked his tongue. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that Your Highness, as her husband, doesn¡¯t know about Madam¡¯s insomnia. Katan is a place where the night is particularly cold, so it¡¯d be more difficult for Madam to sleep properly.¡± ¡°Then what should I do?¡± Joseph furrowed his forehead at Nicola¡¯s words. I also became nervous watching him listen to the doctor¡¯s words so seriously. ¡®You don¡¯t even listen to me when I say I¡¯m fine.¡¯ ¡°I know you use separate bedrooms, but it would be helpful if Your Highness sleeps with Madam. Your Highness¡¯ energy will protect Madam from Katan¡¯s cold.¡± What kind of solution is that!!!! With the doctor¡¯s calm advice, my already red cheeks heated as if they were about to burst. We were not married for love, and noble couples sharing bedrooms was uncommon. ¡°I see.¡± I thought he was quite a conservative guy, but Joseph nodded with conviction at Nicola¡¯s prescription. ¡°I¡¯ll inform Dante.¡± At Joseph¡¯s low murmur, I shook my head in a hurry. Because Joseph and I never shared a bedroom in the past. ¡°I have a bad sleeping habit, I don¡¯t want to inconvenience you. I¡¯m really fine.¡± I tried to dissuade him because I didn¡¯t want to inconvenience someone who wasn¡¯t comfortable being in one room with me, but Joseph cut me off firmly. ¡°Wife, you¡¯re also the Lord of Katan. Nothing is as important as the Lord¡¯s health.¡± I couldn¡¯t refute him as he even mentioned the duties and responsibilities of the Lord, so I could only nod at his stubbornness. There was no evidence that Sabrina was pregnant, but she claimed that she had a miscarriage because of the accident. ¡°The child she was pregnant with is the Imperial descendant. I¡¯m going to ask Katan for compensation, so you¡¯d better prepare yourselves.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure whether George truly believed her, or he simply wanted to threaten Joseph, but George¡¯s anger didn¡¯t subside until the day he left for Notte, the place where the black market was held. ¡®If you get the Goddess¡¯ Crown in my hands, do you think the likes of Carlo can threaten my position?¡¯ I was really lucky that the angry George spoke about the Holy Grail and confirmed my theory. If I could steal the Holy Grail from George, I wouldn¡¯t need to be anxious about not having him within my sight. I already knew most of his remaining petty tricks. After confirming that Notte¡¯s auction would feature a Holy Grail, the first thing I did was call Oscar to the Grand Duchy. ¡°Do you need my help now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded as I looked at Oscar, who wrinkled his face as if sneering at my attitude. ¡°Help me, Oscar.¡± ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you being too shameless?¡± Showing his teeth like a growling beast, Oscar approached me menacingly, but I stared at him calmly. I already knew Oscar¡¯s preference. Oscar liked a woman who wasn¡¯t interested in him, and a woman who was bold enough to play with his heart cruelly. ¡°You¡¯re going to help me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Oscar stared at my smiling face and suddenly burst out laughing. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m going to listen first.¡± He bit the unlit cigar I had passed to him and slumped on the parlor sofa. ¡°There is an item that I want you to obtain from the auction in Notte.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re simply participating in an auction, you can ask your servant to run an errand, right?¡± There were two reasons why I sent Oscar instead of Rona. I watched Oscar tap at the sofa¡¯s armrest as if he was bored while waiting for me to speak. ¡°First of all, I¡¯m a little short of money to participate in the auction.¡± Creating artificial red soil was more expensive than I had expected. I had already spent quite a bit of Katan¡¯s wealth buying the Sirtha mine, so I couldn¡¯t ask Joseph for help. ¡°¡­Is the wife of the Grand Duke borrowing money from me, a lowly assassin?¡± I approached Oscar, who was busy moving his lips as if he was dumbfounded, and leaned toward him. ¡°I don¡¯t beg you, Oscar.¡± I pulled Oscar¡¯s black cravat and narrowed my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s an Order.¡± Oscar only shrugged his shoulders leisurely despite my overbearing words. ¡°Yeah, well, I can give you money.¡± He wasn¡¯t just an employee who dealt with Cardinale¡¯s dirty laundry. Assassination Guild Spina was one of the very few secret groups in the Empire, and his customers were mostly high-ranking aristocrats or royal families. ¡®I know that the amount I need would be just the tip of the iceberg of Oscar¡¯s wealth. ¡¯ Satisfied with Oscar¡¯s answer, I smiled, and when I started to turn away, he grabbed my arm and pulled me down. ¡°But besides money, I think there¡¯s a reason why I should go to Notte.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to pretend to be the Count?¡± At Oscar¡¯s question, I frowned slightly. ¡®Phew, talk about being quick-witted.¡¯ ¡°Yes. I want you to look like you¡¯re moving under my father¡¯s orders.¡± If George failed to obtain the Goddess¡¯ Crown at the auction, he would surely track down the current holder of that Holy Grail. If it was revealed that my father had acquired the prize, George would be hostile toward my father. ¡°Why? Do you want to hit the Count in the back now?¡± Oscar¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity. ¡°Bring me the item from Notte first, then I¡¯ll tell you.¡± He was a human being who moved only because of his interest and curiosity, so it was an advantageous situation for me. ¡°Okay.¡± Oscar muttered slowly, stroking my shoulder gently. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that ordering people around would fit you so well.¡± I was a little leery of his obsession toward me, but I tried to calm myself. ¡®If I show him that I¡¯m still hanging on George, he¡¯ll quickly get turned off by me.¡¯ Oh, what a great illusion that was. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 ¡°A man named Oscar Spina visited Madam, Your Highness.¡± Joseph narrowed his neat forehead at Dante¡¯s words. ¡°Do you mean Cardinale¡¯s watchdog?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I heard that¡¯s his nickname.¡± Oscar Spina, a man who accumulated wealth and power by licking the Count¡¯s feet and doing his dirty work. ¡®Rita was naive and didn¡¯t know how the world works.¡¯ Joseph seemed to have a wrong idea about Rita. Oscar was such a bad guy for her to befriend. Not to mention, his strange gaze toward her. Oscar¡¯s gaze was too persistent to dismiss as simply looking at people who belong to the same family. ¡°I get it for now. I will directly ask my wife about his visit.¡± ¡°But will Madam be honest with you?¡± Joseph nodded without any hesitation at Dante¡¯s question. ¡°Is there anything to hide?¡± Dante tried to hide his hesitancy with an awkward smile. His Master seemed to believe that Rita wouldn¡¯t hide anything. However, the young assistant, Manuel, suddenly chipped in. ¡°Why are you so sure that she has nothing to hide?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who knows if she¡¯s having a secret love affair with that guy, right? Madam is young and beautiful, she can do as much as she-¡± Thud! Manuel, who was busy running his mouth, stumbled when Dante hit the back of his head strongly. ¡°Come to your senses already, Manuel!¡± Before Manuel could even rebel, Dante quickly dragged his nephew out of the room. ¡°Aargh! It hurts, Sir Dante!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to talk recklessly about Madam?!¡± ¡°Sir Dante! I was whipped by Madam! Look at my calf! Didn¡¯t you see the wound?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you deserved to be whipped! You were going to take her kindness for granted if you weren¡¯t punished heavily!¡± Wrinkles creased Dante¡¯s forehead as he looked down at his rebellious nephew who listened to no one. ¡®How could you tell residents about the Grand Duchy internal affairs?¡¯ Rita was being very forgiving by letting him off the hook after giving him a few whips. ¡®Madam is very generous toward you.¡¯ The fact that Manuel was Dante¡¯s nephew, and a child who he cherished like his own son, may have influenced her judgement. ¡®As I thought, she¡¯s different from what I expected her to be.¡¯ Dante clicked his tongue as he glanced down at his nephew, Manuel, who kept letting him down recently. ¡°You stupid punk¡­.¡± ¡°Huh! Why are you cursing me!¡± ¡°You need to get hit more!¡± Is it right to send Oscar to Notte alone? Oscar told me with so much confidence to trust him and left the Grand Duke Castle, but I could hardly trust him. ¡®What if he steals the Holy Grail?¡¯ Oscar wasn¡¯t someone who knew the true value of a Holy Grail like the Goddess¡¯s Crown, but he was someone who did miscellaneous work on a daily basis, so he might have known about it. In a religious empire like Las Vecchia, Holy grails weren¡¯t extremely rare to the point you might see it at least once while living there. Each temple had its own Holy Grail to keep, and not only did the Emperor have one, but even a religious nobleman used them as an accessory on their cravat. ¡®But the Goddess¡¯ Crown is different from other cheap Holy Grails.¡± The Goddess¡¯ Crown wasn¡¯t just an object that had holy power, it also conveyed God¡¯s voice. George interpreted the oracle he heard from that Holy Grail as he pleased, and announced it to people for his own benefit. ¡®The oracle that Yvonne will become the Northern half-blooded king also came from the Goddess¡¯ Crown, not the Holy Grail of the Great Temple.¡¯ If I could discover how to destroy that object, I could protect Yvonne from being tied to such an oracle. Unfortunately, Holy Grails couldn¡¯t be destroyed by any force. The reason why Odobelli of the Mado Empire lost the war to Las Vecchia was because of the indestructible Holy Grail. Mana stones and artifacts could be destroyed with Holy Power, but they couldn¡¯t even make a scratch in the Holy Grail that was used as a weapon. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tattle on my father, right?¡± He wasn¡¯t someone who pledged loyalty to one person at all, but you never know. ¡°What are you mumbling about by yourself?¡± As I was restlessly biting my nails, someone came up to me from behind and placed his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Surprised, I hurriedly turned my back to see him. As if trying to comfort me, he briefly held my hand before letting go. ¡°Your complexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± I hastily turned my head to avoid Joseph¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve received a report that a man named Oscar Spina visited the castle.¡± The fact that he heard about Oscar¡¯s visit made me a little surprised. ¡®Is Dante keeping tabs on me?¡¯ Well, no matter how much effort I put in for Katan, as a butler of Katan¡¯s household, I couldn¡¯t blame him if he was suspicious of a Madam who was born in Cardinale. ¡°I had a favor to ask him. Oscar often ran errands for me, you see.¡± ¡°If it was a simple errand, Dante or Manuel could have taken care of it, no?¡± Joseph¡¯s face became stiff as if he was displeased by the fact Katan was visited by Cardinale¡¯s top dog. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to trouble your butler with my personal matters.¡± I didn¡¯t want to offend him, so I hastily added. ¡°As you can see, Dante is busy.¡± It wasn¡¯t an excuse, but rather a fact. Notte¡¯s auction house, also known as the night market, was only held in the underworld and attracted people as dangerous as the various objects being auctioned there. It was impossible to send Katan¡¯s old butler to such a place where sometimes fatal accidents could occur. ¡°¡­.But he¡¯s also your butler, Wife.¡± Joseph, who had been silent for a while, raised my chin. ¡°I think you keep forgetting that fact.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you my wife?¡± Why do his words which gently remind me that we were married touch me this deeply? I nodded shallowly, briefly touching my hot ear in embarrassment. ¡°Thank you for saying that. But I really think that Dante has many things to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely true.¡± I smiled at Joseph¡¯s stuttering words. I¡¯m sure Dante would be sad if he heard it. It hasn¡¯t been long since I came to Katan, so if I did my job very smoothly as soon as I arrived, I¡¯d garner more suspicion from people. So I intentionally handed over some of the tasks I had to deal with to Dante. ¡°It seems that Your Highness is not quite aware of how busy Dante is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. He¡¯s free enough, so make sure to leave your work to Dante next time.¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± At that time, I heard an awkward cough from somewhere, and I could see the gray-haired butler shaking his head firmly just behind Joseph when I tilted my head. Joseph turned his back to me. I didn¡¯t know what kind of expression Joseph made, but Dante, who saw his face, opened his mouth heavily. ¡°¡­.Yes, Madam. I¡¯m very free, so you can send me anytime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to do that next time. I left my work to Oscar, but I was uneasy.¡± Dante, who was loyal to Joseph, may be more reliable than Oscar. After contemplating for a while, I grabbed Joseph¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I, I need to go to Notte.¡± ¡°¡­With Oscar Spina?¡± ¡°Yes. He looks like a ruffian, but he¡¯s the head of the black thorns, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± I said this to reassure Joseph, who seemed to think that I was so fragile that I¡¯d fly away or break my bones just by the wind blowing, but he frowned. ¡°He threatened you, Wife.¡± I tilted my head as I recalled his first meeting with Oscar. ¡°Umm, well, he¡¯s a little vulgar, but he¡¯s not such a bad person. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Oscar was someone who did anything for money and his reputation was as an assassin, but he wasn¡¯t such a lowly man who would threaten a weak woman. However, Joseph, who would normally be persuaded by my words, only remained silent. ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­Secret affair.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 ¡°What?¡± I didn¡¯t understand his low murmur. What are you trying to say all of sudden? I waited for Joseph to clarify what he wanted to say earlier, but since he remained silent, I decided to talk first. ¡°Do you have anything to discuss about the artificial soil?¡± Umberto and his daughter were planning to grow high-quality wheat that could only be cultivated in the south, but did it get into his ears first? ¡°What?¡± ¡°You just said wheat.¡± (T/N : Milhwe = secret affair and Mil: wheat. They sounded similar so she misunderstood.) ¡°Oh.¡± I raised my head and saw his wide-open eyes. Soon, he nodded briefly. ¡°¡­Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®I was going to tell you if it succeeded, but I guess I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ We almost succeeded anyway, so wouldn¡¯t it be okay for him to know? Ahem. I cleared my throat and began to explain my plan. ¡°¡­First of all, cultivating seed is the most important thing. But since the cultivation was successful, I don¡¯t think there will be any major problems in the future.¡± After a long explanation, I had to pause and raise my gaze to check Joseph¡¯s reaction. Why do you look so out of it? ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Joseph.¡± I waved my hands in front of his face, pulling back Joseph¡¯s soul that had escaped. But he suddenly grabbed my shoulders. ¡°Wife.¡± His eyes suddenly lit up and burned into mine. What do you want to say? ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go to Notte with you.¡± I knitted my eyebrows listening to Joseph¡¯s serious tone. ¡°I¡¯ve thought a lot about it, but I don¡¯t think I can just send you and him alone.¡± I was surprised that Joseph was just as wary as Dante about my involvement with Oscar. He glanced down at me and added a gloomy remark. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t help it even if you think I¡¯m petty.¡± He seemed to be bothered by the fact that Cardinale¡¯s witch was accompanied by the head of the assassination guild. ¡®Even after the success of artificial soil, I haven¡¯t been able to gain his trust, after all?¡¯ He must have been trying to hide his doubts about me, considering his personality. ¡°Alright.¡± I felt a little unfair seeing how hard I worked to cultivate this barren land, but it¡¯s not like I had any choice. ¡°Let¡¯s go together, Your Highness. But the objects that I want to get from the auction are for Your Highness and Prince Carlo.¡± I calmly recited. Joseph¡¯s mouth quivered as if he were trying to make an excuse. But I was already disappointed in him, so I didn¡¯t bother to hear his excuse and left the room. ¡°I got it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already got it, the Holy Grail you said.¡± Oscar lifted his chin proudly, he pulled from his black bag a white crown. ¡°Check it out.¡± At one glance, the white diamond and cold silver that decorated the crown made it look very valuable. I drew a magic circle on the hotel floor to check whether Oscar told the truth or not. I stepped into the magic circle wearing the crown on my head, and blue light flashed around my ankle. ¡°It¡¯s real. The Holy Grail I¡¯ve been looking for.¡± I sighed in relief and stepped back from the magic circle. ¡°¡­Though I wonder why you were obsessed with it when Holy Grails are practically everywhere.¡± Oscar slowly approached me and smiled. I stood tall in place, watching as his eyes gleamed like those of a beast. ¡®Did Oscar know the true value of this crown?¡¯ This Holy Grail, which contained the voice of Goddess Lorenzia, was different from other Holy Grails that only have traces of Holy Power. ¡®But Oscar doesn¡¯t have loyalty!!¡¯ What if he tries to take it away after finding the true value of the Goddess¡¯ Crown? I held my breath and began to touch a dagger hidden in my waist. ¡°It suits you.¡± However, when he was close enough, he lowered his head and kissed my hair. ¡°You look like a queen, Rita.¡± He glanced at the white silver crown decorating my black hair and bent his eyes. ¡°You must have needed it because you¡¯re now a Duchess.¡± Fortunately, Oscar seemed to have thought the reason I wanted this Holy Grail was for my own satisfaction. After clenching my fist in tension, I sighed in relief and held out a promissory note. ¡°Write down how much it cost to buy a holy grail on the promissory note.¡± The Cardinale doesn¡¯t make debt. I didn¡¯t have any affection left for the Count, but I respected my family motto. ¡®Nothing good will come from being in debt to Oscar.¡¯ It was a debt that could be repaid quickly if only the enormous mana stones that were being produced in Sirtha were sold. However, Oscar glanced down at the promissory note I gave him and shook his shoulders. ¡°It didn¡¯t cost me anything.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Come to think of it, today was the day the night auction was held. I rushed from Katan just in case I would be late, but how did he already have the Holy Grail? ¡°I roamed around the backstreet.¡± I caught Oscar trying to evade my gaze and stepped back. ¡°Did you steal it?¡± ¡°They were fools who didn¡¯t know that this crown was a Holy Grail, Rita.¡± I furrowed my eyebrows at Oscar¡¯s ridiculous excuse. He lifted his wrist, which was tattooed with Spina¡¯s symbol; a rose surrounded with black thorns. ¡°Besides, you wanted me to leave evidence that I was the one who stole this object, right?¡± I narrowed my eyes at Oscar¡¯s whisper. Knock, knock. I could know who was knocking just by listening to the sound. ¡°Do you mind if I come in?¡± At the time of the night auction, the commercial city of Notte became a nightless city. People from all over the world flocked here, as if to prove its reputation as a sleepless city. Joseph and I had belatedly begun to find accommodation and had no choice but to share a room. ¡®Since we¡¯re a couple, they probably thought it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal to share.¡¯ I looked back at the door, recalling the innkeeper¡¯s easygoing attitude. ¡°Seems like that guy asks your permission first before entering.¡± Oscar twisted the corner of his mouth as if finding Joseph¡¯s politeness funny. When she ushered him to come inside, Joseph was a little surprised by Oscar¡¯s presence. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve finished doing my wife¡¯s errand, it¡¯d be better for you to leave.¡± Joseph glanced at the white crown decorating Rita¡¯s black hair. The white crown decorated with diamonds went amazingly well with Rita¡¯s pitch-black hair. However, Katan also had a crown designed for the duchess. Even if Joseph was deposed, he was still a member of the royal family. ¡®Did you not like Katan¡¯s crown?¡¯ Joseph felt bitter because the beautiful crown Rita wore felt like a rejection of himself. ¡°I was just about to leave, but since you came in, I don¡¯t feel like going now.¡± The sharp gazes of both men clashed in the shabby inn room. Rita, who looked at the two alternately, placed the Holy Grail on the velvet cushion and gestured with her chin to Oscar. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to the rest of the story later. You should go, Oscar.¡± ¡°What about the auction?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about participating.¡± Joseph silently watched the conversation and felt a little frustrated. His heart was throbbing ever since he entered the room. The cold blood of anger rushed up. Completely clueless as to why he was angry, he suddenly spoke to Rita as soon as Oscar left the room. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Please call me by my name, too.¡± ¡°Do you want me to call you by name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you intend to reveal your identity at the night auction?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rita had been agonizing over the appropriateness of that and opened her mouth at Joseph¡¯s persuasion. ¡°¡­Joseph.¡± It was a name that she had never really liked before. Nevertheless, her heart sank at the echo of his name that rang like a calm wave. Joseph nodded hastily and replied to her call. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Joseph.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I think it is such a pretty name.¡± She repeated his name and quietly raised the corners of her mouth. Someone already warned him to watch out for the Witch of Cardinale. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ¡°The auction will only be held tomorrow night, so shall we go to the market during the day?¡± I just blurted out tomorrow¡¯s schedule without thinking, and now I questioned myself because it sounded like a date invitation. ¡®No, but, isn¡¯t it normal for a married couple to go on walks together?¡¯ But maybe I had crossed the line. What if he thinks I¡¯m taking away his precious time for nothing? Before returning to the past, I had already bothered him a lot, so I wanted to be considerate of him this time. However, as I was pondering such trivial things, I came to realize that we weren¡¯t completely a couple. ¡°As you can see, I already got what I needed.¡± I went on talking, trying to ease the awkwardness, but Joseph looked at me as if puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that crown supposed to be up for auction?¡± Joseph said, his eyes fixated on the Holy Grail. ¡®You don¡¯t seem to like the crown.¡¯ The Holy Grail¡¯s power probably clashed with his Devil Hunter¡¯s aura. ¡°There are other things I have to find besides this crown.¡± I planned to make medicine to heal Prince Carlo¡¯s legs. Skele-potions that could heal broken bones were already sold on the market, but the potion that connects broken nerves was not yet developed. ¡®Unfortunately, the Neuronian potion was developed after Carlo died.¡¯ Las Vecchia was an empire that persecuted alchemy and magic practices, so the development of therapeutic drugs using alchemy or magic was particularly slow. The Imperial family and the nobles mostly relied on the temple¡¯s holy power or holy water, but broken nerves couldn¡¯t be reconnected with holy power. However, Katan maintained a close relationship with Odobelli of the wizardry empire that was very different from Las Vecchia. Because Katan¡¯s people were poor, and they couldn¡¯t afford to buy holy water. Thanks to this, I was able to delve deeply into alchemy through active exchange with people. ¡®Of course, all the tools and potions developed back then were used to fund George, but¡­¡¯ Recalling the forgotten past, I tried to erase my bitter smile and looked at Joseph. ¡°Ah! Since Your Highness came all the way to Notte, why don¡¯t you visit Prince Carlo on your way back?¡± ¡°¡­.Will it be okay?¡± As if my suggestion was unexpected, Joseph slightly raised one eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re going to feel comfortable with my brother.¡± I had only encountered Carlo a few times in my life. In order to hide his disability, he was confined to a monastery owned by the Imperial family. ¡®Didn¡¯t he throw a glass bottle at George back then?¡¯ George was almost guaranteed to ascend the throne. He must have quite the temper to throw a vase at his own half-brother. ¡°He¡¯s your brother, after all. I want to visit him once.¡± The neurosis that Carlo is suffering from was a mental illness caused by inability to accept his situation. So if I could fix his legs, he would naturally heal. I had already memorized the method of manufacturing neuronia that could treat broken nerves. Unlike the Skele-potions, the ingredients were quite complicated, but they could be easily obtained from Notte, a place where all the rare items in the world gathered. ¡°It¡¯s also what it means to be courteous.¡± Joseph, who had been biting his lip, soon nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll send a message to Carlo.¡± Joseph missed Carlo a lot although he didn¡¯t show it much. A gentle smile spread on his face. After establishing the method to produce Neuronia, I realized that I had nothing left to do and stood still for a moment. ¡®I have to sleep now.¡¯ Just as with the majority of aristocratic couples, we also used separate bedrooms. The Imperial family was obligated to continue the bloodline and set a day for consummation. But of course,there was no such obligation for the deposed prince, Joseph. ¡®It¡¯s our first time sleeping together, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Why does it feel so awkward to be in a bed alone with him even though we have been married for nearly three months? Slowly climbing into the bed, I let out an awkward cough as I lay down beside Joseph. ¡°Nicola.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°As he advised, sleeping with me will be helpful to reduce your insomnia.¡± Joseph turned his body around and observed my face closely. I gulped nervously as his sweet eyes were right in front of me. ¡°¡­I suppose so.¡± ¡°Yes. Because you¡¯re not used to mana.¡± At that time, I thought it was nonsense, but on second thought, it wasn¡¯t groundless advice at all. The mana emitted from monsters and mana stones was also an energy equal to Holy Power. Naturally, he would deduce that the cause of my insomnia was mana exposure. ¡®But I can¡¯t sleep well not because I¡¯m not used to mana.¡¯ In the past, there was a time when I had to adapt to Katan¡¯s mana, but I didn¡¯t have insomnia. ¡®It¡¯s because of Yvonne.¡¯ I dreamed of George taking Yvonne away more often these days. It was a dream in which my feet were numb and I was out of breath. The pain was vivid even though it just a dream and the fear was keeping me from sleeping well, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m quite sensitive especially when it comes to sleep, so don¡¯t mind me.¡± I just stared at the ceiling to avoid Joseph¡¯s gaze while mulling over something else. ¡®But I still have a long way to go. I need to create an environment where Yvonne can be saved.¡¯ ¡°Do you find it difficult to fall asleep?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± Even if he was my husband, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep easily because it felt weird lying on the same bed as him. I closed my eyes, listening to Joseph¡¯s steady breathing. He seemed to have already fallen asleep. ¡®I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible for me to sleep for an hour.¡¯ But those worries went down the drain as I fell asleep instantly. Joseph actually stayed up all night and rose carefully so as not to wake Rita. The white moonlight shown through the curtain that he forgot to close. He looked down at Rita, shining white like a peach blossom, and smiled. ¡°¡­You speak as if you would never sleep.¡± However, he was the one who couldn¡¯t sleep. His heart was pounding as if to jump out of his chest. Joseph fixed Rita¡¯s hair covering her forehead. It was funny when he recalled how she told him not to worry about her insomnia. As soon as his gentle touch arrived at her cheek, Rita flinched. ¡°¡­Vone.¡± Joseph listened to her low murmur. ¡°¡­.Yvonne!¡± A faint cry that sounded like a scream rang out. ¡®Are you having a nightmare?¡¯ Joseph recalled Nicola saying that Rita rarely slept well. ¡®Indeed, it must be difficult for an outsider to adapt in Katan.¡¯ Joseph couldn¡¯t make any excuse and blamed himself for what had happened to Rita. He admitted that it was because of his greediness. How would she look at me if she knew it was me who persuaded Carlo to accept Roscoe Cardinale¡¯s proposal? Even though she was the one who offered the marriage contract first, he¡¯d be very happy if he could at least lessen her discomfort. ¡°Dulces Somnium.¡± Joseph stroked Rita¡¯s forehead and recited the spell he learned from his talented younger brother. Only then did Rita¡¯s face relax as if the spell worked. ¡®I wanted to be your shelter.¡¯ Joseph knew that the summer she spent with him meant little to her. Nevertheless, he hoped that Katan could be a small shelter for her. He thought the smooth-tongued Roscoe Cardinale, his enemy and the one who married his daughter off, would still treat her badly. If one day Rita asked for freedom, Joseph intended to let her go. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m just temporary.¡¯ He would forsake his greed, and if she wanted to leave, he would let her go anytime. Joseph muttered and lied to himself. ¡°It¡¯s because I felt indebted to her.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 The auction in Notte was set for tomorrow night, so I still had time before the auction. ¡®Notte is quiet during the day.¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± As always, Joseph still had to handle the estate as the Grand Duke. I didn¡¯t want to bother him, so I went to the market alone. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect Manuel would follow me.¡¯ Even if it was a secret outing, I figured that Joseph would bring along several subordinates with him, but I didn¡¯t expect that Manuel traveled to Notte as well. ¡°Gasp.¡± The boy made eye contact with me and flinched like a scared mouse in front of the cat. ¡°¡­Ah, hello, Madam.¡± When I encountered Manuel in the middle of the market, I replied to the greeting of the boy who bowed his head with the same sour expression as I had. ¡°Yes, Good Afternoon.¡± Manuel seemed very uncomfortable with me after I scolded him last time. ¡°Yes, Madam. Are you here alone?¡± Manuel asked carefully, trying to read my countenance. ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at the boy¡¯s round eyes, I nodded slowly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll escort you.¡± The look on his face told me that he was reluctant to serve me, but he seemed to have made up his mind to consider me his superior. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam. I¡¯m just doing my job!¡± I stared at Manuel¡¯s fluffy hair as he bowed his head politely. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Pardon? Do you mean my body?¡± ¡°Yes. Your calves that I hit.¡± ¡°It still stings a little, but I¡¯m alright.¡± It seemed that he couldn¡¯t even say that he wasn¡¯t hurt at all. At Manuel¡¯s honest answer, I burst into small laughter and followed the boy who led me through the downtown area. ¡°Lady! Milady!¡± It was around the time I entered the entrance of the alley to go to the central square. I turned around in surprise as someone suddenly grabbed my skirt. ¡°Please help this old woman!¡± ¡°Hey! Back off!¡± Even before I could answer the old woman, Manuel rushed in front of me and blocked the way. ¡°Do you know who you are talking to?!¡± Perhaps he was afraid that Joseph would scold him if he didn¡¯t protect me properly. While he was busy threatening the old woman in an excessive manner, I put my hand gently on Manuel¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Manuel.¡± I frowned a little when I saw the old woman¡¯s face over Manuel¡¯s small back. ¡®The wrinkles on her face look so unnatural.¡¯ It looked like she had used a poorly made camouflage potion. The public may not know, but I was an alchemist who had experience making camouflage potions for George. A camouflage potion with excellent effect was able to change not only the face but also the body. The face belonged to an elderly woman, but the body belonged to a young man. I can feel the incongruity. ¡®Just like that person.¡¯ People who pretended to be weak, such as the elderly or children, existed in every city. Notte was a commercial city where a major auction was held, so naturally, it was overrun by fraudsters. ¡°My grandson got sick at a young age, but I didn¡¯t have any money, so I couldn¡¯t even feed him properly, let alone buy medicine.¡± Listening to the swindler dressed as an old woman, I tilted my head slowly. ¡®Is there anyone who believes these obvious lies?¡¯ ¡°Milady, you seem like a distinguished person, please show your kindness to the poor child.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The man in front of me was definitely a scammer because no sane person would go around begging and dressing as an old woman. But I didn¡¯t want to make a ruckus by calling the security. ¡®I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be anyone who falls for his trick because the camouflage is too sloppy.¡¯ There would be nothing good for me if George heard that I went to Notte. ¡°Isn¡¯t Milady a person with a kind and beautiful heart?¡± Huh? Why do you pretend like you met me before? ¡°I think you have the wrong impression of me. I¡¯m not that kind.¡± I didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, so I calmly bowed my head to the old woman¡¯s question and turned around, holding Manuel¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, d-do we just go?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Helping people in need was like an essential virtue for a noble lady. ¡°I was worried that Madam would give her money. She looks like a swindler.¡± It was a recent trend in society for the noble ladies from prestigious families to jump into charity work. So it was natural that Manuel expected me to help the old lady. ¡°Why should I? Even if she¡¯s really a beggar, she¡¯s not our people. It is a problem that must be handled by the lord of Notte.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re right.¡± Listening to me, Manuel opened his eyes wide and nodded. The old woman, grumbling at my cold rejection, soon approached another woman who was standing close to me as if targeting her next prey. ¡®Of course, no one would fall for it.¡¯ Even Manuel who didn¡¯t know much about alchemy could easily tell. I couldn¡¯t see the woman that the swindler approached because of her hood, but I could feel her Holy Power. Whether it was Holy Power or Dark Aura, someone possessing those powers would immediately discern the swindler¡¯s trick. It was when I was about to leave my spot, thinking that the swindler was going to fail again. ¡°Oh no, you were in such a pitiful situation!¡± I frowned, listening to the voice of a woman in a pink hood. ¡®I¡¯ve definitely heard this voice before.¡¯ People with Holy Power were not common. Among the women whom I have ever heard speaking before, if there¡¯s one who has a Holy Power¡­. ¡°This is what I have right now, but I will give you all of it.¡± I could be sure of her identity thanks to her next words. ¡®Ibelina.¡¯ The hair sticking out of the hood was light pink, just like a cotton candy sold at the festival. ¡°Here you go. Take everything.¡± ¡°Oh my god! Thank you so much, Milady! Thank you!¡± ¡®Huh? Who gives all their money to a beggar?¡¯ As expected from Joseph¡¯s lover. She seemed to be a more serious pushover than my husband. ¡°Hold on.¡± I didn¡¯t know why she was in Notte at this time, but I couldn¡¯t let a swindler rip off Ibelina¡¯s entire purse. I snatched Ibelina¡¯s purse and squeezed the old woman¡¯s neck as she tried to escape. ¡°This person is a swindler.¡± Looking at Ibelina¡¯s puzzled face, I shrugged lightly and activated the alchemy that I drew on the wall. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even an old woman.¡± ¡°L-Let go of me! Let go!¡± The old woman¡¯s face was surrounded by green light and slowly began to melt. Soon, the face of a man with freckles was revealed. ¡°Let me go!¡± The man struggled to escape my hands. But my physical strength that I had amplified with alchemy surpassed the strength of an ordinary knight. I scanned the swindler¡¯s face with a cold gaze and threw him at Ibelina¡¯s feet. ¡°You¡¯d better return the money to her while I¡¯m being nice.¡± ¡°Ackk!¡± The man was completely frightened by my alchemy and hurriedly took out Ibelina¡¯s purse. ¡°Please forgive me, Milady!¡± ¡°¡­Oh my god.¡± Ibelina clenched her skirt with an open mouth, alternately looking at me and the swindler who begged tearfully. ¡°Did you just lie to me?¡± Her gentle eyes sank as if she had been hurt. ¡°I-It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not an old woman¡­but everything I said earlier is true!¡± ¡®There¡¯s no way anyone would believe that.¡¯ He was a man who begged for money using his nonexistent grandson. He already lied about being an old woman, so is there a chance that he was telling the truth about his ¡®grandson¡¯? I huffed as I watched Ibelina take the purse that fell to the ground. ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! So please don¡¯t tell the security guard¡­¡± ¡°Then take this money.¡± Ibelina nodded and held out her purse to the man begging for leniency. ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°What?¡± It was so absurd that I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and decided to step forward. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that this man is a swindler? But why do you want to give your money away?¡± Ibelina made eye contact with me and bit her lip at my scolding. ¡°Because I feel sorry for him.¡± Manuel, standing beside me, must have had the same thoughts as me. Before I could answer Ibelina, the child voiced his thoughts with a frown. ¡°Why do you feel sorry for him?¡± ¡°He must be in a very difficult situation. He even looks for money by dressing up as an old lady.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ¡°Are you saying you feel sorry for him?¡± ¡°Yes. So please let him go.¡± Ibelina nodded weakly as she answered my question. ¡°I appreciate your thought of helping me, but I am actually someone who serves God.¡± She took off her hood as if revealing her identity to me. Her pink hair was exposed and sparkled like platinum in the sun. ¡°¡­.Is that so?¡± ¡°All of my wealth belongs to Lorenzia, and it is my duty to give it to the people in need.¡± I heaved a deep sigh looking in her eyes that resembled the color of a summer sea. ¡°¡­..¡± I couldn¡¯t even respond to her absurd reasoning. ¡°I¡¯m fine with giving him all my wealth. I¡¯m really fine. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± She added, perhaps because she noticed I didn¡¯t respond to her. ¡°I give my entire wealth to this person now. Even if I do, the Pope will take care of me.¡± As Ibelina said, her money wasn¡¯t her own. Because she could use the church¡¯s wealth as if it was her own. ¡®All she has to do is ask for money again. That¡¯s all.¡¯ The problem was that all the money came from the Pope, and the Holy Church of Las Vecchia collected taxes from citizens. ¡®Did she not know that all the money she has is from forced tributes?¡¯ It¡¯s not like the people are paying taxes for the saint to give it to scammers. ¡®¡­.But it¡¯ll be troublesome to get involved with her.¡¯ Fortunately, she couldn¡¯t see my face because I wore a hat with a visor that cast a long shade over my face. ¡°Yes, I see.¡± I shrugged lightly, removing the alchemy that bound the scammer. ¡°It¡¯s your money, after all.¡± ¡°My name is Ibelina, Lady.¡± ¡°I see.¡± We were supposed to introduce ourselves, but I didn¡¯t want to reveal my name to her. ¡®Come to think of it, she will be my husband¡¯s lover in the future.¡¯ Of course, I wished for Joseph¡¯s happiness, so I was determined not to disturb their love, but strangely it left a bitter taste in my mouth. ¡®People say you tend to date someone who is similar to you. But I didn¡¯t expect she would be an even worse pushover than Joseph.¡¯ However, I couldn¡¯t be sure if Joseph and Ibelina were even comparable. My husband was without a doubt a good man, but he wasn¡¯t a big fool like her. ¡®Is it because she grew up in a church?¡¯ Ibelina, who easily gave people¡¯s hard-earned money to a swindler, smiled at me benevolently. ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°I helped you to do good deeds. But all of this must be the will of Lorenzia.¡± I almost choked looking at Ibelina¡¯s innocent smile. ¡®Crazy bitch.¡¯ Oscar thought so about Ibelina when he was sneaking behind Rita. It was clear that the pink-haired woman, who claimed to be a priest, must have a few screws loose. ¡®Should I have stepped up earlier?¡¯ He wanted to rush up immediately to get Rita out of this absurd situation. Just when Oscar couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and tried to step forward, Rita¡¯s red lips slowly moved under the visor covering half of her face. ¡°Stay there.¡± It was an obvious warning. As if she knew Oscar was tailing her. ¡®¡­Did you notice my presence?¡¯ Oscar hid himself under the roof and frowned. He didn¡¯t conceal his presence as much as when he was on an assassination mission, but he was still the head of Spina. Even a trained knight would not feel his movement now. However, Rita slightly lifted her outer coat as if to signal him. ¡°Ha.¡± Oscar noticed a purse hiding under Rita¡¯s black coat and briefly clicked his tongue. ¡®She wasn¡¯t a queen, but a thief cat.¡¯ During her short scuffle with that woman, she seemed to have stolen the purse from the scammer. Oscar stared blankly at Rita as she raised the corner of her mouth in a playful manner. He pressed his temple hard. ¡®She¡¯s definitely having fun.¡¯ That smile was a little dangerous. It made him want to cross the line. Rita noticed Oscar¡¯s presence without having the slightest idea of his dangerous thoughts and began to move toward the town square along with the peculiar priest. It was just around the time she entered the town square that the swindler realized that the purse had disappeared. ¡°You crazy bitch! How dare you steal my money!¡± As if the man had enough of pretending to be an old woman, he brought his gang to block Rita and Ibelina. ¡°I-It¡¯s that bitch over there, Brother! That woman stole my money bag!¡± A man who appeared twice his size seemed to be the leader of the scammer group. The swindler raised his voice and pointed at Rita. ¡°Kyaak!¡± Rita was confused as to why Ibelina followed her to the town square, but she got alarmed by the thugs and screamed. ¡°Follow them!¡± The thugs began to push them little by little to the corner of the square, completely surrounding Rita and Ibelina. ¡°Shut up!¡± Ibelina did not understand the situation and cried as she tried to dissuade the thugs, but the giant thug only frowned harshly as he threatened her. ¡°You have to return the money that you stole from my underling!¡± ¡®Shit.¡¯ Oscar thought it was finally his turn to intervene. The woman named Ibelina was totally useless even though she had Holy Power, and Rita was only a skinny woman. ¡°Creptus.¡± Crack, crack! ¡°Argh!¡± If the walls surrounding the alleyway where the thugs cornered Rita had not collapsed, Oscar would have definitely gotten rid of them in one sweep. ¡°Wha- what?¡± The thugs began to cough as they dazedly looked around the wrecked building. ¡°Witch! She is a witch!¡± Rita twisted the corners of her mouth coldly as if their scared faces were funny. As if it was an old nickname that she was tired of. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me, you punk!¡± The thugs¡¯ leader yelled at the swindler. ¡°I told you already that she was using a weird trick!¡± ¡°I thought she was just a drunkard! She is an alchemist, you punk!¡± The people in this Empire tended to look down upon alchemy. However, the man who acted as the thugs¡¯ leader had experienced the great power of alchemy during his countless battles. Moreover, Rita¡¯s attitude was especially relaxed. ¡®Did you prepare in advance?¡¯ ¡°Argh!¡± Black stems emerged from the ground and began to wrap around the men¡¯s bodies except for the thug¡¯s leader. The stems were as flexible as a monster¡¯s tentacles, but they were hard enough so they couldn¡¯t even be scratched. ¡°For, forgive me!¡± The thugs¡¯ leader lay face down, asking for forgiveness. Rita showed her indifferent expression amid the floating dust, and stepped on his back. ¡°What a pity.¡± ¡°¡­Argh!¡± ¡°Fists are faster than feet, you see.¡± Because Rita put strength in her feet as she stepped on the man. The giant man¡¯s jacket was stained with mud. ¡°Sorry. It looks expensive, though.¡± He hurriedly shook his head with his head still placed on the ground. ¡°I,It¡¯s fine!¡± ¡®Woah. I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ Watching the scene, Oscar bit his lip while pressing his pounding heart. ¡®I think I¡¯m really falling in love with you.¡¯ The young servant, who stuck close to the wall to avoid the thugs, fell to his knees. ¡°Madam!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± ¡°¡­Hah?¡± ¡°Madam is a thousand times cooler than Sabrina!¡± Although he didn¡¯t know who this Sabrina woman was, Oscar nodded eagerly in response to the young servant¡¯s exclamation. ¡®Yes, of course. My queen is 10 ,000 times cooler than anyone!¡¯ It was from that day on. Oscar Spina, leader of the Black Thorn assassination guild and the top dog of the great ruler of the south, fell in love with his idol. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 Late at night, Joseph couldn¡¯t bring himself to sleep as he watched Rita sleeping so soundly. But Joseph was a knight who had a keen sense. He jumped to grab his sword at the sound of the window opening. It took less than a few seconds for him to grab Oscar by the collar and draw his sword quietly. ¡°I guess putting a sword on someone¡¯s throat is your hobby.¡± Oscar smirked and continued to ramble as if the sword didn¡¯t scare him at all. ¡°What are you doing sneaking in the bedroom at night?¡± At Joseph¡¯s quiet warning, Oscar shrugged his shoulders lightly while maintaining eye contact with Joseph. ¡°Me? I like how your wife sleeps.¡± Oscar¡¯s vulgar and brazen attitude rendered him speechless for a moment. He briefly thought of throwing Oscar out the window, but then at that moment. ¡°Stop being so hostile. You¡¯re not even her real husband anyway.¡± ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Everyone knows that you made a deal with Roscoe Cardinale under the pretext of marriage.¡± Oscar brought up Count Cardinale¡¯s name like it was a thorn in his mouth. Even though he built an assassination guild and reputation using Cardinale as a foundation, Oscar had no loyalty whatsoever toward the count. ¡®Why did I stay at the Cardinale all this time?¡¯ Spina was established in Cardinale, but now it had grown into a guild huge enough to operate on the whole continent. Nevertheless, Oscar did not leave the Cardinale family. Because Rita was there. Oscar hoped that Rita would break up with that stupid George one day. ¡®I waited for you to break up with George, but now you¡¯re marrying another bastard?¡¯ It didn¡¯t show, but Oscar was actually a little angry with Rita for not telling him when she married Joseph. ¡°You don¡¯t have to care about that woman.¡± Oscar shook off Joseph¡¯s hand and massaged his neck annoyedly. Then he raised the corners of his mouth as if provoking Joseph. ¡°Marriage is politics, love is romance. Have you never heard of this old saying? Could this man be my wife¡¯s lover? Joseph¡¯s lips quivered as he listened to Oscar¡¯s haughty words. He already completed the background check on Oscar. He knew that Oscar was not just an ordinary errand boy even though Oscar was known as Cardinale¡¯s top dog. ¡®He is probably better than George¡­.¡¯ Joseph began to compare George, known as Rita¡¯s lover, and Oscar in the same league. George was shameless enough to do everything to slander Carlo, who was ten years younger than him. He used dirty tricks to imitate Carlo and frequented brothels with pleasure. However, even Oscar was not a suitable man for his wife, as she didn¡¯t know better about how the world works and only viewed others in a good faith. ¡®My wife doesn¡¯t seem to have an eye for men.¡¯ Joseph looked down at Rita¡¯s sleeping face and sighed briefly. ¡°Back off. After all, she¡¯s my wife now.¡± Joseph frowned, making all kinds of excuses why he was so ticked off by Oscar. It¡¯s because I¡¯m worried. He was worried, thinking how his wife was like a child as ever. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± A cold sweat broke out when I saw Joseph and Oscar exchanging a death glare. It was a battle of nerves in the middle of a bustling auction house. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with this atmosphere?¡¯ I knew Oscar and Joseph had been at odds with each other from their first meeting, but there would be no reason to express their antipathy so openly like this. ¡®In particular, Joseph isn¡¯t a person who easily shows hostility to people like this.¡¯ My husband was too polite to the point he looked like a pushover. Joseph even showed courtesy to my father, who tried to get rid of Carlo in order to put George on the throne. ¡®You aren¡¯t the type to treat Oscar this way just because he¡¯s younger than you either.¡¯ Perhaps because of his experience of being born in the noblest Imperial Family only to be thrown to the bottom later, he was not the type to judge people by their status. Even now, the people in the estate referred to him as ¡®His Highness¡¯ but he actually preferred if people called him ¡®lord¡¯. ¡°Umm, Joseph?¡± I was a little bewildered by Joseph¡¯s cold stare at Oscar. ¡®That¡¯s right. He just naturally gives off this kind of vibe.¡¯ Now that I know that he was a kind and good man at heart, I wasn¡¯t scared at all. ¡°Yes. Please say it.¡± As I thought, when he was holding a sword like that, I could feel clearly that he was indeed a devil hunter. I recalled Joseph¡¯s indifferent expression in winter as he was covered in blood after returning from subjugating the monsters. ¡°It seems the auction is going to start.¡± Only then did Oscar stop glaring at Joseph and walk away from us to look around the auction house. ¡°Shall we go in?¡± Joseph took his eyes off Oscar as well and reached out to me. ¡°It¡¯s better to stay close to me.¡± A large-scale auction was packed with danger. There were collectors among the wealthy nobles who did not hesitate to abuse their power in order to gain their desired items. ¡®We¡¯d better be careful since we came here with our identity hidden.¡¯ I wrapped my arms around Joseph¡¯s arms and nodded. If I leave a trace here, it would be revealed that it was me who stole the Goddess¡¯ crown, instead of my father. ¡°We reserved a seat in the left wing.¡± The night auction held in Notte was held outdoors, unlike the auction in the capital or other large cities, which were mainly held underground. Under the brilliant starlight embroidering the night sky, the servants lined up while holding a number. I nodded to a servant holding number 13 and carefully held Joseph¡¯s hand. ¡°From now on, we¡¯re a Padrea couple. We¡¯re not noble, but we¡¯re wealthy merchants.¡± Joseph agreed that he didn¡¯t want to draw attention and cooperated with me to hide our identity. He even suggested that we must practice calling each other by name. Is it because you don¡¯t want to attract others¡¯ attention as much as possible? He actively participated in becoming the Padreas more than I expected. ¡°What do you think about that one, Mrs. Padrea? Don¡¯t you want it?¡± Although it was a little regrettable that he kept doing something that we didn¡¯t plan out. ¡®Are you pretending to be a husband who¡¯s anxious to give a gift to his wife?¡¯ The first segment of the night¡¯s auction opened with an opera performance. It displayed a variety of rare jewels imported from the east and artifacts imported from Odobelli. ¡®What I need right now is not jewelry.¡¯ Artifacts were worth paying attention to, but I had to save as much money as possible since I didn¡¯t know how expensive the Neuronia potion would be. ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± Despite my lukewarm answer, Joseph raised the number signboard. ¡®Huh? Why are you raising it?¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll place a bid.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. Put down the signboard!¡± Perhaps he wanted to avoid the servant¡¯s suspicion. He put me in trouble by saying that he would bid whenever jewelry or artifacts that caught my attention came out. ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s wrong with you? Do you still have money left?¡± It was useless no matter how much I tried to dissuade him. In the end, Joseph bought a ruby necklace with a magic ability to warm up your body for a large sum of money. ¡°I don¡¯t even get cold easily.¡± I rebuked him with a voice so small that the servant could not hear it. ¡°It¡¯s not something that I¡¯m going to use.¡± ¡°Then, who¡­..? Ah!¡± I inadvertently opened my mouth as I looked at Joseph who stored the coupon handed over by the servant into his pocket. ¡®Didn¡¯t I ask him to visit Carlo on our way back?¡¯ Carlo, who injured his leg, was now staying at the Imperial monastery. And Saint Ibelina was also in that monastery. The woman Joseph loved dearly. ¡®I don¡¯t think he knows that Ibelina is in Notte right now.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t possibly rebuke him for wasting away Katan¡¯s budget when he did that to prepare a gift for his loved one. I glanced furtively at Joseph, who smiled delightedly, and turned away at once. ¡­I felt bad suddenly. Now it was time for rare herbs and other commodities to be used as ingredients for potions to be auctioned off, so I felt a little nauseous. I was nervous for some reason, and when the host climbed up the podium, I quenched my parched throat with wine. ¡°Coming up next is a medicinal herb and rare ingredients that some of you might find a little trivial!¡± At the host¡¯s words, most of the crowd booed loudly. Most of the people participating in this grand auction want to see more than just a pile of grass. ¡°Haha, I figured you¡¯d be bored, too. But, worry not! We have an item that might interest you!¡± He wouldn¡¯t reveal something like the elixir plants, would he? But the host moved his smooth tongue and said ¡®to gain eternal life¡¯ which is quite absurd. ¡®I¡¯m not interested in the slightest.¡¯ I closed my eyes as I was tired of the host¡¯s obvious bluff. The man dragged a huge case covered with black cloth onto the podium and smiled, revealing his fake teeth. ¡®That¡¯s¡­! That¡¯s the one!¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised yet!¡± The ¡®object¡¯ that the broker introduced with much excitement was none other than human. ¡®Of course, you can put it up for auction because you don¡¯t consider them human.¡¯ When the Empire banned human trafficking, people began to look for ¡®living things¡¯ that could be bought and sold instead of human. From Dwarves who were good at steelworks, Elves with their dazzling beauty and archery skills, to Mermaids known to have eternal life. Among them, the most popular race by far was the mermaid, and it was also the most pitiful race. ¡®There¡¯s a myth that drinking mermaid tears can bring eternal life.¡¯ Since most mermaid owners died of old age, people began to believe that the mermaid¡¯s tears could bring eternal life. So people used to torture the mermaids who were living well to squeeze out tears. ¡®But I heard tonight¡¯s auction only dealt with goods.¡¯ When I frowned, the broker made eye contact with me with a bright look, and exclaimed. ¡°Notte doesn¡¯t usually offer this kind of subhuman species! Only! Today! We will auction off this beautiful immortal being.¡± It was impossible to prevent this auction because the law on buying and selling subhuman species had not yet been enacted. ¡°It was my friend¡¯s cherished item, but I managed to convince him to put it on auction! Let¡¯s start with one hundred thousand blues!¡± One Hundred Thousand Blues were enough to buy a house in the capital. However, people who were excited about the rare existence of mermaids began to place their bids one by one. ¡°Five Hundred Blues! Ah, five hundred thousand Blues. Do we have another call?¡± ¡°One million!¡± Before I knew it, the price rose to one million Blue. I clenched my fists as I was sickened watching the poor mermaid confined in a huge tank. ¡®He¡¯s only a child!¡¯ The tiny upper body was no different from that of a human child. I wonder if he was six? I began to calculate my savings and the funds I could borrow from Oscar. ¡®It¡¯s approximately five million Blues in total.¡¯ It may be more than enough to get the mermaid, but the situation was a little tricky. Joseph gently wrapped his hand around mine while looking at me. ¡°If it¡¯s about ten million Blues I think I can manage it somehow.¡± Ten million Blues was the maximum amount a Lord could spend privately without interfering with the estate¡¯s funds. But summer had only passed, and the estate would spend more money to survive the winter. ¡°It¡¯s really fine, Wife.¡± Joseph tried to persuade me by gently pressing the back of my hand. ¡°Ten million Blues!¡± When the servant hastily shouted the bid I offered, the broker began to shout with a large grin on his face. ¡°Yes! We have ten million! Do we have another call?!¡± The hall became silent when they heard the amount of money equal to one year¡¯s budget of a small estate. ¡°Then I¡¯ll start counting down!¡± I began to shake my sweaty fists, hoping the broker would count quickly. ¡®What if it¡¯s not enough?¡¯ The image of the black dragon closing its eyes while worrying about Geneva was vivid. As well as Vivi¡¯s crying appearance as it looked for its mother as soon as it was born. The mermaid must have a mother desperately searching for her lost child. I was feeling sorry for the child who was taken by humans, so I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep comfortably if I let this go. ¡°Three! Do we have another call? Two! One!¡± When the broker was about to swing the gavel. ¡°Thirty million Blues!¡± Someone stepped forward, shouting an amount that I could never afford. ¡°I¡¯ll call thirty million Blues!¡± I looked back and recognized the face of the man who smiled proudly. ¡®Marquis Darrieno!¡¯ It was fortunate that we wore hoodies that covered half of my face in case someone recognized us. Marquis Darrieno, a member of the Holy Council, was also close to Count Cardinale. ¡®I remember there was a rumor that members of the Holy Council did not age well.¡¯ In the Las Vecchia Empire, the nobles weren¡¯t truly subservient to the royal family. Rather, it was nearer to a confrontational relationship in which both sides were fighting for power. And the Holy Council, which holds power as much as the royal family, was the object of envy of all nobles. ¡®Because of such envy, I think there was a rumor that the members of the Holy Council did not get old or sick.¡¯ The rumors started because Marquis Darrieno had a mermaid. If the mermaid¡¯s tears are purified well, it has the effect of slowing aging to some extent, so the superstition was not total nonsense. However, mermaid¡¯s tears never truly bring eternal life to humans. And it was terrible how an immortal mermaid was forced to suffer just for bringing humans an eternal life. ¡°Thirty million Blues! I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no one else who wants to call!¡± Thirty million Blues was an amount that would never be reached even if the auction was going all night long. When I called ten million Blues, the auction house became noisy with people¡¯s murmurs. ¡°¡­You can use Sirtha as collateral.¡± I shook my head in a hurry at Joseph¡¯s words. I shouldn¡¯t give him trouble just to satisfy my greed. ¡°We need to get the ingredients. Let¡¯s get that first and think about the rest later.¡± My priority was to heal Carlo¡¯s legs over saving a mermaid whose face I didn¡¯t know. I turned to the broker again, trying to soothe my stinging stomach. After the mermaid auction, people who lost interest left the auction one by one, so I was able to get Carlo¡¯s therapeutic drug ingredients at a bargain price. ¡®There¡¯s a lot more money left than I expected.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even need to borrow money from Oscar to get the Goddess¡¯ crown, and I still have half of my budget left. ¡®¡­This is enough money to make a strong sleeping pill.¡¯ Alchemy was different from magic or holy power. There was a huge price to pay for strong alchemy, but fortunately, money was enough to resolve it. ¡°Get me a dancer outfit.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± Oscar was hanging around in someone else¡¯s inn room without permission like a promiscuous man and raised his eyebrows at my request. ¡®You¡¯ll never listen if I say it nicely.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. Get me a dancer outfit.¡± I strode up to Oscar¡¯s couch and put my foot on his hard abdomen. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°And get the ingredients written here. They¡¯re not rare enough to be auctioned off, so you can buy them at the night market.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re stepping on me.¡± Oscar grinned as if he was having fun even though it would have hurt quite a bit. ¡°As expected, you know how to play me.¡± ¡®You perv.¡¯ I frowned, disgusted by Oscar¡¯s strange tastes. But he reached out to me regardless of my death stare. It was the moment when his hand wrapped around my slender calf. Clack. I was surprised by the sound of the doorknob and kicked Oscar. But because he didn¡¯t let me go until the end, I fell onto him. Perhaps he just went out to get the ruby necklace. Joseph had a small velvet box in his hand. ¡°Oh, good timing.¡± Oscar grinned and held my waist to bring me closer to him. Upon realizing the situation, I pushed him away and jumped off the sofa. ¡°¡­Do I have to leave?¡± It was a very calm tone for a husband who witnessed his wife lying on the sofa with another man. I was mortified by Joseph¡¯s sudden appearance and hurriedly tidied my wrinkled dress. ¡°Oh, no. Please don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t think Joseph would be bothered by this, anyway.¡¯ I guess I¡¯d forgotten that he and I are not an ordinary couple. I felt a little ashamed of myself, so I laughed awkwardly. ¡®I was the one who proposed the marriage contract that we shouldn¡¯t meddle with each other¡¯s lives no matter who we met.¡¯ I don¡¯t know why I felt disturbed by Joseph¡¯s insensitive face even though I had said I was already prepared for everything. Joseph, who even bought a gift for Ibelina, couldn¡¯t have been bothered by my relationship with Oscar. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 Thud. Joseph slammed the jewelry box on the table and glanced at Rita, who was busy organizing the herbs that she bought at the auction. He felt a childish urge to ask her whether that suspicious-looking man was her lover or not. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it aloud because the answer was obvious. ¡®Is this why that clause was important to you?¡¯ Joseph frowned as he recalled that in the contract proposed by Rita, it was stated that they must not interfere with each other¡¯s private lives under any circumstances. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing an artifact accessory. May I take a look, Your Highness?¡± Rita smiled in satisfaction after finishing all the preparation, climbed onto the bed and raised her gaze to Joseph. ¡°Are you talking about the necklace?¡± Completely oblivious to Joseph¡¯s sour mood, she gave a light nod to him as a confirmation, but Joseph answered curtly. ¡°No.¡± He wanted to gift it to her, who was sensitive to the cold, but Joseph shook his head as if he was upset. ¡°¡­.Ah, is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rita scratched her head awkwardly at his firm rejection. ¡°Um, well, since it was meant as a gift, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for me to see it first.¡± ¡°¡­How did you know?¡± Joseph was a little taken aback because Rita seemed to know that the necklace was a gift for her. ¡°Yes. Anyone can tell that item isn¡¯t something that Your Highness would use, right?¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± Did you really have to be all lovey-dovey with your lover in front of me? ¡°Yeah?¡± Joseph pushed the childish question down his throat and dropped his head. She was free to choose her loved one, and he didn¡¯t have the right to question her. He was only a husband in name, after all. The night auction wrapped up at midnight, but right where the nightlife in Notte finally started, I was busy making the sleeping drugs that Oscar had bought at the auction. ¡®I made it sloppily, but at least it will be enough to confuse his mind for a very short time.¡¯ Having obtained the most popular mermaid at the auction, Marquis Darrieno would have been enjoying his success by now. ¡®He participated in the auction without hiding his identity, so he must be staying with Count Leroy, the Lord of Notte.¡¯ Marquis Darriano and Count Leroy were known to deluge themselves in entertainment, just like my father, Count Cardinale. Joseph asked in a disturbed tone when I was busy getting ready to steal the mermaid. ¡°¡­Where are you going in that outfit?¡± ¡°Do you remember the mermaid that Marquis Darriano purchased?¡± I wore revealing clothes typically worn by a dancer in Notte. I replied shyly, looking at Joseph, who seemed to be in a bad mood. I¡¯m sure it looked weird. Notte¡¯s dancers usually wore clothing that revealed their bodies as if they had run out of fabrics or something. And of course, that was the kind of costume that Oscar brought to me. ¡°I thought of a way to steal the mermaid.¡± I wasn¡¯t that close to Marquis Darriano, but I knew what kind of human being he was and what he liked. ¡®And I know how he died.¡¯ Marquis Darriano would definitely look for women in Notte, which was famous for its beautiful dancers. He was a man who was crazy about woman and alcohol, and he was sent to his death by an assassin disguised as a prostitute. ¡°Do you mean you¡¯re going to approach the Marquis while disguised as a dancer?¡± I nodded, looking at Joseph¡¯s knitted eyebrows. ¡°Yes. Do I look awkward?¡± Although I was considered beautiful, Notte dancers were known to be beautiful within the Empire. ¡®I thought it wouldn¡¯t be so obvious because I even put on makeup that the dancers usually wore.¡¯ I touched my eyes that were covered with thick make up and got close to Joseph. ¡°But a dancer only wears heavy eye makeup, so I think this is enough to fool him. Do you think I look awkward?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­but¡­¡± Joseph flinched and turned his eyes away at my advance. ¡°Why do you care so much about the mermaid?¡± ¡°Ah, well, I¡¯m sort of interested in having eternal life.¡± Joseph sighed at my playful answer. ¡°I can¡¯t let you go alone.¡± ¡°But it will be dangerous if Marquis Darriano finds out that the Grand Duke of Katan participated in Notte¡¯s auction. As you can see, the Marquis is a member of the Holy Council.¡± Since I¡¯m an alchemist, they would think that I needed the ingredients I got at the auction to make some cure. Currently, George believed that he will become Emperor, so I didn¡¯t want to do anything that might raise George¡¯s suspicion. ¡°This should be enough, right?¡± Joseph took out a weird looking mask from his pocket. The black mask was made of material that could absorb light, and had horns like a devil¡¯s feature. ¡®It¡¯s a devil hunter¡¯s mask.¡¯ In Katan, the land ruled by Joseph, of course there was no law to suppress the demon hunters. However, a lot of territories in this Empire still strictly controlled demon hunters. One of those laws was that young demon hunters must wear a mask that dampened their dark aura for ¡®safety¡¯ reasons. ¡°¡­I promise I will wear this all the time.¡± He didn¡¯t commit a crime, but he had to live his life like a prisoner. I didn¡¯t know all of Joseph¡¯s childhood exactly, but I could remember the young demon hunter who was hiding at the Cardinale mansion to avoid public eyes. ¡®I remember he was caught by my father in the end.¡¯ I tried to trick my father because my young self was determined to hide that child no matter what, but he was eventually caught. I didn¡¯t know what happened after that because my father locked me in a basement as a punishment. ¡°Yes. I think this mask will be enough, Your Highness.¡± I put on the face mask that a dancer usually wore with a slight smile, recalling the old memories. Joseph was a courteous man. Maybe he was the human embodiment of chivalry itself. He kept his duty to everyone regardless of their status, and he was such a sweet person that I felt incredibly ashamed of how I treated him in the past. ¡®But I think it was all my misunderstanding.¡¯ I looked down at three young men who were lying on the ground and clicked my tongue briefly. ¡®I should¡¯ve persuaded him to go alone.¡¯ I was afraid that Joseph would be caught in trouble, so I asked him to stay quiet unless I was really in a dangerous situation. But it seemed like our standard of danger was a little different. ¡®Was it dangerous enough to go this far¡­?¡¯ Notte was an entertainment district and a holiday spot for aristocrats, and of course, the street was crowded with drunkards and gangsters. Furthermore, Notte¡¯s dancers made a few bucks by entertaining such people, so it wasn¡¯t that surprising if people came up to me to flirt. ¡®What I didn¡¯t expect is¡­.¡¯ Thud! A gangster was kicked by Joseph until his body flew to the wall and fell like a broken doll. ¡®It must be Joseph¡¯s automatic response.¡¯ Because knights didn¡¯t use their fists recklessly. It was disgraceful to overpower an opponent with bare hands instead of a sword. In addition, Joseph was so mannered that he never raised his hand recklessly while training the knights. Bam! Bam! ¡°Argh! Aaaah! I-I¡¯m sorry!¡± However, my sweet and polite husband was currently beating up people who didn¡¯t even have the energy to fight back. Well, that trash deserved it for touching my shoulders without my permission¡­. The men under Joseph¡¯s feet were sick bastards who treated dancers like lowly prostitutes and harassed them. ¡°Pardon me for showing you this unsightly appearance.¡± Joseph wiped his blood-stained fists on his pants and bowed his head as if apologizing. ¡°¡­If only I brought my sword¡­¡± What do you mean by bringing your sword? He sounded regretful that he couldn¡¯t dispatch them neatly with a sword. ¡®I¡¯m glad I told him not to bring it so he won¡¯t attract any attention. It could¡¯ve created a big problem if the Grand Duke of Katan killed people in another¡¯s territory.¡¯ It would have been a disaster if Joseph, who already had a bad reputation, was revealed as a criminal. ¡°Joseph. Did something bad happen today?¡± It was so unlike him to lash out emotionally like this. I narrowed my brow because I was worried if something happened in his personal life. ¡°You¡¯re not someone who uses your hands carelessly like this, after all.¡± Joseph¡¯s wide shoulders flinched, perhaps he didn¡¯t like what I just said. He looked at me with a gaze that I couldn¡¯t really decipher, but he soon nodded briefly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not feeling good today.¡± Did he simply need to vent? I put my hand on my chest, feeling relieved that the men who fell on the ground were just ruffians. ¡°Has there been any report from the estate earlier? Did something happen?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not that big of a deal for my wife to be concerned about.¡± He made an excuse in a hurry as if hiding something. ¡®I guess something really stressful happened.¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ¡°Hoo, which troupe do you belong to?¡± ¡°I belong to the Leo wandering troupe.¡± ¡°But that wandering troupe just went in earlier.¡± ¡°They left me behind because I had something to do.¡± I responded briefly to the guard who scoured me from head to toe while grabbing Joseph¡¯s arms as he was so eager to fight them. ¡®You promised you¡¯d follow me quietly! That¡¯s why I brought you with me!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until I whispered to him that he calmed down. ¡°What about this man beside you?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a demon hunter who will be my partner in the sword dance.¡± ¡°Ha! I see these demon hunter bastards are willing to do anything and stoop so low as to become a clown.¡± The security guard was spitting out some offensive joke directed at Joseph, so I hurriedly turned my gaze to him in case he was offended. ¡®I¡¯ll be in big trouble if he knocks down the security guard like before!¡¯ Unlike the drunken men before, the guards were working under Count Leroy. I was so nervous that Joseph, who seemed to be in a bad mood today, would attack the guard in anger. However, Joseph did not seem to be affected by the security guard¡¯s blatant mockery toward the demon hunters. ¡­.Even I felt offended by this insult. I was a little concerned by Joseph¡¯s meek attitude, who did not even frown at the insult and hurriedly followed the guard. ¡°Leo wandering trope is over there. It was a little late for you to join.¡± At the guard¡¯s guidance, I approached the dancers who were lying down on the carpets. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± A woman who looked like the leader raised her chin at my greetings. ¡°Who is this woman who wears our dancer outfit?¡± She frowned as if she was puzzled. Of course, it was natural to be suspicious. When I heard from Oscar that the wandering troupe that Marquis Darriano had called today was the Leo wandering troupe, I hurriedly bought and wore the same dancer outfit. ¡°¡­.Don¡¯t you have something to talk about?¡± At Joseph¡¯s belated question, I nodded and looked back at the dancer. ¡°You look a little tired.¡± I glanced at the tent and fumbled to take out a small bottle from my arms. ¡°What the hell? Can a dancer be a drug dealer, too?¡± The troupe leader giggled, stroking the mane of the lion headpiece that she wore. ¡°You¡¯ll feel all refreshed after a quick nap.¡± Unlike the potion I prepared for Marquis Darriano, the potion I took out was not so dangerous a poison. When I uncorked it, a fragrant smell began to spread through the room. I quickly blocked my nose and pondered whether to hand the towel I had prepared in advance to Joseph, who looked at me with a puzzled face. ¡®I can¡¯t help it either.¡¯ Contrary to his promise to follow me quietly, Joseph kept trying to jump on people without a second thought. I was in trouble because he insisted on using violence in a situation that¡¯s not particularly dangerous. It would be an easy task for him to beat Marquis Darriano as a man who trained his body regularly, but I didn¡¯t mean to punish him for tormenting the mermaids. ¡®I just want to secretly steal the mermaid from Marquis Derrieno without leaving a trace¡­¡¯ It might be better if Joseph sleeps here with the dancers. ¡°¡­Wife?¡± I glanced at Joseph, who was blinking his eyelids slowly, and hid the wet towel behind me. ¡°Just now¡­¡± ¡°You should rest, too.¡± ¡°W, What are you doing to me¡­¡± Joseph realized my betrayal and soon stopped talking. His body couldn¡¯t overcome the sleepiness and leaned toward me. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, so please stay put right here.¡± I panted heavily as I dragged his heavy body to the pillar, and then drew a magic circle to hide him while he was asleep. I wouldn¡¯t have done this if he stayed still behind me in the first place. With a deep sigh, I began to move quickly. ¡°As far as I remember, I called the entire Leo wandering troupe.¡± Marquis Darrieno and Count Leroy¡¯s suspicious gaze touched me as I appeared alone without even wearing the lion headpiece, the mascot of the Leo¡¯s wandering troupe. I tightened the veil that covered my mouth just in case they recognized my face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this is a gift specially prepared by the wandering troupe?¡± Marquis Darriano began to inspect my body with a lewd smile. I just nodded, stifling the urge to punch him right away. ¡°Come closer.¡± Marquis Darienno was delighted after coming to his own conclusion even though I hadn¡¯t said a single word. ¡°The troupe leader told me to look forward to today¡¯s performance. I didn¡¯t know she¡¯d send me such a wonderful gift!¡± I knew you wouldn¡¯t suspect me. Because of those exact lines, he ended up being killed by an assassin hired by his wife while he indulged himself with women and booze. ¡°You¡¯re totally my style!¡± Marquis Darrieno gripped my chin roughly and laughed in satisfaction. ¡°Marquis, I think there¡¯s something wrong.¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Notte¡¯s dancers are known to be prideful, so they are different from the southern courtesans.¡± Count Leroy gazed at me with sharp eyes, but I pressed Marquis Derrieno¡¯s shoulders, trying to imitate Sabrina¡¯s flirtatious trick. ¡®George seemed to like it when Sabrina narrowed her eyes.¡¯ Marquis Derieno and George were the same kind of people. I just roughly guessed that he might have similar tastes as well, but the marquis stood up while holding my hands as if possessed by something. ¡°Well, there are different kinds of dancers. It seems like they have prepared a special stage for me tonight, so hurry up and guide me!¡± I left the hall with the Marquis who huffed excitedly. His eyes were brimming with lust, as if he had already lost his sanity. ¡®It¡¯s probably because of the perfume.¡¯ George told me that he used the potion to impersonate Carlo and sullied his reputation by going in and out of the brothels, but now I guess that was only his excuse to seduce people. ¡®I never imagined that I would use the love potion that I made for George.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t even smell what kind of fragrance I have because the perfume made of alchemy didn¡¯t work on the user. ¡®Because it was made to amplify the user¡¯s charm, each person will have a different scent.¡¯ George had a lily fragrance that was strong enough to make me dizzy. Marquis Darrieno didn¡¯t have a choice but to carry a mermaid around because it wasn¡¯t his own mansion. For Marquis Darrieno, the mermaid was a very expensive ¡®item¡¯, so he would keep it in his pocket. I tilted my head because I seemed to hear the ripple of water from his arms. ¡°Shall we go to the bedroom?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course~¡± I headed to his bedroom with a bright smile. As soon as he closed the door, the Marquis began taking off his clothes in a hurry. I shuddered at the sight of his hairy forearms and then lifted the outer-garment that he threw on the floor. ¡°Here you are.¡± The mermaid that was clearly as big as a human at the auction house became a small guppy fish swimming in a bottle. Even if it was just a fish, it would be suffocated inside a bottle closed with a cork like this. Mermaids were far from the rumors that said they were immortal beings, but they had a high endurance that prevented them from dying easily most of the time. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t feel pain.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing? Hurry and take off your clothes!¡± ¡°Kyaa!¡± While I was getting lost in thought over the mermaid¡¯s condition, the Marquis approached me and grabbed my shoulders. Looking at his greasy mustache, I was reminded of the fact that the Marquis¡¯s wife was my age when she decided to plan a murder. ¡®¡­.I must be so lucky.¡¯ Most of the nobles¡¯ marriages were political marriages based on the family¡¯s needs, and there were times when an unborn child was already set up to marry. In the past, I blamed my father because he married me off to a deposed crown prince, but seeing Marquis Darrieno¡¯s face made me realize how lucky I was. ¡°Hold on, Marquis.¡± I pretended to take off my clothes and pulled out the paralysis perfume. It was a toxic scent that was different from the sleeping scent I used for the dancers and Joseph earlier. ¡®You won¡¯t die, but you¡¯ll be paralyzed for quite a while.¡¯ But even when I sprayed the paralyzing scent right in front of his nose, Marquis Derrieno didn¡¯t stop his advance on me. So I stepped back in bewilderment when I saw he didn¡¯t collapse. ¡®What the hell? Are you resistant to it?¡¯ But the paralyzing perfume was made by me. I hadn¡¯t shared the recipe to George, so there¡¯s no way anyone could be resistant to it. ¡°Hoho, my body is a little heavy.¡± I stiffened at the Marquis¡¯ breath on me. ¡®Is it possible that lust can win against the paralyzing scent¡­?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t like to waste time, you know. But you don¡¯t have to worry about that!¡± Only then did I discover the other drugs in the hands of the grinning Marquis. It was the same type that could only be seen in the red district that George often visited. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 ¡°Hoho, you¡¯re just like a kitten, you know?¡± If I were a cat, I¡¯d tear your face apart with my claws! ¡®Should I knock him down?¡¯ The Marquis seized my trembling shoulders and pinned me to the bed. ¡®Thankfully, I have the mermaid in my hand¡­.¡¯ After hiding the thin bottle in the pocket of my wide pants, I quickly rolled away from the Marquis as he attempted to kiss me. ¡°I heard that Notte¡¯s dancers are prideful. On top of that, you¡¯re being sulky, too?¡± ¡°This is not what I prepared for, Marquis.¡± ¡°What I want to see right now is not your dance.¡± To buy time, I tried to talk to the Marquis, but he cut me off at once and used his hands to fumble around like a disgusting toad. ¡®Chalk, where¡¯s my chalk?!¡¯ I searched my pocket to find my alchemy chalk, but there was nothing I could find other than the bottle. Perhaps because I kept rolling around to get away from the marquis. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Then I saw a white chalk rolling into a corner that I couldn¡¯t reach and frowned. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± ¡°Well, this kind of cat-and-mouse game isn¡¯t that bad¡­..I strangely feel heavy right now. We don¡¯t have time, baby.¡± Despite my firm refusal, the Marquis climbed on me, panting heavily. ¡°I bought that medicine at a very high price.¡± ¡®Shit. How can you resist the paralyzing scent! You¡¯re not a rhinoceros!¡¯ It was produced for humans, so it wouldn¡¯t work against big animals like elephants. But the Marquis is still a human despite his monster-like appearance and personality. ¡®No matter how robust the Marquis is, it doesn¡¯t make sense for him to be this resistant.¡¯ I was petrified by the current situation, so I bit my lip. I intended to draw alchemy with my blood. ¡°Huh? Baby, why are you biting your pretty lips to bleed?¡± He patted my lips as if he found it regrettable. ¡®Why am I your baby?¡¯ I turned my head to avoid the marquis¡¯ lips and tried to wriggle out of his grasp. Perhaps he noticed that I was trying to get away, he quickly pinned my stomach against his thighs. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Hmm, shall we see your pretty face? I can¡¯t see your pretty face if you cover it up, can I?¡± The Marquis held my wrist down and advanced closer to me. ¡°You can just cover it up again, though. Hehehe, your scent is awesome. It¡¯s a smell that makes me swallow my saliva.¡± The Marquis drooled like someone sitting in front of a lavish feast. ¡®On top of using his own stimulant, he¡¯s also charmed by my scent. So he must have lost his mind by now.¡¯ I was frustrated because the charming scent that I sprayed on myself had driven him even more crazy. ¡°Argh!¡± At the same time, I quickly completed my alchemy with my free hands and sent him flying across the room. ¡°Arrgh!¡± The Marquis fell to the floor, squealing like a pig. ¡®What the? I haven¡¯t even recited the spell yet.¡¯ I hurriedly raised my upper body to see the man who trampled on the Marquis. Even in the dark bedroom, his silver hair shone particularly bright. ¡°Your Hi-!¡± He quickly put his index fingers on his mouth as if to warn me not to call his name. ¡®I almost called His Highness.¡¯ Fortunately, the Marquis was completely wasted by my paralyzing scent, so he only flailed his arms and legs after getting stepped on by Joseph. I was very lucky to overcome this crisis. But how can Joseph already move? ¡®I¡¯m sure the scent will wear out in three hours, so how is he awake already?¡¯ My eyelids trembled as I began to doubt my own skill. I couldn¡¯t believe the drugs that I made are this weak. Will I be able to heal Carlo¡¯s legs with such terrible skills? While I was engrossed in shame, Joseph approached me. ¡°Wife.¡± He looked so emotionless as he called me to the point I wondered if he was the Joseph I know. ¡®Are you angry?¡¯ But I could clearly feel that he was angry with me. His slightly raised eyebrows displayed his intense anger. ¡°Didn¡¯t I clearly say that this could be dangerous?¡± Joseph was not the type to explode even if he was angry. Rather, he would cool down like an iceberg and surprise his opponent. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I was so scared, so I took a deep breath and fixed my messy hair before approaching him. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be easy. Because Marquis Derriano is quite easy to deal with.¡± I kicked Marquis¡¯ head that got in my way and grabbed Joseph¡¯s arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to drag you into this matter.¡± His arm was so tight that I couldn¡¯t fully hold it with my hand. I just realized that his muscular body might be the reason my drugs didn¡¯t work on him. ¡®The dosage must be insufficient.¡¯ Fortunately, there was no problem with my production method. Feeling relieved, I suddenly realized that Joseph didn¡¯t answer me and raised my chin. ¡°Joseph?¡± He looked so disoriented, and soon turned his gaze away from me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I frowned when I noticed Joseph¡¯s reddening ears. ¡°¡­Please get out of the way.¡± His voice rang lower than usual. It seemed that my apology wasn¡¯t enough to relieve his anger. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I know you were angry because I acted alone, but I couldn¡¯t hand over the young mermaid to a man like Marquis Derriano.¡± If I turned a blind eye to it, the little mermaid sold at auction would forever be exploited by the old geezer in the Holy Council who dreamed of eternal life. ¡®It¡¯s true that we don¡¯t know the future, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should turn a blind eye to our surroundings.¡¯ My father was a human who would casually trample other lives just to keep his youth a little longer. The Holy Council was mostly filled with terrible humans like my father. ¡°Still, I¡¯m sorry for acting recklessly.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright.¡± But Joseph¡¯s face was still as stiff as ever. ¡®You don¡¯t seem to be alright at all.¡¯ I originally wanted to get along with Joseph before I left Katan, so I walked toward him with awkward steps. ¡°Please, don¡¯t come closer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. I said I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°Wife, please stay away from me.¡± Gasp! As if he was holding his breath, he tried to shake me off and stepped back. ¡°Please.¡± I had been hanging on Joseph¡¯s arm to relieve his anger, but I shivered as soon as he said that. I could feel the heat swirling around as he pleaded with me. ¡®Is there a side effect?¡¯ But I specially made it for the innocent dancers, so it¡¯s only a mild tranquilizer! ¡°Joseph, are you feeling unwell?¡± Surprised, I approached Joseph who kept avoiding me. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Look at you now. It could be a side effect of the sleeping scent.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really okay.¡± As I neared Joseph to check for any symptoms, I frowned when his sword poked my hips as if to keep the distance between him and me. ¡®This is bothering me.¡¯ I tried to push his scabbard away with my hand, but Joseph freaked out and grabbed my arm. ¡°Rita!¡± He was so cold before, but he suddenly looked so flustered. ¡°Huh?¡± It was the first time he called my name, so I was quite surprised. I glanced at Joseph¡¯s forehead that was dripping with cold sweat even as his lips looked so dry. ¡®Come to think of it¡­.¡¯ Did he bring his sword along? I definitely told him to leave it because it could attract unnecessary attention. He said it was necessary to bring a weapon, so I saw with my own two eyes that he only brought a dagger and hid it in his sleeve. ¡®Then what was that just now¡­.¡¯ It was definitely something heavy and thick covered in a cloth. But then I remembered that Joseph¡¯s long sword wasn¡¯t something that could easily be carried. Upon realization, my jaw dropped and I raised my gaze. His face was ghostly pale. No way. ¡°¡­.!¡± After a brief silence, I hurriedly stepped back. ¡®I-Is it because of the charming scent that I made?¡¯ However, the perfume I made only has the effect of enhancing the user¡¯s natural charm. It wasn¡¯t a scent to stimulate sexual desire! ¡®I¡¯m sure I made it wrong.¡¯ I clenched my fists as I alternately glanced at the Marquis, who still lay unconscious on the floor, and at my husband who covered his face in embarrassment. ¡®So it wasn¡¯t a sword, after all¡­..?¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 38 Joseph¡¯s lips dried up due to the tension he felt when he was with Rita. It was an urge that he wouldn¡¯t dare act upon. ¡®You bastard.¡¯ What a trashy bastard. Joseph wanted to bite his tongue from guilt, but he stepped back quickly as his urge got out of control. He couldn¡¯t bear to look at Rita, who wore a puzzled expression before dropping her head in shame just now. ¡°N-No, it¡¯s okay. M-Marquis Derriano does look like someone who would use weird medicines. I guess it¡¯s because of that.¡± His innocent wife must have been very surprised, but she still extended her hand to comfort him. Joseph flinched and took a step back. ¡°Right now¡­.If you don¡¯t touch it¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His voice sounded as sultry as the hot summer wind. Joseph bit his lips, feeling upset that his voice came out so beastly. ¡®It must be very unpleasant.¡¯ Joseph wanted to be as courteous as possible to Rita. She was his wife, but she was more like his savior. They lived in a country where most people felt disgusted even breathing in the same space as the devil hunter, after all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Joseph expected the desire that came out of nowhere would have offended Rita. However, while stopping him from apologizing repeatedly, Rita only pressed her red cheeks with the back of her hand. ¡°It¡¯s really okay. I was just a little surprised.¡± But she didn¡¯t clarify what surprised her so much. ¡°Seems like we¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡®You still feel awkward with me.¡¯ My husband seemed to be more shy than I thought. He was just a victim of the potion that I made, yet he showed me an overly cautious attitude by avoiding any sort of contact with me. ¡®I don¡¯t know how he and I could have given birth to Yvonne.¡¯ Joseph and I were married, but we only made love once in our past lives. Joseph was grieving due to Carlo¡¯s death, and I was in despair over George¡¯s betrayal. Even if I squeezed my brain, my memory of that day was as blurry as a watercolor, most likely because I was drunk. ¡®I didn¡¯t know how bad it was. All I know is I kept gazing out the window as I was trying to fight the drowsiness.¡¯ My gaze kept turning toward the Rose Monastery. ¡®¡­.Are you really going to marry Ibelina?¡¯ I frowned, remembering my not-so-pleasant first encounter with Ibelina. Except it was a one-sided encounter because she didn¡¯t even remember me this time. ¡®But I still must pay off my debts to Joseph.¡¯ My husband was executed as a traitor for refusing George¡¯s order to hand over Yvonne, not to mention that Ibelina was the woman he loved. So I shouldn¡¯t disturb them as much as possible. Joseph was a gentle and courteous man who tried his hardest to hide his true feelings from me, his wife in name only. ¡°Step on me, My Queen.¡± ¡°When are you returning to Cardinale?¡± As soon as the horseman announced the arrival, I opened the door only to find the infamous assassin bent his knees for me to step on. ¡®I really can¡¯t understand why the busiest person in Spina is chasing me around as if he has nothing to do.¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t you being so cold-hearted now that you don¡¯t need me anymore?¡± Oscar frowned at my indifferent attitude. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re busy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy. But I¡¯d still follow you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why are you still asking? I want to stay next to My Queen.¡± Oscar began calling me queen the moment he saw me wearing the Goddess¡¯ Crown. I couldn¡¯t answer his straightforward reply and only frowned silently. ¡®Has Oscar always followed me around like this?¡¯ He used to pour out his affection in the past, but he never followed me around like a puppy. He took care of the things I asked him to do, but he turned away when I needed his help the most. ¡®Kill George. You¡¯re an assassin, right, Oscar?¡¯ ¡®Are you asking me to kill the Emperor of this country?¡¯ ¡®Please. I will do whatever you want.¡¯ It¡¯s too late. I don¡¯t want anything from you anymore. I recalled Oscar¡¯s apathetic attitude in the past and compared it to when I faced him right now. ¡°Alright, but keep it down.¡± ¡°Yes, My Queen.¡± His bright yellow eyes scoured me, looking like a cat and beast at the same time. Unlike before, his eyes were sparkling with interest and excitement, as if he wouldn¡¯t want to miss his prey. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to watch what you say in front of Prince Carlo.¡± ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± He tucked my hair behind my ears and nodded, satisfied. ¡®It looks like a prison rather than a monastery.¡¯ I took a glance at the monastery spreading behind Joseph, who was speaking to the knights guarding the draw-bridge. Surrounded by black walls, the gray monastery was so dull that it did not match the clear weather at all. ¡®Anyone will be depressed if they are stuck in a place like this.¡¯ But Carlo would have suffered more if he stayed in the palace subjected to George¡¯s constant bullying. Carlo was the youngest son, but he was also the Empress¡¯ legitimate son, therefore he was the top candidate for the throne. As a bastard son, George felt inferior to Carlo who was closer to the throne than he was, and continued to torment Carlo even though he was ten years younger than George. ¡°I greet His Highness the Grand Duke of Katan.¡± A guard who identified Joseph bowed deeply in front of him. When the guard gestured to the coachman, the carriage slowly moved forward with Oscar and me in it. ¡°I don¡¯t think my message has reached Carlo yet.¡± We definitely sent a message to Carlo when we stayed at Notte, but Carlo seemed unaware of our visit. ¡°How strange. It should have been a long time since the letter arrived here.¡± There¡¯s no way a carriage was faster than a messenger bird. I extended my arms toward Joseph, who tilted his head in front of the opened carriage door. ¡°At least they opened the door for us, so we just need to go in.¡± I meant to hold his hand and help him get on the carriage, but Joseph just stared at me, fearing that I wouldn¡¯t be able to carry his weight. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was when he reached out to me after hesitating for a while. Oscar, who was sitting behind me, leaned forward and grabbed his hand instead. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Oscar smiled brightly at Joseph, who gave his hand a cold slap. ¡®I was so anxious that they might fight on the way here.¡¯ Oscar was being himself by acting arrogant regardless of his status, but for some reason he was at odds with Joseph, the one who was always indifferent and calm. ¡®Fortunately, there are a lot of bandits and monsters during our journey.¡¯ I was nervous that they would point a blade at each other, but fortunately, a flock of monsters and bandits appeared in a timely manner. Thanks to this, the two were able to release their energy on fighting monsters and bandits instead of each other. ¡®It was the first time I felt sorry for monsters and bandits.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t help but open my mouth wide watching Joseph beating up the bandits who already surrendered or tried to escape while Oscar watched from the tree. But it was as expected from Joseph to deal with everything flawlessly even without Oscar¡¯s help. ¡®It¡¯d be better if Joseph became the Emperor of Las Vecchia instead.¡¯ He was more worthy of the throne than the weak Carlo or the cunning George. However, since he was already deposed, such a thing would be impossible unless he planned a rebellion. Imperial law clearly prohibited the deposed member of the Imperial Family from entering the palace. In addition, Joseph was the most unsuitable person to plan a rebellion in this empire. I smirked as I looked at Joseph¡¯s neat features outside the window. ¡®Yeah, there¡¯s no way a man like him is a traitor.¡¯ ¡°It seems like we¡¯ve arrived.¡± The monastery¡¯s inner building slowly spread before my eyes along with the creaking sound from the white marble door. ¡°Please hold my hand.¡± ¡°Come on, Rita.¡± As if to escort me to the door, Oscar and Joseph reached out to me at the same time. Joseph¡¯s long and white hand that would look so good to play piano and Oscar¡¯s tan hands with prominent bones. I looked at their hands alternately and shrugged. ¡®My hands are not even flowers¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an official visit, and it was a monastery where there would be no nobles to criticize me even if I walked without an escort. But I couldn¡¯t refuse their kindness, so I had to hold their hands and walked toward the gate. ¡°I greet the lord of the silver castle.¡± The first to greet us in the monastery was a priest who was covered in white from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± It seemed that Joseph knew that priest. Then the priest bowed at me. ¡°I see Her Highness the Grand Duchess. I¡¯m Raphael the priest. May God bless you.¡± God bless me, my ass. I couldn¡¯t help but respond snarkily inside at his greeting. ¡®Looks like this priest knows that I¡¯m a Cardinale.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t possibly be the kind of priest who left all worldly desires and abstained from the Empire¡¯s affairs. ¡®Because I know that Roscoe Cardinale is also a devout believer.¡¯ A priest named Raphael was giving me such a greeting because he thought that I would be Lorenzia¡¯s believer. But I no longer believed in God. So I smiled and turned toward him, who seemed to be waiting for my reply. ¡°I came to see Prince Carlo.¡± At my declaration, the priest let out a hoarse voice as if he was in trouble. ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­.Lord Carlo is¡­¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 39 ¡°I regret to inform you that he doesn¡¯t leave the bedroom because he wishes to confine himself.¡± Upon hearing the priest¡¯s regretful voice, I glanced at Joseph immediately. ¡°Did you know about that?¡± ¡°Yes. He avoided people to hide the fact that he hurt his leg.¡± Joseph nodded lightly and followed the priest into the monastery. ¡°I will tell him that His Highness the Grand Duke is here.¡± The priest led us to the annex of the monastery and bowed politely before walking away ¡°What kind of person is he? I mean that priest.¡± Humble attitude, well-groomed appearance and calm demeanor typical of a servant of God. But he gives off unpleasant vibes for some reason. ¡°He¡¯s the one who takes care of Carlo in this monastery. It seems Carlo also depends so much on him that he doesn¡¯t even think about staying in Katan.¡± I nodded at Joseph¡¯s calm explanation. Come to think of it, Carlo wasted his time in this monastery, abandoning his seat in the Imperial Palace and refused to rely on his brother, the Grand Duke of Katan. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Waiting for Carlo on the sofa in the parlor, I shuddered at the gentle voice behind my back. ¡®Ibelina.¡¯ The woman running to Joseph with her soft pink hair fluttering like a spring breeze was none other than Ibelina. Ibelina Einberg. The saintess of the great temple and Joseph¡¯s lover. ¡°Joseph!!¡± Ibelina ran to Joseph¡¯s arms with tears on her pretty face. Tuk tuk. The tears of longing were falling on Joseph¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much, oppa.¡± Standing next to me, he held her back with a bewildered look. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Saintess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stiff with me. Please call me Ibelina as before. When did you start being so formal with me?¡± She was very lovely, smiling as she wiped her transparent tears with her thin fingers. ¡°Oh, my.¡± Her big eyes sparkled as they found Joseph, and only after some time had passed did she finally find me. She was surprised, falling back into Joseph¡¯s arms. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Good morning, Saintess. I¡¯m Rita Ca¡­..Katan.¡± I almost said Rita Cardinale, but I quickly changed it to Katan. ¡°Hmm? Katan?¡± Ibelina had been sticking too close to Joseph then opened her eyes as if to inspect my identity. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen you somewhere?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No way¡­.¡± I keep my lips shut, afraid that she might recognize me. ¡°Did Joseph have a hidden younger sister?¡± I scoffed at her silly question. Because anyone could tell that Joseph and I didn¡¯t look alike at all. I was judged by society as someone who is ¡®too glamorous¡¯, but unlike me, Joseph was someone who had neat and delicate facial features. ¡®Don¡¯t people usually assume that I may be his wife?¡¯ Of course, we didn¡¯t have a fancy wedding, and our marriage was so quiet that I didn¡¯t think the news even reached the capital. But she was Carlo¡¯s close associate, so there¡¯s no way she hadn¡¯t heard of our marriage. ¡°I¡¯m his wife.¡± I said, deliberately facing the pink-haired woman who smelled like a sweet fruit. ¡°Oh my god! Pardon my rudeness!¡± She bit her index finger with her voluptuous lips in surprise. ¡°You must be very uncomfortable seeing someone hugging your husband right in front of you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, Madam. Joseph and I are like real siblings.¡± I shrugged my shoulders slightly at Ibelina¡¯s rambling. ¡®You guys are lovers. No need to fool me.¡¯ Joseph didn¡¯t need to be considerate because I will only stay with him temporarily. ¡°It¡¯s really all right, Saintess.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t be so formal with me. Just call me Ibelina.¡± Ibelina bent her eyes playfully and linked arms with me. ¡°If you were Joseph¡¯s wife, then it¡¯d be right to call you unnie!¡± We are the same age, though? Of course, I was seven years older than her current age when I returned to the past, so I was mentally older than her. ¡°May I call you unnie?¡± Ibelina appeared way younger than me, perhaps because of her soft personality. ¡°Do as you please,¡± I didn¡¯t really care how Ibelina addressed me. But then she smiled dazzlingly as if she was pleased by my nonchalant response. ¡°Thank you, unnie.¡± Ibelina looked back at Joseph, nodding her head vigorously until her soft pink hair rocked up and down. ¡°Are you here to see Carlo?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A shadow clouded her face as soon she heard Joseph¡¯s answer. She had the same reaction as the priest who had seemed reluctant to speak about Carlo. ¡°He gave permission to Joseph and I to enter his room, but¡­¡± Her anxious eyes glanced at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Unnie. It¡¯s because Carlo doesn¡¯t know you very well. He¡¯s very sensitive and shy, you see.¡± I was a little taken aback that Ibelina addressed Carlo so casually without his formal title, but I calmly agreed to make it not so obvious. ¡°I see.¡± I didn¡¯t expect to see him immediately anyway. It was important to earn Carlo¡¯s trust because it took at least a few months to fully heal his legs, and he had to take medicines regularly as well. ¡®He won¡¯t trust me if I make a hasty move.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll be taking care of my business, so Your Highness should see the Prince first.¡± I shrugged, recalling how to make the Neuronian potion and where to release the mermaid. ¡°Yeah, Joseph! Let¡¯s go see Carlo!¡± Even before Joseph could say anything, Ibelina was already cutting us off. But Joseph didn¡¯t look so happy to see Carlo without me. ¡°¡­.I wish my wife would come with me.¡± He murmured softly and looked at me with a worried gaze. ¡°He¡¯s my brother. So I¡¯d like to introduce my wife to him.¡± Joseph didn¡¯t even take his gaze off me, trying to convey his feeling. ¡®Why would you want to introduce me to Carlo?¡¯ Carlo knew well that our marriage was just a deal anyway. He held my hand with a forlorn expression. Perhaps he was afraid that I would reject his request. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go together.¡± I had no reason to reject my husband¡¯s request. Looking at his flinching shoulders, I grinned widely and pulled him out of the parlor. ¡°Will it be alright? Carlo has been very sensitive lately.¡± Ibelina, who quietly followed us behind, spoke loudly as if she was worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll persuade him.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°Saintess. Carlo is not as weak as you think he is.¡± Joseph shook his head sternly as he curtly dismissed her. ¡°Fine.¡± Ibelina pouted and ran ahead of us like a rabbit, announcing that we had arrived at Carlo¡¯s bedroom. ¡°Carlo, Carlo.¡± It was such a soft voice like a bird chirping. ¡°Open the door, please. It¡¯s me, Ibelina.¡± Perhaps he paced around his room, or he recognized her voice right away, I could hear the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Clack. Along with the creaking sound, the old wooden door began to open little by little. ¡°Joseph Oppa is here, Carlo.¡± Ibelina quickly slid her arm through the door gap before Carlo could even close it. ¡®Do you close the curtain, too?¡¯ I crumpled my brows, noting that there was a minimum amount of light leaking from the room. ¡®There¡¯s a reason why humans are active during the day, though.¡¯ An alchemist discovered how plants use sunlight to absorb nutrients, and his hypothesis convinced me that humans also need sunlight. ¡®Although his research will only be published in a few years¡­¡¯ I waited for Carlo to leave the room while recalling the groundbreaking discovery of Dr. Fausto. The door opened but Carlo didn¡¯t enter the hallway. ¡°I think we should go in.¡± ¡°He¡¯s quite fussy indeed.¡± Ibelina looked troubled, sighed deeply, and then opened the door wider. Joseph and I followed her closely. ¡°C-Close the door!¡± Perhaps Carlo was startled by the sudden sunlight, he shouted like a demon being exorcized. ¡°Ibelina! Sunlight!¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Ibelina closed the door again as if familiar with Carlo¡¯s reaction. Bang! The door closed again, and darkness enveloped the space. I fumbled to find Joseph due to the darkness, such that I couldn¡¯t believe it was midday. ¡°I-Ibelina! I was so scared!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 40 I could hear Ibelina¡¯s light step as she passed by me, followed shortly by her weak scream¡­ ¡®¡­.Wasn¡¯t Ibelina the one who closed the door?¡¯ She should¡¯ve expected the room to be this dark, so what was she so scared of? I blinked slowly to adapt to the darkness, and glanced at Ibelina, who was already glued to Joseph like a cicada on a tree. ¡°Are you alright, Wife?¡± He shook off Ibelina¡¯s arm as if she was a nuisance. ¡°Ah, yes¡­..¡± I nodded indifferently, guessing that Ibelina had fallen behind after Joseph shrugged her off. ¡°There¡¯s a candlestick here.¡± I began to fumble around the table to find the candlestick and chanted a spell. Soon, a yellow spark flashed before my eyes with a crackling noise. ¡°I think Lord Carlo is on the bed.¡± I whispered, pointing to the bulging sheet after looking around using the candle. Carlo screamed and ran to hide under the blanket as soon as the door was opened. ¡°Carlo.¡± Joseph took the candle from my hand and walked to the bed. Only then did the big lump under the sheet flinch. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°¡­Brother?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Carlo squirmed like a caterpillar and popped out of the blanket upon hearing Joseph¡¯s answer. ¡°What brings you here, Brother?¡± Carlo¡¯s lukewarm response toward Joseph made me tilt my head. I thought their relationship was pretty good¡­.or was it? ¡°You talk as if I shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s not what you mean, get up. I have someone to introduce to you.¡± At Joseph¡¯s urging, Carlo got out of bed completely. In the meantime, Ibelina turned on all the lights in the room, so I could see Carlo¡¯s sickly face more closely. ¡®You don¡¯t look 18 years old at all.¡¯ Carlo was six years younger than Joseph, so he was 18 years old this year. ¡°Who do you want to introduce?¡± Perhaps because he was stuck in the corner of his room for so long, his pale skin and skinny body were more like a boy rather than a man. ¡°Do you mean her?¡± Carlo¡¯s face, which looked younger than I remembered, clearly looked sick. ¡°I know you. If it¡¯s a beauty with black hair ¡­.¡± Carlo pressed his lips, looking alternately between me and Joseph. ¡°I¡¯m Rita Cardinale.¡± His eyes looked darker than Joseph. ¡°I already know that you married that woman. But why do you have to bring her to me?¡± I glanced downward at Carlo, who wore an angry frown on his face while pointing at me. ¡°I greet the Little Sun of Las Vecchia.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Your sun is George, isn¡¯t it?¡± His face was greatly distorted as he spat out a mocking remark toward me, which rendered me speechless. I could understand why he was hostile toward me. ¡®George must have tormented you a lot.¡¯ The emperor was a cold-blooded ruler who had not the slightest love toward his family, but he was also the owner of the Imperial Palace that strictly adhered to the principle of bloodline. After Joseph was deposed for possessing the qualities of a demon hunter, George thought the right of succession would be given to him as the eldest son. Although the emperor had three sons, he only poured all his attention to Carlo, the empress¡¯ child. ¡®Because of that, George tormented Carlo out of jealousy.¡¯ Unlike Joseph, who had shown exceptional talent for swordsmanship since childhood, Carlo was a scholar with a magic talent. He was so weak that he followed Joseph to the battlefield just to avoid George. ¡°I hate to see the likes of Cardinale!¡± Which is why I could be so calm to face Carlo¡¯s disgusted expression. Because I was guilty of his suffering. ¡°Carlo. Mind your words.¡± But Joseph sternly warned Carlo with a frown on his neat brows. Carlo turned his back while pouting as if he didn¡¯t want to hear anything. ¡°So what? Are you going to take that woman¡¯s side in front of me, Brother? If so, just leave.¡± Looking at Carlo sulking like a child, I felt like something didn¡¯t add up in their conversation. ¡®Didn¡¯t Carlo push Joseph to marry me?¡¯ Count Cardinale, my father, had a reason to hold Joseph a hostage. Just sending me to Katan to monitor Joseph was enough to pressure Carlo. ¡®I¡¯m sure Carlo has a good reason as well¡­¡¯ Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be any particular reason for Joseph to marry me. I thought Carlo was going to use me to spy on George or get a grip on Cardinale¡¯s situation. But based on their conversation, it sounded like Carlo had opposed my marriage to Joseph. Joseph and I ended up getting kicked out of the room because Carlo absolutely hated to see my face. ¡°Wife, are you perhaps offended?¡± Even then, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about why Joseph married me. ¡°Your Highness,¡± I turned to my husband who looked at me with worried eyes. ¡°I apologize. Please forgive my brother¡¯s rudeness.¡± ¡°¡­.Why me?¡± I wanted to ask him why he married me. ¡°Pardon?¡± Joseph tilted his head as if wondering why I was so hesitant to open my mouth. ¡°Go ahead and ask, Wife.¡± The brilliant sunlight of autumn fell over his clean-cut silver hair for a moment. ¡°Why me-¡± ¡°Unnie!¡± Ibelina popped out of the room as soon as I opened my mouth and shoved her pretty face between us. ¡°Carlo is especially sensitive today,¡± She batted her thick eyelashes and came so close, almost like she hugged me. ¡°Tomorrow, Lina will try to persuade Carlo so that Unnie can talk to him.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, thank you.¡± I nodded grimly as I looked at Ibelina¡¯s glistening eyes, seemingly expecting me to praise her. ¡°How many days are you planning to stay in the monastery? I¡¯ll show you your room.¡± She hopped in her place, saying that she was excited to have a friend, and dragged me down the hallway. ¡®I was still talking to Joseph, though¡­.¡¯ Ibelina dragged me upstairs before I could even say no and pointed to the room at the end of the left wing building. ¡°That¡¯s the biggest and most beautiful room in the annex. I asked them to clean it so Unnie can use it.¡± Ibelina opened the door for me and quickly turned away with a smile as if her business was over. ¡°Wait, saintess.¡± But I caught her arm even before she could leave the room. ¡°Please call me Ibelina.¡± ¡°Okay, Ibelina.¡± Her smile beamed like an innocent child. Looking at her, I struggled to get the word out of my mouth. ¡®Should I tell her that I have a mermaid?¡¯ I saved a young mermaid, which meant I shouldn¡¯t release him at random places. He might be captured by humans again, or unable to return to his family. ¡®I reckon the mermaid lives in the Emerald Sea which is near the monastery.¡¯ I heard that the saintess of the great temple was quite an unusual position. A person who wasn¡¯t as powerful as the emperor or the pope, but greatly respected by the pope and priests. If she was the ¡®saintess¡¯ who has an endless love and kindness even towards subhuman species such as mermaids or monsters, she might know where the sea was. ¡°By any chance, do you know where the mermaids live?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you asking me that?¡± She scratched her chin as if she was uncomfortable by my question. ¡°Lina likes you, Unnie, but Lina also likes mermaids. And it¡¯s not true that a mermaid¡¯s tears can keep you young forever.¡± She definitely misunderstood, thinking that I had my eyes on the mermaid¡¯s tears. I shook my head immediately when Ibelina raised her guard on me, just like Marquis Derrienzo back then. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to harm the mermaid. It¡¯s because I have a mermaid that I want to send back to the sea.¡± ¡°Unnie, do you have a mermaid with you? Really?¡± After a quick nod, I rummaged through the pocket of my dress. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a mermaid from Notte.¡± A guppy fish was swimming in a palm-sized container, and it shook its fins once it recognized me. ¡°Oh my god. Is that a real mermaid?¡± Even though it looked like a common pet fish, Ibelina recognized the mermaid right away and seemed impressed by it. ¡°I understand. Since Unnie is asking Lina a favor, Lina will take this mermaid to the sea very carefully.¡± With a nod, Ibelina quickly reached out to me. ¡°Are you taking this mermaid?¡± ¡°Yes! Lina will take good care of it.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤